Mindset and the sanctuary

There is a verse in the Bible that I believe covers so much more than just spiritual things. Psalm 77:13 says, "Thy way, O God, is in the sanctuary." 

One of my favorite speakers recently brought this out, and I thought I would share some of what I'm learning with you. 

We hear a lot about mindset in many areas of life. Did you know that is exactly what the Bible talks about? 

If you look at the sanctuary furniture, you see 6 pieces of furniture. 

The altar of sacrifice not only points to Christ as our sacrifice for our sins, but can show us the first step to overcoming many things in our lives, such as negative thinking.  The Bible often speaks of denying self, giving our bodies as a holy sacrifice to God. 

Next, the laver points to Jesus' baptism, and the washing away of sin in our lives. It can also represent the cleansing of our thoughts of wrong ways of thinking, or of using water to wash away toxins in our bodies. 

Inside the sanctuary proper, we see the Table of Shewbread, which symbolizes Jesus, the Word of God. Putting God's Word in our minds, renews our brain, and causes our thoughts and habits to be transformed. 

The Altar of Incense, shows us Christ the intercessor, praying for us, and our prayers going up to God. It also can show us the need to focus our thoughts on Jesus and truth.

Then we see the candlestick, representing Jesus as the light of the world. We also are called to be lights, and to share Him and the truth with others.

In the Most Holy place, we have the Law of God. This is when the Law of God is written on our hearts and Minds, and when the mindsets and actions we have taken have become habits, and are now  automatic.

There are so many areas we can use this guide, but to me its just so awesome that God has provided us a map, to show us the steps to victory in all areas of our lives.

Anyway, thats just a little bit of what I've learned this week.

Notes for Cooking Class

I was making up my notes for the cooking class tomorrow that I am hosting for my neighbors. I don't have all the recipes printed up because a couple of them are taken from some of my favorite cookbooks, but I thought I would at least share the notes.

Hello, I’m glad you all could make it today. I’m Juliette, and today I’ll be sharing with you a few yummy recipes for breakfast. 

Did you know that you can increase your life expectancy by 11 years? Dr. Lester Breslow of Fielding School of Public Health at UCLA reported that it’s possible. 

1.     Avoid Tobacco

2.     Limit alcohol or don’t use it at all.

3.     Eat in moderation

4.     Get adequate rest (7-8 hrs.)

5.     Engage in frequent exercise

6.     Remain close to your ideal weight

7.     Eat a good breakfast every day.

(American News Service. “Seven Secrets to a Long Life.” Berkshire Publishing, February 17, 2000)

He used these seven principles in his own life and died at the age of 97 in 2012.  

Most of the time we tend to rush, or not even eat breakfast at all to get to our jobs or school, and it’s just easier to grab coffee or a protein bar rather than take the time to fix a meal.

The American Academy of Family Physicians reports that Americans need to eat breakfast more regularly. Eating breakfast can help improve children’s behavior and school performance. Imagine what it would do for us adults as well!  (“Poor Breakfast Habits Could Be Affecting America’s Health,” Rome News Tribune, January 24, 2005)

The recipes I’m sharing with you are fairly simple, can be made ahead of time and are cheaper than most prepared foods you would buy from the store.

The first recipe:

Granola. Most store bought granolas are expensive and full of sugar. 

Oats are high in fiber, contain vitamin B, calcium and iron, and help lower cholesterol while protecting the digestive tract.  They aid in digestion and depression, are highly recommended for diabetics and provide energy for hours. 

Oats are high in the amino acid building block of protein called Methionine, but lack Lysine.

Beans are high in Lysine, but lack Methionine, so this is why it’s important to eat a variety of plant foods each day. For instance, you could have oatmeal or granola for breakfast, and eat a taco salad with beans for lunch. Or eat tofu scramble for breakfast with toast.  

The second recipe: Apple Crisp

An apple a day keeps the doctor away. This statement is very true. Apples are high in vitamin C and potassium and fiber. Also, very high in phytochemicals like flavonoids which help the body heal, prevent cancer and fungus, as well as prevent inflammation. They also help keep cholesterol from sticking to the blood vessel walls. Apples are also rich in boron, which helps prevent osteoporosis by aiding in the assimilation of calcium and magnesium. 

The third recipe: Pancakes 

Whole grains contain many vitamins and minerals that help you body to function with the best energy levels, which makes it easier to make better food choices throughout the day. 

This recipe contains flaxseed, which contains omega-3 fatty acids. These essential nutrients aid in fighting inflammation, and autoimmune diseases, can reduce the risk factors for heart disease such as blood pressure and triglyceride levels, and can also improve brain function. 

Recipe number 4: Tofu Scramble

Tofu is made from soymilk. Soybeans contain more protein per gram than meat. 

They are high in b vitamins, high in minerals and phytoestrogens, which help balance hormone levels in the body. Soy has been shown to prevent cancer. 

Because tofu is made from soymilk, there is no fiber in it, hence the reason I like to add lots of vegetables to it, or eat it with other high fiber foods. Also, it is still a highly nutritious and healthful food to eat and one of our favorite breakfasts, or dinners even! We love to make breakfast tacos with tofu and potatoes, wrapped in a tortilla with some salsa or mayo. 

Cooking School ideas

This weeks post is going to be mainly cooking school theme ideas. Next week, I am hosting a cooking class in my kitchen for 7 of my neighbors. Since its the holiday season, the theme is Holiday Breakfast foods. I thought I would do granola, breakfast patties, scrambled tofu, and an apple crisp. I made Apple Crisp for Thanksgiving and it turned out really good. But I want to make another version and see if I can make it better. 

Victor is home this weekend so the boys are spending time with time with him, playing Minecraft, cooking lunch and also getting some yardwork done.

We also got to spend some time with friends eating pizza and pumpkin pie and watching movies.

I think another cooking class will focus on protein misconceptions and since many of the people attending are not vegetarian this will help those who are interested in eating less meat to change the way they think about it. I don't know what kind of recipes to pick yet.

Another thing I am hoping to do in the near future is to do videos on topics and cooking recipes. I want to put a bunch of my recipes into a cookbook and either offer it for sale, or just give it away to those who subscribe to a monthly newsletter. Just tossing ideas out there and hope some stick! I want to be able to help other people eat healthier and also possibly make some money on the side.

There are so many things floating around in my head right now and so much information I've been learning about blogging and course creation. I know it will come together, Lord willing, so I'm trusting that He will show me the best way to go about this. For now, I will write blog posts over here and do my cooking classes and learn what I can, incorporating it as I go.

Well, that was kind of here and there. Random things. Oh well! More next time!