**UPDATE** **UPDATE 2** Y'all, My Instant Pot Died!

*****************

Update 2: The Biggie!

Now I am upset for real.

Everything I saw online about the C6 error - and Instant Brands didn't dispute it - said it was fatal. Unfixable. Toss out your appliance.

Guess what?

Apparently, on some machines at least, the error is fixable. If you are at all handy (or know someone who is). I watched this video where the guy opened up the panel, adjusted the sensor with his finger, closed the panel, and - voila! - his appliance worked again.

What? WHAT???????

Yeah so. 

Now, I am not telling anyone to do this - for the same reason Instant Brand probably doesn't: I don't want to be liable. However, I do wish I had found that video before. You can find it on YouTube. 

Just saying.

*******************

Yes, folks, it does happen, apparently...

RIP Izzy Poo

My beloved Instant Pot died yesterday. I am so sad. And annoyed. It didn't break. It just threw up gang signs and died. And this is what a dead Instant Pot looks like, apparently:

What???

I had finished cooking some rice earlier in the day for lunch. Later on, I decided to fix some beans to put up for the next day. I cleaned the inner pot and plugged in the Instant Pot back in and - it was like a bunch of bright, flashing Times Square "Nopes".

It took me three tries - unplugging and re-plugging it - to realize that this problem was not going away. The third try is when I noticed the code - 

A "C6" error
not good

The first thing I did was find Instant Pot online and request some help. The next thing I did was ask Google if anyone else had experienced the same problem. Answer: Yep, you bet.

The first link that popped up was for Honest & Truly with this heading: "What To Do When Your Instant Pot Has A C6 Error". Maybe I should have started here? Maybe I can fix this situation?

Uh, that's a no. This is the very bad news I read on Honest & Truly:

"What is the Instant Pot C6 error?This means you have a faulty pressure sensor. Your Instant Pot can’t recover. This is a an error you can’t fix, but stop your tears."

Too late to stop the tears. The last few weeks have been pretty awful - my favorite Iowa doctor suddenly had to move away; I broke the seal on my favorite coffee mug; I have a knot on my head from when I fell against the door the other day; I've gained three pounds for some crazy unknown reason, and on top of all that. I'm scheduled to go in for a colonoscopy two days before Christmas. Yeah. 

Luckily, Honest & Truly had some good news right after the bad:

"You may be ok. First, don’t throw away your Instant Pot. Yet. This is a manufacturer’s defect, not something you did."

Oh, thank you, Jesus!

I had already done the right thing by contacting Instant Pot. They got back to me pretty quickly and, just as Honest & Truly predicted, they wanted some photos. I sent them a photo of the Amazon order details, the silver label from the back of the machine, and the heating element inside the pot.  

I've sent all this off and hope that I hear something back soon. My only concern is that my pot is from 2018 and they might try to use that as a reason not to help. I sure hope not. When I priced Instant Pots today on Amazon, they are running 10 and 20 dollars more than the 2018 price. And mine was a gift. (Well, the 6-qt was a gift that I returned and replaced with the 8-qt.)

Now, I do feel a little first-world-whiney for complaining about this. When my family asked what I wanted for Christmas 2021, I chose this:

7 In 1 Toaster Oven Oilless Cooker Fryer

I asked for it because I wanted an air fryer but don't like the small capacity of most I've seen and I didn't want to ask for anything super expensive. I had an air fryer once that was too heavy in weight and too small in capacity. And it was a one-trick pony. The Homuz is roomy (23-qt) and weighs just over 12 pounds.

Another thing I like is that, in between uses, I can stow this in the little bookcase storage setup I put together last month. Space is at a premium in this tiny apartment!

saves SO much room 
in the kitchen

The first thing that caught my eye was the whole "7-in-1" highlight. A 7-trick pony? I can deal with 12 pounds for a multi-use appliance.

I like the idea of having so much more room in which to air fry things. Also, I cannot wait to do a small whole roast chicken in it. And there are times when I will be able to multi-task - using my regular oven to bake a cake or using my Dutch oven while I use the Homuz to fix other things. Another plus is being able to see the food I'm cooking. My oven doesn't have a glass door. And being able to keep food warm without running the oven. And roasting nuts and...

Yeah, I'm pretty excited about this year's gift. And I wonder if my Instant Pot didn't get a little bit jealous...

That's what I told my niece. I was on the phone with her when the Instant Pot blitzed out. She reminded me that I could have asked for a Ninja version of the Instant Pot this year. Yeah, yeah, yeah. But, honestly, I'm really happy that I've picked the Homuz. Send up some prayers for me that I'm not getting a lemon!

So, yeah. I shouldn't be such a whiny baby about the Instant Pot. But I do love that thing. After all, the Homuz won't pressure cook my rice, beans, and greens, will it?

I will update here when I find out more about the Instant Pot situation. And you know I surely will do a review on the Homuz!

Peace

-Free 

P.S.: I will be going back over to the Honest & Truly site to check out some of the recipes. 

UPDATE: 

Okay, so "Instant Brands Customer Care" person got back to me rather quickly, as you know. I sent them the requested photos and they sent me their reply:

"Your unit is not functioning as intended and we are pleased to offer you a 20% discount on a replacement of your choice as it appears that your unit has passed the standard 1-year manufacturer's warranty." (my emphasis)

"Not functioning as intended"? Uh, yeah, that's why I was contacting them in the first place. 

They gave me the 20% discount code - and okay, they didn't have to give me anything, I guess - but the code only works ordering from their online store. And it appears to only be good until December 21st. 

I pointed out that a 20% discount is nice but that I would have to spend it back on an extended warranty - you know, since their pots can't be counted on to last more than a few years. (I didn't add that last part in my response). 

They responded that they "understand the frustration." But slid right on to "Should you decide on the discount code in the future, please do not hesitate to email us back and we would be more than happy to help and assist you."

In other words, so sad, too bad.

by the way, anyone who got this far: the first one of you to email me can have the code. 

Yeah, so, I will not be buying another Instant Pot. Ever. As a matter of fact, I learned a valuable lesson - other than that Instant Pot Brand doesn't stand behind their product for longer than a year. That lesson?

I don't need an Instant Pot!!!

Not to cook beans, soup, greens, etc. There are, after all, other pressure cookers out there. Not only is Instant Pot not the end-all, be-all, but they are kinda overpriced for something that might not last longer than a few years. If you buy one, you better tack on the price of an extra warranty.

True story: for about 70 bucks (including a 4-yr warranty and tax), I got this for Christmas:

Crock-pot 2109296 Express Pressure Cooker, 6-Quart, Stainless Steel

It does pretty much everything that the IP does and I prefer the oval shape. To be honest, at this point, I would rather have anything but an Instant Pot. Crock-Pot is a more established brand. I have a small $10 Crock-Pot slow cooker that has lasted for about 7 years. I've packed that thing from Alaska to here and it still works like new. I also like almost everything I've read about this little cooker. Yes, I did go smaller (from 8 quarts to 6) but I will now have my Christmas gift of the Fryer/oven so I don't mind. I will be able to cook my beans and rice and greens and, oh my.

The bottom line is, I think I got caught up in the Instant Pot rave back in 2018. After the bad experience with the durability of mine, it was good to take a look at other brands. I did look at Presto, Go Wise, Hamilton Beach, and some others, but I wanted to stay in a lower-price range and with a more established brand. Crock-Pot's parent company is Sunbeam so, yeah.

Of course, I will review the Crock-Pot when I have gotten it and had a chance to review it. My second choice, should I return it will be the one from Presto, most likely.

Bra Shopping Nightmares & Horrors

 Shopping for a bra is one of my life's most stressful situations. When I find a good bra, I will go broke trying to buy enough to last for years. I hate it that much. 

Recently, I had to look into getting some new bras. Since I am shopping online for them at this point, I decided to try one at a time before committing to a whole stash. I've tried 2. One went back so fast, the mailman was still delivering that day's mail. I kept the other one but only because I had a doctor's appointment and really needed one that wasn't so raggedy looking.

Let's talk first about the bra that I returned.

Oh. The. Madness.

I realize that sizes vary by brand. My favorite brand is Warner's but... pricey. I just need something that keeps me looking decently covered. I don't need cute, sexy, patterned, or intriguing. I just need something to hold and cover. I'm not especially well-endowed.

The first bra was so laughably badly sized that I swear it had to be labeled wrong. Had to be. The minute I tried putting it on, I realized that I had either grown by 2 cup sizes or the bra was sized not by "cups" but by "tablespoons". I didn't even bother getting further than that. No need causing damage to a return item.

someone on Pinterest understands!

The second bra... Wow. Just... 

Okay, this one fit. In some kind of way. I mean, it fit, as in, the cup and strap sizes seem adequate. The problem is, it gave me bullet boobs. Like Madonna at her scariest.

At first, I thought there was something wrong with my breasts. Why did they fit but not fit into the cups? Why did I feel like I needed to have implants the same size as my own breasts - just turned upwards like a cute little button nose - in order to make this bra work?

I mean, they REALLY understand...

Like I said, I was out of options. I mean, I could wear the new bullet bra or go with one of my ugly old ones and risk having to show it during an exam.

I went with the new one. I was tempted to stuff tissue on the tops of my boobs to sort of normalize the cups but... I remedied the situation by yanking the bottom of the bra down low under my bustline and tightening the back strap.

So awkward.

thanks Pinterest.

I needed the humor.

I intended to contact Amazon with a complaint but by the time I got through the appointment, I noticed that the bra was fitting better. I think it sort of shaped itself to me with the help of my body heat. Like some kind of weird Terminator-type material.

At any rate, I kept this one but I am going to just have to break down, take out a personal loan, and get a few Warner's. Instead of another appliance, I should have asked for bras for Christmas...

Peace

--Free

**SIFO** Perishable Food Storage Tips (and more)

**Not really Stuff I Found Out but Stuff I've Known**

 If you want good tips about being frugal, ask a broke person with a good credit rating. That's me. Ask me.

My neighbor came by while I was putting away groceries. When she noticed how I was prepping the meat and liquid dairy products, she was intrigued. I explained that I store a lot of my groceries in serving sizes. It saves money (food lasts longer when sealed and/or frozen), it saves space (because of how I separate and seal food), and it saves time (because it's easier to thaw smaller sizes of food). She suggested sharing these pointers here on my blog. (Since I share just about everything here, I can't believe I didn't think of it myself.)

Although I am single, I still like to buy food in family-sized portions. And what do most of us do when we catch a good sale on certain grocery items? We stock UP.

So, I am sharing some of my storage and money-saving tips. 

First off, I suggest collecting up some mason jars, various sizes of baggies (again, the cheapest kind that seal well), and/or a vac-seal machine and rolls of sealing material. Save any brown paper bags you have. Save any glass jars with good lids that come with jellies, jams, candles, etc. You can wash and sterilize them to use for storage. 

It does take a little more time to put away groceries when you are storing them for quick access and saving money but it really is worth it. I can shop once every other month or sometimes every 3 months for some things that a lot of people buy in smaller quantities, much more often (usually, at a higher cost). 

When I have chicken pieces, chops, or cuts of beef, I also store them by portion sizes. I usually put chicken pieces in zip-style baggies while I vac-seal the other stuff. Like with the ground beef, it's easy to pull out a meal portion to thaw overnight in the fridge. I will sometimes even add a bit of water and seasonings when I bag them up. That way, as they thaw, they are already absorbing some flavors.

I don't buy ground beef often but when it goes on deep sale...

This is how I fit 5 1/2 pounds of meat 

in my small freezer.

A rolling pin, scale, sealer & the bag for the meat

This is how thin I can get about 1 pound 3 oz of meat

And this is the meat neatly stored for later

If you don't have a sealer, you can use ziplock-type baggies. Just make sure you seal them tightly, getting out as much air as possible. Double-baggie them if you must. You don't want freezer-burned meat.

I find that it's easier to use the baggie method to store liquids, like broths, stocks, coffee creamer, and milk. And you better know I get the cheaper baggies! Once you seal them, lay the bags of liquid on something flat - a cookie sheet or a plate - to freeze. When you are ready to use the liquid, it will thaw much quicker. I usually measure out and store them this way:

Coffee Creamer - 1 pint per baggie. I will store the thawed creamer in a mason jar to use over the next several days. It's cheaper to buy the 64-oz bottles of creamer than to nickel and dime yourself to death with the smaller containers.

Cold Brew Coffee Concentrate - Because I generally make at least 2 cups of concentrate at a time, I will freeze 1/4 cup portions in snack baggies. Concentrated coffee goes a long way and I don't drink it every day. I have not noticed a negative effect on the flavor from freezing it.

Broth and Stock - 1 cup per baggie.

Soy Milk - I vac-seal about 4 cups at a time because I use vanilla soy to make my smoothies. Vac-sealing seems to help it keep the regular texture/consistency so it lasts longer in the freezer. When I used baggies, I wasn't always careful to get out all the air (lazy!) and the liquid would often separate a little when I thawed.

Whole Milk Powder - For the brand I use, 1 cup of water + 3 tablespoons of powder = a cup of whole milk so I store 12 tablespoons of powder per baggie. I can then make 4 cups of milk at a time to store in a mason jar. I really only use whole milk for baking and when I run out of coffee creamer.** Also, I sometimes add a teaspoon of unsalted butter when I mix the powder with warm water. Don't ask why I first did this, but the extra fat helps when I am using the milk for baked goods. Makes sense.

Frozen Berries - Because they are so good for me, healthwise but the prices can fluctuate so much, I buy a lot of frozen blueberries and/or bags of "fruit medley" when I can find the 16-, 24- and 32-ounce bags for really good prices from Aldi's. It's been said that the frozen fruit can often be better for you than the fresh. I do know that frozen fruit lasts just about forever, which is great because I usually only use it in smoothies. I vac-seal and freeze about 2 cups of berries to portion. The price recently went up on the blueberries so I'm glad I have about 40 ounces left from the last 4 months shopping. (One of my nieces is a smoothies fanatic. She pre-preps her smoothies in containers she bought by adding fruit, juice, and oat milk. She has them lined up in her fridge next to the Greek yogurt that she likes to add to some of her smoothies. She has a lot of cute containers and a much larger fridge that I don't have!)

Bread - Sometimes, large amounts of bread are delivered to our building by a senior resources group. We might get a lot of loaf bread or croissants or tortillas and wraps. And it is a lot of bread. I don't eat a lot of bread but when there is the really good bread with nuts and whole grains, I'm all over that. I will vac-seal half-loaves so I don't have to freeze the bread. I really don't like frozen/thawed bread for some reason. And here's another tip: save those little packets of silica gel that comes in some packaged foods. Those packets are for absorbing moisture to keep foods dry. I toss them into my stored bread and into my jars of sugar.

Whole Bean Coffee - I vac-seal beans in 2-cup portions and put the sealed bags inside dark paper bags. I have bought some of the specially-made bags that have the degassing valves because they can be used over and over. I also have one little air-tight canister. The seal-and-bagged method is the cheapest though. There's a lot of debate about freezing or not freezing coffee but I do freeze mine and make sure to let them thaw to room temp overnight before grinding. I don't generally use pre-ground coffee anymore but I just make sure it's kept in a cool dark place in the summer.

$8 for 10 3oz bags
still using 3 months later

coffee bag with gas valve

Spices and seasonings in bulk - I buy Turmeric, Ceylon cinnamon, and Old Bay seasoning in bulk because it's cheaper to do so. My mom told me once that the reason people buy spices in those small containers is that they go stale and lose flavor easily. But if you can find them in larger (cheaper) quantities, they will last longer if they are protected from light, heat, and air. 

This is the Old Bay I get in the large container from Amazon vs what it would cost for small sizes at the local Hyvee:

Why would I buy this???

I keep some in a little can I saved and the rest is sealed and stored in the freezer. The back of the freezer, which is why I didn't take a photo for you!

Just as with the coffee, there are bags you can buy to keep things from those elements but you can also cut up butcher paper or paper bags to use when you vac-seal spices. I generally do this and toss the extra in the freezer. I have some yeast that I bought last year that is still working when I use it for baking.

I think that covers most of my food storage tips. Even if I could afford to buy cute little containers for all this stuff, I find my way is cheaper. And I can't afford all those cute little containers. My vac-sealer that I got in 2018 on a Lightning Deal is still around and kicking after all this time. I buy the rolls of sealing material because that's cheaper than buying pre-cut bags. I like to get the rolls in the 11inch x50 foot' and 8"x50'. 

(One thing I miss a lot about living in Alaska. We used to keep coolers on our back deck to use for frozen food storage! Ah, the good, cold days...)

Anyway, I hope you are able to use some if not all of these tips. I have to be "frugal" but even if you have money, there's no need in wasting it.

And, finally, speaking of wasting money and why we shouldn't (even if we could):

You can donate some of what you save to a worthy cause. By the way, see if your grocery store has any programs for helping those in need. In honor of Giving Tuesday (at the time I am writing this), Instacart is working with a bunch of non-profit organizations, making it possible for shoppers like me to donate - at no charge to us - to one of 4 different local & national programs for feeding the hungry. 

"Offer applies to all orders placed between 11/30/21 12:00 AM PST and 12/8/21 12:00 AM PST. The cost of a meal varies by nonprofit. The nonprofit you choose will receive at least $1 for every 10 meals donated. You must choose a nonprofit before placing your order. Your chosen nonprofit will be your default for all orders during the offer period. Does not apply to orders that are canceled or fully refunded."

I chose No Kid Hungry. My orders this month (that I made on one day from 2 different stores) funded 2 meals! That might not seem like a lot, but it is along with all the other shoppers who participate.

There is no reason for children anywhere to be living with hunger - and especially not in a society as wealthy as ours. Donate to a food bank or to any program you can find. You never know when you will be in need. It can happen to anyone.

Peace

--Free

** If I use whole powdered milk in place of coffee creamer, I oomph up the milk by adding some unsalted butter and either a tiny bit of brown sugar or sweetened condensed milk.

Middle-Aged My Foot!

 I might not remember it years from now but I can tell you today the exact moment I became officially "old". 

I thought that moment was a while back when my back started hurting for no reason I could tell. Then I thought it was when I started to need a nap in the middle of the day - or after I did anything that required the smallest amount of energy. But no. Those weren't the moments.

The moment I became officially old was when I was sitting in a chair watching a Bible study video. It was about 6:03 PM when I sat down (I noticed the microwave clock on the way out of the kitchen with my bowl of popcorn). The video was one of a series I've been watching for a few weeks and I was really excited to get back to it.

I had my popcorn, some water, my notepad, and the Bible app pulled up on my phone. I was ready. The video started and I settled in to watch.

When I woke up, it was almost 10 o'clock. YouTube wanted to know if I was "still watching". I had a crick in my neck from the way I had slumped sideways. The notebook had slid off my lap onto the floor, Popcorn and water were stale. Best "nap ever."

Going to sleep like that wasn't the real sign of my age. It was the fact that I was still ready for more sleep. I could barely summon the energy to put the popcorn away. 

When I told my best friend (who is suffering from the early stages of dementia) about this, she wasn't surprised. She had the nerve to tell me that I am "middle-aged". Back in the days before her dementia, she would have soothed me with lies. The dementia is hard on both of us because my sister-girl has lost all will for editing her remarks.

But, really, I am not "middle-aged". If 60 is middle-aged, we'd be living until 120, right? 

Middle age for a woman today has got to be somewhere around 40. The life expectancy for the average woman in the States is 80-ish. Throw in my family health background and I was middle-aged around the time I turned 30.

If I add in factors like my family health, my own health issues, and all the medications I am on, I think I will be blessed to make it to 65 or 70. Because God is good. Realistically, I am almost on the first of my octogenarian legs right now.

So, I guess I am blessed to still be sitting upright. Pretty soon, I will have to get dentures, thanks to the medications and bone loss. The best thing I have going for my physical body right now is my hair. Somehow, the medications have not affected that. I think the prednisone I was on way back when boosted my hair growth.

But I am not as concerned with this mortal body as I am with the eternal one that is waiting.

"For while we are in this tent, we groan and are burdened, because we do not wish to be unclothed but to be clothed with our heavenly dwelling, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life." 2 Corinthians 5:4

I couldn't always say that. Thank God I can now because I.... ~z z z z z~

Peace

--Free

**REVIEW** Rocketbook Core (updated)

(Go to the bottom of the post for a couple of updates)

Five years ago when I got the Livescribe Echo, I was still writing short stories. In the past couple of years, I have been using it for Bible study notes, writing a family journal (as I add to the family tree), and keeping some notes on my health. The one problem is, the software that I used that snappy my writings to text has been discontinued. All my notes now are as I write them.

A while back, someone was teasing me because I go through so many sticky notes. I explained that I have to write everything down - if I talk to the internet company or call someone about my insurance, etc - I jot notes on a sticky. It's not really convenient to write in my Livescribe notebooks on the fly. I always end up with a wallet full of sticky notes. They litter the desk in my bedroom, the little table in the living room. and are stuck to the overs of books. 

Blah, blah, blah. Sorry, I will get to the point.

My niece was telling me about something called the Rocketbook. There are various versions but she thought the Core (formerly called Everlast) would be the best one for me. 

So what is a Rocketbook? As explained in this link, it is "a cloud-connected smart notebook, productivity, and app experience", or as I call it, my re-usable notebook.

It works with the Rocketbook app. I take my notes, scan them using the app on my phone and they are sent to whatever cloud destination I chose. Once the notes are "in the cloud", I can wipe the notebook pages clean with water so that they are ready to be re-used. Over and over and over and... Yeah.

Now, I am no pro at using a Rocketbook but for my purposes, the Core is really simple. And much more affordable than buying more Echo notebooks. The Rocketbook (executive-size) cost me $21.71 and comes with one erasable pen.  I paid $28.69 for a 4-pack of single-subject Livescribe notebooks when I got the pen back in 2016. I never did buy more; I just learned to write small and use every inch of paper!

(NOTE: I see just now that the price of the executive-size Rocketbook has gone up. The cheapest color choice -Midnight Blue - is $27.81 as I type this. I have a feeling the price will settle down after the holiday season. Do shop around or go to the official site. I see a lot of price variation between Amazon, Walmart, Target, etc.)

I wanted the letter-size Core because it has more page space but I got the executive-size because it fits in my purse - to take to appointments. I ranted about how much I love the one I got and my family for me the letter-size for home so that I could use it for Bible Study. 

The Rocketbook beats my Livescribe in more ways than one.

Rocketbook is a lot more user-friendly and easily available on the go than Echo. Once the Rocketbook notes are in the cloud, I can pull them up via email or 8 other cloud destinations. I tend to send my stuff to email, OneNote, and OneDrive. 

I especially love the OCR transcription feature - which turns my handwriting into text. This feature is gone for my Livescribe since the program I used has been discontinued. That was the entire point for me, to be honest. I have been looking around for other programs that work with the pen.

Bible study with & without Rocketbook

The Rocketbook works with erasable pens. The notebook comes with (and is recommended to be used with) a Pilot's Frixion erasable pen. The Pilot pens are cheaper to replace than the Livescribe notebooks.

that rubberized nib 
is for erasing the ink
from regular/non-Rocketbook paper

The Pilot feels and handles like "regular" pens. The Livescribe is fat because of the components inside. The one complaint I have about the Frixion is that I'm having trouble finding anything other than a fine or super-fine point.

It's also possible to use highlighters in the Rocketbook - special and erasable highlighter, of course. 

Then there is the whole waste and space issue. There is no paper waste with Rocketbook and very little use of space. Both notebooks are very slim at 16 pages (32 with front/back writing space).

With the Rocketbook, you can use a permanent marker to make your own templates for calendars, planners, etc. (I know there is a Panda version that is made to be a planner but I haven't looked into it.) 

The Panda 
which I don't need

Panda Planner
as shown on Amazon

There are, of course, accessories. I'm not in need of any. I would love to have a folio to hold the notebooks but I have no trouble sliding the small one into my purse and keeping the larger size with my other writing essentials on the desk.

As I said, there are various versions of the Rocketbook. The first one I ever saw was the Wave but I read that it has limited usage before it needs to be replaced. I went with the Core because it's supposed to be of "endless" use. Saving money is the point for me.

You can get an overview of the different versions of Rocketbook here. For people like me - who just need a simple way to keep track of notes - I think the Core is the best choice. For business people or those who need a variety of ways to organize might want to look at the Fusion. Students might want to check the Academic Planner. Personally, I think it might be cheaper to just make your own templates in the Core. That's just me though.  For the certified brainiacs out there, maybe take a look at the Matrix. Just go take a look at all of them and see which fits you best.

The one thing about Rocketbook is heat or water exposure (depending on your notebook version). Remember, these are meant to be erased with either heat or water... I'm pretty sure the high-summer heat of Arizona would scrub my Core clean as new! But I don't know. Go look that up.

If you are looking for a way to carry and protect the notebook, search on "covers", "folios", "capsules", or any of those things as "compatible with Rocketbook".

To finish, I want to point out that there are all kinds of Rocketbook items in addition to the different notebooks - index cards, whiteboards, and these "beacons" that you can attach to send stuff to the app.

Although my items came from Amazon, I suggest going through Rocketbook's site to make sure you get full product support.

Peace

-Free

UPDATES

• The little symbols at the bottom of the pages are really hard to see, especially in the wrong light. I can't memorize them because I can't memorize anything!

And, yes, that is how light they actually are!

• The front and back covers are too slick. They feel nice to hold but slide all over most surfaces. 
• You really do need to get one of the tiny spray bottles to keep on hand. I have been wetting the towel with water from my drinking bottle. Not cool.
• The "capsules" or jackets are almost necessary to hold the pen & cloth and notebooks. However, they cost as much or even more than the notebooks themselves.
• When I was taking a camera photo of the page to show the symbols, the QR on the page triggered a "note" field. That was interesting and I need to explore it.

That was weird...

• The pages material is so "flex-like" that it's easy to flip past one & skip blank pages. This happens so much that I wish the pages had tabs on them!
• I still love the Rocketbook but these are the minor annoyances I am noticing the more I use the books.

**RECIPES** Comfort Food (on the cheap!)

 Winter weather is finally starting to show up here where I live. The cold is not bone-chilling yet but I pulled out my bed blankets a couple weeks ago and last night I slept under one.

It's been a rough month. My fatigue ruled the last 3 weeks but I was able to get up and cook a couple days ago. When my energy gets shaky, I like to fix something that will last for several meals. Usually, that ends up being the bean stew and cornbread that my mother used to make.

This is such a cheap and easy meal. The most expensive part is the ground beef. If I need to, I can cut down on the meat and still bulk up the dish by adding tofu. Or, for folks who want, this can be made with just the beans.

There are 2 things you need to know about this recipe: 1) I use a cast-iron skillet for the cornbread. 2) I use an Instant Pot for the beans. If you don't have these, you can find recipes for the bread and beans online somewhere. 

Just like Mama, I'm not specific with measurements. Here are the recipes for both the bean stew and the cornbread. And, by the way, you will want to either soak your beans overnight or do a quick soak.

Bean Stew Sauce (with ground beef and/or firm tofu)

• Ground beef. I use up to a pound, depending. A half-pound of beef can be supplemented with a brick of firm tofu. This is for 2 - 4 cups of beans.
• Pinto beans (dry). A pound of beans is about 2 cups of beans. I've never made this with any other type of bean. I've never made it with canned beans. I'm sure it could be done.
• Pasta sauce - any kind. I will grab Ragu or Prego when it's on sale. I prefer using the "meat-flavored" or "mushroom-flavored" kind. I have used really off-brands in the can but find that they have a funky undertaste to them.
• Optional - tomato paste and canned tomatoes. I prefer using diced canned tomatoes but will get the whole stewed tomatoes and chop them up in the can with a sharp knife. I just personally don't like big chunks of tomatoes pieces in the finished dish. You might not mind that. Chopped up fresh tomatoes also work.
• Spices & seasonings for both the beans and for the meat. I always use lots of chopped-up & whole fresh garlic & garlic powder; salt, red pepper flakes, lots of diced fresh white or yellow onion (and onion powder is optional). I sometimes add Italian seasoning flakes. (For the fresh garlic and onion, I like a lot so I will use up to 4 little cloves of garlic - half chopped and half whole - and half a large onion.)
• Brown sugar. Yep. Light or dark will do but I prefer dark. If I don't have brown sugar, I will use blackstrap molasses. If you don't have either of those, you can use table sugar. Dark sugar is the best though. I don't think Mama has ever used table sugar for the dish and I certainly don't. The dark sugar adds flavor and texture to the "juice" of the dish and is really a big part of it.
• Optional Liquid Smoke. Trust me, if you have it, use it!

1. While your beans are cooking (recipe below), brown the ground beef halfway or almost done and drain the excess water and run-off into a dish (don't throw it out yet). Turn heat to a medium-low setting.
2. Add the chopped garlic and half of the chopped onion. Season the meat with everything except the sugar.
3. Add the pasta sauce and tomato products.
4. Add either water - enough to thin out the sauce. The sauce will be simmering for a while so you might need to add water 1/4 cup at a time to keep it from getting too thick. It should remain thin enough to simmer on low. 
5. (NOTE: If the runoff from the meat isn't too greasy, you can use it in place of some of the water you will be adding.)
6. Cover and leave the meat sauce to simmer over the lowest heat setting. Keep an eye on it that it doesn't get dry or start sticking to the pan.

**If you are using tofu, make sure to press it out and dry it well beforehand. Cube it into the smallest pieces you can and saute it in a small bit of oil. Drain the pieces well on paper before adding to the meat sauce.**

Pinto Bean (Instant Pot)

(NOTE: If you are cooking your beans on the stovetop, you can find recipes online. I haven't cooked beans on the stovetop for at least 3 years!)

• Soak your beans overnight or for at least 4 hours. If doing in 4 hours, use warm water and salt. The water should be at least 3 to 4 inches over the beans. The beans will expand as they soak up the water.

1. Put the beans directly into the Instant Pot. You don't need anything but the big metal pot that came with it. Beans are the only thing I ever cook directly in this pot so I was worried the first time I did so!
2. Add enough water to cover the beans and be about an inch over the top of them. (It's better to have too much rather than not enough. You can drain any excess but you don't want them to cook down to dry.)
3. Add a couple of teaspoons of oil. I use whatever I have on hand - usually olive oil or canola. This is supposed to cut down on foaming but I always add a little oil to my beans while cooking.
4. Add the rest of the chopped onion and the whole garlic.
5. Add the brown sugar. I generally use 1/4 cup for every pound of dry beans. You can add more or less but the sugar is a big part of the flavor.
6. Add about 3 teaspoons of salt to every pound of dried beans.
7. Add about 1/4 teaspoon of Liquid Smoke. 
8. Give the beans a good stir to mix in the sugar and seasonings.
9. Cook on High Pressure for 40 to 50 minutes and set for 10 minutes. (This seems like a much longer time than for most recipes but you want really tender beans for this stew.)

When your beans are done (check that they are very tender - they should "smush" under light pressure), make sure that the juice on them isn't too watery. You don't want the bean juice to water out your meat sauce too much.

You can drain some of the water off of the beans and set it aside, just in case. 

Add the meat sauce to the beans and stir. If you want a thinner stew, add some of the bean juice.

You can taste and add seasonings as you want.

Cast Iron Skillet Cornbread

• 9-inch skillet, a mixing bowl, and a large spoon. A spatula for scraping out is nice.
• 1 cup + 2 Tbls Cornmeal. I use either Quaker Oats or Albers brand, I have used a coarse-grind and it came out nice but the regular grind was what Mama always used.
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 Tbls table sugar or honey. I use sugar but Mama would sometimes use honey.
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 tsp baking SODA
• 2 tsp baking POWDER (this will go into the bowl last)
• 2 eggs lightly stirred (you can get away with 1 if that's all you have)
• 1 cup of buttermilk or milk. (To make buttermilk, add a tablespoon of vinegar or lemon juice to a cup of milk, stir well, and let it set for 5 or 10 minutes)
• 1/4 cup of melted butter. that's 4 tablespoons. I use unsalted.
• About a tablespoon of oil or butter for the skillet. (I prefer oil because the butter will brown overheat.)

This is some bean stew with cornbread I made from a coarse grind that I found on Amazon. And it was a really coarsely ground cornmeal!

that's the bottom of the bread that you see

I made this with self-rising
mix a long while back

This is with regular
cornmeal

**NOTE: if you are using self-rising cornmeal, you won't need the ap flour and baking powder. Check the bag of cornmeal for specific instructions. I prefer using plain cornmeal so I don't know much about the self-rising kind.**

1. Preheat the oven to 400
2. Put the skillet on the stovetop with the tablespoon of oil or butter and set to medium-to-high heat **IMPORTANT** The skillet has to get really hot. I let mine get to almost smoking. You will have to keep your eye on it to keep it from burning anything.
3. Add the cornmeal, flour, sugar, salt, and baking SODA to the bowl & give it a good stir. (If using honey, add it later with the wet.)
4. Add the milk, eggs, and melted butter. (And the honey, if that's what you are using.)
5. Stir the mixture well.
6. When your oven has reached 400 degrees and your skillet is really hot, add the baking POWDER and stir it in well.
7. Test the skillet with a tiny drop of batter. It should sizzle.
8. Add the batter to the skillet and bake for 20-25 minutes.

The trick to good cornbread is getting that oven preheated and having a really hot skillet.

I like my cornbread to get a slight crack across the top. That tells me that the bread is a good texture for eating with the stew. Some people think that a cracked top is a bad thing but I prefer it.

NOTES:

• You can't keep this stew out on the counter. It has to be refrigerated. Cooked beans can go bad on the counter.
• You can keep the cornbread in a baggie or other container for a couple of days. If you are going to store it for longer, put the baggie in the fridge. If your house is really warm or humid, put the bread in the fridge as soon as it cools.

The best thing about this recipe is that, while it takes a little bit of time to prepare, it can last for days and days in the fridge. Like most seasoned foods, it tastes better every time you heat it to eat it. Also, when you run out of cornbread, you can eat the stew with some cheese melted on top or with a little sour cream. I have eaten the stew with nacho chips or toast.

Of Pots and Pans:

By the way, cast iron skillets don't have to be crazy expensive. I just checked Amazon to see what kind of prices are on them. Found this 10 1/4-inch one for under 20 bucks. This is a great time to shop for them. I think I saw the Dutch ovens and lidded skillets for good prices last season - but you can check the Amazon Warehouse all year long for deals. This Dutch oven is under $30 and this one is the exact same as what I got a long while back. Cast iron cookware is awesome. Learn to take care of them and they last forever.

Peace

--Free

Herbal Waters

 Back in September when I started drinking Turkish coffee, I fell in love with the coffee and the cardamom that was in it. After I heard some of the benefits of the spice, I started making a tea with it. Then I started cold-steeping it in my daily drinking water. 

I'm supposed to drink  64 ounces of water a day at a minimum. With my kidney health so fragile from the sarcoidosis, I actually should be chugging down more like a minimum of 90-96 ounces. And I do that about once or twice a week - that is if I don't need to stray more than 5 minutes away from a bathroom. My 2 kidneys need the water but my 1 bladder can be cranky...

Adding the cardamom made drinking a lot of water not so much of a chore. For one thing, it has a nice and smooth natural sweetness. Water is much less boring with a little cardamom. I liked it so much I decided to go try some other additions to my water.

In the past few weeks, I have tried adding peppermint, spearmint, cumin, and rosemary. Sometimes I will mix a couple or three of them together, but I actually like each of them solo - except for the cumin. Cumin is probably amazing when cooked into foods - the way garlic is - but the scent and flavor of it steeped in water is really not pleasant at all. It's one of those especially, um, "aromatic" spices that you either love to smell or just can't take at all without gagging. The only way I can do the cumin is by adding one of the mints, some rosemary, or - and this is what I usually do - drown out the funky smell and taste with a strong juice like pineapple. Or at least, mostly drown it out. I think it would take something like Everclear to completely deaden my taste buds to the taste.

NOTE: Going forward, remember that I am NOT offering up medical, health or any other kind of professional advice at all. I am only going to be telling you about my personal experience with these beverages.

Other than for amping up the taste of water, here are some other reasons I like using the herbs and spices that I've chosen:

Cumin - this has helped with my anxiety and sleep. I was able to step down from 3 tabs throughout the day of an anti-anxiety med to just 1 (or sometimes 2, depending on circumstances and how much cumin I can gag down). I have never taken prescribed sleeping medication and don't want to have to start. I don't need another pill added to my routine. I have and still occasionally do use magnesium oil as a topical to help with my insomnia. With the cumin, I have another weapon in that ongoing war.

The seeds look so innocent, don't they?

Peppermint - honestly, I just love the taste of this. It doesn't have to be a strong steep to add a lot of "freshness" to my store-bought spring water. And I always drink spring water because I'm not sure that anything short of an exorcism would help filter out the grossness from our disgusting tap water! I don't even like using it on my plants and for that, I do filter it. Oh, Alaska, how I miss your sweet, sweet tap water.

I have heard that peppermint can help with gas and bloating. I don't know. I do know that I love what it does for my breath in between brushing and, who knows, it might even be beneficial for my overall dental health. I'm so near to having to have all my teeth yanked and replaced... I am down for anything that will help in the meantime.

Spearmint - While peppermint is stronger-flavored and "harder" on the tastebuds - if that makes sense - spearmint seems to be sweeter and "softer" tasting. I really like mixing the two and sometimes I will add a couple drops of lemon or lime juice. I believe spearmint has the same kind of supposed benefits as peppermint. I'm going to have to check on that. When I got the brand I did, it was because of the good price on such a huge amount. After I started using it, I read somewhere that Egyptian spearmint is supposed to be some of the best. Again, I don't know that for sure. I do know that the 1 pound bag is enough for me to share with my neighbors and still have plenty to last for months to come.

The bag is ginormous!

Rosemary - I initially got this because, like most natural hair chicks, I've always heard rosemary is good for hair and skin health. (I do have some of it steeping in olive oil and will check on it in a couple more weeks.) It is also mentioned by some to be good for immune health and regulating blood sugar levels. To be honest, though, this is so much tastier as a tea than I ever expected. For me, the scent is very relaxing and soothing. The taste is really mellow and soft. I like to mix in some of the mints with this.

Cardamom - This, of course, was my first love. I just love the way it smells and there are supposed to be many benefits to drinking the water (called elachi water). It is also one of the spices that are good for the immune system, digestive health, and oral health - so I've heard it said but it's another thing I need to check out. I still use it in my coffee on a regular basis and I love to cold steep whole pods in water to drink every day. It's a pain in the rooty-tooty to separate the seeds from the pods but worth it. Buying the pods is much more affordable than buying the seeds alone. I also find that I like using the pods in my drinking water while I will grind the seeds for brewing with my coffee.

A lot of work to
extract the seeds

There are a couple of things I have not yet tried but want to. I am really interested in steeping lavender, rose, and someone mentioned fennel seeds to me. Not so sure about that because I've heard the taste is similar to black licorice. I still might give it a go. And I kind of want to try hibiscus but I have never been crazy about the packaged hibiscus teas so I'm not sure about that one either. 

I am sure that I have mentioned on the blog more than once how I love adding roasted chicory root to my coffee. It's not something I have learned to drink as a tea (or as a coffee substitute) but, I did want to add it to this list. I was into chicory long before I ever heard of cardamom. If you ever buy coffee that you think is missing something, try adding a very small amount of roasted chicory root granules to it. The brand I have used for the past few years is pretty good and I like that it's a really "clean" product - free of anything icky or chemical-like. I would suggest grinding the granules up as fine as you can before adding them to drip coffee. And a big plus is how cheap it is. 

Now that I am so into herbal water, I'm a little sad that I didn't get here sooner. A couple of summers back, I bought a bunch of herb plants for cheap from the local mercantile. My favorites were lemon balm and chocolate mint. I don't have any problem finding lemon balm but have not been able to find the chocolate mint anywhere. I just know that would make an amazing steep. I might have to just get some seeds to grow the mint inside year-round - if I can keep the plant alive.

By the way, I actually still have an old 2nd edition of Back to Eden from sometime in the early '90s. It used to be the go-to book on herbs-as-medicine for Christians and other people who liked to use natural remedies but wanted to stay away from anything New-Age-y or pagan. I remember my mom and her friends talking about having heard of it back when they were young housewives - and my mom was born in 1932 so... It's one of the few actual books I own in this age of digital media. Glad I lugged it around for all those years during my formerly nomadic life. When I found a link for it on Amazon for other copies, the prices are just ridiculous, probably only because it's a hard-to-find book and Amazon's algorithms noticed. I wish I did have the original, just because. Mine copy is an amazing source and I am just sorry I haven't used it more in all the time I've had it.

My maternal grandmother and her friends were very used to using natural remedies. My mom grew up with her mom using a lot of herbs and things because people then and there didn't run to the doctor for everything. I'm not sure there were a lot of doctors to run go see, tell you the truth. But when Mama married into the military and left the country life, she got used to relying on "modern" medicine. Of course, she did still use a lot of what she remembered from her mother when it came to things like treating sore throats and constipation. When I was young and very anemic, Mama would make me eat liver that she cooked in cast iron and I won't even talk about the times my paternal grandma had us kids lined up before school to give us doses of cod liver or castor oil... Good times.

Anyway.

Now, I didn't mention that what I love most about my herbal waters is that I don't need to add any sweeteners to them. For some reason, when I was drinking hot teas all the time, I had to have some honey or a bit of sugar in them. With the water, I can just chug happily along.

After weeks of really getting into and staying consistent with the herbal waters, I went ahead and got a cheap set of bottles.

I needed something to store the different flavors and these jars are great for carrying to appointments. The colored sleeves work well for condensation (and safety of the glass) but also are great for sort of color-coding the different drinks. I caution that if you get something like this, make sure you don't put hot liquids in the bottles. I'm not sure how safe that would be.

Another thing I want to point out - that was mentioned by one of my neighbors. Instead of steeping the herbs with hot water, it's better to do a longer steep with cold water. She is somewhere in her early nineties and told me that the heat often destroys the "good stuff" in the herbs. I usually trust the wisdom of the older generations. 

Anyway.

I still steep large batches in my old raggedy mason jars! The cute bottles are great for when everything is all steeped and ready to add to my water. Or for when I am doing a small-batch steep of that disgusting cumin...

So I am checking with my other neighbors about other herbs and spices to use in a beverage. If I run across anything good, I will share it here.

Peace

--Free

P.S.: I hope the last parts of this post are decently written. I got tired of editing so I stopped partway through! LOL

**CROSSPOST** A Beautiful Song

 Not much to say about this, but I wanted to share it. This is another one of those songs I hear that just reach all down in my soul and make me happy. I hope it makes someone feel better.

Peace

--Free

I'd Laugh But It Hurts

 I think I have already shared here a joke I once heard about aging. The comedian reminded us all that if we got hurt when we were younger, it was due to playing rough sports or having a vehicle accident. The minute we get past 40 though, we can get hurt by just getting out of bed in the morning. I was laughing until it actually happened to me. And this is why I have not posted here in a good minute or two...

A couple of weeks ago, I woke up to go to the bathroom in the middle of the night (another symptom of geezerhood) and, as soon as I stood up, I felt a sharp pain in the middle of my back. I felt as if I had cracked a bone or something. I hobbled on to use the bathroom and, before I went back to bed, I took a couple of acetaminophens.

When I got out of bed for the day, my back felt better but was still a little bit sore. Weird, right? During the rest of the day, my back had mood swings. I could function normally for a couple of hours then I'd have pain if I turned a certain way or bent over in the slightest.

I've had this happen before and, usually, taking aspirin and being careful not to twist and turn a lot would take care of the problem. After a couple of days, I'd be good as new. Not this time.

I've been using a heating pad and avoiding sitting in chairs. I will lay on the bed and use the computer and eat standing up. There are times when I can move around almost like normal - the other day, I even walked to the store a couple blocks away - and then, out of nowhere, I can't even roll off the bed without wanting to sob. And I am not kidding about the sobbing part. The last time my back hurt like this, I took a couple of Motrin and felt awesome - until I remembered that I am not supposed to take Motrin, Ibuprofen, etc. Do you know how limited the OTC pain reliver options are when you cut out Motrin? I think I am down to asprin, acetaminophen, and sugar pills.

I already had an upcoming appointment for a checkup with my GP. My back, which had been in Sore Mode all morning, was suddenly all better by the time I got to my afternoon appointment. 

My doctor, who is wonderful at monitoring my general care, tries to keep a sharp eye out for anything to do with the sarcoidosis. Even though my back was miraculously better at the moment, she warned me to let her know if it flared up again. Apparently, sarc can affect the muscles and bones - okay let me look up the word my doctor used: musculoskeletal. Don't ask me to pronounce it. 

Here's the thing, I am aware that all my doctors have shown concern about possible problems with my joints. Somehow, though, because I have neurosarcoidosis, I worried about my nervous system more than I did about anything else. 

Well, yeehaw.

Honestly, I think now that my back pain might be from all the crazy stuff I did when I was younger: dancing like a madwoman, running and jumping and leaping like a superhero - you know, the stuff you do when you have energy and good muscles and undamaged cartilage. I can't wait to see what happens down the road to all these gal who spend so much time twerking. If they only had half a clue...

Anyway. I did get myself a back brace-type belt to use for when I have to sit. It seems to help a bit, although it's not the most comfortable thing to wear. It sure doesn't look this comfortable on me as it does on the guy in the product photo:

My doctor says that if the pain persists, I might need muscle relaxants and physical therapy. Ugh. I told her that I would hold off for now. I dread taking another pill and I really dread trekking out to P.T....I will give the back belt a try and see if it helps. 

Instead of a prescription or other narcotic type pain reliever, I am drinking a little cumin water every day. It may be an old wives tale but, for me, the cumin water helps relax me and it seems to help with the pain. If I make the cumin water extra strong, it will knock me into an instant nap. For real. That stuff is like a date rape drug.

The thing about cumin is that it has a very strong odor. VERY strong. I can't describe it well, but it smells like sweat and dirt combined. To help with the smell, I will add rosemary water or mint water. If I make the water extra strong for a bedtime drink, I really can't deal with the smell. In that case, I will add a hit of pineapple juice and just slam down the entire 4 to 8 ounces.

My back is behaving for the most part. As long as I keep the belt on and don't sit wrong, I might be okay. In the meantime, I have cut back on the cumin water - which is, I forgot to mention, a traditional Indian beverage that they call Jeera water. I want the Jeera water to be at its most effective when I need it so I don't want to build up a tolerance. 

I will be back to blogging here pretty soon. I'm pretty sure my next topic will be about how much I love making and drinking these herbal waters.

Peace

--Free

**Cross Post** The Thing I Don't Talk About Much

This is from my other blog Free & Faith

This blog gets more views so I'm sharing it here.

There are a couple of things I have not really ever addressed here:

1. Conspiracy theories

2. The "Illuminati"

The reason I have stayed away from blogging about these things is that there's been a successful campaign to make people who do look crazy. This post title is perfect: There’s a conspiracy theory that the CIA invented the term ‘conspiracy theory’ – here’s why.

I have not read the article because I've heard the discussion plenty of times before. I don't know who invented the term but it certainly has done the job. I no longer use the term because I don't care about the theories surrounding anything that doesn't have to do with the human soul or the battle for it. I will instead say, "The Enemy's Plans".

I use the same term for anything to do with what is so often called "The Illuminati". That term has also been tarnished and beaten into uselessness.

The thing with all of this is that Christians should not be surprised at anything falling under the Enemy's Plans. We might not have known exactly what those plans would look like in our lifetime but we were warned:

For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. (KJV)

And if that isn't clear enough, here it is in other versions:

 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. (NKJV)

For our wrestling is not against flesh and blood, but against the principalities, against the powers, against the world-rulers of this darkness, against the spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. (ESV)

Because your fight has not been with flesh and blood, but with Principalities and The Rulers and The Powers of this dark world and with wicked spirits which are under Heaven. (Aramaic Bible in Plain English)

I think what we needed to study hardest in that verse is who the "Rulers" and "Powers" are.

Satan is not wandering around looking anything like what man has been portraying him. He is represented by his devotees. They can wander among us looking innocent and beautiful and enticing. 

The goal of the Enemy is to win souls to his damnation before they can accept Christ's salvation. If we die while we are trying to please Satan, we are lost. If we die while we are chasing after the riches or fame or beauty or power that he offers, we are lost. If we chase these things blindly - not realizing who the Power is behind them - we are lost.

When I see people working for these things - power and glory and material stuff - I pray for them to come out of the darkness. I was there once. I once wanted nothing more than to be rich and famous. I was so proud of my beauty and youthful energy and I wanted to make those things help elevate me higher - in employment, in romantic relationships, and in friendships. I wanted to be seen and noticed and regarded. If I'd had access to today's social media platforms, I would have been out of control.

Just as the Gospel is reaching more and more of the world because of better technology and communication, The Enemy is also using those resources.

If we stay focused on our human selves, we will be less concerned with our eternal souls. If we can indulge in every pleasure here on earth, we are less concerned with what happens when we are no longer here on earth.

Do I believe that people sign up with The Enemy in exchange for what they want here on earth? Yes. Do I think that all of them fully understand what they are signing away? I don't know. Maybe. Maybe those are the ones who, in spite of their earthly successes, commit suicide or turn to drugs and alcohol or other deadly vices.

What bothers me is that a lot of us don't believe that this happens - that people are signing up with The Enemy. I am always trying to find ways to point this out to friends and family. But you can't see if you prefer to remain blind.

I recently watched a long video -over 5 hours long - by a man trying to point out some of the work of The Enemy. He is so earnest that he went on a bit at first I had trouble getting through the first several minutes. I'm glad I hung in there. He has probably laid out the most compelling evidence of how we are being manipulated today.

In the video, this man asks a couple of fairly obvious questions that might not occur to a lot of people:

• If Jesus wasn't the Savior, why is he the most hated? You don't see the same hate toward Buddha or Mohammed or any of those.
• Why is Christianity the religion that is most under attack? You don't see the same attacks on any other religion.

I think that we are being so very manipulated in every way. Look at the similarities in the behavior of these well-known people. Are their little poses and mannerisms just coincidentally similar? Are the entertainers and other "creatives" among them that unoriginal? 

Seeing the eye doctor, maybe?

We are distracted by so much news and information and entertainment and other noise that we can't hear ourselves trying to think. 

When Facebook and its various other platforms went offline the other day, I rejoiced. I was hoping that people would use the time wisely. I wonder if any of them used those distraction-free hours to communicate with people offline. Did any of them pick up a book? Did anyone do something fun without worrying about posting photos immediately?

Right now, in our nation, many of us are divided by race and politics. I pray that people will realize that there are no divisions in The Enemy's camp. There are different teams that might want different things for themselves as teams but they all are again the people on God's team.

A lot of us Christians will support and root for politicians and other leaders because they look like us or vote like us or listen to the music we like. In reality, they are not on your team unless they are on God's team. And just saying you are on God's team is not enough. There are many people who will get to Judgement Day for this to be a real thing:

Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy by thy name, and by thy name cast out devils, and by thy name do many mighty works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity. (Matthew 7:21-23 ESV) ~my emphasis~

They can hide from us but they will be exposed.

So, please take time to pay attention to what is going on around us. We have to be prayerful and wise and watchful against deceit and trickery. 

Peace

--Free