Childproofing Your Kitchen

Your kitchen can be a very dangerous place for your child if it isn’t properly baby proofed. Here are some important tips you should follow to prevent kitchen accidents.

1. Use outlet plugs. This is must. These handy little plastic covers plug right into your wall sockets. It’s important to get the best possible plugs available since those little fingers can get quite good at pulling out the cheap ones.

2. Lock cabinet doors – I couldn’t live without the latches that keep drawers and cupboard doors closed. They’re easy to get into for adults, but impossible for little hands to open.

3. Keep cleaning supplies away. Even if you use latches on your cupboard doors, it’s better to be safe than sorry and keep your cleaning products out of your child’s reach. I keep mine in the cupboard above the sink.

4. Use oven and fridge latches. It’s amazing how easily your little one can open the fridge and oven doors. Without me knowing it, my daughter had snuck into the fridge and taken an entire carton of eggs out, then broke them all over the basement. I’ve had a latch on my fridge ever since!

5. Common sense. Regularly sweet and mop your kitchen floors, and keep the counters clear of things like sharp knives or heavy appliances that can be pulled off.


I’ve used quite a few different child proofing products, and I’ve found that Safety 1st is one of the best and least expensive.

A Healthy Diet is a Healthy Pregnancy and Baby

Every product contains some form of albumen that is digested by the albumen, called ferment. There is a form of native albumen which we have grown accustomed to eating; our ancestors also ate it (bread, meat, apples, fish, etc.). But they knew nothing about albumen found in coffee, cacao and citrus plants.

Where did your great-grandfather get his oranges? Think about it. But we eat them and nothing happens because our digesting fabric called the liver neutralizes everything that is not digested completely in our stomach.

When you get pregnant, your liver becomes the main fighter and it neutralizes secretions of the fetus. Let’s keep it safe. If you don’t want your child to suffer from intolerance for tangerines or chocolate, don’t eat these products while you’re pregnant (undigested particles are tasted by the fetus before they will be neutralized by the liver, so the child will develop an allergy after birth). So try to avoid everything your ancestors didn’t eat. You’ll be healthier.

Don’t eat:

• Fatty foods (while cooking broth, remove fat; eat lean, skinny chickens and rabbits)
• Cacao, chocolate and chocolates, chocolate butter
• Coffee
• Citrus fruits, including lemons
• Spicy, acidic and salty food
• Canned foods
• Mushrooms
• Peas
• Fresh yeast products
• Strawberries and raspberries
• Products with buttered cream

It’s healthy to eat:

• Vegetables, especially onions, potatoes and cucumbers
• Fruits such as pears, apples and apricots
• Berries, grapes, cherries and watermelons
• Dairy products such as cottage cheese, kefir, yogurt, sour milk and milk from a cow
• Lean meat and fish but no herring
• Raisin and dried apricots
• Steamed dried fruits
• Green tea

Remember:

• Steamed, boiled and baked foods are better than fried and smoked products
• It’s better to eat less of the things you want
• You shouldn’t eat too much of certain foods even if you crave it. Eat them moderately
• If you’re wondering whether or not you should eat something, don’t
• Don’t eat a lot before going to bed
• Don’t over-eat as a general rule
• If you absolutely have to drink alcohol on certain occasions (like New Year’s Eve) drink just a little red wine or champagne
• It’s best to get your calcium from pills and from cottage cheese – both you and your fetus will get enough
• It’s better to take complex vitamins. Compared to other vitamins, complex vitamins include vitamin D. If you can’t buy these vitamins, remember, that when you don’t get much sun, especially in winter, you need 500 units of vitamin D a day
• If you feel a lack of sweets, try to sleep
• Your weight depends not only on the food you eat but on your physical activity too

There is no reason to eat anything special as long as you’re feeling well. If there are any problems (edemas, for instance), ask your gynecologist what and how much you should drink.

Advice for Pregnant Women

What should you do while being pregnant?

• first of all, follow your instincts. If you want the fetus to grow normally, be physically active. You should move a lot. If the mother’s heart works actively, the child receives more of the useful substances which her blood contains.

But be careful:

• to be active doesn’t mean to be fond of parachute jumping or to become a rock-climber;
• don’t love yourself more than earlier, pregnancy is not an illness;
• keep fit and pay attention to your appearance (eyes, lips, chicks, nails, hair-do…) and don’t think that now your husband will stay with you forever;
• don’t do a lot of sun tanning and don’t forget about hats.
• use less aerosols (deodorants, hairspray). Generally try to use less chemicals (detergent, mineral fertilizers).
• work and study have great positive meaning as they give you a chance to think less about pregnancy;
• keep in mind: each infection is really dangerous for a fetus. Of course it’s very difficult not to catch a cold during 9 months, but try to prevent it by avoiding places with a lot of people. The most dangerous virus for a pregnant woman is German measles, which influences a fetus badly. Avoid visiting children hospitals. Don’t eat products which may cause diarrhea (be careful with the food you eat and don’t forget to wash your hands);
• don’t treat any illness yourself, such as a heavy cold or indigestion, with the help of various pills;
• don’t travel a lot during the last months of pregnancy. A plane or a train is not the best alternative to a maternity hospital.

A special question concerns different sets of exercises for pregnant women. A woman who is ready to do exercises regularly will find time to buy or borrow a book written by specialists.

It’s important, nevertheless, to understand that all exercises are secondary compared to the importance of lifestyle (fresh air, physical activity). It’s strange, but I often face the situation when a future mother lies on the sofa for 12 hours, does some exercise for 15 minutes, then rests for another 11 hours and 45 minutes. This should not be considered an effective lifestyle to be ready for childbirth.

Keeping My Salvation

We have received the greatest gift through the greatest sacrifice of our great God. Through the death of the Lord Jesus Christ, we have been given the chance to become sons and daughters of God that though we were once sinners, we were able to be reconciled to our Creator. This greatest gift is our salvation - a chance to live a life of eternity with God.

The responsibility left on us is to take good care of this salvation. Why do we need to take good care of our salvation? Because salvation is not a permanent bestowal. It is true that salvation is a gift but the long possession of it is something we must work hard for. The possession of salvation entails responsibilities in order to remain possessing it. Once a person is saved, he or she will be saved forever if and only if he or she takes the duty of taking good care of it conscientiously. In addition to this, the possession of salvation is a grace from God and this grace remains to those who take good care of it.

Taking good care of one's salvation implies certain responsibilities that are vital in keeping salvation. First, one needs to pray for it steadfastly. Second, one must always have the sense of keeping up with the activities inside the church. Third, one must show in one's lifestyle the gift of salvation. Lastly, one must share the word of salvation to other people.

Keeping salvation is a favor from God and one must always pray for the possession of it. Prayer is another way of showing the Lord that one is thankful for salvation. There are times when everything seems too constricted that we seem to be unable to find time to commune with God through prayer. But this is a mere deceit from God's adversary. There will always be time for us to pray as we always have the time to attend to our personal needs like eating, taking bath and washing dishes. When one prays, he or she must ask the Lord for help to keep salvation, crying and begging for the continuous grace of God for them.

When one wants to keep salvation, he or she must endeavor to do the will of God by keeping track to all the activities in the church. The church is the place where we will find all the activities that will make us strong in faith which will in turn help us keep our salvation. It is important that the children of God participate to all the plans set by the ministers in the church. When we participate, we are cleaning ourselves from all the iniquities we have had.

“Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation.”
- I Peter 2:2

This is so because the words of God will bring us to repentance and this will only happen if we let ourselves join in the activities of the church.

“Therefore my dear friends, as you have always obeyed not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose.”
- Philippians 2:12-13 (NIV)

Actions depict character than words do. When we are saved, it means that we are now children of God. As such, we have to show the life example by the early Disciples of Christ. We cannot separate our lifestyle from our being children of God. When we are saved, we are not of the world anymore. From the words we speak to the way we dress and carry ourselves they must depict our Christianity. We must show the gentleness that Jesus has shown to the people of Israel when He was still here on earth. We must show the love Jesus wanted us to show the people. Love neighbors, love enemies, love everyone. Our character is the best way to show our faith in Jesus and through this we are taking good care of God's gift for us.

As children of God, we are to share the Good News to other people. This is our duty something that we should do devotedly. Sharing the Good News to other people means that we are concerned about their spiritual welfare. There are a lot of people waiting for us to open to them the truth about God's love. When at work, don't let yourself be prevented from letting them know about the chance God is giving for them. Speak. When you are at school, it will be better to have no friend at all because of your faith than have as many without letting them know you are a Christian. In everything, we must let God manifest in our speech. When we do this we can say that we are securely saved.

“Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death.”
- 2 Corinthians 7:10

There are early signs when we are losing grip on our salvation. First, we forget the little things that we have to do for the Lord like when we stop going to the church during the midweek. Second, we tend to get back at our old self without remorse. We start to do the things that we promised not to do anymore and it seems that we don't feel any guilt about it. Third, we tend to speak against the church even if it is on our own. Last, we stop going to worship God on the week's first day.

When these signs start to crawl in your life it is not too late for you to get back to God and ask for help.

“Bear in mind that our Lord's patience means salvation…”
- I Peter 3:15

God's love and mercy is so abundant that He can cleanse you from all your iniquities and trespasses. And once God has given you another chance, take good care of it.

There was a certain person who received salvation and endeavored to keep it on his hands up to the last thread of breath. There were a lot of struggles in his life. He was persecuted, almost killed by disease but he remained steadfast to God.

JESUS IS LORD

A week later His disciples were in the house again, and Thomas was with them.  Though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!”  Then He said to Thomas, “Put your finger here; see my hands.  Reach out your hand and put it into my side.  Stop doubting and believe.”

            Thomas said to him, “My Lord and my God!”

          Then Jesus told him, “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed”  (John 20:26-29).  An angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit.”  (Jesus was conceived in Mary, not by a man but by the Holy Spirit of God.)  “She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name JESUS, because he will save his people from their sin.”

JESUS SAID “YOU MUST BE BORN AGAIN”

Now therefore was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a member of the Jewish ruling council.  He came to Jesus at night and said, “Rabbi, we know you are a teacher who has come from God.  For no one could perform the miraculous signs you are doing if God were not with him.”

            In reply Jesus declared, “I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again.”

            “How can a man be born when he is old?”  Nicodemus asked, “Surely he cannot enter a second time into his mother’s womb to be born!”

            Jesus answered, “I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit.  Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit.  You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You must be born again.’  The wind blows wherever it pleases.  You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going.  So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.” (John 3:1-8)

Indebted Through Prayer

This is a study of who and how God calls upon us to pray. Jesus gave direction in Mark 6:9-10 "This then, is how you should pray: ' Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven…" Christ also said in John 17:8-9 "…I pray for them. I am not praying for the world, but for those you have given me, for they are yours". Also in John 17:20-21 "My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me."

Clearly the Lord does not ask we pray for Saint and Demon in the same way, nor obey the authority of God and the authority of Satan in the same way, yet those obedient in the Lord must submit themselves to the Office or Position of authority God establishes. Understand it is the spiritual realm in which God speaks of in Offices and Authorities, regarding authorities in this realm there are those within the will of God, and those in rebellion to the will of God- yet fulfills His purpose. At the same time before all authorities, if given a word by God, we are to speak boldly as in Matt 10:27-28 "What I tell you in the dark, speak in the daylight; what is whispered in your ear, proclaim from the rooftops. Do not be afraid of those who can kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body."

It is true we are commanded to love our enemies, as in Luke 6:35-36 " But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful." But how does God tell us to pray in relation to our enemy, again there is clue in 2Thess 3:1-3 "And pray that we may be delivered from the wicked and evil men, for not everyone has faith. But the Lord is faithful, and he will strengthen and protect you from the evil one." Another clue may be found in the teaching Christ gave in 1John 5:16-17 "If anyone sees his brother commit a sin that does not lead to death, he should pray and God will give him life. I refer to those whose sin does not lead to death. There is sin that leads to death. I am not saying that he should pray about that. All wrongdoing is sin, and there is sin that does not lead to death."

Would you be astounded to learn and know if a persons sin is that which leads to death, if so then you are unfamiliar with Gods word. This very wisdom and knowledge is needed for those who are mature. Does it make any difference if we know the sin that leads to death, this is not a foolish question, apparently many teacher preparing Gods people are unaware of the answer. The answer of course is that from constant use of Gods word, we learn to distinguish good from evil. Would you like to know when the anti-Christ and false prophets or teachers are leading you astray, then pray for Gods wisdom and knowledge, seek the true church that is being brought into unity and maturity. Prayer from beginning to everlasting is our communion with the Lord, it is the Lord who gives good gifts to men.

From this we know as shown in 1Thess 5:15-16 "Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." We also know in Rom 6:23 "For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." Grace is freely given to those who seek in repentance, revealed in Luke 3:2-3 "…preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins." Now then sin remains for the unrepentant, for to reject the Savior who came to forgive sin, is to remain in sin. Then it is in error to pray for a persons sin and the rejection of Grace, pray instead to bind and reveal the evil that has trapped a person in sin, so they might see the truth and come to repentance.

God cannot accept sin, nor will God further the ways of evil, then why do some say we must pray for those who are neither repentant of their sin, but instead reject Christ Jesus. Be aware in this matter the word of God teaches of two different and opposite authorities, one over those in His will, the other over those in rebellion. Of the beneficial authorities we are told in Heb 13:17 "Obey your leaders and submit to their authority. They keep watch over you as men who must give account. Obey them so that their work will be a joy, not a burden, for that would be of no advantage to you." Of the authority for the rebellious told in Matt 20:25-28 "Jesus called them together and said, you know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave- just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many." Always concerning authority remember what Christ said to the one of rebellion in Matt 4:10 "Away from me, Satan! For it is written: 'Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.'"

What remains is to pray for the brother who has sinned, the sin that does not lead to death. We are to pray for one another who are obedient in the Lord, also for the kingdom of God which are those yet living in sin as described above who will repentant and come to Christ Jesus. If God will have no part in furthering evil, neither should we in Christ. Then I submit, we must be careful to that which we become indebted through prayer, for furthering the evil ways of this world is indeed a debt. I would also submit that when the Lord commands we pray (for) our leaders, this does not suggest we offer prayers for Satan, nor the servants of Satan. As Christ did not pray for those of the world, neither do I pray for the unrepentant in the world who reject Christ. With this said, it is our Lord who establishes all offices and positions, it is clear we are to have (proper) respect and pray for these. Most diligently those with discernment must pray for brothers and sisters in the Lord who cannot tell the difference between true and false servants, the servants of light that preserves, and the servants of darkness that destroy.

Christ gave us warning that our true service would be known by the fruit of our works. We are warned not to be yoked with the unrighteous, 2 Cor 6:14 "Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness?" We are warned about the unrighteous, Matt 24:4-14 Jesus answered: "Watch out that no one deceives you. For many will come in my name, claiming, 'I am the Christ,' and will deceive many. You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of birth pains. Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of me. At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other, and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people. Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, but he who stands firm to the end will be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come."        Amen.

If God knew people would sin why did He make them?

     This is a simple question and we are tempted to answer it simply by saying, "Why not?  Why shouldn't God make people if He knows they are going to sin?"  But, such an answer isn't very satisfying.  We could always say we don't know why God would do this since He is infinite and we are not and His ways are not our ways.  But this answer also leaves us a bit empty.  So, let's see if we can answer the question by analogy.

     When parents have children they know that their kids will eventually act in sinful and even harmful ways.  Yet, that doesn't stop them from having children. Why?  First of all, it is worth the risk of their rebellion to bring them into the world.  Second, the nature of love is to give and by having children the parents can better express their love.  Third, just because the children will sin and rebel doesn't mean they shouldn't exist.  Fourth, children have their own wills and can freely choose to rebel.  Knowing this parents all over the world still have children.  As you can see, analogies help us to make sense of thing, but they can't answer every question.  That is why we must go to God's word for more insight.  

     The Bible tells us that God is love and that He sacrificed His Son on our behalf.  The greatest act of love is to sacrifice one's own life for another (John 15:13).  In a very real sense, God has performed the greatest act of love in sacrificing Himself (Remember, Jesus is God in flesh - John 1:1,14).  Since God is love and love sacrifices, God has now manifested the greatest love by dying for us.  In this, God is glorified.  But, without sin in the world, there would be no way to demonstrate the greatest act of love -- which is self sacrifice.  So, perhaps God allowed sin in the world so that He could demonstrate the greatest act of love.

     Furthermore, in this self sacrifice God demonstrates the perfection of His holiness, the sinfulness of sin, the proof of God's righteousness, the victory over the evil one, and the guarantee of the saved with whom He can shed His love and glory forever.  In this, God is glorified.

      We could come up with a variety of possible reasons why God made people knowing they would sin and we probably can never fully answer it.  But, knowing that they would sin is no reason that God shouldn't make them, especially if His plan includes the acts of sinners so that others would be redeemed.

Dealing with Toddler Tantrums

The terrible twos – Even the most dignified parent has been left red-faced and wanting to be swallowed into the ground while their toddler is having a public meltdown. Tantrums at home can be just as frustrating, so here are a few easy ideas for stopping them or preventing them altogether:

Don’t Let Them Get Over Tired – Don’t let your toddler become too tired. Set a regular nap routine and try to stick to it, and make sure he goes to bed at a reasonable time and gets enough sleep during the night. Tiredness is often the first reason for a tantrum.

Keep Sugar Levels Stable – Don’t let your toddler’s blood sugar levels dip too low. This will make him irritable and tired, the tantrum will soon follow. Make sure he has plenty of small nutritious snacks throughout the day to provide him with a steady source of energy to avoid blood sugar dips.

Give Them Time – Allow enough time for activities like getting dressed, brushing their hair and getting in and out of the car. Your toddler will want to do a lot of these things on his own and rushing him is a sure way to start a tantrum. Give him a little extra time and let him try to be independent by allowing him to do certain things for himself.

Distractions – Many times a toddler’s screams and shouts can be stopped short by distracting them with something else. Offer to read them a book, color with them, or watch a video. They’ll soon forget what they were screaming about.

Put it Away – Is there a certain item that always causes your toddler to have a tantrum? A food that’s only for after dinner or an item he shouldn’t have. Then put it where he can’t see it. Out of sight, out of mind, is a great way of avoiding tantrums.

Don’t Give In – It may be tempting to give in to tantrums just to avoid a confrontation, but you’ll only encourage more similar behavior in the future. Don’t confuse your toddler by being inconsistent. Once he realizes he won’t get his way, he’ll stop playing the tantrum game.

Ignore It – This is easier said than done and of course it depends where your child is having his tantrum. If you’re in the middle of the supermarket you can’t just walk away or ignore your child especially if they’re grabbing or breaking things. In this instance it may be best to gently pick up your child and take him outside or to an area away from people and noise. Give him a few minutes to calm down and a big hug.

If your child is having a tantrum in a safe place like at home, then it’s best to walk away until he calms down. Make sure he can’t hurt himself or anything or anyone else and just walk away. Once he’s finished give him a hug and talk about what he’s feeling.

Give Him a Hug – Many times your child just needs to be held and needs you to help him control his emotions. If he’s in the middle of a tantrum try gently hugging him and just hold him. A lot of the times this will completely diffuse the tantrum. Be sensitive to his reactions and if you see your hug is only making him more upset then give him a little space instead or try a different approach.

Choosing the Right Daycare

Once you’ve made the decision to return to work after your baby has been born, it’s time to start searching for a daycare center. This can be an emotional time for you, and sometimes overwhelming especially if there are numerous daycare centers to choose from.
Here are a few tips you can use to help you choose a daycare provider that’s right for you and your child:

• The first step is to get a list of daycare centers in your area. Check your local yellow pages, online, or get some recommendations from other parents.

• Find out of there are any openings available for you to enroll your child.

• Are there any age restrictions?

• Write down the locations and hours of operation for each daycare center on your list.

• What is the cost to enroll your child?

• How many other children are currently attending and what are their ages?

• Are healthy meals and snacks supplied by the daycare center?

Once you’ve narrowed your search down to a few daycare centers, it’s time to ask some important questions to ensure that you’re choosing the right daycare for your child. Here are some questions to keep in mind when visiting or speaking with each daycare center.

• Is it clean and safe for your child?

• What is the ratio of caregivers to children?

• Are the children at the daycare actively engaged in activities and do they seem happy and well taken care of?

• Are there plenty of educational toys and activities for the children?

• Are the caregivers warm and friendly? How do they interact with the children?

• Ask the daycare administrator for some background information on the staff, especially regarding licenses or degrees.

• Ensure that the daycare staff have received the proper training and have good credentials and experience.

• Are there safety exits in case of a fire or other emergency?

Once you’re satisfied that you have the answers to these questions, you should be able to determine which daycare center is the best choice for your child. The closest daycare may not always be the best, and the most inexpensive option may not always be the best either.

You’ll know what’s best for your child, and which daycare center will be the most suitable environment for him to be in while you’re working.

Childproofing Your Kitchen

Your kitchen can be a very dangerous place for your child if it isn’t properly baby proofed. Here are some important tips you should follow to prevent kitchen accidents.

1. Use outlet plugs. This is must. These handy little plastic covers plug right into your wall sockets. It’s important to get the best possible plugs available since those little fingers can get quite good at pulling out the cheap ones.

2. Lock cabinet doors – I couldn’t live without the latches that keep drawers and cupboard doors closed. They’re easy to get into for adults, but impossible for little hands to open.

3. Keep cleaning supplies away. Even if you use latches on your cupboard doors, it’s better to be safe than sorry and keep your cleaning products out of your child’s reach. I keep mine in the cupboard above the sink.

4. Use oven and fridge latches. It’s amazing how easily your little one can open the fridge and oven doors. Without me knowing it, my daughter had snuck into the fridge and taken an entire carton of eggs out, then broke them all over the basement. I’ve had a latch on my fridge ever since!

5. Common sense. Regularly sweet and mop your kitchen floors, and keep the counters clear of things like sharp knives or heavy appliances that can be pulled off.


I’ve used quite a few different child proofing products, and I’ve found that Safety 1st is one of the best and least expensive.

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Thanksgiving

As I have shared in previous posts, I love Thanksgiving day!  I love the time of year, I love the meaning of Thanksgiving, the reminder that it gives us of how we should stop, take some time to reflect on what we do have, instead of the constant dwelling on what we don’t have!

As with every holiday, there is always some way that the commercial world would like to “cash in on” the occasion to help stimulate the economy.  This can be a good thing, but on the other had, it can be a real distraction to the true meaning and spirit of the occasion.  This year the traditional “Black Friday” has been planned to take place earlier than ever and it has caused no end of debate.  I would tend to agree with all those who might oppose it for the simple fact that, Thanksgiving is a time for the average to pull away for the hustle and bustle of everyday life and enjoy each other’s company.

With this, I wish you all a wonderful and relaxed Thanksgiving day with your loved ones and family!  What are your thoughts?

God is good!

I've only cried twice today. I actually thought this and smiled as I quickly blinked away tears standing in line at the grocery store. Maybe this was progress… But I was still in a place where I wanted to scream at all the nonsense on social media and remind the world of the poor's normal. So, yeah, I’m a real delight to be around right now. We’ve been home from Surigao less than two weeks and it feels new and different and old and the same every time I try to fit what I’ve seen and experienced back into where and how I live.

Hope is being able to see that there is light despite all of the darkness,”God is good all the time.  

Take The Time

We live in a pretty demanding world full of a million distractions and things to keep us pretty busy.  Some of the things are important and demand our attention, others are less important, and then there are the time wasters that suck the life out of you should you allow them to.

This gadget happy, materialistic environment that calls out to  us continually to occupy our minds with thoughts and things that are “nice” and “handy” can tend to distract us from the pure simple and natural joys of living, that for some have gone all but lost in the shuffle.  All of these great, new and wonderful commodities are useful tools that can help us accomplish more.  They can bring us temporary fulfillment and happiness because they make our life easier.  But they will never bring us the lasting happiness that  feeds our inner soul and brings us back to the simple childlike joys of yesteryear.  I was thinking about this

the other day as I took some off-time from the frantic busy life-style that I now call my “normal”.  This day  I took the time to enjoy the beauty of a flower, watch the sunset and gaze at the stars in the sky brought me feelings of appreciation for my family and loved ones as I remembered moments that I had spent with each one.  That is a joy that lasts on forever.

If you hope to have a great time, put aside all of the distractions, be it work, play gadgets or toys and take the time to feel that inner-peace and joy you experienced as a child. Learn to be happy with the moment, don’t allow yourself to be dependent on “things”.  They are but tools that we can use, just don’t allow them to use you!

Do you take the time?

Don't Quit

"When things go wrong, as they sometimes will;

When the road you're trudging seems all uphill;

When the funds are low and the debts are high;

And you want to smile but you have to sigh.

When all is pressing you down a bit-

Rest if you must, but don't you quit.

Success is failure turned inside out;

The silver tint on the clouds of doubt;

And you can never tell how close you are;

It may be near when it seems far.

So stick to the fight when you're hardest hit -

It's when things go wrong that you must not quit."

Love the Sea

One wouldn't be reading this article here without a reason.The reasons can be many, either out of curiosity,sadness or even happiness. So as you read through if any of these words could remind you of something or someone special, then remember how blessed you are.

Basically we all are scared to be left out in this whole dark world where people are blind with their own contentment. So just like the dead fish, we go with the flow of the unseen world and forgets the whole beauty around. But there are few people, who give their best to others, who support and stay with you no matter whatever happens, who shows you the brighter side of everything. They are the ones just like the ocean.

If you are the one who found yourself lost in this dark world, don't worry.. because wherever you are just do take a moment to listen where your "ocean" calls.

Be Positive

Be positive whatever happens because God is with you, be positive if you are going through hard times, so what, this is life and everybody has to go through, be positive hard days come for our betterment, be positive everything happens for a reason, be positive at the end everything will be in your favor.

Be thankful for what you have because God first fulfill our need then our wish. We always run after what we want and forget about our needs. Let God fulfills your wishes according to his time because God is never late and you just enjoy what you have before you loose.

Try to avoid negative people, negative situation, negative matters and surround yourself with positive energy like positive people, read positive books and quotes, go out for a walk in any park area because nature spread positive energy.

Be a good listener because when you will listen then you start realizing that not only you other people are also facing problems, may be more than you, more painful than yours.

Make your presence positive so that people start loving you. Spread happiness, always smile, spread kindness. Be an example, so that people learn to live from you. Teach everybody how to smile in every situation. Spread positive energy and do read good books to remain positive because books help a lot and remember all the successful people in the world like Brack Obama, Abraham Lincoln, Thomas Edison etc they have set an example with positive thinking. They all have faced failure and overcome their every failure with hard work and positive thinking. Do read biographies of successful people for encouragement.

Always Think Positive

Be positive whatever happens because God is with you, be positive if you are going through hard times, so what, this is life and everybody has to go through, be positive hard days come for our betterment, be positive everything happens for a reason, be positive at the end everything will be in your favor.

Be thankful for what you have because God first fulfill our need then our wish. We always run after what we want and forget about our needs. Let God fulfills your wishes according to his time because God is never late and you just enjoy what you have before you loose.

Try to avoid negative people, negative situation, negative matters and surround yourself with positive energy like positive people, read positive books and quotes, go out for a walk in any park area because nature spread positive energy.

Teary Eyes

I was looking through some old photo albums the other day. I had already looked through them many times before but I felt a sudden urge to see those old pictures again. I found myself reliving so many beautiful memories from my childhood. There was my dear Nana giving me a bath when I was a baby. There was me and my brother standing in front of the world's ugliest Christmas tree. There was my first dog: Duke snuggled up next to me on the couch. There was my beautiful Mom holding me on her lap. Then all of the sudden the pictures seemed blurry. I realized that the pictures were blurry because my eyes were moist. Tears were dripping down my cheeks. I wiped my wet eyes and wondered what was going on. I hadn't cried the last time I looked at those pictures. What was different now?

I soon saw that it was I who was different. Since I had last looked through those photos I had grown. My empathy had risen. My compassion had strengthened. My spirit had walked a little further down the path of love. I realized too that wet eyes were nothing to be ashamed of as long as they came with a warm heart. I smiled and closed the photo album up once again.

I think it cleans out our insides as well. It helps us to wash away our pain, fear, and grief. It helps us to reconnect to our love, goodness, and oneness with God. It helps us to become who we were meant to be. The next time you feel your own tears starting then just let them flow.

Life is full of smiles. Life is full of tears. Only by allowing them both can we truly live. Only by embracing them both can we truly love.

The Beauty of a Relation

Every Relation does not need a name, sometimes nameless relation is pure and beautiful like Flower and Bumblebee!  They're always living together whether they don't know what the relation they have.

Just like that some relationship does not need a name to continue. It just goes with the flow....Being with each other make them feel alive! They just enjoy each other's presence and maybe feel out of the world without knowing there is future or not!

And that's the "BEAUTY OF RELATIONSHIP."

Feelings are enough for few while some believe in togetherness.

Be Thankful To God

Nobody will accept you as you are only God will accept you. Just think for a while, has God come and find fault in you? Has he ever told you that you are wrong you should be like this or that. No, God will never challenge you, God will never insult your individuality because he loves you, he loves you more, he loves you more than you think, more than your imagination. His love is out of explanation. His love can be felt. God is very nice. His love is true love, his love is without any expectations. What we give to God in return? Nothing. We give nothing to him and he still accepts us. This is called acceptance. True love is called acceptance and God loves us truly and whole heartedly.

We always run after world. To please them we keep on changing our self and at the end we were left alone. Why? Because as long as we give we are accepted, appreciated, the day we stop giving we would be called useless. This is the vast difference between God and a human being.

Remember one thing that God has no demands. He loves us as we are. He never suspicious your ability, he always trusts you. God knew that how to create you and so he did. You are a masterpiece of God. Not accepting yourself means you are insulting God. You are mistrusting him. This is wrong. God is great, God is greater and God is greatest. Psalm 139:14 I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.

Things To Remember

Always be thankful. Life could be worse. Never stop trying. Never stop believing. Never give up.

You are only going to be as good as the people you surround yourself with, so be brave enough to let fo og those who keep weighing you down.

Count your blessings, not your troubles.

Growth is painful. Change is painful. But nothing is as painful as staying stuck somewhere you don't belong.

Until you're broken, you don't know what you're made of. It gives you the ability to build yourself all over again, but stronger than ever.

A Smile Is A Gift Worth Giving

I'd never really thought about giving a smile as a gift until this morning. Sometimes a smile is the best gift you can give someone.

Yesterday I was in the grocery store. I saw an older man standing with a sad look on his face. I walked by and gave him a big smile. Immediately, his eyes brightened and he smiled back. I don't know why he looked so sad, but for that moment in time he smiled.

People are in a rush and many are stressed this time of the year. Why not give a gift of your smile to everyone you meet. Give the gift of your smile! You never know how much of a difference you could be making in their life at that moment.

Always remember that a smile is a gift worth giving!

Pain

What is pain? Pain is a reminder. It reminds us our mistakes. pain is an alarm of upcoming beautiful days. There are two types of pain in the world. First is physical pain like tooth ache, body ache, back pain, neck pain etc and second is heart pain. This pain has not any medicine yet. This pain only reduced by bearing it. Rumi says "The cure for pain is in the pain."

When we forget God and run after world and pain enters into our life because all the worldly things are painful. "Put God first put God's work first then the other things will be yours as well" (Mathew 6:33). Where there is God no question arises of pain because God is our higher self and higher self itself is a biggest happiness. We need to explore ourself and start getting rid of pain.

Pain is the only one thing which brings us close to God. In pain we never remember mom or dad or any friend. We just look at the sky and start praying. God is the only one who understands us and support us throughout the bad time. Every relation in the world remains because of some selfishness and our relation with God is only remains because of love.

In hard days we always feel loneliness and this loneliness brings ourself closer to our higher self. We get to know our talents and good and bad qualities which you cannot know in the crowd. Some people do solitude just because to know themselves because they know the value of their existence. Some do meditations.

Pain changes your life. It will increase your conscience. For the first time when you face the pain you feel like going mad. You cry a lot, try a lot and after that you will pray and now you are on the right path. God has the solutions of every situation.

Everything created by God is for our benefits so do as with pain. Pain is necessary. It opens our heart and mind. It makes balance in our life. Pain is a result of mistakes.