A K Update

Using a Bible verse, I alluded to the fact that K believed she was under attack from demons in a post last year so our more perceptive prayer warriors would know how to pray. She is open to sharing more regarding that now that it looks like her former home has sold. 

When she was younger, Amanda had a friend with a sister who self-harmed. Through that situation, we learned there are things that can cause people to regress in their journey. Trying to be respectful and conscientious of those needs, I warn readers that there might be some triggers ahead. If you are one who struggles, you should quit reading now. I ask for forgiveness for when I forget to add a warning to sensitive content. Some things, I am just not aware of and sometimes I simply forget, so I ask for grace and patience. 

I am not using names like I have in other updates because when K started telling people what was happening, she was ridiculed and basically abandoned. Even her church family did not lend her any support. I know her father was scared to death for her. He turned to his church first. No help. So, he turned to Clint and I and our wonderful praying friends. We don't want to somehow inadvertently restart the juvenile things she was experiencing so we are being super careful. With that being explained...

Christians claim to believe in the work of the Holy Spirit and the ministry of angels, but they pretend demons are gone away or never existed. The Bible clearly tells us we are in a spiritual war. So, who are we in a war with? Maybe the dismissive attitudes regarding this today reflect how greatly the church has been deceived by a cunning enemy. I am floored by how blind the average Christian is to the darkness all around them. Ephesians 6:12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

K believes there are demons connected to her old house. They were tormenting her night and day. She heard voices. She had night terrors, saw things that shouldn't be there, and much more. It made her feel like she was losing her mind. Her sanity was questioned by everyone. These things led to her self-harming in a horrific fashion so often that her parents thought she would end up dying from the blood loss. Gruesome stuff. Now that she is out of the house, she is much better but has PTSD. There is more to the story that might give more understanding, but I do not want to go too far with details.

I believe you, K. 

The following incident happened in my county over a decade ago. A man was driving home when another driver focused on him and started driving threateningly. She was enraged. He had no idea why. She followed him home trying to ram his car off the road many times on the way. She was heard by several witnesses screaming from her car, "YOU DON'T KNOW JESUS!! WE CAN KILL YOU!!" There was much more along those lines that she screamed at him. When he got out of his car and tried to run inside of his house while his poor wife looked on, the enraged driver rammed his body with her car and killed him. 

After I read the court transcript of the enraged woman's testimony, there was no doubt in my mind that demons were active players in this incident. She made it very clear. I have read many other transcripts from other court cases with similar testimonies. One of my cousins had something very dark happen to him after he gave demons an entry. One of my friends from elementary school will tell you point-blank demons terrorized him for many years. He could see and speak with them. 

On the other side, I knew a toddler (who is now full-grown, married, and an excellent mother today) who could see deceased people and describe them in great detail. Her family kept it quiet only letting those in their circle know what was happening because they were afraid of what might happen to her if it got out. I can tell you it was not a parlor trick. This child knew things (names, relationships, places, dates, stories) that she could not have possibly known. There are more many more stories I could share of Christian friends' positive "supernatural" type encounters including a few of my own. 

So, again, K, I believe you. 

just in case: Please do not distort my meaning by saying I am calling all mental illnesses spiritual battles. Please show me the same grace and understanding you would like to receive if you were trying to make a case for someone you cared about who was not being heard about what happened to them. I have an aunt who struggled with years with several chemical imbalances and was greatly helped by correcting those physical needs. I had issues with serotonin and dopamine levels after baby losses. I used my knowledge of herbal medicine to correct it for the long term. So, I am very well aware not all mental illnesses are spiritual in nature. What I am saying is that demons that work against people do exist. I believe our young friend when she says this was true in her case.

Please join me in prayer that K never has to battle like that again. Ask God to protect her and greatly bless her with a strong faith. Please pray that her testimony helps someone else in their journey. Please also pray that whatever was/is in that house is bound and unable to torment another person. God is able!

Dear Reader, I encourage everyone to study the Bible regarding the spiritual war we are in whether we choose to participate or sit idly by. I ask others to show grace and try to gain understanding when people share they are being plagued by evil or any other thing not easily understood. It really doesn't matter what you think about what they tell you they are going through. Your response is supposed to be based on their need. Now, if you can read the entirety of the Bible and come away from it thinking evil forces are not active and do not work against mankind today, I would like to know what verses you base that on. My love to all!

Heads up...

Tyson's CEO Donnie King said higher costs are hitting the firm faster than the company can lift prices, and retail prices are set to rise on Sept. 5.

source: https://www.zerohedge.com/markets/tyson-foods-ceo-says-costs-rising-faster-it-can-hike-prices

Prepare your family and prepare enough you can share if you are able. 

Shipping Times and Prices

A little info for you wives and mothers as you look after your loved ones and manage your households:

Clint runs a department and deals directly with US and overseas companies to acquire the materials we (the US) need to keep the containers flowing for many of the food products you purchase on the shelf in the grocery store. 

Yesterday, he had a conversation with one of his suppliers for machine parts. The supplier told him that shipping times used to be 2-4 weeks. A rush order for an extra fee could get some things in 1-2 weeks. 

Now, the average time for everything is 12-16 weeks.

It used to cost this company $2500 to ship a container full of parts from overseas to their warehouse. Now, the cost is $14,000 per shipping container. The man said it is like this throughout the machine parts industry.

The majority of machine parts come from one particular country. This country is raising the prices on parts and shipments. We are being squeezed with an end goal of bringing down the US so another can step into its place. If you were paying attention years ago, you are aware we had leaders indirectly (for a reason) tell us this particular country was already within our borders (meaning operatives in official roles) and working against us. It's a different kind of war. There is an internal US war being instigated and driven in a direction, a war on a global scale, and also a raging spiritual war that will, I believe, lead us into the end times. 

Dear Reader: The parts hike and the exorbitant shipping hike tells me food and consumer good prices will continue to go up. I encourage you to think and prepare accordingly not only for yourself, but so you will be in a position to minister to those in need. Before the pandemic, I knew elderly and disabled people struggling to purchase food and medicine. Food is usually the thing they cut corners on which leads to more health problems. It's a sad cycle. My love to all!

TIP: Regarding the elderly and disabled, many will brag about how good they have it so others do not try to take their independence from them. Observe with your eyes. Don't speak about what you suspect. Offer the food in a way that does not take away their dignity or cause them shame. I had one older gentleman tell me he ate filet mignon and lobster every week and ate out once a day through Doordash. I knew right away we were dealing with a dignity or fear issue, because Doordash did not operate in his area. He said his freezer was full of halibut and venison. The freezers were not running and he could not access them from his wheelchair, but he didn't know I noticed those things. His food was stored on his counters so he could reach it from his chair. Ramen Pride and other heavily processed cheap foods were all he had. There was nothing of value in his home. He was selling off items left and right. He is stick thin and all of his clothes are very worn. I told him I had cooked far more than we could eat at one meal (true, done on purpose because mamas like a break too) and gave him a few very large plates of food. Each heaping plate had enough for at least two meals on it. So, it looked like a few to keep his dignity in check, but it was actually more. He was extremely happy to receive it. I noted he also kept my dishes which is fine. I don't give out any dish I want to keep anyway. (Don't forget to return my canning jars though. ;-) Another little tip: Your kind and encouraging words will have an impact a long time after you are gone.

Feed the Right One

I frequently send a text to help build my loved one's faith. This is one of those texts.

Those who are dominated by the sinful nature think about sinful things, but those who are controlled by the Holy Spirit think about things that please the Spirit. Romans 8:5

Feed the right thoughts. Discipline your thoughts to fall in line with Philippians 4:8: 

 Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.

THIS is one way you grow in Christ. This helps you lead a successful life. This greatly helps you maintain a healthy mind. Throw out anything that does not line up with Philippians 4:8 whether it be books, television programming, music, or your own speech. If we are continually doing this, we are not tripped up as easily by the lies of this world and troubles in our lives are easier to navigate.  If we obey by training our minds consistently, we become stronger mentally and spiritually. 

Feed the godly wolf. Let the worldly one starve. The Parable of the Two Wolves

Mama/Wendy/Aunt Wendy loves all of you!

Do your own math.

250 count bottles x 2 = 500 pills

16.42 / 500 = .03284 per pill

Picture says .02 per pill

I purchase for our family, so I price compare a lot. When compared to pill count and price for zinc from another store, I thought the math was off, so I checked it. This is not the first time I have seen this. 

Dear Reader, Deceptive practice or an honest mistake? I don't know. I do know I like to get the best value for my money. My recommendation is to not rely on the prices you see but to do your own math. With the many deceptions of our day, I recommend doing your own math and research regarding anything you feel is important to you and your family. My love to all!

Please pray for Larry's daughter and grandchild

August 11: Sam lost her baby last night. Please cover her and the family in prayer. 

August 10: Samantha and the baby (still in the womb) are doing well right now. She had dilated to 4 cm and had bulging waters, but they were able to reverse it. She is in the hospital still. Larry thanks everyone for praying. I apologize for the delay in updating. I was out of state from Friday until late yesterday. We were in a remote location without cell or internet. 

August 6: The same Larry mentioned in the post below is asking for prayers for his daughter. Samantha is around 5 months pregnant. Sam is having hard contractions. She is in the hospital where they are trying to save her baby. Please pray for her and the baby.

Bethany's Surprise!

Bethany officially received her promotion. Even though she has been not been working there as long as others, she was given four positions she can train. Everyone else who was promoted can only train 2-3. She had a big smile on her face when she learned they had entrusted her with more. Joshua and Caleb were very proud of her and made sure everyone knew their baby sister performed so well. Our 3 Musketeers are loving working together. 

 

20 Pounds of Vermiculite

I incorrectly labeled the image as 35 lbs. It's 20.

I have been trying to purchase vermiculite locally, but it is out of stock. The only vermiculite I could find needed to be shipped. After checking prices, I settled on this 20-pound bag, which is 120 quarts, from Amazon. At the time I ordered it, it was $35.99 and, by far, was the best price per pound I could find. This bag will last me many years.

Vermiculite helps lighten the soil so air can get to the roots. It also is absorbent so it will retain moisture and nutrients. I also like to use it as a thin cover layer when I am starting tiny seeds to make sure they do not dry out before they get a chance to sprout. You can learn more about the uses of vermiculite here.

Prayers for Paige Please

Paige is the daughter of Christian friends of ours. She has been battling Lyme and co-infections for a long time. She was doing better until this past February. She has gone downhill quite a bit. She is having to live on a liquid diet and needs a lot of assistance daily. it is very challenging for her physically and mentally. She has been struggling very hard with the mental struggles. 

Paige has just learned the Lyme/coinfections has damaged her vagus nerve which is why she is having so many more issues. She did the research herself, caught something major the doctors and endless testing have missed, and took the research to them. The doctors said she was 100% correct. They are trying to do things now to alleviate the pressure so the VN can heal. 

Paige started this journey as a young girl and is now a young woman. It is very hard to be so limited in what you can do when all of your friends are in or graduated from college and are enjoying so much of life. Please, if you feel led, lift her and her family in prayer. She also has two younger sisters with Lyme/coinfections. Her mental state is the main thing her parents are requesting prayer for at this time. I am praying for that and bigger. I am asking God to set this family free of Lyme/coinfections forever. He's a big God. We can and should ask for big things. He can deliver.

You can't make Him Lord. He IS Lord!

"While attempting to know more about the lordship of Christ and at the same time yield more fully to His lordship, I discovered that I, in presenting this glorious subject to others, made an appeal to people that was incorrect and potentially misleading. There was a time when I would conclude my sermon by making an appeal to my hearers to make Jesus Lord of their life.  The Lord knew the intent of my heart, but I am not as sure that the same was true of those who heard my appeal. We do not make Jesus Lord — He is Lord!  Now, when I preach on the lordship of Christ, my appeal to those in the audience is not to make Jesus Lord; I now appeal to them to surrender their lives to the sovereign rule and ownership of the Lord Jesus Christ" source The Lordship of Jesus Christ

"Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." Philippians 2:9-11

Random Thoughts

For my family and friends who are fearful: Turn off the TV which is constantly streaming bad news and spreading fear. Then try these things: Put your faith into practice. Open your Bible and study. Pray. Ask God for strength to overcome your fear. Listen to praise and worship music. Remember Who God is, what He has done, and what He will do. Realize His mightiness. Speak aloud His promises. Sing those praise and worship songs. Put a bracelet on that reminds you of your commitment to having faith instead of fear. You will be just as fearful or faithful as you make your mind up to be. Self discipline your mind. As you pull a fear weed, plant some faith. Tend to it as often as needed and allow it to bear fruit. I did that for hyperemesis gravidarum, miscarriage, and stillbirth. I was not perfect in it, but I did not live in fear. I continued to function and go forward where God led even though I knew it would be challenging. If I can do that as flawed as I am, then you can do that also. If we can choose to give forgiveness and choose love over hate, then we can choose faith over fear. My love to all!

*****

After that was published, a lady, and now new friend, wrote me and stated she felt like I was yelling at her. After speaking with her for a couple of hours on the phone, she concluded "You are not at all like I thought!" For everyone else who may be thinking, I was being mean in the post: These suggestions are the same things I tell myself when I am battling. If you came to the same conclusion, maybe your psyche interpreted it as yelling, even with the absence of capital letters and exclamation points, because that is what you needed? Something to consider. My children will tell you that when I say these things to them it is with an encouraging voice. I get it though. When we have never personally sat down and visited with someone to learn their ways, it is hard to know how to take the written word. Ask. Work it out. You might learn you are right or you might learn differently. At least you will be moving beyond an assumption.

On to another topic. When I was typing the part about the news I thought, "Wouldn't watching the news with Jesus be exciting?!" When I hear bad news, I am motivated to take action. If all I can do is pray, I pray. Jesus watching the news could stop weather anomalies as they were reported. He could heal the sick and injured. He could punish the wicked. He could locate the missing person. In fact, He will do all of these things. He is going to reign for 1000 years!!!

We are learning something through our "earthly experience," something we will carry with us into eternity. It's something we had to be shown to fully understand. We are learning things we will never forget. One thing I clearly see: we can't do this on our own. We need God. We need Him. We are seeing now the results of humanity trying to go without Him. It's a mess! 

On to another topic: Whenever I see the animal charities talking about poor/abusive conditions for animals, I think about our lives on this earth and how we needed to be rescued more than those poor creatures. Jesus came for us, and He is coming again. I hope you have repented of your sins, accepted His free gift of salvation, and have brought your life under his Lordship. If you are unsure of what that means, my email is in the header. My love to all!

Clint's Praise!

Clint received a very good raise for his performance today. His boss had many favorable things to say about him. He was also told that future raises would be even better! Glory to the Lord! 

How closely have you been "watching these things?" Current Events

https://youtu.be/6fG67L4_Q5E

The best part is the ending. 

Grocery Prices Could Rise 10-14% By October, Grocery Chain CEO Warns

It's not over yet. 

https://www.zerohedge.com/personal-finance/grocery-prices-could-rise-10-14-october-grocery-chain-ceo-warns

Watch out for your shut-in neighbors or those on limited retirement income. No one should have to go hungry.

It's ALL on Him!

I felt uneducated, unqualified, unworthy, incapable, and untrained when God led Clint and I to homeschool. 

The only thing I was sure of was that God wanted us to do it which meant I had to take the seat of a teacher in my children's lives. I only had two children at the time but the felt the responsibility grow with each child that came.

When people hear the success of my oldest four children, they credit me which makes me very uncomfortable. I know they are being nice, but in this story, I did so little.

The truth is that God did it. 

I was a willing servant. I surrendered to the call to homeschool. That was my biggest contribution. 

The rest of the story is of a woman seeking the Lord each step of the way, calling out to Him in frustration, crying to Him in fear she was failing because she was too sick to even sit up, rejoicing over breakthroughs, and pushing aside the doubts with a strong faith that if she continued where He led, it would not just work out but would bring Him glory. The journey kept that woman humble and fully reliant on Him.

He answered that woman every step of the way. The glory is all His! He is trustworthy! He keeps His promises to His children. 

To those of you who are starting to homeschool or beginning another year of homeschool, I encourage you to keep your eyes on Him and His abilities.

Lordship

 "There is coming a day when every person who has ever lived will bow and acknowledge that Jesus Christ is King of Kings and Lord of Lords. But for the Christian that great confession should be an everyday reality. A Christian should live moment by moment in faithful submission to the lordship of Jesus Christ." from the sermon The Lordship of Jesus Christ

Repost: Lysine and Arginine and Coronavirus Covid-19

An overwhelming amount of science and, of course, history itself shows us that when viruses mutate, they become easier to spread but have a much lower mortality rate. With the Delta mutation of the CoVid virus, I will keep my family on the same protocol which is below.

For my family and friends who are fearful: Turn off the TV which is constantly streaming bad news and spreading fear. Then try these things: Put your faith into practice. Open your Bible and study. Pray. Ask God for strength to overcome your fear. Listen to praise and worship music. Remember Who God is, what He has done, and what He will do. Realize His mightiness. Speak aloud His promises. Sing those praise and worship songs. Put a bracelet on that reminds you of your commitment to having faith instead of fear. You will be just as fearful or faithful as you make your mind up to be. Self discipline your mind. As you pull a fear weed, plant some faith. Tend to it as often as needed and allow it to bear fruit. I did that for hyperemesis gravidarum, miscarriage, and stillbirth. I was not perfect in it, but I did not live in fear. I continued to function and go forward where God led even though I knew it would be challenging. If I can do that as flawed as I am, then you can do that also. If we can choose to give forgiveness and choose love over hate, then we can choose faith over fear. My love to all!

Below was first posted: March 19, 2020.

Two of my children will get ulcers inside of their mouths if they eat too many peanuts or other foods high in arginine. We learned the amino acid lysine blocks arginine and have had success in treating the ulcers with it. They went from nearly constant sores to NONE. It is rare they have a sore at all now. I also treat my EBV (also a virus) with l-lysine supplementation, and it has helped noticeably. 

Yesterday, I was contemplating why two of my children were hit harder than the others with this latest virus. It popped into my head that they are the two with the arginine issue, so I told the one who still lives at home to take a large dose of l-lysine. Within several hours, he was shockingly improved! He went from achey, tired, and congested and "I am going to miss work tomorrow." to active, alert, and "I am going to work tomorrow." He looked and sounded so much better so fast.

The sudden turnaround made my gears start turning. 

Here is what I found:

"Arginine is an essential requirement for the replication of viruses and progression of viral infections."
 https://www.bioceuticals.com.au/education/article/arginine-and-its-effects-on-viral-replication

"It’s thought that lysine blocks another amino acid called arginine"
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/lysine-benefits

"Since viruses do not respond to antibiotics or most other traditional treatments, a healthy diet is the best way to encourage healing. Protect your body from susceptibility to viruses by lowering your intake of arginine and increasing your intake of another basic amino acid, lysine. Lysine boosts your body’s immunity and could protect you from future outbreaks." 
https://bodyecology.com/articles/avoid_seeds_nuts_virus-php/

"Supplements  – I use these for suppressing EBV reactivation

1. 1. 1. Monolauren: 1800 mg twice daily
      2. Olive Leaf: 1000-1500 mg twice daily
      3. L-Lysine: 1000-1500 mg twice daily
      4. Cat’s Claw tincture: 30-60 drops twice daily
         

When viruses diminish due to these treatments it isn’t because any of these things attack the virus, but instead they help put your body in a state that isn’t ideal for the virus to reproduce. Hopefully, this strengthens your immune system and returns this typically harmless virus back to it’s benign state." https://www.jillcarnahan.com/2018/01/25/sleeping-giant-tips-treat-reactivation-epstein-barr-virus/

L-Lysine and the others listed might be worth researching on your own as a possible way to prevent and treat coronavirus (Covid-19 Wuhan Virus) along with other viruses. Love to all, Mama Asbell

Prayer for Clint, Please

July 30: Clint's back is much better today! He said the liniment helps loosen the muscles. 

The really neat thing about this liniment is that you apply it in layers once, but it is reactivated when you take a shower. Joshua likes it a lot and offered to be my test subject as I tried to make it hot but not too hot. 

July 29: His pain is a little worse today, but it is not where it was. He did not get the liniment applied last night, and I think that made the difference. 

The liniment I make uses one herb that draws the other two herbs deep into the tissues. The second herb is a pain-relieving/anti-inflammatory herb while the third is a strong muscle relaxing herb. He is also taking ibuprofen 1x a day in the mornings because that is when it hurts the most. He says he is 100% certain it is a baldy sprained muscle. He had some moments last night where his back was not hurting at all, so there is steady progress which is important to see. Once life slows down, I may sell this liniment. People on Etsy are selling a similar recipe for $25 for two ounces. I could sell it for half that and still make a big profit.

My husband has set a godly example of being a dedicated servant of Christ who seeks the make the most of his time on this earth. My wonderful guy will not sit down not even to watch sports. Clint likes to be active and productive. I have him committed to a light weekend, and we will see how that goes. He has three things he would like to accomplish on Saturday. Sunday morning, he is leading a Bible study, so at least that will keep him still. Sunday afternoon, I am going to ask for a 4x4 ride on acres and acres of forest trails we can explore together. That will keep him off his feet. Btw, I am calling on my sons for reinforcement to make him take it easier. ;-)

July 28: Thank you for the prayers and concern. I had him take multiple doses of magnesium water which made the muscles relax and took away most of his pain. He was moving much easier when he left this morning at 5 a.m. 

Magnesium is what doctors have used to slow premature labor contractions. It can be very effective against muscle spasms.

July 27: Clint injured his back loading a lawn mower on the 18th or 19th. He reinjured it last weekend. He is hurting "pretty good." He missed work at his part-time job on Sunday because he knew he could not bend down. He worked Monday and Tuesday switching to mostly office work. He's the boss, so he can get away with that unless something major happens. It hurts me to see my one and only in pain.

If you will, please cover him in prayer for speedy healing. 

Bethany's Praise!!!

Bethany did not go looking for a job. One came to her. After a month of employment, her boss approached her and asked if she would like to move into a harder role. Our Boo loves a challenge and readily said yes. She begins the process to become a trainer soon. We are very proud of her for doing so well that she has been offered this position! God is good!

Joshua's Praise!!!

Joshua was at the beach with friends. He walked out of the bathroom and paused on the sidewalk. Just as he walked forward from the spot, a very large tree branch fell. It hit both the sidewalk and a car parked next to the bathroom. The car had a huge dent in it. Joshua said he knew if it had landed on his head, it would have killed or seriously injured him. He said it was a split second from when he started forward to when the branch landed. He thinks it was already falling as he started to move. We are praising the Lord for keeping Him safe!!