MY HEALTHY LIVING BLOG

A NEW LOCATION

2011-05-05T14:12:00.001-04:00

Praise the Lord! It is a beautiful day today - the sun is shining, trees are beginning to bud and blossom and the birds are singing.

I just want to inform you, my readers, that I have a new location for my blog and web site and I would like to invite you to visit me there. There is also a new e-mail address where you can contact me. This Blogger site will remain intact, but there will be no more new posts here.

My site is still 'under construction', and has no new postings yet, but it is public. Please bear with me while I continue to build and improve the site. And pop in once in awhile to see what's new. I would appreciate it if you would post comments on the comment page. Let me know if there is anything in particular that you would like to see posted there.

I look forward to interacting with you there. Thank you for your support.

I'll 'see' you there!

PS. - There are now some new posts on my new site and I also have another new site you may want to visit. (June 4, 2011)

Susan Ross, Storyteller and Author

2010-12-07T22:37:00.004-05:00

Susan Ross, former storyteller at Fanshawe Pioneer Village and London International Children's Festival is an author of books for children. Born in Toronto, Ontario she now lives in London with her husband Nathan and her menagerie of pets.

People used to tell Susan that she should write down her stories for her grandchildren (which she doesn't have yet). She spoke with David Carruthers, another children's author from London, about self-publishing. But then she laid her stories aside for some years. Finally she decided to "just do it".

"It took me six months to find an artist who could do the illustrations the way I wanted," Susan told me. Then she found the perfect match in a graduate of BealArt here in London. Megan Stiver is currently at Sheridan College studying Illustration.

Susan's first book, "The Great Bellybutton Cover-Up" (ages 2-8), was published in 2008. She is currently producing one book per year. She published "The Kit Kat Caper" in 2009 and "'Say Please to the Honeybees" in 2010.

Look for her next book, a fairytale called "The Rose and the Lily" (ages 4-10) which will be available in 2011.

Check out Susan's new blog.

THE TRAIN MAN

2010-12-07T21:52:00.000-05:00

Long-time London resident Fred Zaza needed something to keep him occupied after he retired. So he built a workshop in his basement and started to make trains out of scrap materials. I spoke with Fred and his wife Donna at a small show a few weeks ago. Fred has made close to 100 trains since he began his hobby. He shows and sells them locally. Fred has taken part in the St. Thomas Model Railway Show and he made his largest model for the North American Railway Museum in St. Thomas.

Fred says it takes him a couple of weeks to make one train engine. Discarded shredders from Office Depot provide some of the items he needs along with various car parts and anything else he can put to use for one of his creations. For one engine he used a small air purifier (see photo at bottom). Some even have working headlights.

Fred told me an interesting story about one show he did a while back. He had a number of trains on display when someone came along and started a conversation about the trains. Fred did not know then who he was speaking with. This man ended up purchasing all of the trains. When he asked who this man was he discovered it was the owner of Farhi Holdings Corporation which owns much of downtown London. Founded in 1988 by Mr. Shmuel Farhi, Farhi Holdings Corporation currently owns and manages more than 4 million square feet of office, retail, industrial and residential space throughout Ontario.

A few months later, Fred, curious as to what Mr. Farhi had wanted the trains for, went to his office in downtown London. There he discovered that the trains were simply sitting where they had been placed after Mr. Farhi purchased them. He didn't buy them for any particular purpose - simply to own them. Just because he could.

Traffic from Social Media

2010-12-02T00:49:00.000-05:00

Check out the latest recording of the TalkShoe program on getting traffic from social media. Chuck Bartok hosts this interactive call with members of Beginners Marketing Class. Join us live every Wednesday evening at 6:30 PST, 9:30 EST. Ask questions on the current topic, offer your suggestions, share your experiences in building your business. Timely topics every week.
Phone number: 1-724-444-7444
Call ID 13372#
Hope to "see" you on the next call.

Canadian school board brings back ‘Christmas’ holidays | LifeSiteNews.com

2010-11-30T23:31:00.000-05:00

Canadian school board brings back ‘Christmas’ holidays | LifeSiteNews.com

The Story of Jonah

2010-11-30T22:30:00.000-05:00

This is the best story of Jonah I have ever heard. I'm sure you will enjoy it as much as I did.

The story of Jonah from Corinth Baptist Church on Vimeo.

Gestapo government orders family farm to commit financial suicide by destroying 50,000 pounds of cheese

2010-11-22T16:41:00.000-05:00

Gestapo government orders family farm to commit financial suicide by destroying 50,000 pounds of cheese

Scouts Canada Hosts Annual Christmas Show

2010-11-21T20:44:00.004-05:00

Yesterday I manned a table for David Carruthers in the gym at Spencer Hall, the Scouts Canada headquarters for London.
There were numerous vendors selling hand-crafted items from knitting to cards to jewelery to trains. There were wood products, home-made preserves and Christmas decorations as well as another children's author, Susan Ross, selling her picture books. (I will be highlighting Susan in another post.) For a $3.00 entrance fee you also received a lunch of sandwiches, veggies and sweets as well as tea and coffee.

It was great to meet and chat with other vendors and to speak with people as they stopped by David's table to browse. I was able to tell quite a few people about David's books and about his school and day care presentations. Of course I also sold some of his books to eager parents and grandparents.

CDs containing
all 17 of David's books.

David also has CDs on which all 17 of his stories are narrated.


Imaginative story about a boy who wonders what it's like to "hug an octopus","ride an octopus" or "kiss a giraffe".

David's books are enthusiastically spoken of by all who have purchased them--children, teachers and parents all love them.

Rhyming picture book just for fun.

All about the letter "A"
to teach children
about the letter itself
and many words
beginning with it.
The purpose is to
enlarge their vocabulary
in a fun way.
A "Colour-Me" book

Along with David's books I also had some of my own children's books on display. These are books I published in 1988 but since I have been out of the craft show venue for so long they have been boxed up in my apartment. David was good enough to suggest I sell my books at his shows as well.

One of the Biggest Book Opportunities Ever!

2010-11-10T17:18:00.000-05:00

We are currently looking for affiliates to participate in one of the biggest book opportunities ever. Bigger than Harry Potter. Get In as an affiliate now...

Buy the novel for yourself and see what all the buzz is about.

Littluns and The Book Of Darkness

A DIFFERENT READING EXPERIENCE

Littluns’ hard cover, 411 page book

includes 63 full color illustrations.

Littluns is a book for the entire family

Imagine innocence of Light, the meek and good among us being unexpectedly consumed into a void of darkness.

Imagine a world gone wrong as darkness overwhelms the Light - offering little hope in a world gone wrong.

Imagine circumstances beyond your control from which your life will inexplicably never ever be the same.

Imagine being stripped of your identity with no past, present, or future while wandering misplaced with a tortured disability and terrifying existence, within an empty space of nothingness.

What could you do - where would you go - how might you survive – can there be any hope in hopelessness?

Imagine being in such a dark place and how you might find ANY truth, peace, love, hope, joy, enlightenment, and your heart’s desire in the face of such adversity?

Author Mark Glamack

First and foremost, Never, Ever Give Up...

Beyond that can only be found in "Littluns."

Signup As An Affiliate

Own the Hard Cover Novel

The Candy Dragon Man

2010-11-09T22:09:00.008-05:00

David reading book
"What sound does a giraffe make?".

Canadian Children's Author/Entertainer David Carruthers Reads to a Group of Children
Introducing David Carruthers, an author from London, to those who don't know him. David writes books for children and has published 17 books to date with several more in the works. "The Candy Dragon" is one of his books that the children really love.

I have been working with David for a few weeks booking school and day care presentations for him. He does magic tricks, basketball tricks, interactive story telling, an anti-bullying presentation, "The Cool Ghoul" one-man show, writing workshops etc. His main goal is to instill positive life skills in the children.

I Wanna Be Cool!

I attended one of his day care presentations towards the end of October, so I thought I would share some of the photos with you.

As you can see, David involves the children in his story-telling. They have a great time with him.

The Cool Ghoul

I'm hoping to check out part of his full-day presentations in the elementary schools as well. He has been in over 800 schools to date.

Taken at a Gordie the Golfball Mini-Golf Fundraiser

One of David's dreams is to give back to the community in greater measure than he has done so far. He is constantly looking ahead to greater things and is full of energy and optimism. He loves to do fundraisers, and one of his projects is to help the London Food Bank and, eventually, food banks across Canada.

Above are just some of David's books. If you are interested in learning more about David, please visit his web site.

Lemon Madeleines With Raspberry Sauce & Whipped Cream - WAHM.com

2010-11-09T20:13:00.001-05:00

Lemon Madeleines With Raspberry Sauce & Whipped Cream - WAHM.com
I haven't tried this yet, but it sounds delicious.

Molly is a Friend of Mine

2010-10-31T20:11:00.000-04:00

MOLLY IS A FRIEND OF MINE
© Copyright 2010 by Diane Stephenson

Molly is a friend of mine. Actually, she is my roommate’s friend and came with the package. Molly is very fickle in her attentions and allegiance. More and more she demands my time. I think she has a built-in clock. Every morning at about the same time (too early) she waits for me to get up. Some days I don’t want to get up, but she is determined. She makes this characteristic little noise in her throat to announce her presence.
This morning I am determined she is not going to disturb me. I turn over on my side with my back to her. But that doesn’t discourage her. There she is, hanging over my shoulders, nose almost in my eye, hair tickling my face. Then it comes, with no warning: the sneeze, complete with spray, about an inch from my eye. Thank heaven my eyes are still closed.
The purring, louder and louder, vibrates into my ear. Next she climbs off my shoulder and plunks herself between the pillows beside my head, on top of the box of tissues. I can’t understand how she can fit herself in that small space. Molly is 10 pounds of long-haired tortoiseshell cat, and generally takes up a much larger space. The purring accelerates and Molly begins to knead the pillow.
After wiping my eye I turn over on my right side, but she doesn’t go away until she hears her original friend in the hall. She’s gone. But now I’m awake. I might as well get up. I grab a tissue and now I have fur up my nose. Great!
Oh, oh! She’s back again. Now she wants a proper cuddle, face to face, nose to nose, feet planted firmly on my neck, the sharp tips of her claws gently kneading into my skin. She butts her head against me indicating that she wants me to pet her head. She loves to have her eyes rubbed. One leg slowly stretches out, the paw rests on my cheek momentarily. It reminds me of a baby when it reaches its hand out to touch your face. Molly’s eyes look so affectionately into mine. How can I resist this soft bundle of love?
Suddenly she’s gone again. I’m left alone, still feeling the warmth of her body. Yes, Molly is a friend of mine.

Stand Up for the Champions

2010-10-31T20:02:00.002-04:00

Most Common Virtual Event Mistakes to Avoid, Part 1

2010-10-16T15:42:00.000-04:00

Most Common Virtual Event Mistakes to Avoid, Part 1

Free Starter Kit Your Book is Your Hook

2010-10-13T00:15:00.002-04:00

Thank You

Click on the link if you want to learn more about writing and publishing your work. Free Starter Kit "Your Book is Your Hook" with workshop recording.

This little light of mine

2010-10-10T22:01:00.000-04:00

GREAT NEW APPLICATION - AND FUN, TOO!

2010-10-04T23:21:00.001-04:00

I just downloaded this great application. It's a virtual piano. I haven't got the knack of it yet, but I'll keep playing around with it and have fun while I'm doing it. It's on my new toolbar from ThumbVu - http://thumbvu.com/blog/?p=206

ButtonBeats.com

Check it out.

ON THE GO WOMEN - The Osteoporosis Campaign

2010-09-30T17:27:00.001-04:00

How much do you know about osteoporosis? Are you at risk? On the Go Women is a campaign which aims to encourage conversation between people with osteoporosis and their healthcare providers about the disease, the importance of compliance and the available treatment options that are most suitable for their health and lifestyle.

Since my mother suffered from osteoporosis, I am at a higher risk of developing it. But I have done some things that will reduce that risk. One thing is a healthy diet - a healthy lifestyle. Eating calcium-rich foods is a good place to start. I drink almond milk on a daily basis and sometimes snack on raw almonds. 15 almonds provide up to 40-50 mg of calcium. Besides, they are oh-so good!

Sesame seeds are also a good addition to your diet. Before I discovered how delicious almond milk is, I drank soy milk and ate other soy products. I love yogurt, and the best one I have found is Astro Balkan Style. Half a cup contains 15% of the recommended daily allowance. Cereals, whole grains and leafy green vegetables are also a good source of calcium. I only eat whole grain breads - the more variety of grains in it the better. Steamed salmon fillet is on my menu at least once a week. Also add some blackstrap molasses, papaya and oranges to your meals or for a snack.

Fruit is a favorite part of my diet. I make smoothies with four or five kinds of fruit and add almond milk, carrot juice and yogurt. Add a good barley leaf powder to boost the nutrition. You can make it with your favorite fruits and add vegetable juices if desired. There are many ways to boost your calcium intake.

One thing I did many years ago was eliminate soda pop from my diet. I never did drink a lot of it, but when I discovered that the phosphorus in pop - all carbonated beverages - leeches the calcium out of the bones, I stopped drinking it. I would rather eliminate something from my diet than have what I take into my body eliminate calcium from my bones.

Check out what your risk is for osteoporosis.

Have a healthy, calcium-rich week.

Six Mistakes We Make When Setting Goals (Part One)

2010-09-27T23:28:00.000-04:00

Six Mistakes We Make When Setting Goals (Part One)

A HAPPY ENDING

2010-09-26T21:33:00.000-04:00

Marilyn (my roommate) came in the other day and asked me to check online to find out what to feed baby squirrels. A young girl in the townhouse complex next door had discovered two baby squirrels in the roadway and was afraid they would be killed. She put them in a box and delivered them to the green space behind our building thinking that would be a safe place. A couple of hours later one of my neighbours had her dog out and saw the squirrels. That's when Marilyn came in. Once I discovered what to feed them, I went down to find one of the babies up a tree, and the other one a couple of feet up in another. That one seemed very weak and scared. I eventually picked it up.

Another neighbour arrived and that's when the 'action' really started. She had spent 25 years in wildlife rescue. She asked me to call a wildlife rescue centre in Mount Brydges, but unfortunately he was full. Back down I went. By that time Debbie had coaxed the other baby down from the tree. Actually, she just called it and it came and started following her. She picked up some puppy formula and a couple of syringes at the pet store and tried to feed them. One ate well, the other seemed too weak to swallow, but with coaxing it finally began to eat. I supplied a box to put them in and they curled up and went to sleep - as you can see in the photo.

It was at this point that the little girl came back. And it was then that she told us that the mother had been with the babies right after she brought them to our property. If we had known that before, we would have left them alone, but as we saw no adult squirrels anywhere we naturally assumed the mother had been killed and left the babies. Now we had to figure out what to do with them. It was close to dusk. The night temperature would have been too cold for them. Also they were young enough that they needed feeding every couple of hours to keep them from dehydrating. Someone said, "Look up there - in the tree!" There was a squirrel with another baby in her mouth. Evidently she was moving to a new nest. That day we had had a very heavy rainfall and high winds. Quite probably her nest had been partially destroyed, and maybe that's how the babies came to be in the road. The mother came back but wouldn't come down low enough to see the babies.

So Debbie took them in for the night and cared for them. Early next morning she took the box and left it where the mother would find it, then watched from a distance. It wasn't long before she found them and took them to the nest. We were all excited to know that mother and babies had been successfully and safely reunited. I love happy endings, don't you?

Summer Magazine Published!

2010-08-26T23:46:00.000-04:00

Summer Magazine Published!
Check page 5/6 for my article "Inspiration".

MORE ABOUT REISHI MUSHROOM AND HEALTHY COFFEE

2010-02-14T23:18:00.000-05:00

Welcome back to my blog. Here is my latest video on reishi mushroom and Healthy Coffee. Please take a minute to comment, to go to my web site or to e-mail me with questions or comments.

LET'S TALK ABOUT REISHI MUSHROOM - PART 2

2010-02-14T21:31:00.000-05:00

Thanks for stopping by. Here is Part 2 of my video series on Reishi Mushroom and Healthy Coffee. Check out my web site. E-mail me with any questions or leave a comment on this post.

LET'S TALK ABOUT REISHI MUSHROOM

2010-01-27T23:27:00.000-05:00

Video Announcement of My Healthy Coffee Business

2010-01-17T16:44:00.000-05:00

For more information please go to my web site or e-mail me.

Thanks for stopping by. Have a wonderful day.

BE THANKFUL FOR EVERY EXPERIENCE

2010-01-03T18:47:00.001-05:00

What do you think of when you are asked what you are thankful for? If you're like most people you'll think of all the good things, positive experiences, wonderful surprises, special gifts, influential friends, love of family and friends, etc. And there's nothing wrong with being grateful for these things - you should be.

But have you ever thought about giving thanks for the "bad" things that have happened? What! Thanks for the bad stuff? Never! I'm just happy it's over and done with. After all, some of those things nearly ruined my life, my relationship with..., wiped out my income. How can I possibly give thanks for those things? Give thanks when I was falsely accused? Are you kidding? Give thanks when someone close died? I don't think so!

Well, I have learned that when bad things happen we have two choices. We can moan and groan, cry over spilt milk, throw in the towel, have a pity party, rage and wail. Or we can realize that everything in life can teach us something if we will allow it. We can use it as a stepping stone to something higher and better, to positive change. We can learn and move on.

Last year the company I was building with changed their marketing plan. I lost just about everything I had worked for. I then researched other companies and made a choice. I'm not saying it was a bad choice. It's a great company with a superb product. But my timing was off through no fault of my own. I signed up just a few days before my mother died. I lost all momentum and, try as I might, could not get that business off the ground. Nothing seemed to work.

My finances were fast fleeing in every direction in an attempt to pay debts, to just live. My mother had been with me for nearly five years and had been helping with the expenses of rent and groceries as well as other incidentals. With her death her income also stopped. I seemed to be between a rock and a hard place. How would I live? How could I be grateful for this?

Well, I could see many ways in which I could be thankful, especially since I was thankful to the Lord, not to any other human, not to society, not to those who caused the bad stuff, for what happened. And in giving thanks to God, we receive His blessings. I can thank Him because He holds my life in His own hands and won't allow anything to happen that I can't handle. And He allows it so that His purpose for my life can be fulfilled.

I'm thankful that everything "bad" that happened last year spurred me on to something better. I was unwilling to quit, to be discouraged, to despair. I chose to walk on those things and allow them, like an elevator, to take me higher. And so I can say, "Thanks" for every one of those circumstances. Thanks for my mother's death? That's taking it a little too far, don't you think? Well, she was 97, had lost much of her hearing and her eyesight was getting worse. She was falling from time to time and when I wasn't able to be at home I worried that she might fall when I was out. She was sleeping longer and longer every day, and I would tiptoe into her bedroom every morning just to see if she was still breathing. So, as much as her sudden death a few days after a fall stunned me and changed so many things in my life, I can thank the Lord that she died in hospital and not at home. I can give thanks that she isn't in pain any more, that she isn't left out of conversations because she couldn't hear. And so on.

I'm thankful that my other businesses didn't work out because I would never have taken advantage of the opportunity I am now with that has brought more positive response in a shorter time than all my other businesses put together. I would have missed the health benefits of the product that I have been experiencing. Yes, I can be thankful for failure. As long as you don't live in an attitude of failure, every failure can bring you closer to the success you have been aiming at. Every failed attempt will be one less you have to experience before you are truly living your dream.

So yes, I'm thankful for all the good things in 2009: my family, my wonderful friends, my church, the love and support I get from my pastor and his wife, gifts I have received (especially the unexpected ones), my relationship with Jesus. But I'm also grateful for every "negative" experience. Always remember, a double negative makes a positive.

Be thankful for every experience.

Re-blog from Daily Journal for Success - 30 days of blogging - http://dailyjournalforsuccess.ning.com/profiles/blogs/be-grateful-for-every

TA-DA!

2010-01-01T18:05:00.000-05:00

I'm re-posting my blog from BetterNetworker here for those who have not heard yet. I just wanted to announce, first of all, my new business - Healthy Coffee. But my main announcement is that, in less than two weeks with the company, I find myself in the list of Founding Members in Canada! The response to this business and the products has been overwhelming. I have been in a number of network marketing businesses in the past but have never seen anything like this. I'm really excited and believe the momentum that I started with just a week before Christmas 2009 is going to explode in 2010.
I am not what you would call a coffee-holic. In fact I'm anything but. Until I tasted Healthy Coffee, especially the Blend (with non-dairy creamer and cane sugar), I normally drank only one coffee a week. Yes, you read that right! One per week! Now I drink two cups of Healthy Coffee - or sometimes Chai Milk Tea or the Energy Drink - every single day! And I'm loving it! I already feel the difference in my body.
Healthy Coffee products are relatively caffeine-free (0.3% in contrast to the 8.6% to over 13% in other decaf coffees) and all contain reishi mushroom and ginseng, adaptogens that help keep your energy flowing without the caffeine energy burst or crash. I had spent months fighting a battle with fatigue before I began to drink these products. Now I have energy when I need it for as long as I need it. And the pain level from arthritis and fibromyalgia was increasing in spite of taking supplements that were supposed to help alleviate the symptoms. In just a few days the pain had decreased significantly even after a long day on my feet on cement floors - and in the cold.
Below is a picture taken at the market where I share my product and business opportunity every Tuesday. If you live anywhere near Aylmer Ontario Canada I'd like to invite you to stop by and say, "Hi!" I'll even give you a sample of the product to try for yourself.
So, all of you coffee and/or tea drinkers who are reading this post, and any of you who love energy drinks, please check out my web site to see not only what we have but the new products coming this year. It's getting 'gooder and gooder'.
For anyone interested in joining my team, there are still positions in the Founders Club open in Canada and in the US, so now is the time to get on board before the 300 positions in each country are filled. We also have offices in seven other countries and are building in 23 in total. The company goal is to be in 100 countries within 10 years. Join me and grow a team with me and with Healthy Coffee International. Make 2010 the best year ever. Remember, coffee is only second to oil for global revenue. Let's work towards earning our share in that revenue.
I wish you success and prosperity in 2010. Happy New Year!

ANNOUNCEMENT

2009-12-30T17:48:00.000-05:00

If you have read my previous couple of blogs you will know that I have been talking about the Healthy Coffee company and their products. Along with coffee they also produce a blend of coffee with non-dairy creamer and cane sugar, a chai milk tea and a great energy drink, all containing reishi mushroom and ginseng.

On December 15/09, I started my Healthy Coffee business. There has been a great response from those who have tried the products and there are several testimonials as to the power of the product. I'll share those later in another post.

What I want to announce today is the fact that I have been added to the Founders Club in Canada. You can see my photo here. I am really excited about this company and the position I have already reached after only two weeks. I'm expecting 2010 to be a fantastic and successful year to build this business. I'm looking for leaders to join me in building Healthy Coffee in Canada and globally.

If you are interested in trying the coffee or in joining me in a growing world-wide company, please contact me. If you only want to reap the benefits of these great ingredients - reishi mushroom and ginseng - you can join free. If you want to build a business, there are several ways you can do so. Just ask me.

I hope some of you will choose to join me in this exciting business opportunity. Check out the web site for more info. In the meantime, I wish you health and prosperity for the New Year.

WHAT'S A MUSHROOM GOT TO DO WITH COFFEE?

2009-12-20T15:00:00.001-05:00

Good question! Well, when it comes to Healthy Coffee, it has a great deal to do with it. That's because one of the main ingredients in Healthy Coffee (and the Chai Tea and Energy Drink as well) is reishi mushroom.

And just what is reishi mushroom(AKA gano or lingzhi mushroom)? Well, it's a woody type of mushroom, red in color, used in the health food industry for many purposes. Actually it is non-specific, meaning that it has a normalizing effect on the body. It acts as an adaptogen which means it helps the body adapt to stress, fatigue, etc. Reishi had absolutely no side effects and is non-toxic, is safe to use on a daily basis and benefits the whole body.

So, what can you expect from switching to Healthy Coffee? I'm not here to make rock-solid promises to you, as it's against the law to say anything natural will cure anything. Funny, that! It's food that keeps us alive, yet we can't say that food will actually benefit us to either prevent or cure disease. One of the benefits I hope to personally receive from this coffee is relief from muscle and joint pain and discomfort caused by arthritis and quite probably fibromyalgia. I'll keep you posted as to the outcome.

There are many other uses for reishi mushroom, and I'll talk to you about some of them in later posts. In the meantime, please consider switching to Healthy Coffee, or at least consider trying the Energy drink if you aren't willing to change coffee brands.

Healthy Coffee also contains ginseng. I think most people are aware of the benefits of ginseng, so I won't go into that topic until a later post.

Testimonial: I gave a coffee sample to a young man and asked him to let me know what he thought. Healthy Coffee, at the moment, is only available as instant coffee and he doesn't like instant coffee. His reaction? He said it didn't taste like instant and gave him a real energy boost which lasted all day. Anybody in the market for a safe and effective energy boost? Check out Healthy Coffee as an alternative to your current brand.

If you have any questions, please feel free to e-mail me.

Until next time. Have a great week.

CHRISTMAS LIGHTS

2009-12-17T17:27:00.000-05:00

On Jena Crescent in London the people get into the Christmas spirit. Many homes are decorated with beautiful light displays and as you drive around the street you almost feel you are in a fairyland. I hope you enjoy these photos. The last two were taken on Saskatoon Street.

SPILLING THE BEANS

2009-12-17T17:20:00.004-05:00

Photo courtesy of Healthy Coffee International

Most people love their coffee. Some like it black, others add sugar and cream. Some like it steaming hot, others enjoy iced coffee. Usually coffee drinkers have to have their first cup of the day in order to get going. The caffeine boost is what many of them rely on. But there are people who cannot have caffeine, so opt for the decaf variety. Of course, there are the flavored coffees to temp still other coffee lovers. Which one are you?

Tim Hortons has a huge following of people who can't live without their brand of coffee. Others swear by Starbucks even though they are rather expensive. But many coffeeholics just like coffee - whatever the brand. Coffee is coffee, isn't it? Are you stuck on a particular brand? Do you believe no other coffee is as good?

If I told you that by drinking coffee you could help to improve your health, would you be willing to change your brand?

I want to make an announcement to my readers: I've started a coffee business selling for the Healthy Coffee Company. Interested to learn more? Stop by again. I'll be adding info every few days to share with you the benefits you can receive by switching your coffee brand to Healthy Coffee.

In the meantime, check out my web site and let me know what you think.

I'll be back soon. In the meantime, have a wonderful Friday tomorrow.

DIRECTIONS FOR LIFE

2009-12-03T23:02:00.002-05:00

Talk about a mix-up. I had a phone call from someone around dinner time tonight. She needed a ride home from her babysitting job. Since we are in the middle of a transit strike here, a 45-minute walk home after 8:00pm is not advisable for a woman alone, so I told her I would pick her up.

Unfortunately I drove into the wrong townhouse complex. It's so hard in the dark to see numbers on the units. I finally found Unit #15. But no one answered the door. Now what? Well, another friend lives around the corner from there, so I stopped by to find out where I should be going. (I don't have a cell phone, and I wouldn't have known the number anyway.) Well, my friend directed me to the right place and I found the lady patiently waiting for me. I was 15 minutes late by then.

Lesson? Make sure you have the right directions before you leave home. It's something like life, isn't it? We live from day to day often without specific direction or focus. And if we don't know where we're going, how will we ever know when we arrive?

The Word of God is so important in our lives. Without it we are without direction. Without it we are powerless. But when we faithfully read the Word and heed it, we have our lives mapped out for us, we know which road to take and we have a wonderful promise: "And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, This is the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left." Isaiah 30:21. Directions for life. It's comforting to have them at your fingertips. Another promise from the Lord is that He will never leave us. (Hebrews 13:5) So, we not only have access to the directions we need to live by, we have the Guide to walk us through. What more can we ask? Our destination is assured. Let's follow in His footsteps.

WORLD'S LARGEST MINIATURE TRAIN DISPLAY

2009-11-26T17:50:00.000-05:00

Now this is something to look at! Situated in Germany this miniature train museum is computer controlled and amazingly detailed. Go from Europe to the US. See ships and people in action. The buildings even light up at night in a wonderful display of color. I hope you enjoy this "trip".

Check out their web site while you're at it.

reBlog from news.beginnersmarketingclass.com: Happy Thanks-for-Giving Day | Beginners Marketing Class

2009-11-26T09:46:00.001-05:00

I found this fascinating quote today:

During our walk this morning through the fog shrouded Almond Orchard, Flo (our trusted Mutt) and I noticed a few Nuts still hanging on the Trees. Harvest was several weks ago and I do miss grabbing fresh Almonds and eating them Raw as we traverse the 5 miles.news.beginnersmarketingclass.com, Happy Thanks-for-Giving Day | Beginners Marketing Class, Nov 2009

You should read the whole article.

AMAZING GRACE, THE GAITHERS ON THE HALLMARK CHANNEL

2009-11-20T21:06:00.001-05:00

I'm just listening to the Gaither special, Amazing Grace, on the Hallmark channel.

AmazingGraceWebCast from Gaither.com on Vimeo.

Hope you enjoy.

JAN'S HEDGEAPPLE GIVEAWAY

2009-11-16T17:43:00.002-05:00

Anyone ever heard of a hedgeapple AKA osage-orange? I hadn't until I read Jan's blog. Then I found out about her giveaway draw. So here I am blogging about it. Part of the entry instructions.

Evidently these 'apples' will keep spiders, insects and mice away. I seem to have an overabundance of fruit flies right now. Wonder if hedgeapples would work? If they will, I hope I win!

If you would like to see a photo of this unusual-looking fruit, check out Jan's blog. Read her original article about hedgeapples to learn more.

Hope you enjoy.

TAYO RETURNS

2009-11-12T09:44:00.003-05:00

Well, here I am again finally. Tayo returned on Monday to transfer all the data from my old computer to my new one, set up all my programs and get me online. I'm so thankful for him as I know nothing about doing these things. Some people like to learn how to do these things for themselves, but I have no desire to learn technology. That's why people like Tayo and Nerds On Site are in business. So I don't have to learn it. So I can get on with what I do best.

Tayo had backed up all my e-mail last Friday so I wouldn't lose my folders, but the one problem with that was that once he loaded everything on this computer, 500 of the e-mails I had already dealt with were back on the scene again! I had to go through them to pick out those I needed to save. Great fun!

I'm having a little problem with the keyboard - it's awfully small compared to my old one and the delete button is in a different place. I have to search every time I need it. And the monitor is not square but oblong, and that takes a little getting used to. But I can't complain because the computer only cost me $399.99. It could have been a lot worse.

One problem, though, was that Tayo discovered there are no speakers on this computer, so I had to buy a headset. Now I can't get the microphone turned into the right position, so I'll have to go back to the store to see what's wrong. You're supposed to twist it around until it's at the corner of your mouth, but this one will only go as far as being under my chin - almost into my neck! A little bit of a challenge to speak into it! And I don't want to force it and break it.

So that's why I haven't been here since Monday. I may be a couple more days before I get back in the routine of blogging. I've got a lot of other things to catch up on. But as I said before, I will be back.

And don't forget, if you have computer problems you can't fix yourself, call Nerds On Site. And no, I'm not getting paid to advertise for them. I actually received an e-mail from them thanking me for my "kind words" on the last post and at first I wondered how they even knew I had a blog. Then I Googled Nerds On Site and found my post listed on the second page, so I guess they check out the blogs regularly to see what people are saying about them.

In the meantime, have a wonderful and blessed end-of-the week and week end.

I'M BACK!

2009-11-09T12:02:00.002-05:00

A good morning to all on this mild November 9th. I just wanted to let all my readers know the reason I've not been posting for over a week. I had computer problems that wouldn't allow me to access the internet. What a dilemma! In my mind I could see the e-mail piling up not only in my inbox but also in my spam filter and gmail account. I wondered how I would cope with it all once I got back online.

Well, here's the scoop. I called Nerds On Site and made an appointment for last Friday at 4:00. Tayo showed up, worked on my computer to clean it up, check it out and remove everything I didn't need to keep. After some time the diagnostic showed one of the memory sticks was not functioning. Wonder if I could get one of those for my brain? One that functions, that is! I had paid extra to have that memory added when I purchased the computer, so now I'm wondering if they actually installed a faulty one. The technician was there for 4 hours! Happily they don't charge by the hour but by the job. Wow! Think what an hourly rate would have added up to!

Then, he found a metal bar just laying in the tower. What's this? Turns out it was one of two bars that snap over the fan to keep it stable. The connection had broken. Since I've never had anyone look at the computer since I bought it over 4 years ago, who knows how long it's been broken? Yes, he could put in a new fan, but fortunately he was an honest man, and a Christian, and said that though he could make money by doing so he didn't recommend it as the computer was still unstable.

This man told me about a sale on a computer and called me after he got home to tell me what it was and where. So I went to the Future Shop yesterday after church and got this Compaq computer for $399.99. A far cry from the more than $2000.00 I paid for the current one. (I still don't have the new one connected as the Nerds' guy is going to transfer all my data for me first.) So needless to say, I would recommend Nerds On Site to anyone needing someone to come to their home to fix a computer.

Hopefully I'll have the new computer up and running before many days and I can get back to some kind of routine. At least I'm back online for the moment. I'm just hoping this computer will last until the data is transferred. I may not post much until I can work on the new computer, but I will be back again. And I will also be setting up a new blog. When that happens I'll direct you to it. In the meantime, keep checking here later in the week, or simply re-enjoy some of the posts and/or photos that are in the archives here.

By the way, in case you're wondering. I received 438 e-mails in my inbox, 422 in my spam filter and a couple of dozen in my g-mail. I've had another 100 or so come into my inbox since Friday night as well. But I'm caught up for now, at least. I sure hope that doesn't happen again any time soon.

Hope you all have a wonderful week - one free of computer problems. God bless.

ANOTHER SNIPPET

2009-10-31T18:15:00.002-04:00

Here is another snippet from my upcoming e-book.

Often our dreams die due to circumstances over which we have no control. Things inevitably occur to cause a postponement of our dreams to some later date, to a day which appears ever further off with each succeeding day. Our goal seems just beyond our reach. We allow ourselves to get out of touch with the dream. And so we carefully wrap it up in tissue, put it neatly in a box and leave it on a shelf at the back of our mental closet where it is eventually forgotten. Suffocated and starved, it ultimately dies. It gets buried in day to day routines, bereavements, family projects, job-related problems and the general cares and duties of this world. Life just gets in the way.

...You must have hope, something still better to look forward to, something bigger than today, bigger than what your life is at this moment...[Your dream] should be the catalyst that makes you want to do and be the very best, today, that is possible in all areas of your life...

Dream! Live! Love! Move up higher. Move ever onward. Don't become stagnant. Live life to its fullest by keeping your dream alive. Dream big!...

SCRIPTURE FOR THE DAY

2009-10-31T11:45:00.000-04:00

And Sarah said, God hath made me to laugh, so that all that hear will laugh with me.

Genesis 21:6

QUOTE FOR THE DAY

2009-10-31T11:43:00.000-04:00

Laughter is an instant vacation.

---Milton Berle---

SCRIPTURE FOR THE DAY

2009-10-30T08:35:00.000-04:00

For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he.

Proverbs 23:7

QUOTE FOR THE DAY

2009-10-30T08:33:00.000-04:00

The key to unlocking my potential is within me. It is in the power of my thought, my vision and my commitment.

---Unknown---

INTERNET TALK SHOW - LIST BUILDING

2009-10-29T11:10:00.002-04:00

This is especially for all the network marketers that read my blog or anyone interested in starting a business online or offline. And, just an aside, I really appreciate your visits here. I trust you gain from reading my posts.

If you want to learn more about list-building for your business, check out Chuck Bartok's TalkShoe internet talk show recording from last night--October 28/09, show number 95 (green box at the right--Latest Recording). You'll hear Chuck, myself and a number of others sharing questions and answers in an informal program. If you don't catch it before next Wednesday's show, check through the archives. There are many shows you can listen to. You can also host your own online talk show through TalkShoe free of charge. Check it out.

If you're interested in becoming a member of Focus Society Mastermind Beginners Marketing Class, please sign up free and avail yourself of all the great information and experience from FSMM members. It's a great place to be. There are also a number of great affiliate products you can resell to earn extra income once you become a member.

Just click on the links above, enjoy the show and please join us at Focus Society Mastermind.

SCRIPTURE FOR THE DAY

2009-10-29T08:53:00.000-04:00

Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give.

Matthew 10:8

QUOTE FOR THE DAY

2009-10-29T08:50:00.000-04:00

For it is in giving that we receive.

---St. Francis of Assisi---

EXCERPT FROM MY E-BOOK

2009-10-28T23:56:00.000-04:00

Without a vision [dream] the people perish. Proverbs 29:18

What is your dream? Do you have one? Are you living it? If not, then now is the time to discover or retrieve your dream, to rediscover a life of satisfaction, excitement and fulfillment. We must have a dream. Without a dream we merely exist; with a dream, there lies before us a life of limitless possibilities. Perhaps you have never had a dream. Well, jump on board the Dream Express and expect the unexpected!

THE DREAM EXPRESS

We all enter life with a measure of faith: that we will be fed when hungry, attended to when we cry, sheltered from the elements, clothed adequately and, of greatest significance, that we are loved. Naturally we don't think in these terms as an infant, but we are born with built-in trust. Without it we couldn't survive. Studies have shown that when babies lack human touch and are never held in loving arms they don't thrive. As we get a little older, we have faith that Mom and Dad will be there for us. We learn to know that when we sit on a chair it won't fall apart (usually--there have been two occasions when a chair collapsed under me!). We don't wonder every time we get in a car if we'll arrive at our destination--we take it for granted. Until the car breaks down we don't even think about it.

Yes, we all have faith. On occasion, our faith is severely tested through our circumstances, and we may lose faith in family, friends, even ourselves. Because of devastating past experiences we struggle to believe that good will eventually come our way. We must learn to have faith in God. There will be a time when God brings you face to face with a vital choice: Will you serve the Lord? Or will you choose to serve yourself, the world, your family, your job? Your response will determine your present and your future. Choose well.

SCRIPTURE FOR THE DAY

2009-10-28T09:46:00.000-04:00

Then Jesus beholding him loved him, and said unto him, One thing thou lackest: go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, take up the cross, and follow me.

And he was sad at that saying, and went away grieved: for he had great possessions.

Mark 10:21. 22

QUOTE FOR THE DAY

2009-10-28T09:41:00.000-04:00

Complete possession is proved only by giving. All you are unable to give possesses you.

---Andre Gide---

SCRIPTURE FOR THE DAY

2009-10-27T05:37:00.000-04:00

Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.

Philippians 4:8

QUOTE FOR THE DAY

2009-10-27T05:33:00.000-04:00

The key to success is to focus our conscious mind on things we desire, not things we fear.

---Brian Tracy---

NEW CAR

2009-10-26T23:08:00.000-04:00

Thought I would just show off my new car for anyone who is interested. Ta-Da!

SCRIPTURE FOR THE DAY

2009-10-26T09:20:00.000-04:00

I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.

Philippians 4:13

QUOTE FOR THE DAY

2009-10-21T09:30:00.000-04:00

It isn't necessary to blow out the other person's light to let your own shine. ---Unknown---

BACK ARROW

2009-10-20T22:02:00.000-04:00

Do you ever wish there was a 'back arrow' for our lives like there is on the computer? How simple just to click on a button and go back to the previous page. But unfortunately (or should I say fortunately?) life doesn't work that way. Once we make a mistake, a wrong choice, speak an unkind word, make a foolish decision, we can never turn the clock back. We are stuck with the consequences.

But is this necessarily a bad thing? Mistakes are never good things, but nevertheless good can come out of them. If we use them to improve the future by learning from them, then they can lead to improvements in our lives that we would not otherwise have the benefit of. Better still is to take care when making decisions, when opening our mouths, when make choices without sitting down and counting the cost.

I think it's a good thing to have a back arrow on the computer, but I'm glad we can't do this in life. We would miss some rich learning experiences if we could just go back and opt out of the consequences of our actions. And I'm convinced that even if we could go back we would probably make the same choices all over again. Better to move forward into new things with what we have learned and use them as stepping stones to the future.

SCRIPTURE FOR THE DAY

2009-10-20T05:27:00.000-04:00

For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.

2 Corinthians 6:2

QUOTE FOR THE DAY

2009-10-20T05:25:00.000-04:00

Remember this hour, this day is the most important hour and day in this lifetime. The past cannot be altered but this time determines eternity.

---Ralph Waldo Emerson---

SCRIPTURE FOR THE DAY

2009-10-19T09:34:00.000-04:00

SCRIPTURE FOR THE DAY

2009-10-16T08:42:00.000-04:00

For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.

1 John 5:4

QUOTE FOR THE DAY

2009-10-16T08:32:00.000-04:00

A person who wholly follows the Lord is one who believes that the promises of God are trustworthy, that He is with His people, and that they are well able to overcome.

---Watchman Nee---

SCRIPTURE FOR THE DAY

2009-10-15T09:33:00.000-04:00

...freely ye have received, freely give.

Matthew 10:8

QUOTE FOR THE DAY

2009-10-15T09:31:00.000-04:00

All that this world knows of living lies in giving--and more giving;

He that keeps, be sure he loses--

Friendship grows by what it uses.

---Alexander Maclaren---

SCRIPTURE FOR THE DAY

2009-10-14T10:02:00.000-04:00

And I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the earth: lo, there thou hast that is thine.

Take therefore the talent from him, and give it unto him which hath ten talents.

Matthew 25:25, 28

QUOTE FOR THE DAY

2009-10-14T09:59:00.000-04:00

Hide not your talents. They for use were made. What's a sundial in the shade?

---Ben Franklin---

SCRIPTURE FOR THE DAY

2009-10-13T05:38:00.000-04:00

According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:

Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,

To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.

Ephesians 1:4-6

QUOTE FOR THE DAY

2009-10-13T05:33:00.000-04:00

Destiny is not a matter of chance, it is a matter of choice. It is not a thing to be waited for, it is a thing to be achieved.

---Jeremy Kitson---

PERCEPTION

2009-10-12T17:38:00.001-04:00

A Strange Answer

Years ago a Chinese student was asked by the University of Chicago's president what he saw as the most noticeable characteristic of Americans. His answer was that their eyes had an odd slant. (Story taken from Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill, published in 1937.)

Why this answer? Perception. Because their eyes were different from his own.

What is your perception of the shamrock in the above photo? Is your eye drawn to the spindly stems that look as though they are too flimsy to stand up alone let alone hold up flowers and leaves? Or do you notice first the strength of those stems to hold up those huge leaves without drooping?

Perception: Impression, understanding, view.

Do you find yourself always looking on the dark side of things? Do you perceive that everything, in a friend's words, "is terrible"? Everything is going wrong. Things just never work out. Life is hard.

Or do you see the silver lining in every cloud? Can you 'perceive' the situation you are in as being a stepping stone to something better in your life? Do you realize that the way you look at things, the way you perceive them, will dictate how they turn out in the end?

If you see only disaster in your future, disaster is usually what you'll find. But if you can picture yourself benefiting by your current situation, learning a life-lesson that will carry you through the next trial, then you will see victory in your life.

Your Choice

Often things come unbidden into our lives. Many times we have no control over what happens. But if you perceive them in the right light, you will be an overcomer. The outcome is entirely in your hands. It's your choice. It's a matter of perception.

SCRIPTURE FOR THE DAY

2009-10-12T10:37:00.000-04:00

He that giveth unto the poor shall not lack: but he that hideth his eyes shall have many a curse.

2009-10-08T20:31:00.001-04:00

This afternoon I listened to a conference call with Art Jonak interviewing Donna Johnson, a 7-figure income earner in MLM. Here are some pointers Donna gave those on the call.

We can be an encourager, a cheer-leader, or we can be a coach. Coaching is about developing a relationship with someone to create a level of trust. It's creating strategies. It takes time and sometimes courage. You must be authentic so people know you care about their success.

The "Do no harm" principle - care about every level in your group from the customer to the big earner. Provide great service at all levels. This is about relationship-building, not a race to the top. It's when we help others that we rise ourselves.

Good relationships produce trust and open the door for people to open up to the crucial conversation, to talk about those things that are really important to them.

Let people know, by your words, actions and attitudes, that you believe in them when they aren't sure they even believe in themselves. The ultimate intent is to make others' lives better.

Remember, people constantly watch you. Tell the truth; be honest.

Success is a process.

Success is a journey. As you grow in leadership the challenges get bigger. There will be times of failure, and those struggles aren't fun but are the things that make you stronger.

Continually renew your goals, every day, as a leader. Look at what you've learned, where you're at and where you're going. Your goal should be to constantly get better, not to reach perfection. We will never become perfect.

If I don't have a large group, is it because I'm not strong and worthy enough to handle it?

Growth will be gradual. People who win the lottery are usually more broke than before in a short period of time. They didn't go through the process to become strong. It's like helping a butterfly by cutting the cocoon. But that butterfly needs to work at that itself in order to strengthen its wings and without that process, the butterfly will die.

Donna and Art gave some very good advice that we need to put into practice if we want to become great leaders and to build a great business. Count me in!

WHAT DOES YOUR NETWORK MARKETING PIE LOOK LIKE? Or, 8 areas to rate for improvement

2009-10-08T19:46:00.006-04:00

How is your business doing these days? And how do you rate what you are doing to increase that business?

Here's a little exercise for you to help you evaluate where you stand. Take an 8-1/2" x 11" piece of paper. Draw a large circle on it, leaving room around the outside to put in the headings - as in the photo. There are eight slices to this pie, eight topics to review, so divide the circle into eight sections. Write over each section - any order will do: Networking; Advertising; Sales; Sponsoring; Learning; Master-minding; Implementing New Strategies; Recreation.

Now, on a scale of 1-5, 1 being the least and 5 the best, rate where you are in your life in each sector. Draw an arc from one side of the sector to the other where you feel you fit right now. Once you finish this part, look at the separate arcs you have drawn, not considering the outside rim of the pie unless you have rated yourself as a 5. Think of the pie as a wheel of a car. If your tire looked like this new outline, what kind of a ride would you have? Smooth or rather bumpy?

Next, choose one of the topics. Ask yourself what one thing you could do to improve in that area. For instance, if you have rated yourself a 2 in the Learning slice, is there a book you could read, a course you could take, a group you could join to help you grow in this area? If you don't have a mentor, what can you do in the next week to find one?

All of these slices of the pie should be balanced and as close to the outer rim as possible if you want your business to grow. But don't try to deal with every slice at once. Think how you would feel if you ate a whole pie in one sitting. If you could even do it, you would be mighty uncomfortable afterward. If you attempt to change every area that you fall short in, you'd feel very heavy and you'd quickly become discouraged and quit.

Be honest in your rating. Make yourself accountable to someone for the changes you decide to make. Then do what you have decided towards making that pie perfectly round. Change that wheel so your business begins to ride smoothly and you'll reach success much more quickly.

WORDS OR SWORDS?

2009-10-08T18:26:00.001-04:00

Making decisions on the spur of the moment without taking time to reflect in silence can be a dangerous move. It signifies lack of planning. It's a careless action that often reaps a disastrous reaction. And if we don't have a little time to reflect in silence, we cannot judge wisely.

When something unexpected happens we often react to it in confusion, frustration, anger, rather than act with an intelligent response. When we react in anger we don't use reason, and we take the chance of flinging out words that bring death rather than life. If you take "WORDS" and switch the "S" from the end to the beginning you have "SWORD". Hasty words can kill the spirit just as easily as a sword can kill the body.

Don't risk destroying life for the sake of saving time by making quick decisions. Take time to think over and plan around the circumstances you face. Spend some quiet moments in intelligent reflection before you act. It may mean the difference between living your dream and having to bury it.

Watch for more posts with tidbits from my upcoming e-book. Please leave a comment in the comment box if you find this helpful.

SCRIPTURE FOR THE DAY

2009-10-08T09:59:00.000-04:00

For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little.

Isaiah 28:10

QUOTE FOR THE DAY

2009-10-08T09:55:00.000-04:00

I've come to believe that all my past failure and frustration were actually laying the foundation for the understandings that have created the new level of living I now enjoy. ---Tony Robbins---

REACH FOR THE SKY

2009-10-07T23:50:00.000-04:00

Have you ever come to the realization that you are underachieving? Perhaps you don't believe you can do better. Or maybe you do know, but you simply don't try. Who knows why? It's probably a different reason for everyone, but the result is the same. I believe most of us can do much more than we have done and perhaps more than we think possible. So let's quit underachieving and start living to our full potential.

Maybe it's time to get ignited again. Find a new interest to re-energize. Try new ways of doing things to renew interest. Make ourselves accountable to someone who will keep us motivated. We need new confidence, new reasons for doing and being. One good way to do this is to encourage others in their endeavors. As we build up those around us, we might just find ourselves being edified. As we give to others, we receive in return.

Solomon said that "death and life are in the power of the tongue". What kind of language do we use on a daily basis? Are we speaking words that keep us from achieving our potential? Cultivate positive thoughts and you will speak positive words that will bring new life. If we develop the habit of daily affirming ourselves and others and we will aspire to better things.

Jesus said He came to give us life more abundant. Let's take Him at His word. Let's live fully now so we have no regrets when we stand before Him. No more underachieving. Reach for the sky!

SCRIPTURE FOR THE DAY

2009-10-07T09:33:00.000-04:00

This is the day which the Lord hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.

Psalm 118:24

QUOTE FOR THE DAY

2009-10-07T09:31:00.000-04:00

The way we live our days is the way we live our lives.

---Annie Dillard---

NOSTALGIA

2009-10-06T23:22:00.000-04:00

A few months ago my elementary school held a birthday party--an amazing 90 years old and still educating new generations of children. It was great to see people I had not seen in decades. As we entered the gym where the opening session was held we searched for empty seats. There weren't many available, but we found two together. As I sat down I glanced at the name tag on the lady sitting next to me and discovered someone who used to live next door to us when I was a young teenager. I cannot remember when I last saw her, but I would have still been in my teens. A long time.

It brought back memories of long-ago times. Fellow-students. Teachers. Activities such as Kindergarten rhythm band and Grade 7 girls choir. The fact that my Grade 8 teacher had been my mother's Grade 8 teacher back in the 1920s. Swinging on the tubular bars on the front lawn of the school. Of tripping over a low wire "fence" while running after the ball during a baseball game. I still have the scar on my knee from the contact with gravel. Hopscotch. Red Rover. Red Cross meetings with "talent" time. A visiting minister to teach from the Bible.

A fun day which I'm glad I didn't miss. They're already planning the 100th anniversary when they will open the time capsule. I didn't know they had time capsules back then, but it will be interesting to see what they placed there. Hopefully I'll be able to attend, but who knows? After all, I'll be 74 by then.