How was your 2024? It’s easy to take a glance back and talk about the negative stuff. The news media conditions us to look for the bad. If we, however, take time to look for the good we’ll have multiple reasons to celebrate 2024 and look forward with hope to 2025. When we are grateful we can understand the Ojibwe saying, “May you be strengthened by yesterday’s rain, walk straight in tomorrow’s wind and cherish each moment of the sun today.”
Month: December 2024
Anagram Challenge
Daily anagram challenge! Sharpen your brain with today’s anagram puzzle. Unscramble the letters to reveal the hidden word or phrase, and submit your answer to see if you’re correct. Happy puzzling!
Today’s Anagram:
The Future Holds the Promise of Hope
“I like the dreams of the future better than the history of the past.” — Thomas Jefferson
A New Year’s Plea ~ A Poem by Edgar Albert Guest
A New Year’s Plea
Edgar Albert Guest
Lord, let me stand in the thick of the fight,
Let me bear what I must without whining;
Grant me the wisdom to do what is right,
Though a thousand false beacons are shining.
Let me be true as the steel of a blade,
Make me bigger than skillful or clever;
Teach me to cling to my best, unafraid,
And harken to false gospels, never.
Let me be brave when the burden is great,
Faithful when wounded by sorrow;
Teach me, when troubled, with patience to wait
The better and brighter to-morrow.
Spare me from hatred and envy and shame,
Open my eyes to life’s beauty;
Let not the glitter of fortune or fame
Blind me to what is my duty.
Let me be true to myself to the end,
Let me stand to my task without whining;
Let me be right as a man, as a friend,
Though a thousand false beacons are shining.
Healthy Foods & Recipes: Eggplant
Four Healthy Reasons to Add Eggplant to Your Diet:
- Rich in Antioxidants: Eggplants contain powerful antioxidants like nasunin, which helps protect your cells from damage caused by free radicals and may support brain health.
- Heart Health: They are high in fiber and low in calories, which can help lower cholesterol levels and promote heart health by improving blood lipid profiles.
- Supports Weight Management: Eggplants are low in calories and high in water content, making them a filling and nutritious choice for weight management.
- Gut Health: The fiber in eggplant supports digestive health by promoting regularity and feeding beneficial gut bacteria.
Healthy Recipe: Grilled Eggplant with Garlic and Herbs
Ingredients:
- 2 medium eggplants, sliced into ½-inch thick rounds
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Fresh parsley or basil for garnish
- Optional: 2 tablespoons balsamic glaze for drizzling
Instructions:
- Prepare the Eggplant:
- Lay the eggplant slices on a baking sheet. Sprinkle both sides lightly with salt and let sit for 20 minutes to draw out excess moisture and bitterness. Rinse and pat dry with paper towels.
- Season the Eggplant:
- Brush both sides of the eggplant slices with olive oil.
- Sprinkle with minced garlic, oregano, thyme, salt, and pepper.
- Grill:
- Heat a grill pan or outdoor grill over medium-high heat.
- Grill the eggplant slices for 3-4 minutes per side until tender and grill marks appear.
- Serve:
- Arrange the grilled eggplant on a platter. Garnish with fresh parsley or basil and drizzle with balsamic glaze, if desired.
Serving Suggestions:
- Pair with a side of quinoa or brown rice for a complete meal.
- Use the grilled eggplant as a base for a Mediterranean-inspired sandwich or salad.
Great Healthy Tips:
Cut Back on Sugar (Especially Added Sugars) — Hidden sugars are found in bread, sauces, and snacks. Reduce sugar to avoid blood sugar spikes and weight gain.
Sugar is addictive. Not so much sugar by the spoonful, but where it’s hidden. No question it adds to the tastes of certain foods. If it didn’t we could easily refrain from eating it. I know people who are addicted to sugary products. If they had the willpower to stop at one small piece, one chocolate, or a small piece of cake or pie once a week, they’d be successfully managing their craving for sugar. It’s hard. For me, it’ a zero – sum contest. I flat out stay away from it. I don’t have sugar or sugary products in my house . Yet, I can’t keep it out of my life. I find some form of sugar in many products. Do a sugar audit. Try this: Every time you eat something you know has lots of sugar, make a note of it. Do it for a week. After one week, look at your data. If you, for example, ate sugary products 20 times during the weeik try to cut back by 20% for a couple of weeks. That should not be difficult. You’re only cutting back to 16. Then try to cut back 20% from you new baseline if 16. That should not be difficult. You’ll only be cutting back to 13 (actually 3.2 but we’ll round off). You might surprise yourself at the gains you make especially on your waist line.
Is It Worth It?
I’m writing this post on Sunday afternoon (the Sunday before Christmas). I go to early mass (8 a.m.) On the way into mass this morning a guitar player was rushing across the lawn carrying her guitar. I waited by the door to hold it open for her. Well, Father L was nearby and waved. I waved back. The guitarist smiled at Father L and came rushing past me. I said, “Good morning.” She answered, “Father saw me. I’m late.” I answered, “Busted, but I’ll cover for you.” I thought she’d laugh. No, she disappeared into the church to join the music group. Funny how little things can upset us and make our stomachs twirl. In the whole scope of one’s life can the world’s greatest scientists using the world’s most sophisticated instruments measure the importance of her being five minutes late for practice? I thank her for the lesson. Some things are not worth giving a second thought. Don’t let then get hold of you.
Anagram Challenge
Daily anagram challenge! Sharpen your brain with today’s anagram puzzle. Unscramble the letters to reveal the hidden word or phrase, and submit your answer to see if you’re correct. Happy puzzling!
Today’s Anagram:
Don’t Take Your Troubles to Bed ~ A Poem by Edmund Vance Cooke
Don’t Take Your Troubles to Bed
Edmund Vance Cooke
You may labor your fill, friend of mine, if you will;
You may worry a bit, if you must;
You may treat your affairs as a series of cares,
You may live on a scrap and a crust;
But when the day’s done, put it out of your head;
Don’t take your troubles to bed.
You may batter your way through the thick of the fray,
You may sweat, you may swear, you may grunt;
You may be a jack-fool if you must, but this rule
Should ever be kept at the front: —
Don’t fight with your pillow, but lay down your head
And kick every worriment out of the bed.
That friend or that foe (which he is, I don’t know),
Whose name we have spoken as Death,
Hovers close to your side, while you run or you ride,
And he envies the warmth of your breath;
But he turns him away, with a shake of his head,
When he finds that you don’t take your troubles to bed.
