Constipated in the Spirit: When God Prescribes Castor Oil

I saw a meme on Facebook (imagine that! LOL), it was about Jonah, of Jonah and the whale (though it was really a fish), when he was angry about having to let Nineveh know that they were about to be judged, Jonah didn't want them to be saved, so afterward he sat down, angry, full of bitterness. God caused a plant to grow to give him shade, I had always read it was a gourd, but it turns out it was apparently a castor bean plant. Well, that preaches, he was spiritually constipated so God gave him a castor bean plant to shade him and give him comfort. This is a sermon y'all!

“Constipated in the Spirit: When God Prescribes Castor Oil”

Text: Jonah 4:6
"ADONAI, God, prepared a castor-bean plant and made it grow up over Jonah to shade his head and relieve his discomfort. So Jonah was delighted with the castor-bean plant."

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Introduction

Today, I want to talk about a kind of constipation you won’t find in the body, but in the mind and spirit. You can be spiritually blocked, emotionally stuck, and mentally bound up by pride, anger, unforgiveness, and disobedience. And in Jonah’s case, that’s exactly what was going on.

God had called him to go to Nineveh, but Jonah didn’t want to go. Why? Because he didn’t want those people saved. He wanted judgment. He wanted fire from heaven. He was spiritually constipated, backed up with bitterness and self-righteousness.

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Point 1: Jonah Had a Heart Full of Toxic Waste

Jonah had just come from being saved out of the belly of a fish. You’d think that experience would humble him. But no. He preached to Nineveh and then sat outside the city, waiting and hoping it would be destroyed.

He didn’t want grace extended to them.

Let’s call that what it is: a spiritual backup. Jonah was full of himself, full of judgment, full of anger, and when you're full of those things, you don’t leave room for God's mercy to move through you.

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Point 2: God Grew a Castor Bean Plant to Cover Him

Jonah 4:6 says that God grew a castor bean plant over Jonah to shade his head and relieve his discomfort.

Now, if you know anything about castor oil, you know it’s a natural purgative. It clears you out. It's used to get things moving. And spiritually speaking, God was doing the same thing with Jonah. God said, “Let me put a covering over you, not just to shade your head but to work on your heart.”

That plant was mercy.
That shade was comfort.
That growth was a holy prescription for a constipated prophet.

God didn’t scold him, He soothed him first.
But He was about to stir his insides.

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Point 3: What We Delight In, God Can Use to Teach Us

Jonah delighted in that plant. Why? Because it served him. It made him feel better. It relieved his external discomfort.

But God wasn’t done. The very next verse says God sent a worm to destroy the plant. And Jonah was angry again.

God asked him, “Do you have a right to be angry about the plant?”

God was exposing the inner blockage, the fact that Jonah had compassion for a plant, but not for people. He loved the thing that served him, but didn’t love the people God wanted to save.

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Closing: Let God Clean You Out

Sometimes God lets you sit under shade before He brings the heat.

The castor bean plant wasn’t just for comfort. It was a picture of mercy. And like castor oil itself, it was a tool for healing, a symbol of cleansing. God was trying to clear out Jonah’s spiritual constipation, his resistance to grace, his pride, his judgment, his hate.

So what about you?

• Are you holding on to unforgiveness?

• Are you resisting God’s call because you don’t think certain people “deserve” mercy?

• Are you full of yourself when God’s trying to fill you with compassion?

Let Him grow a castor bean plant over you. Let Him shade you, soothe you, and then stir you.

Because healing isn’t always gentle, it sometimes comes with a purge.

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Final Word:

The same God who made the castor bean plant grow,
Is the God who can break up the hardened places in your heart,
Clear out what’s backing you up,
And set you free to love the people He’s calling you to reach.

To God be the glory!

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All written text from this blog are copyrighted and owned by Wretha unless otherwise stated. All rights reserved, You may download or copy for your own personal enjoyment, but please do not distribute without written permission. You may post a portion of this (or any) message from this blog on another site as long as you include a link back to this site and the original message.

Wretha,

Thanks for visiting!

Blessing others to protect your peace

Over the years, I’ve noticed a pattern. Sometimes people treat you poorly, and there’s no clear reason why. You didn’t say or do anything wrong, and yet, something in their tone, words, or behavior hits you wrong. It’s easy to take it personally. It’s even easier to let it rattle your peace.

I’ve learned that I don’t want to carry that chaos inside me.

So I came up with a little mind hack, a simple practice that helps me interrupt that inner storm when it starts brewing. It’s not always easy, but it is simple.

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The Practice: Bless and Release

When someone’s energy or words feel off, when I sense disrespect, judgment, or coldness, I quietly say, either in my mind or under my breath:

“Bless them, Lord.”
or
“Blessings on you.”

And then I release them.
I let them go in my heart and in my thoughts.

Now, I won’t pretend this is always graceful. Sometimes I bless through gritted teeth. Sometimes the blessing feels more like throwing a flaming lawn dart blessing (just being honest). But I do it anyway, because I’ve learned this truth:

You can’t hold anger and offer genuine blessings at the same time.

The moment I shift to blessing, the power of that irritation fades. The tension softens. My peace returns.

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Why This Works

Our minds love to dissect and react:

• “Why did they act like that?”

• “What did I do wrong?”

• “How do I explain myself?”

• “Should I say something back?”

But chasing those thoughts rarely leads to resolution. It just keeps the emotional storm spinning.

By blessing and releasing, I interrupt that loop.
I return to calm.
I protect my peace.
I remain in alignment with who I want to be.

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It’s Not About Them

When someone is rude, distant, or overly reactive, there’s usually more going on than we can see. Maybe they’re having a hard day. Maybe they’re carrying something heavy. Maybe they don’t even realize how they’re coming across.

And honestly? We’ve all been that person.
We’ve all snapped or shut down when we were overwhelmed or hurting.

So blessing someone in that moment isn’t about condoning bad behavior.
It’s about choosing not to absorb it.

Blessing others when they’re not at their best isn’t about fixing them, it's about freeing yourself.

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And Surprise: It’s Biblical!

Today I had a lightbulb moment while listening to a YouTube video about prayer, it's amazing where church can happen if you are listening. I realized this little mind trick I’ve been using is exactly what Scripture teaches.

Here are the verses that confirm it:

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1 Peter 3:9

“Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult. On the contrary, repay evil with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing.”

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Romans 12:17–21

“Do not repay anyone evil for evil... Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.”

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Matthew 5:44

“But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.”

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Proverbs 25:21–22

“If your enemy is hungry, give him food to eat; if he is thirsty, give him water to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head, and the Lord will reward you.”

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Wrapping up

Choosing peace over reaction is a spiritual practice.
Blessing instead of stewing is a way to stay grounded in Christ.
Releasing instead of clinging to offense is how we stay free.

So the next time someone throws shade, acts cold, or says something sharp, try it. Whisper the blessing. Release the weight. Protect your peace.

You’re not blessing them for their sake.
You’re doing it for your own soul.

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All written text from this blog are copyrighted and owned by Wretha unless otherwise stated. All rights reserved, You may download or copy for your own personal enjoyment, but please do not distribute without written permission. You may post a portion of this (or any) message from this blog on another site as long as you include a link back to this site and the original message.

Wretha,

Thanks for visiting!

ChatGPT AI Use

Something I'm learning about and getting more and more comfortable with is AI. There, I said it, right now you are either leaning in, curious, interested, or you are learning back, shaking your head,  wondering why on earth am I messing around with this. Some of you may have already left, I can't speak to them, but if you are still here,  I hope I can educate and interest you. 

For those who are absolutely anti-AI, remember, not too many generations back, when "modern" conveniences were considered the work of the devil, things that would make life easier, washing machines, dishwashers, automobiles, airplanes... all of these (and many other things) were lumped into the work of the devil, things that would create more idle time (especially for women), we were told "idle hands are the devil's workshop",  while that may have some truth buried in it somewhere, this is just a tool, like any other tool, one that can be used for good or evil. Ignoring it, refusing to use it, pretending it doesn't exist will not make it go away, I for one will use it and will use it in a positive manner. OK, now I'll jump down off of my soap box.

I began playing with AI some 2ish years ago,  I was most interested in graphics,  co-creating graphics,  I would even say art (gasp!). In the early days, creating something accurate was challenging,  I would ask for a cow,  they would end up having more than 4 legs,  asking for something that contained human hands, they might have 6 or more fingers. I also got into AI generated music, that was a real disappointment,  it was a bit fun at first, but it quickly became so frustrating that I only played with it for a month or less. (I have since found a much better music/song AI site, I'll post something about that later)...

Fast forward to April of 2024, I started using ChatGPT on the paid tier.  The writer in me squealed like a kid going to Disneyland! No worries, this is 100% me writing this. Sometimes I use AI to help me write, I tend to use AI to assist, to research. In fact I am on the paid tier,  I named it ChattyG.  It works hard for me, I treat it like my personal assistant. I began exploring the custom GPTs, using them then creating my own. A custom GPT is a personalized version of ChatGPT tailored for specific tasks, personalities, or industries. It can have unique instructions, behavior, knowledge, and tools to suit the user's needs—like a chatbot trained for customer service, writing, or teaching. For me, it's something I am using all the time so I don't want to have to explain each and every time I want to do one of these things HOW I want it done, so I created custom GPTs to make it easier and faster, then I shared them on the GPT store for other people to use.

Personalized Video Summarizer & Action Planner

A couple I am particularly fond of is a video summarizer, especially for YouTube , it started out allowing me to directly access the transcript to create the summary,  then YT clamped down and stopped allowing AIs to access the transcript, so ChatGPT can't directly access the transcript, but if you are using a computer (ie not a phone or tablet) you can copy the transcript and paste it into this custom GPT, if you are using a phone or tablet (Android or IOS app), you can use a (free) website that will grab a copy of the YouTube transcript, allowing you to copy it and paste it into the custom GPT. It sounds more complicated than it is, sometime soon I plan on making a tutorial video showing how this works. I made 2 of these custom GPTs, this first link is for one that uses limited bullet points, I have noticed that ChatGPT LOVES bullet points, so this one is designed to output fewer bullet points.

Custom GPT for video summaries w/fewer bullet points

If you like or prefer bullet points, use this custom GPT to create video summaries.

Custom GPT for video summaries

Try them both to see which you prefer, I tend to lean toward the fewer bullet point one, but that's just my preference, which do you like better?

Web Wise Page Brief

My next custom GPT that I created and use a lot is Web Wise Page Brief, this is such a timesaver for me, you copy the URL of a webpage into this, it quickly scans the webpage and delivers clear, ad-free summaries with key takeaways and action items. Just provide a URL, and get a concise breakdown of important insights, instructions, or next steps—perfect for research, news, and guides.

Have you ever clicked on a link to a webpage and found it so packed with ads that you couldn't read the article? I have no problems with a few discretely placed ads on a webpage, after all the author needs to eat too, but when the page is obviously an ad farm, with popups and video ads competing for your attention, it quickly becomes a pain to continue reading, I actually have a pretty hard rule about webpages, if they force more than 1 or 2 popups that I have to close to continue reading the page, I'll often leave that page before I am finished reading it. This custom GPT eliminates that problem, and it saves the information you were looking for in one place for you to refer to later.

Webwise Page Brief

Amazon Saved Cart Price Sorter (best to worst)

Track price changes in your Amazon Saved for Later cart. Copy the list of price changes from your Amazon Saved for Later section and paste it here. You'll get two lists: Best Discount First. Cheapest to Most Expensive (organized by price). Easily spot the best deals and maximize savings!

If you have an Amazon account, and you have saved items in your shopping cart, I'm sure you have noticed that when you go to your saved cart, you will get a list of items that have changed prices, usually in 2 categories, items that went up in price and items that went down in price. Of course we are all more interested in the items that went down in price. 

Prices are always fluctuating on Amazon, so it's nice to see this list, but I've noticed that the list isn't in any kind of order, at least not one I can decipher. So I want to see the best discounts and the best prices, so I created this custom GPT to create order from chaos in this list. Just copy the list and paste it into this custom GPT and wait a few seconds to get 2 lists, one list will show the greatest to least discounts and the other list shows the cheapest price to the most expensive price. This is really helpful when you have LOTS of saved items and it gives you a huge list of price changes.

This particular GPT is somewhat restricted on ChatGPT, only because I have used the name "Amazon", it says I can't put this in their custom GPT store as public, but it appears that I can share this custom GPT, so let me know if this works for you. I might be able to tweak it so that ChatGPT doesn't have an issue with it later on, but for now I'm leaving it as is. Let me know if you are able to access this or not.

I created a new custom GPT for this, removing the name "Amazon" from the title and and using "A*mazon" in the description, that seemed to satisfy ChatGPT's rules, I didn't get a warning when I published it, so here is the new link, it should work without any problems.

Amazon Saved Cart Price Sorter (best to worst)

I have created quite a few other custom GPTs in ChatGPT, most are for my own personal use, or they aren't up to (my) standard for public consumption. Anyone with a ChatGPT account, even the free levels should be able to use any of these custom GPTs in their own account. Just click on the link(s), be sure you are signed into your ChatGPT account and use the custom GPT, once you use it, it should stay listed in your account for use unless you choose to remove or hide it.

Let me know what you think about ChatGPT and AI in general, are you a user? If so, what do you do with it? If not, why not? And let me know if any of these custom GPTs are useful to you. 

All written text from this blog are copyrighted and owned by Wretha unless otherwise stated. All rights reserved, You may download or copy for your own personal enjoyment, but please do not distribute without written permission. You may post a portion of this (or any) message from this blog on another site as long as you include a link back to this site and the original message.

Wretha,

Thanks for visiting!

The Truth About Fats: How They Affect Your Health, Hormones, and Weight (summary)

This is a summary of 

https://youtu.be/5f2E_LKEUgk?si=-wjX3ONLloRUUlJk

Sumarized in ChatGPT 

Overview:

This video dives deep into the misunderstood world of dietary fats, revealing their critical role in metabolism, disease prevention, and overall health. The presenter debunks common myths, explains why Americans are deficient in essential fats, and breaks down how different types of fats—saturated, unsaturated, trans fats, and Omega-3s—affect the body. The discussion also covers the biochemical impact of fats on metabolism, cholesterol levels, and cardiovascular health, while emphasizing the importance of choosing the right fats for long-term well-being.

Detailed Summary:

The video opens with a thought-provoking question: Which fat contains an essential nutrient missing in most American diets? The answer: Omega-3 fatty acids, which are crucial for brain function, inflammation control, and overall health. Shockingly, 95% of American children and 70% of adults lack sufficient Omega-3 intake while overconsuming unhealthy fats, leading to widespread metabolic and cardiovascular diseases.

Fats have been misunderstood for decades due to conflicting dietary advice. The presenter explains that although fats provide a dense source of energy, consuming them with carbohydrates leads to blood sugar spikes. Additionally, the quality of fat matters more than the quantity when it comes to health outcomes.

To simplify fat biochemistry, the presenter introduces key terms:

Triglycerides: The most abundant fat in the body, serving as a primary energy source. When triglyceride levels are too high, they become harmful and accumulate in organs like the liver, pancreas, and muscles, leading to metabolic dysfunction.

Phospholipids: Essential components of cell membranes that help transport fats in the bloodstream.

Steroids: This category includes cholesterol, which is necessary for hormone production (testosterone, estrogen, cortisol) and vitamin D synthesis.

A critical discussion follows on lipoproteins, which transport fats in the blood. LDL (low-density lipoprotein) and HDL (high-density lipoprotein) are commonly measured in blood tests, but one often-overlooked factor is lipoprotein(a). This genetic marker significantly increases the risk of heart disease, stroke, and aortic stenosis. The presenter stresses the importance of testing for lipoprotein(a) at least once in a lifetime.

The Good, The Bad, and The Dangerous Fats

1. Trans Fats (The Worst Type)

Found in processed foods, margarine, fried foods, and baked goods.

Increase insulin resistance, oxidative stress, and inflammation.

Raise LDL (bad cholesterol) while lowering HDL (good cholesterol).

Even though the U.S. banned artificial trans fats in 2020, manufacturers can still label products as having “0g trans fat” if the amount per serving is under 0.5g—making it crucial to check ingredient lists for partially hydrogenated oils.

2. Saturated Fats (The Metabolic Toxin)

Found in butter, coconut oil, dairy, and fatty meats.

Solid at room temperature, making them easy to identify.

Linked to fat accumulation in metabolic organs (liver, pancreas, muscle), which worsens insulin resistance and metabolism.

Excess consumption leads to plaque buildup in arteries, increasing the risk of heart disease.

3. Unsaturated Fats (The Healthiest Choice)

Monounsaturated Fats: Found in olive oil, avocados, and nuts. They support heart health and reduce inflammation.

Polyunsaturated Fats (PUFAs): Include Omega-6 and Omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-6 is abundant in vegetable oils but should be balanced with Omega-3 to prevent excessive inflammation.

The Essential Omega-3s

Sources: Fatty fish, krill oil, algae, walnuts, and flaxseeds.

Types:

ALA (from plants)

EPA and DHA (from marine sources, crucial for brain and heart health).

Deficiency Consequences: Impaired brain function, higher inflammation, and poor metabolic health.

Many people rely on plant-based Omega-3s (like flaxseeds), but the conversion to active EPA and DHA is inefficient. To truly meet needs, marine-based Omega-3s are recommended.

The Danger of Mixing Fats & Carbohydrates

One of the most critical points is how fat affects insulin response. Eating fat with carbohydrates leads to:

Increased insulin resistance.

Higher blood sugar spikes.

Accelerated fat storage.

This is why the Standard American Diet (SAD)—which combines processed fats and refined carbs—is a leading cause of obesity and metabolic disease.

How to Choose the Right Fats

Avoid ultra-processed foods that separate fats from their whole-food sources. (e.g., eat whole olives instead of olive oil, whole nuts instead of nut oils).

Increase fiber intake to slow fat absorption and improve metabolism.

Focus on whole foods with naturally occurring fats instead of refined oils.

The video ends with a call to action: educate yourself on fats, avoid misinformation, and prioritize real food choices over processed ones. The presenter provides a free handout for viewers to further explore the topic.

Actionable Takeaways:

✔ Get tested for lipoprotein(a) at least once in your life.

✔ Cut out trans fats completely—check labels for hidden sources.

✔ Limit saturated fat intake to protect metabolic organs and reduce inflammation.

✔ Prioritize Omega-3-rich foods or supplements (fish oil, algae oil).

✔ Avoid mixing high fat with high carb meals to prevent insulin resistance.

✔ Choose whole foods over ultra-processed versions to improve metabolism.

✔ Increase fiber intake to slow fat absorption and enhance weight management.

Hashtags:

#HealthyFats #Omega3 #Metabolism #Cholesterol #HeartHealth #NutritionScience #WeightLoss #StandardAmericanDiet #FatBiochemistry #BloodSugarControl

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My personal take, I stopped consuming toxic fats/oils many years ago, I do use butter, tallow, lard (only if it's not hydrogenated), coconut oil, olive oil, and avocado (seed) oil. I agree with most of what's written above, except for the part about some of the saturated fats being bad for us. I have no issue with eating or using the fats/oils I listed above, of course I consume these in moderation, mostly because of the calorie content.

All written text from this blog are copyrighted and owned by Wretha unless otherwise stated. All rights reserved, You may download or copy for your own personal enjoyment, but please do not distribute without written permission. You may post a portion of this (or any) message from this blog on another site as long as you include a link back to this site and the original message.

Wretha,

Thanks for visiting!

Day 1: The Beginning of My 6-Day Fast

You know that floating week between Christmas and New Year? Well I decided to take that week and do an extended fast. A clean fast, meaning 0 food, only water, Topo Chico, plain coffee and Celtic sea salt. I had intended on going a full 7 days but managed to get through 6 days, still a pretty big accomplishment, my longest clean fast before was 4 days. I kept a daily dairy with the help of ChattyG (my ChatGPT persona). Here is what happened on day one.

Day 1: The Beginning of My 6-Day Fast

I started my fast today, feeling really good so far. Honestly, I’m not usually hungry until later in the day, so the morning wasn’t too hard. Leading up to this fast, I’ve been eating super healthy—no sugar, nothing processed. My last meal, which I had last night on Christmas Eve, was homemade yogurt sweetened with monk fruit and allulose, plus a banana. Not a bad way to finish before starting this journey.

The day went pretty smoothly overall. Around the time I’d usually eat, my brain decided it was time for food, even though my stomach was just fine. Isn’t it funny how your brain tries to play tricks on you? Instead of giving in, I drank a bottle of water with a good pinch of Celtic sea salt, and that did the trick. I also went for a short walk—about half a mile—to help deplete any glycogen stores still hanging around.

As the evening rolled in, I decided to call it a day and head to bed. No big fanfare, just the end of Day 1. One down, five more to go.

All written text from this blog are copyrighted and owned by Wretha unless otherwise stated. All rights reserved, You may download or copy for your own personal enjoyment, but please do not distribute without written permission. You may post a portion of this (or any) message from this blog on another site as long as you include a link back to this site and the original message.

Wretha,

Thanks for visiting!