<![CDATA[Spice to Eternity - Blog]]>Mon, 24 Sep 2012 22:32:12 -0800Weebly<![CDATA[Remembering Mama]]>Sun, 29 Jul 2012 01:48:38 -0800http://www.spicetoeternity.co.uk/1/post/2012/07/remembering-mama.htmlPicture
A fan for Mom
Remembering Mama

The lengthening shadows of the day that was Friday 27th July signals its banishment into eternity and the ushering in of Saturday July 28th.  I am experiencing subdued excitement that in a few moments I will be watching, in real time, the opening ceremony of the 30th Olympiad in London, England.  My mind flashed back to where I was when the announcement was made that the 2012 Olympic games would be staged in London.  I was so excited because by God’s grace, I would migrate from Jamaica and be in England in 2012;  my dream of being in the same country where the games were being held would be realised.  Olympics games and things associated played around in my mind over the years.  Is it any wonder that I found a way to include a reference to this great sporting event in my sophomore book, From Spice to Eternity?   

The glowering lights of the television in my darkened bedroom this evening, the cusp between Friday and Saturday, induced a semi hypnotic spell, updating my thoughts and bringing back memories of the significance of the new day.  I am remembering my Mama, who lived and worked in London and Birmingham for a number of years.  Hey Birmingham!! thanks for the great hospitality you extended to Team Jamaica during their stay there these past two weeks.  More memories push their way in.   I am remembering Mama who loved persons and things British and thought that she would have enjoyed watching the unfolding of British history and culture so ingeniously unfolding in drama and song at this Opening Ceremony of the 30th Olympiad. She would most likely be humming some of the iconic music being played as part of this magnificent pageantry.  I am remembering the times she, my daughter, and I spent together walking the streets of East London, close to Stratford, where the huge stadium is located and which will be the centre of the world's major sporting activity and history for the next sixteen days.   It feels good knowing that we lived lives that are part of the fabric of this world stage. Unwillingly my mind recognises the primary emotions that I am trying to hold in check.  It is now six sad months since my dear Mama fell asleep in the Lord.  She would have been 99 years today July 28th.   Six months ago on February 1st, she completed her marathon race for life.  She lived well, fought hard to overcome the challenge of managing a fertile and active mind even at this age, while trapped in a body which hindered her mobility and her desire to be busy taking charge.   In typical precise style,  she bade  farewell to family and friends and fell asleep for the last time.  

The following excerpt from my book, From Spice to Eternity, is a tribute to this remarkable lady, an Olympian in her own right, as I Remember Mama.

 Race for Life

Fennel: The Greek word for "marathon" is fennel so named because the famous battle at Marathon (490 BC) against the Persians was fought on a field of fennel.

The fennel plant is another of those that yield both a herb – from the leaves and bulbs and spice from the seeds.  Fennel is a delightful addition to fresh salads and lends itself very well to meat and fish dishes.

******
"I am writing as fast as I can to master the challenge to write a minimum of 50,000 words of this book within thirty days.  It is the last day of November 2006 and I am within sighting distance of the goal.  The adrenaline is flowing and I feel like a marathon runner, for this is indeed a marathon.  Taking on the challenge was absolutely necessary if this book was going to be written, and the final product in print will be just reward. 

My marathon however pales in comparison when compared with that being run by my mother.  I am now in my third year of writing and as I write, she is in her 96th year of this race called life.

The photograph standing on the window sill beside me shows a young, attractive elegant lady.   She never dreamed she would survive to this great age with all her faculties intact.

 The dictionary defines marathon as a long distance race, and an event or activity that requires prolonged endurance.  All these speak to Mother’s journey through life.  

At a young age Daisy gave birth to my brother, which created a slight pause in her nursing studies. Mother often recalls the rigours of training to be a nurse in her day, a challenge that she took up with determination and through the years she has proved to be a nurse extraordinaire.

My birth threatened to abort her midwifery training but this indomitable lady refused to be defeated. She passed her exams and earned her pin which meant a lot to her. She was successful under very difficult circumstances. 

The loss of her own mother while still a relatively young woman deprived her of the rock she relied on through the early difficult years of study and child bearing. She regrets that her children lost a loving grandmother. 

After the death of her mother, Daisy reached deep within herself and found the strength and courage to move on with her life. Those early life challenges fitted her for the numerous others that would dot her life.

 My memories are of a lady who never let anything get her down.  She worked hard and struggled to provide for my brother Keith and myself. We were always well dressed and properly fed.

She herself was a snazzy dresser.   It was her custom to take us to the annual pantomime at the Ward Theatre in Kingston on Boxing Day each year.  This was fun as I would get a pretty new dress for the occasion.  I remember one year when she looked absolutely stunning, drooling with envy I blurted out “You look better than me”.   I’ll never forget the look of chastisement she gave me.  I never made that comparison again.

It was important to her that my brother and I received a good education so we both had a good foundation at the Secondary Schools we attended.   From a very early age we were introduced to the power behind her courage, as she would tell us about the Lord Jesus Christ who gave her strength to carry on, when things got really tough.  She wanted us to know the source of her strength so we had to attend Sunday school.   

This diminutive lady, only five foot two inches at her tallest, was stronger than her size indicated and that unyielding spirit of perseverance was evidenced in her main loves, the Lord Jesus, her children and nursing.  If allowed she would have continued working in her career to the end of her life. 

Unlucky in love, she never regretted the decision to cement her life to Jesus in baptism as a member of the Disciples of Christ faith where she has faithfully served for more than sixty years. She has been referred to as Anna of the Bible, about whom it was said “And she was a widow of about fourscore and four years, which departed not from the temple, but served God with fastings and prayers night and day” Luke 2:37 KJV.

Nowadays she spends long hours reading her Bible as she waits with expectant hope for the promise given by her Saviour.  “Looking for that blessed hope and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ.”   Titus 2:13 KJV.  

Like millions and millions of persons, some who have fallen asleep in death and others who are still alive, Daisy clings to a blessed hope.

        “Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us.  Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith.” Hebrews 12:1 -2a KJV.   

Daisy continues to run her race with patience.    This is a marathon race she’s been set, with a goal she has fixed in her sight, the Lord Jesus Christ and his promise of an even greater marathon - eternal life."

Excerpt: From Spice to Eternity: Discovering the Main Ingredient to a Life of Fulfillment and Purpose.  Available  http://amzn.to/qnNITb ; http://tinyurl.com/d3kaysj

]]><![CDATA[Wet, Wild and Windy]]>Thu, 03 May 2012 06:27:12 -0800http://www.spicetoeternity.co.uk/1/post/2012/05/wet-wild-and-windy.html I looked out of my window on Sunday, April 30 and wondered why I as even thinking of getting out of bed.  The scene outside could only be described as wet, wild and windy.  Not a day to be up, out and about.  I thought of the several runners, the organisers, the friends, family and sponsors of those who were due to participate in Milton Keynes' first marathon race.  What a shame I thought.  It’s not going to be a good day for a race like that and so many persons were going to be disappointed.  Even me, who had toyed with the idea of finding a spot along the route to watch and cheer the athletes along.   So what else to do.

I lay back in bed, closing my eyes and my mind, preparing to have some quiet thoughts about  everything and nothing in particular.  As I lay there thinking my mind zoomed in on the words, wet, wild and windy.  Then it occurred to me.  These were absolutely fitting adjectives to describe  the state of my emotions over the past three or so months. 

My thoughts followed the words - WET...wet, tissues, wet pillows, wet, handkerchiefs, and wet anything else that I could find to dry the buckets of tears I had wept since the beginning of January.  The first tears came when it dawned on me that all the hopes I had pinned on my relationship with my friend, now labelled HH, had been dashed.  We had not quarrelled; in fact, to all intents and purposes, we still have an amicable friendship, but that special spark had gone.  I cried at the loss, I cried because I could not understand why it was so, I cried out of frustration because I had invested so much time and emotional energy into the friendship, only to see it frizzle away for no understandable reason. 

Within two weeks of that time, my precious Mama begun  her final journey with illness, and day after day I sat with her and watched her go downhill.  I knew she was ill when we took her to the hospital, but we all thought, just as the doctors said, she would be out in three or four days.  When those days came and went and she was not being allowed to go home, it dawned on me that maybe, just maybe, she would not ever be going home.  I brushed the thought away.  At the end of the eighth day of her stay in the hospital, I could no longer deny the fact that I was going to lose my precious Mama, and very soon, yet still I hoped it was not going to be.  I knew that I should release her.  After all at 98 and a half, (the half was very important to her), she had lived a long and good life.  She was not in the best of health and taking her final rest was really the kindest thing that our good Lord could do for her. 

When I arrived at the hospital on the morning of February 1st, and saw that her bed was missing, I knew that she had gone to rest.  I cried.  I howled, my whole body racked with sobs.  The tears are not so much now, three months later, but they come frequently.  I get wet all over with tears of loss and grief.

My mind moved on to WILD.   For only a short period I was graced with some of the most beautiful words of love that a woman could ever wish to hear.  The emails came fast and furious and each one seemed to better the one before.  The promise of undying love, and words conjuring up visions of ecstatic, romantic times together ....Always and Forever.  My imagination literally went wild.  This was just what I needed to buoy up my flagging, or should I say nonexistent spirit.  For weeks I had been walking around in a dazed depression.  And now the promise of bright sunshine.  How would I ever recapture my wild imagination!!!!.

But as always happens, reality has a way of rushing to the rescue, sometimes like a mighty rushing wind.  Yes it was a WINDY time in my life.   As I thought about the many challenges facing me, the earnest desires of my heart, and how difficult I was finding it to stay on course, I thought of the winds of the devil blowing ferociously, churning up storms, that had I not been securely anchored to my Lord Jesus Christ, I would have been blown off course.  Yes I was certainly being battered about by the windy conditions in my life, battered and bruised. 

Then the words of the beautiful hymn, Master the tempest is Raging with the chorus floated across my mind.

“ The winds and the waves obey Thy will, peace be still, peace be still

Whether the wrath of the storm tossed seas, or demons or men or what ever it be
No water can swallow the ship where lies, The Master of ocean and sea and skies
They all shall sweetly obey Thy will, Peace, peace be still.


A wonderful calm came over me, and through the wet, wild and windy storm came a hopeful ray of sunshine with the message emblazoned All will be well.

]]><![CDATA[It's Never Gonna Happen]]>Sun, 06 Nov 2011 12:50:13 -0800http://www.spicetoeternity.co.uk/1/post/2011/11/its-never-gonna-happen.htmlI quote below the words of  Karen Carpenter's song, I need to be in  Love,.
I know I need to be in love
I know I've wasted too much time
I know I ask perfection of a quite imperfect world
And fool enough to think that's what I'll find

So here I am with pockets full of good intentions
But none of them will comfort me tonight
I'm wide awake at 4 a.m. without a friend in sight
I'm hanging on a hope but I'm all right
I quoted the entire song so that when I picked out the phrases that I wanted to use, you would understand the title of this blog as well as why I am identifying with the song. .  The particular phrases are "I know I've wasted too much time.  I know I ask perfection of a quite imperfect world, and fool enough to think that's what I'll find."

I had a website before this one, done by a professional.  This one looks a lot like it, and only if you were very familiar with the first one would you be able to tell that it is not the same.   I made a big decision to change webhosts without knowing what it would entail.  Perhaps if I knew I would have reconsidered my decision.  But the die had been cast and I was at the point of no return when realisation dawned on me that the change over was going to need a lot more technie knwledge than this 70+ year old multi challenged lady had at her disposal.   But I had this one thought, I want to reproduce what I had and I want it to be as near a perfect copy as I could get it or even better.  For weeks I  was gripped by inertia as I overprocessed how I was going to copy the content from on to the other and make it look the same.  I also wanted to improve and add widgets and bells and whistles which the other one didn't have,( my previous web designer did not like them and dissuaded me everytime I wanted to use them) so that this one would be a cracker.

Finally I concluded that I could do the additions stage by stage, but I needed to have proper content posted to the blog.   Time for another round of processing.  How to do this and not make it look like what it was, a copy from another site.  How was I going to handle the comments from the old site and not make them look artificial, and so on and so forth. So let's hear you all on cue " I was seeking perfection in a quite imperfect world and fool enough to think I'd find it.  Or to be more relevant, trying to achieve a perfect website and fool enough to think that it could be done, and by no less a person than this techie-challenged graduate.   And while I lingered in my stupid hiatus, hours and days and weeks were passing by and I was getting very anxious that I was so far behind in my scheduled plans for a proposed book launch in a short while.  All good intentions but none of them were getting my website up, running and functional.  Unlike Karen, reality kicked in and I had to admit that it's never gonna happen, far from it and I needed to get off my dilletante haunches and get the thing done. 

This I did and one result is this blog which is an infomercial to let you know that www.spicetoeternity.co.uk is back in cyberspace and quite fetching even to me..  More than that , it is functional in the way it is meant to be.  Visitors will only pop by and get a passing impression which will probably birng them back again. Their visit will be so brief they are not likely to remember whether there were spices on on page and not on another, what the widgets were much less wonder whether the counter,, which is yet to be put on has taken note of them or not. Lowering my sights several notches, I am hoping that something from the past will have had sufficient interest to bring you back for the rich helpings of herbs and spices and all things nice that I will be dishing up.  And when you do you will stay long enough to give a friendly comment and be so interested you will come back often.  I promise there will be interesting stuff, but it will be no where near perfect.
Check out the herbs and spices in my book From Spice to eternity at http://amzn.to/serbvP or http://amzn.to/sNxNcr





]]><![CDATA[The Big Loser]]>Sun, 06 Nov 2011 11:55:21 -0800http://www.spicetoeternity.co.uk/1/post/2011/11/the-big-loser.html The Big Loser

August 7th, 2011
Tags: Jesus Christ, Larnelle Harris, laughter, love, relationships

I thought a pattern was developing, when for the second or could be the third weekend in a row, my good friend Iggy hadn’t been in touch. I was puzzled and concerned; we live on opposite sides of the pond, in different time zones.   We are online buddies and although we have each others’ telephone numbers,  online messaging was the preferred means of communication.

Up to that time, we had a routine.  During the week we would come online in the morning before he and again in the evening.  These would not necessarily have to be long chats, perhaps only a quick hi good wishes. But for whatever reason, when the weekends rolled around we lost contact.

At the risk of causing a rift in the friendship I decided that when next we linked up, I was going to mention what I was observing, even at the risk of putting a dent in the friendship knowing that men don’t like being put on the spot.  On the other hand I reasoned that if this friendship had worth and value  it would stand the test of an adroitly posed, non accusatory enquiry.

And so it was that after our initial salutations on the Monday following my big decision, I blurted out my observation.  My concerns were immediately allayed when he quickly reassured me that there was no ulterior motive for not in being touch.  There was no ‘weekend friend’ who was occupying his time.  Put it down to total rest and relaxation after a hard week of work, he said.   I totally understood that. Then he quipped “absence makes the heart grow fonder” and in response I mumbled something like, “or makes it wander”.   We laughed at our cleverness and our usual light hearted conversation ended in gales of laughter.

After the conversation I tried to put a finger on the reason for my concern during those weekends.  I reasoned that I missed the pleasure of  friendly conversations, during which we got to know each other better, while building and maintaining the friendship. Quite unbidden, thoughts of my relationship with my absolute best friend Jesus supplanted thoughts of Iggy.  I recalled  the many  many times  I allowed other things,  ordinary things like fatigue,  necessary household chores, legitimate business or even work in the service of the Lord, to replace my quiet devotional time with Him.  Usually I would excuse myself with some trite rationalisation.  But the truth was that I just did not make the effort.    It was not that I loved Him less or that I was wandering away; I was just focusing elsewhere. Was there a danger of absence making the heart grow fonder or making it wander?  I knew immediately that weak and frail as I was, prolonged absences from God’s presence was not good for me.  I knew for certain that His heart of love would never change, but I would lose precious, beneficial time in His company.  Then the real truth of the situation hit me. God, the great Creator of this Universe, my Saviour, my Lord, missed my time with Him. He was always eagerly looking forward  to our times together, and waited patiently for me to join Him.  Wow!!! That hit me right between the eyes.  Can you believe that!!!!.  There He would sit waiting patiently, expectantly and at the end of the day He would shake His head and say, “perhaps tomorrow……”

A similar experience by Larnelle Harris may have been his inspiration to pen the words to the song  “I miss my time with you” 

There He was just waiting 

 In our old familiar place

 An empty spot beside Him

Where once I used to wait

To be filled with strength and wisdom

For the battle of the day

I would’ve passed Him by again

But I clearly heard Him say

I miss my time with you, those moments together

I need to be with you each day and it hurts Me when you say

You’re too busy, busy trying to serve Me

But how can you serve Me when your spirit’s empty

There’s a longing in My heart

Wanting more than just a part of you

It’s true, I miss my time with you

What will I have to offer how can I really care

My efforts have no meaning when Your presence isn’t there

But You’ll provide the power, if I take time to pray

So I’ll stay right here beside You, and You’ll never have to say

I miss my time with you.

As I pondered these words, torrents of tears rolled down my cheeks.   I sobbed out a prayer of repentance and a plea for forgiveness.  I promised that I’d never let my loving Lord  wait futilely for me come to Him, so that He could bless me.   Reading His word, thinking about Him, talking about Him are must dos, but they don’t make up  for the times of quiet communion with God one on one, being  in His presence enjoying  sweet peace and joy.   The Bible says: In His presence there is fullness
of joy, at His right hand pleasures for evermore. Psalm 16:11.

My feelings for my friend Iggy remain intact, because he still is my dear friend and his feels also remain unchanged.   The same is true of Jesus.  He does not sulk, cast judgement or punish me for not being in touch.   He loves me, He misses me, He longs for me to seek Him and to spend time with Him to bask in His love and be refreshed and renewed.   What a big loser I was  when I stayed away  but how grateful I am that even  when I stayed away Jesus remained constant, waiting with loving arms wide open to welcome me back.
Oh what a true friend is Jesus. Without Him we are losers, big losers indeed!

Sell More Books by J Steve Miller

]]><![CDATA[Excerpt: From Spice to Eternity:Discoverning the main ingredient to a life of fulfilment and purpose]]>Sun, 06 Nov 2011 11:49:12 -0800http://www.spicetoeternity.co.uk/1/post/2011/11/excerpt-from-spice-to-eternitydiscoverning-the-main-ingredient-to-a-life-of-fulfilment-and-purpose.html_ Normal 0 false false false EN-GB X-NONE X-NONE MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; mso-para-margin-top:0cm; mso-para-margin-right:0cm; mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt; mso-para-margin-left:0cm; line-height:115%; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;} Tags: christian cookbook, cooking, herbs, Jesus Christ, macaroni and cheese, paprika, spices

Chapter Twenty-Nine

Fiery Trials

 Paprika: Paprika is the main flavour in Hungarian cooking, especially the popular Hungarian Goulash.

Paprika comes from the Capsicum annum, a sweet red pepper, which is prepared and sold in powdered form. The flavour of paprika can range from mild and sweet to fiery hot, and the colour ranges from bright orange-red to deep blood-red.

Paprika is usually considered a bland spice, but when sprinkled over colourless dishes, it improves the food’s appearance. It is becoming increasingly popular to use in dishes because of the piquant flavour it adds. Paprika releases its colour and flavour when heated. To get the best flavour, stir the powder into some hot oil.

Paprika has significant medicinal value and is a rich source of vitamin C. It is also said to increase the appetite, and contributes to digestion.

***

As I approached the corner, there it stood – the house on the hill! It used to be yellow, but the new owners had changed all that. The cool mist of the morning barely shrouded it; I could still make out all the features. Quickly, I turned left onto the gravel driveway, past the tall cell phone tower. I’d objected to that tower, at first. I was afraid of the risk of cancer from electromagnetic radiation. Fear had turned to pleasure at the clear reception I could obtain because of its proximity.

Up and up I drove on the winding driveway, trying to avoid the potholes filled with water from the rain that fell the night before. Then right before my eyes was the clearing where I could park my car. From this vantage point, I had a clear view of the house and the surrounding land. The bluish-grey hills, some miles away, seemed to be rising from the back of the house.

I switched off the engine and inhaled deeply. The air was always cooler and cleaner up here, miles away from the heat and smog of the city down below.

“Ah, there it is – the massive Simmonds pear tree! I planted that!” I said out loud, proud that it had grown and started bearing fruit within three years – one of the few happy memories of those first three years. It had survived a powerful hurricane, although that year I lost most of the fruit.

A flood of memories were released in my mind. Each one marked a period of pain and trial. A surge of emotion engulfed me. I could not hold back the tears. I could hear the loud angry voice shouting at me and my equally shrill piercing voice, responding to the painful accusations. Was this the end of our friendship of twenty years? Our pledge to live out our lives together seemed to be broken, all over some silly matter.

My mind pans forward three months. Early Saturday morning, I make my way to her house, too grieved to worry whether she would welcome me at her door.

“Helen is dead,”I said bursting into tears. Her incredulous reply confirmed that I was right to come and tell her. Her care and compassion went into overdrive. She took over.

“What do you have to do?”

“Okay, I’ll take you to the Police Station; you’re in no state to drive.”

I was so thankful for her as she comforted me through the first hours of the morning after. 

The scene changes. My friend had gone to live closer to her mother and had rented out the house. A series of trying, painful episodes occurred. One tenant’s household helper died under strange circumstances. Another tenant claimed to be able to read the future for his many clients. Many of them had paid him huge sums of money for specific undertakings. When these were not forthcoming, they became angry. He tried to cover his tracks by moving suddenly. But his activities caught up with him as he was brutally slain a few weeks later. The scourge of this incident lingered and cast a pall over our community.

I clearly recall the drawn face of my grandson squeezed up to the bars of a jail cell, begging me to get him out. Yes, it had been his fault; he was wrong to have taken our neighbours’ stuff, but my heart broke to see him there. On his release, after a short stay, I hugged him so close, willing myself never to be separated from him again. So what happened? How could I have lost him, this time for good it would seem. He’s been missing – now for eleven years.

It must have been thoughts of him that drew me back to the quiet rural community of St Andrew, Jamaica. Perhaps it was a faint hope that if he came back he’d return to the last place we had been together. Futilely, I used the back of my hand to dry the tears that were now coming in torrents. Suddenly, a strong wind blew through the trees near to where I was parked. Not even the winds of the hurricane that had severely destroyed parts of the house, uprooting trees and breaking windows, could erase the memories of the severe trials that had dogged our family between 1996 and 2004.

Death, separation, destruction, financial distress, and illness came in rapid-fire succession during those unforgettable years. And eventually my feeble heart gave out, unable to cope with the pressures placed on it. These were some of the fiery trials I had to face and overcome.

And overcome, I did. Not by any superhuman effort on my part, but through a deep, abiding trust in the One person who was able to temper these trials with His sweet presence.

“Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written – For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered. No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord”. Romans 8:35–39, NIV.

Bolstered by these words, it was time to leave my yellow house on the hill. It was time to close that chapter, say goodbye, and drive back down the gravel driveway, back into the city, with its heat and smog and manic traffic. Those stormy days have passed, the skies are now clear, and the future looks good.

Sonia’s Mac and Cheese                                          

 Ingredients

 1 pk 500 g macar

 400g cheese grated                                                                                                

 1 tin of mushroom soup

 1 cup vegetable stock

 ¼ teaspoon mixed herbs

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon tomato ketchup

2 teaspoons Paprika

 Method

 In a large saucepan, put macaroni with equal parts water and vegetable stock – enough to cover and boil, until soft.

In a separate bowl, place half of the grated cheese, contents of the tin of mushroom soup, mixed herbs, garlic powder and tomato ketchup and mix well.

 Drain water from the macaroni and mix in the cheese sauce.

Place in a large baking dish. Spread the remainder of cheese evenly on top. Sprinkle

paprika all over the top of cheese.

Bake in a pre-heated oven 250°F, until the top is nicely browned.

 Picture
Sonia's Mac and Cheese
]]><![CDATA[Best Foods to Reduce Blood Pressure]]>Sun, 06 Nov 2011 11:46:48 -0800http://www.spicetoeternity.co.uk/1/post/2011/11/best-foods-to-reduce-blood-pressure.html

June 3rd, 2011

“Then God said, Let the land produce vegetation: seed-bearing plants and trees on the land that bear fruit with seed in it, according to their various kinds. And it was so.

The land produced vegetation: plants bearing seed according to their kinds and trees bearing fruit with seed in it according to their kinds. And God saw that it was good.” Genesis 1:11-12 NIV

As I did the research into herbs and spices for my book From Spice to Eternity”  I was constantly in awe as I discovered  the miraculous properties resident in all the vegetation, foods and vegetables.  It also occurred to me that God in His infinite wisdom and foreknowledge of the destruction that sin would wreak in our bodies, created them with healing and soothing properties built in for such a time as this.  And He looked at what He had done and saw that it was good.  And they are good.

There is a wide array of fruits, vegetables, herbs and spices which aid in the control of high blood pressure.  The rule of thumb is to eat a properly balanced diet, combining all of these, eaten in moderation on a regular basis and as far as possible in their natural state.  

I have listed the foods into categories, which have been put through varying scientific tests by scientists and government bodies and are now accepted as valuable in the control of blood pressure.   

FRUITS:

Apricots, Avocados, Bananas (ripe)  Canteloupe Figs, Lemons, Limes and Watermelon.

VEGETABLES:

Beets, Broccoli, Mushrooms

HERBS:

Celery, Thyme

SPICES:

Garlic – raw,  Cayenne Pepper, Cinnamon, Ginger

Sea salt – .If salt is used in one’s meals the system should be flushed with a minimum of 8 glasses of water daily. 

NUTS AND GRAINS:

Chestnuts, Sesame seeds and Sesame oil

OMEGA 3 OILS from

Sardines, Mackerel, Salmon and Herring

WATER

8 – 12 glasses daily

It is beneficial to eliminate tea, coffee, and alcoholic stimulants from the diet.

In addition to diet, we all can all benefit by reducing the quantum of pressure and stress that we impose on our lives.  Entering into a personal relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ is not only salvific, but is a great stress buster. As we learn to cast all our cares on Him, because He cares for us, and trust Him with our lives, we will  experience His perfect peace, and find that the pressure on the arteries will significantly lessen, bringing lasting relief.

NOTE:This information is not intended to treat any condition and persons are advised to seek advice from their medical practitioner.

August 2011

]]><![CDATA[Missing in Action]]>Sun, 06 Nov 2011 11:43:54 -0800http://www.spicetoeternity.co.uk/1/post/2011/11/missing-in-action.html Miss February 8th, 2011 Write Comment Blog
Tags: 2011, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Jamaica, love, Oprah Winfrey, Piers Morgan, Valentine, Valentines Day What I thought would be a short absence to allow me to go on vacation to Jamaica, launch The Book, do some promotions and hopefully some sales, leaving me ample time to write blogs, update the website and keep my visitors fully informed, has turned into a prolonged period of absence, ergo, Missing in Action.
Yes I have been kept busy with all kinds of stuff, and hopefully you will see some of this busyness reflected in my future blogs, uploads of interviews, photos, and above all beautiful scenic pictures of the wonderful paradise island of Jamaica.
It is never too late to offer encouraging well meaning wishes to persons for the new year, and even though by the time this is read Valentines Day will almost be upon us, never let it be said I was remiss in observing the traditions. So Happy 2011, and may all that you dream and hope to get be realised. May your burdens be light and your blessing abundant, and may you know always that it is in Him that we live and have our being.
And Happy Valentines Day to all the lovers out there. Please read my blog:  Love Stands In and Stands Up, a viewpont on what is love.

Look out for new blogs to be posted soon

Much love

]]><![CDATA[Journeying]]>Sun, 06 Nov 2011 11:42:38 -0800http://www.spicetoeternity.co.uk/1/post/2011/11/journeying.html

October 1st, 2010


After speaking at a recent meeting of the association Friends of the Caribbean in Milton Keynes, an attendee gave me the picture postcard shown here with the comment, “Signifying your journey.” I thanked him graciously, as I love getting gifts, no matter how small, because I am thrilled that someone thinks enough of me to give me something.
As a looked more carefully at the picture the following day, a number of thoughts crowded into my head. Riding a donkey is the most primitive form of transportation in Jamaica where I am from. It is definitely not the fastest way to travel. A faithful donkey is a treasure and rider and animal develop a seamless bond. The donkey is surefooted and is not skittish so it is unlikely to throw its rider. It is a good animal for rough terrain and because it has an incredible memory, one can almost close one’s eyes and depend on the donkey to take him to a known destination. Although known for its stubbornness, this has often proven to be a godsend, as it will not venture into danger no matter how much it is forced. And most importantly, the donkey is economic to feed. It will eat any kind of vegetation and does not require any special fodder. Its digestive system enables it to extract all the moisture from vegetation and so seldom needs water.
I also had some thoughts about the surrounding landscape. This closely reminded me of an area near to where I used to live in Jamaica, with memories of overgrown areas, decrepit buildings, bare and uninviting.
As I examined the picture I found myself thinking of my recent journey into to writing and publishing the book From Spice to Eternity and came up with some similarities between the donkey and rider and me and writing/publishing. The picture throws up two questions; where is the rider and donkey coming from and how long have they been journeying? The other unknown relates to the forward journey – where is the rider and donkey going to and how long will the journey take? I definitely knew where I was coming from when I started writing, but I had no idea how long it would take. In the end it took close on four years before I had a manuscript worthy to submit to a publisher. Since that date, I have been traversing the road to publication date and the long, long road of marketing, promotion and publicity. There is no telling where the journey will end and how long it will take. Perhaps it does not end, it just continues.
The world of writing is a lonely journey and by the time one gets to publishing and beyond, the terrain gets very rugged. Nothing comes easily. The media play a great part in the publicity and promotion, but breaking through the journalistic landscape takes stubborn determination to keep pressing forward, knowing that any attempt to apply pressure will render one persona non grata. Engaging skilled and knowledgeable practitioners is a good idea, except there are no guarantees that even after using every resource available that successful sales will result.
After this engaging review I smiled as I remembered that I can happily continue on this journey because I have a trusty carrier. God has promised to be with me in every situation and will carry me with skill, and determination safely to journey’s end. I now must make this journey, the landscape if a kaleidoscope of changing scenery. I have no idea when the journey will end but I am in no hurry; just enjoying the ride, me and my trusty Burden Bearer.

February 2011

]]><![CDATA[How to know which herbs and spices are must haves]]>Sun, 06 Nov 2011 11:41:04 -0800http://www.spicetoeternity.co.uk/1/post/2011/11/how-to-know-which-herbs-and-spices-are-must-haves.html How to know which herbs and spices are must haves

October 1st, 2010 6 CommentsBlog

It is always wise to start building your selection of herbs and spices a little at a time. This might seem to indicate that there is a basic list of ‘must’ haves, but there is no such list. The best way to start building your stock is by deciding on your menus over a period of say one month. If this is too much to attempt in one go, then reduce the time to two weeks. You may decide that you want to delight your family with some yummy Italian dishes, then stock up on basil, oregano, rosemary, thyme and of course, pasta and cheese.
If you were to do this for say three months, you would have acquired quite a selection and as you use them, you will have developed a taste for those that suit the palates of your friends and family, as well as your own preferred cooking style. These will form the basis of the list of herbs and spices that you will always have in your cupboard. You will then only need to stock other ones in small quantities.
In subsequent articles I will list which herbs and spices go best with which foods and describe the difference between herbs and spices.
Storing Herbs and spices
Light, air, moisture and heat are unfavourable to herbs and spices. The best place to store them are in airtight dark containers, in a cool place. Over the stove is definitely not a good place. When correctly stored, dried herbs and spices can keep for up to one year. Whole spices can last for up to two years, after which time they should be thrown out and replaced with fresh stock. A good idea is to label and date the containers either with the date of purchase of better yet the date for disposal if not used up.
Fresh herbs will lose their flavour soon after they are harvested. If you have herb pots these are fine as long as they are not kept too long after the time they should be harvested. Cut herbs bought in the supermarket should be stored in airtight containers and kept in the refrigerator.
Benefits of using herbs and spices
Using herbs and spices as a substitute for salt in one’s meals is a major benefit especially for those who have been advised to cut down on their salt intake.
Familiar herbs such as parsley, sage, basil and rosemary have been cited as having positive healing benefits without dangerous side effects which sometimes accompany prescription drugs. Spices such as garlic and ginger are also cited as having the same benefits.
The recommendation to use herbs and spices in recipes comes with the caution that although they have these built in curative and healing properties; they should be used in measured amounts in the kitchen.
Every green tree, grass, nuts and grains were created for food and for the benefit of man by the Creator. Cited from the Bible – Genesis 1:29

]]><![CDATA[Lessons from the Chilean miners rescue story]]>Sun, 06 Nov 2011 11:38:51 -0800http://www.spicetoeternity.co.uk/1/post/2011/11/lessons-from-the-chilean-miners-rescue-story.html Lessons from the Chilean miners rescue story

October 12th, 2010 15 CommentsBlog

It is Wednesday October 13, 2010 and I along with millions of others around the world am watching intently the unfolding events at a desert location in Copiago, Chile where 33 miners have been trapped in a collapsed copper mine. Several hundreds of persons, family friends and onlookers are gathered at a makeshift camp Hope. A battery of media are on hand recording the event and giving a minute by minute account of the event. There is a sense of anticipation that something extraordinary is about to happen. The faces of the onlookers shown on the television screen reflect a gamut of emotions with bated breath all wait for events to unfold.
At 4:10 am GMT cheers and sounds of jubilation greet Florencio Avalos the first of the 33 Chilean miners trapped underground, as he steps from the cage in which he travelled up to the surface, free after 69 days in a dark damp hot tomb. The relief and joy on the faces of his wife and children is palpable. His anxious father also present, seems numb with relief. It is a great euphoric moment in history.
Almost two thousand years ago there was a similar breaking forth and release from an underground tomb. Before that occasion, a small band of women and men watched in agony, the body of their loved one being placed in an underground tomb and a huge rock rolled before the entrance to seal it locking the person away forever. Those onlookers were heartbroken and left as the shadows of the day heralded the beginning of the Sabbath. The Lord Jesus Christ had been crucified and was now buried and seemingly lost to them for all time. John 19:38-42
As I watch the scenes unfold on the television and I think back to that story, I see a number of parallels which have significance in biblical history. Three is a recurring numeral in both incidents. Jesus was 33 years old. Florencio is 31 years old. Thirty three miners were buried in the belly of the mine. The trapped miners have been in the mine for 69 days a number easily divisible by three, the number of days that Jesus was buried in His tomb. Only three persons are allowed to see the miners when they first come out of the capsule. And not to be ignored – three is part of the rescue date – 13 October 2010.
The creation of the world, the control of all that it is and all who live in it are vested in the Godhead of three persons, Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
The terminology used is also significant. The place of gathering is called Camp Hope. The empty tomb heralds hope for all mankind. The capsule bringing each man to the surface as his name is called is named Phoenix 2. Like the phoenix that rises from the ashes, so too will the children of God rise from their damp dark graves when their names are called. John 5:24-25
Unlike today’s world attention grabbing headlines, that early Sunday morning when Jesus broke forth from His tomb, only two angels were present to witness His rescue and to stand guard over the empty tomb. His was a glorious resurrection, a show of the awesome power of God. There was no need for a collaborative of highly skilled technicians and tons of heavy equipment. Plan B, saw the miners rescued from what they must have thought up until day seventeen was certain death. God had one plan to rescue fallen mankind from their entrapment in a world of sin which eventually leads to death, and it worked first time.
Sometime later a solitary weeping woman arrives at the tomb and meets who she thinks is a strange man, until He calls her by name and she recognises Her risen Lord. She was a one person media pack, charged with the task of telling the others “He is not dead, He is risen.” This first group of men and women who were witnesses of this miraculous event became the messengers to the world telling the good news that Jesus defied the trap of death and arose out of His grave. John 20:12-18
Florencio’s rescue spells hope for the other miners, as they believe that because he has made it out they too will make it out.
The Bible records the miracle of Jesus’ resurrection. His resurrection means hope for all mankind. Because He lives, we too shall live if we believe that He died and rose again.
We have every reason to believe His story, because He too had witnesses and their story is told in the greatest book of all times, the Bible. In the days and years to come the story of what one miner’s wife has described as a miracle, will be relayed all over the world and believed because those who witnessed it will relate it again and again and again.
A great deal of detail was put into the preparations for the rescue. Even before it was known when and how they would be rescued, the miners were told to begin personal readiness, mind body and spirit. Their salvation depended on them being ready for the great day. That they took the advice is evidenced by the wholesomeness of their looks as they have emerged from the cage.
The world will now wait to see how the men will fare after their ordeal. There have been predictions of possible dysfunctions, disorientation, trauma and changed lives. Because I believe, there is no uncertainty about my future. Jesus as He ascended to rejoin His Father in heaven promised that one day He will return to take me to be where He is. John 14:1-3; Acts 1:6-10
There is an abundance of evidence that the return of Jesus is very soon. This is the real message to a waiting world. While you accept the story of the rescued miners, also accept the rescue wrought for you through Jesus and secure for yourself a certain future. Prepare for your individual moment by accepting the instructions laid out in the Bible and live in a state of readiness, because unlike the miners, no one knows the date when Jesus will come to rescue the world. Matthew 24:32-26.
Even so come Lord Jesus.

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