LIVER DETOX

So, after finding out that I have a damaged liver from my years of medication, And recent tests showing that my liver is not healing itself. I decided to take matters into my own hands. With a liver detox drink. GAG!!!!!
I am going to post the recipe to this drink below.

Now, I have found that I cannot stomach it with just water. So, I started using Apple Juice and it's much more doable that way.  Although I don't like the sugar content it works.

Also, I am taking a clove of garlic a day just like I would a pill and baking soda foot soaks.

afterwards I noticed that my fingertips were blackened. (Looking like I had my hand in mascara) and the same with my toes. A good sign that it's trying to draw out heavy metals. However, that means I have too many heavy metals in my system.  UGH.

So, we continue the detox!!!!!

The Truth Behind Halloween

Well, here we are. Another Halloween upon us and millions of "Christians" will be out celebrating a holiday of which they know nothing about (Or simply don't care). 
We follow in "vain traditions" of which we know only that it is what everyone else does.

"Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.” Colossians 2:8 KJB

Would you get in a car with a stranger and blindly follow wherever they are going if everyone else was doing it?  I would certainly hope not. But, society has such a sheep mentality that we don't research anything for ourselves. We simply FOLLOW. And we are following the WOLVES not the Shepherd.

^"Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves." Matthew 7:15

Did you know that Halloween (Before it was accepted as an HOLIDAY in general) was called "Samhain" or "Festival of the dead" ? Did you know that? Most don't.
I want to share with you an excerpt from wicca.com......

"Samhain, (pronounced SOW-in, SAH-vin, or SAM-hayne) means “End of Summer”, and is the third and final Harvest. The dark winter half of the year commences on this Sabbat.
It is generally celebrated on October 31st, but some traditions prefer November 1st. It is one of the two “spirit-nights” each year, the other being Beltane. It is a magical interval when the mundane laws of time and space are temporarily suspended, and the Thin Veil between the worlds is lifted. Communicating with ancestors and departed loved ones is easy at this time, for they journey through this world on their way to the Summerlands. It is a time to study the Dark Mysteries and honor the Dark Mother and the Dark Father, symbolized by the Crone and her aged Consort.
Originally the “Feast of the Dead” was celebrated in Celtic countries by leaving food offerings on altars and doorsteps for the “wandering dead”. Today a lot of practitioners still carry out that tradition. Single candles were lit and left in a window to help guide the spirits of ancestors and loved ones home. Extra chairs were set to the table and around the hearth for the unseen guest. Apples were buried along roadsides and paths for spirits who were lost or had no descendants to provide for them. Turnips were hollowed out and carved to look like protective spirits, for this was a night of magic and chaos. The Wee Folke became very active, pulling pranks on unsuspecting humans. Traveling after dark was was not advised. People dressed in white (like ghosts), wore disguises made of straw, or dressed as the opposite gender in order to fool the Nature spirits."

WHOA, Some people take this thing seriously. I mean it's not just some random day where we go get candy. 

Have you looked around at how people are dressed up? (I don't have a problem with dressing up. I do have a problem with dressing as the "dark world")

Halloween didn't become widely accepted until the Catholic church decided to make it a "Christian " holiday.

You may ask "Why, would a church want to make such a wicked day into an accepted church holiday?"

Here is why. 

Pope Gregory the First in 601 A.D decided to send a letter to his then group of catholic missionaries stating that instead of doing away with heathen practices and customs, instead to consecrate it to Christ and make it a "Christian" tradition.  Instead of cutting down a tree or monument that the people worshiped, we would now say "It's blessed and of God." And therefore continue to worship it under a different guise.

When I hear of this, I think of when Jesus overturned the tables in the temples......

“And Jesus went into the temple of God, and cast out all them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the moneychangers, and the seats of them that sold doves,” Matthew 21:12 KJB

If Pope Gregory's now wildly accepted decree to just bless what the heathen are doing and it's all fine is the correct way to handle the customs of this world, I have to wonder why Jesus didn't just bless the selling of merchandise in HIS church.  I mean, If the Pope was really right (And millions think he is all across the world.) Then, why didn't Jesus practice the same thing? 

God himself said through Jeremiah....

“Thus saith the LORD, Learn not the way of the heathen, and be not dismayed at the signs of heaven; for the heathen are dismayed at them.” Jeremiah 10:2 KJB

That sounds an awful lot like the complete OPPOSITE of what the Pope declared.

Did you know that traditionally "Samhain" (Now Halloween) was a time of human and animal sacrifice? 

According to the May 1977 issue of the National Geographic Samhain was a time when "First Borns were sacrificed."

To the Druids (According to Bill Schnoebelen Occult expert) worshipped the sun god who they called by names like "Bel" (Ba'al).

The following is a small excerpt from Bill himself

"Druids worshiped the sun god, called by names like Bel (Ba’al?) or Chrom. On October 31, they believed that he died and went into the kingdom of the dead, Anwynn. The purpose of Samhain was to insure his return. Even witches admit this involved human sacrifice.
Both animal and human blood were believed to be needed to resurrect Bel on Samhain. Human blood was believed to open the gates of Anwynn and released the spirits for a night. Thus, October 31 came to be associated with ghosts. This is not just history. Samhain is still celebrated by Pagans and is the most solemn ceremony on their “religious calendar”.

Ghosts, witches, vampires....... They aren't just fun fictional characters. NO, they are very real. They are everything that is opposite of our Saviour.

Lots of "small" traditions that we associate with Halloween have HUGE meaning behind them. Even the pumpkins that we carve and set out for fun have a meaning.
The following is also from Bill
"Here it’s a pumpkin, but in Europe it was often a turnip, or a skull with a candle in it. This serves two symbols, 1) the lord of the Dead, a “god” just like a Buddha – in short, an idol. 2) The fearsome face represented the god, Samhain, who would drive off less powerful demons that night. The lights in the Jack-o-Lantern symbolize the “faery fires” or “Will’o the Wisps” which were believed to be the lost souls flitting through the night. They also hearken back to the huge Samhain “balefires” which were lit to help conjure back the god from the darkness."
If you have done any driving at all in the last month, I'm sure you've seen the carved pumpkins, scary faces and even some with candles in them.  Most, of these people have no idea what they are inviting into their homes.
Another tradition coming from the Druids is dressing up and trick or treating.
This is from cbn.com......
"For example, among the ancient Druids, “The ghosts that were thought to throng about the houses of the living were greeted with a banquet-laden table. At the end of the feast, masked and costumed villagers representing the souls of the dead paraded to the outskirts of town leading the ghosts away.”
As already noted, Halloween was thought to be a night when mischievous and evil spirits roamed freely. As in modern poltergeist lore, mischievous spirits could play tricks on the living—so it was advantageous to “hide” from them by wearing costumes. Masks and costumes were worn to either scare away the ghosts or to keep from being recognized by them:
In Ireland especially, people thought that ghosts and spirits roamed after dark on Halloween. They lit candles or lanterns to keep the spirits away, and if they had to go outside, they wore costumes and masks to frighten the spirits or to keep from being recognized by these unearthly beings"

Well, you take away the pumpkins, dress-up and trick or treating.... Halloween becomes kind of lame.

So, what if you are doing this just for fun? What if you aren't a pagan and you don't even "mean it like that?"  What if you still don't see the issue with a little "fun" on a day when everyone else is doing it?
Well then, that's your business. That is between you and God. But, I do want you to remember a few scriptures.
"But I have a few things against you, because you have there some who hold the teaching of Balaam, who kept teaching Balak to put a stumbling block before the sons of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols and to commit acts of immorality." Rev 2:14

"Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the LORD, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you," 2 Cor 6:17

You've been presented with the facts of this wicked day. You have been given scripture. Please don't let this fall on deaf ears.
After being presented with these facts keep in mind that it is a sin to celebrate the works of Satan. And once you know of it, you will be held accountable.

^"Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin." James 4:17

This is not going to be a well received post. I know that for a fact. However, I hope each and every one of you know that I have posted this in love and concern for each of you.
I pray that each of my readers will open themselves up to God and at least seek Him a little more after reading this and repent of their past or their intentions.



Bre Shafer

He's Holding My Hand

This week has been beyond trying and when I woke up this morning, I seriously thought things couldn't get much worse. Funny how the human brain works. Comparing problems of yesterday to the better times and never thinking about the fact that things could get worse. 
Well, I made a post on Facebook this morning saying something along the lines of "When you lose everything and everyone, you learn quickly that Jesus is all you need. Take the world and give me Jesus."
I wrote that and never thought another thing about it, Until I got a bad phone call and spent literally an hour weeping. And it hit me how blessed I am. How far God has brought me since 2015.
In 2015 had I gotten that call, or gone through what we are going through now, I would have grabbed the closest knife, box cutter or anything and sliced my arms. I would have popped a pain pill to numb the pain and downed a 6 pack of alcohol all in one setting. 
You see, I didn't have Christ by my side through anything in 2015. Not because He didn't want to be there. But, because I had done a fine job of pushing Him away and letting Him know that my plans and ways of handling stress was far better than His ways.
Today, After getting that phone call, I pulled out my Bible and poured over Gods word instead of harming myself. Instead of trying to fix my problems my way.  I don't have any new scars to show for the pain I feel. Instead I feel a strange since of peace in my heart, knowing that I am not the one in control. God is.

While I was reading my Bible and weeping like I have never done before. God showed me a verse in Isaiah 41:13

"For I the Lord thy God will hold thy right hand, saying unto thee, Fear not; I will help thee."

How powerful is that?  Instead of weeping, I am now thanking God. Because in the face of adversity. In the face of pain and heartache, God still has my hand. He's not going anywhere even tho so many others have left.
I am so thankful that God doesn't hold my past mistakes over my head like others seem to do. But, instead God uses these times to hold me and pull me closer to Him.
I could get angry and bitter at God or, I can draw closer to God as He draws closer to me.
I can say as king Hezekiah said when he found out that the Babylonians were about to take all that he had in Isaiah 39.

"Good is the word of the Lord which thou hast spoken...."  ISAIAH 39:8

I will choose to hold that hand that is outstretched and waiting for me to take it.  He alone gives me strength to face today AND tomorrow and the days' after that as well.

HE IS MY ABBA FATHER.

"Now therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. "2 Tim 2:3

Bre Shafer

Grandmother Bread

This is the only bread recipe that I use. Easy to follow and turns out perfect every time.  Not my recipe but I have to share it.

Grandmother Bread

Two-loaf standard recipe
3 cups warm water
1 tablespoon yeast (1 packet)
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup sugar
7 cups all-purpose flour

One-loaf standard recipe
1 1/2 cups warm water
1 teaspoon yeast
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons sugar
3 1/2 cups flour





In a large bowl, combine water, yeast, sugar, and salt. Let sit five minutes. Stir in first three cups of flour with a heavy spoon. Add the next cup of flour a little at a time as needed, stirring until dough becomes too stiff to continue stirring easily. Add a little more flour and begin kneading. The amount of flour is approximate–your mileage may vary! Continue adding flour and kneading until the dough is smooth and elastic. Let dough rise in a greased, covered bowl until doubled. (Usually, about an hour.) Uncover bowl; sprinkle in a little more flour and knead again before dividing in half. With floured hands, shape dough into loaves and place in two greased loaf pans. Tear off two pieces of waxed paper and grease with oil spray (to prevent it from sticking to the loaves as they rise) and cover loaf pans. Let rise till loaves are tall and beautiful! (About an hour, depending on the temperature in your kitchen.)
Bake for 25 minutes in a preheated 350-degree oven.

"Tomato Butter"

Fall is unofficially here. The smell of pumpkin spice, apple pie, hot chocolate. The beautiful leaves changing colors before they begin to fall and bless us with a bountiful supply of endless fun to jump in and create memories with the children. 
My absolute FAVORITE? I can now run the oven without burning us all out of the house. In fact, the only thing that happens is we don't have to run the heat as much. 
Fresh veggies and fruits are being given to us by friends who are harvesting their gardens, fresh bread is constantly in the oven, new recipes being tried, and once again.... MORE MEMORIES are being made. I mean, no childhood is complete without memories of gathering around the table at dinner time with mom and dad and discussing the days happenings. Or, helping mama make a batch of bread (Home Economic for us home schoolers).
I seem to wait all year for this time of the year to come around. MY FAVORITE SEASON OF THE YEAR. Hard to find anything to complain about.
Today I made some fresh bread and tried a new recipe of Tomato Butter. (I didn't follow the recipe and made it my own AS USUAL)  So, I hope you enjoy it.

2 cups of tomatoes (Or Pint of cherry/grape tomatoes)
1 cup of unsalted butter (2 sticks)
1/4 tsp garlic powder (half clove )
1/4 tsp onion powder
1.5 tsp thyme.
1/4tsp pepper

broil the tomatoes for 6-8 mins until the tomatoes start to release their juices.  Let tomatoes cool to room temp.
Combine broiled tomatoes, thyme, garlic, onion powder and pepper in a food processor fitted with blade attachment. Pulse about 10 times, until tomatoes are finally chopped. Cut the butter into 1-inch cubes and add it to the food processor. Process until the butter is completely mixed in with the tomato mixture, about 30 seconds, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed for blending.

The tomato butter can be used immediately or placed in the refrigerator for a couple of hours to firm up first.

Will last in fridge up to one week. Or freezer up to 3 months.

"Blessed Inspite Of This Worlds Pain"

Recently, we received news that didn't fit into the picture that we had planned out for our future.  Just like many times in the past, we were told that there is a possibility of another diagnoses for our daughter looming over our head.  After each diagnoses I always say "I can't take any more. But, Gods grace is sufficient for this one."  Last nights news hit me hard, I won't lie. I won't pretend to be the "Ever Godly, ever strong, super mom" that is easy to come across as on social media.
Many tears were shed, and emotions were high. So many "What ifs?" And other questions...
But, as I lay in bed last night I got to thinking about Job and how much he lost. How blessed I am to get to raise my children, have a roof above my head and food in my cupboards.
Job lost EVERYTHING. And I mean everything. His friends, his children, his wife, his cattle and everything. 
I'm sure he would have done anything for one more day with any of his children. No matter what. Whether they had a diagnoses that wasn't expected.

There is so much in life that is unexpected.  Yet, we are blessed beyond measure.
We often look at the negative in life. Fail to look at the positive. 
How much better off we would be if we made a list of all of the blessings each and every day and focused on those, instead of focusing on the negatives.


One of my favorite songs below.

I Have Been Blessed

1.Whe He moves among us all that He does , all of His mercy and all of His Love.

And the pen of the writher could write everyday,even this world could never contain how

i have been blessed.

 

2.The warmth in the winter, the flowers in Spring, the laughter in Summner, and the

changing leavesl

 

CHORUS:

I have been blessed, God

s so good to me. Precious are His thoughts of you and me. No way I could count them, there's not enough time. So I'll just thank Him for being so kind. God has been good, so good. I have been blessed.

 

3.Arms that will raise, a voice that can talk, hands that can touch and legs that can walk,

ears that can listen, eyes that can see. Oh, I've got to praise Him as long as I breathe, I have been blessed.

 

4.I have been blessed, God's so good to me, precious are His thoughts of you and me.

No way I oculd cound them, there's not enough time. So, I'll just thank Him for being so kind. God has been so good, I have been blessed.

 

5.We live in a country, the greatest on earth. Our flag stands for freedom, and what it is worth. She stands in the harbor, Miss Liberty calls. All have gave some, but some gave all. For me to be blessed

 

6.He's my shoulder to lean on when I'm down. The rock where He leads me when I'm overwhelmed. The place where He hides me under His wings. He's not just a song. Hi's the reason I sing. I have been blessed

Bre Shafer

"Musings From My Time Away With God." Hosea 4

Do you have a time set aside to focus on spending time with God?
For me, that time is after I get both children laid down for naps. About the only time I can enjoy the silence and concentrate on time in His word.
Today, I was doing just that. Reading in the book of Hosea. A book that isn't that common to read. In fact, even I have a hard time finding it when the Preacher says "Turn to Hosea... For our Bible reading this morning/evening." And I can't say that's something I am proud of at all.... But, here I am on a rabbit trail....
Anyway, the book of Hosea is about the sins and filth of Israel (Gods People).. How they had taken to sins that were horrible even in today's day and age. (Hard to believe I know.)  Chapter 4:6 says
"My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I also will reject thee....."
We see there that He IS talking about HIS people. Not the heathen. But, His people ISRAEL.
That becomes important in just a moment.  Also notice, that they lacked knowledge in the first part of that verse. But, why did they lack knowledge?  It, wasn't because they hadn't been taught right from wrong.  It wasn't because they didn't have the mental ability to understand and receive that knowledge. Was it? NO.
If you read a few verses before that. Verse 4 talks about how they are as people that strive against priests. YIKES. That in and of itself is very dangerous. 
But the reason they lacked knowledge was because they HAD been taught right from wrong and they shut their eyes and ears. They REJECTED it. They refused to hear it. Wanted nothing to do with the ways of God. 
Verse 6 is hardly the verse that stuck out to me. Although it has such deep meaning in and of itself.
Chapter 4:10 is the one that got me.
"For they shall eat, and not have enough: they shall commit whoredom, and shall not increase: because they have left off to take heed to the Lord."
I found it interesting to note the contrast between Psalm 37:25
"I have been young and now am old; yet have I not seen the RIGHTEOUS forsaken, nor his seed begging bread." (Emphasis mine) And Hosea 4:10.
Both Passages are clearly speaking of God's people. The Psalmist is speaking of the child of God who is living in close fellowship with God. (Living Righteously) God Takes care of those living for Him.
In Hosea sin has taken over. (by choice of each individual) God who cannot even look on sin has turned His back on His children. (Take note that nowhere in this passage does God DISOWN His people. Turning ones back, punishing is far different than disowning) 
By choosing sin Gods people have cut off the hand that supplied all of their needs. Emotional, Spiritual and Physical. 
Too many people take Psalm 37:25 and use it as a crutch. Like we tend to do with a lot of scripture. We take out the word "righteous" (Well, we may say it. But, it really has no meaning) We expect God to meet all of our needs in every area just because we are His child. Just because we are a born again Christian.
In reality, nobody can live however they want and get away with it. There will always be consequences.  
How do you restore that relationship with Christ when you are already a born again Christian?
There is but one way. Turn from your wicked way. REPENT of that sin that doth so easily beset you.
simply praying and asking for the desire for that sin to be taken from you, isn't enough. It doesn't work that way. Certainly prayer helps. But, you have to make the first step. You yourself need to turn. Throw the cigs away, the porn away, ditch the drugs, pour the liquor down the drain, move out of the house that you are living in with your boyfriend/girlfriend until you are married......
Any sin can be overcome. And yes, I mean addiction, alcoholism, porn... No matter how big the sin. You can repent and be forgiven. That relationship needs to be nurtured and restored daily and sometimes on a minute to minute basis.  YOU CAN BE FORGIVEN AND YOU CAN HAVE THAT SWEET RELATIONSHIP AND WALK WITH JESUS CHRIST!

Maybe this was just a little bit of a DUH moment for me. But, I'd never seen this passage and it spoke to me. I just wanted to take a few moments and share what I had learned.


^"Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us."
Hebrews 12:1




Bre Shafer