Amen”

-betty rodman

At election time, we are always keenly aware of our values and differences; this time more than ever. When you go to the polls, vote with a clear head, heart and mind. Do not allow yourself to be swept along by negativity, contriteness and rhetoric. Do not choose to just stay at home. Every vote matters. Make yours count.

A day set aside for expressing gratitude is wonderful, but everyday is a day to be thankful, simply, because every day is special. Thanksgiving Day as a legal holiday in the U.S., was first celebrated in early colonial times in New England. After the first harvest was completed by the Plymouth colonists in 1621, Governor William Bradford proclaimed a day of thanksgiving and prayer. The Pilgrims of Plymouth Rock held their Thanksgiving as a three day "thank you" celebration to the leaders of the Wampanoag Indian tribe and their families for teaching them the survival skills they needed to make it in the New World. It was to their good fortune that the tradition of the Wampanoags was to treat any visitor to their homes with a share of whatever food the family had, even if supplies were low.

After the first New England Thanksgiving the custom spread throughout the colonies, but each region chose its own date. In 1789 George Washington, the first president of the United States, proclaimed November 26^th a day of Thanksgiving. It continued to be celebrated in the United States on different days in different states until Mrs. Sarah Josepha Hale, editor of Godey's Lady's Book, decided to do something about it. For more than 30 years she wrote letters to the governors and presidents asking them to make Thanksgiving Day a national holiday.

Finally, in 1863, President Lincoln issued a White House proclamation calling on the "whole American people" wherever they lived to unite "with one heart and one voice" in observing a special day of thanksgiving; setting apart the last Thursday of November for that purpose. Every president since then has issued a Thanksgiving Day proclamation.

In 1939 President Franklin D. Roosevelt advanced Thanksgiving Day one week. However, since some states used the new date and others the old, it was changed again 2 years later. Thanksgiving Day is always celebrated on the fourth Thursday in November.

Divine Intervention is something more than a strategic, board game, which is all that many know it as. True, Divine Intervention is when God intercedes in human affairs. It may also be defined as a miracle. It will always defy human logic ability, understanding, or knowledge in any particular situation.

Divine Intervention requires faith, trust and a willingness, on your part, to simply let go and let God. This world, being an unfair place where evil often seems to triumph; sometimes may require Divine Intervention. When you’ve done everything humanly possible to rectify an unjust situation, you may ask for Divine Intervention, which could come in any form, or not at all. You may witness it or you may never see it. Your persecutors may be defeated before you, brought down at your feet, simply are allowed to continue, or even be killed. It is all in God’s hands. You do not have to even ask for it, however asking for Divine Intervention does not mean telling God how to do it. You just pray, release it and leave it alone. Others have lessons that they, too, must learn. You could well be their catalyst for change.

If you will walk through the valley of adversity with an unwavering faith, you will always come out better off, ultimately, than you were before. It is always good to thank those who do you wrong, because they are the vehicles that can drive you to victory; by elevating you for a blessing. If you have something, or someone in your life seeking after your demise; just say, “bring it on” and thank them.

Traditional, Thanksgiving dinner usually means turkey and stuffing or some other poultry and stuffing for most families. The safest way to enjoy your dinner and not risk getting sick is to not stuff the bird. Prepare your stuffing separately. It will spoil fast inside the bird. Heat and the moisture can cause salmonella to flourish. If you insist on cooking your stuffing inside the bird; remove it all, as you serve it up.

Wash your hands before handling the bird. To avoid contamination, thoroughly clean all prep surfaces before and afterwards with a mild bleach and soap water solution. Remember to wash your hands again before you prepare the other foods.

Have a happy, safe Thanksgiving Day Celebration. Please remember others.

Pumpkins, aside from being a filling for pies, are loaded with an important antioxidant, beta-carotene. Pumpkin seeds and flowers are also edible. Beta-carotene is one of the plant carotenoids converted to vitamin A in the body. In the conversion to vitamin A, beta carotene performs many important functions. It reduces the risk of developing certain types of cancer and protects against heart disease. Beta-carotene also wards off the degenerative aspects of aging and other diseases.

Pumpkin seeds have many health benefits too. They are a source of protein, zinc and vitamins. Eating pumpkin seeds can help lower cholesterol levels. They contain tryptophan, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, and phytosterols. The seeds have a mild nutty flavor and are good for a healthy liver and immune system.

Pumpkin seed tea is useful for combating the mucus from a cold. Boil twenty raw seeds in 2 cups of water. Strain and drink as needed. Pumpkin seed oil contains fatty acids which help maintain healthy blood vessels, nerves, tissues and prostate gland.

Pumpkin flowers may be eaten cooked or raw. The flower is actually the most nutritious part of the pumpkin, containing practically every vitamin and mineral there is. Little green, developing pumpkins may be eaten like zucchini.

Women have been taught to wipe from front to back to prevent vaginal infections. Did you also know that you should never flush the toilet while you are still seated? (This goes double for public restrooms.) Millions of bacteria can enter your body through the fine spray mist that occurs whenever a toilet gets flushed. In fact you should always close the lid before you flush. This will also prevent your toothbrushes in your bathroom from becoming contaminated with fecal and urinary bacteria. The fine mist that fills the air can contaminate a very large area. You may also inhale the mist. This can trigger lung infections, asthma, colds and even pneumonia. Closing the toilet lid before you flush is a simple act that can help keep you well. (Don’t forget to wash your hands.)