Whispers of Hope – Karen Lynn-Chlup

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How Do I Navigate My Life

In your life, do you sit passively on the sidelines?  Do you sit back and watch the world go by?  Do you often look out into the oceans water wondering how you are going to master the obstacles in your life?  Do you ask yourself how you are going to make your life happen?   And when!  Do you reach out to others in the things you are interested in so that you can move forward?

Do you see people taking on jobs or positions you wished you could have, or are capable of handling?

What’s holding you back?  What can you do to change your circumstances?  How can you rise above?

Are the people around you telling you that you cannot succeed?  What happens inside your being?  Do you fight and stand up for your rights, or do you plop down onto the couch and wither away in sadness and depression? Do you let those thoughts win?

It’s worth believing in you.  For one, you build your own self-confidence and self-esteem.  You take on new ideas, inviting challenges, and by engaging yourself with new people and activity you hear your own voice. You start to like what you see.  You have experienced something new.  You are making choices on your own.  You are not frittering your life away. And, you are not listening to those who once told you, you couldn’t.

Is it worth stepping outside the box?  Is it worth trying?  Is it worth feeling good about yourself?

Blueberry Bread

This gluten free bread is VERY yummy in the tummy.  I took a muffin recipe and developed a masterpiece.

2 cups gluten free buckwheat flour and an (extra 1/4 cup for the blueberries )

1 cup frozen blueberries rinsed and drained

¼ cup coconut oil, or safflower oil

¼ cup honey

1 egg = 1 tablespoon flax seed and ¼ cup water with a smidgen more

½ teaspoon salt

4 teaspoons baking powder

1 cup unsweetened coconut milk

1/3 cup arrow root

 

1.   Mix ¼ extra cup of buckwheat flour with the blueberries and let stand for 1 hour.

2.  Preheat oven to 425 F.  Cream the oil and honey together.  Beat until light and fluffy.

3.   Cook the flax seed with water till it has the consistency of eggs.  About 5 minutes on a low to medium flame stirring constantly not to burn.  Add the flax mixture to the oil and honey. Then sift together the remaining flour, arrow root, salt, baking powder, as you add it to the oil and flaxseed mixture alternately with the milk, starting and finishing with the flour.  Fold in the floured berries last.

4.  Pour into a greased loaf pan of Canola Non-stick spray oil and sprinkled buckwheat flour.

5.  Bake about 60 minutes

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Apricot Nut Bread

Here is another delicious recipe for you

 

½ cup dried apricots

2 cups gluten free flour (buckwheat, oat, brown rice)

2 teaespoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1 egg= 1 tablespoon flaxseed and ¼ c water plus a smidgen over, lightly beaten

½ honey

2 teaspoons  safflower oil or coconut oil

¾ teaspoon salt

3/4 cup orange juice

1 cup Brazil nuts (chopped)

½ tablespoon Cinnamon or (to taste)

½ tablespoon Coriander or (to taste)

½ teaspoon Orange flavoring

2 teaspoons Orange Peel

 

  1. Preheat oven to 350F.  Soak apricots for ½ hour, and then chop.  Beat eggs or stir in flax mixture with the honey and oil.  Stir well. Next,
  2. Sift flower with dry ingredients.  Baking powder, soda, and salt.  Add Brazil nuts and apricots.  Then, mix well
  3. Pour into a loaf pan that has been sprayed with a non stick cooking oil spray and a TBS of your gluten flour.  Bake until toothpick comes clean when  pierced in the center, about 1 hour.

 

  1.            A.  Remember honey can be substituted for all natural 100% fruit jams.

B.  And, a pure unsweetened applesauce or apple butter can be use to moisten the consistency even more.  Add to taste.  Its optional.

 

 

 

 

 

Home Made Prune, Raisin Bread

Home Made Prune, Raisin Bread

Now that I have explained the basics in my other two posts, let’s get started! Remember this is for you- so, to life!

1 cup whole prunes and 1 cup raisins                ½ cup honey

1 cup gluten free buckwheat flour                   1 teaspoon salt

1 cup gluten free oat flour                              4 teaspoons Hains gluten free baking powder

½ cup gluten free brown rice flour                  1 cup almond milk, or, unsweetened hemp-

Add some gluten free oat flakes                          milk or unsweetened coconut milk

1/3 cup arrowroot                                           1 tablespoon lemon juice

2 tablespoons gur gur                                      1 tablespoon canola oil

3 eggs = 9 tablespoons water and 3 tablespoons flaxseeds

  1. Soak prunes and raisins in cold water for about a half hour to an hour. Drain and remove prune pits, and chop.
  2. Mix all dry ingredients together and wet with wet. Then blend together and mix well.
  3. Add the prunes and raisins to the melted canola oil and honey.
  4. Bring Mix water and flax seed in sauce pan to boil.  About 3 to 5 minutes omit if using real eggs.
  5. Put in greased loaf pan, let stand 25 minutes in warm place.
  6. Preheat over 350 F. and bake about one hour
  7. If you want a bigger loaf double recipe

Preparing the Dough

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Allergy Awareness

Allergy Awareness

For years, every time I ate something with wheat, dairy, eggs, yeast, or gluten, my body would violently react.  I would get black eyes, my stomach would blow up, and my nose would get terribly stuffy!  I would feel miserable after suffering the severe consequence of a compromised immune system for decades.

Somehow I knew instinctively that I was different and something was terribly wrong.  The human body was made to enjoy foods- not battle them-

But no one would believe me.  Family members thought I was crazy!  I even went to a young doctor in his thirties, who told me my body was suppose to blow up-  That made absolutely no sense to me.  I knew that, that was wrong advice- perhaps my Cerebral Palsy could be part of the cause. Perhaps it had something to do with the DPT shot given me at infantcy.  I did not know for sure- or to what extent.  But I was not going to give up!  I kept searching for answers.

Through reading, I saw in black and white where it stated that sometimes the digestive system and swallowing could be affected in people with C.P. (Cerebral Palsy.)  What about those who did not have Cerebral Palsy and those who have Celiac Disease?

Well, for the last 2 years, I have been on the road to recovery.  I have eliminated all the foods I am allergic to, go for acupuncture, and, I  work one-on-one with a naturopathic doctor that truly understands and cares-   I have been searching out, baking, and trying new recipes.

Because I was asked to write a blog for all of you, I have agreed.  Know that you are not alone anymore!  You are in good company and there is someone else out there that truly understands what you are going through.

Stay tune.  There’s more to come…

Tis the Season

When I think of Christmas and Hanukah, I think of giving.  I think of joyful memories, and I think of good times spent with the people I care for and about.  I think about looking outward.  I think about making other peoples face light up.

What do you do?  What are your thoughts?  Do you think of store bought gifts, or gifts of the heart?  Do you give because someone has touched you?  Or, do you give to see how many presents you can stack up and get?

Year after year, generation after generation the season has changed. We see people giving to get.

How do you give?

How have you brought joy to a person heart this season?

How have you made a difference?

And, how did you pass it forward so that person will never forget your kindness, that day, or what you did for them?

It Never Stops

In all the 60 years I have been alive, we still do not know how to treat the disabled or challenged person with dignity and respect.  I just had a birthday seven days ago, and it has really gotten my wheels spinning.  In all these years, with all the advances in technology, human attitudes have not advances.  We remain aloof, callous, cold, and even more judgmental of each other than ever before.   Every other grouping of disabilities is far better understood than people with Cerebral Palsy.

We are trapped in a world of worthless, valueless, and second-rated ideas.   You would think by now, with all the human Civil Rights cases and laws on the books, things would be different. But they are not-  People in charge smile and use all the right words, in all the right company, although, for many, they retain dangerous ideas and concepts about what must be done to “help” us .  This idea that “we should” want meaningful employment, a person we could call our soul mate, a place that we could call our home, and the opportunity to recreate is for many of them terrifying.

To be amongst people, working, playing and living healthy, happy, meaningful lives does not exist!  People are down right threaten of those like myself who are self-directed.  They can’t stand me because I threaten their world and their ability to perform and exercise power in any way, shape or form.   They are taken-a-back by my determination.   So they begin to resent, bully, judge, and retaliate against us.  Why, tell me why does this have to be?  We are not doing or bringing harm to other people-  All we want to do is live our lives joyously and peacefully in the way we choose.

Their is absolutely no reason at all on earth, to take matters into ones hand to ruin our lives. What reason do people have to stifle our needs, our wants, our desires, and our aspirations’.  The only reason I can come up with after a life time of this kind of bullying and trauma is to uphold the image of our community as cute and helpless.  They can’t stand us having our own power.  They can’t stand seeing us succeed and be successful. And, they can’t stand that we are accomplishing and trying to accomplish anything without their help and guidance.

Just like all of you, I intend to continue to not only accomplish the accomplishable, but I intend to continue to make this a kinder and gentle world by bringing this to the forefront.

The Distinguished Panel

On Monday, November 22nd, I was invited to be part of a respected body of people who talked For/With/ And About disabilities.  It was a well received event. Hosted by the IWOSC.org( Independent Writers Of Southern California.)   Where one of the first questions asked, of us was…  what made you decide to become a writers?  And when did you know?  Each of the four individuals in order asked, answered, including myself.   Each person responded.  And each, because their disability was/is  different, or, was writing about a disability or personal family member having one, each answered in accord.

Personally, to be ask to be on a panel such as this; so quickly, was quiet exciting-  it was quiet stimulating, and quiet awe inspiring!  The topic, shushed the audience in amazement.  As “we”  the panel, were not able to talk about why we inspire others.

I believe and accept that the inspiration is in the act of doing, conquering, and  achieving.  It is in the believing in oneself when others don’t!  But most important, it is in the use of the written word.  It is in the how we express ourselves, our visions,  our dreams , and, our insights as writers.

 

 

IWOSC panel on disabilities

Caring in a World That Does Not Seem to Exist Anymore

“Healing should be a loving human interchange, not a business transaction.”  Dr. Hunter Patch Adams said in one of his interviews.  Why is that?  Why have we taken this stance?  And why have we become a society who doesn’t care anymore?   Have you ever thought about this, or if you have participated in this kind of destructive thinking, why is that so?  There have always been ruins and catastrophes throughout our centuries, but never to the extent and scale that we see it today.

We have become a society wrapped up in greed, materialism, and self-indulgence. We do not know how to give of our selves or be selfless.  We do not know the first thing about passing it forward, or helping those who need it.   We have lost the meaning of warmth and benevolence.  And, we have become cold, callous, and uncaring.   We have mutilated our dignity, and, we have lost our focus.

What has happened?  Why have we forgotten this?  And, what is it in our innate nature that makes all the past 5 generations believe in what we do today?  Have we been born and inbreeded with an impulse to lie, hurt, or harm others; only to get ahead ourselves?

It has always bothered me how people like this come across and get ahead.  It has also always bothered me how these people come across with this syrupy, sweet, sincerity; yet are capable of gross sabotage preying on the weak and those under them.   They don’t think twice about anything.  They use their status, power, and leadership, to compete further only to get ahead them selves!   And, they take away any chance or possibility to make someone else’s life meaningful or memorable in a positive way.  These people have no reluctance, conscious, or mindfulness when it comes to anyone else but themselves.   It doesn’t seem to bother, hinder, or concern them that when someone less fortunate is put in harms way-  These people, within our past generations, have little to no consciousness in hurting; wounding, ill-using and treating others only to get ahead themselves first.  Despite everything, and withholding all from everyone else, they continue to live their lives in the manor which “THEY” see fit.   Without understanding the effect they have made to society.

So Gesundheit and Whispers of Hope have worked throughout the past forty years to change that.  They like the Dr. Kramer’s, and the Al Gilberts of this world have never forgotten the human aspect of the healing arts.  They have not forgotten how to touch other people’s lives with a sincere smile, a kind word, or giving from their heart with nothing asked in return.

“At Gesundheit,…they…see deep, intimate friendships between patient and doctor.”  Why then, can’t we be mindful enough to do that?  Why can’t we begin to break down all these dishonest, harmful barriers in this generation that have such a deep human effect on ours lives? Why can’t we begin to heal our planet with kind and genuine words?  Why can’t we be honest  and admit that we have made a gross wrong step in taking humanity out of the whole person and the holistic healing process.