life

Not Teaching, Teaches.

by ladypbwiggins

When you teach nothing you have taught!

Patrica B. Wiggins 2016

How do our children learn what is important? How do they learn the value of human life? How do they learn values? How do they learn who they are? How do they learn to learn?

If the parent does not teach them in the first three years of their lives, they will learn from whatever social stimuli they experience. They will except it as truth because the parent didn’t teach them anything else. So when we teach nothing, we basically tell them everything else is okay. Their values are not yours. Human life is reduced to less than a pet’s. How do they know what is important and how do they learn boundaries? When you teach nothing you teach they have not value. Their lives are not important.

Who am I? If you don’t teach me, I won’t learn about my family. I won’t learn my ancestral heritage. What is my anchor? “They say”, the neighbors, the street say who my family is. Most times they dwell on the negative and that’ s all I know. If you don’t teach me, I will be who “they say” and let them imprison me with negativism and lies.

It is reported that by age 3 the child’s brain is developed and character is formed. He/she is who they are going to be. Waiting until they are preschool age to begin teaching academic and social foundation is about 4 years wasted. The foundations should begin being laid at conception. Babies can hear as their auditory system begins to develop so read to them, talk to them, explain things to them, play a variety of music. That is true head start. Now that the process has begun, an alert little person will join us. This is not the time to stop communicating.Speak to the child the way you want him/her to speak? Expose them to books, and musical instruments. Endure the bang.

Teach me, who I am. Teach me my family values. Teach me my history. Teach me to value myself and others. Teach me that I am capable of learning and being creative. Teach me to read by reading to me. Teach me how to learn. Ask me things that cause me to think and ask Why? It’s not only the teacher’s job. It is first yours and then theirs. If you teach me they will do a better job.

Teach me, please.

Don’t let me learn the wrong things because you didn’t teach me.

Sorghum – What Is It?

by ladypbwiggins

When i was a little girl, I loved to visit my great-grandparents in the country. That is what city folks called the very rural areas. I especially loved Sunday morning breakfast. My great-grandmother, Momma Lula, served “from scratch” biscuits, homemade butter, eggs from her hen house and some kind of meat. Now, the meat was either bacon or sausage that my great-grandfather’s friends had smoked and seasoned from their slaughter season or chicken from Momma Lula’s yard. Yeah, the raised them for meat and eggs. But the days that were the best was when Daddy Bush went to get the sorghum syrup from another farmer.  He had to walk a mile both ways to get the syrup. That was good eating with those hot biscuits. I never knew sorghum could also come in the form of flour.

I ran across a recipe for waffles using gluten free flour and I decided to substitute sorghum flour for the one listed. I also changed the milk to almond milk and the vegetable oil to coconut oil. The outcome was quite pleasing and they weren’t green.

Recipe

2 eggs    1 3/4 c almond milk     1/4 c coconut oil     2/3 c sorghum flour

2 Tbs Agave Nectar         4 tsps baking powder          1/3 c potato starch

1 3/4 tsp xanthum gum      1 tsp salt20160716_103545

Mix it all up and put in the waffle maker. In the picture you will see so
me waffles are darker than others. That’s because the darker ones were cooked at a higher setting. They were crisper. So set your waffle maker to the crispness you desire.

About Sorghum

It was probably used as flour before syrup. This ancient grain as it is being described was widely used in Africa and Australia. It has many health benefits. It has anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant properties. It is high in fiber, B-vitamins and protein. According to the World Grain Council it is the 5th most important flour in the world and the 3rd in the USA. So for what was it used in the USA? Animal feed and fuel. Once again we treat our animals better than ourselves. It seems only those with wheat allergies or gluten sensitivities were aware of this flour and its nutritional benefits. I also like the fact that it is non-GMO. Being gluten-free is another plus. Diabetics, cancer patients and cardiac patients may benefit from the eating of sorghum flour. Caution, like any other grain, don’t over indulge. Even with all of its nutritional benefits some people cannot tolerate it.

It is suggested that it be used in combination with other gluten free flours, such as potato or in recipes where a small amount of flour is used because it does not have a good rising ability. Flatbreads here I come.

I am going to try some other recipes I have found that use sorghum flour. I am not quite ready to give up bread completely, so healthier alternatives are definitely on my radar. If you have any other suggestions, please share.

My Heart Hurts

by ladypbwiggins

My heart hurts. I went to bed last night hurt and angry about the continued killings of black men. I watched the videos to make my own assessment and I found no justification for shooting Alton Sterling multiple times in the chest. He was already subdued. Philando Castile did not appear to pose a threat, yet he was shot with his child in the back seat. I felt like I was back in the Jim Crow south where lynchings could happen just because …. Then there was the white kid lying on the ground and then was shot. Why?

I awaken this morning to the information that a peaceful protest turned violent because someone decided to take their anger out by shooting several policemen. There was no reason for that anymore than there was for shooting those men.

America what are we becoming? We might as well be in Afghanistan or Syria. We worry about ISIS but it is us who are destroying this country. We are terrorizing ourselves. If they just wait a little while we will self destruct and they won’t have to do anything. We cannot continue like this.

Ignorance opens the door for Fear. Fear makes it easy to Hate. Hatred breeds Hatred.

Let’s try reasoning with each other.

Let’s try understanding each other.

Let’s try not repeating the negative past.

Let’s try living out what we say we believe as a nation.

Let’s admit we have a systemic problem. The rest of the world already knows it.

Let’s try loving each other even when we disagree.

Let’s stop killing each other.

My heart hurts for us.

 

Involuntary Muscle Moments

by ladypbwiggins

Have you ever experienced an involuntary muscle moment? What is that? We have muscles that function continually without us giving them any thought. In fact we take them for granted. We expect our brain, heart, lungs, liver, pancreas, and kidneys to function. We freak out when they don’t.

I have been going through my daily activities at an almost primal instinct level.  Just what’s necessary for us to survive. My creative thoughts have been scattered and unclear. My desire to experiment in my lab (kitchen) has been high but my physical will has been almost non-existent. Biblical research became an effort rather than enjoyable. My sofa became home, at least that’s where I wanted to be. So what has changed?

REST. SLEEP. REST and Floridix. a plant based liquid iron supplement.

Fatigue finally took control. Additionally, I had become quite anemic. I went to bed each night but rarely got “restful” sleep. I have spent several afternoons taking naps. I am on my way back to MY normal. My brain is actually having ideas. Yesterday, I went back into the lab. Amazing what a little rest can do. Next I think I will try the other R. Relaxation. Real relaxation. For me, that is resting while I am awake.

I am moving back into Voluntary Muscle Moments. Moments that require thought; inspire thought; creative thought; living thought.

Hooray for Rest and Floridix.

P.S. I know God had me but my condition was caused by a lack of rest. He placed that in my responsibility bucket. So it is my responsibility to take the rest that he told me to.

You Found Me!

by ladypbwiggins

I threw myself away

But you Found me.

I did not see the God created value in me

You pushed through the garbage

Because you Saw Me.

I am so very blessed that 39 years ago

You Found ME!

As I looked at my husband sleeping this  morning, I was overwhelmed by the love and joy he has given me for 39 eventful years.

 

 

Matthew 4 – Basics

by ladypbwiggins

Sometimes when you think you know a narrative you tend to over look some interesting and enlightening facts. I am trying to look at this text with fresh eyes to see what I am really being told.

Matthew 4:1-11 The Temptation

I never noticed or realized the first two temptations were accusations against the man Y’shua. “If you” was the accusation. The response was thrown back to the authority of God’s word.  The final temptation went straight to the original intent. Satan (Adverary) vs. God. Who will you worship? Y’shua dropped the mic. He said get out of my face It is written you only worship God and Him only shall you serve. Why would the Word of God bow down to God’s Adversary? Please!!

Matthew 4:14 Galilee of the Gentiles

Where is this? I always thought Galilee where the tribes of Jacob settled. We usually forget there were non-Jews there before they came and others moved in later. Looking at Strong’s it says it is a circle of Gentiles or circle of nations, non-Jews. He went to them and declared the authority of God is here. This was the light brought to them. This was the gospel He brought to them.

I also noticed

23 And Jesus went about all Galilee,

and preaching the gospel of the kingdom,teaching in their synagogues,

(the good news of the reign of God Matt 4:23 Youngs’ Literal Translation)

and healing all manner of sickness and all manner of disease among the people.

24 And his fame went throughout all Syria:

and they brought unto him all sick people that were taken with divers diseases and torments,

and those which were possessed with devils,      (possessed or controlled by evil spirits, spiritually ill)

and those which were lunatick,                                  ( mentally ill)

and those that had the palsy;                                      (paralytic, physically ill)

and he healed them.

The text goes on to say that large multitudes followed Him from Galilee, Decapolis (ten-city region in Syria), Jerusalem, Judea and beyond Jordan. This is widespread awareness of Him. All of this seems to be in the first year of His ministry.

How did I miss so much?

When Seasons Change

by ladypbwiggins

When Seasons change

Sheds Was and Now

Exposes  nakedness

Vulnerable

Only Thick mental skin

Protects from the hawkish, wintery pain

Longing for Then and When

Alone until

Spring springs

Clothed in

Sun fed breezes

Blowing healing to Mind, Body and Soul

A new Now

When seasons change.

Since October

by ladypbwiggins

Many of you followed my postings last year regarding our journey through my husband’s life scare. I don’t know if I thanked you, so Thank you for your support. I have learned that 2015 was a horrific year for a great many people. I pray that it was a time of spiritual growth for you as it was for us.

To recap

  1. Massive heart attack on March 27, 2015
  2. Stopped breathing and needed electrical shock 3 times before conversion
  3. Months of hospitalization and rehabilitation care centers followed.

During those rehabilitation stays he struggled to regain the use of his legs. So what has happened since the first rehab stay.

  1. He was taken off Mexilitine.He was given that drug to counteract the worst, Amiodarone. Amiodarone was not his friend. It caused severe blood pressure drops and may have been the cause of some of the tachycardia events, however, I can’t prove it. It took awhile but it was finally replaced with a less toxic drug o September 28.  I had to fight but was successful.
  2. We changed cardiologist and that was a great blessing.
  3. He decided to stop taking Atorvastatin and the Qvar. He decided to control his cholesterol with his diet and he said he could breath fine without that inhaler.
  4. Oh, he lost almost 100 lbs over the 10 month period.

Since October

  1. After his last Ventricular tachycardia episode on September 27, a pacemaker/defibrillator was implanted on October 1.
  2. He came home on October 6th using a wheelchair. He had a few attempts with a walker. He has gone from wheelchair to walker to cane. He still needs the walker for long distances but for someone who was not believed to live and then not ever to walk this is awesome.
  3. His memory is improving but his meds are creating some interference. He is overcoming.
  4. We have learned so much about our power and authority when dealing with the medical community. We are empowered and plan to share that knowledge.
  5. We have learned how to eat even better with targeted focus for health reasons, heart and brain.

God planned and provided the best foods for our health,

the slave master changed our diet to the worst because it wasn’t what we ate n Africa,

and now we choose to continue to eat what sickens and is designed to kill us.

Please let’s help each other leave the plantation.

We can make soul food healthy.

Thank you for praying for us and supporting us. We thank you for your continued prayers and support.

In His Love

 

Catching UP

by ladypbwiggins

So far behind.

My laboratory experiments stacking up.

Documents I need to read.

Clothes I need to wash, car too

Rooms I need to clean

Groceries to purchase

Meals to prepare

Research for Outreach Center

Making plans, making plans

Rest

When will I ever CATCH UP.

(You all should be laughing now because I know I just described your life, too!)

See, I forgot categories and such.

Reflective Inventory

by ladypbwiggins

A few days ago my son asked me what was the purpose of my blog; why was it “random thoughts.” I told him that I had thoughts about many different things, so I didn’t want to be limited to one train of thought. He then said, “Oh, it’s just your journal.” That stung. Was it the characterization or maybe his perceived tone? Nevertheless, he made me take inventory and that required reflective thought.

From that process I solidified the purpose and structure of this blog. It may not be very marketable but I hope it will be fun or at least memorable. I want to be free to dabble in poetry and storytelling. I want to share insights from my personal bible studies. Who knows I might do a series of teachings on a subject. I want to share information regrading mental health and my rich culture.

20151115_160611
Out of darkness , light.

I want to share

spontaneous images like seeing a double rainbow or light shooting from a dark cloud. I even want to share a new experiment in my laboratory (kitchen).

Yes these are the kinds of things I want to share.

Now, I know what I want to accomplish with this blog. I want to

  1. Inform
  2. Provoke thought
  3. Inspire and encourage
  4. Challenge
  5. Learn from others
  6. Engage in conversation with people who have different backgrounds and experiences.

It will still be Random thoughts.

It will still be My journal.