Practical Ideas For Business Goal Setting

With any type of business goal setting you need to be careful. Setting too high goals will lead to disappointment and frustration and if you set your goals too low then you will not be motivated. There are a few tactics that are important to set goals. By using the following tactics you will create a ladder of goals that can be reached successfully.

You need to be passionate as the goals that you are passionate about will be the most powerful and generally include what you want, what you do and who you are. You need to discover your passion and then set a goal based on that passion. It is important to be realistic. If you want to make 1 million dollars in a year but only make 500, 000 don't think of that as failure. You just made 500,000 dollars, which is great!

You should be value driven and your goals should not conflict with your values or beliefs. If you think there may be some overlaps then you should list out your goals and your values. If the goal does not include at least of your values then you shouldn't waste time pursuing it. You need to be as detailed as possible as just having the goal is not enough. You also should have an achievement date and a way to measure the goal.

You should always have a plan to reach your business goals by starting with your final result and working your way backwards. You also need to be held accountable and hold yourself accountable to that goal. The best way is to have a due date for each part of your plan and report to yourself or another person. It is also important to have fun and reward yourself even when things get tough.

You also need to believe that you will reach the goal. You will never be successful if you don't believe that you can reach that goal. Almost all individuals also need support so don't be afraid to look for some support. Finally the most important step is not to give up. You may need to alter your goal a bit but you can succeed and have fun at the same time.

For more help on how to set goals just click here

Lemon Juice As a Natural Cleaning Product

One of the most popular cleaning products is lemon juice. Lemon, aside from being a very healthy citrus fruit, also makes a very good household cleanser. This is because of the acidic content found in its juice.

There is myriad of ways of how to use lemon juice as a green cleaning product. It can be used as a stand-alone - which means that it can clean areas in the home just by itself, not combined or mixed with other products. Also, lemon juice makes a very good ingredient in natural cleaning solutions that you can make at the comfort and safety of your very own home.

There are so many reasons why you should opt for lemons as a part of your household cleaning regimen. The smell of lemons has already been closely associated as the scent of cleanliness. There are so many cleaning products that are sold commercially that mimic the smell of lemons for the buyers to enjoy. However, nothing still could match the natural smell of fresh lemons.

Lemons are naturally acidic. The natural acids that they have are one of the major reasons why they are considered good green cleaning products. The acid provides antiseptic and antibacterial properties to be used for cleaning.

So how do we clean with lemons? What are the household problems that we can solve using these natural cleaning products?

Copper

You can clean pots and pans made with copper using lemon juice. Copper-bottom pans can easily be transformed into spotless clean bottoms in no time with lemon juice. Other materials that are made of copper can also greatly benefit from a thorough and proper cleaning power of lemon juice extracts. All you have to do is cut the lemons in half. Dip the half in a little table salt and you can use that half to rub on the copper fixtures or copper pots.

Countertop Stains

Stains in countertops can easily be removed by letting lemon juice sit on the countertop stains for a few minutes. The minutes can range from 15-30, depending on the size of the stain and on how stubborn it is. After waiting, you can scrub the affected area with baking soda. The cleaning combination of baking soda and lemon can easily erase these stains, leaving your countertops looking brand new and spotless clean.

Drains

Lemons also make a great household deodorizer. You can freshen the drains in your home through lemons. Lemon rinds can be placed in the garbage disposal area in order to make that area smelling fresh and clean all day, every day. You can also add a few drops of lemon juice into hot water and use this solution to pour down the drain. These technique can help clean and leave your drain smelling fresh.

Bleaching

Lemon juice, with its acidic property, also acts as a powerful natural bleaching agent. You can place lemon juice in your white cloths, clothes and other fabrics and let them dry out in the sun. This technique is effective in removing stubborn stains away from your clothing and also has a very efficient and powerful bleaching effect.

Vinegar Smell Neutralization

Vinegar is another known natural cleaning product. But some people don't like using vinegar because of its awful smell. This is when lemon juice comes in. You can add a few drops of lemon juice into your vinegar solution to neutralize the strong smell of vinegar. Lemon juice will not just take away the vinegar odor, it can also add a nice citrus smell that you will surely love.

Lemon juice is a good green cleaning product. Discover other natural cleaning products that you can use right from your kitchen cupboards.

Meeting The Monkey On Your Own Back

I have a friend. His name is Ubastard. I named him that because that's what he calls me when I let him. He lives in my head and is the monkey on my own back. I suspect I have befriended him by now and give him a comfy place to live in there, but I wish he would go away.

Ubastard has an amazing ability to bridge the gap between my mind and my emotions. Once he starts his dialogue with me, I can literally feel him connect the two. Since emotions are the body's reaction to the spinning of the mind, the little booger seems to have the amazing ability to start the processes of anxiety or a bit of depression at will. Ubastard!

I believe UB has live there since I was a kid but spent most of my own childhood just growing up himself. I don't remember all that many discussions with him when I was kid. I didn't even know his name was Ubastard until I went to Bible College. It wasn't really a seminary. The way the Bible was studied was to simply read it and weave it together in one complete incoherent whole. There was no study of the who, what, where, when, why and how's of scripture. I have had to do ALL that during my time as a Pastor and since. Let's face it, when you go to a denominational school, you get the denominational spin. I would have done better at Harvard Divinity School where one no doubt can freely admit to other perspectives on the topic. As a life long liberal Dutchman, I am sure I could have been persuaded to let go of guilt, shame and fear aspects of religion and enjoy the philosophical study of theology. But oh no, I had to affiliate with the literalists who feed Ubastard and inserted him in my mind when I was either deep in prayer or sleeping.

Anyway, at Bible College, one gets molded, shaped and eventually cloned into the very image of God, even though you don't. I remember sitting in first year Bible class which was a survey of the harmonious Gospels which later I came to see aren't. We heard a lot about the life and times of Jesus and his merry men, but a lot about sex as well. Ubastoring young people on the topic of sex in Bible College is a must. While I was wondering how the 12 could go so long without intimacy or sex, I was being assured that they had become Eunuch's for the Kingdom of God's sake. Ewwww. I did read where Peter had a mother-in-law, and thus a wife, but then she faded quickly out of the picture. For either one year, or three or ten, depending, these guys must have been serial killers at heart walking around in the desert and saying "behold" all the time. Guys who don't experience intimacy and sex do this I believe...and are very angry inside. I get curious when a pastor dwells on the evils of sex. But I spare you.

The should not's and must nots were endless. We were entertained with the professor prancing around the stage action "queer" as that was the in word then and we all were supposed to laugh and be men about it all. We tried to talk in deep masculine voices and not wear pink so as not to be confused with the enemy. Once, he counted slowly to four to illustrate to the women in the class just how quickly a man could aroused over their not dressing discretely. My buddies and I estimated he was more than two seconds off on the slow side and that what a girl wore had little to do with it. Add to all this weekly in class meme programming, weekends of Bible Study and Sermons, and Ubastard has acquired an endless supply of criticism to throw at me when I left him out of the picture.

Of course, we had to become perfect in all things. We had to think like Jesus thought and Act like God in all things. I once called someone a fool just as Jesus did from time to time, but got reamed out for being in danger of hell fire as Jesus taught would be the fate of those that called people fools. I'm confused!

I could have come up with the "What would Jesus do" thing years ago, but I was too busy feeling inadequate, fearful, guilty and shameful as was expected to think I could do what Jesus would do. Years later I came to wonder just what exactly Jesus was doing with Mary Magdalene who it seems ended up on the right hand of him in DaVinci's Last Supper. I can see where the part in the Gospel of Thomas with Peter chiding Jesus for kissing her too often on the lips, didn't make the NT cut of acceptable books. I believe he also asked Jesus why Jesus loved Mary more than the guys, but Jesus is said to have replied, "Why does she love me more than you do?" Whoa...nice comeback!

I remember the couple that found themselves the first semester and got kicked out by the second. They married and I spent the next three years wondering how their sex lives were going. All the rest of us were in limbo over this and Ubastard was in full swing by now. "ONE, TWO...doh" I tried all I could to get to FOUR, but I was evidently a particularly perverted Dutchman. I found out later that the only ones allowed to break the rules of God, as layed down by the professor, were the kids of the Evangelists, faculty kids and those that grew up in the denomination and were only allowed to go to this particular school being programmed from their youth to do so. Actually they didn't have a Ubastard from all I can tell. There is no freedom like the freedom church kids have when they grew up soaking in something they had no intention of doing.

At any rate, Ubastard still lives and chatters too much in my mind. Some believe this is good as his purpose it to direct me to the straight, narrow, righteous and true. Some say God put Ubastard there as my monkey on my own back guide. But personally Ubastard, the Monkey on My Own Back is a creation of my mind to keep me less than authentic, under the control of the powers that be and kept in line with guilt, shame and fear, which a the trinity of worthless emotions if ever there was one.
Guilt, shame and fear are all imposed upon one in some way as a way to keep one weak, compliant and pliable, to the will of others...to the tribe or church if you will. They all assume there is just one way to be as a human being and any stepping outside of the the organizational box produces these emotions to get you back in. Maybe back in is not where one really needs to go.

There are several ways to defeat Ubastard. One is to breathe through when his fear, shame and quilt shatter provokes anxiety which is projected fear into the future or the fear of future consequences for not getting back into Ubastards camp. Just breathe...slowly, from the tummy and breathe. I don't know why he does not like that, but he doesn't seem to thrive in deep slow breathing. Ubastard is more of an upper chest breather and does it quickly. Maybe opposites defang him. Maybe his way of making my body breathe sends my brain the chemicals he loves to bathe in, which of course is fear, quilt and shame. Slow breathing might send the message to my mind that all is well and that it can keep the fear, quilt and shame juice but feel free to send the love, joy and acceptance juice on down! I think that's how it works. That's one of the few times Ubastard calls me Ubastard, and leaves me alone for a time.

Of course meds can be helpful. Whoever created Ativan must work directly on the right hand of God. On occasions breathing won't cut it and Ubastard has the upper hand. So as not to have a completely worthless and anxiety ridden morning, I take it. I don't like to, but I do and it's my decision. I know when Ubastard is on the offensive, I need some keymasters to help out. It runs right to the favorite cell receptors for Ubastard's mix but blocks them so his keys are worthless and he can't get into my breathing, tummy or thought spinning cells. Ha! Locked out! Take that Ubastard! I'd like to think, in time and with skills of thought that this amazing biosuit I wear to transport my spirit and experience my world in a limited five sensed way, could take over and simply remove Ubastards keys once and for all.

There are hundreds of sites with wonderful information on defeating Ubastard the Monkey on your own back. I think I tolerate him because I am supposed to keep him around for my good, but he doensn't feel good and in both the short and long haul, doesn't serve me much good.

I have watched thousands apply the rules of Bible School to themselves all my life. Some do nicely but admit to a certain duplicity behind the scenes. Some claim no duplicity, but seem sad and unfulfilled. Some seem happy and and bouncy and I consider these the most dangerous of all. I always want to know what's really going on with them. Me thinks you gush too much in Jesus. I am often proved right down the road. Many are stuck in relationships that feel more like brother-sister stuff. Nothing much to look forward to. Nothing much left to say. And no creative intimacy or talk about how one really feels down deep inside. Certainly they are not going to explore anything the church would disapprove of, even if the minister was doing that himself.

Ubastard seems to govern just how much one allows themselves to speak about as well. Let's face it, it is no fun sharing when, in fact, one is supplying the one spoken to the bullets with which to shoot back at you. As a result, there are many quietly desperate human beings who neither speak their heart nor share their thoughts out of anxious fear , guilt for doing so or shame over what they feel they need in life, before it goes away. Human stuff really and Ubastard, the Monkey on One's Own Back, seems bent on keeping the human in line with a thousand soul sucking organizations, churches and denominations , that feed him endless shoulds, musts, should nots and must nots, but never free to find no need for them and seek an authentic self.

This is why "Born Right the First Time" is quite a dose of poison for Ubastard and I am pretty sure he simply can't handle the thought. It would take away his power of control and his litany of reasons one has qualified today as Ubastard. All I know is that it does not help and does not serve me personally in any meaningful way to strive for a perfection the book says we must and yet not know one single person on the planet to point to as having done well in that. Perfect people are scary people and duplistic beyond measure behind the scenes. Perfect people, with the perfect understanding of the perfect on set of perfect truths are perfectly scary and often make a big splat when they fall and join the human race. Ted Haggard, former head of the National Association of Evangelicals comes to mind as an example of struggling with Ubastard all one's life and never just being authentic. Of course being authentic often means you lose your job and high position in the minds of others who know Ubastard only too well themselves. Sometimes a church congregation is content to let a pastor be the sacrificial life of goodness and light, while they can tell Ubastard to go to hell anytime they wish. As long as the pastor type proves it can be done as expected, all is well. Let the pastor prove himself way too often in open conflict with Ubastard, and out you go. Scares the people that they might get caught next.

One hint to me is that all Ubastard seems to say to me is that you really aren't good enough as is. You need to be more like someone else, who I am not sure is who I really ought to be like or even need to go to the trouble of being like. I haven't found another human on the planet , save maybe the Dali Lama, who appeals to me as the kind of person I'd rather be. And I am also not so naive to think that wanting anyone else's dirty laundry is a good swap.

So here we are. A little piece of consciousness contained in our limited five sensed carbon based wetsuit for a short time of experiencing this world as best we can. It's all a wonder and I believe benevolent more than malevolent, though some people let Ubastard take over and loose themselves completely in becoming the sharped fanged nasty Monkey personified. No longer is UBastard the monkey on the back of a person...he is the person. The monkey ate the man.

I'm not advocating exterminating Ubastard completely. But I think there need to be some rules of engagement.

1. Ubastard shall not endlessly repeat one topic over and over. He will understand that I am usually way ahead of him and don't need to keep hearing it over and over.

2. Ubastard will not use fear of eternal punishment when a human life is less than a hair width's experience in the arena of billions of years of galactic, star and planetary evolution.

3. Ubastard will acknowledge that "born right the first time" has merit and never being good enough is a tool of control and results the unhelpful experiences of anxiety and depression in which nothing good gets done.

4. Ubastard is not allowed to only quote ancient texts of Taliban perspectives in his onslaught but is now assigned to read and understand Conversations with God by Neil Donald Walsch, The Power of Now by Eckart Tolle, The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz and The Tao of Pooh by Benjamin Hoff. No bananas if he refuses to read and apply these books.

5. Ubastard is not allowed to disturb sleep time.

6. Ubastard is not allowed to quote only from the King James, New International, and the Bible for Modern Dudes in promoting guilt fear and shame.

7. If Mebastard finds Ubastard not to have done and understood the above mentioned assignments, let him be banished to the forest of guilt, shame and fear where he seems to thrive better anyhow and there are millions backs he can easily jump on....just not mine anymore.

How to Install Natural Stone Veneer

Natural stone veneer can be applied to retaining walls, indoor or outdoor fireplaces, wall facades, and pillars. Thin stone veneers are made from real stone so they resist warping, cracking, fading, and chipping. Additionally, if they do become chipped or cracked nobody will notice since, unlike fabricated fake stone veneers, the color and texture of the stone goes all the way through the stone. Stone veneer is also faster and easier to apply since it is lighter and easier to handle.

Natural thin stone veneers come in a wide variety of styles and colors to choose from. They are quarried in Arizona, Lannon, Fond Du Lac, Chilton, and Michigan. Thin stone veneer is the ideal stone application since it is superior in terms of being very durable and flexible in matching nearly every style, color, and design. Stone veneers are thinner and lighter than manufactured fake stone veneer and fiberglass stones.

The Basics

Stone veneer installation on any surface needs the same basic methods of application. First there needs to be a moisture barrier, a frame or structure for the mortar to grip, mortar, and then the stone of your choice. The moisture barrier and backbone frame are necessary components to ensure that your thin stone veneer will last a lifetime.

When installing stone Veneer to plywood, paneling, wall sheeting, wall board, or other non stone surface:

1. Cover the wall with a moisture barrier that is weather resistant and protects the underlying wood and the back of the stone veneer from moisture damage.

2. Apply a metal lath, mesh, or sheeting with galvanized nails or staples according to your local building code. This supplies rigid support for the mortar to stick to which provides a firm backbone for your stones to grip.

3. Apply your mortar, and on top of that apply your choice of stone veneer with mortar in between the "joints."

4. After your mortar has hardened, simply use a stiff brush and some water to scrape away any mortar that has found its way onto the face of your stones.

Concrete Masonry Stucco

1. As long as the masonry contains no oils, surfactants, or other chemicals on its surface and is clean and dry then you can feel free to apply the stone veneers without any prep. Just make sure that the backside of the masonry will not be exposed to a water source such has those used for retaining walls, ponds, or garden beds.

2. If it does contain chemicals or oils simply etch the surface with muriatic acid and score with a stiff wire brush.

3. Apply your mortar and your stone as usual.

4. If your surface has been treated with paint or other chemicals, simply sand blast this surface away or follow directions above and apply a barrier material, metal lath, mesh, or sheeting and install stone as you would for a plywood wall.

Metal Buildings

1. Install paperbacked 3/8 inch expanded metal lath to metal cladding supports. Use metal cladding supports of at least 12 to 20 gage and using 1 inches -12 pancake head super tight screws. Make sure that the screws penetrate at least 3.8 inch beyond the inside of the metal surface and at least every 12 inches.

2. Apply a 1/2 inch to a 3/4 scratch coat of mortar and allow it to dry at least 48 hours.

3. Apply the mortar and install the stones.

4. After the mortar had been allowed to dry at least 24 hours simply clean any mortar stains form the face of the stones with a stiff brush and water.

Natural Thin Stone veneers

Natural stone veneers are durable and long lasting. In the long run, real stone is more economical since it requires nearly zero maintenance, should never need to be replaced under normal conditions, and resists cracking, fading, chipping, erosion, and weather conditions.

Thin stone is available in a wide variety of colors and styles because it is made from natural stone. Therefore you can choose from more colors and cuts than fabricated stone.

Halquist Stone, Wisconsin's premier supplier of thin stone veneer, offers thin stone veneer that is cut from quarries in Arizona, Wisconsin, and Michigan.

Looking for a supplier of Natural Stone Veneer? View the many different styles of Stone Veneer and granite countertops in Wisconsin that Halquist Stone has to offer. For more information, call (262) 246-9000 or visit HalquistStone.com to request a free brochure

The Blessed Man Versus the Ungodly Man

Living in relative freedom has brought about an attitude of carelessness in the Christian community that has allowed wickedness to easily integrate itself into the congregation of believers. Christians in general are not careful to avoid evil. It is taken as 'just a part of everyday life', and treated as though it were of no consequence. This is the first step on the path to becoming part of an ungodly society.

The Bible tells us in Ephesians 5:11, 'have no fellowship with the works of darkness, but rather reprove them'.

I Kings 11:2 warns us, 'Of the nations concerning which the LORD said unto the children of Israel, Ye shall not go in to them, neither shall they come in unto you: for surely they will turn away your heart after their gods;'.

The teaching of the Lord our God is very clear that we are to not mingle with non-believers. You can classify anyone who does not follow the teachings of the Bible as 'non-believers'. My dear friend, Evangelist Evan New, (who is now with the Lord) likened determining right from wrong like picking a clean shirt from among the dirty shirts. He said, 'Smell the shirts. Some are obviously dirty; some are obviously clean. But, some are a little more difficult to decide. They don't smell clean, but they really don't' smell dirty. If it is doubtful that the shirt is clean, it is dirty. End of story.' (As long as I knew Evan, Judy provided him with very clean shirts, so I suppose he came up with that analogy when he was in college.)

The truth is that in today's world of 'everything is gray', and 'nothing is black and white', it is becoming increasingly difficult to clearly see what is right and what is wrong. Yet, rightly dividing the word of truth, and living your life accordingly, has never been more important than it is today. Your future depends on it, as well as the future of your family, your church, and your country.

Psalm 1 gives us a contrast between the way of the blessed man and the ungodly. It says;

(1) Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.
(2) But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.
(3) And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, That bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.
(4) The ungodly are not so: but are like the chaff which the wind driveth away.
(5) Therefore the ungldly shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous.
(6) For the LORD knoweth of the righteous: but the way of the ungodly shall perish.

Today is a good day to choose if you are willing to walk the path of the believer who is blessed to the Lord, of if you will walk the path of the ungodly.

The first step onto the path of the godly is through salvation by grace. You must believe on Jesus Christ to be saved. (Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shall be saved. Acts 16:31)

The next step is to decide if you will live a life that ends like Lot's or like the blessed man in Psalm chapter 1.

Verse one tells us that the blessed man separates himself from evil. He is like the man in Psalm 119:115 who says, 'Depart from me, ye evil doers: for I will keep the commandments of my God.'

The entire congregation of believers should separate themselves from evil according to the example of Nehemiah 9:2 which says, 'And the seed of Israel separated themselves from all strangers, and stood and confessed their sins, and the iniquities of their fathers.' But, for an entire Christian congregation to separate themselves, the individual believer must first be willing to separate his or her self from evil.

The man who is blessed delights in the law of the Lord. Jeremiah 15:6 says, 'Thy words were found, and I did eat them: and thy word was unto me the joy and the rejoicing of mine heart:'.

Every true believer wants to blessed of the Lord. The problem preventing blessings comes by at least two avenues.

First, the believer may have some serious problems in his own life. He may not want to be 'blessed of the Lord' enough to surrender sins in his own life. He may find it easier (at least for the moment) to fight his own battles than to surrender to the Lord.

The second avenue is more subtle. It is given to us in detail in verse one. The blessed man:

DOES NOT - walk in the counsel of the ungodly, The blessed man doesn't even walk near the counsel of the ungodly.

DOES NOT - walk in the way of sinners, The blessed man doesn't stand still long enough to listen to what the ungodly have to say. He doesn't go down the road them 'just a little way' in order to be sociable. He cannot be beguiled with their fancy words if he refuses to listen to them in the first place. (Think Eve here.)

DOES NOT - sit in the seat of the scornful. The blessed man does not join in with the ungodly for any reason.

ON the other hand, the ungodly:

DOES -listen to the counsel of the ungodly. He is willing to listen to whatever is 'new' or 'exciting'. Honestly, there is nothing new in the realm of religion, or anywhere else for that matter. Everyone faces the same lie today that Eve faced in the garden. You will either listen to the liars who say things like, 'you can be a god,' or this path other than the Jesus Christ leads to heaven', or you will just keep on walking like the blessed man.

DOES - quit walking and stop to listen to what the ungodly have to say. This man walks with the world a ways down the road. He sees the success of the worldly. He notices that he might apply their methods of success to his own life, to his church, to his business, to his family.

DOES - sit down and join the ungodly. Pretty soon, the ungodly have joined in with the world. If they were Christians to begin with, you can not tell them from those who belong to the god of this world. An example is of course Lot. He looked at the prosperity of Sodom. He walked down and considered their way of life and 'principles' of prosperity. He joined them. He became just like them.

This is how weak and ineffective preachers of the gospel come about.

They pay attention to what the world says about how to build a successful business and manage that business profitably.

They apply worldly tactics to the church.

They join in with the world, putting money and numbers above the grace and humility of Christ. They measure success by the measuring stick of the world which tells them they are successful if they bring in enough money.

This could not happen unless the leaders and members of the church were ALSO walking with the ungodly, standing still to listen to their 'siren song', and some have even joined the ungodly.

The blessed man: (v2)
Enjoys studying and learning the word of God.
He considers God's law day and night in every thing he does.

Then, the blessed man is blessed even more.
His roots have grown deep into the world of God. He knows right behavior from wrong behavior. He is prosperous and fruitful.

On the other hand - The ungodly do not receive these blessing, but instead are failures;

They are like wheat chaff blown away in the wind. This is a terrible way to live. They have no foundation on which they are able to stand. Political, social, and religious ideologies and changes keep them anxious about everything. They do that which is right in their own eyes.

They do not stand in the judgment, or in the congregation of the righteous. They have not submitted to God, but instead of established their own righteousness.

The LORD knows their ways, and they shall perish. Their end is destruction. If the ungodly are such as Abraham's nephew Lot, they are saved, but without any good works.

The ungodly face judgment day with fear.

The saved who have lived an ungodly life are spoken of in I Corinthians chapter 3. Verse 13 says, 'Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire: and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is. (v14) If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. (v15) If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.'

Those whom God never knew are those spoken of in Matthew Chapter 25. Verse 46 says, 'And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into eternal life. Matthew 7:23, also speaking of the judgment, says, 'And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from, ye that work iniquity.'

What an unspeakably horrible way for a soul to end up. It becomes even worse when you know such an end could have been avoided.

If you think that your life is your business, think again. What you do does matter. How you live your life does count. Again, consider Lot. Just suppose that Lot had gone down to Sodom with a heart set on the Lord like Abraham's heart. Lot would not have conformed to the behavior in Sodom. He might have been able to change the mind set of some of the people of the city. Perhaps Lot's influence could have influenced at least ten people in Sodom to turn from their wickedness and turn to the Lord God Almighty. Lot would have been instrumental in saving the city.

So, is this a good time to consider how your life is going at the moment? You are saved or lost. If you are lost - then it is time to get saved. If you are saved, you are either living a life is clearly following the pattern of the blessed man spoken of in Psalm 1:1; or, you are not. If you aren't sure, here is a good way to decide.

Isaiah 58:1 says, 'Cry aloud, spare not, lift up they voice like a trumpet, and shew my people their transgression, and the house of Jacob their sins.'

The way you live your life is supposed to be so different from the life of the world that you stand out like a clear blast on a loud trumpet.

Unfortunately, many Christians are living such a half-hearted Christian life that the 'trumpet sound' of their lives tells the world nothing. I Corinthians 14:8 says, 'For if the trumpet give an uncertain sound, who shall prepare himself to the battle?"

That is what happened to Lot. He spent his life joined to the people and ways of Sodom. Many Christians today are doing the same thing on different scales. Some live just as worldly as Lot lived. Others are much less openly sold out to the world, but never the less, the sound of the trumpet 'heralding their Christianity' is so off key it only causes the people around them to hiss or ridicule Christianity. It does not prepare them to understand that must decide for Christ, or they have decided against Him.

If you put a bunch of Christians living the life of the ungodly together, and they all blew a trumpet with the skill equal to the way they live their Christian life, you would get the whole bunch of trumpets blowing loudly, but without a single pure note in the bunch. Can you imagine what an awful sound that would be?

Is it any wonder that Christians are not transforming the world when our own lives have not been first transformed? Christians should live their lives in a way that stands out like a loud and true trumpet. A figurative question for many Christians is, 'Is it time for you to learn to play the trumpet?'

The Judge of your heart is God. It is not me, or any other human being. But when I look in my own heart, or the lives of many so called Christians, I see two things wrong.

First, Christianity as a whole is lacking in humility and meekness. Moses was a mighty man of God. At some point Moses became humble enough to understand that he could not do anything through his own power. Then he became meek enough to understand that God could do all things through him. Moses still accomplished great things, but he knew by whose power his deeds were really accomplished. By the way, have you noticed that all the great men of the Bible made it clear that it was God who was doing great things through them?

Second, the saving message of the Gospel of Christ is not presented with humility and grace. Our hearts are supposed to be broken over the lost. We are supposed to love them as Christ loved them. The Gospel message should not be presented in a manner that says, 'Well, you can just get saved, or you can go to hell.'

The blessed man should never forget Romans 5:8 which says, 'But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while were yet sinners, Christ died for us.'

The song for this article is 'Just a Closer Walk With Thee'.

A closer walk with Jesus is what is necessary to transform the ungodly man into the blessed man. If you doubt it can be, remember the transformation of Saul, persecutor of Christians, to Paul, the greatest mortal to the Gentiles. The first step that Paul took was to be saved. Then Paul followed the teachings of Christ. His eternal destination was settled when he became a believer in Jesus Christ. His earthly destination was set as a 'blessed man' when he chose to become both a hearer and a doer of the word.

What kind of man or woman are you? Are you blessed or ungodly? Today is a good day to chart a new or clearer course as one who is determined be like the blessed man of the first chapter of the book of Psalms.

Thank you for reading my article. God bless you.

Barbara Henderson
http://barbarahenderson.web.officelive.com/default.aspx

'Just a Closer Walk With Thee'

http://cyberhymnal.org/htm/j/u/justaclo.htm
________________________________________
I am weak, but Thou art strong;
Jesus, keep me from all wrong;
I'll be satisfied as long
As I walk, let me walk close to Thee.
Refrain
Just a closer walk with Thee,
Grant it, Jesus, is my plea,
Daily walking close to Thee,
Let it be, dear Lord, let it be.
Through this world of toil and snares,
If I falter, Lord, who cares?
Who with me my burden shares?
None but Thee, dear Lord, none but Thee.
Refrain
When my feeble life is o'er,
Time for me will be no more;
Guide me gently, safely o'er
To Thy kingdom shore, to Thy shore.
Refrain

Real Savings With Artificial Stone - Decorating

Home builders today are challenged as never before to deliver quality homes at affordable prices. The current economic climate -- reduced access to credit, lower prices, and nervous investors -- means builders must compete in a tough buyer's market. It's essential to reduce costs wherever possible.

Yet, home buyers still demand top quality and enduring beauty.

Increasingly, builders are solving this dilemma by taking advantage of modern materials like artificial stone veneer, sometimes referred to as a stone facing, manufactured stone, or faux stone. This remarkable material makes possible fresh and innovative designs, greater flexibility, and reduced costs, all adding up to the ever-important curb appeal that attracts qualified buyers.

Out With The Old

Traditional brick is a proven building material and has been used for centuries. But it is also expensive, both in its initial cost and in the added costs of shipping, masonry labor, and reinforced foundations required to support its extra weight.

To counter these drawbacks, builders have lately turned to vinyl siding, drawn by its cheaper cost, lighter weight, and easier installation. But these advantages are not enough to overcome a major drawback: the tendency to use the siding in unimaginative, even boring designs.

The popularity of brick and the convenience of vinyl siding has inhibited creativity and led to a rash of new subdivisions filled with repetitive designs that look as if they all came off the same assembly line. Limiting themselves to these conventional materials means many builders miss opportunities to attract new and design-conscious buyers.

In With The New

Countering this trend, savvy builders have discovered the range of possibilities provided by artificial stone veneer. Modeled after natural stone and virtually indistinguishable from the original, artificial stone veneer is manufactured from a formulation of Portland cement, natural aggregates, and carefully selected pigments. Durable, light weight, and easy to work with, the material can substitute for wall stone in both interior and exterior projects ranging from chimneys and fireplaces, to fences, pillars, stone walls, and stone facings.

There is also the option to add stone veneer to popular traditional materials like wood siding, stucco, and board-and-batten, giving your home a custom-built look at affordable prices. Now, in combination with stone veneer accents, these techniques make possible unique designs that are more attractive then vinyl siding and less expensive than traditional brick.

Solid Savings

Using artificial stone veneer instead of traditional brick leads to remarkable savings. Besides the lower cost of the product itself, artificial stone veneer's light weight means a substantial reduction in the cost of shipping, labor, and foundations and footings. For example, builders can easily achieve a savings of between $1,700 and $4,000 (Canadian) on an average-sized detached home.

When selecting a vendor for artificial stone veneer, it's important to look for a company with both a superior product and a solid reputation. For Canadian builders, Stone Selex satisfies both requirements.

In addition to its existing product line from Artistic Stone, Stone Selex is now an authorized distributor for Canyon Stone, giving customers -- builders and renovators alike -- even more options for creating stunning stone designs to attract buyers and increase the value of a home. For your security, they offer a 50-year warranty on every stone they sell, keeping you covered for generations to come.

Contact Stone Selex to find out more about how you can achieve real savings with artificial stone.

Jerry Lebiedzinski is the President of Stone Selex, a premier supplier of artificial stone wall and manufactured stone in Canada. Visit Stone Selex at http://www.stoneselex.com for the best options in manufactured stone veneer

Shopping Online For Your Bathroom Vanity

Shopping online for bathroom vanities and vanity cabinets can be a smart way to remodel your bathroom. Not only will you be able to find more choices than you might in a regular supply store, but you will also be able to compare prices to see if you're getting the best deal possible. However, with these benefits come responsibility on your part to know what you're choosing and whether it's the right fit for you. Here's a primer that will help you find the best cabinet or vanity for your needs - at a great price.

Know your size

The first thing you will want to do is measure the distance from the wall to where you want the front of your vanity to be. Most bathroom vanities can be found in widths of under thirty inches to up to six feet. While you might want bathroom vanities to be larger in order to store more things, this can also cause your bathroom to appear cramped and much smaller than it really is. To help you with your measurement, you may want to find a cardboard box that can simulate the various sizes of bathroom cabinets online in order to get a clear mental picture of what your bathroom might look like once it's installed.

Know the wood color and texture

Just as there are hundreds of bathroom vanities, there are dozens of colors that you can choose from in terms of vanities. Some of the more traditional colors include wood veneers like cherry, maple, oak, and walnut. You can also find natural woods that are merely covered with a shiny sealant. Or you may opt for a glass cabinet or shelving system. You might also want to choose a particular color that falls in line with a theme that you have picked out. No matter what color you choose, you will want to ask for a clear picture of the cabinet first before you actually purchase it. A computer screen can sometimes distort the color that you see on the website.

Know the type of cabinet you want

While it seems fairly obvious what vanity cabinets are, bathroom vanities can range in size, shape, and purpose so you will want to know what's out there before you start shopping. Some of the common types of cabinets include:

" Shelving - This can be open, recessed, surface mounted or be placed in a corner. Choosing shelving means that any items that are stored here will be in plain view of anyone in the bathroom.
" Cabinets - Just like the name, these bathroom cabinets will be fully enclosed with doors of wood, glass or another material.
" Countertops - What type of countertop do you want
" Sink - The vanity that you choose may be determined partly by the type of sink that you want. If you want a vessel sink, you must find a vanity that accommodates that type of sink. If you want an undermount sink, then you should narrow your search to those vanities that have that type of sink.

When you're online

Knowing what the descriptions mean when you're shopping online for websites will allow you to pick the best fit for your needs as well as receive the cabinets that you really wanted. Most online retailers of bathroom vanities and vanity cabinets will have a customer service phone number that you should utilize if you have any questions.

For a site that's as helpful as they are stocked with the cabinets you need and want, go to http://www.discountbathroomvanities.com

Dave Robert is a district sales manager at Discount Bathroom Vanities Publishing, and an avid fixer-upper who's been restoring old houses for more than twenty years. Readers can tap into Dave's knowledge about home remodeling, and kitchen and bathroom design, at: http://www.DiscountBathroomVanities.com

Meditation Within All The World's Religions

Many people associate meditation with Far Eastern religions like Buddhism and Hinduism, and don't realize that there are also many forms of Judeo-Christian meditation, as well as meditations from other faiths. Below is an overview of meditation as it is generally viewed within each major religion, along with book suggestions and links to resources with more information.

In Buddhism, observing and stilling the mind are the key to recognizing the transience of all thoughts and emotions, in order to connect with eternal, non-personal awareness. Awakening the Buddha Within: Tibetan Wisdom for the Western World by Surya Das is a great book for learning the basics of Buddhism and meditation.

In Hinduism, meditating is the core practice for merging the mind with the energies operating beneath the physical world, through which the mind can ultimately merge with the source of these energies itself. Meditation is considered part of yoga practice - yoga means 'union' and meditation is considered the primary method for merging our awareness with the divine. Yoga periodicals such as Yoga Journal often feature beginning yoga meditation techniques.

In Kabbalah, often called Jewish mysticism, a form of meditation called 'hitbonenut', which involves contemplating a concept or light itself, is used to attain true, meta-intellectual knowledge. A good book for learning about incorporating meditation into mainstream Jewish traditions is Jewish Meditation: A Practical Guide by Aryeh Kaplan.

Eastern Orthodox Christianity incorporates the 'hesychasm', or Jesus prayer, performed in a meditative, chanting fashion, in order to connect with the heart of faith. For some more info, go to Hesychasm.

Roman Catholicism includes contemplative practices such as the rosary for lay people, and many silent contemplative practices for monastic initiates. St. Theresa of Avila was one of several Catholic mystics who wrote on the benefits of mental prayer. Check out her writings or the writings of Jesuit Ignatius Loyola for traditional Catholic meditations.

In Quaker meetings participants sit in silence, waiting for the 'inner light' to inspire someone to speak. Check out the writings of Mary Coelho, a modern Quaker and writer, for her insights on the role of quiet contemplation in modern Quakerism.

The Sufis within Islam incorporate both energy center and devotional meditation to merge with the 'beloved divine' responsible for life itself. Sufism has many branches and corresponding meditation techniques, but most are centered on love meditations. Check out How to do Sufi Meditation by Kuriakos for more information.

Taoism is the ancient Chinese mystic tradition and philosophy focused on balance and the interacting forces of yin/yang, passive/aggressive, masculine/feminine, and creating/receiving. Tai Chi is often considered a form of moving Taoist meditation. Sitting Taoist meditation focuses on similar themes of balance and flow.

The Bahai faith, a relatively new religious tradition, founded in 19-century Persia, emphasizes the spiritual unity of all humankind and the common themes of all world religions. Check out this information on Bahai meditation.

Lisa Erickson is a mom, meditation teacher, and writer. Visit her blog http://www.MommyMystic.wordpress.com for spiritual book reviews and information on meditation and spirituality.

Suspended Ceilings - Home Tips

Suspended ceiling or known also as dropped ceilings are ceilings that are placed underneath the existing one and hide any kinds of wiring or piping that may be sticking out of the current ceiling. Suspended ceilings are a great idea as they allow you to hide all of the clutter that is up there already allowing for maintenance to be carried out on anything that is there without as much risk as you would without the suspended ceiling being there.

They are made up from a grid that contains metal frameworks which is held together with wires which connect up to the existing ceiling, in this grid tiles are placed and linked up, this is what makes the basis of a suspended ceiling even thought there are many different types of suspended ceilings, they all seem to follow the same basis.

Suspended ceiling started being made to help with sound levels in rooms and offers sound absorption. This is made by adding insulation above the tiles, this helps to absorb the sound in the room.

Now though sound absorption is not the only reason for getting suspended ceilings installed, nowadays you can have a lot of different reasons for example you may want to hide pipes or create air ducts for you building, if this is the case then suspended ceilings are definitely the way forward for you.

When you are thinking about getting your suspended ceilings installed there should be one main concern on your mind, this is Safety. You need to know that your ceilings are going to be safe and cause no harm to anyone or be a hazard in any way. You are going to need to make sure that the tiles and anything else you place up in the suspended ceilings in firmly attached to the grid otherwise there can be problems with the ceiling falling down or in the event of an emergency where the ceiling has to be pulled down I.e. a fire, then the whole ceiling can be brought down as one and doesn't come down in pieces causing major hazards.

If you are going to install suspended ceilings in a clean room then you need to make sure that the suspended ceiling complies with all rules and laws that are set. If your suspended ceilings are in any way contaminated with dust or particles then your whole clean room becomes pointless and questionable.

Clean rooms are required in many different industries which include food, electronic and pharmaceuticals. If your room does not meet the industry standards you can be closed down, so therefore making sure that your suspended ceilings in no way effect your business you will need to make sure that you can meet requirements with your ceilings. You will need to have a steady flow of purified air being brought into the room; this can be easily incorporated into suspended ceilings in the ceiling void above.

So before purchasing your suspended ceilings you should make sure that it complies 100% with all of your health and safety regulations.

Find more about Suspended Ceilings

Acoustic Ceiling Removal - Popcorn or Texture?

The decision to attempt acoustic ceiling removal is not something most people jump into without a bit of forethought. There are both pros and cons to consider before making a choice to either keep that popcorn ceiling or scrape it off and replace it with some type of wall texture. I have tried to cover the most important issues in this article to help you make the choice best for your situation.

The Pros of Acoustic Ceiling Removal

• The money: Acoustic removal usually increases the value and marketability of your home, sometimes dramatically. A textured ceiling is by most opinions far more appealing and buyers will pay for what they like.
• Removal reduces the nesting places for bugs such as dust mites and spiders. In my experience, it is more likely than not to see spider webs on close examination of an older acoustic ceiling.
• Because the rough acoustic ceiling texture tends to trap light and create a shadowing effect replacing with modern knockdown or similar texture can make the room appear much brighter and more open.
• The new ceiling can be painted the same color as the walls or a different color if you desire. You are not stuck with an "acoustic white" or one of the shades of yellow acoustic tends to turn over the years.
• Cleaning the dust and dirt that accumulates around ceiling vents and ceiling fans is next to impossible with out damaging and/or creating a mess of acoustic kernels on an acoustic ceiling.

The Cons of Acoustic Ceiling Removal

• The money: Removing a popcorn ceiling, repairing the drywall, applying texture, priming and finally painting can be very expensive if done by a contractor.

• Sometimes acoustic is applied because that gnarly texture hides damage. Hidden drywall damage usually means more time needed from the crew's drywall patch masters, along with additional material which of course equals more money out of your pocket.

• The removal process can be a lot of work if done yourself. There is a lot of information out there on the web to help guide you through the process. In fact, our site, BigRehab.com, has a systematic manual on the process. Removal is hard work that requires a certain level of skill, skill that only comes with experience. Before taking on the removal of an entire home, I highly suggest you get started by doing a small bedroom or office to size up what you are getting into. Many errors in coating the drywall or applying the texture will not be seen until the paint is applied and has dried.

• Some popcorn/acoustic ceilings contain asbestos. If your ceiling contains asbestos above the threshold level you must follow your state and local laws regarding removal and disposal of this hazardous waste product. This will include multiple air samples, protective clothing and respiration gear, specialized sealers, portable showers, heppa air filtration, etc. Can you see the dollars piling up yet? Asbestos removal is very expensive.

Popcorn or Texture

As you consider these issues and come to a decision do not overlook one of the most important factors: You. Is looking at those ugly ceilings something you want to do for the rest of the time you own your home? Ultimately optional home improvement projects such as removing your popcorn ceiling come down to what your desire is for the home you live in.

For further information on acoustic ceiling or popcorn ceiling removal, visit the author's website. It is a wealth of information and includes free do it yourself manual that outlines the acoustic removal process in easy to follow steps.

Building Stairs With Recycled Concrete

What a great idea using your old side walk or driveway to build a nice stairway for your front or back yard. Using the old concrete instead of sending it to the landfill. Wow talk about earth friendly. Who would have thought that using recycled concrete would create a beautiful center piece in your landscaping plans.

That's enough about that lets get to the nuts and bolts of building the stairs. I came across the idea by visiting one of our favorite breakfast stops in Fallbrook. I had been walking down these stairs for quite a while when it dawned on me that the stairs where kind of jagged. When I took a closer look I couldn't figure it out, What kind of building materials did they use.

Then I realized it was recycled concrete in other words someone's old side walk. They even used the old concrete to make some nice planter boxes and retaining walls. The whole area really looks nice. The landscaping created natural look with a old world look to it.

How do I build the stairs using recycled concrete? Simply put first thing you need to do is get some recycled concrete. If you are going to be tearing up a old sidewalk, driveway or patio then you won't have to look far.

If not you can contact some local general or demolition contractors. They would love to have someone haul away their concrete. The reason for this is they have to pay around five hundred dollars for every ten tons hauled away from the jobs they are working on.

The more recycled concrete you need the easier it will be to get it. If you need a lot you will be able to contact a concrete recycling plant and get the phone number to a local contractor that hauls broken up concrete to their plants. These people can drop off a large load if you have a large area to drop it.

Remember that most contractors don't want to be bothered because they are busy working or planning on working. The easier you can make it on the contractor the more likely you will get what you want from them. They usually aren't interested in doing extra work just to make you happy. You can get a lot by being courteous from most people.

Now that you have the concrete you can start building. The concrete will be stacked on top of the other concrete to form the steps. Depending on how long of a stairway you are building you will have to level the dirt and stack the recycled concrete to make the stairs.

Greg Vanden Berge is working on the internet to promote the education for creating simple to follow guides and home building books to help professional building contractors as well as the weekend warriors. He is currently working on more building stairs books and adding useful content to help solve problems created by the lack of construction knowledge in the building industry.

Visit us now for more great Home Remodeling Tips

Benefits of Meditation on Physical Health

Since the 1970's there has been a steady flow of research data on the effects and benefits of meditation. The results overwhelmingly show there are numerous benefits to meditation. In this article we are going to concentrate on the physiological and health benefits.

Nearly all forms of meditation have one thing in common, that is relaxing the body. When the body relaxes, the mind follows. Directly experiencing the inter-relationship of the body and mind, is then a significant benefit of meditation. This awareness is a doorway to increasing self awareness and self empowerment.

The relationship between body and mind is a parallel direction of scientific and medical study. That they do effect each other in positive and negative ways is now pretty much undisputed, and the complexity of ways and means continues to be revealed. With this understanding has emerged the significant role that stress place in the development of illness and dis-ease.

Combine then the positive benefits of regular, conscious relaxation and the development of self awareness, including the presence of stress and you have a winning formulae. It is this later point which means that there is a whole dimension of greater benefit from meditation over simple relaxation practices.

Let us now look at the relaxation component, in order to understand it's health benefits. To do this justice we need to understand the autonomic nervous system, or ANS. The ANS governs and regulates involuntary functions of the body, which means all the wonderful things your body does on autopilot. We do not have to tell our bodies to breath, or our heart to beat, or have our food digested, our our immune system to protect our biological environment, or our pupils to adjust as the light source changes. All of these things and more, are handled for our best interest and well being by the ANS. The purpose of all these functions of the ANS is to maintain homeostasis - a stable constant condition.

There are two aspects to the ANS, the Parasympathetic and the Sympathetic systems, which we can view as two different survival functions that have the opposite effect on the ANS. Most people will know the Sympathetic system as 'fight or flight' which occurs when there is the perception of immanent danger. When this response is activated, all available energy is readied to fight or flee for survival. In this state the function of the immune, digestive, and reproductive systems decreases or stops. At the same time adrenalin is pumped into the body, heart rate and breathing speedup and blood moves to the exterior of the body to power the muscles. In addition the higher functions of the mind give way to the powerful emotional impulses that drive survival. This is more or less what happens when we are 'stressed out'.

The Parasympathetic is then the opposite, it is the creation of homeostasis I described earlier, in which each bodily system function to its best current capacity.

It is easy to see then how the regular and accumulative experience of stress, depletes the bodies ability to maintain healthy function of its systems. On the other hand we can also understand how conscious relaxation is a beneficial factor in maintaining health, both physically and mentally. But there is more....

Neuroscientists have found that meditators shift their brain activity to different areas of the brain. Activity in the stress indicating right frontal cortex moves to the calmer left frontal cortex. This mental shift reduces the negative effects of stress, and indeed mild depression and anxiety. There is also less activity in the amygdala, the flight or fight center, where the brain processes fear. Multiple studies have shown that participants who meditated for even a small amount of time develop more alpha waves with decreases in anxiety and depression.

In 2003 Dr Jon Kabat-Zinn, from the University of Massachusetts Medical School, did a research study of stressed-out employees of a high-tech company in Madison, Wisconsin. The subjects were separated into two random groups. One group of 25 people learnt meditation for two months. Sixteen others were used as the control group. The brain activity of all those taking part was scanned three times during the study: first, at the beginning of the experiment, second, when meditation lessons were completed eight weeks later and finally again four months after that. The brain scans showed that the meditators had a definite transfer in brain activity to the left frontal lobe, the brains happiness and joy center.

Here then as a list are the physiological benefits of meditating

* It stabilizes the autonomous nervous system.
* It reduces the heart beat.
* It reduces the speed of breathing.
* Blood pressure drops.
* The Galvanic Skin Response (GSR) increases.
* EMG activity increases. (the electrical impulses of muscles at rest and during contraction.)
* Cardiovascular effectivity goes up.
* Breathing effectivity increases.
* The skin receives more blood.
* Stomach function and bowel function improve.
* The endocrine function is heightened.
* Muscle flexibility increases.
* The intake of oxygen gets stronger.
* Mobility and flexibility increase.
* The hand-eye co-ordination increases.
* Reaction-speed increases.
* Body posture is improved.
* Strength and resistance increase.
* Stamina increases.
* There is a heightened energy level and vitality.
* Peoples weight is stabilized at an ordinary level.
* The ability to sleep increases and the time people need to fall asleep decreases.
* Pain is weakened.
* Stability is improved.
* Depth perception increases.
* There is a heightened degree of relaxation.
* There is a lessened degree of muscle tension.
* The production of serotonin increases.
* Menstruation pains are softened.
* Increases serotonin which influences moods and behaviour. Low levels of serotonin are associated with depression, headaches and insomnia.
* Reduces anxiety attacks by lowering the levels of blood lactate.
* Decreases muscle tension (any pain due to tension) and headaches.
* Helps in post-operative healing.
* Enhances the immune system.

Ray Baskerville is a healer, meditation teacher, certified hypnotherapist, yogi and proud father. He has taught meditation and yoga and practiced healing all over the world.

Ray is also the creator and editor of http://www.lifedivine.net an online magazine for yoga, meditation, spirituality and personal development. Please visit for more quality articles like this.

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Plant Gardens and Watch Them Grow

Giving children a way to watch the life grow on a much smaller scale is a very important component to growing up. If you have smaller children and you want them to be able to understand about cultivating life, seeing it grow, seeing it die, and understanding the life cycle then the you should consider giving them a Garden. Gardening is safe and fun for any age. It doesn't require a lot of work or dangerous equipment like a chain saw. A Garden is something a little bit less tangible than a pet, it has a shorter lifecycle, and kids will be able to understand from the very beginning that all things die and are built again.

Bringing Kids Onto the Scene of a Garden

While some parents may wish to shield their children from reality for as long as possible, this is a bad idea because of the fact that they will ultimately have to face reality. Giving your children a window into real life by showing them what can happen to a plant over the course of a season is an important thing. Letting them know watch the plant grow and flourish and then wither and die will help them conceptualize life and death.

While some newer parents may think that that is not something that they want their children have any idea about, as soon as they start playing video games or cruising the Internet or even in a movie of the week or a season ending episode of a sitcom, death is all around us. If you let them struggle with that earlier on in life than they may have a more difficult time dealing with it later on; if you show them that people and plants and animals are all part of the life and death cycle then they will understand that it is everywhere. This can be easily achieved with a garden.

Naming Your Plants; Making Them Meaningful

One of the easiest ways to make your garden meaningful to your children is to name the plants. If you give them names than the children will begin to form personalities for them and maybe even talk to them much like they do their stuffed animals. Then when the plant eventually does expire this will be the perfect opportunity for you to introduce the lifecycle to the very young age. Making sure that they understand this is one of the important things about living a life and raising a family.

Peter Mason regularly edits detailed articles on problems relating to chainsaw sharpening grinder. From his writings on oregon sharpener and electric chain saw sharpener the reviewer improved his capability in the field.

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Turkey Burgers

Turkey is used in many delicacies. It is associated with Thanksgiving, but also consumed on other occasions. Turkey is generally preferred because it is high in protein and low on fat, as compared to other dark meat. Some common breeds of turkey are: Narragansett, Bronze, White Holland, and Bourbon Red.

Turkey can be roasted, smoked, deep fried, grilled or microwaved. Turkey can be used for appetizers, soaps, salads, sandwiches, entrees, etc. The most popular turkey dishes are: sandwich, stew or soup, salad, casserole and stir-fry.

Turkey Burgers are very popular. They are also easy to make and are very delicious. The main ingredients in a Turkey Burger are: ground turkey, seasoned bread crumbs, finely diced onion, lightly beaten egg whites, peeled and minced garlic, salt, and ground black pepper. All the ingredients are mixed together and made into patties. These patties are fried in oil and cooked like regular burgers. The ingredients also differ depending up on the kind of burger. They include wine, rice, cranberry sauce, cheese, mustard, pickles, tomato, readymade seasonings etc. They can be garnished with lettuce, tomato, cheese and other vegetables.

There are many different kinds of Turkey Burgers: turkey and cheddar burgers, turkey teriyaki burgers, Viking Turkey Burgers, garden fresh Turkey Burgers, grilled Turkey Burgers, Cajun Turkey Burgers, turkey cornmeal burgers, turkey cornmeal burgers with salsa, Turkey Burgers with spring vegetables, herbed Turkey Burgers, seasoned Turkey Burgers, apple glazed Turkey Burgers, peppers Turkey Burgers, three bean Turkey Burgers, low fat Turkey Burgers, Turkey Burger casserole, ground Turkey Burgers, turkey-vegetable burgers, giant Turkey Burgers and so on.

There are also prepared Turkey Burgers available. These contain all the stuffing and have to be just taken from the freezer and heated. There are several Turkey Burger recipes available over the Internet as well.

Turkey provides detailed information about turkey, turkey hunting, turkey recipes, deep fried turkey and more. Turkey is the sister site of 1200 Calorie Diabetic Diets.

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Inexpensive Meat Substitute

What if I told you I'd found a food you can use like meat that's not only dirt cheap, but also healthier than many other food items on the market? You'd probably think I also had some swamp land in Florida to sell you cheap.

Well, TVP (texturized vegetable protein) is the "wonder" food in question. TVP is basically an inexpensive, relatively tasteless meat substitute which can be added to many dishes you're probably already fixing for your regular family meals.

TVP's texture is similar to that of ground meat, it's very low in fat and has no cholesterol. Since TVP is nearly tasteless, it absorbs the flavor of whatever you're cooking. I've found TVP tends to work best in fairly spicy dishes rather than bland recipes. We use TVP in spaghetti sauce, chili, soups, Sloppy Joes, skillet meals and tacos. For skeptical family members, you can even try sneaking TVP into your recipes mixed half-and-half with ground beef or turkey. The first time I snuck it into spaghetti sauce, my family commented on how good the meal was ... and no one suspected that the meat-like granules in the sauce weren't ground beef or sausage.

TVP comes in dry form (several different shapes/sizes: flakes, chunks, granules) and there are now also several flavored varieties. Since it comes dry, TVP needs to be reconstituted before using. To reconstitute, simply pour one cup boiling water over one cup dry TVP, letting it sit in a bowl until the TVP absorbs all the water (this just takes a couple minutes). If I'm adding TVP to something with a high water content such as spaghetti sauce or soup, I don't bother rehydrating it first since it will absorb the flavorful liquid from the sauce/soup.

I purchase TVP in the bulk food bins at my local health food co-op, but I've also seen it carried in several major grocery store chains. Just call around and find the stores in your local area that carry it.

Deborah Taylor-Hough (free-lance writer and mother of three) is the author of several popular books including Frozen Assets: How to Cook for a Day and Eat for a Month and A Simple Choice: A Practical Guide for Saving Your Time, Money and Sanity. To subscribe to her free email newsletter, Simple Times, send an email to: subscribe-simple-times@hub.thedollarstretcher.com Visit Debi online and read more articles dealing with simple living, frugality, parenting and much more: http://thesimplemom.wordpress.com/

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Pokemon And Religion

The Garlic Press - Food Ruining Tool Or Handy Kitchen Gadget?

To press or not to press, that is the question! Garlic is undoubtedly high on the list of seasonings for many chefs and food lovers. It is found in foods worldwide, from main courses to side dishes. Honey garlic ribs, garlic mashed potatoes, garlic bread, and the list goes on. Have I whetted your appetite?

But what is the best method for you to prepare this pungent herb? This question has been a hot topic among food preparers for years. Some feel that the garlic press is a wonderful kitchen tool that everyone should own. Others are sure that it ruins the properties of garlic entirely. This isn't a clear cut issue, being a matter of taste (literally).

There are two common methods of adding fresh garlic to your cooking. First,you could peel and dice the cloves by hand, using a knife and cutting board. The other method would be to use a garlic press, and extrude the garlic directly into the dish you are preparing.
There's no denying that a good garlic press can save time and mess. Most of the presses don't even require you to remove the peel or touch the peeled garlic directly, keeping the smell of garlic off your hands. It is easy to use the pressed garlic in foods since the garlic comes out almost as a paste and stirs into, or is spread on, your creation easily.

A good garlic press will have lots of room in the hopper and be fairly easy to squeeze. Some of the cheaper models take a lot of strength to press, and this is difficult for anyone with small hands. A high quality garlic press will be easy to clean, will actually extrude all of a clove instead of just mashing it inside the hopper, and be sturdy enough to last. More than one cheap press has broken at the hinge after a few uses. One of these cheaper models will have you cursing the manufacturer in short order.

Many chefs prefer to use diced or chopped garlic instead. This is usually done by smashing the clove using the side of your knife and hitting the flat of the knife with your hand. You can then pull the loosened peel off of the clove. A quick dicing, and your garlic is ready for use. This traditional method is quite effective and easy to master.

You will have to make up your own mind on which method is best for you. If you don't mind a little extra work and mess, you can get by fine without a garlic press. If you want to keep the odor off your hands and need to process a lot of garlic fast, then a press may be just what you need.

Tim Ebl loves to cook in his own kitchen, and tries out new kitchen tools as often as possible. For more articles on various kitchen gadgets go to Kitchen Gadgets

Water Heater Inside And Clean Up

What You Need to Know to Improve Your Study Skills

Improving your study skills will make you a better student when taking tests and exams for any subject. Students who struggle to perform on tests do so for a variety of reasons. A big reason why certain students struggle is a failure to prepare properly. Students may be studying but not fully using their time wisely. This article will talk about how motivation and a desire to be great is the fundamental building block to success.

Tiger Woods is a classic example of motivation and a desire to be great, having that motivation and desire means going to the driving range and hitting 1000 golf balls everyday. But how do you get motivated or if you perceive to not have motivation how do you develop it. The answer is to find what motivates you. What I mean by that is what do you want to accomplish. Not knowing what you want to achieve makes it very difficult to get motivated.

Motivation and desire are often not always the difference between a great student and a good student. Its the difference the majority of times between a good student and a student who just gets by. Improving your study skills takes commitment and a desire to want to change. In essence you have to be motivated to make that change. Motivation can happen very quickly if you make the conscience decision to embrace it. That is the point of this article and how it relates to improving your study skills. To improve you must focus on it, set goals and get motivated to learn new study skills and then apply them. If you do you will see results in the classroom and exams guaranteed.

I have written a ton of articles on tips and study suggestions but without goals, desire and motivation all these tips will not help you. Students who graduate Magna Cum Laude have the desire to be great in school. They have a focus, they make sacrifices and they are motivated to complete a task to the best of their ability. If you want to be great at whatever you do strive for it and don't stop until you reach your goals.

My motivation was to become a better student by learning how to improve my study skills and also learning how to increase my study speed. Motivation will help you become a better student guaranteed but you have to find it and use it. As mentioned before becoming a better student is learning how to increase your study speed. A website you can go to to learn the benefits of speed studying is here SpeedStudyMethod.com Imagine how well of a test taker you will be when you can study twice the material in half the time. My motivation was because I had more time to focus on other things. There are many benefits to using this method of studying. I used this method and was able to finish my undergrad in 3 and half years and currently I carry a 3.79 in my MBA program. If you want to be a better student follow these tips and check the website out you won't regret it.

Home Improvement Tips - Types of Countertops

It used to be that laminate was pretty much your only choice for kitchen countertops. Those days are thankfully long gone but now a homeowner is faced with a variety of choices and wide range of prices available for your kitchen renovation.

Some of the popular choices include:

Ceramic Tile

This remains as a popular and economical alternative that is heat and scratch resistant. It is high maintenance though since it needs to have it's grout sealed regularly to avoid staining.

Concrete

This is a incredibly versatile surface that can be textured and detailed with patterns unlike any other surface. However it is extremely porous and needs to be regularly sealed to avoid stains.

Engineered Stone

This product is made of a quartz composite with colored pebbles or different materials giving its wide range of colors. Texture is usually even and the colors can be reproduced over larger areas. It as extremely durable product that can resist heat and stain.

Granite

Granite is a natural stone. It comes from different regions of the world and can vary widely in color and pattern. It needs to be seamed and requires period sealing to avoid stains. It cannot tolerate high heat from hot pans.

Laminate

Laminate comes in a variety of colors but is not designed to be long lasting. Although it is somewhat stain resistant it will scratch easily. It will also burn easily from hot pans.

Marble

This is another natural stone that is porous and stains easily. It must be sealed every two to five years. They are also easily scratched and cannot take high heat from hot pans.

Slate

This is a third natural stone that is less porous and doesn't require sealing but can be easily scratched

Stainless Steel

This is a very popular product because of the sleek modern look it conveys. It is very durable and resists staining. Often times the surface is brushed to hide any scratches.

Wood

Various types of hardwoods can be used for countertops. It does require regular sealing to avoid drying out and is susceptible to burns from hot pans.

These are some of the pros and cons of the more popular types of countertops. Choose your countertop carefully depending on your usage and needs.

Bob Current writes on a variety of subjects including home improvement tips. You can get a free copy of his report about Choosing The Best Contractor for your project at http://www.homeimprovementtips.info and at http://www.concretecountertops.bcurrent.info/concretecountertops

Our Beliefs and How They Stop Us From Success

Beliefs are constructs of our internal world and how we view them. They are based on what we have experienced and what we perceive to be true. We all behave as if our beliefs were true and that is what gives us direction. If you 100% believe that you will create a successful business or wealth, without any doubt in yourself, your ability or any other factors, then you will behave as if it were true. When you behave as if it were true, then every decision you make, path you take and conversation you have is all geared around that one thing. You in fact MAKE it happen. You will also see things and interpret events, people and actions based on your beliefs. For instance, if you believe your neighbor is a thief based on what Mrs Smith told you at number 23 down the street, you will behave with that person in a way based on that belief. So, your interaction with that person is likely to be guarded and therefore precipitate a response which is guarded from that neighbor based on your behavior towards them. So, due to the fact you now have confirmed they are "shifty" you in fact are creating your own reality. However, Mrs Smith got her facts wrong and the neighbor is really a Nobel Peace Prize winner for charitable acts but you have just confirmed to yourself that they are a thief.

Think about it - if you believe you are not capable - then you will behave and make decisions based on that fact. So, if you deal with those negative beliefs about yourself, think what a difference that will make to your capabilities and results? AND what are those beliefs that you are capable based on? A one time event which started a repeated behavior? A repeated belief? So, if your reality is subjective, then if you think you are not capable is that in fact reliable, or would you like to change it to something else? With our beliefs and our reality we view the world as if everything we are seeing is the truth is real and that anything outside of that must either no be real or we disbelieve it. Everyone lives within boundaries of some description - whether they are enforced by society, our environment, what we have experienced or the influence of others. We also make judgments about others based on those boundaries and make judgments which ultimately revolve around our own experience so if we come across something we are not familiar with, we can automatically disbelieve it or possibly treat it as a threat until we understand it or in fact dismiss it completely without consideration. The problem with this is that we limit ourselves to the possibilities of growth and the ability to develop and progress and learn. Can you change your beliefs today and allow yourself to achieve everything you know you can? Make your reality today.

The director of Emma James Training Ltd is Emma James (amazingly!) who is a trainer of NLP, Hypnosis and Master TLT but also a Master Practitioner in all three therapies. Originally from Northern Ireland she has the drive and passion to constantly prove that NLP works, not only in her sport and coaching of others, but in therapy at her clinic and also in business application, taking people to levels they didn't think were possible.

Wood Panel Renovation - San Deigo Home Tips

The old paneling in your home has turned too ugly to even bear and yet you cannot change it because of its very exorbitant cost. It gives you a feeling of depression and you have gone to the level of thinking of selling your home off just to get away from those irksome panels. Just do not feel down as you are not the only one facing this problem. There are millions of other people too who just hate the ugly look of the paneling in their home. There are a few tricks that can help you repair those panels and get rid of that horrendous look.

A few ideas are her for you to check, with the help of which you can readily brighten up the dingy walls and the ugly panels. Only be prepared to endure some elbow grease which is surely better than the ugly look of those panels.

Painting the Paneling: One way of giving them a professional look is to paint the panels. But you just cannot splash a tin-full of paint and expect it to look good. If you try that out it will give a bad look to the panels. Panels absorb the paints easily and this would show the panels again and might even leave some yellow streaks on the base. The key to a good painting is surface preparation. Just degrease the surface from dirt and muck with a good cleaner before painting it. A gloss-removing substance has to be applied before the degreasing solution is put on the panels. It should be then left to dry for a night. The panel is then absolutely ready to get painted. After the first coat of paint you should leave it to fry before applying the second coat.

Painting Wallpaper: There is a kind of wallpaper available in some wallpaper stores; those wallpapers can be painted again. This gives the look of a painted wall to the paper. You can choose a color and apply it on these wallpapers and it will look really great. The awfully dingy wood paneling gets a brand new look. Other colors can also be used to give a 3D effect to the whole thing. The wallpapers should be hung according to the direction. The paper has to be soaked in water prior to the painting and left to hang for a few minutes. This makes the paper ready to be painted with the color(s) of your choice. I did this to my own basement after replacing the windows.

Glazing the Paneling: By glazing the panel you can add a nice shine to it. The panel should be cleaned with a degreaser solution. Then the panel has to be colored according to your choice. It should be left overnight to get dried. Then you mix a satiny top shade with a glaze in correct proportion and paint over small sections of the panels. Determining how much shine you want, just wipe off the excess glaze with a clean sweep. The brush should be cleaned with mineral oil and let dry before storing them for future use.

Being specifically passionate about basement window, Johnathan Bakers was publishing a lot of detailed reports in this specific field. You can discover his writings on over at http://www.replacement-windows-tips.com

Weight Loss Motivation

Lack of motivation is a major reason many people fail when it comes to losing weight. I myself know first hand. All the daily distractions in life can leave you distracted from what you truly want. This article will address 3-ways to stay motivated and give you better chances of succeeding.

Weight Loss Motivation Tip #1

The first step is convincing yourself this is something you must have. Write down the three main reason why you must lose weight. It could be anything such as health benefits, wanting more energy, wanting to increase your life span, etc. Re-sight these on a daily basis to keep you focused on why you must succeed.

It takes years to get out of shape, and even less to get in shape. The average life span for a human is around 70 years. Did you know it can take as little as 6 months to 1 year to get in shape for the average overweight person? Before you start any program, make sure you are willing to commit 6 months to 1 year at it. It will not happen overnight. Its going to take time and energy. Remember your why reasons to help keep you on track.

Weight Loss Motivation Tip #2

The next step is finding a program that works to follow. You should not just buy the first fad diets or exercising gimmick you see on the television. Most people know a handful of people who have tried some form of diet or exercise program that worked. Go to these people and find out exactly what they did. If you do not know anyone, you can find many forums and review sites on the Internet of real user that explain exactly what they have done. Visit some of these websites to for ideas.

Weight Loss Motivation Tip #3

The final step is having someone to motivate and consistently push you to keep going. This could be a spouse, friend, partner, or even someone on an Internet message board. You do not have to go it alone in fact, having someone to keep you motivated will increase your chances of success.

Everybody wants to get in shape and life healthy. In my opinion, everyone can. Using these weight loss motivation tips can drastically help increase your chances of weight loss success. Remember to identify your why reason, stick to a program that works, and find someone to keep you motivated.

This article is written by M. Martin. Find more tips, articles, and reviews for the top diet and exercise programs at Lose Pounds Fast a blog operated by M. Martin.

M. Martin lost 60 pounds following Fat Loss 4 Idiots diet program. A full review for this program can be found at Lose Pounds Fast

Spreading the Good Word of God Gently

The other day I was walking through the park when I saw a man, an extremely large man reading the Bible. I was minding my own business like I normally do in full observation mode, just simply enjoying life. When what I thought was a tree reading the Bible, moved and scared the crap out of me. This man was about 6'9" and look like he played professional football but when he spoke it was nonthreatening and very gentle.

Have you read the Bible he said. I thought to myself, you have got to be kidding me. Couldn't this person have been smaller and what's he going to do when I tell him that I have but no longer follow Christianity. I liked my face and the rest of my body, should I lie to this man to save my own life or would he be understanding about my beliefs.

I threw the dice out on the table and told him that I have read the Bible and do not believe it is the word of God, the Creator of the universe. I explained to him that, there is a lot of useful information and some wonderful stories in the Bible but that it could not completely be proven as factual information. I continued to explain to him that there was a lot of information in the Bible that contradicted itself and some that simply wasn't true.

He sat back down on the park bench and asked me to join him. I couldn't resist as I always have enjoyed talking about religion and ready to learn something about this man and why he is a Christian. He started to tell me about some recent events that have happened in his life, some bad, some worse and of course some that he didn't want to talk about. However, he did mention a trip to church a few Sundays ago that changed his life.

I was happy for him that he had found peace but explained to him that he is extremely vulnerable to anything right now that can make a little sense out of his life. Be careful I told him, because you could get caught up in something that feels and sounds good, only to find out later in life, that you have questions about Christianity that can't be answered.

I had a very pleasant conversation with this person and I believe he appreciated a few of the points I made. When people are down and out and their lives seem to be really messed up, they're extremely vulnerable to others religious beliefs, whether they're right or wrong.

Don't force your religious beliefs onto others, be kind and courteous to those who are on the edge and having difficulties in life. Explaining to them about your religion and how it has benefited you is wonderful but it might not be as beneficial to someone else. The next time you plan on converting someone who is down in the dumps, make sure that you understand your own religion before you pass false beliefs onto others.

It's like a cancer spreading through the body, most of the cancer cells don't know what they are doing or how much damage is going to be done until it's too late.

You are free to copy this article to your site as long as you include the following resource information with an active link to my site:

Greg Vanden Berge is a published author, internet marketing expert, motivational inspiration to millions of people all over the world and is sharing some of his wisdom with experts in the fields of writing,marketing, and personal development. Check out one of his recommended books, You Can Have It All

Greg is currently working on a self help library filled with great subjects on a wide array of topics, like religion, self help and spiritual changes in the world. His views on religious freedom are slowly changing the way people think about institutional religion.

Choice - More Or Less?

The hundreds of decisions we now have to make in our daily lives doesn't necessarily make for a richer life.

Some years ago, choice was either a fluke or a privilege. Choice only came to you on special occasions such as your birthday. Then you would get to choose things like which of two outfits you wanted to wear , which three friends you wanted to come to tea, and maybe if you were really lucky, the style of your birthday cake. Or if you won at the fairground you could choose which goldfish or cuddly toy you wanted, and would it be candyfloss or toffee apple?

But now our lives are ruled by choice. Even asking for a glass of water in a restaurant has turned into a major decision. Should it be still, fizzy, tap, Finnish, French, or Derbyshire? Surely it doesn't matter as long as your thirst is quenched!

Choice has infiltrated every aspect of our lives. Make a telephone call to any department store, supplier or doctor's surgery and before you even get to speak to a real human being you will have had to choose which button to press, probably a number of times!

The TV provides such a bewildering choice of channels is it any wonder so many people just use their favoured one or two?

Some Advice When Decision Time Comes.

When making a choice, think about what you really do want. We're conditioned to think we want many things, in fact many of them are totally unnecessary and living without them gives a less cluttered life.

Try to consciously make a choice. Don't just "go with the flow", or act out of habit. This can leave you feeling stuck in a rut.

Don't regret your choices. Once you've made a decision, focus on that - rather than thinking about other routes you could have taken.

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