My Immune Boost Recipe

This is a modified recipe that I have had in my pantry for quite a few years now.  It is a very strong drink, similar to a hot tea and the cayenne pepper adds quite a bite, but several days of sipping on this will kick start your immune system and you’ll be feeling better before you know it!

Immune Boost Drink

In a small sauce pan add;

• 2 cups water
• 3 tablespoons chopped garlic
• 2 tablespoons grated ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper (more or less, depends on your tolerance)
• 1/2 diced lemon pieces or equivalent lemon juice
• (optional- 1 teaspoon horseradish)

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Bring all of the above to a boil then reduce and simmer for 30 minutes.
Strain the liquid into a cup and drink warm.

Garlic is anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, anti-viral and anti-parasitical.
Ginger root increases circulation to the extremities.
Cayenne pepper is a great blood stimulant.

Over the last several weeks I began to sense some kind of virus settling into my system. First a few sneezes, then a nagging cough and then it progressed to a full blown cold working right into my chest and lungs. A few days ago it knocked me off me feet and straight to bed rest. I managed to muster the energy to make the above drink and after one day I regained some strength. After making and drinking this recipe only once again on the second day I was actually feeling pretty good and was able function.  Before bed I am going to have one more cup and that should clear up any remaining impurities hanging onto my system.  If you give this recipe a try, let me know if it works for you and how you like it! (But I really hope the cold and flu bug just passes you right on by this year!)

© 2008 Heart Notes From Home
All Rights Reserved

Tags: alternatives, boost the immune, colds and flu, herbal

Tattered and somewhat torn. Faded a bit and slightly bent around the edges. What a beautiful sight to see as I gaze upon this lovely piece of paper. I remember my mother reciting this prayer when she woke up in the morning. No doubt Psalm 5:3 was hidden away in her heart. My mother always clipped and saved short lines of poetry and prose, quotes, recipes, health tips and the teeny tiny box of scripture meditation quotes found in our local newspaper. She liked to view these habits as being thrifty. I must agree.  She made use of what she had and took very good care of what the Lord placed her in stewardship over.

I thought it would be nice to share this prayer card with you, my readers, to encourage you to take a closer look at what is around you and how the seemingly insignificant things can sometimes be used to the utmost by a Mighty God.

Of course my mother conversed with the Lord and formulated her own prayers to Him. I know this for certain.  But if for no other reason, I am thankful she took care to recite this poetic prayer in my presence. This verse is hidden in my heart too.  As I read these words again, I can still embrace the memory of her voice.  Thank you Mom! For she was fully transformed into His likeness at the break of dawn, as the sun arose. Thank You Jesus!

Father,  Thank You for awakening me to this new morning! Please help me to begin this day with rejoicing, and with praise to You on my heart and lips for keeping me through another night.

I also praise You for the promise of Your Word in Lamentations 3:22-23 that Your loving kindnesses never cease, and Your compassions never fail, but are new every morning.

I commit this day to You. Help me to keep You uppermost in my thoughts, and help me to magnify and glorify Your great name in all that I do and say. I pray this in the powerful name of Jesus.

Amen

In the morning, O LORD, You will hear my voice; In the morning I will order my prayer to You and eagerly watch. Psalm 5:3

© 2008 Heart Notes From Home
All Rights Reserved

Tags: Memorizing Scripture, Psalm 5:3

It’s that time of year once again to bring out those feeders and watch the playful antics of the woodland creatures.  The longer I observe their habits the more amazed I am at the level of intelligence they display.  Our awesome Creator has built into them a keen awareness of their surroundings and survival skills. Squirrels make loud sounds to ward of predators and this also serves to get the warning out to other wildlife and alert them to possible danger.

Over the past couple of years I’ve noticed that nothing can trigger this warning cry from the squirrel more so than the notorious cat! (No offense all you cat lovers out there!) In our household we reside with a kitty too, but she stays inside and is quite content looking at the birds from behind closed doors. ) The squirrels that readily visit our area are The Eastern Grey Squirrels.

A word of caution, if you begin to take on the habit of feeding squirrels, you need to keep a close eye on your property to assure that there are no open areas where squirrels can enter. I have noticed this is something to watch out for in the spring and early summer months during mating season.

Squirrels are very curious about humans and can sense if you are a threat. I heard the loud distress call this afternoon.  It was so loud I couldn’t concentrate on my work!  I promptly opened the door and looked over the railing to see if there were any cats in sight. To my surprise, he (Mr. Squirrel) looked at *me* looking to the ground and not at him, maybe sensing that I was checking for cats! He then proceeded to scamper along the limb of our tree right over to me. Now I, by no means make a habit of talking to squirrels but my first reaction was to tell this little fella they were no cats in the vicinity and to hold tight, that I would grab him some field corn.  He jumped into the feeder and waited for me to bring him some lunch! The sparrows flocked to the birdfeeder at the very same time but we will reserve their story for Part 2.

If you are your children would like to learn more about squirrels,  Homeschoolshare.com has some of THE best learning and lesson plans on squirrels entitled
“Squirrels and Their Habitats”, A Multi Book Unit – Prepared by Wendie and Ami.

Below is a partial list of resources prepared for this unit;

• Squirrel Story-Starter Writing Page  (color / black and white)
• Squirrel Notebooking Pages
• Squirrel Mini-book
• Squirrel Chart*
• Squirrel Classification Accordion Book
• Even More……………

If you enjoyed this article, please leave a comment.  If you have a similar squirrel story I would like to read yours too!

© 2008 Heart Notes From Home
All Rights Reserved

Tags: backyard garden, homeschool, lesson plans, squirrels

It’s not often, in fact, it’s very rare to find a gem in Hollywood, but they do exist on occasion.  We had a nice time with family Easter weekend.   We actually colored some eggs and put up some decorations at Gramma’s house.  Among other sweet memories, one that means a lot to me was the time we spend with an old friend who portrayed a beloved leader of old by the name of Moses.  The actor?  None other than Charlton Heston.  Yes, Easter eve we watched the Ten Commandments. Mr Heston gave us a beautiful glimpse into the accounts that we read of in God’s Word about the deliverance of His people from the bondage of Egypt.

Sometimes when we read the Word, it can be difficult to recreate in our minds what the life was like in various stages through time and the cultural differences.  When I see movies like these, and actors who put their *whole heart* into the portrayal, it really helps me to better understand what God was doing and how He prepared His people for deliverance.  The purpose was twofold, they were prepared and we see the preparations for the coming of our Savior, Jesus Christ.  The Passover is a beautiful, beautiful picture of His sacrificial death to cover our sins.

We watched several moving biblical movies, but Gramma was waiting patiently for ANOTHER Biblical Blockbuster, Ben-Hur.  It wasn’t scheduled to air this year so I was planning to rent it.  I browsed through our movie library at home and “low and behold”  to my surprise we do own the movie!

If you have never taken the time to watch Ben-Hur, I can promise you, it will be well worth your time!  Again, Charlton Heston did a phenomenal job and we learned many things as we watched, (very good movie for history buffs too!)

Maybe you don’t care for MGM or the Hollywood twist on movies, but if for no other reason, watch the film as even an excuse to compare it to scripture.  It will be a good, no, a GREAT springboard for you to get some study into your life!

© 2008 Heart Notes From Home

Tags: Ben Hur, Biblical Movies, Heston, Reviews