ShoutOut: Pilot Flying J's Salute to U.S. Military Veterans

 

If you need a landing spot for a holiday meal, here's your sign!

A new tradition

This was my second year to celebrate Thanksgiving with my life-long friend, Kathy M., at Denny’s. We’re both single, enjoy each other’s company and going to Denny’s means good food and good coffee without a mess to clean up after. We even ran into other friends from our church there this time, too, who’ve also adopted Denny’s for the holidays. 

We meet early, usually between 1100 and 1130 and this year, I’d been invited to join some of my cousins in the afternoon for their holiday family gathering. They live in the same county, giving us plenty of time to enjoy our visit. That’s another thing I love about Denny’s, they don’t mind if we linger, especially at the I-64/Hwy 41 location in Southern Indiana. 

It’s a fav go to meeting place for our area. We’re always greeted by friendly staff and enjoy being supportive of a business that adds quality to our community. 

The Jarhead Brat Pack

After a wonderful lunch and visit, Kathy and I parted ways. I was about to head out of the lot when I realized I'd had a lot of coffee and probably needed a pit stop before heading across the county to my cousin’s home. Rather than leaving I made a semi-circle into a parking spot near their fuel station/convenience store to take care of business before leaving.

I also wanted a fresh java for the road. 

I went in, got sorted and stepped to the counter to pay up. The attendant, Ryan, was very friendly and asked if I had a Pilot Flying J. rewards card. I didn’t but I’m not in that area more than a few times a year, so didn’t think I needed one and declined the offer.

Then he asked me if I’d like to include a $3 donation to go towards their U.S. military veteran support programs. That was a no-brainer. I was happy to make the donation. As Ryan totaled my bill, he explained that veterans with the Pilot Flying J rewards program would receive a 10% discount on food and beverages throughout the year when using the app. 

That’s when it got personal. I told him I would love to donate $3 and was thrilled Pilot Flying J was providing the easy opportunity to do it. I shared that my family is largely military and that my sister and I are Jarhead Brats (US Marine’s kids). Turns out, so is Ryan. That made us immediate family. 

                                         This is Ryan!                                          

It's always a privilege to get acquainted with another Jarhead brat, and especially those who live and work in the area. Corps families will always have family wherever they are. 

I must add here, we do have every branch well represented in our family and very grateful to and proud of all of them for their sacrifice and service. 

Ryan was the first one to explain the Pilot Flying J rewards programs specifically honoring veterans and thanking civilians, so it’s him that gets the kudos for making their newest fan and I couldn’t wait to brag on him and them and get the info to you in this week’s edition. 

Below is a breakdown on how to get Pilot Flying J rewards for both military vets and civilians, as well as the benefits they provide.

Ryan assisting a customer

Flying J Rewards Program

☙ Called myRewards and is managed through the RewardsPlus app that you can download from your mobile’s store.

☙ Members can earn points for fuel and in-store purchases, which can be redeemed for free drinks, snacks, showers, and more. 

☙Professional drivers can earn even more points per gallon and free showers by meeting certain fuel purchase thresholds, and can also use features like mobile fueling and parking reservations within the app.

☙Fueling: Earn points for every gallon of fuel purchased. Professional drivers can activate "PushForPoints" each month to earn up to 4 or even 5 points per gallon after a certain number of qualifying fills.

    ☙ In-store purchases: Use your app or card at the register to earn points on other purchases.

    ☙ Axle Fuel Card: Users of the Axle Fuel Card also earn an extra bonus point per gallon.

    ☙ Special offers: The app provides exclusive deals, challenges, and birthday freebies   

Redeeming rewards              

☙ Free drinks: Earn a free drink after purchasing nine coffees.

☙ Showers: Earn free showers with every 50-gallon diesel purchase, and get a free daily shower for the rest of the month and the next if you fuel over 1,000 gallons in a month ("Shower Power").

☙ Food and merchandise: Redeem your points for food, drinks, and merchandise in-store.

The app features include...

☙ Mobile fueling: Start fueling from your phone to save time and stay in your vehicle.

☙  Shower and parking reservations: Book showers and reserve parking spaces directly through the app.

☙ Transaction history: View and email up to 18 months of digital receipts.

Route planning: Plan your route and find locations that meet your needs.

Yup! Driven by an employee of Pilot Flying J! 

Love it!

For the Military Discount

☙ Download the myRewards Plus app. (Get the app from your phone's app store.)

☙ Verify your status: Use http://ID.me to verify your military status within the app.

☙ Enjoy savings! The 10% discount is automatically applied to food and beverage purchases when you use your myRewards account at checkout.

Includes...

☙ Pilot coffee and fountain drinks

☙ Hot and cold food items from the deli and other participating fast food restaurants

☙ Non-alcoholic cooler beverages

☙ Candy and snacks

Additional benefits

☙ Pilot Flying J frequently offers exclusive deals to military members and veterans through the app, which can include free food and drinks, especially around holidays like Veterans Day.

☙ Pilot Flying J also supports the military community through other initiatives, such as its Miles of Good program, which includes donations to organizations like the Call of Duty Endowment that helps veterans find jobs.

A trucker's home away from home for the holiday.

Last, yet definitely not least...

Pilot Flying J also allows free, overnight parking for cars, SUVs, trucks and big rigs. They have food, beverages, over the counter meds, travel supplies and showers available, and some provide propane tank trade-ins for traveling campers. 

On a long trip, when you're hungry and need some rest, try Pilot Flying J!

I’ve travelled cross-country many, many times, and Pilot Flying J has always been a safe landing spot when I needed a few hours of rest before continuing further. And, for the record, of the travel stations that don’t allow for this, nor accommodate our truck drivers in big rigs, I don’t give them business. Truckers are the main folks providing us a stable supply chain for everything from dry goods, to food and medical supplies. 

Cast your bread upon the waters: for thou shalt find it after many days. Ecclesiastes 11:1

A generous person will prosper; whoever refreshes others will be refreshed. Proverbs 11:25

The wrap!

I pray your holiday season is saturated with love and blessings. Even with life’s many challenges and losses, each year I have many things to be thankful for. Above all for my Lord’s great grace, mercy and provision. 

My sincere thanks to Pilot Flying J for being an excellent part of Thanksgiving 2025 and for their excellent support and appreciation of both military and civilian customers. Bravo Zulu and Semper Fi!

Shalom-shalom,

Angelia

Journaling: Enhancing emotional, mental and physical wellness

 

Image via freephotocc of Pixabay

‘tis the season

‘tis the season

In December of 2024, I published a post on journaling. (Click here to view it.)

It was good timing. November of this year is good timing as well for a post on the same topic but fueled by an entirely different reasons. 

Thing is, journaling is actually good for us! As in doctor-recommended kinda good. And, the reason it’s a good time for such a post is because even though it’s a beautiful time of year, for a whole lot of folks, it triggers an onset of SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder). 

Journaling can provide a nearly free source of help to alleviate that. It’ll cost a pen or pencil, and a notebook, so for most, it’s affordable.

When the high days of summer ebb to make room for the way shorter ones of autumn in her fancy leaves and chilly temps, not everyone is oohing and ahhing over the riot of color and the sun already yawning by early afternoon.

Here are a few shots I took earlier today that provide a good example of where we are in the season, at least here in our village. 

Sorry so many, but the weather was perfect for the shots I needed so, I admit to getting a little carried away.

For some, the colors and misty atmosphere are beautiful and invigorating, while others experience a less cheery effect.   

I’m sure most of us have at least one friend or family member who struggles with seasonal depression. It’s not just the physical season changes causing it, other aspects can play a big part in it. I’ll give you an all-in-one example...

Holidays

There are loads of reasons folks can be torn, or even dread the holiday season. For lots, it’s their first time to experience them without a loved one. Or their first time to go through them away from home. For essential personnel, staffing is often short which means longer hours for those filling the gaps. 

Back to the point

The point of this post isn’t the cause, but the possible help for it. And after my recent post on the physical and mental benefits of handwriting, I got curious and decided to follow an associated trail to see if there were maybe similar benefits to journaling.

I ran a couple queries and was rewarded with information impressive enough to bother sharing with you. Sharing is caring and I’ve been a life-long fan of journaling, so, it’s a win-win!

I learned that...

Journaling is more than writing down thoughts, ideas, feelings, desires, plans, etcetera. It also changes us by producing psychological and physiological responses–ones that are good for us and sometimes even helping to heal us.

How’s that happen?

Seems that journaling can produce multiple health benefits. I've compiled them into two categories for you below.

    Mental

        ☙ Creativity: Encourages the free-flow of thoughts and ideas, promoting creativity. 

        ☙ Emotional regulation: Helps writers identify and understand their emotions, leading to better emotional control.

☙ Goal achievement: A written record of goals and tracking the progress to achieving them increases enthusiasm, accountability and greater likelihood of achieving them.

☙ Mood improvement and stabilization: Writing about gratitude and positive experiences can produce feelings of well being and improved confidence. Also, studies show that journaling can help significantly reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression. 

        ☙ Problem solving: Writing down thoughts on problems can enhance identifying solutions and improve decisiveness. 

    Physical

        ☙ Better sleep: Off-loading concerns and ideas into a journal can grant stress relief that allows for improved rest periods.

        ☙ Boosts immune function: In short, journaling can strengthen your immune system. 

        ☙ Healthy blood pressure: Studies indicate journaling can lower blood pressure, reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease.

☙ Natural analgesic: Journaling can help with managing chronic pain. The reaction is due to the writer having a safe space to express and process pain-related experiences. (I’m not all in with this one. Some pain nearly prevents breathing and thinking, let alone writing. However, I do believe it’s likely very effective with folks who are inclined to lean to the negative in thought and feelings, which are two components that bring about pain-related physical reactions.)

Further related information

☙ Journaling as a Source of Healing

☙ Journaling for Emotional Wellness

☙ BC/BS NC Wellness Journaling for Physical and Mental Health

On a personal note...

I’ve been both a sporadic and steady journalist for years. However, within the last year, I’ve required myself to be only steady, with exception to extreme time crunches and health setbacks. 

I’m happy to say though, that I’ve managed to be parked at my desk most mornings with instability. But most mornings, I’m parked at my desk with hot coffee and feeling enthused about a short journal entry right after finishing Bible study.

The pen (specifically for journaling) I found at the Dollar Tree and the journal was a birthday gift. It’s nearly full and I have a new one to begin already waiting in my bookcase. I loved writing at my old desk, and loving it just as much at my new one, but, truthfully, journaling can be fun nearly anywhere and the where can easily change the what of the content.

Journaling can be, but doesn't have to be an expensive hobby.

Where I journal most often, but nearly anywhere can be a good spot for journaling!

Usually, my entries are daily, short, and touch on the highlights near the time of the entry and whatever prayer request might be pressing on my heart. It feels good that I’ve communicated it verbally and in writing as well. That’s cause it makes me feel better, not because the Lord needs it that way.  

I also have a positivity rule that I stick to, which is keep the content positive. Even if it’s a topic that’s upsetting, I can remember when grace and mercy have covered me, and that’s the perspective I write from. If any of my friends, family, God-children, nieces and nephews should read an entry, I want it to bless them not upset them.

As a man thinketh in his heart, so is he. Proverbs 23:7

How ‘bout you?

Have you tried journaling? If you did, are you still journaling?

I hope if you’ve not tried journaling, or had a go at it and decided it wasn’t for you, that you’ll maybe reconsider and give it another shot. Knowing what we know about it now, it might make some wonderful differences for you. 

If you’d like to weigh in on the topic, please leave a comment below. Participation is always appreciated!

The Wrap!

Thanks for tuning in this week! Hope you’ve found it interesting and helpful!

'til next time, shalom!

Angelia

Bad Ideas: Black plastics & food

Image via ASPhillips

 

And again, who knew?

I came across this info for the first time, only a few weeks ago. As I read through it, I was alarmed and annoyed. Why is this even an issue? 

Nearly everyone I know has multiple types of these items in their kitchens—meaning black, plastic cooking utensils. This especially applies to the youngers, you know, the ones setting up their first homes, or homes away from home, on a budget?

Another community that invests in these products are the nomads--perpetual campers. Their kitchens are often stocked with inexpensive, lightweight cooking utensils that are easily replaced if broken.

Nearly every Dollar (+.25) store in the US has at least half a wall dedicated to plastic cooking utensils and LOTS of them are black.

There are also small businesses, like daycares, food trucks and similar vendors and so on. Hopefully, most are investing in metal items but those who are... It’s a good guess they’re going for the more affordable plastic options.

Image via ASPhillips

The color issue

All plastic utensils, be they for eating or cooking, have the potential to leak toxins into your food. But the black plastics put consumers at greater risk because they’re often made from recycled computer parts. This is most likely to happen when the utensil gets hot. 

Wow! Even Google didn’t know!

I ran a query, hoping to find out about how many cooking utensils are made each year from recycled computer parts. Google had no idea and here’s why...

The products are dangerous, little to no data is usually produced to track what’s been made and the practice poses such a health hazard it’s globally condemned. Currently, there is a gross lack of regulation and transparency involving the production of these products. 

Regarding the global supply chain, products made from recycled computer parts are often not labeled, preventing consumers from being aware of the risks. Also, because there’s no formal data tracking the process, we don’t know how many utensils are being sold that began as computer rubbish.

What makes it toxic?

Plastics recycled from computer parts can contain flame retardants that can leach into your food, especially when the plastic gets heated. Kids are especially susceptible to this because they’re still developing.

Flame retardants have been linked to...

☙ Endocrine disruption

☙ Neurotoxicity

☙ Increased risk of specific cancers

Safer options

All’s not lost. We have some great alternatives–even organic ones.

☙ Bamboo: This is a personal fav. Not only is it organic, it’s easily replenished!

☙ Glass: Not always the safest but in careful hands, it works.

☙ Silicone: One of my favs. It’s resistant with easy clean up!

☙ Stainless steel: This option works for me, too! I even own, and actually use, a 12 cup, stainless steel percolator! Yup, I can set it on a hot rock or right in the camp fire without it melting or leaching nasty chemicals into one of my beloved java!

☙ Wood: Wood is another fav! It’s especially nice when you’ve been able to receive hand-me-downs from elders who pass along their own wooden utensils.

Truth–I eat 99% of my food with chopsticks. I have dozens of sets made of a variety of materials–bamboo, wood, resin and stainless steel. But, the set I use most often came from one of the Asian restaurants in Evansville, Indiana a couple years ago. 

 

They're comfy and don't take up much space.
A plus since I have most meals at my desk!

Most of the rest of my collection, stored within easy reach!

I love ALL of the ones I have and have three sets just for cooking! But, these are my go-to’s for most meals. The others, I break out for holidays and special events when my sister wants her table to look fancy. 

The Wrap!

Hope this has inspired you to at least consider engaging in a replacement session, if you’ve got plastics, and exchanging them for a safer option. Inconvenient, probably but also worth it.

Thanks for visiting and hope you’ll spread the word! 

‘Til next time, shalom, shalom!

Angelia 

Handwriting's healthy side-effects

 

Jot that down...

Do you like to write? I don’t mean pen great stories or hand-written cards, but the actual process of writing with a pen, pencil, stylus, crayon, burnt end of a match stick or using fingers (or even toes) at the beach. 

Being able to hand-write is a privilege. Lots of folks can't and would love to. If you can, consider yourself very, very blessed. 

Alternatives...

Beyond writing by hand, other methods tend to be far more popular. Computer keyboards are pretty popular. Users are often wowed by the latest and greatest in design and are willing to toss their current ones for a new model. In fact, per Google search, the market data for 2025 shows approximately 280 MILLION computer keyboards are purchased globally, annually.

Honest, gang... I knew it was high but good grief!

We must bear in mind though, that many of those tossed devices will be recycled into new ones.

I admit, I’ve been through some keyboards in my lifetime, but most of them came attached to the computer. However, when I switched from Microsoft laptops to Microsoft Surface (2 in 1 with magnetic, detachable keyboards), I’ve been through four in the last 12 years. That’s not counting the one I’m using now. It’s newish because my last one, that I’d had for seven years, finally gave up the ghost. Its replacement is nearly identical to the last one. When I get a keyboard that’s comfy-cozy and inspiring to type with, I work with it for as long as it can hold up.

My new desk’s most recent addition. It’s nearly identical to the last and hoping it’ll hold up as long as its predecessor.

I type a lot for blogging and correspondence, but for school... Oh, noooo. My notes for classes are all written by hand. Digital, but totally hand-written. I use a Samsung Tab S6 Lite (made in 2020) and Samsung Notes for all of my note-taking. It’s been an excellent investment and I’ve no intention of replacing it either until it can no longer function as a daily workhorse. I write in Samsung Notes, on both of my Samsung tablets as well as my Samsung Note9 phone.

I've had both of these devices for a few years and both still work great!

Yup, you read that right! An older model phone that works great, especially for folks who use a stylus frequently. I do most of my own photography and my Note9 is usually my first choice for images I plan to include in a post. 

Yes, I do use a real camera for other types of photography, but for easy stuff, it’s my Note9 which has always produced the high quality images I need for blogging and sometimes I need to annotate pdfs and images, which is much more legible when using the a stylus.

Point is, even when working with tech, handwriting can still be easily incorporated into many aspects of it. 

And then, there's the journaling addiction

I don’t journal because I expect the contents to be read. I do it to produce a record of good things...

My journals are filled with testimonials and even prayers. Not just ones about me, but all sorts of situations. They serve to remind me of the Lord's help in every challenge I've had to go through.

If any of them ever are read, it’s my hope that the reader will be blessed with encouragement and increased faith in the God who formed them in great love and with a divine purpose. No one is ever an accident.

My current journal was a birthday gift and thinking with daily use, it'll last thru Spring 2026. 

Big thanks to Rev. Kev and Dr. Tam Miley!
I'm not a fan of pink, but I've sincerely loved writing in this journal!

I’m not the only one who seriously enjoys the process of handwriting. Not counting the meaning of the words, it tells a lot about the writer just by the way the letters are produced and shaped, even the spaces between the letters and words.

But honestly, I had no idea of the wealth of health benefits gained from writing things by hand. Dunno why I’d not researched it sooner, but happy I did. I got more than I expected from it! 

Why that’s good to know...

Handwriting is one of the most simple things most of us can engage in, if physically able. Below are a few short lists to share with you what I learned.

😎Cognitive Perks

☙ Boosts memory and learning by engaging more brain areas, allowing for better information retention and conceptual understanding.

☙ Improves focus due to the slower, deliberate process reducing distraction and improving attention span.  

☙ Enhances critical thinking because the act of writing by hand involves more brainpower, which can lead to better organization of thoughts and critical thinking skills.

☙ Enhances fine motor skills increasing dexterity and muscular coordination.

😎Creative/Expressive Perks

☙ The slower paced process allows for enhanced creativity allowing for more time to think and process more ideas while writing.

☙ Provides a more personal way of communicating and self-expression, as well as the writer’s distinct style.

☙ Reinforces literacy due to the physical act of forming letters and punctuation while improving/reinforcing reading and spelling skills.

 

😎 Emotional Perks

☙ Can provide a calming effect due to it being a mindful, meditative activity.

☙ Studies suggest it can provide relief from stress and help alleviate anxiety both by the actual writing as well as what is written.

The wrap!

Thanks so much for visiting today! I always hope you’ll find the information both interesting and helpful, if not for you then for someone you know. Remember, sharing is caring and your support of the independent journalism community is appreciated by all of us!☺️

(I know emojis aren’t an aspect of traditional journalism but I love employing graphics in my content, so I’m gonna keep on usin’ ‘em!)

If you’ve got any thoughts or experiences you’d like to share about your own take on handwriting, pro or con, just click on the comment option below the post.

'til next time, shalom!

Angelia

Alef with Beth: Free Hebrew.Forever.

 

A happy introduction!

I'm excited about this week's edition and have been looking forward to making my way toward it on the ShoutOuts list. Finally, here it is!

Although I've kept it short, for your convenience, it's packed with great information on one of my most favorite areas of study. Enjoy!

Meet Beth!

Alef with Beth is one of four linguistics courses I’ve studied. After several months of working with it, it’s easily maintained as one of my top-two favs in this studies category. 

Why this one?

A few years ago, I decided to go back to college, majoring in Biblical Studies. I had no idea of the impact it would have on my whole life, in wonderful ways. Never in my life have I ever looked forward to college lectures like I have this time. I loved the fields I studied and worked in prior, but this one has hit different, hit deeper.

Since Biblical Hebrew wasn’t offered as a part of the curriculum, I began searching for an independent course for it. I’d started one a couple years before, but illness got in the way, so I set it aside for when I was more able to work with it. When I decided to resume, I thought I’d see what else might have become available during my recuperation. That’s how I found Alef with Bet (now Beth). 

It offered everything I hoped for. The lessons were well organized. They offered downloadable worksheets that could be printed or used in digital notetaking. Since I prefer to hand-write my school notes, the downloads have been a great help. They also provide downloadable sheets for practice writing, a huge benefit when learning a new alphabet that's very different than my own.

Just an FYI, English is a variation of Latin. Hebrew is an Aramaic-derived square script. It looks nothing like the Latin versions of letters. Learning to read and write it has been interesting and fun!

Tried and true

For the first time, while intentionally studying a foreign language, I was surprised that note-taking wasn’t needed during the lessons. Yup, you read that right. No notes for beginners. 

At first, you listen. 

Second, you repeat what you hear, along with the lesson. 

Easy-peasy! 

Later, you’ll listen and repeat as you move forward. In my case, with the beginner lessons, I started repeating the words as the lesson was spoken, which included some fun and adorable lesson prompts that helped me understand what I was learning. (I’ll include a vid shortly, to show you what I mean.)

By the time you're a few lessons in, the Hebrew alefbet will be introduced. At this point, trust me! You'll be impressed and excited over how many words you’ll be able to sound-out, recognize and spell in Hebrew!

A vid and links

Please check these out, so you can see for yourself.

Alef with Beth (1st lesson)

                                                                                    

                                     Get better acquainted with the founders!                                      

Check out their sister-program here at Free Greek. Forever.

And, its associated YouTube channel, Alpha with Angela

The Wrap!

I hope this has enticed you to check the info I’ve provided and that you, or someone you know, will benefit from them as much as I am. If you’ve got questions or would like to share your own take on the information, please leave us a comment. We’d love to hear from you!

I’m very, VERY pleased with this work-at-your-own-pace program and continue to steadily advance in speaking, reading and writing Biblical Hebrew. 

Another perk, even though I’m learning Biblical Hebrew, I’ve been able to recognize words and phrases I’ve learned in their modern Hebrew versions, both written and spoken.

Thanks so much for your visit today! Hope you’ve found the information helpful and will share the link to this post to anyone you know who might be interested in this totally and always FREE, elite Hebrew and Greek language learning system.

'til next time, shalom!

Angelia

Moringa: What is it and why use it?

 

Image via Ninetechno of Pixabay 

Moringa may be one of the most beneficial organic medicines you’ve never heard of. 

Don’t fret, though... I’m here to change that. You know it’s true–knowledge is power!

A little back-story

I used to take powdered moringa to help stabilize my blood sugars. It worked great until I was diagnosed with cancer and began chemotherapy. One of the side-effects of chemo, at least for many patients, is soaring blood sugars, and that was certainly so in my case.

My care team implored me to graduate to insulin. Wasn’t happy about it but I did. At some point during the year of treatment and the year-plus of recovery, I forgot about moringa. 

I’d written a post about moringa several years ago, but thought it wasn’t something I should continue with due to being on insulin and in a consistent struggle to keep my sugars closer to normal levels.

But recently, I got intel on moringa that’s gotten me excited about it all over again and for brand new reasons!

My brother and sister-in-law are pastors in Brazil, my sister-in-law’s native country. When their family relocated permanently to Brazil, they were able to invest in land in a fertile, mountainous region. This allowed them to plant and cultivate a large variety of fruit, nut and vegetable plants. Over the years, it’s grown into a truly magnificent food forest.

A few times a year, he and I engage in a virtual tour of the property. Many of the plants are also native to the Midwest USA, where we grew up, but he also has many plants that are native to tropical regions.  

On our most recent tour, I wasn’t only excited to see their trees, bushes and other plants, but also very excited to see two little monkeys climbing along a branch while we made rounds. 

That same virtual visit, he showed me their moringa tree. If I knew of it prior, I’d forgotten about it (a residual effect of chemo), and was very excited to learn that they regularly harvest its leaves. My sister-in-law makes tea from them. Moringa is a super-food that helps with a wide array of health challenges. So, I asked if they’d send along some pics of the process for me to share with you.

My sister-in-law, Bel. She's about to harvest some leaves from the moringa tree to make tea. 

The sprig she selected.

Here she's added some of the moringa leaves to a pot, along with freshly sliced pineapple and strawberries, also harvested from her garden.

The leaves and fruit have infused the water and now she's pouring it off into a cup.

The fragrant and delicious tea is now ready to serve! 

What sort of things is moringa used for?

I suppose this could depend on whom you ask. Moringa does a lot of good things for lots of people. That’s just how those broad-spectrum superfoods roll! 

Here’s a short list for you...

☙ Anemia

☙ Anti-depressant

☙ Bone health (reduces risk of osteoporosis)

☙ Blood sugar stabilizer (Used it myself for this and it worked great!)

☙ Chronic disease reduction

☙ Digestive health

☙ Increased energy levels

☙ Heart health (helps reduce issues with high cholesterol and hypertension)

☙ Hormonal balance

☙ Inflammation (anti-inflammatory properties help reduce pain and swelling)

☙ Lactation support (traditionally used to increase milk production)

☙ Liver health (antibacterial and antioxidant properties helps protect the liver from damage)

☙ Menstrual discomfort

☙ Skin (elasticity and wrinkle reduction)

Moringa is packed with antioxidants, minerals and vitamins, allowing it to help with overall health and immunity. However, be aware that moringa may interact with some medications, and you should investigate possible reactions and potential side-effects before using it.

I’ll note here that during the several years I used moringa, I never had an adverse reaction to it and I do plan to incorporate it again as a daily supplement.

"It is written..."

In the middle of its street, and on either side of the river, was the tree of life, which bore twelve fruits, each tree yielding its fruit every month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. Revelation 22:2

The wrap!

My thanks to you for visiting today! I hope you found the info helpful and will share it with anyone you know who shares and interest in organic medicines. If you’re familiar with moringa, have grown it or used it, please share your experience with it in the comments! 

Until next time...

Shalom, shalom!

Angelia

The Bible: How’d they do that?

Image via ASPhillips

This isn't about religion...                   

This edition is about facts, peculiar ones. It’s a post that should be of interest to loads of readers, regardless of their beliefs, unbelief or affiliation with any type of religion.

It’s info that’s available in a wide array of videos and blog posts, but isn't common content that will populate the feeds of many folks outside the scope of history and Christendom.

That of course, doesn’t make it less interesting. It just means it doesn’t come up in their content suggestions as often, without a deliberate search for it.

Lots of people with or without religion are intrigued by peculiarity, and the following info is definitely peculiar. If your interests fall into one of the categories below, you qualify and maybe (probably) LOTS of folks you know qualify, too. 

It’s worthy information for anyone interested in...

☙ Anthropology

☙ Architecture

☙ Archaeology

☙ Engineering

☙ History

☙ Languages

☙ Literature

☙ Philosophy
☙ Religion

☙ Sociology

If your interests don’t include any of those categories, you’re welcome to stay and read along anyway.

This post falls into the new By the Way series, Facts & Fiction. You can find the categories listed in the sidebar and the number of how many posts each category (or genre) includes. A click on any of them will populate a list of the posts for you, should you like to read them.

Extraordinary aspects of the Bible’s composition

Here we go!

☙ The Bible was written over a period of 1,500 years

☙ The King James version contains 66 separate books

☙ The books were authored by 40 different people

☙ It’s a unified story written by a physician, a tax collector, kings, fishermen, priests, prophets, scholars, shepherds and warriors

☙ It was written in different nations on three different continents and in different languages

☙ Continents: Asia, Africa and Europe

☙ Africa: Egypt and Ethiopia

                ☙ Asia: Israel, Iraq, Iran and Turkey

                ☙ Europe: Greece and Italy

☙ It contains prophecies and shares wisdom

☙ Many of its prophecies have come to pass and continue to do so at present

☙ Many of the people, places and activities written about in it, continue to be validated and verified by current methods of archaeology and bio-technology

And there you have it. 

It really is peculiar and intriguing stuff! If you’d like to share your thoughts on this phenomenon or see an aspect I missed, please share it in the comments. 

The Wrap!

Thanks for staying to read the whole thing! I hope you’ll share this with any other peculiarity-lovin' folks you know! I admit to having a lot of fun writing in this genre and have several topics to cover in it, in upcoming posts

If you enjoy the content, subscribing is free. You can sign up for an email notification for each edition, near the top of the right sidebar and your information will never be shared, sold or loaned.

That’s it for this one...

Shalom!

Angelia

ShoutOut: The Pour Over

 

Image via ekohernowo of Pixabay

Journalism and coffee–a match made in Heaven!

I enjoy news–especially good news! By that, I’m not always referring to the Gospel, but I admit that most of the time, that’s the deal. However, I’m thankful for good journalism, even when bad news must be reported. 

A quality news platform never takes delight in reporting negative happenings. It operates with integrity and isn't driven to air the negative stuff in order to increase views and subscriptions. Sensationalism has no business in any journalism platform.

Good journalism should inspire thoughtful consideration and contemplation for possible improvements and solutions among their readers, what’s reported isn’t good. That could include raising awareness to help those in a difficult situation, collaborating with their communities and local governments to provide physical help where possible and the most powerful help of all, prayer. 

This type of reporting has been a rare thing for decades. Back in 1982, I landed my first newspaper job as a content proofer (and revisionist) for the Princeton Daily Clarion. Yup, it was a young, news-hound’s dream come true! My first shift began the night after I graduated from Gibson Southern. 

Over the next five months, I went from typing 20 words-per-minute to over 100, developed a lifetime love affair with rich coffee and listened to the truth in Don Henley's song, Dirty Laundry. It was a perfect breakdown of what was going on in a big chunk of newspapers, magazines and televised content around the globe.

Things haven't changed other than a consistently spiking increase in regards to a lack of integrity in a large percentage of journalism platforms. There’s more dirty laundry being shoveled to the masses than ever before and it's available in every format there is, maybe other than smoke signals.

Thankfully though, high-quality, real journalism still exists. There's a growing number of news platforms producing validated information and maintaining readership for it's professionalism rather than sensationalism. Integrity has everything to do with good journalism.

That’s why I’m excited to introduce you to one of my newer, fav sources of real, professional journalism, The Pour Over. 

Click here to visit their website and subscribe

Lemme tell you why...

To keep this short for you, I’m gonna compress it into a little list. 

☙ It’s a Christian operated platform

☙ The content is produced from a neutral perspective

☙ Its sources are valid

☙ It doesn’t rely on sensationalism to gain readership

☙ Truthful reporting is their standard

☙ It’s in digital format so it saves trees and can be read via any of your digital devices

☙ Subscribers get it delivered to their email in short versions a few times a week or the full version, once per week

☙ They have ads that are tasteful and their content is NEVER AD SATURATED

☙ It’s COFFEE THEMED (yeah–I’m smiling so big right now!)

☙ It’s FREE! (Still smiling!)

They also offer some very cool merch. 

The wrap!

Thanks for visiting!

I have high hopes that you’ll at least try them on for size and consider subscribing. They sincerely produce excellent journalism for anyone of any religious affiliation or lack thereof. 

Until next time,

Shalom, shalom!

Angelia

Facts & Fiction: The Resurrection of Yeshua

 Image via Congerdesign of Pixabay

A new series

This is the first post of a new series I hope you’ll find interesting, regardless of which side you lean toward, regarding fact or fiction. Comments are not only welcome, but encouraged, although keeping them civil is a must, else they’ll be deleted.

Let's begin with the method...

A Roman Death

A Roman crucifixion was brutal and there is no record anywhere of anyone ever surviving a full, Roman crucifixion. Yeshua’s great torture and death was witnessed by man on both sides of the fence–His disciples as well as His adversaries. 

Later, accounts of witnesses were written. They covered the entire ordeal from His arrest, to His torture, His death, His entombment and the sealing of His tomb, ordered by the Roman governor, Pontius Pilate.

Pilate didn’t stop there. To ensure His disciples didn’t steal the body and report He had resurrected, he instructed a massive stone to be placed at the entrance and to seal it as best as they knew how.

But, that wasn’t enough. Pilate ordered his official, procurator Roman seal on the stone. The seal would break if the stone were moved.

And, just in case...

He ordered it to be guarded around the clock by a contingent of Roman soldiers. It’s unknown how many were assigned to guard the tomb, but historians suggest a minimum of four soldiers were ordered to be on guard at all times, and about 16 soldiers were nearby in event things got rowdy, and to relieve the guards posted at the entrance.

By the way, (no pun intended), historians and archaeologists agree upon the estimation of the stone’s weight being between 1,500 and 2,000 pounds.

Early Reports

So, why do historians rely on early reports to support the authenticity of historical events? It’s because they can provide firsthand evidence of historical events, and an unfiltered perspective of what people observed and believed at the time.

They’re considered an essential aspect of historical research that historians use to establish an accurate narrative of past events.

I've listed several for you below that include both Christian and non-Christian documents.

Non-Christian Sources

☙ Flavius Josephus: In his work, Antiquities of the Jews (c. 93 AD), Josephus states that Jesus was crucified by Pilate.

☙ Babylonian Talmud: A rabbinic text from the 3rd to 5th centuries AD contains a passage that refers to Jesus's "hanging" execution.

☙ Tacitus: The prominent Roman historian Tacitus, in his Annals, references Christ's execution by Pontius Pilate and his belief in Christ as a historical figure.

☙ Mara bar Serapion: A Syrian philosopher from sometime after 73 AD, Mara refers to the "wise king" of the Jews who was executed by them.

Biblical Sources

☙ The four gospels, Matthew, Mark, Luke and John all contain documentation describing eyewitness accounts of the torture and crucifixion of Yeshua.

☙ The book of Acts and all of Paul’s letters found in the New Testament contain information on not only the crucifixion and resurrection of Yeshua, but his own encounter with Yeshua after His resurrection.

A modern take

An existing report of the resurrection of Yeshua dates back to within three months of His crucifixion. In the Bible, 1 Corinthians 15 talks about the resurrection of Jesus, analyzed by Dr. James D.G. Dunn (United Kingdom) reported, “We can be entirely confident that this report was written originally, within months of the death of Jesus.” 

Witnesses Recordings

☙ It's documented that over 400 people saw Yeshua alive after his crucifixion.

☙ The first eyewitnesses were women.

☙ Yeshua was entombed in Jerusalem.

☙ The apostles first preached the news of Yeshua’s resurrection in Jerusalem.

☙ The Sanhedrin insisted the disciples stole the body, admitting Yeshua's tomb was empty. The tomb had been sealed and armed, Roman soldiers were stationed, night and day, near the tomb’s entrance. Their orders were to prevent anyone from removing the massive stone blocking the entrance and taking the body of Yeshua.  

☙ Despite having not believed Yeshua would be resurrected, the disciples made a 360° turn around in their belief after encountering groups of people who saw Yeshua, who later came to them, as a group and ministered to them, on multiple occasions before His ascension to Heaven on the Mount of Olives.

Finally...

Image via BRBurton23 of Pixabay

The wrap!

Thank you for visiting today!

I can only add that most Christians believe in the resurrection because we’ve had (and continue to have) very real, personal encounters with Yeshua, in a variety of ways and manifestations.

Once met, it cannot be undone. There is none like Him.

If you haven’t considered Him, sought Him or encountered Him, I pray you do. Only good can come of it and you will never, ever be the same in indescribably wonderful ways.

Shalom!

Angelia

Dr. John Hobson: Faith That Gets Results!

 

Click here to view it on Amazon

Faith...

* Understanding it
* Developing it
* Exercising it
* Cultivating it in others

When it comes to faith, this is one of the best books I’ve ever read and if there’s anything the vast population of Christendom should invest in, increasing faith is right up there in the top tier of options. 

Author, Dr. John Hobson & Bandit

The Oxford English Dictionary defines "faith" as strong belief or trust in someone or something, often without needing proof. It can also refer to a particular religious belief or system, or to loyalty and fidelity.

If you’re in need of proving faith exists and works, my best suggestion is to get more familiar with a Bible. It’s packed with proven examples, even via modern science. And, thankfully, Biblical faith principles have been woven into every page of this book, presented in an easy to read fashion. At this point, I’ve read it a few times, and in each reading, my faith grew and the struggle of coaxing it to bloom diminished. 

Hopefully, you already knew about faith and it’s a consistent aspect of your daily adventures and challenges in living. If that’s the case, I hope you’ll read this book anyway. If you think you don’t need it, pretty sure you know someone who does. At worst, it can only elevate what faith you’ve already got goin’ for you. It’s a win-win.

 

Our faith shouldn’t ever stop growing, and we should never stop nurturing it. Each of us is created with a portion of faith. It grows as we use it, and as it does, we’re able to deploy it into more demanding situations.

Dr. Hobson writes of his own experiences of faith in action. Those alone are more than enough to launch your own faith to a whole new level, but he also backs everything with scripture, taking the reader back to where the first seeds of faith began sprouting and thriving in mankind.

Who would it bless?

I love gifting books, and you should, too. Books can walk a captive into freedom, allow an invalid to fly, the aged to be young again. Good books can stir up the good in us. We experience a growth spurt in reading them.

This book would make a great gift to so many people and I encourage you to consider investing in its contents not only for yourself but maybe for anyone you know who is...

* Coping with the loss of a loved one

* Struggling with depression

* Experiencing financial instability

* Enduring health challenges

* In a difficult relationship

* Living in confusion and struggling with decisions

* Doubting that their life matters

* Fatigued under the weight of responsibilities

These may not apply to you or I, but I’m confident everything on the list is applicable to probably multiple folks we’re acquainted with.

It’d also make a great gift to your local library, a local shelter or even a convalescent center. If you chew on the idea a bit, I bet you could come up with several more groups or facilities that would benefit from it.

In short, this book would be a great read for every one of us.

___________________________________________________________________________________

A great gift for readers and writers...
This kit of matching gel pens and highlighters has been my fav for over a year. It's gentle on fragile pages, the colors don't bleed. They're fine point, very inexpensive and arrive quickly!

Click here to get it from Amazon

___________________________________________________________________________________

As much as I loved it...

I admit, after reading it, I had a slight issue with two things...

First, readers couldn’t get it in a digital version. I know I know... I dearly love books with physical covers, real ink and paper pages. But, for millions of bibliophiles, digital copies means we don’t have to make the agonizing decision of which book must go to make room for the new one. This is especially true for folks who live in small quarters.

Second, there wasn’t an audio version available either. So, this book, that did me (and many others) so much good, couldn’t be enjoyed by folks who are unable to read due to whatever reason. 

However, my concerns were addressed on Resurrection Sunday 2025. I was privileged to get to visit Dr. Hobson's church, Cathedral of Glory, where he serves as co-pastor along with his beautiful wife, Dr. Vicky Hobson. It was a wonderful service and if you’re ever in the Mt. Sterling, Kentucky area, I encourage you to visit it, too! 

Go expecting good things and you’ll come away with exactly that. The congregation is friendly and welcoming and they’ll make you feel right at home.

After the service, I got to spend a little time with Dr. Hobson’s get-r-done crew. To my great delight and relief, by the time our visit ended, plans for the production of both digital and audio versions of the book were underway. And recently, both versions became available on Amazon.

I was also blessed with meeting two other authors during the meeting. I’ve since read both of their books and, seriously, impressed doesn’t cover it. They’re both working on producing digital and audio versions of their work as well and as soon as it’s available, I’ll let ya know. 

The Wrap

That’s it for this one! 

Thank you for the visit and your support of independent journalism!

Until next time...

Shalom, shalom!