By faith Abraham obeyed… and he went out, not knowing where he was going.
When Abraham was 75 years old God called him to leave the land of his father. And so, advanced in years, he departed for the Land of Canaan. He was rootless, homeless, “not knowing where he was going”
Age brings change and uncertainty. It means transition from a familiar past to an uncertain future. It can mean movement from a family home to smaller place, to a daughter’s home, to a retirement village, to a nursing home the final resort. Like Abraham, some of us make our way from one location to another, always traveling and not knowing where we’re going.
Yet we can be at home in any dwelling, for our safekeeping lies not in the place where we live but in God Himself. We can dwell in the secret place of the Most High and abide under the shadow of the Almighty. There, in His presence, under His wings, we find refuge. The eternal God becomes our dwelling place.
Though our dwelling place here on earth may be uncertain, God will be our companion and friend until our traveling days are over and we reach our heart’s true home that is heaven. Until that day, let’s shed the light of God’s loving kindness on other travelers.
Someday my earthly house will fall
I cannot tell how soon it will be;
But this I know my All in All
Has now a place in heaven for me
For the Christian, heaven is spelled H-O-M-E
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I know what you have done; I know how hard you have worked and how patient you have been…
Do you ever get tired of working?
If you’re the average person, you must be living a routinely life, you wake up, go to work, go back home, sleep, then wake up again the next morning to do the same thing. You’re seldom able to spend your hard-earned money on yourself because you have a family to feed, kids to put through school, monthly utility bills to pay, plus the rent, etc…
Everyday you toil to make a living. It can get burdensome, especially when you’re struggling to make ends meet. You want to quit but you can’t, because people you love are relying on you.
But God sees and appreciates everything that you do out of love and He rewards you for it. Works is a blessing in itself. Without it, your talents would be useless, your family would starve, the children would grow up ignorant, and you’d all probably be homeless.
To be relied on is an even greater blessing. How miserable life must be if nobody needed you. So press on. Your labor of love touches lives.
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A Hernia is a bulge or protrusion of soft tissue that has forced its way through or between muscles. When your abdominal muscles are well toned and firm, they press on various organs and tissues within your body helping to keep them in their correct anatomical position. When these muscles are allowed to become weak and lose their tone, however, they are no longer able to perform their function efficiently; any undue strain or pressure inside the abdomen can force the muscles to part at a particular point. This allows a part of the abdominal contents, generally a section of the intestine, to push its way through the unnatural opening created by the weak muscles and to become a visible bulge or sack called hernia.
All forms of hernia are generally the result of muscular weakness. It should be obvious, therefore, that surgery accomplishes nothing in so far as removal of causes is concerned; hence, the height rate of recurrence and complications. For example, it is not uncommon for a hernia to be surgically corrected on one side of the body and shortly thereafter for another one to appear on the opposite side.
The common assumption that a hernia is the result of heavy lifting is false. Weightlifters seldom, if ever, develop a hernia. It is generally a man who sits in an office all week and then helps his wife move a sofa on Sunday who acquires a hernia. If his internal abdominal muscles were firm and well toned, he could easily lift the sofa without acquiring a hernia or rapture. A hernia is not necessarily a rupture. It is usually a forced stretching of a natural opening, an excessive separation of the muscular tissues. The real cause, therefore, is a weakness of muscles in the abdominal wall permitting the hernia sac to descend, usually resulting from lack of proper exercise.
Here are two types of hernia:
• Inguinal – sack protrudes through the abdominal wall in the region of “Hesselbach’s triangle,” a region bounded by the rectus abdominus muscle, inguinal ligament and inferior “epigastric” vessels.
• Femoral - occurs in a similar but slightly lower position than an inguinal hernia.
Doing things that are difficult is good for you! Difficult and impossible are not the same words! Doing things that are difficult strengthens your will-power, self-discipline, and self-control. In other words, it strengthens your mental muscles. And like any other muscles, the more you use them, the stronger they become.
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Making Benguet the country’s organic farming capital for vegetables has stalked the future of chicken manure as a fresh, cheap and readily available fertilizer. For years, farmers have relied on chicken dung to grow their vegetables. Today’s campaign toward organic agriculture has challenged the credibility of chicken dung as an organic farm input. It has revived calls for its ban due to its obnoxious smell and health threat.
Farmers prefer chicken dung as fertilizer over commercial brands, because it’s lower price. The recent move to regulate the commercial sale of chicken dung, however, has sparked debates among farmers, traders and even environmentalist.
Despite its wide use by vegetable farmers, chicken dung has yet to be accredited as fertilizer by the Fertilizer and Pesticides Authority. This fact does not surprise soil scientist. To them, chicken dung dose not serve as a fertilizer but only as a “supplement” to improve soil condition. The manure, though, may be considered an organic as opposed to a synthetic farm input.
Since the manure hosts the residue of antibiotics injected in chickens, it could not be considered organic and because it is acidic, it can destroy soil health. Many farmers are not aware that when applied to the soil, raw chicken dung would undergo decomposition and release acid that is detrimental to soil health.
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To avoid getting into trouble, follow these pointers:
Live by the labels. Whenever you pick up a prescription at the pharmacy, make sure instructions are included. Read the label, as well as any accompanying papers.
Talk to your pharmacist. If you’re unclear about the dosing instructions or possible side effects, take the time to ask. Pharmacists are trained and knowledgeable about potential interactions.
Time things right. Many drugs need to be taken on an empty stomach, either one hour before a meal or two hours after you eat. Most food drug interactions can be avoided by spacing medications away from meals. Other drugs have to be taken with food.
Watch what you eat and drink. We’ve noted in the chart that follows which foods you should skip entirely and which to space away from a dose of medicine. And unless otherwise directed, take medications with water.
Don’t play chemist. Opening a capsule and crushing or sprinkling the contents on your food can make the drug ineffective, or too potent. People have overdosed by crushing a sustained release product. For instance, instead of getting a 2,400 milligrams dose spread out over 24 hours, you could get all 2,400 milligrams in one hour.
Skip cocktail hour. Don’t drink alcoholic beverages at the same time you take any medication, and with certain drugs, abstaining completely is your best option. Most of these cases are noted in the chart that follows; however, when in doubt, consult you physicians or pharmacist.
You know how important it is to watch what you eat for your heart, your waistline, your bone health but if you take any medications, form antibiotics to antidepressants, you have all the more reason to eat wisely. For example, if you drink grapefruit juice when taking certain antibiotics for a pesky urinary tract infection, it can alter the way the medicine is metabolized, making it ineffective.
People think, It’s only food but there can be tremendous ramifications. In fact, some food drug interactions can result in potentially serious, even deadly, reactions. So always tell your physician or pharmacist about any drugs you are taking so she/he can prescribe necessary dietary changes. Dosage, age, weight, sex and overall health also play a role in food drug interactions.
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Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth
In the movie Gladiator, General Maximus Decimus Meridius seeks to stir his cavalry to fight well in the imminent battle against Germania. Addressing his troops, he challenges them to give their very best. He makes this profound statement: “What we do in life echoes in eternity.”
We are not just taking up time and space on a rock that’s floating in the universe. We are here with the opportunity to make an eternal difference with our lives.
Jesus himself said, “Lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal”. Having the perspective of living for eternity can make all the difference in this world.
How can we learn to set our minds “on things above”? A good way to begin is to discover what our eternal God values. Throughout the pages of the Bible, He reminds us that He values people above possessions and our character above our performance. Those are the truths that last forever. Embracing them can bring an eternal perspective to our daily living.
We store up heavenly treasures
And seek those things above
By caring for other people
And showing them God’s love
What we do in life echoes in eternity
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Happiness always looks small
If you hold it in your hands
But when you learn to share it,
You’ll realize how big and precious it is
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Some signs of a stressed out kid:
• Crying
• Sweaty palms
• Running away
• Aggressive or defensive outbursts
• Rocking and self-comforting behaviors
• Headaches and stomachaches
• Toileting accidents
• Recurring headaches, stomachaches or nick pain
• Increased irritability, sadness, panic, anger
• Lethargy, daydreaming, withdrawal from activities
• Excessive energy or restlessness
• Nervous habits such as nail biting, hair twisting, thumb-sucking, or sighing deeply
• Trouble getting along with friends
• Trouble relaxing
• Sleeping disorders
Is your child burned out?
Some signs of kid burnout:
• Lost interest in school
• Lost personal happiness
• Lost positive outlook
• Lost excitement for people and activities
• Resentment of people, school or work
• Lost motivation, ambition, and effort
• Sleeplessness
• Emotional volatility
• Nervous habits
• Frequent illness or health complaints
• Dependent and attentions getting behaviors
• Aggression
• Lost sense of humor and perspective
• Physical, mental, and emotional exhaustion.
Here are some of the most common child stressors among children today, and what parents can do about them:
1. Your child is not ready for school
Although most children look forward to making new friends and learning things, parents must remember that these aren’t the only things that go hand in hand with going to school. A child’s school experience also includes waking up earlier, getting dressed and finishing meals faster, encountering children who may not like him, and even facing competition for the very first time. Do not be pressured into thinking that your child should go to school now to keep up with the other kids, or because your friends or parents say so.
2. Your child is unhappy in his present school
Children have individual differences, they develop different skills at different times, and we personally take this into consideration. When a school correctly adjusts its teaching styles and strategies to match their student’s current development levels, kids enjoy what they’re doing. They also tend to absorb new information more effectively.
3. Your child has developed negative thinking
Sometimes when a child experiences repeated failures and disappointments he develops the tendency towards negative thinking. This reduces his ability to cope in times of stress. Negative thinking causes our brain to panic in stressful situations, making it harder for us to remember that we are in control. To counter such negative thinking, remind your child that he excels in other areas. This will help him cope with the situation better.
4. Your child needs to develop new study habits
Although most students experience a period of acute stress during exam time, this can be avoided by practicing better study habits. Recent studies indicate that procrastination is something many children learn from their parents, so better time management skills are not only prescribed for the students, but for their parents as well.
The good news is that you can help your kids through stressful times by helping them develop better coping skills. Assure them of your love through affectionate hugs, active listening, and honest encouragement. Find out about any significant event in their lives by keeping communication opportunities available, and help them use appropriate humor to see the lighter side of life.
When it comes to stress, the most important thing we can teach your kids is that although you can’t control the things that happen in your lives, you can always control how you would react to them and that is the healthy kind of empowerment your children need.
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Licensed and commercially produced software is expensive, so if your business is just starting out and you’re looking to cut costs.
Contrary to popular belief, free software is not prone to bugs nor is it of low quality; in fact, it can be even better than commercial counterparts because there are more volunteer programmers and experts working to improve the product.
There are thousands of available free software programs on the Internet. However, one must be careful of free downloads as most bring along unwelcome companions such as pop-up adds and intrusive spyware that tracks you online activity. It is always best to read user reviews found through an internet search before downloading and installing.
Here are five programs you can avail of at no extra cost:
OPEN OFFICE (www.openoffice.org)
For basic office documentation, a good alternative and can be used exactly like his counterpart including:
• Write documents
• Create spreadsheets
• Make presentations
• Draw graphics
• Design a database
As an additional bonus, with Open Office your can open and save file in MS Office format which is compatible with both PCs and Macintoshes.
PICASA (www.picasa.com)
Digital cameras allow us to capture thousands of photos without the cost of film. It offers an easier way to help you find, organize, and share photos. It’s a free product of the search engine Google and is fun to use.
Picasa also:
• Locates and organizes all photos in your computer
• Provides basic photo editing in a few simple steps, perfect for those who need to send images to clients
• Allows you to turn pictures into movies
• Allows you to create screensavers, posters and picture collages
GIMP (www.gimp.org)
For graphic designers, a free alternative to Adobe Photoshop is GIMP or GNU Image Manipulation Program, GIMP includes:
• A simple painting program
• An expert quality photo retouching tool
• An online batch processing system to automate repetitive tasks
• Convert picture files from one format to another
CUTE PDF (www.cutepdf.com)
PDF or Portable Document Formatting is a popular way of converting or saving documents so they can be viewed and printed across multiple computer platforms such as Windows, Mac, and Linux. Converting your documents into PDF format allows other users without your software programs to view and print your document.
Converting documents into PDF format also provides additional security. You can prevent viewers from altering the document or limit viewing to screen only to prevent printing or your document.
Cute PDF is a free PDF creator that creates professional quality PDF files from almost any printable document. It can add watermarks to documents, edit forms, add comments, add headers and footers, rearrange pages, and add digital signature.
ALLWAYS SYNC (www.allwaysync.com)
Lost data is one of the biggest headaches for any business. Data can be lost through hardware failure, data corruption, virus attack, accidental deletion, and theft. The best protection against losing data is regular backup.
Free software is a great way to get your business up and running with minimal overhead; but once you stabilize operations, it would be best to invest in licensed software, since these come with technical support and advanced features that can help you grow your business.
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Many of our New Year’s resolutions may actually accelerate our pace of life instead of helping us to slow down. In a quest for greater productivity and efficiency, we over schedule our days, then rush through meals, drive impatiently, and wonder why the joy of living eludes us.
In Psalm I, there is no hint of a frenzied pace. It describes a person who enjoys the blessing of God. Instead of thinking and acting like those who rarely consider spiritual matters, “His delight is in the law of the Lord, and in His Law be meditates day and night”. The result is a fruitful life and a well nourished soul.
Isaiah wrote, “You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You”. Just for today, try thinking about the verse whenever you have to wait. Isn’t it time for all of us to slow down and live?
If you’re working hard to make a living,
Never taking time to smell the roses,
Now’s the time to heed the Bible’s wisdom:
Find true joy before your life’s day closes.
Come apart and rest awhile
Or you may just plain come apart.
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As US newspaper drowns in a sea of red link, publishers are desperately searching for ways to survive in a digital future.
Some are toying with the idea of charging readers for news on the Web while others are ganging up to extract money from powerful aggregators such as Google News which link to their articles.
Online advertising is seen as a potential savior in some newsrooms although it currently accounts for less than 15% of revenue at most US dialers.
Another proposal gaining currency is selling digital subscriptions through electronic readers similar to Amazon’s popular Kindle.
Japanese electronics giant Sony is also reported to be adapting its e-book reader for daily content and Apple is rumored to be developing a full-color media tablet of its own.
Amazon’s Kindle is designed for electronic books but the new device has a screen roughly the size of a standard sheet of paper and is more geared towards periodical.
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Today’s economic crisis has created challenging and troubling times for many families. AS people struggle to make ends meet in the face of the credit crunch and rising food, education and housing expenses, many are looking for ways to not only cut expenses, but also to make more money. The thought of securing a second job in today’s economy may sound daunting. However, there are many accessible, viable opportunities available that will help to provide that needed supplemental income.
Here are the 10 easy options:
Earn money from your hobbies – Turn your garden into a produces shop, put your wood-shop skills to good use, or offer scrap booking services to friends and neighborhood. For me why not use the web to earn revenue, create your own site of (blog) and update it every now and then to get more traffic, and the blessing will downpour you after…
Put your musical talents to good use – can you play an instrument? Hire yourself to play at small parties, or offer music lessons for a fee per hour.
Have a garage sale – put unsused and unwanted items up for sale.
Put your writing skills to good use – Take advantage of freelancing opportunities or place an add in your local paper to market your writing or editing abilities.
Become a tutor – Fluent in more that one language or a wiz at math, post flyers around your neighborhood or place an ad in the local paper and put your expertise to good use.
Rent a room – If you have a spare room in your house or apartment that is just collecting dust, consider taking in a renter.
Embrace your inner chef – Have a neighborhood bake sale with your famous cookies, pastries and pies or find a local restaurant looking for fresh, homemade pastries.
Party your way to money – Put your party skills to good use by coordinating and planning events like birthday parties, christening, etc. Most parties happen on weekends so these won’t get in the way of weekday work.
Baby-sit for the neighbors.
Become a Sales Agent/Representative of beauty products – the great thing about a freelance sales agent is that you make of it what you want. Whatever your goal may be, you adjust your personal investment of time and effort accordingly.
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As sorrowful, yet always rejoicing as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things.
Paul Gerhardt, a pastor in Germany during the 17th century, had every reason not to be glad. His wife and four of his children died; the Thirty Year’s War brought death and devastation across Germany; church conflict and political interference filled his life with distress. Yet despite great personal suffering, he wrote more than 130 hymns, many of them characterized by joy and devotion to Jesus Christ.
One of Gerhardt’s hymns, “Holy Spirit, Source of Gladness,” contains this verse:
During a time of great personal hardship, the apostle Paul described his experience as being “sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things.
Pain and sorrow are inescapable facts of life. Yet the Holy Spirit is our source of gladness, “bringing us the richest treasures man can wish or God can send.”
Happiness depends on happening, but joy depends on Jesus.
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