Tuesday, January 26, 2010

Tips On Tuesday - Lessons From a Pencil Maker

5 IMPORTANT LESSONS TOLD BY A PENCIL MAKER :



1.) EVERYTHING YOU DO WILL ALWAYS LEAVE A MARK.

2.) YOU CAN ALWAYS CORRECT THE MISTAKES YOU MAKE.

3.) WHAT IS IMPORTANT IS WHAT IS INSIDE OF YOU.

4.) IN LIFE , YOU WILL UNDERGO PAINFUL SHARPENINGS,

WHICH WILL MAKE YOU A BETTER PERSON.

5.) TO BE THE BEST PENCIL, YOU MUST ALLOW YOURSELF

TO BE HELD AND GUIDED BY THE HAND THAT HOLDS YOU.

Sunday, January 24, 2010

Scripture On Sundays - Two For One (Respect)

Two for one posting....that is, two weeks worth of readings, because I missed last Sunday.  These readings to me, seemed all about respect....respect for your country, God and your Mother, not necessarily in that order!  In this first reading, the prophet Isaiah "sticks up" for his country, and Israel's righteousness.  In recent news, Israeli doctors have done a great job by saving lives in Haiti.  Israel should get more respect from the world than it does....and the same with the U.S. 

1 For Zion's sake I will not keep silent, for Jerusalem's sake I will not remain quiet, till her righteousness shines out like the dawn, her salvation like a blazing torch.
2 The nations will see your righteousness, and all kings your glory; you will be called by a new name that the mouth of the LORD will bestow.
Isaiah 62:1-2

We are told our gifts and talents are from God, and we're showing respect to God by using them wisely....

1 Now about spiritual gifts, brothers, I do not want you to be ignorant.

4 There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit.
5 There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord.
6 There are different kinds of working, but the same God works all of them in all men.
7 Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good.
8 To one there is given through the Spirit the message of wisdom, to another the message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit,
9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit,
10 to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues (languages), and to still another the interpretation of tongues.
11 All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and He gives them to each one, just as He determines.
1 Corinthians 12:1, 4-11

The first miracle of Jesus and how His Mother wouldn't take "No" for an answer!  Turning water into wine and "saving the best for last"....

1 On the third day a wedding took place at Cana in Galilee. Jesus' mother was there,
2 and Jesus and His disciples had also been invited to the wedding.
3 When the wine was gone, Jesus' mother said to Him, "They have no more wine."

4 "Dear woman, why do you involve me?" Jesus replied, "My time has not yet come."
5 His mother said to the servants, "Do whatever He tells you."
6 Nearby stood six stone water jars, the kind used by the Jews for ceremonial washing, each holding from twenty to thirty gallons.
7 Jesus said to the servants, "Fill the jars with water"; so they filled them to the brim.
8 Then He told them, "Now draw some out and take it to the master of the banquet." They did so,
9 and the master of the banquet tasted the water that had been turned into wine. He did not realize where it had come from, though the servants who had drawn the water knew. Then he called the bridegroom aside
10 and said, "Everyone brings out the choice wine first and then the cheaper wine after the guests have had too much to drink; but you have saved the best till now."
11 This, the first of His miraculous signs, Jesus performed in Cana of Galilee. He thus revealed His glory, and His disciples put their faith in Him.
John 2:1-11

The above were last week's readings.  For this Sunday's first reading, we hear of the respect the people gave to the sacred scrolls, the Law of God, which is good....
 
2 So on the first day of the seventh month Ezra the priest brought the Law before the assembly, which was made up of men and women and all who were able to understand.
3 He read it aloud from daybreak till noon as he faced the square before the Water Gate in the presence of the men, women and others who could understand. And all the people listened attentively to the Book of the Law.

4 Ezra the scribe stood on a high wooden platform built for the occasion.
5 Ezra opened the book. All the people could see him because he was standing above them; and as he opened it, the people all stood up.
6 Ezra praised the LORD, the great God; and all the people lifted their hands and responded, "Amen! Amen!" Then they bowed down and worshiped the LORD with their faces to the ground.
8 They read from the Book of the Law of God, making it clear and giving the meaning so that the people could understand what was being read.

9 Then Nehemiah the governor, Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who were instructing the people said to them all, "This day is sacred to the LORD your God. Do not mourn or weep." For all the people had been weeping as they listened to the words of the Law.
10 Nehemiah said, "Go and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks, and send some to those who have nothing prepared. This day is sacred to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the LORD is your strength."
Nehemiah 8:2-4a,5-6,8-10

The second reading is about respect for yourself and everyone else who has faith in God, even if they are a different nationality, we all belong to one body.

12 The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body. So it is with Christ.
13 For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink.

14 Now the body is not made up of one part but of many.
15 If the foot should say, "Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body," it would not for that reason cease to be part of the body.
16 And if the ear should say, "Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body," it would not for that reason cease to be part of the body.
17 If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be?
18 But in fact God has arranged the parts in the body, every one of them, just as He wanted them to be.
19 If they were all one part, where would the body be?
20 As it is, there are many parts, but one body.
21 The eye cannot say to the hand, "I don't need you!" And the head cannot say to the feet, "I don't need you!"
22 On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable,
23 and the parts that we think are less honorable we treat with special honor. And the parts that are unpresentable are treated with special modesty,
24 while our presentable parts need no special treatment. But God has combined the members of the body and has given greater honor to the parts that lacked it,
25 so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other.
26 If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it.
27 Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.
28 And in the church God has appointed first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then workers of miracles, also those having gifts of healing, those able to help others, those with gifts of administration, and those speaking in different kinds of tongues.
29 Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles?
30 Do all have gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues? Do all interpret?
31 But eagerly desire  the greater gifts.
1 Corinthians 12:12-31a

Jesus said prophets usually are not accepted, believed, or given any respect in their own hometown.  The people of Nazareth however, were initially impressed with Jesus, until He actually foretold how they would eventually not listen to Him (just as they did not with Elijah and Elisha) and would reject Him too.  He was right, but they didn't realize it.  Three years later when Jesus would be hanging on the cross, the people would still want Him to prove Himself....by saving Himself.  But they didn't understand what needed to be done, for God's will to be accomplished through His death and resurrection.

14 Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit, and news about Him spread through the whole countryside.
15 He taught in their synagogues, and everyone praised Him.

16 He went to Nazareth, where He had been brought up, and on the Sabbath day He went into the synagogue, as was His custom. And He stood up to read.
17 The scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to Him. Unrolling it, He found the place where it is written:
18 "The Spirit of the Lord is on Me, because He has anointed Me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent Me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed,
19 to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor."
20 Then He rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant and sat down. The eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fastened on Him,
21 and He began by saying to them, "Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing."
22 All spoke well of Him and were amazed at the gracious words that came from His lips. "Isn't this Joseph's son?" they asked.
23 Jesus said to them, "Surely you will quote this proverb to me: 'Physician, heal yourself! Do here in your hometown what we have heard that you did in Capernaum.' "
24 "I tell you the truth," He continued, "no prophet is accepted in his hometown.
25 I assure you that there were many widows in Israel in Elijah's time, when the sky was shut for three and a half years and there was a severe famine throughout the land.
26 Yet Elijah was not sent to any of them, but to a widow in Zarephath in the region of Sidon.
27 And there were many in Israel with leprosy in the time of Elisha the prophet, yet not one of them was cleansed—only Naaman the Syrian."
28 All the people in the synagogue were furious when they heard this.
29 They got up, drove Him out of the town, and took Him to the brow of the hill on which the town was built, in order to throw Him down the cliff.
30 But He walked right through the crowd and went on His way.
Luke 4:14-30

All Jesus and the rest of His followers can do is "put the Word out there" and if people don't want to listen, Jesus told His disciples to "shake the dust from your feet (from that town) and move on" which is what He did in this last reading.  Another non-Biblical saying that could be used is "You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make him drink".  I hope most, if not all of you, took the time to read this and take it under consideration.     





 


  




Wednesday, January 13, 2010

Work On Wednesdays - My Job

1 Timothy 4:16 tells me....
Watch your life and doctrine closely.  Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers.

Hope you're all listening!  I need to be reminded myself, to tow the line and keep on the straight and narrow.  It's hard work!  But we've got to remember.... 

The Lord delights in those who fear Him, who put their hope in His unfailing love.
Psalm 147:11

Tips On Tuesdays - Vick's VapoRub

VICKS VapoRub - INTERESTING


During a lecture on Essential Oils, they told us how the foot soles can absorb oils. Their example: Put garlic on your feet and within 20 minutes you can 'taste' it.

Some of us have used Vicks VapoRub for years for everything from chapped lips to sore toes and many body parts in between. But I've never heard of this. And don't laugh, it seems to work 100% of the time, although the scientists who discovered it aren't sure why.

To stop night time coughing in a child (or adult as we found out personally), put Vicks VapoRub generously on the soles of your feet, cover with socks, and the heavy, deep coughing will stop in about 5 minutes and stay stopped for many, many hours of relief. Works 100% of the time and is more effective in children than even very strong prescription cough medicines. In addition it is extremely soothing and comforting and they will sleep soundly

Just happened to tune in A.M. Radio and picked up this guy talkingabout why cough medicines in kids often do more harm than good, due to the chemicals in them This method of using Vicks VapoRub on the soles ofthe feet was found to be more effective than prescribed medicines for children at bed time. In addition it seems to have a soothing and calming effect on sick children who then went on to sleep soundly.

My wife tried it on herself when she had a very deep constant and persistent cough a few weeks ago and it worked 100%! She said that it felt like a warm blanket had enveloped her, coughing stopped in a few minutes.So she went from; every few seconds uncontrollable coughing, she slept cough-free for hours every night she used it.

If you have grandchildren, pass this on. If you end up sick, try it yourself and you will be amazed at how it works.


TRY IT....THE ONLY THING YOU'VE GOT TO LOSE IS YOUR COUGH!

Money On Mondays - Short & Sweet

Since my postings tend to be a little long, I'm gonna try to keep these next few ones short and sweet.

A penny saved is a penny earned, is that old saying.  So I got this email that I thought I would share. 


A PENNY IN THE PARKING LOT

Remember this every time you pass that little penny in the parking lot.
I always thought that it was for good luck, but I love this version better.

I found a penny today
Laying on the ground.

But it's not just a penny,
This little coin I've found.

Found pennies come from heaven,
That's what Grandpa always told me.

He said Angels toss them down.
Oh, how I loved that story.

He said when an Angel misses you,
They toss a penny down;

Sometimes just to cheer you up,
To make a smile out of your frown.

So, don't pass by that penny
When you're feeling blue.

It may be a penny from heaven
That an Angel's tossed to you.

So now pass this on to people you care about and who you feel are Angels to you.
I just did.  An Angel is now watching over you.
Have A Great Day!

Monday, January 11, 2010

Scripture On Sundays - Teach By Example

This Sunday we commemorate the baptism of Our Lord.  The sermon today was about the parent's job of being the primary teachers of the faith to their children.  After you've taken the time and effort to have your children baptized, it's important to not stop there.  I know it's hard to take young children to church and expect them to sit still.  Attention spans and listening skills are not fully developed in the very young.  Yet we know words are important.  But in addition to that, if the partents set a good example of morality and values in the way they live their lives, that can have just as much of an impact as words, if not more so, in a young child's life.

In the first reading from the Old Testament (before Christ) the prophet Isaiah speaks to the Jews of the coming of the Messiah.

Comfort for God's People

1 Comfort, comfort My people, says your God. 3 A voice of one calling: "In the desert prepare the way for the LORD; make straight in the wilderness a highway for our God. 
2 Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and proclaim to her that her hard service has been completed,
that her sin has been paid for, that she has received from the LORD's hand double for all her sins.
4 Every valley shall be raised up, every mountain and hill made low; the rough ground shall become level, the rugged places a plain.
5 And the glory of the LORD will be revealed, and all mankind together will see it. For the mouth of the LORD has spoken."
9 You who bring good tidings to Zion, go up on a high mountain. You who bring good tidings to Jerusalem,  lift up your voice with a shout, lift it up, do not be afraid; say to the towns of Judah, "Here is your God!"
10 See, the Sovereign LORD comes with power, who rules by His strong arm. See, His reward is with Him, the One who will pay restitution for us accompanies Him.
11 He tends His flock like a shepherd: He gathers the lambs in His arms and carries them close to His heart; He gently leads those that have young.
Isaiah 40: 3-5,9-11

There was another option for the first reading, also from Isaiah.  I thought it had some insightful and very profound things to say, so I chose to include it.

The Servant of the Lord

1 "Here is My servant, whom I uphold, My chosen One in whom I am pleased; I will put My Spirit on Him and He will bring justice to the nations.
2 He will not shout or cry out, or raise His voice in the streets.
3 A bruised reed He will not break, and a smoldering wick He will not snuff out. In faithfulness He will bring forth justice on the earth;
4 He will not falter or be discouraged until He establishes justice on the earth. The coastlands will wait for His teaching. In His law, the islands will put their hope."
5 This is what God the LORD says— He who created the heavens and stretched them out, Who spread out the earth and all that comes out of it, Who gives breath to its people, and life to those who walk on it:
6 "I, the LORD, have called You (Jesus) in righteousness and the victory of justice; I will take hold of Your Hand.  I formed You and set You to be a covenant for the people, and a light for the Gentiles and all the nations,
7 to open eyes that are blind, to free captives from the prison of their minds, and to release from the dungeon those who sit in darkness.
Isaiah 42: 1-7
 
In the second readings we are into the New Testament and and hear from Titus and the Acts of the Apostles.

What Must Be Taught to Various Groups

1 You must teach what is in accord with sound doctrine.
2 Teach the older men to be temperate, worthy of respect, self-controlled, and sound in faith, in love and in endurance.
3 Likewise, teach the older women to be reverent in the way they live, not to be slanderers or addicted to much wine, but to teach what is good.
4 Then they can train the younger women to love their husbands and children,
5 to be self-controlled and pure, to be busy at home, to be kind, and to be subject to their husbands, so that no one will malign the word of God.
6 Similarly, encourage the young men to be self-controlled.
7 In everything set them an example by doing what is good. In your teaching show integrity, seriousness
8 and soundness of speech that cannot be condemned, so that those who oppose you may be ashamed because they have nothing bad to say about us.
9 Teach workers to be subject to their masters in everything, to try to please them, not to talk back to them,
10 and not to steal from them, but to show that they can be fully trusted, so that in every way they will make the teaching about God our Savior attractive.
11 For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men.
12 It teaches us to say "No" to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age,
13 while we wait for the blessed hope—the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ,
14 who gave Himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for Himself a people that are His very own, eager to do what is good.
15 These, then, are the things you should teach. Encourage and rebuke with all authority. Do not let anyone despise you.
Titus 2: 1-15

Doing What is Good

3 At one time we too were foolish, disobedient, deceived and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures. We lived in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another.
4 But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared,
He saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of His mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit (baptism),
6 whom He poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior,
7 so that, having been justified by His grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life.
8 This is a trustworthy saying. And I want you to stress these things, so that those who have trusted in God may be careful to devote themselves to doing what is good. These things are excellent and profitable for everyone.
9 But avoid foolish controversies and genealogies and arguments and quarrels about the law, because these are unprofitable and useless.
10 Warn a divisive person once, and then warn him a second time. After that, have nothing to do with him.
11 You may be sure that such a man is warped and sinful; he is self-condemned. 
Titus 3: 3-4,6-11

You can only teach and warn a person so many times and then if they don't want to heed you, then you should "shake the dust from your feet" and move on.


Peter visits Cornelius, the Italian centurion
 
34 Then Peter began to speak: "I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism
35 but accepts (good) people from every nation, who fear Him and do what is right.
36 You know the message God sent to the people of Israel, telling the good news of peace through Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all.
37 You know what has happened throughout Judea, beginning in Galilee after the baptism that John preached—
38 how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power, and how He went around doing good and healing all who were under the power of the devil, because God was with Him.
Acts 10: 34-38

The gospel from Luke recalls the baptism of Jesus, who is our Teacher and worthy Judge.

15 The people were waiting expectantly and were all wondering in their hearts if John might possibly be the Christ.
16 John answered them all, "I baptize you with water. But One more powerful than I will come, the thongs of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire.
17 His winnowing fork is in His hand to clear His threshing floor and to gather the wheat into His barn, but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire."
18 And with many other words John exhorted the people and preached the good news to them.



The Baptism of Jesus


21 When all the people were being baptized, Jesus was baptized too. And as He was praying, heaven was opened
22 and the Holy Spirit descended on Him in bodily form like a dove. And a Voice came from heaven: "You are my Son, whom I love; with You I am well pleased."
Luke 3: 15-18,21-22 


Saturday, January 9, 2010

Satire On Saturdays - The irony of it all

We're rich and we don't know it!!  This is more frustrating than
funny, in that we are not taking advantage of what can bring us
out of a bad economy. This is just another example of how our
lawmakers are pulling a sham on us! They all need to go!!!!



READ THIS -- IT WILL BOGGLE YOUR MIND!

Here's an interesting read, important and verifiable information :

About 6 months ago, the writer was watching a news program
on oil and one of the Forbes Bros. was the guest. The host said
to Forbes, "I am going to ask you a direct question and I would
like a direct answer; how much oil does the U.S. have in the
ground? " Forbes did not miss a beat, he said, "more than all the
Middle East put together. "
Please read below.

The U. S. Geological Service issued a report in April 2008 that
only scientists and oil men knew was coming, but man was it big.
It was a revised report (hadn't been updated since 1995) on how
much oil was in this area of the western 2/3 of North Dakota,
western South Dakota, and extreme eastern Montana.
Check THIS out:

The Bakken is the largest domestic oil discovery since Alaska's
Prudhoe Bay, and has the potential to eliminate all American
dependence on foreign oil. The Energy Information Administration
(EIA) estimates it at 503 billion barrels. Even if just 10% of the oil
is recoverable... at $107 a barrel, we're looking at a resource
base worth more than $5.3 trillion.

"When I first briefed legislators on this, you could practically see
their jaws hit the floor. They had no idea.. " says Terry Johnson,
he Montana Legislature's financial analyst.

"This sizable find is now the highest-producing onshore oil field
found in the past 56 years, " reports The Pittsburgh Post Gazette.
It's a formation known as the Williston Basin, but is more
commonly referred to as the 'Bakken'. It stretches from Northern
Montana, through North Dakota and into Canada.

For years, U. S. oil exploration has been considered a dead end.
Even the 'Big Oil' companies gave up searching for major oil
wells decades ago. However, a recent technological breakthrough
has opened up the Bakken's massive reserves....and we now have
access of up to 500 billion barrels. And because this is light,
sweet oil, those billions of barrels will cost Americans just $16
PER BARREL!  That's enough crude to fully fuel the American
economy for 2,041 years straight. And if THAT didn't throw you
on the floor, then this next one should - because it's from 2006!

U. S. Oil Discovery- Largest Reserve in the World

Stansberry Report Online - 4/20/2006

Hidden 1,000 feet beneath the surface of the Rocky Mountains
lies the largest untapped oil reserve in the world. It is more than
2 TRILLION barrels. On August 8, 2005 President Bush mandated
its extraction.  In three and a half years of high oil prices NONE
has been extracted.  With this motherload of oil why are we still
fighting over off-shore drilling?

They reported this stunning news: We have more oil inside our
borders, than all the other proven reserves on earth. Here are the
official estimates:

- 8-times as much oil as Saudi Arabia

- 18-times as much oil as Iraq

- 21-times as much oil as Kuwait

- 22-times as much oil as Iran

- 500-times as much oil as Yemen

- and it's all right here in the Western United States.

HOW can this BE? HOW can we NOT BE extracting this?
Because the environmentalists and others have blocked all efforts
to help America become independent of foreign oil! Again, we are
letting a small group of people dictate our lives and our economy.
WHY?

James Bartis, lead researcher with the study says we've got more
oil in this very compact area than the entire Middle East -more
than 2 TRILLION barrels untapped. That's more than all the
proven oil reserves of crude oil in the world today, reports the
Denver Post.

Don't think OPEC will drop its price - even with this find? Think
again! It's all about the competitive marketplace, - it has to.
Think, could it be possible OPEC just might be funding the
environmentalists?

Got your attention yet?  Many Americans should be demanding
we take advantage of these natural resources that could make us
independent from foreign oil.  We can still continue our research
on renewables like wind and solar, but this new technology has
not yet been developed enough to run our vehicles, homes and
machinery.  So in the meantime, the cry should be renewed....
"DRILL BABY, DRILL!" 

By the way...this is all true. Check it out at the link below!!!
GOOGLE it, or follow this link. It will blow your mind.



Family & Friends On Fridays - Starting Off the New Year

The top searches according to Google today were:

1. e-file (for electronic filing of income taxes, I assume)

2.  Elvis Presley (today was his birthday and he would have been 75)

3.  Weight loss  (pounds added on over the holidays is a concern, I'm sure)

A few days back, the top three searches were NFL play offs, Clearance and Resolutions.  Seeing what the top searches are is a pretty good way to keep tabs on the pulse of the nation.  These all make sense and since I hope to make this blog relevant to what's going on in people's lives, I like to monitor those top Google searches.

So, concerns about paying taxes, remembering the loss of a special person like Elvis (my own father's 7th anniversary of his death was yesterday, Jan. 7th), and working on those New Year's resolutions, like losing weight, are priorities right now.  Some are still trying to get in on any other big clearance sales too.  So these kinds of things are on the minds of many people this week.  Of course, the one thing the guys mainly wanted to know about was the pro football playoffs.  No big surprise there! 

I'd like to also add there are many concerned about the cold snap we've had, and they're also worried about their jobs (or lack thereof) and the economy.  Another priority is trying to stay safe in this troubling and crazy world of extremist ideologues who believe their main goal is to kill the infidels, throw us into more fearful chaos (dare I type the word terror?) and bring us to the brink of financial ruin because we feel the need to buy even more body scanners for our airports, and send more troops overseas.  If our own government doesn't bankrupt us, the jihadists will be happy to!

But on a much more positive and hopeful note, I'd like to take this time to wish everyone good health and prosperity, despite all that is working against us.  No one said life would be easy....but it's still worth it. 

Truth On Thursdays - They Are Really Little Human Beings


I saw a comment on another blog which said, 'Babies are pro-choice....they choose to live!' 

I realize this is simplfying the sometimes complicated situation of an unwanted pregnancy.  But maybe we should personify the fetus and think about whether or not they should have a choice in the decision of whether or not they get to live.  The mother may be very young herself, where the father does not want to help, or there are financial problems.  If you don't have a good network of family or friends to help, an unexpected pregnancy could be a very 'inconvenient' and life changing situation. 

But the reality of the actual horror of the abortion procedure is appalling, especially if you have one that is guided by ultrasound, where you can actually see the fetus is a very real little human being.  I've heard stories of attendants helping the abortionist who could see on the ultrasound that the fetus was fighting for it's life trying to get away from that probe that wants to tear it to pieces and suck it out of it's very warm and cozy place in the womb.  Sorry for being so graphic, but this is the reality. 

So I hope these women  who are contemplating abortion try to reach out and find someone to talk to that could provide some guidance and support, before they make any decisions.....because their own life should not be the only one they should be concerned about.  There is a new life that's wanting to realize his or her own potential too.

Friday, January 8, 2010

Work On Wednesdays - How health care reform and jobs will still be interconnected

We need to give the older people in this country credit for having aquired some wisdom from their life experiences. We're not as stupid as some "progressive elites" would like to portray us. They (the Democrats) can buffalo the young people by saying this health care reform bill (it's really the health insurance industry reform bill) is a great thing. But if that's so, why did they have to provide sweetheart deals to some Democratic Senators who were hold outs? These senators were rightly concerned and worried about several aspects of this bill. But the bribes worked! The Dems ended up getting all the votes they needed....and as of now they'll be paying them off (by way of the special financial benefits their particular states will be getting) with YOUR taxpayer dollars!  How many of you are also aware of the fact that the government plans to be collecting revenue from taxpayers for this health care program for four years before they even offer to make this coverage available to the uninsured????

This is only the beginning of the increases in stealth taxation too (they'll be calling it something else), and common sense tells you there will be decreases in services. Think about it....if you add millions more to the government run insurance plan, one way by making it easier to qualify for Medicaid, and also planning to subsidize their premiums with YOUR taxpayer money (income redistribution), all while knowing there will be a predicted shortage of doctors and nurses....what should happen? Well let's see, MORE patients - LESS medical professionals, should equate to MORE waiting and rationing of services - and the government wants to pay the doctors and hospitals LESS too.

If some are against this, I guess you will be called selfish....but aren't we just looking at it from that crazy point of view called common sense? Also, is there anywhere in the Constitution where it states health care is a right that should be provided to everyone by the government? I believe it's no more of a right than home ownership is. You saw what kind of financial trouble we got into from the government's interference in the mortgage market. Oh, they'll say it was the fault of all those bad bankers and bad firms on Wall St. for that mess.  They say it's those bad health insurance companies too who are at fault for health care costs being out of control. Partially, yes....totally, no. I believe we can all agree some constructive reform is needed....but government control, no. That's what this health care bill is really all about. It's not about health care....it's about control and yes, the possibility of the loss of some of your liberties. Many believe if this bill is signed by the president, it will open the door to even more government involvement in your lives.

Encouraging sensible, healthy lifestyles is a good thing.  But could you envision eventually being dependent on whether or not some government bureaucrat deems you "unfit" for medical coverage (yes, a denial) because  you're eating unhealthy foods and you're overweight, or if you drink, smoke, misuse drugs, have unsafe sex, or if you are sending or reading text messages while driving?!  Granted, these are all things to be discouraged and are often the cause of rising medicals costs due to increased health problems or accidents.  But if you didn't want your parents, or your doctor, or your wife nagging you about such bad habits....how would you like the government telling you what to do....or else?!  Well, actually the government can actually give you some fines or even jail time for some of the above mentioned infractions already!

They say insurance companies will not be able to deny you coverage anymore, especially if you have a pre-existing condition. Well which insurer had the largest amount of denials??? The government run entity called MEDICARE! The liberal progressives make fun of conservatives who talk about "death panels".....well why then does the government want to form a group of bureaucrats to make health care decisions (potentially denials) for you? I can't remember the actual name of this "advisory panel", but I believe  it is stated in at least the House version of the bill. And we're not just talking about end of life counseling. We're talking about whether you will be considered "worthy" of extended healthcare, depending on your age, or if you qualify as being what the government feels is a "productive" citizen. It's just their way of cutting costs! It's not a joke. It is true!
Read more about that by clicking on the link below (or copy and paste it into your address bar)
http://corner.nationalreview.com/post/q=NGQ2ZDRlMDRlMGNkN2IzMjhhMTc0MmM3MWY5ODE2ZGY=

They say the AMA (American Medical Association) is supporting this. Well did you know the AMA represents only 29 percent of licensed U.S. doctors, according to the AMA's own figures. They say AARP is supporting this bill. There's a good reason why. They have a sweetheart deal with the government too. Needless to say, I dropped my AARP membership awhile back. Everyone involved with promoting this huge government take over is benefitting from it one way or another. Don't kid yourselves into thinking this is all being done just to benefit the uninsured. There are unbelievable deals being made behind closed doors. We have yet to know the full scope of what this "fundamental transformation" is really all about.

The unions that helped get Obama elected are crying foul now because the Democrats are wanting to tax their "Cadillac" health insurance plans, which were negotiated by their unions, by 40%! Well, they gotta pay for this somehow! Share the wealth! Yeah! We're all for that....until it hits you in your own pocket! The union workers will probably end up getting another one of those special deals, in order to keep that wing of the party happy. But then who will be taxed next? I would venture to say the amount of "rich" people is dwindling in this sour economy and businesses are hurting too, which translates into less tax revenue for the government. We've lost 33% of our manufacturing base. Just try to buy something made in America.

If our economy doesn't improve, this could skew those projected CBO (Congressional Budget Office) numbers that they claim will pay for this new health care reform. They were counting on projected revenue that is questionable, considering the circumstances. This health care bill could be a recipe for disaster, if the economy doesn't improve soon. They should work on getting the economy and jobs back on track first, before they tax and spend us into oblivion.

I had to give you all this information before you view this youtube video. It is done in a humorous way, but it explains how many Americans are feeling right now.

Wednesday, January 6, 2010

Tips On Tuesdays - Why We Shouldn't Use Washroom Hand Dryers

You hear so many different things, and you wonder sometimes if they're true or not.  Well, I thought I would pass this information along, and you can decide for yourself.  I suppose it could be feasible, if you think about it.  If someone is coughing or sneezing in the washroom, these airborne germs can get sucked into and then blown back out of these hand dryers, maybe????  This is copied from an email I got on the subject....

DON'T KNOW HOW TRUE, BUT A THOUGHT


I thought that this was very interesting information. It came to me from someone who works in sales & distribution of cleaning & maintainence products for large industries.
________________________________

Everyone in the cleaning industry has always been told that hand dryers in restrooms are not sanitary, they spread germs and bacteria around. I always thought that this just came from the paper companies because they are loosing sales to the hand dryers.

A couple of years ago, I was working with a rep, and I noticed that after he washed his hands and noticed that there were no paper towels, only a hand dryer, he left the restroom with wet hands. I asked him about it. He said that hand dryers blow a lot of germs and bacteria around. He also told me to take a look under the hand dryer next time I was in a restroom. There is a filter underneath the hand dryer that is supposed to be cleaned on a weekly basis. I looked at one and it looked like it hadn't been cleaned in years. It had layers and layers of caked on gunk (disgusting).  Since then I will not use hand dryers in restrooms.

Now this is where the story gets really interesting. The schools and universities that have had the H1N1 (swine flu) outbreak this year are being told by the health department that they have to take out all of
their hand dryers and replace them with towel dispensers because the hand dryers are spreading disease.

Please pass this along so everyone knows not to use hand dryers.

Money On Mondays - A Penny For Your Thoughts

Some of you (my large following, ha-ha) may have noticed that I seem to be a day or so behind in getting my postings done and I find myself  playing catch  up quite often lately.  Of course, I can say I was very busy during the holidays!  But I realize now, how paid reporters and columnists often have to deal with the stress of meeting deadlines.  Well doing this blog of mine is self-inflicted, so it's not like I got this imposed on me.  It is of my own chosing that I wanted to post something daily, and by naming a topic for each day, I thought it would give me some direction.

So what can I say about money?  Don't know if I have any great advice to give.  Maybe no one wants my advice!  But I've said before, even if hardly anyone is reading this but me, it's still worth doing.  Why?  Because it's a form of therapy for myself.  I've heard that mental health professionals sometimes ask their patients to write down their thoughts.  So maybe I'm saving myself huge amounts of MONEY by doing this blog!  I'm not saying my troubles are all that bad.  However, we are living in troubled times, and I do worry. 

Most of us are watching our pennies, especially nowadays.  More of us are scoping out the sales, clipping coupons, and even doing without certain luxuries if we don't have the money for it.  Eating out at restaurants and going to the movies can be considered luxuries now.  Brown bagging your lunch, skipping Starbucks or Dunkin Donuts and instead, making your own coffee at home and bringing it in a insulated mug saves you money.  Don't buy clothes that need to be dry cleaned.  Additionally, for the women, you can maintain your own hair and nails at home too.  Of course, all that I'm suggesting here will be hurting these businesses, which is not good for the economy right now either.  I actually don't want to see any more businesses closing their doors, but it's survival of the fittest right now.   

I heard it reported that more people are using their credit cards less, because of what the banks are doing with the increases in interest rates and late fees.  The ultimate is when you can get to the point where you only charge what you can afford to pay off every month.  Don't carry a balance, if you can help it.  Also, having the type of credit card where your card compay pays you rebates for certain purchases like gas or groceries is the best way to go.  I prefer the ones who give you cash, well actually it's a check, or give you the choice of using your rebate towards paying down your balance, instead of using your rebate at a list of stores like a gift card.  But that, once again, hurts some businesses.  However, as of now, you should have the attitude that charity begins at home. 

I started saving my loose change in a big glass bottle awhile back.  It will surprise you how fast that can build up.  I just hope inflation doesn't happen, to where our dollar keeps getting devalued, and is worth less and less.  It's our country's massive debt that will be causing that.  So we should all be paying off as much debt as we can.  The government should be taking this advice too! 

It's hard to know what to invest in, that is if you have any extra cash to put towards savings.  It's nice if your employer offers you the option of a credit union, where an amount you choose can be deducted from your paycheck.  Some people need every penny of their paycheck, but if you tighten your belts, and you can afford to have that money taken out before you get your hands on it, it's actually called paying yourself first.  It forces you to get by with a little less take home money too.  It's important to have that rainy day fund.  But, on the down side, banks or credit unions aren't paying very much in interest right now.  The stock market is still kind of shaky too.  So it's hard to know what to do as far as investing goes. 

Just being able to pay your basic everyday bills is a blessing right now.  Having a roof over your head, some food in your refrigerator and pantry, a warm bed at night, a car that starts in this cold weather in the morning, and a job to go to, are all things to be thankful for.  And I can't forget mentioning, if you and your family are fairly healthy, that's a blessing too.  So as bad as it seems at times, we have to hang in there and be grateful for the basic little things....that really aren't so minor.   

Monday, January 4, 2010

Scripture On Sundays - Finding & Sharing the Jewish Messiah

Isaiah predicts to the Jews the wonder and excitement that would happen when news of the Savior's birth arrives, and that a heavenly alignment would cause an extra bright star to shine upon their land. It would intrigue some other kings enough to where they would come from afar to follow this star, in order to find, and bring the newborn King some very special gifts.

1 "Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the LORD rises upon you.
2 See, darkness covers the earth and thick darkness is over the peoples, but the LORD rises upon you
and His glory appears over you.
3 Nations will come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your dawn.
4 "Lift up your eyes and look about you: All assemble and come to you; your sons come from afar,
and your daughters are carried on the arm.
5 Then you will look and be radiant, your heart will throb and swell with joy; the wealth on the seas will be brought to you, to you the riches of the nations will come.
6 Herds of camels will cover your land, young camels of Midian and Ephah. And all from Sheba will come, bearing gold and incense and proclaiming the praise of the LORD.
Isaiah 60:1-6


As the prophets foretold in the Old Testament (the Hebrew Torah), God would send them a Messiah.  But they believed He would be sent just for them, to the Jews only, who are called God's "chosen" people.  But, as Paul tells the Ephesians in so many words, this Jesus Christ was not going to play favorites and just be the Messiah for the Jews....He came for everyone, including the Gentiles (non-Jews).  I believe the Jews also thought their Messiah would be a king-like and noble figure, not one who would be born in humble surroundings.  Maybe these are some of the reasons the Jews found Him difficult to accept as their own heaven-sent Messiah.  But we've come to learn from reading the scriptures that Jesus did not come to be a proud king who expected servants to be waiting on Him.  In contrast, He came to be the example of humility and to show that living a life being a servant to others would count as greatness in God, Our Father's eyes.  He was a servant who was willing to give His life to "purchase" the salvation of everyone's soul....everyone, that is, who choses to accept Him as the Way, the Truth and the Light.

2 Surely you have heard about the stewardship of God's grace that was given to me for your benefit,
3 that is, the mystery made known to me by revelation, as I have already written briefly.
4 In reading this, then, you will be able to understand my insight into the mystery of Christ,
5 which was not made known to men in other generations as it has now been revealed by the Holy Spirit to God's holy apostles and prophets.
6 This mystery is that through the gospel the Gentiles are co-heirs together with Israel, members together of one body, and sharers together in the promise in Christ Jesus.
Ephesians 3:2-6

In addition to the fact that the Jews were later faced with the idea that they would have to share their Jewish Messiah with all the nations of the world, and that He initally wasn't born with all the appearances of, and in the fancy surroundings of a king, now the current King of Judea was feeling threatened by all the talk of this new arrival.  In this passage from Matthew, the kings from afar come to ask King Herod about Him.  We would later find out, the Baby Jesus would face the first threat on His life from King Herod..

The Visit of the Magi

1 After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem
2 and asked, "Where is the One who has been born king of the Jews? We saw His star in the east and have come to worship Him."
3 When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him.
4 When he had called together all the people's chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where the Christ was to be born.
5 "In Bethlehem in Judea," they replied, "for this is what the prophet has written:
6 " 'But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah;
for out of you will come a ruler who will be the shepherd of my people Israel.'"
7 Then Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from them the exact time the star had appeared.
8 He sent them to Bethlehem and said, "Go and make a careful search for the Child. As soon as you find Him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship Him."
9 After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen in the east went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the Child was.
10 When they saw the star, they were overjoyed.
11 On coming to the house, they saw the Child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped Him. Then they opened their treasures and presented Him with gifts of gold and of incense and of myrrh.
12 And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route.
Matthew 2:1-12

Satire On Saturdays - A Day Late Or A Dollar Short

I was trying to find something "satirical" for this posting and somehow the saying "A Day Late and A Dollar Short" came to me.  That phrase just came out of nowhere.  Now why would I think of that?  Or could it be that I'm getting some kind of inspirational help????  Cue the Twilight Zone theme song (you'd probably have to be over 50 to remember that TV show)!  But who really knows for sure how our minds work?  Well, many believe God knows.

So anyway, I googled this phrase and found that a band called Hanoi Rocks actually has a song with that title.  There was a site that had the lyrics to this song.  I found them rather interesting, so I thought I would share them with you.  I wasn't sure how much satire is in it, because it's not actually funny, but then another definition of satire is irony.  In a way these lyrics do show "ironically" how, especially the younger people, are still trying to find love, all while living in this mad and crazy world of ours. 

I thought this kind of coincided with my posting from Friday, which was about putting more love and kindness out there.  We all know some things we have control over, some things we don't.  We can't always control the actions of others, but we can control what we do.  It's about taking personal responsibility for our actions too.  We know we can't always depend on others, or even our government, or other government's of the world, to provide a safe, loving and secure world for us.  So it's up to us to find our way in this "school of hard knocks".  But putting our faith and trust in a Higher Power helps a lot!  Hopefully, it's never too late to acknowledge Him....or do we have forever to decide????  We wouldn't want to be a "Day Late or a Dollar Short" regarding Him, now would we?!  Do you like how I always seem to slip God into my stuff!! 

One more thing that's coming to mind is that atheists say that believing in any kind of religion is a sign of human weakness.....we don't need it!  They think there's no heaven or hell.  Science-minded athiests want proof that there's a Supreme Being.  Well, we believers cannot necessarily give a definitive answer.  As I said before, it's a leap of faith and I guess in the end we'll all find out who was right and who was wrong.  In the meantime though, all we have to do is look around at this wonderful planet of ours and the universe.  Where did it all come from?  How did it all begin?  How do flowers know to grow in the spring?  Also, how can spirits, ghosts and miracles be explained?  I believe they are real, and are still happening....yet they cannot be explained. 

So, I'd rather not show up late, or find out I have not "paid my dues" (dollar short) to where I might miss out on the "banquet" place where love abounds.  A place that Jesus has invited everyone to....which is happening in heaven.  That is, if you choose to believe there is such a place.  I do.    

Here are the lyrics to the song below....   

A Day Late Or A Dollar Short

Late at night as I lay down to sleep

I think of all the secrets people keep.

Like how I feel for you
Do you feel it too?
Is it something we have to resume?

We're just two people watching time
Fly by in a world in its obvious decline.

But we are young and strong,
We can carry on and
Find a little Paradise of our own.

'CUZ NO ONE SAVES THE DAY
IT'S NO ONE ELSE'S FAULT
IF YOU'RE A DAY LATE OR A DOLLAR SHORT

Just think about how lovely life could be
Excluding all the man-made misery.

If we're too far behind
And really out of time
Is there another world they plan to find?

TOO MANY DREAMS OF YOUTH
THAT WE NEVER CAUGHT
JUST A DAY LATE OR A DOLLAR SHORT

We're all just lonely people
Only dyin' to fall in love.

FEELINGS THAT WE THOUGHT
DREAMS WE NEVER CAUGHT
JUST A DAY LATE OR A DOLLAR SHORT

THE LONELINESS, THE BLUES
FEELING SO DISTRAUGHT
WHEN YOU'RE A DAY LATE OR A DOLLAR SHORT

TOO MANY DREAMS OF YOUTH
THAT WE NEVER CAUGHT
JUST A DAY LATE OR A DOLLAR SHORT

AND NO ONE SAVES THE DAY
IT'S NO ONE ELSE'S FAULT
WHEN YOU'RE A DAY LATE OR A DOLLAR SHORT

 

Sunday, January 3, 2010

Family & Friends On Fridays - New Year's Resolutions

How many New Year's resolutions are broken?  Probably quite a few.  But each new year does give us an opportunity to review, renew and resolve to meet those goals.  My wish for all my Christian friends and family, including myself, is that we pause to take a fresh look at the possibility of becoming closer to God, and thus realize the rewards that will come our way by doing so.  This is the leap of faith. 

We know that the Bible tells us that all our gifts and talents are God given, and He's entrusted them to us.  We should then commit ourselves to make good use of those gifts and multiply them.  As stewards, we must do what we can to use those gifts wisely, in a way that is pleasing to God.  Much more goodness and kindness to one another is sorely needed.  They say "you get what you give", so we need to "spread the love", in order to get some back.  Love has to overcome evil, in order for this world to be a better place.  But....

There is so much evil in the world.  We should know that evil is the absense of God's love.  Evil (and idle hands) are the devil's workshop.  We have to resist all the temptation that's out there that will corrupt our hearts and minds, and then work to win over everyone to the goodness of God's love.  It can be done.  It isn't going to be easy, but nothing in life worth fighting for is. 

Friday, January 1, 2010

Trivia On Thursdays - The Good & the Bad

I think the internet is a wonderful tool and opens up so many doors, whether it be for researching things, reading about current and past events, and allowing people around the world to be in touch.  These are all good things. 
However, I heard a statistic on a recent survey where it showed that 20% of recent divorces cited their spouses use of Facebook as the reason for the split.  I assume some people found old flames, past loves or crushes and they took it a little too far, if you know what I mean!  Also, there are people that use the internet to search for pornography and go to other unsavory sites. 
Another upsetting thing I heard is that the same Muslim cleric in Yemen who Maj. Hasan (from the Ft. Hood tradgedy) had been corresponding with via e-mail, was supposedly also involved with influencing the young "pants on fire" Nigerian's bombing attempt on Flight 253 on Christmas Day.  So the internet is being used as a recruitment tool for extremists and this cleric (or whatever you want to call him) has 5,000 followers on his Facebook page!  He is being allowed to spread his hateful and radical ideology to anyone inclined to believe such things, including some who seem to be vulnerable, lonely and impressionable people.  Not good!
So, these are some of the good and bad things about the internet.  We should encourage people to use this wonderful technology in a responsible way....one that is not destructive to their own lives, the lives of others, and their families all over the world!

Wishes On Wednesday - For 2010

Best wishes to all in the New Year!  May everyone
have a safe, healthy and prosperous 2010.