EVE
Issue 25

       Cover photo: Luena (22, Brazilian), Durban, South Africa.
       Suggested reading for ages 16 and up.
       Copyright © January 2002 by The Family. CM/FM. For non-profit purposes only. Not for resale.

FITNESS

The Charter on Get-out: Too Tough?
       Q: I had a question about our Family's get-out rules. Since the Charter (which I am super happy for) I haven't seen too many Homes or individuals who can keep the get-out rules. I realize these rules are for the health of the Family and therefore are very important, especially for secretaries and others with similar jobs. However, I wonder if when the get-out rule isn't fulfilled to the letter of the law, it could work to erode other Charter rules; the unintentional thinking being: “Well, this rule is too hard to keep, so maybe another rule isn't so important either.” Personally I love get-out, but to have every member of the Home comply to this rule-well, to be honest, I haven't seen it work regularly yet. -From Tim, Tabitha and Martina, Romania
       A: (Dad speaking:) You've gotta have a goal, a challenge, something that you're striving to attain. There are spiritual goals and there are physical goals, and as far as physical goals go, taking good care of your body and getting-and keeping-it in good working shape is one of the most worthwhile ones.
       The goal put forth in the Charter really isn't too high to reach. The requirement is simply to have some form of exercise, and fresh air when possible, four times per week. The details and specifics are left up to each individual to work out. But let me tell you something, beloved: If you're too busy or too unconcerned that you can't make time-at least some time-four days per week to give your body a little care and attention, then you are too busy. If you can't even stop for a little while and take a prayer walk around the neighborhood, play with the children in the yard, mow the lawn, do a few jumping jacks and twists and twirls to some upbeat music-if your schedule is too packed and too pressured to allow for even a few minutes on most days, then dear ones, there is something seriously wrong.
       It would be a good subject to address in a Home Council meeting, whether each and every member of the Home feels they have sufficient chance to get their needed requirements of fresh air and exercise. Maybe some do, but what about the parents? What about the teachers? Are everyone's needs being met? Why not have a little chat about that, and if there are lacks in this area, well then, take a few minutes to brainstorm the subject together. Find out what kind of activities people like, and then pray and ask the Lord how He wants to fulfill and supply for those needs. He has all of the answers, and the only lacks that we have come when we don't get desperate and put Him on the spot for an answer.
       Okay? Enough said about that. I don't think you need to worry too much about people interpreting the get-out rules as being too stringent, because as they are worded in the Charter, they are really pretty much the bare-bones minimum.-Although, of course, the goal is not just to do the bare minimum. So do what you can, and trust the Lord to build on and supplement it.-It's worth it! (End of message from Dad.)

[BOX]
       “Members over the age of 18 must have regular and sufficient exercise as well as fresh air, weather permitting, not less than four times per week, unless too ill to do so. The type, amount and intensity of exercise and physical activity depends on the age, health and physical condition of the individual, so each member's get-out needs should be appropriate to the individual's needs and capabilities.” (The Love Charter, section 48:A.1.)

Persuading Potatoes to Get Off the Couches
New York Times News Service
       Exercise: You know you should be doing it, but something always seems to keep you from getting started. You don't have time; the weather's bad; there's no good place to work out; there's no one to watch the kids; it disrupts your day; you're too tired; or-perhaps the most common and truthful excuse of them all-you hate to exercise.
       There's good news for you.
       You don't have to only exercise in the traditional sense-as in jogging, aerobics and cycling-to glean many of the health benefits of activity, including weight control. You can incorporate more movement into your daily routines.
       Dr. Steven Blair, from the Cooper Institute of Aerobics Research in Dallas, quotes a Scottish researcher's estimate that in the United Kingdom, average energy expenditures have dropped by 800 calories a day in the last 25 years. Even if you used just 100 calories a day less and ate the same amount, you would gain about 10 pounds a year, nearly all of them as body fat unless you are physically active.
       Dr. William Haskell, an exercise expert at Stanford University, has calculated that if you spend two minutes an hour of each day sending E-mail to office mates instead of walking down the hall to talk to them, you would accumulate the caloric equivalent of 11 pounds of body fat in a decade.
       And because body fat uses fewer calories than muscle to maintain itself, your metabolic rate-the number of calories you use up minute by minute-would drop and you would gain even more weight. And thus we have the vicious cycle of inactivity and weight gain that now plagues so much of the population.
       This lack of progress in getting more people on the move prompted leading health authorities a few years ago to modify their exercise advice. They now suggest that everyone do 30 minutes or more of moderately intense physical activity on most, and preferably all, days of the week. They further say that the 30 minutes of daily activity can be divided into as many as three 10-minute segments.
       Possible choices include walking briskly all or part way to your destination, walking the dog (or a neighbor's dog), raking leaves, digging in the garden, swimming laps, riding an exercise bike, playing with the kids in the park, polishing furniture, washing the car, mopping the floor or sawing wood by hand.
       Additional calories can be burned and the benefits of activity gained by walking up-and down-stairs, parking at the far end of the lot, carrying groceries, even washing dishes and sweeping the floor.
       Dr. Blair, among others, has pointed out that becoming more fit can take 20 years off a person's chronological age. He noted that “unfit people start to develop limitations 20 to 25 years earlier than higher-fit people.”
       He also cited evidence that exercise improves sleep, the ability to handle stress, the functioning of the immune system and mental outlook. People who exercise regularly feel better and have more energy, which would also contribute to a better sex life, he said.
       “Patients should strive to incorporate regular physical activity into their lives on a daily basis but should realize that even some physical activity, even if not performed regularly, is much better than being sedentary.”
       (Dad speaking:) Many people in Western countries are so lazy and lethargic! Their health is going down the drain more rapidly as each year passes, because they're getting lazier and lazier and eating worse food that is more processed and refined. They eat junk food like it's going out of style, and so few know how to live a healthy life and have regular exercise. That's why much of the nation is obese and having serious health problems-most of which are related to their atrocious eating habits and their lack of exercise.
       The goal and ideal is to have regular, vigorous and heart-pumping exercise. This is the goal for you, the Family, because that's what will keep you in optimal health. That's what will keep you in good shape and keep you strong and able to serve the Lord. For the System, because they're not getting enough exercise, the fitness and health authorities are now trying to at least promote the bare minimum, doing semi-active things throughout the day, hoping to try and help the lazy people of the world-and especially America-who don't have the determination to have regular exercise.
       But you need to do both, dear ones. You need vigorous, heart-pumping exercise on a regular basis, and you can supplement that with trying to activate your daily life in other ways like this article suggests-opting to walk places instead of drive when applicable, etc. But being more active in your daily life doesn't replace the need for vigorous get-out as often as you're able. (End of message from Dad.)

An Uplifting Tip: One way to increase your workout during aerobics (jogging, dancing, walking, etc.) is to elevate your arms and move them around. The higher they are, the more work your heart/body does.
       From Michael and Ruth, New Zealand

Early Birds: My wife and I get up and go for a one-hour walk at 6 AM every day. This gives us more quality time together and also with the Lord.
       From a couple in China

* * *

NON-ESSENTIALS

By the Light of the Silvery Moon….
       Q: I've heard different opinions on cutting girls' hair. Some people say it makes a big difference if you trim your hair on the full moon, that it will grow thicker and faster. Others say to cut it when the moon is waxing; still others say that it doesn't make any difference at all! I was just wondering when I should trim my hair? -Paloma (17), USA
       A: (Dr. Koger speaking:) Cutting your hair on the full moon or the new moon-or any kind of moon-isn't going to help your hair grow faster. Your hair grows at a certain pace naturally, the pace that the Lord intended it to. Some women's hair grows faster than others, and that's just the way the Lord made it. There are some things you can do to help your hair grow a little faster-like eating hair-enriching foods and having a healthful diet-but generally, most women's hair grows at a steady pace.
       The idea of cutting your hair with the moon began with women who wanted to be faithful to trim their hair to keep it healthy looking-and thus more thick or full. They cut their hair with the cycles of the moon, because that helped them to remember to cut or trim it on a regular basis. There are some people today who think that it's the moon that helps the hair to grow faster or thicker, but really it's just being faithful to trim your hair on a regular basis that helps some women-as well as, of course, taking good care of your hair in general.
       Trimming your hair regularly helps to avoid excessive split ends that can damage and thin the hair, which is why trimming regularly, like with the phases of the moon, can appear to make your hair thicker or longer. But as far as how fast your hair actually grows, that's according to the Lord and the help you give Him through the way you eat and care for your body. Your body has to be in good health, with sufficient vitamins and minerals, for your hair to be healthy and strong. (End of message from Dr. Koger.)

How To Make Hair Grow Faster
Hair New Web site
       Putting pregnancy, illness and other factors aside, hair pretty much grows at a maximum rate of half an inch per month no matter what you do-a little faster in the summer than in the winter.
       Many people write to us with remedies that they have heard about that will make their hair grow faster, from washing their hair with eggs, to cutting their hair during a new moon. There is not an inch of truth to these.
       Although there is nothing that you can do to make your hair grow faster with current technology, there are a number of things that may actually slow the process, such as a poor hair care regimen, poor diet, illness, medication, male and female pattern hair loss, and emotional stress.
       Some of these things don't actually affect the growth rate per se, but they affect the hair's health, and unhealthy hair will probably not grow to its full potential. Besides regular shampooing and conditioning, the only other thing that you can really do is take a daily multi-vitamin (Eve: And, of course, eat well on a daily basis). Zinc and Biotin in particular seem to be good for hair and are usually found in multi-vitamins, so you don't need to go overboard with fancy super-vitamins. Unless you are pregnant or very ill with cancer or the like, your body only requires so many vitamins per day and simply flushes out the excess. In other words, you can't put twenty gallons in a ten-gallon tank.
       (Dr. Koger speaking:) If you haven't been taking good care of your body, your hair probably won't be growing very fast or be very healthy. So if this is the case, changing your lifestyle and especially your eating habits will help your hair to grow faster. But if you are taking good care of your body, and maintaining your health with a healthy and well-balanced diet, then you probably won't get your hair to grow any faster.
       There is an inbuilt limit that the Lord has given every woman of how fast their hair grows, and it's generally around the same amount for most people. But by damaging your body, or through illness or unhealthy habits or other means, you can slow the process down. So if your hair is growing very slowly, chances are you can speed it up through prayerful assessment of your life and daily habits-as well as diet-and wisely implementing what the Lord shows you. (End of message from Dr. Koger.)

Vinegar and Hydrogen Peroxide as Disinfectants
By Judy Stouffer , Science News
       You can make your kitchen a cleaner, safer place and fight bacteria without exposing yourself and your family to toxic chemicals that also damage the environment. You can use a simple, safe disinfecting spray that is more effective than any of the commercial cleaners in killing bacteria. As a bonus, it is inexpensive!
       Susan Sumner, a food scientist at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, worked out the recipe for just such a sanitizing combo. All you need is three percent hydrogen peroxide, the one available at the drugstore for gargling or disinfecting wounds; plain white or apple cider vinegar; and a pair of brand new clean sprayers, like the kind you use to spray plants or dampen laundry before ironing.
       If you're cleaning vegetables or fruit, just spritz them well first with both the vinegar and the hydrogen peroxide, and then rinse them off under running water.
       It doesn't matter which you use first. You won't get any lingering taste of vinegar or hydrogen peroxide, and neither is toxic to you if a small amount remains on the produce.
       As a bonus: The paired sprays work exceptionally well in sanitizing counters and other food preparation surfaces-including wood cutting boards.
       In tests run at the University, pairing the two mists killed virtually all Salmonella, Shigella, or E. coli bacteria on heavily-contaminated food and surfaces when used in this fashion, making this spray combination more effective at killing these potentially lethal bacteria than chlorine bleach or any commercially available kitchen cleaner.
       The best results came from using one mist right after the other-it is 10 times more effective than using either spray by itself, and more effective than mixing the vinegar and hydrogen peroxide in one sprayer.
(Dad speaking:) For this to be effective, you have to remember to use both the hydrogen peroxide and the vinegar. If you get lazy and just use one, it won't do the trick nearly as well as using both. It's a safe and easy way to keep your kitchen clean-much better at killing germs and bacteria than any commercial cleaning product, and much cheaper too. And, like the article says, it's better than bleach. (End of message from Dad.)

Onions for Health and Pleasure
       Q: I heard that eating onion prevents cellulite, strengthens the muscles, smoothes the skin, etc. What do you have to say about this? Is it true? -Sara (16), Paraguay
       A: Although we haven't heard all of the particular benefits that you described above, we did some research into the healing properties of onions, and found a lot of interesting information! Here are some articles on this topic.

The Many Layered Benefits of Onions
From the Whole Health MD Advisor
       Do onions bring tears to your eyes? It may be worth getting used to if you want a strong set of bones. Investigators at the University of Bern in Switzerland found that onions increase skeletal mass and inhibit the natural breakdown of bone.
       The team fed male rats a small amount of dried onion daily for four weeks. Compared with rats given a control diet, the bones of the animals fed onion had a 17% increase in bone-strengthening minerals such as calcium. In fact, the more onion the animals ate, the greater the benefits.
       Strong Bones and More: Scientists aren't sure which specific ingredients in onions should be credited for these bone-building benefits. And it's a long way from rats to people. But onions contain a variety of antioxidants, sulfur compounds, and other substances thought to promote health. Onions also contain such nutrients as vitamin C, potassium, and folate (folic acid).
       Disease-Fighting Quercetin: Chief among onion's health-giving ingredients is a plant pigment called quercetin. Quercetin is a potent antioxidant; foods rich in antioxidants are believed to slow aging, fight cataracts, and possibly lower the risk of many types of cancer. In addition, quercetin may help relieve asthma, bug bites, eczema, and hay fever by blocking allergic and inflammatory responses in the airways and other areas. It may likewise be beneficial against inflammatory joint conditions, such as rheumatoid arthritis and gout.
       Quercetin is found in tea, wine, and apples as well, but investigators at Wageningen Agricultural University in the Netherlands report that our bodies absorb quercetin much more readily from onions than from those other foods.
       A Healthy Heart: Researchers have found that onions keep blood platelets from clumping. Onions' mild blood-thinning effect may help prevent the formation of blood clots, a major cause of heart attack and stroke.

An Onion a Day?
Web reprint


Sound a bit far-fetched? It's actually not such a bad idea health wise. Onions are highly recommended for people trying to prevent cardiovascular disease, cancer and infections.
       The 4000-Year-Old Healer: For over 4000 years onions have been used for medical purposes. Egyptians numbered over 8000 onion-alleviated ailments. The esteemed Greek physician Hippocrates prescribed onions as a diuretic, wound healer and pneumonia fighter. During World War II, Russian soldiers applied onions to battle wounds as an antiseptic. And throughout the ages there have been countless folk remedies that have ascribed their curative powers to onions, such as putting a sliced onion under your pillow to fight off insomnia.
       The Modern-Day Preventative: Sweet onions are a member of the 500-plus allium family. While garlic, another allium, has been highly touted as a cancer preventative, most people consume far greater quantities of onions.
       Onions contain 25 active compounds that appear to inhibit the growth of cancerous cells, help combat heart disease, inhibit strokes, lower blood pressure and cholesterol, and stimulate the immune system. Alliums are also antibacterial and antifungal, so they can help ward off colds and relieve stomach upset and other gastrointestinal disorders.
       What Makes Them So Good for You? Of all the healthy compounds contained in onions, two stand out: sulfur and quercetin-both antioxidants. They each have been shown to help neutralize the free radicals in the body, and protect the membranes of the body's cells from damage. Interestingly, white onions contain very little quercetin, so [to get the benefits of quercetin] it's better to stick with the yellow and red varieties. Most health professionals recommend eating raw onions for maximum benefit, but cooking makes them more versatile and doesn't significantly reduce their potency. In fact, unlike sulfur compounds, quercetin can withstand the heat of cooking.
       Onions and Your Heart: As with garlic, onions help prevent thrombosis and reduce hypertension, according to the American Heart Association. The juice of one yellow or white onion a day can raise HDL cholesterol (the good stuff) by 30% over time, according to Dr. Victor Gurewich of Tufts University. Red onions don't provide the same effect.
       (Jesus speaking:) Every fruit and vegetable that I have created for your eating pleasure has inbuilt benefits, and man is only just scratching the surface in discovering these. It shouldn't surprise you to know that onions are so potent and have many health benefits-as do so many of the other creations of My hand, provided for your benefit while on Earth.
       I've made onions to be very versatile and useful in many dishes, so that they are used readily and frequently. I have made them to bring flavor to a variety of foods, and have also ordained it that the heat of cooking would not squelch their goodness and benefits-for I knew that was how they would be typically enjoyed. (End of message from Jesus.)

* * *

SEX AND ROMANCE

How I Shared My Husband
From a twenty-something wife and mother, Europe
       I recently had the opportunity to share my husband with an older woman. I felt the Lord leading in that direction and I really saw the need. My husband didn't really know what to do or how things would turn out (he is much younger than she is). I am very proud of him and of how he took it, and, as a result, experienced very beautiful things in the spirit and learned precious lessons. He saw the flesh doesn't matter so much after all.
       The Lord gave me special love and understanding for this sister. I did experience some “giving blues,” as the Lord called it. But even these were nothing compared to the overwhelming joy of giving that I felt, and that was mostly because of the attitude that the sister had. I wouldn't have felt even slightly offended if she hadn't shown me so much appreciation. A small “thank you” would have done the trick for me, but she was so loving, so thankful and appreciative, that it almost put me to shame. I felt so undeserving.
       That date was very humbling for her, and it wasn't something she had expected. The Lord led that way and she said “yes” to Him even though it was difficult, and she experienced many battles. So it was amazing that she would come to me so many times before the date to check if I was all right, to tell me how much she loved and admired me for what I did for her, to tell me that she would never want to hurt me or bring problems to my marriage, etc. Her sincerity, concern and love made me to want to give even more.
       The people in my Home were also so understanding and loving. While my husband was having the date we watched a video together and had some yummy ice cream.
       And that sister was so thankful after the date! Again she went out of her way to show and tell me how much she appreciated me and what I had done. She really wanted to make sure I was all right. She even bought me a little gift. Her thankfulness and love was so rewarding!
       That date was a beautiful experience, and as that sister said, she felt it was a spiritual date between all four of us-her, my husband, me and Jesus. It was beautiful to follow Jesus and beautiful to share His love together. My mate and I have learned that if we pray and listen to the Lord together more, there is more united action on our side (not like each of us giving separately) and thus the Lord can bless us more.
       All this to say that through this I have learned that giving is much, much easier on the other mate if the receiving person shows appreciation, thankfulness and love toward the giver. It made me feel that I was part of the date. I didn't feel “used” so that somebody could have some fun, as it was in the case of another woman I had shared my husband with previously. I didn't feel left out and suffering terrible agonies of jealousy battles and fears of losing the one I loved so much, having horrible “giving” battles and feeling expected to just get the victory by myself. Was it only because in this situation I didn't feel the “danger” of loss was present? I think not.
       If we would all give place to the Devil, he would be only glad to destroy this experience and make it ugly and full of battles. As is written in the Law of Love series, the woman who shares with a married man must love the wife even more than the husband. I felt really loved and appreciated in this case, and it inspired me to give. This gave me faith that sharing can be beautiful and uniting if all the parties involved follow the Lord, do their best to do things in love and His Spirit and have good communication.
       I understand that it's hard and humbling in many cases to be the receiver, and it's hard to express your thankfulness and appreciation, but I think the Lord requires sacrifices of love from all of us in sharing. He wants me to sacrifice my mate, and I think He wants my mate to sacrifice his time and go out of his way to show me that I am still the most precious to him, even though he may enjoy the company of the other woman and even have some feelings for her. And He wants the person who is on the receiving end to show lots of love and appreciation and thankfulness to the giver. And as we all give, we receive a hundredfold of blessings.
       It really pays to bathe each step in prayer, to listen to the Lord and obey what He shows you to do. And whatever your role is in the sharing experience, go out of your way to show love and act in love and be Jesus' love for all parties involved.
       (Jesus speaking:) This is an example of loving giving, and I am very proud of all of those involved who sought to be My love to each other. Though the specifics of this account may be very different from your situation, the principles of love, appreciation, and giving remain the same. You don't have to do things just as those in this situation did, and you don't have to show love and appreciation in exactly the same way. If you're the receiver, I will show you how to show love and appreciation to the giver in the way that will be most meaningful. I bless all of those involved-all who are receiving and giving and sharing in love. (End of message from Jesus.)

What's the Number One Enemy of Love?
Mark Merrill, The Family Minute
       Marriage expert Gary Smalley says unresolved anger is enemy number one when it comes to love. If you don't deal with it, it will eat away at your happiness and your marriage. To handle unresolved anger, you need to focus on its root cause: your unfulfilled expectations. Your spouse hasn't done what you expected them to do. You're let down, hurt, angry. So tackle love's number one enemy by first identifying your unmet expectation. Then use that discovery to help you get rid of unresolved anger.
       (Dad speaking:) Like the Bible says, “…let not the sun go down upon your wrath.” Communicate, communicate, communicate! That's the key! And I'm not just talking about communication one with another, you've got to communicate with the Lord most of all. Sometimes you don't even know what's wrong or what's “eating away at you” or what's bothering you, so you just have to ask the Lord. He knows everything-including every feeling in your heart-better than you ever could. (End of message from Dad.)

Keeping Love Alive
By James and Judith Sneizowski, The New Intimacy Newsletter
       Lovemaking without freedom is truly a prison of the worst kind. To keep your sexual loving from fading away, you have to keep love alive. You can't expect to be emotionally distant and then “catch up” through sex. That doesn't work for women and it doesn't work for men.
       So, what to do? Make love out of bed!
       * Touch one another often-as you walk past, or while in the car, when watching television, holding hands on the street, kissing anywhere.
       * Give and receive compliments-they're just mini-moments of making love.
       * Dance in the kitchen
       * Shower together.
       * Try backrubs, just the way he or she likes it.
       * Whatever you do, let your partner know you love them. Show your desire. Let each other know how much you mean to one another. Be sure to thank each other for the different ways you make love out of bed. You can make love anytime, anywhere.
       Also, please be aware that sex changes as you grow together. Don't handicap sex by expecting that it will always be like it was in the beginning. That is a special and wonderful time, but it is largely driven by newness and hormonal intensity. That decreases over time because it must. There would be no way you could conduct your lives if you were both continually revved up.
       That's not to say the heat dies. But you can't rely on being taken over and swept away. You have to become more of an active, creative participant. Then lovemaking depends upon you more than you can depend upon it. You have to become more and more conscious-of your connection, of what your partner likes and doesn't, of the limits of your experience and your willingness to explore.
       Furthermore, did you know that testosterone in both men and women is largely responsible for the strength of sexual desire? Yet not everyone has the same amount. So, you can be a high T, middle-range T, or a low T person. If both partners match, and assuming there are no psychological blocks, they should have no problem. But if they don't, and they are unaware of their differences, they can take to blaming each other for something they can't help.
       This doesn't mean you have to be medically tested. It does mean you have to talk with each other about your physical responses. How strong is your desire? What do you need to turn on? How slow or fast should you go? And, if you are really different, then sometimes you can also give each other pleasure without expecting anything in return.
       Lovemaking exists in many dimensions. Sex is but one expression. Be a thorough lover. Then, when you desire sex, both of you will be open and eager because you will know you are loved, truly loved. You can feel a desire that swells up to unite with each other, to share yourself, to be known, to let go of control and let life surge through you.
       There is a reverence in that lovemaking that permits the sacred to enter your relationship. That is how you can keep lovemaking alive as long as you desire.
       (Dad speaking:) It's unrealistic to expect that a long-term sexual relationship or marriage is going to be like fireworks forever. Relationships change as they mature, and your sexual relationship will undoubtedly change. You won't be “weak in the knees” forever, because love changes as it grows deeper. The emotions may fade, but the love you have for one another will grow stronger if your relationship is centered around the Lord.
       Sometimes when you've been together with the same person for a long while, you have to work a little at being loving and romantic, as well as keeping your sex life interesting and fulfilling. It's easy to get familiar as the years go by, but the most successful relationships are those that don't stand still. Spicing up your sex life is a big part of keeping your love fires burning-and of course staying close to the Lord and in good communication with Him. Also, loving the Lord intimately is a great way to add an extra boost to any area of your life, including sex. (End of message from Dad.)

Thirty Years… and Counting!
From Joy (of Dan), Mexico
       Dan and I have been married since April 1969. Here are my tips for marital longevity:
       * A good marriage is not created on your wedding day. That just represents your promise before God and your Family to give it a good try.
       * A good marriage requires honesty: more listening than talking; more giving than taking; more changing yourself than expecting your mate to change.
       * One of the biggest problems in a marriage happens when you stop talking about the things you disagree about.
       * A sense of humor can't be the only thing that holds you together, but being able to laugh together can surely get you through some pretty rough spots.
       * Honesty is important, but learning how and when to be honest is even more important. You might be right, but learning to humbly present your ideas helps him/her to see it.
       * The first few years are the hardest, getting to know each other and learning how to overcome together. The Lord might even have to separate you for a time, but if He put you together, you will have a very difficult time staying apart.
       * Wedding anniversaries are important. It is a miracle to have made it through another year together. (Eve: It's a wonderful time to praise the Lord for His blessings in your lives, and for how He's helped to form you into a fruitful team for Him.)
       * When it comes right down to it, there may be no male or female in Christ Jesus, but there is a reason that He calls us His bride-we women are supposed to be the ones to yield in the relationship.
       Looking back over our first years together raising our young family, it was tough and we made a lot of mistakes. But the fact that we stayed together gave our children a sense of security that enabled them to overcome.
       Our oldest son gave me one of the highest compliments I have ever received. He said, “But Mom, you and Dad never argued.” I told Dan about that and we had a good laugh. It wasn't true, of course, but we had succeeded in keeping our arguments quiet enough that the kids never heard them or had to be upset by them. I think that children gain a lot of security in knowing that Mommy and Daddy love each other.
       Kids do keep a marriage together. When you think you might be better off apart, you have to think, “Will they be better off if we're apart?”
       There is no such thing as a perfect marriage. The rosy glow of the love affair does wear off, but love itself can grow stronger through the years. Marriage problems are some of the hardest to handle. There's no running to your room to get away from them. You go to bed with them at night and wake up with them in the morning, but trials and difficulties don't have to destroy your marriage. You can handle one problem at a time and rise above it. That gives you faith, when the next one comes along, that there is a solution.
       The more you learn to work through your problems together, the better and stronger your marriage will be. The more you overcome together, the stronger you both will be. Ask the Lord for overcoming love. Love is not a fragile flower that fades when you hold it in your hand. It is the most powerful force in the universe. It is the power behind Creation. It is a gift from God. If there is a problem with it, take it to the Creator. He made it and He can surely fix it.
       Once upon a time, long ago and far away, the Lord gave us the privilege of getting a personal reading from Dad. He told us we were a good team and said that Dan's hand reaching out to me was like the Lord's hand, giving me faith and strength. There were times when we thought to call it quits, but remembering the Lord's Words for us gave us the faith to hang on until the dawn. I think it is really important to have the Lord's Words to hang onto.

How to Love a Husband
       If a husband lives with constant criticism, he learns to harbor bitterness.
       If a husband lives with arguments, he learns to yell louder.
       If a husband is put down publicly, he becomes withdrawn.
       If a husband is made to feel guilty, he ceases to be able to give love.
       If a husband lives with encouragement, he learns to return the effort.
       If a husband lives with a woman who holds her tongue when she is angry, he learns to respect her and do the same.
       If a husband lives with a wife who is careful not to put him down in public, he learns to respond with the same kind of consideration for her feelings.
       If a husband is praised for giving, he will be more prone to give with a cheerful heart.
       If his attempts at trying to please are met with positiveness, they will become more frequent.
       If you present your marriage to the Lord and ask Him to help you to be a good wife, you will usually find that you are married to a good husband.
       If you, together, present your marriage to the Lord, acknowledging your weaknesses, thanking Him for your strengths, and asking Him to use you together for His glory, you will, in time, have a love that is strong enough to be a sample of His love to the world.

* * *

PREGNANCY AND CHILDBIRTH

Spotlight on the Locals
From Ginny (of Chris), USA
       I would like to make a point about checking out local foods to eat while pregnant. Most of the nutritional counsel for pregnancy that we circulate in the Family comes from the USA. In other countries, however, things aren't always the same.
       For example, normal table salt in Japan isn't iodized as it is in the USA. The Japanese eat so much seafood and seaweed that their diet is already high in iodine, so they don't add it to the salt. Many of our foreign women in Japan, however, thought they were getting iodine from salt in Japan, because it is that way in the USA. One baby we heard of there was born with problems, in part due to lack of iodine. The mom didn't care for fish or seaweed, so she probably had a lack in her diet. It's sad, because we were surrounded by high-iodine foods, or could even get sea salt, but I don't think she realized the need or that she wasn't getting what she needed.
       So by talking with the locals and finding out what natural health boosters they use, you can often find some good tips and foods that you might not have expected otherwise.

FEATURE: MANAGING MORNING SICKNESS

The Queasy Way Out
By Judy Packer-Tursman, Washington Post
       Your stomach is turning even before you open your eyes in the morning. The queasiness creeps back in the afternoon, forcing a desperate grab for saltine crackers or ginger ale. In a few hours, new waves of vomiting wrack your body. Ain't pregnancy grand?
       Called morning sickness despite its ability to strike at any time of day, the malady affects up to 80% of pregnant women. Typically it strikes about seven weeks into a pregnancy, peaks at nine or 10 weeks and starts tapering off at 11-13 weeks. Its cause is unknown, but rising hormone levels may play a key role.
       For most women, morning sickness can be minimized by getting out of bed slowly in the morning, eating dry toast or crackers before getting out of bed, avoiding tooth-brushing first thing in the morning, fleeing unpleasant odors, getting adequate rest, or sucking on candies that contain mint or ginger. Some women find it useful to eat frequent small meals rich in plain carbohydrates, such as baked potatoes, white rice and dry toast. Palatable drinks might include herbal teas with ginger, anise, mint or chamomile.
       But up to one third of pregnant women are nauseated enough to find their daily activities disrupted, and roughly 3% wind up with hyperemesis gravidarum-severe nausea and vomiting that sometimes requires hospitalization for intravenous administration of fluids to counteract weight loss, dehydration and electrolyte imbalance. Almost all women having twins or triplets have significant symptoms of morning sickness; 10-20% get severe nausea and vomiting.
       If dietary changes don't work, try 25 milligrams four times a day of vitamin B6, which in some seems to reduce the sense of nausea and the actual amount of vomiting.
       In serious cases of morning sickness, doctors typically perform an ultrasound test to make sure the pregnancy is normal (and to see if there's more than one fetus), and they may test thyroid and liver function. The condition is often worse for women with a history of gastric reflux or heartburn and women who produce excessive saliva. “When you wipe out heartburn, you almost always wipe out nausea,” says Janice Bacon, associate professor of obstetrics and gynecology.
       There's general agreement that stress and anxiety are linked to morning sickness, which suggests that the more you can relax, the less likely you are to have nausea. Caron Caraway of Silver Spring, a licensed massage therapist, says that proper posture, relaxed breathing and gentle massage to relax muscles around the neck and shoulders often helps morning sickness: The queasiness often subsides during a session and remains less intense for a few days before it returns.

Morning Sickness Helpers
By Dr. Tom Lee, Web reprint
       1. Kelp tablets-one a day in the morning.
       2. 1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar and 1 tablespoon of honey, mixed together in a cup of hot water.
       3. Small, frequent meals.
       4. Soda water-½ tsp. of baking soda in a small glass, every half-hour as needed.
       5. If morning sickness gets bad late in the day, trying changing your schedule to where you eat your main meal at noon and a lighter meal in the evening.
       6. Reduce your fat intake slightly and avoid excessively fatty foods.
       7. Avoid being around cigarette smoke.
       8. Practice conscious relaxation, with slow, deep breathing. (Eve: Taking lots of time in prayer and communion with Jesus is a great way to relax!)
       9. Take vitamin B6: 200 mg/day for 7 days, then 25 mg thereafter.
       10. Vitamin C: 2,000 mg, three times a day unless stools loosen; if so, then cut down some.
       11. Vitamin K: 30-100 mcg/day.
       12. Papain: digestive enzyme derived from papaya.
       13. Teas made from catnip, mints, fennel or ginger.
(Eve: See also the index in CCHB1 for more morning sickness helpers!)

[BOX]
Tooth Alert!
       Nausea and vomiting can have a significant effect on the health of your teeth because of acid erosion. If you are prone to frequent bouts of morning sickness, it is especially important that you brush your teeth or rinse your mouth after each bout of sickness. (From the book “Mom to Mom.”)

Dealing with Morning Sickness
From Your Baby Today
       Your lifestyle can affect the severity of your morning sickness. Women who don't get enough rest seem more prone to attacks. Women who are under stress also may be more likely to experience nausea and vomiting.
       How to ease the quease:
       * Get out of bed slowly. An abrupt change from laying flat to standing will only increase the feeling of dizziness.
       * Eat frequent small meals. Taking little meals throughout the day will help keep your blood-sugar levels steady and will keep your stomach filled to minimize that queasy feeling.
       * Snack on easy-to-digest foods, such as crackers, whole-wheat toast, a hot baked potato, cooked pasta, cooked rice, or fruit. Oatmeal is good too.
       * Avoid greasy foods, such as butter, margarine, mayonnaise, bacon, gravy, pastries, fried meats, and french fries.
       * Go easy on spicy foods.
       * Keep your kitchen well ventilated to exhaust lingering cooking odors. Pregnant women often have an exaggerated sense of smell.
       * Try eating cold foods. They have less odor and may be easier to swallow.
       * Drink water or suck on ice to avoid dehydration if you've been vomiting.
       * Exercise. It will help relieve the stress that may be contributing to your morning sickness, and will also help you sleep better at night.
       Combating constipation: Your growing baby and uterus are putting the squeeze on your intestines, causing an uncomfortable slow-down in your digestion. Also, the hormonal changes during pregnancy relax your muscles so they can accommodate your expanding uterus. This relaxation also slows down digestion. One result is constipation and another is flatulence. The best way to deal with the problem is to increase your fiber consumption and fluid intake. Try eating a high-fiber cereal for breakfast, increasing the amount a little each morning. Snack on a few dried prunes or a handful of raisins.
       And drink 8 glasses of fluid every day, preferably water, to keep your stools soft. As your constipation goes away, so will the gassiness. You can speed the process if you avoid beans, broccoli, cabbage, onions, and fried foods. (Eve: Depending on your tastes and what agrees with you.) &&&

Morning Sickness: Reasons and Advice
By Bryan S. Jick, MD
       We all know that the first few months of fetal development are critical for the baby's health. Why then are so many women so sick early in pregnancy, and what can be done to help them? Finally, is it possible that morning sickness is actually a good thing to have?
       Doctors used to be taught that morning sickness was psychological, a sign that the patient is ambivalent about being pregnant. This theory is a bunch of baloney, and I refuse to discuss it further.
       Many articles link morning sickness to the pregnancy hormone hCg. Morning sickness tends to be worse with multiple gestation (a high-hormone state) and it tends to be minimal in pregnancies that end in miscarriage (a low-hormone state). I tell patients that it may not make any sense, but perhaps the sicker they are, the “better” the pregnancy. This theory doesn't explain everything however, and this does not mean that a woman with no morning sickness will not have a good pregnancy. The key question to me is, “Why do normal, healthy pregnant women get so sick?”
       (Dr. Koger speaking:) Sometimes the Lord uses morning sickness for good, as it often prevents you from eating certain things that He knows wouldn't be good for you or the newly forming fetus. It's a delicate stage in the unborn child's development, and what you eat is very important at that time. Perhaps the Lord knows it's best for you to avoid certain foods, so He makes you not physically able to eat them. A lot of pregnant women can't stand alcohol either, which is often the Lord's inbuilt safety net to protect the baby at that stage in its life.
       Sometimes morning sickness can be a good thing, and the Lord actually uses it for your good and the good of the baby. So let that encourage you when you're going through it really bad, feeling miserable and horrible during those beginning months. Just try and eat as healthy and as good as you can, and trust that the Lord will do the rest. And, again, that's not to say that if you don't get sick that your baby isn't healthy; the Lord knows what's best for each person, and He is in control. (End of message from Dr. Koger.)
       About one to three percent of pregnant women experience severe morning sickness. It can lead to profound dehydration, mineral and electrolyte abnormalities, and acid-base changes in blood chemistry. Treatment requires intravenous fluids and possibly hospitalization. Contact your doctor right away if you have any of the following symptoms:
       * Throwing up everything, food and liquids, for more than a couple of days.
       * Losing more than 5% of your body weight (for example a 120-pound woman loses 6 pounds) compared to your pre-pregnant weight.
       * Feeling constantly dizzy, lightheaded, very weak, and you have a dry, pasty mouth.
       Management of Mild Morning Sickness: First, trust your instinctive food aversions. If it doesn't smell good, look good, or “sound” good to you to eat it, then don't.
       (Eve: Please note that you only need to avoid many of the foods listed below if you feel the need to do so. If you are not having any nausea troubles, and you like the idea of eating barbecued foods, nuts, spices, etc., then by all means do so. These will not harm your fetus. This list will simply make it easier for you to avoid nausea if that is a problem for you.)
       Things to Avoid if Battling Morning Sickness
       1. Avoid odors as much as possible. Have your husband take breath mints. Use odorless hygiene and laundry products. Avoid odor-filled places (crowded public places, public restrooms, smelly gyms, etc.). Have your home cleaned to try and eliminate any musty or moldy household odors. Get rid of smelly stuff in the fridge and place open containers of baking soda inside.
       2. Avoid unripe fruits and vegetables (especially mushrooms), and canned fruits and vegetables.
       3. Avoid greasy and high-fat foods. (Dairy products are usually okay.)
       4. Avoid burnt foods. Avoid barbecued food.
       5. Avoid raw fish (sushi) and nuts.
       6. Avoid spices, spicy foods and herbs: garlic, onion, dill, oregano, etc.
       7. Avoid food flavorings and condiments: ketchup, mustard, steak sauce, etc. Small amounts of salt are okay.
       8. If vomiting more than once a day, stop all vitamins (yes, even prenatal vitamins) except folic acid (0.4 mg. daily) and B6 (25-50 mg. daily).
       9. Avoid Emmetrol, a children's anti-nausea agent (often advised to help morning sickness). It is safe but in my experience never works, and often makes patients throw up even more.
       10. Avoid coffee, tea, chocolate, and any substance which is bitter in its native form (before sugar and fat have been added to it).
       Things to Try
       1. Keep saltine crackers on your nightstand. Eat one as soon as you awake, while still lying down if possible. Then wait a few minutes before getting up. The crackers will absorb stomach acid that may have accumulated during the night.
       2. Eat things a baby would like (bland stuff), like plain breads, cereal, noodles, rice, plain yogurt.
       3. Eat ripe, soft fruits. Drink fresh-squeezed fruit juices, ice cold and watered down a bit.
       4. Try a blender shake made with ice, plain yogurt or milk, and ripe fruit or fresh fruit juice. Whey or soy protein powder can be added if your diet is low in protein.
       5. Eat white cheese. It digests slowly and lessens stomach acid production.
       6. Dry, white meats like turkey breast are usually well tolerated.
       7. Drink flat Seven-up or Sprite (pour into a cup, then stir).
       8. If vomiting, try drinking sports drinks to replace minerals.
       9. Drink liquids with crushed ice, using a straw.
       10. Eat small meals all day long, up to ten times a day.
       11. If you have to cook, try to steam or boil foods. This lowers the “burned food” odors.

Morning Sickness Myth


Q: I got through my first trimester with very little nausea. My aunt seems to think this is a bad thing. Is not having morning sickness a sign of an unhealthy pregnancy?
       A: (Joanne Stone, MD, and Keith Eddleman, MD:) This is a very common myth among pregnant women-and it's not true. Morning sickness is not a sign of a healthy pregnancy. And it's not true that the absence of morning sickness indicates a problem with the pregnancy. It is also not true that the sudden disappearance of morning sickness in someone who has been feeling sick means that the pregnancy has taken a turn for the worse. As long as everything is going well, and a fetal heartbeat is detected, consider yourself one of the lucky pregnant women who didn't have to spend half of the first trimester in the bathroom!
       (Eve:) God bless you all, our wonderful mothers! As Dad said, “It's worth paying the price of a little sickness and weakness during pregnancy because God is using it to create an immortal soul!”
       We'd like to thank each and every one of you, our precious mothers and queen mothers, who so willingly lay down your lives so that others may live. Your testimonies are powerful, please keep them coming! We very much look forward to and appreciate hearing from you, as well as from those of you who have testified of the strength it's been for you personally when you have received a special message from the Lord to encourage your faith at the onset of pregnancy. As many have experienced, those promises will keep you in times of testing when all sorts of physical, emotional and even spiritual changes are happening within you, in order to prepare you for the nurturing, delivering and caring of a new life.
       It's good also to be aware that at the beginning stages of pregnancy, the Enemy will often try to tempt you with different worries which are doubly difficult especially for those of you who get a bit weakened through the morning sickness. Please don't give in to his fears. It's important that along with doing your part to stay healthy physically and trying to eat right, live right and exercise right, that you also fight right - with the promises of His Word! Send faith to answer the door if the Devil tempts you to fear or worry.
       Perhaps you can reserve a block of time at the end of a united devotions or meeting with the Home to ask for prayer and hearing from the Lord for you. Calling on the power of the keys is a powerful weapon. No good thing will He withhold from our pregnant mommies who call on the power of the keys! We love you!

Tips from You

       In my first months of pregnancy, I became very weak physically and was hit with morning sickness. I asked Jesus how to get out of that weak state, and one thing I got was to eat brewer's yeast and honey. As a Home we were struggling financially and both are quite costly here, but I prayed for a miracle. After a few days we got a gift from another Home which was... brewer's yeast and honey! I was able to take some daily, PTL! This morning sickness period was the shortest in all my pregnancies, and I felt stronger then ever before.
       Luba (of Ilia), Russia

       During my two pregnancies, I was nauseous for the whole 9 months.-It was not severe, but I never felt real strong, though the worst passed after the first four months. Towards the end of my second pregnancy I finally realized that red meat was a major culprit. I did fine with fish or chicken, but beef, lamb, goat or even chicken liver-any kind of red meat-meant an hour or more of nausea after a meal. Now we can hear from the Lord in prophecy. Well, we could then too, but didn't practice it as much. I wish I had taken time to hear from the Lord on what to do for that nausea, as it would have helped me learn the main culprit earlier on. But maybe this tip about red meat will click for another mother.
       Meg, WS

       Gabriela, pregnant with number two, was feeling very nauseous almost constantly. Due to low personnel, we needed her to be on childcare and other Home duties. We had prayer together, including anointing her with oil, and then kept her in our daily prayers. Since then she's been feeling a lot better, even being able to get up in time for breakfast, which she was not able to do before without feeling very sick. Praise the Lord!
       Maya, Jerry, David and Gabriela, Croatia

* * *

HEALTH

FEATURE: CANCER

Lessons of Love
From Joy (of Paul), England
       I had a lump in my neck for four years. I had been to several surgeons who all recommended surgery, but I preferred to trust the Lord than to submit to their care. After four years, the lump was growing and I wasn't feeling well, and I wanted to go to the field someday. I felt I needed to be in good health to be able to go abroad. But I was also going through some heavy personal battles and was extremely discouraged.
       I went to see another surgeon, who was very kind and listened to me. I felt I should trust his judgment. However, I didn't pray desperately about going through with the operation. I went through such an attack of condemnation before being put to sleep for the operation, because I knew I hadn't prayed desperately about it. I felt that I had turned away from the Lord in the spirit and that I was a useless, inefficient Christian.
       The result after the operation was that the lump was cancerous, and had spread a bit. Although I could hardly speak and was in great pain, I found myself witnessing and giving my testimony to everyone I met-nurses, doctors and patients. This encouraged me that no matter how out-of-it I might be, deep down I really loved and believed in the Lord. I couldn't keep quiet about Him and how He had changed my life!
       I was really dreading my second operation, because the pain was unbearable. I was so fearful; I didn't know how I could manage it. But this time there were many Family members praying for me, and I had a close friend with me when they took me to the operation. I was amazed, and so thankful that I wasn't afraid. I felt the Lord encouraging and comforting me.-In fact, I felt inspired!
       A few days later, Prime Minister Tony Blair and his wife came to see the cancer patients. It was shown on television all day. I looked so different from the other white-haired old ladies, with my long, dark hair! I got to slip in a little witness to him, about how the Lord has really helped me through the operations. He was impressed that I have five children. He said that he found having his three children a huge job!
       I had three more hospital stays for cancer treatment after that. Again, I was able to tell many others about the Lord and my salvation testimony. I was also able to share with them some of my lessons through it all. I've battled with certain NWOs for a very long time. I did many Word studies, had prayer, but still didn't feel I was making progress. Basically, I felt I didn't get enough done, and what I did wasn't done well. I was also very shy on outreach. Some others felt the same things about me, too, and I was always condemning myself because I didn't see any progress in myself.
       After the operations, I was very weak for over a year. For many months I could hardly do anything. At first it was a trial, as I so wanted to get busy again, but I couldn't. The Lord got through to me that He loved me just as I was, and that He didn't condemn me for my weaknesses. In fact, all He wanted was for me to love Him-and He was happy with me! I realized that I should be thankful if I was able to do anything, because having had cancer I could have gone on to be with the Lord, but He's kept me here!
       Now I have much more of a peace about the things I do. When I go on outreach, I still don't have high stats, or win many souls. I still have a hard time talking to people. But I love witnessing and trying to reach people with His Word, even though I don't seem as talented doing it as others. I'm happy, because I know it's better than not doing any witnessing at all. At least I have the health to do something!
       I may not do things as well as they could or should be done, or as well as others can do them, but I'm happy now, because I can at least do a little bit of good. And that's better than not being able to do anything at all! I've been able to stop condemning myself and just relax and be happy in Jesus. I know He loves me, and no matter how out-of-it I feel, I still love Him!

The Honor of a Fighter
By Jesus
       Cancer is one of the most difficult things to experience in life. It gets in your body and eats away at you from the inside out. But as that cancer progresses, as it saps more and more of your strength, I in turn fill you up with more and more of Me. I give back to you in the spirit more than the cancer takes away from you in the flesh. I pour into you; I give to you more than you have lost. I turn what seems like a curse into a marvelous and beautiful blessing.
       Many of My brides who are Here with Me in Heaven received the blessing of cancer on Earth. When they first heard the diagnosis from the doctor's lips, they were frightened and afraid. But through it all I was with them, helping them, comforting them. I was always right beside them, giving them the treasures of darkness and the riches of the secret places of the most high. It was so beautiful. Their faces shone with My Spirit.
       Those who had cancer gained so much of My Spirit. It was a part of their preparation for their job in Heaven. Some of you who have been close to those who have had to endure this affliction know exactly what I'm talking about. You never saw someone so sweet, so in love with Me, so close to Me as when they were fighting cancer. It was perhaps the most difficult battle of their life, but they rose above, they conquered this disease with My Spirit-and now they're Here with Me, doing awesome and marvelous things, helping you from this Side.
       Cancer, though very feared in the eyes of the world, is not something that you should fear, My brides. For when I allow it in your life, you can trust that it is for a purpose, as I lovingly guide your life. Some I choose to heal miraculously, that it may be a great testimony and witness to others. Some I choose to heal by taking them Home to Heaven-My ultimate healing that lasts forever. I have need of both. I have need of those who are willing to endure the affliction and trust Me for their healing that I may use them to be a witness to others. I have need of laborers on this side of the veil also. Whether on Earth or in Heaven, I honor those who have yielded to My desire and My bidding.
       This life on Earth is but for a moment compared to all eternity. The pain of this life, though unbearable in the present, will be wiped away in the twinkling of an eye. So whether I call you to serve Me on Earth or in Heaven, what is that to thee? It is all service to Me. I call each of you to a different mission. My plan for each of My children is unique. And the most beautiful thing to Me is the yieldedness of one's heart and life to Me, whatever My will may be. This is the honor of a fighter!

Cancer Patient Leads Doctor to Christ
Baptist Press
       Two bouts of rheumatic fever, Sjogren's syndrome and the ravages of cancer and its treatment provide but a glimpse into the painful life of Clara Cox. Diagnosed in 1983 with Sjogren's syndrome-a connective tissue disorder-Cox found herself kneeling in the hospital chapel. “I asked the Lord to give me the strength to show others what a wonderful Savior He is,” she said.
       In 1987, Cox began a battle with cancer-a battle she still wages today, much to the surprise of her doctors. Again, she credits prayers and her faith.
       It was faith that led Cox to tell her doctor of Jewish descent about Biblical Christianity earlier this year. She had enrolled in the faith witness training program at her church. Her audible recitation of memory verses while in cancer treatment was at first a source of mockery, said Cox.
       “I became known to the hospital staff as the 'faith woman,'“ Cox said. “I was mocked, laughed at and made fun of as I took my faith materials and Bible with me to my cancer treatments.”
       Despite the ridicule, Cox determined to try witnessing to her doctor, even though he repeatedly discouraged her from taking her Bible to chemotherapy treatments and had also refused to pray with her.
       “'If you had as much faith in me as you do that Bible, you'd be well by now,'“ her doctor said, recalled Cox in a later interview.
       “That riled my dander,” said Cox, who noted she didn't “have red hair for nothing.”
       “'Faith, faith, faith-that's all I've heard out of you,'“ her doctor said, recounted Cox.
       When asked how he planned to get to Heaven, the doctor told Cox: “'I save lives every day. Of course I am going to Heaven.'“
       “'Wrong!' I told him.” Cox explained that salvation from God through the Messiah is not a salvation of works but a salvation of repentance from sins and a belief in the life and work of Jesus Christ.
       The Jewish doctor apparently pondered that overnight and asked Cox at the next day's treatment session, “'What must I do to be saved?'” she said.
       “'The easiest way for me to tell you is through the materials you have been laughing at me about,'“ she said. After sharing them with him, Cox tried to lead the doctor in prayer.
       “I had barely said two words when my doctor interrupted me with his own prayer,” Cox said. “He was confessing his sins and acknowledging that he believed Jesus Christ truly was the Son of God and the promised Messiah.”
       Cox said she had no doubt her doctor became a “completed Jew,” especially when he “came down the hospital hallway singing 'Jesus Loves Me,'“ she said. He also began praying with Cox as he treated her illness.
       “There are so many lost people everywhere we go. And we must do everything we can to share Christ with them.”
       Outliving the expectations of medical specialists, Cox is grateful for every day she awakens. “I thank God for each new day. It represents another chance to share how great our God is,” she said.
       (Dad speaking:) God bless this woman. Compared to you in the Family, she only has the basics of Jesus and salvation. But she's still witnessing, she's standing up for her faith amidst her affliction, and the Lord is very proud of her. She's got a lot of fire and conviction, and the Lord's going to bless her abundantly! Lord help us to do the same-to be instant witnessers no matter where we are, what we're going through, or how we feel. Even if you're on your deathbed, you can still be a sample of God's love and pass on His truth to others. The only excuse for not witnessing is if you're totally out of breath or unable to speak, but even then you can show love through your smile and with your eyes. (End of message from Dad.)

From Leonnie and Tim, Australia
       These ungodly chemicals and methods that System doctors offer for combating cancer are not the answer-and only lead to a more painful and sure death! I have a malignant cancer in my stomach and I only found out while in hospital after the delivery of my third child-very healthy, what a miracle! … Well, our doctor advised us to start chemotherapy, which is a very heavy course of drugs. The doctor tells you there is some good chance of controlling the cancer-no cure-and it's usually several years after the treatment is finished before you know if there's a recurrence. So we decided to try this method and I had five treatments, each three weeks apart.
       However I soon reconsidered this path of healing and decided to try a more Godly way. We met a man who had a strong faith in God and had had incurable cancer seven years before, and through prayer and a very strict diet, mainly all raw foods and juices, he is now the picture of health and a great testimony.
       But the doctors only offer radiotherapy, chemotherapy, and operation-none of which actually rid the body of cancer but only spread it more. We have recently met a brother who had Hodgkin's disease (cancer of the lymph glands) and has started radiotherapy, and the doctors are also talking about operating and having chemotherapy. However, I believe his chances of living longer are much better on a natural diet. I have been on the natural diet for eight weeks and have gained weight, started growing hair back and also had a lot of energy and no vomiting. (ML #1334, par.5)

Regular Physical Activity Reduces Cancer Risk
Cancer Care Ontario
       Evidence linking regular physical activity with a reduced risk of colon and breast cancer is strong enough to warrant making physical activity an integral part of cancer prevention strategies, according to a report published in the journal Chronic Diseases In Canada.
       “We now have the consensus of scientific experts that physical activity should be a key component of cancer prevention,” said Dr. Loraine Marrett, one of the report's authors and a senior epidemiologist. The evaluation assessed the frequency, intensity and duration of physical activity associated with cancer risk reduction as well as physical activity intervention research. Cancer prevention is one of the best opportunities to reduce cancer deaths because the majority of cancer is preventable.
       (Dr. Koger speaking:) As simple as it may sound, exercise is a key in cancer prevention. It keeps you in good shape and in good health overall. It keeps your heart pumping fresh blood through your body, which in turn flushes out toxins and prevents build-ups and blockages-which can lead to tumors and other such problems. It also strengthens your immune system. Your organs and every part of your body are just generally in better shape, more healthy, and thus less susceptible to disease when you do regular and vigorous exercise. So be wise and exercise! (End of message from Dr. Koger.)

List of Foods Recommended for Cancer Patients
       Lentils, raw nuts (except peanuts), flax seeds, sesame and other seeds, yogurt, cottage cheese, quark (a type of low-fat soft cheese of German origin made from skim milk), tofu, soymilk, goat's milk, whole wheat/rye bread, whole grain cereals, brown rice, wheat germ, spring water, ginseng tea, licorice, (other herbal teas), aloe vera, nori (seaweed), umeboshi (Japanese sour plums), kelp, vegetables, alfalfa, apple cider vinegar, broccoli, cabbage, fresh pineapple, papaya, apples, grapes, berries, barley or wheat grass (powder or fresh), celery, garlic, watercress, Lecithin, cranberry juice, turnips, carrots, red beets.

Garlic May Help Fight Two Cancers
By David Derbyshire, Electronic Telegraph
       People who eat garlic regularly face half the risk of stomach cancer and two thirds less risk of bowel cancer, compared with people who avoid garlic. But there is little evidence that garlic supplements have a similar protective effect, the team from the University of North Carolina found.
       The researchers examined all the published research on garlic and cancer. After reviewing 300 scientific papers, he pooled the results from the most rigorous 22 studies. Dr Arab said: “There seems to be a strong, consistent, protective effect for people who are regular garlic consumers.”
       (Dr. Koger speaking:) Garlic is good for you. There's no doubt about it! It helps to fight so many illnesses, keeps your immune system strong and cleanses your body, among other things. It's an amazing power food that the Lord created, so for those who can handle it, it's good to eat it on a regular basis. The Lord made it for your good. Of course, fresh is best and has the most benefits. Garlic supplements, dried garlic or powdered garlic don't have the same effect or health benefits as fresh garlic. (End of message from Dr. Koger.)

Power of Positive Thinking
By Louise Tickle, The Observer
       The power of positive thought can help cancer patients live longer by boosting their immune systems. The research described how women diagnosed with cancer and trained in “relaxation” techniques developed more cells equipped to fight the disease. Professor Leslie Walker of Hull University worked with 80 women who had just been diagnosed with breast cancer. All received normal treatment, but half were also trained in relaxation techniques and guided imagery, where they visualized their bodies' own defenses fighting and overcoming cancer cells.
       By the end of the 37-week trial, the second group all showed strengthened immune systems. Levels of the white cells that play a vital role in fighting disease increased and the “killer cells” which scout out and destroy infected or cancerous cells also became more active. Certain types of stress suppress the immune system. Walker said: “Some of the muscle-relaxing exercises were specifically developed to help people 'switch off' their natural 'fight/flight' response to high levels of stress. This results in real changes in internal organs, and also affects white blood cells.
       (Dad speaking:) It is true that stress weakens your body physically, besides making you more unhappy and less fulfilled emotionally and spiritually. But how much more powerful than mere relaxation exercise is the positive power of prayer! Rather than just relaxing and visualizing the cancer cells being defeated, how much better to pray and to fight in the spirit! Pray for others less fortunate than you. Pray for yourself and for your faith. Spend time loving the Lord. He is the best Relaxation Specialist, and spending time in prayer releases the most powerful and effective positive endorphins into your blood stream to relax you and to help your body to “overcome.” (End of message from Dad.)

The Man Who Questions Chemotherapy
From the Optimal Wellness Center Web site
       Dr. Ralph Moss has written the book, Questioning Chemotherapy, which documents the ineffectiveness of chemotherapy in treating most cancers. On November 19, 1977, he was fired for telling the public the truth. At a press conference on November 18th, he and the Second Opinion working group released a well-documented, 48-page report that stated the top officials of the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center had lied about the results of a study performed at the center regarding Laetrile (a natural, alternative cancer treatment).
       Dr. Moss has written eight books, and his work includes telling of the enormous financial and political corruption in the “cancer establishment.” He indicates that the motivating forces in cancer research and treatment are often power and money, not the cure of cancer patients.
       Dr. Moss' work documents the ineffectiveness of chemotherapy on most forms of cancer. However, he points out that there are the following exceptions: Acute lymphocytic leukemia, Hodgkin's disease, and nonseminomatous testicular cancer. Also, a few very rare forms of cancer, including choriocarcinoma, Wilm's tumor, and retinoblastoma. But these account for only 2% to 4% of all cancers occurring in the United States. This leaves 96% to 98% of other cancers, in which chemotherapy doesn't eliminate the disease.
       The vast majority of cancers, such as breast, colon, and lung cancer are barely touched by chemotherapy. However, there is another category where chemotherapy has a relatively minor effect--The most “successful” of these is in Stage 3 ovarian cancer, where chemotherapy appears to extend life by perhaps eighteen months, and small-cell lung cancer in which chemotherapy might offer six more months.
       Effective cancer treatment is a matter of definition. The FDA defines an “effective” drug as one which achieves a 50% or more reduction in tumor size for 28 days. When the cancer patient hears the doctor say “effective,” he or she thinks, and logically so, that “effective” means it cures cancer. But all it means is temporary tumor shrinkage.
       Chemotherapy usually doesn't cure cancer or extend life, and it really does not improve the quality of the life either. Doctors frequently make this claim, though. There are thousands of studies that were reviewed by Dr. Moss as part of the research for his book-and there is not one single good study documenting this claim.
       What patients consider “good quality of life” seems to differ from what the doctors consider. To most it is just common sense that a drug that makes you throw up, and lose your hair, and wrecks your immune system is not improving your quality of life. Chemotherapy can give you life-threatening mouth sores. People can slough the entire lining of the intestines! One longer-term effect is particularly tragic: people who've had chemotherapy no longer respond to nutritional or immunologically-based approaches to their cancers. And since chemotherapy doesn't cure 96% to 98% of all cancers anyway, people who take chemotherapy have sadly lost their chance of finding another sort of cure.
       It's especially telling that in a number of surveys, most chemotherapists have said they would not take chemotherapy themselves or recommend it for their families. Chemotherapy drugs are the most toxic substances ever put deliberately into the human body. They are known poisons, they are designed poisons. The whole thing began with experiments with “mustard gas,” the horrible chemical-warfare agents from World War I.
       Dr. Moss' position on chemotherapy is supported by many major students of the study of cancer treatment.
       With the extensive documentation in Dr. Moss' book, and all the statistics developed by the experts, why is chemotherapy still pushed by the large majority of oncologists? Dr. Moss feels that “there's a tremendous conflict going on in the minds of honest, sensitive, caring oncologists.” They're in a very difficult position because they've been trained to give these drugs. And they've devoted many years to reaching a very high level of expertise in the knowledge of poisonous, deadly compounds. They're really in a bind, because they went into oncology to help the cancer patient, yet the tools they've been given don't work. And they see what happens to physicians who “step out of line” and treat cancer with alternative means.
       Armed raids, loss of licensure, professional smearing and ostracism are some of the consequences. These could all be related to the quotation in the book made by Dr. Lundberg, editor of the Journal of the American Medical Association. At a recent National Institute of Health meeting, he said of chemotherapy: “[It's] a marvelous opportunity for rampant deceit. So much money is there to be made that ethical principles can be overrun sometimes in a stampede to get at physicians and prescribers.” You never heard that on the evening news. The economics of cancer treatment are astounding. Cancer treatment is close to $100 billion annually ($100,000,000,000).

* * *

OTHER

Mother's Maintenance Manual
       Many of us take better care of our cars than we do our mothers, yet we only expect our cars to last 5 or 6 years while we expect our mothers to last us a lifetime! Maybe we need a maintenance manual for mothers, so we would know how to take care of them at least as well as our automobiles.
       Here are some items that might be included in such a manual.
       Engine: A mother's engine is one of the most dependable kinds you can find. She can reach top speed from a prone position at a single cry from a sleeping child. But regular breaks are needed to keep up that peak performance.
       Mothers need a hot bath and a nap every 100 miles, a babysitter and a night out every 1,000 miles, and a live-in baby-sitter with a one-week vacation every 10,000 miles.
       Battery: Mother's batteries should be recharged regularly. Handmade items, notes, unexpected hugs and kisses, and frequent “I love yous” will do very well for a recharge.
       Carburetor: When a mother's carburetor floods, it should be treated immediately with a Kleenex and a soft shoulder.
       Brakes: See that she uses her brakes to slow down often and come to a full stop occasionally. (A squeaking sound indicates a need for rest.)
       Fuels: Most mothers can run indefinitely on coffee, leftovers and salads, but an occasional dinner for two at a nice restaurant will add to her efficiency. (And for her spiritual fueling, a good time with the Lord and praying and reading the Word should do it.)
       Chassis: Mothers run better when their bodies are properly maintained. Regular exercise should be encouraged and provided for as necessary. A change in hairdo or makeup in spring and fall are also helpful.
       If you notice the chassis begins to sag, immediately start a program of walking, jogging, swimming, or bike riding. These are most effective when done with fathers.
       Tune-ups: Mothers need regular tune-ups. Compliments are both the cheapest and the most effective way to keep a mother purring contentedly.
       If these instructions are followed consistently, this fantastic creation and gift from God that we call MOTHER should last a lifetime and give good service and constant love to those who need her most.

PEN PALS

Gloria: Age 23/Libra/Russia. Interests: people, music, writing letters and being a clown.
       >> I would like to find somebody who has the same interests as me, and who likes witnessing and feeding the sheep. My life is in the people around me, though sometimes I like to be alone for a short time. I feel like I become myself when I put my clown costume on. Looking forward to hearing from you!
       Please contact me through the Russian ABM: “RU037 for Gloria.”

Kit: Age 20/Aquarius/North America. Likes: dancing, makeup artistry, Christmastime, and family. Dislikes: Rats, dirty houses, and superficial people.
       >> I've recently become a single mom. I have a beautiful little boy. I'm looking to converse with other single parents; particularly those who have become single since having their children. What do you do? How do you continue on alone? It would be very encouraging to hear from you. Please feel free to share any tips you may have from coping in your new life. It would mean the world to me. Thank you so much and God bless all our precious single parents! I truly admire your strength.
       E-mail: tinyfaeriegirl@yahoo.ca

[BOX]
       From Eve: If any of you have any tips or lessons to share along the lines of single parenting, we would also be very interested in hearing them, so please feel free to write in to us on this topic as well. WLY!

(EOF)

(End of File)