Michelle's Thoughts

MZ NURSING SCHOOL update

2011-10-02T15:49:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone, as many of you know, I am currently in nursing school for a community college in Whittier. Technically, 2nd semester but officially, 1st if you subtract Fundamentals. It's been an interesting ride so far, complete with ups & downs. I work 24 hrs a week & working nights has me in Zombie mode. I wake up usually around 4-5am these days when I am not working. For anyone that is remotely considering going into nursing, I suggest become a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) first. Take a class- usually 3-4 months. You'll learn the basics of basic nursing care but will help you tremendously with confidence, understanding equipment, personnel, & the responsibilities of being a nurse. Now, working as a CNA in an acute care hospital is also very different. You'll be exposed to a variety of settings, conditions, & population. I think of it as a paid internship. You'll meet the good nurses, unfortunately, you'll meet the not-so-good nurses & boy, there a lot of them. But each moment IS a learning opportunity. Opportunity to be a great nurse or a poor nurse. You'll learn how to prioritize & understand the hospital sector.

Volunteering in a hospital will also help determine whether this is an occupation for you. When I graduated high school, there would be no way in hell I would be interested in dealing with bowel movements. I needed 11 years, being laid off, & doing tons of volunteering before realizing this is the path for me.

I am excited where I am in life, despite the poor time management & sleep rollercoaster. I truly look forward to December, Godwilling, when I can take a small breather. Education doesn't stop for me because as many of you know, I've always wanted to get my graduate degree. Many of you also know, how important I feel that PREVENTION IS KEY! Preventing diseases helps save money, Preventing conditions help save mental/emotional breakdown. I urge you & your loved ones to try to eat healthier, get some physical activity, stop the television & actually take a family walk around the neighborhood after dinner. SPEND time with the family, get to know your children, get to know (again) your spouse, have time for yourself, have a gratitude attitude, & respect & love yourself & others. This I leave you for now...

YOU AS A LEADER

2011-10-02T15:48:00.000-07:00

When you think of the term, Leader, what comes to mind? Is it someone in your family, workplace, social group, a celebrity, sports star or someone famous in another way?

Do you think of yourself?

John Quincy Adams stated, “If your actions inspire others to do more, to learn more, to dream more or to become more, you are a leader.”

As you consider this quote, you should agree, everyone is a leader. You, are a leader. Whether you consider yourself a leader or others look to you for leadership is simply a matter of how often you take advantage of your opportunities to exhibit your leadership qualities. Being a leader means you look at your role as a spouse, partner, parent, co-worker, peer, friend, mentor, or colleague, as an obligation to influence and inspire those who are important to you.

Your job as a leader is to be conscious in all of your interactions, every relationship, each moment of contact. Take responsibility for every opportunity to:

Be Trustworthy ~ trust is reliance on another person or entity; make a conscious effort to build trust in all of your relationships.

Be Respectful ~ respect yourself first, then others. Find ways to show others you respect them. Make an effort to comment on others successes and note positive qualities.

Be Creative and Passionate ~ tap into your inner creativity and passion. Use your creativity and passion to inspire others to bring out their creativity and to find their passion.

Be Humble ~ you are no better or worse than others, we are all part of this amazing life experience.

Be Generous and Show Appreciation ~ let others know how much they mean to you, and why they are important, be generous in your heart and your words.

Be Fair ~ see things from another’s view, strive to be impartial and just.

Be Honest ~ interact in an honest manner, and most of all be honest with yourself. One way to do this is to admit mistakes. Obviously, admit them to yourself, but it is equally important to admit them to others.

Be a Person of Integrity ~ integrity is the integration of outward actions and inner values. Base all of your actions on your values; be true to your core beliefs.

All of these leadership qualities are an integral part of your being. Maintaining a conscious presence and focus on these characteristics in your daily interactions will not only allow others to see you as a leader, someone who inspires others, but will keep you grounded in your own morals, values, and beliefs.

Being a Leader doesn’t mean you need to be rich, famous, or the smartest person in the room, all you really need to be is, You.

Bill Beard has been a successful leader, manager, and mentor in business operations for the last 25 years. He has committed his knowledge, vision, and life experiences to leading others to an abundant life through Personal Evolution as a member of the MorningCoach Coaching Certification Program

BUSY BLESSINGS

2011-05-20T20:02:00.000-07:00

Hi Fans!

My heartfelt apologies for not blogging anything as of late. I've been bogged down by several "Busy Blessings." To give you a quick update of 2010: Aside of finishing a unit secretary program, I have also started & completed all of my prerequisite science classes necessary to apply to nursing. In the meantime I was still actively involved as a Clinical Care Extender volunteer at one of the local acute care hospitals.

It's amazing what God gives us when we ask for signs because He has blessed me with several of them to guide me through the process of yes, another career transition. So last year, it was all about classes & happy to report that although not all straight A's, I landed one A & all B's.

2011 is another story: It was all about getting a job in the hospital setting & using the Certified Nursing Assistant license that I received in 2009. Well in February, I feel blessed to state that I have two places of employment as a nursing assistant at an acute care facility & just the last 3 months alone, I have learned & seen a lot of patients, nurses & doctors (both good & bad qualities) & the healthcare team.

In addition, last month I was notified I was admitted a spot in the nursing program at Rio Hondo Community College in Whittier, which will begin early June.

How grande is God? I feel that all of this was because of Him. All of the volunteering in the past, whether at the sexual assault hotline, finding homeless youths, advocate for health funding or helping facilitate immunizations at the county level & not to mention the one event that really shaped my Life- the AidsLifeCycle event in 2004 has all had it's purpose. I am in awe... Life is so amazing to have all these Busy Blessings....

To top it off... I recently had PRK [Photorefractive keratectomy] surgery (not exactly Lasik but similiar) & although not completely 20/20, from my -7.5 is a life-changing significant experience! Not many realize how bad -7.5 vision is- well trust me, IT IS! Since I can remember, my eyes were poor. I started wearing eyeglasses in the 6th grade but I feel that I actually needed it much sooner.

Last but not least... I am a PROUD AUNTIE! My dear nephew Jacob born May 7. Praise the Lord!

I will try to send out another update soon. For now, Thank You everyone for your support.

Peace to you & your family,
Michelle

Feeling Lost? How To Find Your Passion

2011-01-05T15:55:00.000-08:00

Some people write to me and ask, "Bo, I don't know my core gifts. I don't know my passions. How will I know?"

Here are a few questions I want you to answer below.

Note: If you have the same answer on many of these questions, that's good!

* Where do you excel? Where do people say you are superb in?
* Where have you been successful in the past?
* What gives you most joy? Happiness? Fulfillment? Satisfaction?
* What do you love to do? That even if you don't get paid, you'll still do it?
* What's your obsession?
* What did you like doing as a child? Hobbies? (See any connection?)
* What do you value or consider most important?

So here's my prayer for you: May you prosper in 2011. May God open new doors for you. May God connect with you with the right people. And may God bless the work of your hands.

2011 is a new year.

Create a new life for yourself.

May your dreams come true,

Bo Sanchez

Information about CANCER

2011-01-05T14:08:00.000-08:00

Hi All, informative information regarding an email that was blasted out for the past 2 years. You might have received the email blitz. The email is FALSE; however, time-permitting, please read down below. There is good information that will help you understanding cancer better.

Remember MODERATION, elminate OBESITY & eliminate SMOKING, get preventative services (ie. mammogram, colonoscopy, PSA) will help you detect cancer early. Healthy or not, we are ALL CAPABLE of producing cancer.

The main direct website link is http://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/kimmel_cancer_center/news_events/featured/cancer_update_email_it_is_a_hoax.html. I've highlighted some of the points you should read.

Happy New Year 2011, all!! All the Best- michelle z
------------------------------------------------------------

STATEMENT: EMAIL HOAX REGARDING CANCER

Information falsely attributed to Johns Hopkins called, "CANCER UPDATE FROM JOHN HOPKINS" describes properties of cancer cells and suggests ways of preventing cancer. Johns Hopkins did not publish the information, which often is an email attachment, nor do we endorse its contents. The email also contains an incorrect spelling of our institution as "John" Hopkins; whereas, the correct spelling is "Johns" Hopkins. For more information about cancer, please read the information on our web site or visit the National Cancer Institute's web site at www.cancer.gov. Please help combat the spread of this hoax by letting others know of this statement.

Another hoax email that has been circulating since 2004 regarding plastic containers, bottles, wrap claiming that heat releases dioxins which cause cancer also was not published by Johns Hopkins. More information from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.

Mythbusters: Please help curb the spread of this hoax by sending a link to this page to individuals that forward you this email.
The Truth about the "Cancer Update" Email

It has become such a problem, that the National Cancer Institute, American Cancer Society, and individual cancer centers like the Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center have posted warnings on their Web sites. Emails offering easy remedies for avoiding and curing cancer are the latest Web-influenced trend. To gain credibility, the anonymous authors falsely attribute their work to respected research institutions like Johns Hopkins. This is the case with the so-called “Cancer Update from Johns Hopkins.”

The gist of this viral email is that cancer therapies of surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation therapy do not work against the disease and people should instead choose a variety of dietary strategies.

Traditional therapies, such as surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation therapy, work. The evidence is the millions of cancer survivors in the United States today who are alive because of these therapies. We recognize that treatments don’t work in every patient, or sometimes work for awhile and then stop working, and there are some cancers that are more difficult to cure than others. These problems are the focus of ongoing cancer research.

We’ll go through each statement in the email hoax and provide real responses from Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center experts.
Email hoax contentions #1 and 2: Everyone Has Cancer Cells

Cancer is a genetic disease resulting from a variety of mutations and alterations either inherited from our parents or, more commonly, acquired over time due to environmental exposures and behaviors, such as smoking and poor diet. These alterations turn off important cell growth regulators allowing cells to continually divide unchecked, explains Luis Diaz, a clinician-scientist in Ludwig Center for Cancer Genetics. This type of cell is called a malignant or cancer cell. Among the trillions of cells in the human body, inevitably everyone has some abnormal or atypical cells that possess some of the characteristics of cancer cells, most resolve themselves and never result in cancer, says Diaz.

There is no single or standard test for cancer. There are ways to screen for certain cancers with tests such as colonoscopy for colon cancer, mammography for breast cancer, PSA for prostate cancer, and the Pap smear for cervical cancer, and these tests can detect cancers in a very early and curable stage. For many cancers, there currently are no screening tests, and they are diagnosed when they begin to cause symptoms.

Diaz and other Kimmel Cancer Center researchers are working on new tests that detect abnormal DNA shed by cancer cells into blood and body fluids and have the ability to find cancers before they cause any symptoms. Approaches like this could lead to a broad-based screening test for cancer.

Tests like these also are being used to detect cancer recurrences and malignant cells left behind following surgery, and can find cancers that are not detectable under the microscope or in x-rays.

Other researchers are studying cancer stem cells. They are stealth cells that make up just a tiny fraction of a tumor. While small in number, investigators believe they may be the cells that drive certain cancers and lead to cancer recurrence. Therapies that target these cells are now being tested in clinical trials.

A team of our breast cancer researchers has developed a method that could make it possible to detect breast cancer from the DNA contained in a single drop of blood.

But, while evasive cancer cells are a challenge and the focus of ongoing research, it does not mean, as the email contends, that all patients, even those treated successfully for cancer, have cancers-in-waiting—undetectable but still there. People are treated and completely cured of cancer everyday.
Email hoax contention #3: A Strong Immune System Destroys Cancer

When it comes to cancer and the immune system, it is not a matter of strong or weak as the fictional report contends, but rather an issue of recognition. "The immune system simply does not recognize cancer. In its complexity, the cancer cell has learned to disguise itself to the immune system as a normal, healthy cell. Cells infected with viruses or bacteria send out danger signals setting the immune system in action. But cancer cells do not, explains Elizabeth Jaffee, co-director of cancer immunology and leading expert on cancer and the immune system." By deciphering the methods cancer cells use to make them invisible to the immune system, Jaffee and team have developed cancer vaccines that have successfully triggered immune reactions against prostate cancer, pancreatic cancer, leukemia, and multiple myeloma.
Email hoax contention #4 and #5: Cancer is caused by Nutritional Deficiencies and Supplements Will Correct Them

Dietary habits and lifestyle choices, such as smoking, contribute to the development of many human cancers, says Kimmel Cancer Center director William Nelson. Our experts recommend a balanced diet (see response #11) as a way of reducing cancer risk. In terms of supplements, Nelson points out that while they may help mediate vitamin deficiencies, taking doses above what the body needs provides no added benefit.
Email hoax contentions #6, 7, 8, 9, and 10: Chemotherapy and Radiation Therapy Harms Normal Cells. Surgery Causes Cancer to Spread

Chemotherapy and radiation therapy kills cancer cells with remarkable selectivity, says Nelson. There are some temporary and reversible side effects common to cancer therapies, including hair loss and low blood counts. Limiting and managing these side effects is an integral part of treatment.

Surgery is the first line of treatment for many types of cancer. It does not cause cancer to spread. Cancers spread to other tissues and organs as a tumor progresses and cancer cells break away from the original tumor and travel through the bloodstream to other body sites.
Email hoax contentions #11, 12, 13, and 14: Cancers Feed on Certain Foods

The premise is that cancer cells feed on certain foods, and if a person refrains from eating these foods, the cancer will die. According to our experts, a poor diet and obesity associated with a poor diet is a risk factor for the development of cancer. However, there is no evidence that certain foods alter the environment of an existing cancer, at the cellular level, and cause it to either die or grow.

While there is such a thing as tumors that produce mucus, the mucus made by a tumor does not result from drinking milk. And, eating less meat, while a good choice for cancer prevention, does not free up enzymes to attack cancer cells, explains cancer prevention and control expert Elizabeth Platz.

Moderation is key, says Platz. As part of a balanced diet, sugar, salt, milk, coffee, tea, meat, and chocolate—the foods the “Update” calls into question—are all safe choices, she says. The real concern with many of these, particularly sugar, is that it adds calories to a diet and can lead to obesity, and obesity is a major risk factor for cancer. A balanced nutritious diet, healthy weight, physical activity, and avoiding alcoholic drinks may prevent as many as 1/3 of all cancers. Platz recommends eating at least five servings of fruits and vegetables per day and limiting red and processed meats, like hot dogs.

Several Johns Hopkins experts participated in the World Cancer Research Fund - American Institute for Cancer Research report Food, Nutrition, Physical Activity, and the Prevention of Cancer: A Global Perspective, published in November 2007, which is considered by cancer prevention experts to be an authoritative source of information on diet, physical activity and cancer. Their recommendations for cancer prevention and for good health in general are:

1. Be as lean as possible without becoming underweight.
2. Be physically active for at least 30 minutes every day.
3. Avoid sugary drinks. Limit consumption of energy-dense foods (particularly processed foods high in added sugar, or low in fiber, or high in fat).
4. Eat more of a variety of vegetables, fruits, whole grains and legumes such as beans.
5. Limit consumption of red meats (such as beef, pork and lamb) and avoid processed meats.
6. If consumed at all, limit alcoholic drinks to 2 for men and 1 for women a day.
7. Limit consumption of salty foods and foods processed with salt (sodium).
8. Don't use supplements to protect against cancer.

Our experts recommend that people meet their nutritional needs through their food choices. While vitamin supplements can be helpful in people with nutritional deficiencies, evidence suggests that supplementation above what the body can use provides no added health benefit.
Email hoax contention #15: Cancer is a Disease of Mind, Body, and Spirit

Cancer is a disease caused by genetic alterations. Many times, these alterations occur through our own behaviors—cigarette smoking, a poor and unbalanced diet, virus exposures, and sunburns, says cancer prevention and control expert John Groopman.

How stress, faith, and other factors influence this is largely unknown. We would like people to be happy, loving, and stress free, simply because it is a nice way to live and can contribute to an overall feeling of well being, says Platz. There is no evidence, however, that a person prevents or causes cancer based on his or her state of mind.

Still, we understand that a cancer diagnosis can make patients and families feel stressed and anxious, and these are not pleasant feelings. So, we offer extensive patient and family services, including a cancer counseling center, pain and palliative care program, chaplain services and a meditation chapel, an image recovery center, and the Art of Healing art and music program.
Email hoax contention #16: Oxygen Kills Cancer Cells

Platz recommends regular exercise as a part of any healthy lifestyle, but says there is no evidence that breathing deeply or receiving oxygen therapy prevents cancer.

On its Web site, the American Cancer Society includes the following statement about oxygen therapy, “Available scientific evidence does not support claims that putting oxygen-releasing chemicals into a person's body is effective in treating cancer. It may even be dangerous. There have been reports of patient deaths from this method.” Read more

Please pass this information on to family and friends.
Questions?

Contact:
Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center
Office of Public Affairs

410-955-1287

Psalm 23

2010-08-01T19:09:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone, this is a long email but worth the read.

Psalm 23 states,
Psalm 23
A psalm of David.
1 The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not be in want.
2 He makes me lie down in green pastures,
he leads me beside quiet waters,
3 he restores my soul.
He guides me in paths of righteousness
for his name's sake.
4 Even though I walk
through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil,
for you are with me;
your rod and your staff,
they comfort me.
5 You prepare a table before me
in the presence of my enemies.
You anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
6 Surely goodness and love will follow me
all the days of my life,
and I will dwell in the house of the LORD
forever

GOD'S ANTIDOTE TO WORRY
Stressbusters -Part 1~ Rick Warren

We begin a new series I'm calling Stressbusters. We're going to look at the seven greatest sources of stress. They are all found in Psalm 23. And the antidotes are also found in Psalm 23. Psalm 23 is the most beloved psalm of the Bible. And it tells us what God is really like. It's a picture of God. The goal for the next six weeks is when we get through with the series you'll know what God is like and you'll know how much He really loves you and how much you matter to Him. The more you understand God, the easier it is to trust Him.

The first cause of stress we'll look at is Worry. We all have pet worries: finances, jobs, relationships, marriage,kids, health... There are three problems with worry. Worry is unhelpful, it's unreasonable and it's unhealthy. It's unhelpful because it never accomplishes anything, it never solves anything. It is stewing without doing.It's like racing your car engine -- you create a lot of smoke and noise but you don't go anywhere. Worry has never solved a problem. Worry cannot change the past if you worry about it. Worry cannot control the future. It only makes us miserable today. It's unhelpful, it doesn't work. To worry about something you can't change is useless. To worry about something you can change is stupid -- change it. Either way, don't worry! It is unhealthy. The old English word for worry is the word "to strangle" or "to choke". That's what worry does -- it strangles the life out of you. But it's not natural. The good news is that if worry is learned it can also be unlearned.

WHAT IS THE ANTIDOTE TO WORRY?
BELIEVE GOD WILL TAKE CARE OF ME
Ps. 23:1 "The Lord is my shepherd; I have everything I need." If I believe that God is going to take care of me, I'm not going to worry. How does making God my shepherd show the antidote to stress in my life? If I let the Lord be my Shepherd how is that an antidote to worry? You have to know what shepherds do.
1. A shepherd provides. He provides food, shelter, the basic necessities for his sheep.
2. A shepherd protects. He defends against enemies, harm.
3. A shepherd guides.He leads sheep when they're confused and don't know which way to go.
4. A shepherd corrects. Any problem that comes along, he corrects it.
The amazing thing is this: God has promised to do these four things in your life if you'll trust Him, if you'll let Him be your shepherd. He says "I'll provide for you. I will protect you. I will guide you. I will correct the problems in your life for you. If you will let Me be your Shepherd. " Isaiah 40:11 "God takes care of his people like a shepherd." God says, I'll take care of you, I'll guide, protect,correct. I will help you, if you'll let me be your shepherd. He even gets more specific in Phil. 4:19 "My God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus." This doesn't say, God will meet all of your greed. There's a difference between needs and wants. If God met all of your wants you'd be the biggest spoiled brat in the universe. You'd be spoiled and self-centered. He's not going to give you everything you want. It would be like the Midas touch. Soon you'd be miserable. But He has said, "I will meet all of your needs."God says "I will...". He doesn't say, I might, I'll think about it, possibly. He says I will. That means God's character is on the line. He's either going to do it or He's a liar. When God makes a promise His character is on the line. He's either got to do what He says or He's a liar. God says "I will meet all ..." What does "all" include? Everything. If God has promised to provide all of your needs, to protect you, to guide you when you're confused, and to correct the problems in your life, what does that leave left to worry about? Nothing.
When you have an insurance policy, once you know what's covered in that policy, you don't worry about it anymore. If something happens, whatever is covered, you don't worry about it. In the Bible are over 7,000 promises -- the coverage God puts on your life. When you understand them, what is left to worry about? Worry is not only unhelpful, unreasonable, unhealthy -- it's unnecessary if Jesus Christ is your Shepherd. Any time you worry you're acting like an atheist. In essence you are saying: God is not going to keep His promises; God's not going to take care of my needs. If it's to be, it's up to me. Worry is simply practical atheism. It says, I don't believe God will do what He says He will do. How Do I Make God My Shepherd? God is not the Shepherd of everybody. He's only the Shepherd of those who let Him be the Shepherd. Accept Jesus as my Lord "The Lord is my Shepherd." -- The Lord can't be your Shepherd until the Shepherd is your Lord. The two go together. You can't ask Him to be the Shepherd without allowing Him to be your Lord. I have to stop playing God and let God be God. What does it mean to be Lord? It means to be in control. Lord simply means whoever is in charge. Today we might say boss, manager, CEO, chairman of the board. Lord means under control, the person who is on top, in control, calling the shots.
Jesus Christ is Lord in your life if He's calling the shots in your life. If He's not calling the shots, He's not Lord. And if He's not Lord, He's not Shepherd. Because the Lord is my Shepherd. To accept Jesus as Lord means three things. John 10:14, 27 "Jesus said, `I am the good shepherd... my sheep know me ... they listen to my voice, and they follow me." These three words is what it means to have Jesus as Lord: You know Jesus, you listen to Jesus, you follow Jesus. You put Him in control. All the worry that you're worrying about -- whatever it is -- worry is the control issue. The root behind all of your worry is a fear that you are not in control. Worry is always an attempt to control the uncontrollable. Worry is assuming responsibility God never meant for you to have. Worry is a warning light. Whenever you start to worry the light should go off: Warning!-- you're trying to control too much. That is the root behind all worry. Everytime you start to worry, you're trying to control something that you shouldn't be trying to control in the first place. Who's in control of your life? God gives you the option. He doesn't force Himself on anybody's life. You have two options -- either you can be in control of your life or you can let God be in control of your life. God doesn't co-pilot. You'd crash and He'd get blamed. God is not going to force it on you, but either you can be in control of your life or you can let Him be in control of your life. He made you. He knows what will make you happy more than you do. He has the power to bring those things to pass. But He's still going to give you the option. But if God is running your life and He's your Lord and your Shepherd you know He can control anything so you don't sweat it. I make Jesus the Lord of my life. Begin Praying About Everything Pray about all the stuff you usually worry about. Just talk to God. He wants your friendship, your relationship.You don't have time to pray? Do you have time to worry? If we prayed about all the things we worry about we would have an awfully lot less to worry about. Worry doesn't change anything; prayer does. Prayer gets in touch with God who can change it. Whenever I'm worried I have two options I can panic or I can pray. Phil. 4:6 "Don't worry about anything; instead pray about everything; tell God your needs... if you do this, you will experience God's peace, which is far more wonderful than the human mind can understand." Everything. Don't just pray about religious things. Most people, when they pray, pray prayers they think God wants to hear. Pray about everything. If it's big enough to worry about, it's big enough to pray about. God's ability is greater than your anxiety. "Cast all of your anxiety on him because he cares for you." I Peter 5:7 Cast means to unload, let it go. The Greek word literally means drop. Unload it. Prayer is an incredible stress reliever. All -- whatever you're stressed out about, upset about, irritated about. Cast it all on Him. Dump it on Him. Unload. The problem is, most of us do the casting like we do in fishing. We cast our worries out and then we real them back in . God has been our rock. It's not that we haven't had stress, it's just that our faith enables us to believe that all things happen in God's timing. It has not been our time to build. We still don't know how it will turn out. By trusting God and not dwelling on our setbacks, we recognize God's hand through most of the experience.Matthew 6:32 "Your heavenly Father already knows perfectly well what are your needs and He will give them to you, if you give Him first place in your life and live as He wants you to." Besides trusting God, another source of stress relief is having fellowship with believers. Since we all experience the same worries, we can help each other during trying times at home and at work. "For I know the plans I have for you, plans for good and not for evil, plans to give you a future and a hope." Jeremiah 29:12. I'm learning that when I focus on trusting God's plan in my life, hope pushes the worry out of my mind. Worry is kind of like a dense fog sometimes. When it comes in, you can't see clearly. Have you ever tried to drive in a fog? You can't see what's ahead. It's an illusion. Worry is like that. Worry and fog create an illusion. That's what worry does -- It expands and exaggerates the problem. There is a third thing you do if you want to deal with worry.
CONSIDER ONE DAY AT A TIME. Focus, concentrate and consider one day at a time. Matthew 6:34 "So don't be anxious about tomorrow. God will take care of your tomorrow too. Live one day at a time." Jesus is saying, Don't open your umbrella until it starts raining. Today is the tomorrow that you worried about yesterday. When you worry you don't do anything about yesterday, you can't control tomorrow, you just mess up today. The future can seem overwhelming. Therefore, God has put it in little bite-size pieces. He just gives it to us in one little 24 hour increment at a time. Live one day at a time. Matthew 6:11 "Give us today our daily bread." Overcoming worry is a day to day choice. There is no pill that will make you stop worrying. There is no seminar, tape, or book that will make you stop worrying. There is no one spiritual experience you can have and you will never worry again. Worry, and the antidote to it, is going to be a daily choice, sometimes hourly, sometimes moment by moment choice in which you say, Am I going to believe the Lord is my Shepherd or am I going to believe I am my own Lord? Who is in control of my life? Who's calling the shots? If I'm in control, I have a lot to worry about. But if God's in control, it's His problem and He can handle it. Psalm 144:1-2 "Blest be the Lord, my strength, my goodness and my fortress, my high tower and my deliverer, my shield and He in whom in trust." What is it that when you think about it you get the pit in your stomach? I don't know what you're going through right now, but that doesn't matter. God does. God knows exactly what you're going through. Go home and read Ps. 23. You will find that seventeen times in six verses, the words "I", "my" or "me" are used. This is an intensely personal psalm. The word "You" -- talking about God -- is used five times, "He" or "His" is used about 7 or 10 times. This psalm is about a relationship to God. That's the antidote to your stress. Religion will not get rid of your stress. Religion will not help you stop worrying. You need a relationship. You need a Shepherd -- somebody who provides, protects, guides and corrects. God says "That's what I made you for. I didn't make you for religion. I made you to know Me." He knows all about you, He wants you to know Him. That's why He sent Jesus Christ. I invite you to take the first step by opening your life to Jesus Christ if you've never done so. Ask Jesus Christ to become your Lord -- your boss, manager -- and Shepherd, as He's promised to do.

GOD'S ANTIDOTE TO DAMAGED EMOTIONS
Stressbusters - Part 3 ~Rick Warren
"He restores my soul" Ps. 23:3

This is good news; we all need to have our soul restored periodically. We get hurt -- life's tough. We get beat up by discouragement, depression, despair. We have fatigue, failure, frustrations, fears. We all have hidden hurts from our past. We carry wounds, battle scars, emotional garbage. God wants to take away your emotional garbage. He wants to restore your soul. How does He does that? He does that when you allow Him to make three changes in your life:
1. Let God remove my guilt.
2. Let God relieve my grief.
3. Let God replace my grudges.
Guilt, grief, grudges are the three things that keep you in emotional instability.
1. LET GOD REMOVE MY GUILT
Nothing destroys a soul faster than guilt. "Ps. 38:4&6 "My guilt has overwhelmed me like a burden too heavy to bear... I am bowed down and brought low; all day long I go about mourning."
There are two problems with guilt.
1. We all have plenty reasons to feel guilty. We are all imperfect. We all make mistakes. By nature we carry guilt in our lives.
2. We can't get away from it. It's in our mind. Even if we go to a new location we carry a guilty conscience with us.
Prov. 20:27 "The Lord gave us a mind and a conscience. We cannot hide from ourselves." How do you get rid of guilt? How do you deal with the guilt in your life? There are a lot of options: You can deny it, pretend it doesn't exist. You can bury the past -- but it doesn't work. If it's still alive it resurrects itself. Just about the time you think it's buried, the feeling comes back into your mind at the most inappropriate time. Denying guilt does not relieve guilt. You can minimize it. "It was no big deal, not that big of a sin." Then why do you still remember it? Why can't you forget it? Minimizing it doesn't work. You can compromise it just by lowering your standards. If you feel guilty about something you just say "I don't believe it's wrong anymore. Fortune cookie: Commit a sin twice and it won't seem like a sin anymore." The tenth murder isn't nearly so bad as the first one. It's true. If you keep doing something over and over, your conscience will eventually become seared to it, but that doesn't relieve the guilt. You can rationalize your guilt -- "Everybody does it." In the first place, everybody doesn't do it. Even if they did, justifying it by somebody else's behavior doesn't make it any easier on you. You can always find somebody who is worse that you are. "Rationalize" means "rational lies". Whenever I rationalize my guilt I'm trying to convince my heart about something I know is wrong with my head by saying "it's OK". But your heart always wins out over your head. You can blame other people. In our mind we have a scales between what I do wrong and what you do wrong to me. We balance it -- I feel bad about this so I'll blame you for that. When you're blaming other people it doesn't make it any easier on you.
Most of us beat ourselves up. We self administer punishment. Inside we know that somebody has got to pay for the wrong in my life. Subconsciously we set ourselves up to pay for our sin. Can guilt make you sick? You bet it can. Can guilt cause depression? Absolutely. Can guilt cause you to set yourself up for failure? Without a doubt. How many successful people go along fine and then cave in? Why? There is a little guilty feeling: you don't deserve to succeed. None of these things work. There is only one solution to your guilt. You've got to give it to God. He's the only one who can remove it. Romans 3:23-24 "All of us have sinned... yet God declares us `not guilty' IF we trust in Jesus Christ, who in mercy freely takes away our sins." The most basic truth of Christianity is Jesus Christ has already paid for all of your sins. Everything you've ever done wrong has already been paid for. Everything you've already committed, the stuff you're going to do later, all of the sins, mistakes, regrets in your future have already been paid for. You just need to ask God to forgive you and accept what Jesus Christ did for you on the Cross where He already paid for all of your sins. Just accept it. That's how your guilt will be removed. No other way. No psychologist can remove your guilt; they don't have the power to forgive you. You didn't hurt them. But the Creator of the universe does have the power to forgive you. I don't know what you've done but it doesn't matter because your forgiveness is not based on how bad you've been, but how good God is. What matters is not what you've done, but what Jesus Christ has already done for you.
"If we trust in Jesus Christ". How do you get forgiveness from God? Trust. You don't beg God. You don't bribe God. You don't bargain with God. Just believe. Trust. Accept Jesus Christ's free gift. That's why it's such good news: it's a free gift. I can wipe my slate clean, start over, have a clear conscience. But you've asked God to forgive you many times and you still feel guilty. No matter how many times you ask, you still feel guilty. That means you don't understand how God forgives, how it is immediate, free, complete, unconditional, how it wipes out the guilt the first time you ask. If you keep asking God to forgive something you've already asked Him, you're saying you don't believe He forgave you the first time -- that's sin. If you feel guilty about a sin you've already confessed to God and still feel guilty about it, that guilt is not from God, it's from the devil. He wants you to feel bad, to continue to feel uptight. Before you commit a sin, Satan minimizes the sin -- "It's no big deal". After you commit the sin he says, "This sin is so big, God could never forgive you!" How does God forgive? Col. 2:13-14 "He has forgiven ALL your sins. He has utterly wiped out the evidence of broken commandments which always hung over our hearts, and completely annulled it by nailing it to the cross!" When God forgives, He forgives completely. He takes your sins, throws them in the deepest part of the ocean, puts up a "No fishing" sign and says "forget it!" Some of you confess a sin to God and keep bringing it back to Him. When you get to Heaven, you'll find that it was forgiven the first time you asked. God not only forgives, He forgets. That's one of the most amazing things in the Bible -- that the creator of the universe who made you and me can actually forget. Not that He can, but that He chooses to. He chooses to forget sin that has been confessed and forgiven. He wipes it out. That means never to be brought up again. That means it has been paid for. Jesus, on the Cross, said "It's finished. I've paid for your sins". So what are you worried about? If God forgets confessed sin, shouldn't you? Why keep beating yourself up over something God isn't beating you up over? If you don't really feel forgiven, every time something goes wrong in your life you're going to think, "God's getting even
with me!" He's not. If you've put your faith in Christ, God's not going to get even with you because all of your punishment was taken by Jesus Christ. Why punish you when He's already punished Christ. Jesus voluntarily took it. He paid the penalty so you wouldn't have to. Jesus was nailed to the cross so you can stop nailing yourself to the cross. Let God remove your guilt.

2. LET GOD RELIEVE MY GRIEF
Not all of the things in life that damage us are things I bring upon myself. Sometimes I have grief because of things that are done to me. Sometimes I have grief over seeing other people hurt. The fact is you will be hurt in life, you will experience loneliness in life. This is not heaven, this is earth. It's imperfect down here. Some days you're going to be lonely. Some days your heart will be broken. Some days you're going to feel in despair. Some
days you're going to feel all alone. Some days you'll experience sorrow, loss, grief. If you identify with those emotions I want to say to you today I'm sorry you hurt and I want you to know God knows what you're going through. God hurts with you and He cares about your hurt. Only Jesus Christ can fill that emptiness in your heart. What do you do when your heart is breaking? What do you do when the grief overwhelms you in life? Throw a giant pity party? Play the "if only" game? Withdraw into a shell, hide in a cave, isolate yourself from humanity and say "I'll never let another man hurt me!" Do you just pull back and resign from life and be miserable the rest of your life? There are other options. You can let Jesus restore your soul. David, in the Bible, was very acquainted with grief. He understood how much it damages our soul when we hurt. Psalm 31:9 "Lord, have mercy, because I am in misery. My eyes are weak from so much crying, and my whole being is tired from grief." He is saying he knows how it damages the soul. Sometimes we grieve because of our own stupid actions. We do stupid things and make serious mistakes and get ourselves into all kinds of trouble. We grieve over that. Sometimes we grieve because we see people we love hurting. Sometimes we grieve because of a loss. Sometimes we grieve because we're innocent and somebody has victimized us or hurt us. David, in II Samuel 12, gives us some tips on how to handle grief. David had committed adultery with Bathsheba and had her husband killed. He carried guilt over that but confessed it to God in Psalm 51. If you're carrying guilt, read Psalm 51 and find restoration. But then he felt grief. Bathsheba bore a child and from that illicit union they had a baby. When the baby was born it was very sick and David grieved over that. He got on his knees, prayed, fasted. He said, "God, this baby hasn't done anything wrong. I'm the one who blew it. I'm the one who made the mistake. I'm the one who's affected everyone else's life in this negative way. Save the baby. He's done nothing wrong." But the baby died anyway. What did David do with his grief then? He did three things. These are the things you need to do if God is going to restore your soul.
1. Accept what cannot be changed.
2 Sam 12:22-23 "Then David got up from the ground... He said, `While the child was still alive, I fasted and wept... But now that he is dead, why should I fast? Can I bring him back to life?" You've been hurt by parents, partners, peers. All of the grieving in the world is not going to change the past. The first step to emotional health, healing, restoring your soul is acceptance. Accept what cannot be changed. I cannot change my background. I cannot change the hurts I've experienced and neither can you. Acceptance is the first step to healing the mind, will, emotions. This is the first key to peace of mind: Accept what cannot be changed.

2. Play it down and Pray it up
Don't exaggerate it, dedicate it. Give it to God. You're going to be hurt in life. Pain is inevitable, but misery is optional. The Bible says, "Blessed are those that mourn," but too long we take our mourning and hold onto it and turn it into moaning. The Bible says, play it down and give it up. Give it to God. Psalm 37, "Commit your way unto the Lord." Instead of saying, "This is devastating to me!" say, "God, help me make it through this situation!" "After he had washed, put on lotions, and changed his clothes, he went into the house of the Lord and worshiped." He went to church. At church he worshiped God, which gave him a new perspective and the strength to carry on.

3. Focus on what's left not what's lost.
2 Sam. 12:24 "Then David comforted his wife Bathsheba, and he went to her and lay with her. She gave birth to a son, and they named him Solomon." Some of you are going through some grief right now. God is not finished with your life. He's not through with you. This is not the end. It hurts. But it does not have to devastate you if you'll open your life up to Christ and let Him heal your emotions. Ask God, "Remove my guilt and relieve my grief." If you're still alive, God is not through with you. And the rest of your life can be the best of your life. Isaiah 61:3 "To all who mourn... he will give: beauty for ashes; joy instead of mourning; praise instead of heaviness." You don't have to remain a prisoner of your pain. It's a choice.

3. LET GOD REPLACE MY GRUDGES
Grudges come from what other people do to me. I feel guilty for what I've done to others, but I feel grudges about what others have done to me. You're going to be hurt in life; that's a fact of life. Life isn't fair. People will hurt you. Sometimes intentionally, sometimes unintentionally. Either way, it still hurts. How you handle the resentments of life determine whether you are a bitter person or a better person. The difference between bitter and better is the letter "I". I make the choice. I can choose whether the circumstance will devastate me or direct me on to a new path. Whether it will make me bitter or better. What do I do with all the hurts that have piled up, all the emotional garbage that I still resent, and when those people come to mind it just tightens my stomach up? What do I do? Job 5:2 "To worry yourself to death with resentment would be a foolish, senseless thing to do." Why? Resentment never hurts the other person. It only hurts you. The other person might be totally oblivious that you're even thinking about them. They've gone on with their life. Some of you are continuing to allow people from your past to hurt you now! And that's stupid! Your past is past. They cannot hurt you anymore unless you keep rehearsing it in your mind. Every time you rehearse that resentment they'll hurt you again. They may even be dead and they're still hurting you from the grave. That is dumb! You don't hurt them by resenting. Holding onto a hurt, only hurts you. "You're only hurting yourself with your anger." Job 18:4 What do you do with your grudges? the resentments of people that have hurt you? Romans 12:19 "Dear friends, never avenge yourselves. Leave that to God, for He has said He will repay those who deserve it." Because of sin in this world, life is unfair. God never said life was fair. This is earth, not heaven where God's will is always done. Sometimes innocent people suffer. And sometimes guilty and evil people prosper. Justice is not always served in this world. This is a sinful world. But God has said one day He is going to settle the score. One day He's going to call it into account, right the wrongs, settle the issues that were left unsettled here -- the crimes, the injustice, the prejudice, the racism, the sexism, the rapes, murders, hurts, abuse. One day God is going to settle the score. In the meantime, the Bible says, don't avenge yourself. It will eat you up. What do you do instead? "Get rid of all bitterness ... forgiving each other just as in Christ God forgave you." There is a real heaven and a real hell. One day God is going to settle the score. In the meantime He says, get rid of all bitterness, forgive each other as God forgave you. If you've been forgiven, God expects you to be forgiving. You will never have to forgive another person more than God has already forgiven you. One of the greatest things that Martin Luther King said, "Bitterness is blindness." If I allow you and your hurt to make me bitter it blinds me. It blinds me to the truth, to all that's good in the world and all I can see is the bad, evil, prejudice, sin. It blinds me to what God wants to do in my life. God wants to even take the negative, harmful, hurtful and turn it around and use it for good and make me a better person. I can't see that when I'm bitter. You will never be healed from your hurt until you accept God's forgiveness through Jesus Christ and then you offer that same forgiveness to other people. What is it you still feel guilty about?Jesus Christ can remove that guilt and nobody else can. He specializes in new beginnings. It's called being born again. He can wipe the slate clean. There is no reason in the world for you to go on with a guilty conscience when He offers forgiveness. Just accept it. Stop punishing yourself for the past. You don't need a self-help book. You need a Shepherd. You need a Savior. Only a Savior can forgive that guilt. How about your grief? Are you still holding onto it and moaning instead of mourning? Are you looking at what's left instead of what's lost? Are you playing it down and praying it up? Are you letting that grief incapacitate you, keeping you in a prison -- a self imposed prison. Nobody locked the door -- you locked it yourself. Say, "God relieve my grief." How about your grudges? Are you still allowing people in your past to continue to hurt you in the present? Stop! Don't let them hurt you anymore. They cannot hurt you without your permission. The past is past. Give God your grief, guilt, grudges. Psalm 42 David prays, "Why art thou cast down, O my soul. Hope thou in God." Why is my soul cast down? Do you have a cast down soul? David is using a term every shepherd would understand when he talks about being cast down. It is a position sheep get themselves in and they can't get out of. Sheep are built in such a way, that if they fall over on their side and then on over on their back with their legs sticking straight up in the air, they cannot get out of that position themselves. They are helpless to get back up on their feet again. That position is called a cast down sheep. It's frightening when a sheep falls down on its side and then its back. It kicks and flails in the air. It bleats, cries out. It knows it is open to attack. Any animal could come and attack it and it is helpless. It's a very serious condition. When sheep lay on their back, gas begins to collect in their stomach. It hardens the stomach, cuts off the air passage and they suffocate in a matter of hours. Not only that, their legs go numb in that position. On a hot day a sheep in a cast down position can die in just a matter of hours. They can't do anything about it. They need a shepherd who restores their soul.
When a shepherd restores a cast down sheep, it doesn't just happen immediately. It takes time to restore a cast down sheep. First a shepherd will come to the sheep laying on its back with its legs sticking straight up in the air. The first thing the shepherd does is lovingly massage the four legs to get some circulation back up in the four legs. Then he begins to talk in a reassuring tone to the sheep, "You're going to make it." Then he gently turns the sheep over, puts his hand under the sheep's belly and lifts it up because it cannot stand up on its own because of its wobbly feet. He will lift up the sheep and hold it there while the sheep begins to get some equilibrium. The blood begins to flow in the legs again and it begins to get some stability. When the shepherd realizes and can feel that
the sheep can stand on its own feet that it's got it's equilibrium back, then that shepherd will lovingly and gently let the sheep go. What a picture of what God wants to do for you! When you're on your back and flailing around and the grief, guilt, or grudges are overwhelming you and you think you're going to die in that position, the Lord is your Shepherd. He lovingly comes with reassuring words and tender hands, picks up His little lamb, sets him up straight until he can get on his own feet again and carries it until it's got that stability back. Jesus Christ wants to restore your soul. If you've been cast down for any reason, He's the only one who can help you get back up on your feet again. When He restores your soul, He restores your confidence and your joy and peace and strength. We can restore a lot of things -- cars, paintings, sound recordings, buildings -- but only God can restore a soul.

GOD'S ANTIDOTE FOR DARK VALLEYS
Stressbusters Psalm 23:4
4 Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.

There is an old Arab parable that says: All sunshine and no rain makes a desert." If you never have any down times, dark times, gloomy times in your life you'll be dried up. You'll have no depth to yourself, no maturity. It takes good times and bad times to make a mature person. Life is a mixture of pain and pleasure, of victory and defeat, of success and failure, of mountain tops and valleys. Today we're going to look at God's antidote to the Dark Valleys of life. Even in our darkest valleys, our darkest days, God is there. "Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me." Psalm 23:4
In Israel there is a real Valley of the Shadow of Death. It's a steep, deep and narrow canyon. The sun only hits the bottom of it when it's directly overhead at high noon. The rest of the time the bottom of the canyon is dark. David probably led his sheep through the valley of the shadow of death as he was growing up. As you look in the Bible, the term "valley" also refers to all kinds of rough times in life. Joshua talks about the Valley of Calamity Psalm 84 talks about the Valley of Weeping, Hosea talks about the Valley of Trouble This verse in Hebrew actually means The Valley of Deep Darkness How do I handle the dark valleys of life? There are five facts about valleys that you need to remember whenever you go through a tough time:

1. VALLEYS ARE INEVITABLE
They are going to happen so you might as well count on them. You have just come out of a valley, or you're in one right now, or you're probably headed toward one. Valleys happen throughout life -- one right after another. After every mountain top there is a valley. Jesus was very realistic about it. In John 16, He says "In the world you will have trouble." It's not a matter of if, it's when. It's going to happen. You're going to have difficulty, disappointment, discouragement in life. There will be times of suffering, sorrow, sickness. There will be times of frustration, failure and fatigue. They are going to happen. They are a normal part of life. Don't be surprised by it.

2. VALLEYS ARE UNPREDICTABLE
You can't plan them, time them, schedule them. Valleys are always unexpected. They usually come at the worst time -- when you don't have time, when you're unprepared. Have you ever had a flat tire at a good time? They just happen. And usually when you least need them and it's most inconvenient. It would be very great if we could schedule our down times in life. You can't plan life like that. Valleys come suddenly. They are unpredictable. Have you noticed how easily a good day can become a bad day? A phone call, a letter, a routine doctor's check-up, a freak accident. Valleys just happen. Jeremiah 4:20 "Disaster follows disaster... In an instant my tents are destroyed, my shelter falls in a moment."

3. VALLEYS ARE IMPARTIAL
No one is immune to them. No one is insulated from pain and sorrow. No one gets to skate through life problemfree. Everybody has problems -- good people and bad people. Problems, trials, difficulties, disturbances, downtimes, depression doesn't mean you're a bad person. It means you're a person. It doesn't mean you're an evil human being; it means you're a human being. The Bible is very clear that good things happen to bad people and sometimes bad things happen to good people. Valleys are impartial. They don't care how good or bad you are. Matthew 5:45 Jesus said, "It rains on the just and the unjust too." When we go through a difficult time -- a valley in life -- the first reaction is always "Why me?" Yet really you should ask "Why not me?" Do you think you should be exempt from all the problems everybody else has to go through? Do you think you should be the only one in the universe that never has a tragedy, a loss, looses a loved one? Instead of saying "Why me?" just realize it's going to happen because you're a human being. Remember this is not heaven. Things are not perfect here and there are problems and difficulties. They are going to happen in life -- to good people, Christians. Disasters and tragedies happen to all of us.

4. VALLEYS ARE TEMPORARY
They have an end to them. They don't last. They are not a permanent location. David says, "Even though I walk through the valley..." The valley is not something you stay in your entire life. It's something you go through -- a circumstance, a situation that has a season to it. When you're in a valley you often think it's a dead end, but it's not. It's like a tunnel -- there is a beginning and end. You go through the tunnel and eventually you're out of it and
back out in the light again. They don't come into your life to stay. They come to pass. 1 Peter 1:6 "There is a wonderful joy ahead, even though the going is rough for a while down here." He admits that sometimes you're going to go through tough times. It's going to be rough. Life is tough. You're going to have it. But it's only for a while. There is wonderful joy ahead. He's talking about Heaven. There are no problems in heaven, no valleys, no dark days. While you may be harassed down here, in heaven you'll have no problems. If you know the Lord Jesus Christ, that's where you're going. He says don't get discouraged. Even if you live 80 or 90 years and have a problem your entire life, that is so insignificant compared to the thousands and millions of years in eternity problem free. He says, even if it's your whole life it's just temporary compared in light of eternity. "Our troubles are short lived and there is an eternal glory which outweighs them all." They won't last; they will be short. But he says, there is an eternal glory. This is important. Pain can be productive. There will be a benefit for our problems if we respond in the right way. While we have the temporary hassles there is long term, eternal benefit when you go through a valley and respond to it correctly.

5. VALLEYS ARE PURPOSEFUL
God has a reason for taking you through the valleys. Whether it's doubt, depression, despair, discouragement, defeat -- He's got a reason behind it. 1Peter 1:6-7 "At the present you may be temporarily harassed by all kinds of trials." He says temporary -- they aren't going to last forever. You are temporarily harassed with problems here. And there may be all kinds of trials. There are financial valleys, relational valleys, emotional valleys, all kinds of different trials. "...This is no accident -- it happens to prove your faith..." The valleys are not just a freak of nature. God wants to build your faith in the valleys of life. We love to enjoy the mountain tops, but you don't build faith on the mountain tops. You build faith in the valleys of life. When everything is going fine and great you don't really need God. But when you come face to face with a dark valley, you get on your knees. Faith is strengthened in the valleys. When you don't feel like serving and trusting God, praising God... that's where your faith is tested. Not in the good times of life, but in the valleys.
1. Every problem has a purpose. Even the little tiny ones, the inconsequential ones, the things that seem like mere irritations. They have a purpose. God can teach you character. He wants to change you, mature you.
2. Faith is built in the valleys of life.
God wants to build your character. He is far more interested in your character than He is in your comfort or your convenience. God's goal in life is not to just make life comfortable for you. He wants to build character. He's more interested in your holiness than He is in your happiness. Holiness lasts, happiness doesn't. Happiness comes from holiness anyway. He wants to make you like Jesus Christ. He wants you to develop the character of Christ. If God is going to make you like Christ, He is going to take you through all of the circumstances of life He took Christ through. Was Jesus exempted from suffering? Absolutely not. What makes you think you're going to be exempted? Did Jesus go through times of loneliness? Yes. Will you? Yes. Was Jesus ever tempted to be discouraged? Yes. Will you? Yes. Was Jesus ever misunderstood, maligned, criticized unjustly? Yes. Will you? Absolutely. What makes you think you're any different? You're going to go through valleys. God wants to build character in your life. It's not by accident. Does God cause accidents and tragedies? No. God does not cause accidents and tragedies. God is a good God and He cannot cause evil. He cannot do evil. Can God use accidents and tragedies for good? Absolutely. He can use even the evil done to us by others, turn it around and bring good out of it by building character in us. He definitely uses the tragedies and valleys of life in our lives. WHAT DO YOU DO WHEN YOU GO THROUGH DARK VALLEYS? David said, "I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me."

1. REFUSE TO BE DISCOURAGED
"I will fear no evil." I've always thought Christians should be the ones wearing all of the "No fear" T-shirts. I will fear no evil; I fear nothing. That's what David says as a Christian, who puts his faith in God. "Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death". It says "I walk" -- not "I run through it" or "I panic and run the other way". To walk means calmly, deliberately make steps through the valley. David says "I'm not going to be
afraid. I will calmly walk through the valley." Refuse to be discouraged. You can't go around the valley. You can't go under the valley. You can't go over the valley. You can only go through the valley. Here he says "I will not fear evil". Will implies a choice. It implies an act of volition, decision. I will not be afraid. If you are discouraged this morning, it's because you're choosing to be discouraged. I don't have to know your problems. You're choosing to be discouraged. Discouragement is always a choice. Always. You don't have to choose to be discouraged, but you're choosing to think discouraging thoughts. You're choosing to look at all the negatives. You're choosing not to look at Christ and all the positive things. You're looking at all of the negatives. That's a choice. You can choose to change, too.That's what God wants you to do -- choose. It's a deliberate act. How do I choose to not be discouraged? By focusing on God's power rather than on your problem. That's how you do it. You can take two people and put them in the identical situation -- a chaos, tragedy, crisis -- one of them will be blown away by it, the other is actually strengthened by it. One of them falls apart, one of them is strengthened through it. The difference is what you're focusing on. You need to focus, not on your circumstance,
but on Christ. Not on the situation, but on the Savior. Not on your problem, but on God's power. Col. 1:11 "God will strengthen you with his own great power so that you will not give up when troubles come, but you will be patient."
Human energy runs out. After a trial of a certain length of time, you don't have any energy left. No stamina.Human endurance has an end to it. It runs out. In the valleys of life you need a power source bigger than yourself. If you think you're going to make it through all the valleys of life on your own power -- forget it. You're not going to ,You don't have enough power to handle all the things that are going to hit you in life. You need a power source beyond yourself to key into. Ps. 34:18 "The Lord is close to the broken hearted and He saves those who are crushed in Spirit." Jeremiah 29:11 "I know the plans I have for you, plans to prosper you, not harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future."

2. REMEMBER THAT GOD IS WITH ME
David said, "For You will be with me. You're with me every moment." God not only promises us His power in the valley, He promises His presence. You will never go through a valley in life by yourself. You will never go through a dark day alone. God has said, "I will be with you." Isa. 43:2 "When you go through deep waters and great trouble, I will be with you. When you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown! When you walk through the fires of oppression, you will not be burned up -- the flames will not consume you." -- God says I am with you. He will be with you every step in the valley. God says there is nothing to fear when Jesus is near. God does not set up in heaven, looking down on you saying, "I sure hope they make it!" He's there with you in the valley, walking with you, hand in hand. God says, I will lead you through this. At verse 4 of Psalm 23 there is a strategic change in the language. In the first part of the psalm all of the pronouns are in the 3rd person -- he talks about God: "He leads me beside still waters, He guides me into green pastures, He restores my soul". David is talking about God.
But when he gets in the valley it changes to second person pronouns. He starts talking not about God but to God. "You are with me. Your rod and your staff comfort me." It's the valleys of life that bring us face to face with God. All of a sudden the ultimate becomes the intimate. When I'm going through the valley I don't want to talk about God, I want to talk to God. Religion becomes a relationship. Any mature believer will tell you that the times they have been closest to God were in those face to face encounters that happen only in the valley. When you're in the valley and you're spent, depleted, perplexed, in despair and you're talking directly to God, He becomes real and God says, "I'm with you. You're not in this by yourself." We enjoy the mountaintops but we come face to face with God in the valleys of life. He'll never be closer than when you're in the valley.

3. I RELY ON GOD'S PROTECTION AND GUIDANCE
David reminds himself that God's rod and staff comforts him. The rod and staff were the two basic tools that a shepherd used to protect and guide the sheep. A rod was basically about two foot long, at the end of it was a heavy knot. Shepherds were very skilled at hurling the rod, like a missile, at anything that would attack the sheep. God is saying, "When you go through the valley, I'm defending you. I'm protecting you." The rod of God will protect you. Today's shepherds don't use rods, they use guns. It's interesting that in the Old West a gun is also called a rod. God says "I'm going to defend you, protect you." When you're going through the valley, the dark valley of life, God is not setting in heaven unconcerned and apathetic. The Good Shepherd fights for you. While you're fighting for your life in that depression, God is fighting with you. He's fighting off spiritual forces. He is your defender and protector. That's what the rod represents. "Your staff comforts me." A staff was a long stick with a crock at the end of it. The shepherd uses a staff to guide and comfort. He will use the staff to draw the sheep in close to him. He will use the staff to lift them up when they're down. He brings them in close with their staff. He also uses the staff to guide them. When you go through the valley, you're not going through it alone. God's going with you and He's using His rod and staff to protect and guide. There is hope in Jesus Christ. He can help you grow to a level of strength
that you will be able to say like Paul did in Phil 4:12-13 "I know how to get along with humble means. I also know how to live in prosperity. In any and every circumstance I have learned the secret. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." When you go through a valley of life the scary parts are the shadows. In the darkness you just see the shadows on the wall of the valley as you're going through that canyon. And you're thinking "How am I going to make it?" David says, "When I walk through the valley of the shadow of death" -- he didn't walk through the valley of death, but the valley of the shadow of death. One day, someday, a shadow is going to fall over your life. Count on it. You will experience one of those shadow moments. When those times come you need to remember three important things about shadows:
1. Shadows are always bigger than the reality. Fear is always greater than the actual problem. It's the fear that is enormous.
2. Shadows cannot hurt you. Ever been run over by a shadow? There is a difference between the shadow of a truck and the truck itself. Shadows are image without substance. They cannot hurt you. They can scare you, but they cannot hurt you. They are just shadows.
3. There is no shadow without a light somewhere. When you're going through a dark valley, you think the sun has stopped shining. God is dead. I'm all alone. You can't see at all and you think you're in total darkness. But any time there is a shadow it means there is a light somewhere. When you start to get afraid of the shadow in the dark valleys of life turn your back on the shadow and look directly at the light and the shadow falls behind you.
When you're afraid, don't look at the shadow. Turn in the exact opposite direction and look at the light and the shadow falls behind you. Jesus said, "I am the light of the world." When you look at Him you cannot be afraid of all the other shadows around you. They fall behind you. If you look at the world you'll be distressed. If you look within you'll be depressed. If you look at Christ you'll be at rest. It's your choice. It all depends on what you're looking at. Turn your eyes upon Jesus, look full in His wonderful face and the things of earth will grow strangely dim in the light of His glory and grace. Don't look at the shadows. When you're walking through the valley, look at the light. God's people have family problems. Believers go through valleys just like everybody does. But there is a difference and it's a big difference. The difference is that while believers and non-believers go through the same valleys of life, the difference for the Christian is not the absence of the shadow but the presence of the Shepherd. God is with you.

GOD'S ANTIDOTE TO YOUR HURT
Stressbusters - Psalm 23:5 "You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil. My cup overflows."

We're continuing in our series called Stressbusters. We're going through Psalm 23 verse by verse. We're looking at God's Antidote to Your Hurt. Because we live in an imperfect world, you're going to be hurt. You'll be hurt by accidents, by illnesses. But the deepest hurts you'll have in your life will come from people. Relationships are the greatest source of stress in our lives. They are also the greatest blessing and the greatest joy. But people do hurt us, sometimes intentionally, sometimes unintentionally, sometimes accidentally, sometimes on purpose. The problem is our response to those hurts is usually the wrong thing. Before we can look at God's antidote to the hurts I need to tell you four things to not do when people hurt you. These things mess you up. These things cause problems in your life:
I. WHAT NOT TO DO WHEN YOU HURT

1. DON'T IGNORE IT
This is the Clint Eastwood approach to pain. Suffer in silence. Bite the bullet. Macho man. Pretend it doesn't exist. Hope it will go away. We often try to cope with our hurt by pretending it doesn't exist.
There are several ways to do this:
1) Flat out denial -- I don't have a problem; I'm not hurting. We deny how we really do feel.
People hurt us and we say, That didn't hurt.
2) Minimizing it -- It was no big deal. It didn't hurt me that bad.
3) Procrastinate -- We postpone doing anything about it. Sweep it under the carpet. One of these days.... We keep putting it off. We keep postponing it because we always try to postpone the unpleasant. Ignoring your hurt never heals it. The hurt that you're trying to ignore right now won't get any better. People say, "Time heals all wounds" -- sometimes time makes them worse if we keep putting it off. Ps. 39 "I kept very quiet... but I became even more upset. I became very angry inside, and as I thought about it, my anger burned." Procrastination turns minor problems into major ones. It gets worse. It festers. The wounds get infected and spread when we don't deal with them immediately.
2. DON'T RUN FROM IT
This is the Don Knotts approach. Runaway. Escape. Mr. Chicken. Retreat. Run from your problems. Don't face anything. David tried this too. Ps. 55, "I wish I had wings like a dove. Then I'd fly away and rest. I would hurry to my place of escape..." This is human nature. When we face difficulty we run from it. It's not by accident that all doors in public buildings open outward. When people panic, they run. We try to get away from our pain. There are many different ways to escape: movies, television, alcohol, drugs, divorce, Disneyland. The problem is that you will still have the same problems when you return. You can get high but when you come down from the high, get over the hangover, nothing is solved,nothings is changed.
3. DON'T HIDE YOUR HURT
Some people don't run from it or ignore their hurt; they hide it. They keep it to themselves. They don't tell anybody. They wear a mask. Some of you are quite good at camouflaging your pain. You wear nice clothes and have a pleasant smile but the fact is you've been hurt by somebody very deeply. Sometimes we play a game called "Is something wrong?" We always answer, "No, nothing's wrong." We hate to admit it when we're hurt. We'll admit it when we're angry, but not when we're hurt. We don't like to admit that somebody hurt our feelings. So we disguise it. Sometimes people camouflage their pain with materialism They buy nice cars and homes and surround themselves with things and when they hurt they
go shopping. Possessions never compensate for pain. When you hurt all the possessions in the world won't soothe that hurt. "When I kept things to myself, I felt weak deep inside me. I moaned all day long." Hiding a hurt only intensifies it. It only makes it worse. James 5:16 "Confess your faults one to another that you may be healed." Revealing your feeling is the beginning of healing. When you share your hurt, that's the starting process for getting over it. As long as you hold onto it and hold it in, you hide it in your heart and you can't get well. Some of you are holding onto hurts that happened years and years ago. You can't get well if you're still hiding it. The best place to share is in a small group and that's why we believe in small groups. Everybody has a hurt. It's different for each but everybody has hurts. You're not alone. You're not even the only one with the hurt you've got. You may think you are. You may think you're the only one in the world with the hurt you have. But there are others that have the same hurt you do. If you could somehow get up the courage to share the hurt, you would find relief and you would start on the pathway to healing. You don't heal yourself by ignoring it, running from it or hiding it.You can't control everything. You can't change the world by yourself. All worry does is increase the size of your pain.
4. DON'T RESENT IT
Resentment never helps. Yet we do this when people hurt us. We become bitter, angry, cynical. We get all closed in and self-pitying. Job 18:4 "You are only hurting yourself with your anger." Bitterness hurts you far more than any hurt you will ever receive. No matter what anybody has ever done to you. Rape, rejection, molested, maligned. But there is something worse that. That is bitterness. Bitterness is a poison that will kill you. It eats you up on the inside. What resentment does is it perpetuates the hurt. It takes an event and keeps it going. It just prolongs the pain. Every time you think about it and resent it, it prolongs the pain. Bitterness allows the past to control your present. Bitterness allows people who hurt you in the past to continue to hurt you. We are resentful because we think by being resentful we hurt those who have offended us. But resentment never hurts anybody but you. It doesn't hurt your offender. You can be so upset with them in your mind and so resentful that it keeps you preoccupied with the hurt and they can go on about their merry way. Resentment is a self defeating attitude. It doesn't work. You're only hurting yourself with your anger, you must let go. If none of these approaches will heal my hurt what do I do? Ps. 23:5 The scene changes from a field to a feast. David uses the image of a banquet and he gives us threeillustrations or symbols that illustrates three steps you need to take in order to let God heal your hurt. "You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil. My cup overflows."
These are symbols that represent how to get healed from hurt.
1. LET JESUS SETTLE THE SCORE
Don't try to get even. Don't seek revenge. Don't retaliate against those who hurt you. Trust God to even the odds. Give it to God. Let God settle the score and He will. David says "You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies." Sheep have many natural enemies -- wolves, cyotees, bears, snakes, ticks... Sheep are very defenseless animals. They cannot defend themselves from anything. They don't have teeth that are sharp that they can bite with. They don't have claws. They can't kick. They can't run fast. They are absolutely the most defenseless animal there is. They don't know how to do anything. They can't be safe unless somebody protects them. The job of a good shepherd is to go find a good table land, a mesa, a field of green grass, and drive out all the enemies. Then he brings the sheep and gives them a safe place to eat. He scouts out the pasture and drives out the enemies. God says, "Let me handle those who've hurt you." Romans 12 "Never pay back evil for evil. ... never avenge yourselves. Leave that to God, for he has said that he will repay those who deserve it." God knows the people who've hurt you. He saw it and He cares. He can settle the score. The Bible says one day He will settle the score. There is a heaven, there is a hell, there is a judgement day. He has far more resources to settle the score than you do. He says you cannot recover from your hurt as long as you're seeking revenge. You've got to decide, are you going to get revenge or are you going to get well? You can't do both. Today, revenge is big business. Revenge doesn't work. It always backfires. It keeps the hurt alive. When you retaliate against the hurt all you do is escalate the pain. It doesn't relieve the pain, it escalates it. There's only one way you'll ever get the relief and that's forgiveness. Forgiveness doesn't mean that you say "It's OK that you hurt me." Forgiveness is not saying, "What you did is not a bad deal." Forgiveness is not saying it didn't hurt. Forgiveness is not denying that evil is done in this world. Forgiveness means giving my hurt to God and letting Him settle the score. Just trust God to handle the situation and not try to get even. Let Him prepare a table before you in the presence of your enemies. Don't try to get even. Why should I forgive?
1) You've been forgiven by God. God's forgiven you and He wants you to forgive others.
2) Resentment makes you miserable.
3) You're going to need more forgiveness in the future yourself. Matthew 5:7 "Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy." Only as I am forgiving to others is God able to forgive me. What you dole out is what you get back. The longer you try to get revenge, the longer you'll hurt.
2. LET JESUS SOOTH MY WOUNDS. "You anoint my head with oil."
Shepherds put oil on the heads of sheep for two reasons: to sooth and to heal. The worst enemy of sheep is flies. They hate flies. They can't shake off the flies either by their hooves or their tail. Summertime means fly time for sheep. The flies get up in their nose and lay eggs. And the larva drives them crazy. Sometimes in the summertime you'll see a sheep banging its head against a rock because he's going crazy from the flies. He can't do anything about it. Isn't it amazing that it's the little things in life that really irritate you? What shepherds do is take olive oil and mix it with sulfur and anoint the head of the sheep and it's like an insect repellant. This represents the shepherd saying, "I'll take care of the irritations. The things that irritate you, I'll take care of them." The other way oil is used is as a salve, an ointment. When a sheep has an open wound the shepherd would use it as an ointment. It would protect them and it was soothing. When David says, "You anoint my head with oil" he is saying God is going to sooth my wounds. This is the same thing Jesus Christ wants to do with the hurts in your life. Ps. 147 "God heals the brokenhearted and bandages their wounds." He says, "Not only will I settle the score, but if you'll come to Me and let Me have your hurts, I'll settle the score and then do a little repair work -- a little work on restoring your spirit. I can sooth those hurts. I can bandage them up." Once you've forgiven a person who's hurt you, does that mean all the pain has gone away? No. Even after you've forgiven them, you still hurt. Forgiveness is instant but restoration takes
time. Forgiveness is instant but restoration may take years or months or weeks depending on the hurt. "God heals the brokenhearted and bandages their wounds." When you get a small cut you don't need a bandage. The deeper the wound in your life (divorce, rejection by parents, molestation, taken advantage of and a partner stole your business) -- those things don't heal quickly. A deep wound must be bandaged and dressed. Many Christians expect that once they've forgiven a hurt they are immediately well. You're not. You've taken the first step of forgiveness. Now comes the healing where He sooths your soul. It takes time to heal. How does Jesus heal our hurts? What kinds of bandages does Jesus use to heal our emotional wounds when people hurt us?
1) He uses fellowship. When you get together with other Christians, you find support. When you're able to share your hurt, you get emotional support. The first thing you need to do when you've been hurt by somebody is you need to share it with a Christian friend. Don't isolate yourself. You need fellowship. You need to be in a support group.
2) God uses prayer. When you're hurt you need to talk it out. If you don't talk it out to God you'll take it out on your own body. Tell God how you feel. Unload. David, in the Psalms, was very honest about his feelings. He unloaded to God. That is OK. He accepts our prayer.
3) God uses worship. There is healing power in praise. Have you ever come into a church service when you were down, the music started and tears begin. This is emotional healing. God uses praise and His word to build us up and bind up our wounds.
4) God uses ministry. This is helping others who have been hurt too. When you help others who have been hurt it helps you. God set up the universe that way. In our Celebrate Recovery program we take people and share what we've been through. We help them and in doing so we find healing ourselves. We are a hospital for the hurting. The church gives fellowship, prayer, worship and ministry. Those of you who are hurting from a major hurt right now must understand two things:
1) Healing occurs in two phases. You know this physically but it's also emotional. When you are hurt -- surgery or you break a bone -- there are always two phases to the healing. First is the "be still" stage -- you lay in the bed after the surgery. Or they put a cast on your arm so you can't move it. After a while they cut the cast off and tell you to move your body. That's the second stage -- the "get moving" stage. There are people who are trained to do this -- physical therapists. We always get mad at physical therapists because they challenge us and make us do stuff we don't want to do. I know people in this stage who have been going through a healing. You've gone through "the quiet" stage long enough. Now God is starting to prod you and you're getting angry at Him. He wants you to get out in ministry, in service. You're never going to get healed until you get out and start helping other people. There was a time for you to be quiet, to be still and "know that I'm God" but many of you have stayed in this "be still" stage far too long. God is saying you need emotional therapy -- you need to get out in ministry. That's where the healing is going to come from that hurt.
2) Even after you've been totally healed, you're going to have a scar. There are always scars after you've been hurt. When you have a scar you have a choice: every time you look at the scar -- because you're going to see it -- you can either remember your hurt or you can remember your Healer and the healing. That's your alternative. Look at the scar and think of God's grace. When you remember the defeat, the failure, that divorce, that hurt, you think "I am a trophy of God's grace". Instead of focusing on the hurt, focus on the Healer.
3. LET JESUS SATISFY MY NEEDS
"My cup overflows". In the Bible, an overflowing cup, is a symbol for total satisfaction. It means, "I've got everything I need.." In the Middle East, it's mostly desert. When some one gives you a cup that is overflowing, it means they're wasting something -- water or wine. You don't waste water or wine in the desert unless you've got more than you need. When you need to get over a hurt, you need to look to God to meet all your needs. Why is that so important? The major reason we get hurt is we expect other people to meet needs only God can meet. No person can give you absolute security in life. No person can give you all the love you need. No person can make you complete happy. If you expect that from somebody you're going to be bitterly disappointed and you're going to be hurt. God never meant for you to have all your needs met by another human being. You have needs that only God can meet. When you expect other people to meet those needs you're going to get resentful because they can't do it. They can't love you unconditionally 24 hours a day. They can't make you secure 24 hours a day. They can't make you happy 24 hours a day. They can't meet all your needs. They're not God. On the other hand, God can meet all of your needs. He never runs dry. He never has a bad mood. He never lets you down. If you look to Him your cup will overflow. Overflow with what?
1) With Hope
Romans 15:13 "God will help you overflow with hope in him through the Holy Spirit's power within you." You never run out of hope because you know He's never going to let you down.
2) With love
"May the Lord make your love to grow and overflow." I Thes. 3:12
3) With joy
"Ask, using my name, and you will receive, and your cup of joy will overflow." John 16:24

Have you ever wondered when you go to somebody's house how long you're supposed to stay and when you're supposed to leave? Or have you had someone come to your house and you didn't know how to tell them to "get lost". There is a custom in the Middle East that everyone knew that had to do with filling the cup. If you came to somebody's house, even if you were a total stranger (in the desert strangers take care of strangers), the first thing you do is offer them a cup of water or wine ... They drink the cup and you refill it. They drink that cup and you refill it. ... As long as the cup kept being refilled it meant you were welcome to stay. If you came to somebody's house and after several refills, they left the cup empty, it meant your time was up -- it was time to leave. If the host decided he really liked the person and wanted him to stay a long time, they would take the cup and fill it -- not only to the rim but they would let it overflow. You don't waste water or wine in the desert. But when an overflowing cup was shown it was a symbol that you can stay as long as you want. It meant you are special. When God says to you, "I'm going to fill your cup to overflowing" it means you matter to God and you're special to Him. If you're hurting because somebody has hurt you badly, Jesus invites you to a banquet. He says "I'll prepare a table before you in the presence of your enemies. I'll anoint your head with oil. Your cup will overflow." He will settle the score, sooth your wounds, satisfy every one of your needs. It's a deal you can't refuse. It's a banquet of wholeness, help, salvation.

GOD'S ANTIDOTE TO FEARING THE FUTURE
Stressbusters - Psalm 23:6 - 6 Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.

Today we're going to conclude our series on Psalm 23 called Stressbusters. We're going to look at God's antidote to Fearing the Future. A lot of people spend their lives worrying about tomorrow. They never enjoy today because they're worrying about tomorrow. Why? Because we don't know what's going to happen tomorrow. Yet David, as he concludes this Psalm, is not worried. Psalm 23:6 "Surely goodness and mercy will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever."
No anxiety, fear of the future, worry about tomorrow. He's confident -- "surely, goodness and mercy will follow me all the days of my life."
Where do you get that kind of confidence? If you're a believer, there are three reasons why you don't need to fear the future:
1. Because God is watching over me.
2. Because God's grace is working in me.
3. Because heaven is waiting for me.
"Surely goodness will follow me all the days of my life." Because God is good I can expect His protection and provision. I can expect that no matter what happens to me, God will bring good out of it somehow. It will always either be for my own good, for the good of other people, or for the good of His kingdom. God is a good God. Psalm 145 "The Lord watches over all who love him..." God cares about the details of your life. Like a father, He will provide for you in the future. We don't know what the future holds but we do know Who holds it. We know God is in control and God loves you and wants to help you. He says, I will be like a Father and will watch over you.
"Surely goodness will follow..." What does he mean by that? Obviously David had disappointments in life. Not everything good happened to him. He's not saying, Surely, only good things are going to happen to me. That's not true. Bad things happen to good people. He's not saying only good things are going to happen. He's saying only goodness will follow. Good things will always come out of whatever happens even the bad, the evil, the difficult. God will insure that good will come out -- it will follow whatever happens to David.
The great promise that God has given to believers: Romans 8:28, "We know that all that happens to us is working for our good! IF we love God and are fitting into his plans." This is not a promise for everybody. All things do not work together for good for everybody in the world. Things work together for bad for people who are not trying to go the way God wants them to go, who are not following his path. But if you're a believer, the Bible says all things are working together for good -- not all things are good -- but working together for good. That's what it means "goodness will follow me". There is no difficulty, dilemma, defeat, disaster in the life of a Christian that ultimately God won't bring good out of. Eventually, He'll bring good out of it. Somehow. Often it's difficult to see God's goodness when you're going through a tragedy. There are times when you don't feel like God is good. You don't feel His mercy. Sometimes you feel like God's goodness is hidden. God, Why?" We go through those experiences sometimes in life -- Why? And we
don't see goodness in the situation. It's only later, looking back, that we see God's goodness and how He was working for good. This does not mean only good things will happen to you, because bad thing does happen to you, but God will bring good out of them. Paul was put falsely in prison in Rome. Was that good? No. He was kept as a prisoner in Rome. While he was there, he wrote some books that we now call the New Testament. Goodness followed after his imprisonment. Today we're benefiting from Paul's problem, pain, difficulty. Goodness follows. God says, I will watch over you. How does God watch over believers? Ps. 91, "God orders his angels to protect you wherever you go." God uses angels to watch over you. Angels are real. They are invisible helpers. The Bible
says one of the reasons God has created them is to watch over and protect believers. You don't talk to them or see them, but they are there working on your behalf all the time. Just because we have a guardian angel doesn't mean that we're exempt from bad things happening to us. Sometimes bad things do happen. David had angels guarding him and bad things happened to him. The apostle Paul had angels guarding him, but bad things happened to him. One thing you can count on: God will always be with you through adversity. He doesn't exempt you from adversity but walks with you through the adversity. Not only that, God can bring good out of evil. That's exciting.

II. GRACE IS WORKING IN YOU
Not only goodness will follow you but "...mercy will follow me all the days of my life."
Isaiah 60:10 "I will have mercy on you through my grace." What is grace? Grace is God's Riches At Christ's Expense. GRACE. It's all God's able to do for us because of Christ. Grace is the fact that God gives you what you need, not what you deserve. Aren't you glad God doesn't give you what you deserve? The Bible says, God is gracious and gives us what we need, not what we deserve. What is mercy? Mercy is grace in action. Why do we
need mercy? Because we're imperfect. We stumble and fall, blow it, make mistakes. In the future you're going to sin! So in the future, you need not only God's goodness, you need His mercy. You need His forgiveness, pardon, healing. When you really understand God's grace and mercy, that God isn't out there trying to get even with you, if you've given your life to Jesus Christ, Jesus has taken the penalty for everything you've ever done wrong or will do wrong, on the cross. He paid for it, you don't. So when a bad thing happens you don't have to think God's getting even with you. God doesn't "get even" for things that have already been paid for on the cross. That's grace, mercy. When you understand God's grace and mercy then you have no need to fear the future. Ps. 103 "I will... not forget the glorious things God does for me. He forgives all my sins. He heals me. He ransoms me from hell. He surrounds me with loving-kindness... He fills my life with good things ... He is merciful and tender toward those who don't deserve it; He is slow to get angry... He never bears a grudge ... He has not punished us as we deserve for our sins for His mercy is as great as the height of the heavens. ... He is like a father to us, tender and sympathetic to those who reverence him." When you understand mercy, that God is not only being good to you, but He's being merciful to you in handling your mistakes, your sins, your faults, then you don't have any reason to fear the future. Mercy means that when I'm going through a tough time, a valley, a difficulty -- even one that I've brought on myself -- God is there to help me out. "...we can come before God's throne where we can receive mercy and grace to help us when we need it." God has a 24 hour drop in service where we can go to God asking for help. In His mercy, He can help because of what Jesus has done. Mercy, like goodness, follows us in life. Picture a parent following a little child around picking up after them. God is constantly picking up your messes. Things that you blow, things that you make a mistake, things you get out of order and then you blithely go on to the next thing. God is behind you, picking it all up, putting it back together, working it all out, taking care of the messes. That's mercy. He's picking up behind you, cleaning up your messes. "Mercy will follow all the days of my life" -- not some of the days, but all the days. God doesn't turn His goodness and His mercy on and off. He doesn't treat you nice one day and the next day treat you badly. All the days of my life, I'll have God's goodness and God's mercy. You're going to experience many different kinds of days in life. Happy, sad, sick, depressing, lonely, difficult -- that's why we fear the future -- we don't know what's going to happen. But you will never face a day without God's goodness and mercy with you if you've given your life to Jesus Christ. He will be with you all the time. Some days you won't feel it, some days you won't see God's mercy and grace and it may be hard to determine. But surely, certainly, without a doubt God's goodness and mercy are going to be there even in the tough times in the future. Those of you who are married, one day one of you will die. The other will have to face life without your mate. But surely, goodness and mercy will be with you. God will be with you. God's goodness will take care of the good days, God's mercy takes care of the bad days -- all of the seasons of life. How can you be sure? Because God does not lie. He cannot tell an untruth or be inconsistent. He never changes. He never breaks a promise. If He says, "surely goodness and mercy will be with you all the days of your life", they will! We get so worked up and worried about the future because we start "what if"-ing -- "just suppose..." There is no supposing in the Bible. It says surely! Christians go to the future not with a question mark but with an exclamation point. Stop supposing and start reposing. Relax, trust. God will be with you no matter what happens. He will help you out. God's goodness will provide and protect. God's mercy will pardon and forgive. God's goodness will supply. God's mercy will sooth. God's goodness will help me. God's mercy will heal me. Goodness is the fact that God gives us good things in life that we don't deserve. Mercy is that God holds back the condemnation that we do deserve. You need them both in life. This is a psalm about shepherding -- "The Lord is my shepherd". You lead sheep, but you drive cattle. The difference is that sheep are led from the front. The shepherd is in front of the flock. He leads and they follow. Cows are driven from behind to keep them moving. If you were to go to the Middle East and see a shepherd
leading a flock of sheep, you'll see a shepherd at the front and one or two sheep dogs at the rear, keeping them in line. Goodness and mercy are like divine sheep dogs in life. They are following behind, nipping at your tail, keeping you in line, keeping you safe so you won't get lost. Once you're in the flock you don't get out of it because those sheep dogs keep you in it. Goodness and mercy keep you in the flock. When you have goodness and mercy
in your life you don't have need to fear anything.
III. HEAVEN IS WAITING FOR ME
"... and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever." That's one of the most important little connections we see in the Bible. It connects yesterday and today with tomorrow. God says, "I've got this great life planned for you and surely goodness and mercy will follow you through it, BUT that's not the end! I've got something else at the end!" He builds it to a crescendo. David ends this Psalm by saying "We're going to heaven!" Jesus saves the best until last. With God it just keeps getting better and better. The best is yet to come. 2 Cor. 5:1 "We know that our body will be destroyed. But when that happens,God will have a house for us. It will not be a house made by human hands; instead, it will be a home in heaven that will last forever." How long is forever going to last? Forever! Someday your body is going to die, but you aren't. Your body is going to end but that's not going to be the end of you. You're going to live forever in one of two places -- heaven or hell. They are both real places. You will spend eternity in heaven or hell. Your body is going to die but you're not going to die. We were made to last forever. Why are Christians the most confident people about the future? "We look forward with confidence to our heavenly bodies. And we are not afraid, but are quite content to die, for then we will be at home with the Lord." 2 Cor. 5:6,8. Death, for Christians, is a transfer, a promotion. It's on to better things. No more problems. You're not ready to live until you're ready to die. You don't know how to live until you're ready to die. Only a fool would go all through life, totally unprepared for something that everybody knows is invitable. You're going to die. Someday. If we have accepted Christ we're going to go to heaven. What is heaven going to be like?
You're going to be rewarded for your faithfulness to God and your obedience to Jesus Christ. We're going to be reunited with loved ones who know the Lord. We're going to be reassigned work to do that we like to do in heaven -- it will be something you really enjoy doing based on your SHAPE. Some people think when you get to heaven, you'll be given this white sheet and set around all day on a cloud, strumming a harp -- to me, that's hell! I can't think of anything more boring than setting around on a cloud strumming a harp. You're not going to be an angel in heaven. God's going to give you stuff to do and it's going to be stuff you like to do. Look at how much stuff there is to do on earth, and it's imperfect. Can you imagine what heaven is going to be like? The God who created wind surfing and snow boarding, you're going to get to heaven and it will be that with no sprained ankles. You think of all the things you can do here on earth that are cool -- just wait until you get to heaven. You won't have your back go out, and things like that. We're going to be released from pain, from sorrow, from suffering, from depression, from fear. Rev. 21:4 "He will wipe away all tears from their eyes, and there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying, nor pain. All of that has gone forever." Doesn't that make you a little homesick for heaven? Who is heaven made for? It's not made for everybody. It's made for people who say, "God, I want to be a child of God. I want to follow You." I Peter 1:4-6 "God has reserved for his children the priceless gift of eternal life..." Everybody is created by God but not everybody is a child of God. You only become a child of God when you ask Him to put you in His family. You're born into His family. "...the priceless gift of eternal life; it is kept in heaven for you, pure and undefiled, beyond the reach of change and decay. And God, in his mighty power, will make sure that you get there safely ..." It's not up to me to make sure I get there safely. Once I've committed my life to Christ, He makes sure I get there safely to receive it because I'm trusting Him. "...So be truly glad! There is wonderful joy ahead, even though the going is rough for a while down here." The going is rough for a while down here. But it's just as true that one day we're going to be with the Lord. Heaven was made for Christians, believers, for those who love Jesus. If you didn't love Jesus, why would you want to go be with Him for eternity? Earth is the warm up act. This isn't the big deal. You're going to spend 60, 70, 80 maybe 90 years here on earth. But you'll spend thousands, millions of years in eternity -- heaven or hell. This is the appetizer, the preschool.
This isn't the big show. This is the opening act you're in right now. The problem is that even most Christians act like that all there is to life is going on here and now. That's all that matters. No! This is just preparation for the big event where you're going to spend all of eternity. "You are only visitors here...your real home is in heaven..." So act like it! Don't act as if everything that matters is what is here and now. People get so involved in materialism. Why? You're not going to keep any of that. It's not going with you into eternity. It's only temporary. We use it 60, 70, 80 years. So what? But we spend all of our lives acquiring, accumulating, getting. We spend our lives as if making money is the most important thing in life and you have to get a whole lot. One day you're going to die and you won't have it any more. You're missing the point. Don't invest your life for things. Getting things is not the goal of life. Getting prepared for heaven is. How do you do it? By building character. Growing in Christ. That's what you're taking with you. You're not taking any of your money, your cars, stereos, homes.... Don't buy into the world's system. Don't live on a superficial level. Live in light of eternity. Realize you're not going to be here forever. You're going to be in eternity forever. Don't waste your whole life trying to get a bunch of things for right now that you're not going to keep anyway. It's all on loan; you don't really own anything. You just get to use it while you're here on earth. And then you give it up. You don't really own anything. Live in light of eternity. Does everybody go to heaven? Absolutely not! Everybody does not go to Heaven. If God let Hitler and axe murderers and genocidal dictators into heaven He'd have to apologize to everybody else. If God let everybody into Heaven, it wouldn't be heaven. It'd be hell and I'm not sure I'd want to go there. He's not going to let everybody into heaven. He lets those into heaven who want to be with Him because they loved Him during their time here on earth. How do I know I'm going to heaven? If you were to die tonight are you sure you would go to heaven? I don't have an ounce of doubt in my mind that I would. Not that I deserve it but because I've done what the Bible says to get ready. John 10 "My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand." How do I know I'm going to heaven? Two things: Jesus says, "My sheep listen to me and they follow me." Are you doing that? Are you listening to what God says to do with your life? Are you following Jesus Christ? Is He your Shepherd and your Savior? If you say, Yes, I'm listening to God and I'm trying to let Him lead my life, letting Jesus Christ be my Savior; I know I'd never get to heaven on my own and I'm trusting Him. Then you can say with absolute confidence, Surely I know I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever. I will dwell. Not I might or I wonder. I know I'm going to heaven, because I've
done what the Bible says. What if I sin after I commit my life to Christ? What do you mean if? You're going to sin after you become a Christian. When you give your life to Christ -- when you put your hand in His hand -- God holds onto it. He grasps it. There are times in life when you're going to want to let go of that hand. You're going to want a relationship that you know is wrong, read material that you know is bad, make an unethical decision, do things that God says not to do. You're going to want to let go of God's hand. But He's never going to let go of yours. He says you are in His hand and no man can snatch you away from Him. I will not perish -- not because of me. I don't have to keep myself safe; God's goodness and God's mercy keep me safe. It's not up to me. I just do the trusting, He does the keeping. And He won't let go of me. When you face the future, what do you see? Do you look at it with eyes of doubt? With eyes of cynicism? With eyes of expecting the worse? You have two choices in life: You can either face the future as a cynic, a doubter, with negative thoughts, expecting the worse. Or you can face the future expecting God to be with you and His goodness and His mercy to follow you all the days of your life. It is amazing how much better life gets when you start to actively look for God's goodness and God's mercy in every experience. It'll change your life. We're concluding Psalm 23 today. In Psalm 23 we have seen how much God loves you. We've seen how much God cares for you, how He says "I want to be your shepherd." What's the bottom line of these seven weeks? What have we learned? If I summed it up in one sentence it's this: Jesus is all you need. You don't need anything else. As I looked at the psalm I summarized it like this: If I know the shepherd, I don't have to fear anything. I don't need to fear poverty because the Lord is my shepherd, I have everything I need. I don't need to fear loneliness, for He is with me. I don't need to fear mistakes, for He guides me on the right path. I don't need to fear failure, for He restores my soul. I don't need to fear the future, because goodness and mercy are going to follow me all the days of my life. I don't even need to fear death, because I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever. God is beneath me in green pastures. He is beside me in still waters. He is with me in the valley. He is around me in the presence of my enemies. He's upon me anointing my head with oil. He is before me leading me in the right paths. He is behind me, surely goodness and mercy will follow me. He's even beyond me in heaven. I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever. What more could you want? That covers it all.
Jesus is all you need. The good shepherd provides protection, provision, peace, providence, companionship (His presence), and paradise. That wraps it all up!

Book: "Fit Nurse: Your Total Plan for Getting Fit and Living Well"

2010-05-22T22:23:00.001-07:00

Book: 'Fit Nurse: Your Total Plan for Getting Fit and Living Well'

By Gary Scholar, MEd

Reviewed by Eileen P. Williamson

Fit Nurse opens nurses’ eyes to author Gary Scholar’s thesis that, regardless of the shifts they work—even nights—nurses can make personal shifts to wellness. Scholar is a nationally recognized health and wellness consultant on a mission—to help nurses create healthier lifestyles for themselves.

This book is a not-to-be-missed practical guide for nurses who want to live well and live better. Scholar points out the disconnect between how much nurses do to promote the health of others and how little they to do to promote their own wellness and well-being. To help them change that, he invites nurses to examine their frequent failures as well as their sporadic and short-lived successes. He challenges them to honestly assess what he terms their nurse personalities: their chronic inability to relax, their collective reluctance to exercise and their inconsistent—and worse—eating habits. He even helps them understand the “why” of their aching backs. And, he convinces them they can change all of it!

Fit Nurse demonstrates that the time for allowing one’s self to be overloaded, overextended and overwhelmed is over—that it’s time instead for self-belief, self-management and self-empowerment. From putting a kitchen pantry through “rehab” and planning new, different and healthy menus to developing “surgically precise” shopping skills (including Code Blue interventions and avoidance of “dangerous” aisles), Scholar makes it clear that food—whether craved or comforting—is not the enemy. The real enemy is how food is viewed, used and “experienced.”

Nurses love acronyms, and this guide for getting fit and living well includes some new and easy-to-remember ones, including FINE (Frequently Ignoring Needs and Emotions), GUILT (Guaranteeing You Infinite Lifetime Therapy) and, of course, the ever-popular ER (Exercising Regularly). With its fun and motivational interactive exercises done in “group wellness challenge” settings, its how-to’s for award ceremonies in which “Golden Nightingale Wellness Wings” are bestowed and its “Livewell” hints, quotes and “confessions” from nurses around the country, Fit Nurse is a book that readers will stay with from beginning to end. In fact, it’s one that’s likely to make them run to the kitchen to prepare and cook healthy food, work on their ergonomics or strength training, or sign up for Pilates or yoga classes.

Scholar believes that fitness comes from doing what we love, and that all we need to do is find that love. In this 200-plus-page book, he has given us one really great way to do just that! RNL

Eileen P. Williamson, RN, MSN, is vice president, Nursing Communications & Initiatives, Gannett Healthcare Group.

Published 4/25/2010 , Vol. 36, No. 1

How to Meditate by Chris Willitis

2010-05-11T14:49:00.000-07:00

As I sit here recalling my first dance with meditation, it was no easy task. Quieting the mind. The impossible task, right? Our ego is so used to running the show, we don’t become aware of how dominating it is until we actually try to calm and quiet our minds. Make no mistake, chances are the first few times you try to meditate will seem virtually impossible, frustrating, and even painful. No worries though, this is perfectly natural.

Below you will find some of my personal advice if you’re curious about giving meditation a try… Come on in, the water’s nice!

START SMALL AND EASE INTO IT

* Try to meditate for only 4-5 minutes at first.
* Add one minute every 1-2 days until you can meditate at least 15-20 minutes.
* The more you practice, the easier and more enjoyable it becomes. Give it a little time and persist.

DON’T “DO” ANYTHING

* Meditation isn’t something you actually do or accomplish, it’s the state of non-doing (our natural state).
* Don’t try to get it right, or have any expectations. What happens during your session – sleep, mind wandering, insight, deep relaxation, etc. – is exactly what was supposed to happen. Just allow and let go.
* When thoughts enter your mind, be mindful of them and acknowledge they’re there. Then, gently return your awareness to your breath or mantra.

IT’S ALL ABOUT ROUTINE

* Build it into your schedule so that it’s automatic (like brushing your teeth, showering, etc.).
* Think of it as daily physical, mental, and spiritual nourishment—make it a MUST!

My challenge to you is the same one Dr. Mann (UofM Professor) gave me:

1. Experiment with a few different kinds of meditation (TM, mindfulness, guided, music, etc.)
2. Choose one or more practices that you would like to explore further.
3. Journal your experiences over a period of two weeks (3-4 sentences).
4. Craft your own customized meditation practice.

Enjoy the gift of meditating. Namaste.

The Remedy For Fear

2010-04-26T22:57:00.000-07:00

The Remedy For Fear by JB Glossinger

Gratitude is the expression of being thankful, and gratitude is one of the most beautiful secrets in obtaining true spirituality.

Gratitude is an expression of love, and love is something which flows from the Creator of the universe through all forms of life and all forms of manifestation. Without love, life in the universe cannot exist. Love is the universal force of preservation which holds creation in manifestation.

Gratitude adds new meaning to the words, “Quality of life.”
It truly works!

Gratitude Affirmation

I am grateful for life
And all that I love
I am grateful for the Earth
And the Sun up above
I am grateful for my spirit
And my inner being
For the One that I express
And the joy of this feeling

A NURSE'S HEART ATTACK EXPERIENCE

2010-04-19T17:14:00.001-07:00

Forwarded from my friend who is an EMT. A MUST READ especially to all women you know!

To a Healthy Life,
Michelle
-------------------------------------

A NURSE'S HEART ATTACK EXPERIENCE

I am an ER nurse and this is the best description of this event that I
have ever heard. Please read, pay attention, and send it on! Diane
K.

FEMALE HEART ATTACKS

I was aware that female heart attacks are different, but this is the
best description I've ever read.

Women and heart attacks (Myocardial infarction). Did you know that
women rarely have the same dramatic symptoms that men have when
experiencing heart attack .. you know, the sudden stabbing pain in the
chest, the cold sweat, grabbing the chest & dropping to the floor that
we see in the movies. Here is the story of one woman's experience with
a heart attack.

'I had a heart attack at about 10 :30 PM with NO prior exertion, NO
prior emotional trauma that one would suspect might have brought it
on. I was sitting all snugly & warm on a cold evening, with my purring
cat in my lap, reading an interesting story my friend had sent me, and
actually thinking, 'A-A-h, this is the life, all cozy and warm in my
soft, cushy Lazy Boy with my feet propped up.

A moment later, I felt that awful sensation of indigestion, when
you've been in a hurry and grabbed a bite of sandwich and washed it
down with a dash of water, and that hurried bite seems to feel like
you've swallowed a golf ball going down the esophagus in slow motion
and it is most uncomfortable. You realize you shouldn't have gulped
it down so fast and needed to chew it more thoroughly and this time
drink a glass of water to hasten its progress down to the stomach.
This was my initial sensation---the only trouble was that I hadn't
taken a bite of anything since about 5:00 p.m.

After it seemed to subside, the next sensation was like little
squeezing motions that seemed to be racing up my SPINE (hind-sight, it
was probably my aorta spasms), gaining speed as they continued racing
up and under my sternum (breast bone, where one presses rhythmically
when administering CPR).

This fascinating process continued on into my throat and branched out
into both jaws. 'AHA!! NOW I stopped puzzling about what was happening
-- we all have read and/or heard about pain in the jaws being one of
the signals of an MI happening, haven't we? I said aloud to myself and
the cat, Dear God, I think I'm having a heart attack!

I lowered the foot rest dumping the cat from my lap, started to take a
step and fell on the floor instead. I thought to myself, If this is a
heart attack, I shouldn't be walking into the next room where the
phone is or anywhere else ... but, on the other hand, if I don't,
nobody will know that I need help, and if I wait any longer I may not
be able to get up in a moment.

I pulled myself up with the arms of the chair, walked slowly into the
next room and dialed the Paramedics ... I told her I thought I was
having a heart attack due to the pressure building under the sternum
and radiating into my jaws. I didn't feel hysterical or afraid, just
stating the facts.. She said she was sending the Paramedics over
immediately, asked if the front door was near to me, and if so, to
un-bolt the door and then lie down on the floor where they could see
me when they came in.

I unlocked the door and then laid down on the floor as instructed and
lost consciousness, as I don't remember the medics coming in, their
examination, lifting me onto a gurney or getting me into their
ambulance, or hearing the call they made to St. Jude ER on the way,
but I did briefly awaken when we arrived and saw that the radiologist
was already there in his surgical blues and cap, helping the medics
pull my stretcher out of the ambulance. He was bending over me asking
questions (probably something like 'Have you taken any medications?')
but I couldn't make my mind interpret what he was saying, or form an
answer, and nodded off again, not waking up until the Cardiologist and
partner had already threaded the teeny angiogram balloon up my femoral
artery into the aorta and into my heart where they installed 2 side by
side stints to hold open my right coronary artery.

'I know it sounds like all my thinking and actions at home must have
taken at least 20-30 minutes before calling the paramedics, but
actually it took perhaps 4-5 minutes before the call, and both the
fire station and St. Jude are only minutes away from my home, and my
Cardiologist was already to go to the OR in his scrubs and get going
on restarting my heart (which had stopped somewhere between my arrival
and the procedure) and installing the stints.
'Why have I written all of this to you with so much detail? Because I
want all of you who are so important in my life to know what I learned
first hand.'

1. Be aware that something very different is happening in your body
not the usual men's symptoms but inexplicable things happening (until
my sternum and jaws got into the act). It is said that many more women
than men die of their first (and last) MI because they didn't know
they were having one and commonly mistake it as indigestion, take some
Maalox or other anti-heartburn preparation and go to bed, hoping
they'll feel better in the morning when they wake up ... which doesn't
happen. My female friends, your symptoms might not be exactly like
mine, so I advise you to call the Paramedics if ANYTHING is
unpleasantly happening that you've not felt before. It is better to
have a 'false alarm' visitation than to risk your life guessing what
it might be!
2. Note that I said 'Call the Paramedics.' And if you can take an
aspirin. Ladies, TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE! Do NOT try to drive yourself
to the ER - you are a hazard to others on the road. Do NOT have your
panicked husband who will be speeding and looking anxiously at what's
happening with you instead of the road. Do NOT call your doctor -- he
doesn't know where you live and if it's at night you won't reach him
anyway, and if it's daytime, his assistants (or answering service)
will tell you to call the Paramedics.. He doesn't carry the equipment
in his car that you need to be saved! The Paramedics do, principally
OXYGEN that you need ASAP. Your Dr. will be notified later.

3. Don't assume it couldn't be a heart attack because you have a
normal cholesterol count. Research has discovered that a cholesterol
elevated reading is rarely the cause of an MI (unless it's
unbelievably high and/or accompanied by high blood pressure). MI's are
usually caused by long-term stress and inflammation in the body,
which dumps all sorts of deadly hormones into your system to sludge
things up in there.

Pain in the jaw can wake you from a sound sleep.
Let's be careful and be aware. The more we know the better chance we
could survive..

A cardiologist says if everyone who gets this mail sends it to 10
people, you can be sure that we'll save at least one life.

Jumping Rope May Be an Ideal Brain Exercise

2010-03-22T14:02:00.001-07:00

Jump Rope For Heart Program May Improve Student Performance

“Physical activity is good not only for the heart, but also for the brain, feeding it glucose and oxygen, all of which makes it easier for children of all ages to learn. Numerous studies show that children who exercise do better in school.”[1]

Education is in the age of standards-based assessment. Students experience learning and make connections based on curriculum that is designed with specific academic objectives in mind. Some of the most beneficial lifelong learning comes from real-life experiences that cannot be measured by paper and pencil tests alone. Problem solving, communication, goal setting, creativity, perseverance, risk taking and altruism are skills that help create productive, well-rounded citizens. The American Heart Association’s Jump Rope For Heart program can help students achieve many of the academic standards by encouraging them to engage in experiential learning strategies that anchor learning 90 percent better. Students also learn about important health and fitness practices that can lead to healthy, active, lifelong behavior changes.

Jumping rope is an excellent exercise for cardiovascular fitness, muscular endurance and coordination. Now researchers are learning that physical activity like jumping rope also prepares the brain for optimal learning. Current brain research supports the need for movement in the learning process. Here are just a few ways that jumping rope may help prepare the brain for learning.

*
Raising heart rate gets more blood to the brain, feeding it needed nutrients and oxygen for heightened alertness and mental focus.
*
Aerobic exercise grows new brain cells in rodents, and promising research suggests that may also apply to humans.[2] In short, jumping rope is an exercise that allows both brain hemispheres to perform parallel.
*
The vestibular system that creates spatial awareness and mental alertness is strengthened through activities such as jumping rope.[3] Balance and jumping activities provide the student with a framework for reading and other academic skills.
*
Rhythmic aspects of jumping rope can develop the internal dialogue needed to establish basic reading skills.[4] Beat awareness and beat competency simulate the basic rhythm patterns of our language that need to be established for better language acquisition.[5]
*
Physical activity reduces stress. Cardiovascular exercise places the brain into homeostasis and contributes to balancing the body’s chemistry, electrical and organ systems. Exercise can have similar benefits as some anti-depressant medications.[6] Jumping rope can be a lifelong activity requiring little equipment, time and space.

“All things being equal, a healthy active student learns better”.[7]

[1]Begley, S. “ Your Child’s Brain”, Newsweek, Feb. 19, 1996

[2]Gage, R. and Van Pragg, H. “New Brain Cells,” Scientific American, May 1999

[3]Hannaford, C. “Smart Moves,” Great Ocean Publishers, 1995

[4]Brewer, C., and Campbell, D., “Rhythms of Learning.” Zephyr Press, December 1991

[5]Weikart, P., ‘Beat Competency and Beat Awareness’, AAHPERD Convention Presenter, Orlando, 2000

[6]Ratey, J. “A User’s Guide to the Brain”, Pantheon Books, 2001

[7]Hesslow, G., cerebellum researcher from Sweden.

Author: Jean Blaydes, Educational Consultant, former Physical Educator and pioneer Jump Rope for Heart Coordinator. For more information, please visit www.actionbasedlearning.com

HANDBOOK 2010

2010-03-14T19:09:00.001-07:00

This came from my friend, Belinda who had forwarded this to me. It's a nice one!

Health:
1. Drink plenty of water.
2. Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a beggar.
3. Eat more foods that grow on trees and plants and eat less food that is manufactured in plants..
4. Live with the 3 E's -- Energy, Enthusiasm and Empathy
5. Make time to pray.
6. Play more games
7. Read more books than you did in 2009 .
8. Sit in silence for at least 10 minutes each day
9. Sleep for 7 hours.
10. Take a 10-30 minutes walk daily. And while you walk, smile.

Personality:
11. Don't compare your life to others. You have no idea what their journey is all about.
12. Don't have negative thoughts or things you cannot control. Instead invest your energy in the positive present moment.
13. Don't over do. Keep your limits.
14. Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does.
15. Don't waste your precious energy on gossip.
16. Dream more while you are awake
17. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need..
18. Forget issues of the past. Don't remind your partner with His/her mistakes of the past. That will ruin your present happiness.
19. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone. Don't hate others.
20. Make peace with your past so it won't spoil the present.
21. No one is in charge of your happiness except you.
22. Realize that life is a school and you are here to learn. Problems are simply part of the curriculum that appear and fade away like algebra class but the lessons you learn will last a lifetime.
23. Smile and laugh more.
24. You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree...

Society:
25. Call your family often.
26. Each day give something good to others.
27. Forgive everyone for everything.
28. Spend time w/ people over the age of 70 & under the age of 6.
29. Try to make at least three people smile each day.
30. What other people think of you is none of your business.
31. Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your friends will. Stay in touch.

Life:
32. Do the right thing!
33. Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful or joyful.
34. GOD heals everything.
35. However good or bad a situation is, it will change..
36. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.
37. The best is yet to come..
38. When you awake alive in the morning, thank GOD for it.
39. Your Inner most is always happy. So, be happy

MUSIC BINDS US ALL

2010-03-12T20:03:00.000-08:00

By JB Glossinger

A dedication to music's sweaty past and a tribute to its bold future. Music... The holy grail, the last leap from the ledge, the beating heart of the collective consciousness, a call to arms-a call to ears-music lovers of the world unite. Break the chains of wax in your blocked canals and let your heart rediscover the tribal bliss that is part of your human heritage - the kind of bliss achieved by rhythm, vibrations and beats.

Nothing can touch us like music. Nothing can conjure up an old memory like a song. Songs dig themselves deep into our sub-conscious like moles. They have the power to make us cry in a minute or feel emotional for no reason. Music is unreasonable in its math like precision. Even the most casual observer has a favorite song or musical moment that they cherish..... Then there are those of us who take it further...

There are those of us who have gone through myriad hardships and endured many sketchy situations to have music shine its love on our skin - follicles dancing in the moonlight. There are those of us who have toured with this band or that and have road stories that would make the lice in your locks look for the lifeboat! Some of us still live there at festivals and concert venues forever in the gratitude of musics hazy enlightenment. Some of us have whirled and twirled and suffered ego death on the prairie of musical frontiers. Some of us have prayed with hands clasped for one more from our favorites or just for a great show. Some have smiled or made smile a dancing partner and many a dancing partner has become a night adventure. Many a night adventure has become a life endeavor and music is the chain that holds the swing to the structure!

People that are passionate about music are evenly split into two groups - Half are musicians and half are fans. Between the two this portion of the population keeps the magic and ritual of music alive; which in turn creates the myth. Maybe that is what this is all about - the myth of music. Maybe this is just a dedication to everyone who has a favorite record album they cant get rid of even though they don't own a record player. Or maybe I should dedicate this to all of you who still sing LOUD in the shower!

Music affects everyone whether they know it or not and I'm not even talking about all the subtle or subconscious levels- I'm not talking about all the songs swimming around in your cluttered head. If Led Zeppelin had come to your small town, it wouldn't matter if you've never heard of them. Between the traffic and the grocery store situation it would affect you for days - and if you weren't there you just weren't where the history was being made.

In the end, songs bind our DNA and melodies give us wings, rhythm lets us breathe better and to keep a beat is the heart of the matter - like the salt of the earth, music is ancient and eternal and will always be one of the things that define man and his culture.

Stress & Food

2010-03-11T17:00:00.001-08:00

By: Paul Lederman

In these modern times, humans have many new and unique ways of stressing themselves out such as traffic, cell phones, deadlines, noise pollution, depression, war, etc. We are under constant blitzkrieg. Basically, we are not prepared to deal with this new modern type of every day stress. So as a result, many people unknowingly turn to food as an outlet. They are essentially self medicating using food. Many people become static on their sofas at night while receiving subliminal programming from their TV sets, which tell you to eat, eat and eat. This is extremely harmful and counter productive.

Stress needs to be dealt with properly by utilizing well known stress reducing techniques, such as exercise, meditation, yoga, proper rest and breathing exercises. A lot of the time much of the stress people experience is even self inflicted.

As far as diet for an outlet to stress, this is a much simpler lifestyle change than you think and it can begin right away. This will take personal motivation and you must learn how to set goals for yourself. Below are some simple tips.

- Eat before you become hungry
- Snack on healthy foods (carrots, celery, fruit, nuts)
- Stay on a schedule (try to eat meals at the same time each day)
- Take a 20 minute walk each night after dinner
- Eat Whole Grains (Whole What breads and brown rice)
- Avoid sugar
- Drink plenty of purified water
- Exercise daily

Continuing education offerings & unparalleled advanced academic programs, the School of Nursing offers ongoing opportunities to gain new knowledge

2010-03-07T15:25:00.000-08:00

Class Acts Story by Sarah Achenbach

For nurses in today's ever-evolving health care environment, learning doesn't end at graduation. Through innovative continuing education offerings and unparalleled advanced academic programs, the School of Nursing offers ongoing opportunities to gain new knowledge.

After 19 years in the Johns Hopkins Hospital Emergency Room, Michelle Whitfield, RN, figured she'd seen just about everything. Nothing, though, compares to what she experienced during her two-week stint as a volunteer nurse in a post-Hurricane Katrina New Orleans.

Whitfield was one of 12 Hopkins personnel selected to join the first of two Maryland delegations dispatched to Louisiana in the days following the devastating storm in 2005. The group was deployed to Westwego, a parish about 10 minutes from New Orleans, to set up a community health clinic in a local elementary school. Whitfield, an emergency acute care nurse manager at Johns Hopkins Hospital, and her colleagues treated psych patients, people with chronic diseases who had run out of medication, and those with medical issues from stagnant water.

"People really needed us to be a human being with them and listen to them in the midst of this horrific thing," says Whitfield. "The human spirit can take so much, but it can give so much, too." She recalls the bilateral amputee who wheeled himself seven blocks through storm debris to let clinicians know that his neighbor was out of insulin. Or the school's janitor, his own home damaged from high winds, who had coffee waiting every morning when the medical team arrived and was the last to leave each night.

Whitfield returned to Baltimore and Johns Hopkins recommitted to a career in emergency medicine and wanting to be better prepared for any future disasters. Last January, she found the training she'd been looking for through the Nursing in Global Humanitarian Relief continuing education course offered through the School of Nursing's Institute for Johns Hopkins Nursing (IJHN).

The week long course, co-sponsored by IJHN, School of Nursing, and the Center for Refugee and Disaster Response at the Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, offered Whitfield and the other attendees intensive training in providing health care interventions during humanitarian emergencies. She even got the opportunity to share her Hurricane Katrina experience on a panel during the week. "The speakers were top-of-the-line and the program was very detailed," says Whitfield of her first IJHN course. "I took away real tools that I can use now and later."

The Nursing in Global Humanitarian Relief course is just one of more than 50 programs offered annually by IJHN. Over the past decade, IJHN's continuing education programs have reached some 750,000 nurses nationally and internationally through academies, conferences, workshops, publications, and distance learning.

Jane Shivnan, RN, MScN, AOCN, Executive Director of the Institute for Johns Hopkins Nursing

"Our goal is to take the best practices in nursing and use continuing education as an avenue to share that," says Jane Shivnan, RN, MScN, AOCN executive director of IJHN since 2006. "With programs like our Nurse Manager Academy, we're filling real needs that aren't being met elsewhere. We give nurses tools they can take home and use the next morning at work. What sets us apart is innovative, highly interactive teaching that engages the participant in learning."

More than ever, Shivnan says, nurses need to view their working lives as ongoing opportunities for learning. "Health care is changing faster than at any point in modern history, with new technology and growing research emphasizing the roles that nurses and other professions play in patient safety." Challenges come from both an ever-evolving work environment where fiscal pressures demand nurses be as well-versed in the bottom-line as they are in patient care, and from health care crises brought on by world events like 9/11 and Hurricane Katrina. Notes Whitfield, "Our profession has really blossomed, and we're gaining knowledge through these types of programs."

Addressing the working nurse's need for flexibility and accessibility is essential when creating high-quality, cutting-edge continuing education courses and academic degree programs. IJHN programs are as short as the First Friday Lunch Series (hourlong lectures featuring members of the Johns Hopkins research community), and as extensive as the three-week, online Fundamentals for the Research Coordinator course, which trains research nurses and coordinators on all aspects of grant management, from applications to study protocol and data management. With the exception of the Global Humanitarian course which offers three credits that may be applied toward the SON Master of Science in Nursing/Master of Public Health (MSN/MPH) program, IJHN courses are outside of academic programs and are designed as continuing nursing education.

Each year, Shivnan and her staff add new programs in response to requests and to meet the needs of the nursing profession. "This year, we're running our first Advanced Nurse Manager Academy, a new Informed Consent Program, and the Emergency Preparedness and Disaster Relief course will expand to include a day focused on pandemics," says Shivnan.

IJHN began as a partnership between the school and Johns Hopkins Hospital to create continuing education programs that would develop both nurses' leadership skills and clinical expertise. To present such comprehensive programs geared to the working nurse and to take full advantage of Hopkins' intellectual capital, IJHN collaborates with other Hopkins departments and outside organizations. The institute's Sexual Assault Forensic Nurse Examiner Program, for instance, is presented in cooperation with the Maryland Coalition Against Sexual Assault. For its Advanced Studies in Nursing program, IJHN frequently works in conjunction with Hopkins' Office of Continuing Medical Education to offer courses in an array of specialties, such as Addiction Medicine, Infectious Disease, Neurology, and Psychiatry.
Photo of Sara Groves and Joan Kub

Sara Groves, DrPH, APRN, BC and Joan Kub, PhD, APRN, BC developed the Nursing in Global Humanitarian Relief course for IJHN.

The Nursing in Global Humanitarian Relief course was created by the school's public health nursing faculty and by faculty from the Bloomberg School of Public Health. It is an IJHN offering, an elective for the school's joint MSN/MPH degree, and a required course for the Emergency Preparedness and Disaster Relief certificate program. Many of the course lecturers are Bloomberg School faculty, who have extensive firsthand experience in humanitarian emergencies—exactly the type of background MSN/MPH students want. "Many of our graduates will work or volunteer internationally and wanted tools that would be useful specifically for nurses," notes School of Nursing assistant professor Sara Groves, DrPH, APRN, BC, who developed the course with associate professor Joan K. Kub, PhD, APRN, BC. The weeklong course offers participants an intellectual partnership of sorts, melding different perspectives, says Groves. She notes that MSN/MPH students typically have a public health background, while IJHN attendees tend to have curative/hospital-based skills and knowledge and are interested in volunteering during a humanitarian emergency.

"All of our MSN tracks respond to what's going on in a complex health environment," says Kathleen White, PhD, RN, CNAA, BC, who became director of the MSN program in August 2006. "Our Clinical Nurse Specialist Forensic Nursing Focus is one of the first in the country. Our MSN/MPH is ranked second in the United States, with our students doing clinical practicum as close as East Baltimore and as far as Africa." Rather than hand each student a tired list of placements for the required practicums, White says the sky's the limit. "If the student has a desire to do something, and we can make it happen, we do." (See "Partners in Learning")
Photo of Kathleen White

Kathleen White, PhD, CNAA, BC, Master's Program Director

While the school's BSN program has a far-flung applicant pool, the MSN program tends to pull from the working nurses at Johns Hopkins, other area hospitals, and the National Institutes of Health. The majority of students—75 percent of all 2006-2007 MSN students—work full time while completing their graduate studies.

That's exactly what Debbie Doering, MSN, CNS, RN, did after receiving her BSN from the school's Accelerated Program. A former financial consultant with A.G. Edwards in Annapolis, Doering first became interested in nursing in the most difficult of circumstances: sitting in the recovery room after her husband's open heart surgery, first in 1988 and again in 1995. It took a little time for her passion to meet the pavement, but in 2002, she graduated from the accelerated program at the age of 39.

Two years later, her husband died of an abdominal aortic aneurysm. "I really had to think about what I wanted to do with my life," she explains. "I had always planned on becoming an Adult Acute/Critical Care Nursing Practitioner (ACNP), but decided I wanted to do something else." A fan of television's CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, Cold Case, and other forensics-focused shows, Doering loved the combination of the medical and legal fields. She was happy to discover that her alma mater offered the MSN/CNS-Forensic Focus degree—and even more delighted that the coordinator was renowned forensic nursing expert Dan Sheridan, PhD, RN, CNS, FAAN. She enrolled full time in September 2005.

Initially, she continued to work in the St. Joseph's CSU, but then she switched to agency nursing for its greater flexibility in scheduling around papers and exams—and for the additional experience at other hospitals. Doering scheduled her work around weekday classes and exams and kept her procrastination in check. "There's no denying that the MSN program is challenging, but I did not find it difficult to juggle both school and work as long as I stayed focused," says Doering, who also found time to squeeze in a social life, remarrying in August 2006. "I worked on papers early in the semester so that I wasn't trying to write a 20-page paper in a day or two. For those classes in which I had exams, I reviewed the information every night and utilized the resources at work to explain difficult concepts."

Doering's mentoring relationship with Sheridan also opened the door to her current job as forensic nurse consultant in the Oregon Department of Health Services Department of Investigation and Training. She was offered the position last August, two days after her wedding in Oregon. Doering telecommuted until she and her husband moved from Maryland to Oregon this past spring. With her primary interests in suspected abuse and neglect, death investigation, and documentation, Doering reviews cases and teaches training courses. She's currently developing programs to educate nurses on proper documentation and is working with local institutions and attorneys to provide consulting services.

As a working nurse attending graduate school, Doering's experience is the norm at Hopkins, and White and her colleagues are exploring creative ways to address the juggle—and sometimes struggle—when both career and school are demanding. In what she describes as a "real step forward," White notes that beginning last year, core MSN courses are now offered on a rotating basis. "We've created a block schedule of classes so that nurses can take two to three classes per day and take one day off per week," White explains. "Students told us that they needed the consistency to take off the same day each week from their job." To accommodate days off to attend classes, most part-time students choose to work three 12-hour shifts each week, she says.

While the MSN program and IJHN meet different needs for the working nurse, White is adamant that both are extremely important. "Through IJHN's Office of Global Nursing, we're able to offer more international experiences for our students, which is a huge complement to the MSN program," notes White. And whether it's across the country or around the globe, the Johns Hopkins name carries clout and opens doors for nurses. "Again and again, I hear from alumni how much the Johns Hopkins University School of Nursing degree has helped," says Mary O'Rourke, director of SON Admissions. "People hear 'Hopkins' and say, 'When can you start?' Our students know that they are going to work their tails off here, but they also know the quality of education they get."

Eight Self Improvement Tips By JB Glossinger

2010-02-27T15:43:00.000-08:00

Eight Self Improvement Tips To Start Your Day

The morning is such a critical time when it comes to manifesting the life experience you desire. For some of us we get up, grab our coffee and rush out the door. We then sit in traffic and dream of a better life. I know this because it is what I used to do. I had to break this pattern and truly MorningCoach.com was born of this.

What did I do and what do I do now?
The first thing is you need to plan an extra 45 minutes every morning and it will truly change your life. If you are having trouble with this, ask yourself what are your dreams? What are you willing to do to achieve those dreams? If 45 minutes a day could help you reach your dreams would you do it? If not, you need bigger dreams or bigger "reasons" then you will do it!

Your dreams are big, the reasons are big so you are willing to get up 45 minutes early. This is what I did and still do every morning.

1. Wake up and get moving go right to the shower, no snooze button. Just wake up and head to the shower and get ready for an amazing day. If you go to the gym in the AM or walk, log into MorningCoach.com and get today's CoachCast so you can take it with you. If you don't get the CoachCast during this step you can get it in step 3. After working out, shower and get ready for an amazing day.

2. Take some time to work on awakening spirituality and taping into your spiritual consciousness or what I call the observer. Do this with a 5 minute quiet meditation or prayer.

3. Make your breakfast and eat a solid breakfast using mindfulness eating. Fruits, vegetables, nuts and grains are fantastic. A tall glass of purified water is also essential to break your fast after a good nights rest.

4. Log into MorningCoach and listen to today's CoachCast. If you have not already done so at the gym or walking. This is also the time to download the daily compass and work through it. Make notes there and put any additional notes in your notes tool on MorningCoach.com.

5. Review your goals and dreams. Using the tools on MorningCoach.com look at your dreamboard and visualize and review the goals you have set with the goal-setting tool.

6. Review your dashboard starting with your mission statement then moving to and saying your affirmation.

7. Use some effective time management and work through your sacred 6 tool. Then prioritize the tasks on the sacred 6 tool.

8. Type 3 things that you have gratitude for and start your amazing day.

The beauty of doing this everyday is you will be working in all areas of your life. Your personal growth and development will be amazing. Your bank account will grow, your peace will grow, and you will be more abundant in all areas of life.

Sleep is necessary for growth and replenishment but it can also be one of the barriers to personal growth. Take the time in the morning to get your dreams in order. You deserve to manifest the life experience you desire!

God Bless Carl E. Taylor 1916-2010- A Major Contributor to Public Health

2010-02-08T13:20:00.000-08:00

Carl E. Taylor, MD, DrPH, founder of the academic discipline of international health and a man of spiritual conviction who dedicated his life to the well-being of the world’s marginalized people, passed away February 4 from prostate cancer. He was 93. The reach of his life was extraordinary, personally working in over 70 countries and having students from more than 100 countries. He was sharing this near century-long perspective with his students up until a week before his death.

Taylor was born in the Indian Himalaya to medical missionaries. His career began at age 7 as a pharmacist assistant in his parents’ oxcart-based clinic in the Indian jungles. His childhood was spent in those jungles, before going on to earn his medical degree from Harvard. (His medical school application opened with, “My study of anatomy began dissecting a tiger to see where the food went.”) Following medical school, he worked in Panama where he married his wife of 58 years, the late Mary Daniels Taylor, who died in 2001 and was professor emeritus of Education at Towson University.

Taylor returned to India in 1947 as director of Fategarh Presbyterian Hospital where he led a medical team through the deadly riots of 1947 during the separation of India and Pakistan. In 1949, he conducted the first health survey of Nepal, then the most closed country in Asia. Back at Harvard, he completed his MPH and DrPH degrees. His doctoral dissertation provided the seminal research that defined the synergism between nutrition and infection, today a principle at the foundation of public health. In 1952, he founded the department of preventive medicine at the Christian Medical College Ludhiana, the first such department in the developing world.

Taylor was the founding chair of the Department of International Health at Johns Hopkins. He was instrumental in designing the global agenda for primary health care in the 1960s and 1970s. Before it was widely embraced, he was part of research and movements that connected women’s empowerment and holistic community-based change.

Throughout his life, Taylor had a particular interest in health care reform, especially the integration of services. His research achievements were wide-ranging. The Narangwal Rural Health Research Project in northern India, which he led from 1960 to 1975, provided breakthrough understandings in the diagnosis and treatment of childhood pneumonia, neonatal tetanus, getting medical care to the villages, synergism of malnutrition and child mortality, understanding childhood diarrheal treatment and community empowerment for just and lasting health solutions.

In addition to his 48 years at Johns Hopkins, Taylor was China Representative for UNICEF from 1984 to 1987. From 1992 until his death, he was senior advisor to Future Generations and more recently Future Generations Graduate School where a professorship is endowed in his name. From 2004 to 2006, he was Afghanistan Country Director for Future Generations, where he led field-based action groups using over 400 mosques as educational sites for Afghan women. He returned to Afghanistan in 2008 (at 92) to test hypotheses about how “women can in action groups solve the majority of their family health problems.”

Taylor was the primary World Health Organization consultant in preparing documents in 1978 for the Alma Ata World Conference on Primary Health Care. From 1957 through 1983, he advised WHO on a wide range of international health matters. In 1972, Taylor became the founding chair of the National Council for International Health, now known as the Global Health Council. He was also the founding chair of the International Health Section of the American Public Health Association.

Taylor published more than 190 peer-reviewed journal articles, books, chapters and policy monographs. In addition to his earned degrees, Taylor received honorary degrees from Muskingum College, Towson State University, China’s Tongji University, Peking Union Medical College and Johns Hopkins University. In 1993, President Bill Clinton recognized him for “Sustained work to protect children around the world in especially difficult circumstances and a life-time commitment to community based primary care.”

Taylor is survived by his two brothers, John and Gordon, two sisters, Gladys and Margaret, three children, Daniel, Betsy, Henry, and nine grandchildren. With an eight-decade long career in international health, he is beloved by thousands students and colleagues around the world. His stories of adventure and service enabled them to believe that they too could create just and lasting change. In the last year of his life, he was sitting with women in a bamboo hut in northeast India asking them how they would shape their futures, when they responded, “it is harra, the empowerment of ourselves.”

Baked Italian Chicken Argula

2010-02-04T14:55:00.000-08:00

From Vibrance Nutrition

The kalamata and balsamic offer depth and richness to a very light and satisfying dish. This can be served in either summer or winter, paired with a rosemary quinoa pilaf or roasted potatoes.

Serves 4

* 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs
* salt, pepper, and olive oil to taste
* 2 cups arugula leaves, torn
* 2 tsp fresh sage leaves
* 1 tbsp. dried Italian seasoning
* 4plum tomatoes, chopped (about 2 cups)
* 1/4 cup kalamata olives, diced
* Balsamic vinegar
* 4 stalks asparagus, chopped (optional)

Preheat oven to 450 degrees

Lightly rub olive oil on the bottom of a small baking dish. Gently massage a touch of olive oil onto the chicken pieces, then sprinkle with salt and pepper. Line the baking dish with arugula leaves and top with chicken. Sprinkle sage leaves, Italian seasoning, tomatoes, olives and asparagus atop chicken and lightly sprinkle with vinegar. Cover with parchment paper and foil and bake for 20 minutes. Let rest 10 minutes before serving.

U.S. Public Health Commissioned Corps

2010-01-28T15:17:00.000-08:00

Public Health Nursing- Why I love it

2010-01-28T15:04:00.000-08:00

Beth F. Lamanna, RN, WHNP, MPH, clinical assistant professor, University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill School of Nursing, chair, Public Health Nursing Section of the American Public Health Association

Q: When did you decide to pursue nursing as a career and why?
A. When I was 16 years old, I attended Case Western Reserve University to pursue a five-year nursing program. After a semester, I switched my major and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree. Still having the heart to pursue nursing, I returned to Cornell University School of Nursing to earn a Bachelor of Science in nursing. I believe my interest in public health benefited from my liberal arts education.

Q: What inspired you to become a public health nurse and how have you influenced or educated your community?
A. My strength lies in my ability to understand the social determinants of health and health’s impact on a community. Both of my parents were social anthropologists, so I understand the importance of individuals helping shape and define public health. After earning a master’s degree in public health nursing, I wanted to raise awareness of environmental health injustice with a concentration in lead testing.

Q: What advice would you offer to nurses interested in becoming a public health nurse?
A. Experience in community organizations and an appreciation for the dynamics of communities. A public health nurse can be a community leader if they focus on health concerns pertinent to the community. Since the nursing profession is very respected and trusted, public health nurses need to advocate on behalf of their communities for system and policy change.

Q. How has nursing impacted your life?
A. Public health nursing allows me to enlighten future nurses as an undergraduate faculty member, and be a health leader for my community. As a public health nurse, I have been given the opportunity to serve as the health policy fellow for the North Carolina Center for Nursing and chair of the Public Health Nursing Section of the APHA. Those positions have permitted me to promote system and policy change.

Public Health Nurses Care for a Community
When most nurses are focused on caring for a handful of individual patients, public health nurses are caring for an entire community. Through education, these nurses improve health and safety and increase access to care in the communities they serve.

Public health nurses often work for government agencies, non-profit groups, community health centers and other organizations that aim to improve health at a community level. The day-to-day tasks can vary, depending on the agency for which a nurse works. Some nurses travel to various communities all over the globe to help improve the health of individuals who have poor access to healthcare, while others work in their own community at the local health center.

“The key to being a successful public health nurse is being able to synthesize all available resources – including people as resources – when working within a community,” said Rita Lourie, RN, MSN, MPH, consultant, Department of Nursing at Temple University and faculty member, Thomas Edison State College.

Public health nurses follow similar educational requirements for other nurse specialties. They must earn a bachelor’s degree in nursing and become a registered nurse by passing the national NCLEX-RN exam. Certain management positions may require a graduate degree as well.

Those interested in the specialty can get practice by volunteering with a community group, home health provider or hospice organization. For those more interested in the policy side of the specialty, working with a health advocacy group is a good way to learn about public health issues.

“The pace tends to be much slower day to day compared to working in a hospital setting,” said Lourie. “Mable Morris, a now deceased public health nurse, put it well when she said, 'change in a critical care unit of a hospital takes seconds, but change in a community takes a decade!'”

For more insight into the different avenues available in public health nursing, visit Lourie’s public health nursing channel on YouTube. The channel contains more than 50 videos revealing the unique and inspiring faces of public health nursing.

For more information on a career in public health nursing, visit www.discovernursing.com.

HEALTHY YUMMY RECIPES

2010-01-27T00:54:00.000-08:00

Turkey pastrami Reuben
Ingredients

* 2 tbsp fat-free Thousand Island dressing
* 4 pieces rye bread
* 1/2 cup sauerkraut
* 1 1/2 slices lite Swiss cheese
* 6 oz turkey pastrami

Preparation

1. Place 3 ounces of turkey pastrami on a microwavable plate in the shape of the bread.
2. Microwave for 1 minute.
3. Toast 2 slices of rye bread while the turkey pastrami is heating up.
4. Place 1/4 cup of sauerkraut on top of the pastrami, and place it in the microwave for 40 seconds.
5. After it has cooked, place 1 1/2 slices of lite Swiss cheese on top.
6. Microwave for 1 minute.
7. Layer 2 tablespoons of lite Thousand Island dressing onto 2 slices of toasted rye bread.
8. Take the turkey pastrami out of the microwave, and place it on the toasted rye bread.
9. Top with the other piece of rye bread and serve.

TURKEY PASTA PRIMAVERA
Ingredients

* 8 oz fettuccine
* 1 cup broccoli florets
* 1 cup julienned carrots
* 1/2 cup red bell pepper
* 1 3/4 cup 2% milk
* 8 oz reduced-fat cream cheese
* 1/2 cup green onion
* 3/4 tsp Italian seasoning
* 1/4 tsp garlic powder
* 1/8 tsp pepper
* 1/2 tsp salt
* 2 cups cooked turkey
* 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
* 1/4 cup flour

Preparation

1. Cook 8 ounces of fettuccine pasta as directed on package.
2. Add 1 cup of broccoli florets, 1 cup of julienned carrots, and 1/2 cup of diced red bell peppers to the water for the last 5 minutes of cooking.
3. Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, stir together 1/4 cup flour and1 3/4 cup of 2% milk over low heat. until smooth.
4. Cube 1 package of cream cheese, and add it to the mix.
5. Stir in 1/2 cup of chopped green onions, 3/4 teaspoon of Italian seasoning, 1/4 teaspoon of garlic powder, 1/8 teaspoon of pepper, and 1/2 teaspoon of salt.
6. Cook for 2 minutes until cream cheese melts.
7. Place 2 cups of chopped turkey to the pan and 1/2 cup of grated Parmesan cheese.
8. Drain pasta, then top with the turkey and cheese sauce.

TURKEY ENCHILADAS
Ingredients

* 4 cups cooked turkey
* 2 cups shredded Cheddar/Monterey Jack cheese blend
* 1 chopped onion
* 2 oz black olives
* 24 corn tortillas (6 inch)
* 1 can enchilada sauce (19 oz)

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Lightly grease 9 x 13-inch baking dish.
3. In a bowl, combine 4 cups of cooked turkey (chopped), 1 1/2 cups of shredded cheese, 1 chopped onion, and 2 ounces of black olives.
4. Divide mixture between tortillas.
5. Roll 1/2 of the tortillas, and place them in the baking dish.
6. Spread 1/2 can of enchilada sauce over the top of the enchiladas.
7. Repeat the process for a second layer.
8. Top with the remaining 1/2 can of enchilada sauce and 1/2 cup of shredded cheese.
9. Bake for 20 minutes.

http://www.coreperformance.com/knowledge/recipes/turkey-pasta-primavera.html?utm_source=Publicaster&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Type%20an%20email%20subject%20line%20here...

Maximize Your Workout!

2010-01-25T16:15:00.000-08:00

By psquaredblog.com

As personal trainers, we are very strong believers of making time for exercise. It only needs to be 30 minutes a day, but those 30 minutes need to count. This doesn't mean you have to be panting and breathing so hard you think you are going to pass out. In fact, we don't recommend that :)

These are the key things we teach our clients to maximize their time in the gym with us and their workouts outside of the gym....

Do not try and do too much too soon. Enthusiasm is great, but doing too much weight or cardio too soon will just lead to injury. You will also get the "burned out" feeling and most likely want to quit before you even get started. Work your way into it gradually. Most important, listen to what your body is telling you...I'm tight, sore, achy, feeling great.

Not enough push. This means you're not doing enough weight or not picking up the pace on your cardio. Don't be afraid to increase your weights. This will increase your lean muscle mass, which is your 24/7 calorie burner. Women don't have the hormones men do to bulk up, so don't be afraid to leave those 5 lb dumbbells behind. You have to keep challenging the muscles by increasing the weight.

Incorrect form. Fatigue and distraction will lead to poor posture. Optimal form means pulling your abs in, keeping your pelvis from tilting forward or backward, pulling your shoulders back and keeping your chin slightly pulled in. Almost as if you were standing up against the wall. When doing cardio you should be able to maintain this form without rocking or bouncing up and down.

Improper breathing. Breathing allows oxygen to get to your muscles which improves your strength output. Take your breaths with each rep, focusing on exhaling during the lifting and inhaling when lowering the weight. During cardio your breathing should not be choppy, forced or irregular. You should be able to carry on a conversation and not gasping for air.

Time Management = Life Management

2010-01-21T20:40:00.000-08:00

By JB Glossinger

We've all been back and forth on all the various time management techniques that successful people use in order to grow and evolve no matter what their goals are. Lets now go over some of the motivating principles involved. Everyone has a time management goal, so what's the logic that many use to motivate? How do you avoid the barriers to personal growth?

1) Appreciation and Gratitude. Our time does not last forever and life is short. Each day wasted is one less day we have. Simple as that. Mindfulness and clarity.

2) "Time Is Money" - Benjamin Franklin.
I do not think this needs explanation.

3) How Much Time Are You Wasting? Now that we understand the value of time, how wisely or unwisely are we using it? Clarity with regard to your GOAL and efficiency with regard to your time management are vital to your success.

So find your clarity, organize your day and wake up at the crack of dawn. Time is wasting and so is your unbelievable talent, not matter what you do or what your goal is.

Inspiring quotes: “You don’t get to choose how you are going to die. Or when. You can only decide how you are going to live. Now.” - Joan Baez

“I shall pass through this life but once. Any good therefore that I can do, let me do it now. Let me not defer or neglect it. For I shall never pass this way again”- Etienne de Grellet

Breathe Deep!

2010-01-19T19:40:00.000-08:00

By: Paul Lederman

A nice long breath brings great health and transformation. It oxygenates the body ans nurtures the life force.

But living in constant rush and overactivity we are insensitive to the most beautiful gift jewel we carry inside of us. A nice long guided breath can improve productivity. A nice breath oxygenates, energizes and cleans our bodies. It clears our mind and helps to balance our emotions. It is preventive medicine. The immeasurable health effects of physical exercising, the pleasure of sex or the silence of meditation are all directly related to our breathing. Mindful breathing is a way toward self empowerment and conscious evolution.

One very important function of our breathing is hugely forgotten: it gives our body a healing massage from the inside. The movement of our diaphragme, which is the big breathing muscle in the center of our body, gives a constant massage to our inner organs in belly and chest. It cleanses them from waste, allows good circulation, oxygen supply and keeps us young and healthy.

The ayurvedic breathing technique known as PRANAYAMA is a very complimentary practice to your health.

Quote:
Our moments of inspiration are not lost though we have no particular poem to show for them; for those experiences have left an indelible impression, and we are ever and anon reminded of them. - Henry David Thoreau

10 Ways to Get More Out of Training

2010-01-05T23:57:00.000-08:00

By Scott Quill

Consider how many repetitions you typically do in a training session. If you perform a handful of exercises and a few sets of each move, you’re probably cranking out at least 200 or 300 reps. Now imagine the impact of improving the quality of each movement you make, while making every repetition more challenging. You’ll significantly increase the demand on your muscles and your metabolism. Simply put, you’ll get more quality work done in the same time and see better results.

1. Shrug Your Shoulders Down
When performing lat pulldowns, drawing your shoulder blades back and down can save your shoulders and focus your efforts more on your middle back muscles and latissimus dorsi, aka, your lats. Here’s another way to think about it, says Murphy: Shrug your shoulders down while pushing your chest up to initiate the movement. So before you sit on the bench, shrug your shoulders up and down a few times. Then sit down and grab the bar overhead. Keeping your arms straight, shrug your shoulders down and lift your chest while pulling the bar to your chest, then return to start. Continue this “reverse shrug” to initiate each repetition.

2. Push the floor Away From You
The classic pushup trains your upper body and core, but to train your muscles harder, think about pushing the floor away from you instead of simply trying to push yourself up off the floor, says Cosgrove. Push the floor down until your upper back rounds at the very top, then lower your body and repeat.

3. Lift With Your Toes
The dumbbell step-up is an effective way to train your glutes, but according to Cosgrove, a common mistake people make is pushing off primarily with their back leg instead of contracting their glutes and pushing off their front foot. Here's a trick to do it right: Start by placing one foot on the bench or box in front of you and the other foot on the floor, then lift the toes of your down foot so the front of your foot rises off the floor. Push hard into the bench with your front foot to straighten your front leg. By lifting your toes, you won’t be able to push off of your down foot, forcing your front leg and glutes to do the work.

4. Press Your Head Forward
When performing a shoulder press, push your head forward as you press the weight up, Murphy says. If you don’t press it forward, you’ll inevitable press it back. By keeping your head forward, your center of mass stays directly beneath the weight, allowing you to produce greater force. But this also reduces the likelihood of hyper-extending your back, which can cause pain and injury.

5. Use Physics to Your Advantage
If you can’t complete a single pushup, don’t bother doing one on your knees. A more effective “modified pushup” involves creating an incline with your body by placing your hands on a bench or chair. This reduces the amount of weight you need to press up, making it easier, but still allows you to extend your legs and brace your abs, which will result in a better workout for your pillar—all the muscles from your hips to your shoulders.

6. Don't Fear Back Soreness
It’s amazing how many people like the feeling of sore abs after a hard ab workout, says Cosgrove, but get scared if their lower back is sore. The muscles on your backside, including your rear shoulders, lower back, and glutes, are typically the weakest on people, which eventually result in poor posture and pain. So make sure you’re doing at least an equal amount of pulling movements compared to pushing movements, and mix some back extensions and glute bridges into your program.

7. Take a Swing at Fat
The kettle bell swing or dumbbell swing trains your whole lower body and can be used as a cardiovascular challenge when performed for time. For instance, try doing swings for 20 seconds, rest for 10, and repeat for 4 minutes. This technique, known as the Tabata protocol, has been shown to increase aerobic capacity more than 60 minutes of cardio. Here's how to do it: Stand holding a weight with both hands in front of your body. Push your butt back and bend your knees to lower your body into a squat. The weight should hang at about knee height. Keeping your biceps pinned against the outsides of your chest, stand up so the weight swings forward and up, then lower back down and continue this motion without pausing.

8. Ditch a Dumbbell
You can make an exercise more challenging with less weight. Don’t believe it? With a weight in each hand, try a standard dumbbell step-up—arms at your sides, one foot on the bench or box, step up, then down. Now put one dumbbell down and repeat. Harder to balance? Good. Now raise the weight to your shoulder and place your opposite foot on the bench. As you step up, push the weight overhead. Then reverse the move. Coined a “contralateral step-up,” this movement trains your shoulders and hips, while simultaneously challenging your core stabilization.
9. Rise Up

Whether you’re doing split squats or pushups, elevating a foot makes it more challenging, Cosgrove says. For a pushup, place your feet on a chair, bench, or physioball. For the split squat, place one foot straight back behind you on a bench and hop forward a few inches with your front foot. This is called a Bulgarian split squat and it’s a highly effective move for your glutes and quadriceps. Hold a pair of dumbbells at your sides and lower your hips straight down, then push back up to a standing position and repeat for a full complement of reps.

10. Go Heavier
Most people make the mistake of using weights that are too light when performing circuits, according to Murphy. Just because you’re moving swiftly from one movement to the next doesn’t mean you need to drop all the weight you typically lift. If your form breaks down, the weights are too heavy, but if you make it through the entire circuit with picture-perfect technique on every repetition, you’re not challenging your muscles and you’re cheating yourself out of results.

Blessings for the NEW YEAR

2009-12-28T21:07:00.001-08:00

May 2010 be a year in which you allow yourself to be more of who you truly are.

May you play more, laugh more, dance more, love more, live more, give more, see more, receive more, know more, enjoy more, and celebrate more.

May you open to the vast possibilities and the boundless love and wisdom of your grander truer self.

May you know the full extent of your deserving, and open to allow more of all that you desire in all areas of your life.

May the doors to your brightest dreams swing wide open.

May gifts, synchronicities and solutions dawn in your world beyond the horizons of your imaginings.

May you and your life sparkle with merriment and magic.

May you connect to and experience more of the love, light and magnificence that you are.

May you create your 'Love-Life' - a life you truly love!

From Anonymous

Resolution Now!!

2009-12-28T20:14:00.000-08:00

Many people are preparing to willingly gain two to three pant sizes over the holidays and justify this by telling themselves that everything's going to change in 2010 and this year the new years resolutions are going to stand tough. The problem is that this never works. Its called self sabotage.

There's a reason most gyms and fitness centers make 60-80% of their money in January and February. The problem is that 80% of those new members never make it back in by March or April.

If you are serious about personal evolution and a healthy mind, body and spirit, you need to start now! The key is to stay positive, gain clarity and make it happen. Wake up early, exercise, eat real-living whole foods and plan your day out the night before. Personal evolution is about daily conscious evolution and saying you are going to start later is the same as saying you will not do it at all. You have to change your metaphysics consciousness and that is a daily endeavor.

By JB Glossinger

"This is my simple religion. There is no need for temples; no need for complicated philosophy. Our own brain, our own heart is our temple; the philosophy is kindness."
- HH The Dalai Lama

Happy Relationships/Is Your Home Happy?

2009-12-15T22:12:00.000-08:00

Guy 1: Cecilia is so beautiful.

Guy 2: Oh yes. She looks like Demi Moore in Ghost. (Note: This conversation happened centuries ago.)

Guy 1: If given a chance, would you want to marry her?

Guy 2: Uh….no, not really.

Guy 1: Why not?

Guy 2: How should I put it? Cecilia’s uh…not a happy person.

Guy 1: You noticed that too?

Guy 2: She’s gloomy. She’s a negative person. She may be beautiful, but I don’t want to live with a negative person for the rest of my life.

Guy 1: So unlike Stella.

Guy 2: Now there’s a cheerful girl. I really like her. So kind. So friendly. Always has a lovely smile.

Guy 1: She’s not as beautiful as Demi Moore.

Guy 2: But she’s the kind of woman I’ll marry.

Guy 1: What? You have a crush on her too?

Guy 2: Hey, fall in line bro.

This conversation actually happened some twenty years ago between two of my single friends. In fact, we were all single. And believe me, Stella was like a guy magnet. Five of my friends had a crush on her.

Except for me, of course. I was immune to crushes. Because I looked at all females the way I looked at common furniture. Because my heart was focused on God alone. (And my nose is getting longer right this minute…)

Here’s a lesson for single people: I’ve learned that guys may lust after physical beauty, but when it comes to marriage, they’ll look deeper. One of the most important things they’ll look for is a happy woman.

Why? Because a guy knows that one of his roles is to make his wife happy. If he marries a happy woman, his job will be so much easier.

Because at the end of the day, we all want happiness.

Are Your Homes Happy?

After one of my talks, a very anxious mother approached me and asked, “Bo, can you help me? I have a problem with my 18-year old daughter. She’s like a bed spacer in our house. She goes home only to sleep. She’s always with her friends…”

I had very little time to talk to her, so I took my best shot. I asked her, “Is there happiness at home?”

Here’s my belief. I believe kids will love to go home if there’s love in the home.

Have you heard that great old song from 1964? (For your information, I didn’t hear the original version. I heard this song in a revival in American Idol.)

A chair is still a chair even when there’s no one sitting there. But a chair is not a house, and a house is not a home, when there’s no one there, to hold you tight, and no one there, that you can kiss good night…

Friend, is there happiness in your home?

I’ve noticed that the happiest relationships have a rhythm of celebration. In other words, they throw parties.

I don’t mean a party with balloons and clowns (though that’ll be great too), but putting a “party spirit” in your relationship.

I’ve got four fantastic suggestions.

1. Make The Family Meal A Party

I know of a man who has 11 children.

When he goes home from work, he does a very important ritual before entering his front door. He mentally unloads all his problems at the front porch. Because his kids need a happy Dad.

When he enters the door, he shouts, “Hi kids!” And 11 kids rush to him to give him a hug. He then wrestles them on the floor and they play together.

And when mealtime comes, he makes everyone laugh. He inspires everyone with his stories.

Alas, the typical family meal isn’t like this.

Jack And Jill Went Up The Hill

The typical family meal is where parents hold court and pass judgments and vent anger

Let me give you an example.

The father turns to his eldest son, Jack, and asks, “Pass the rice. By the way, how was your exam this morning?” He doesn’t allow him to answer. He answers for him, “I won’t be surprised if you got a zero. Because I don’t see you studying. The good news is that we can save money because we can sell your schoolbooks next year as brand new!”

He then turns to his daughter, Jill, (You know, Jack and Jill…) “Pass the gravy. By the way, where were you last night? With your ugly boyfriend again? Can you tell me what planet he comes from? I can accept earrings in the ear. But why does he have earrings on his nose? Is he a cow?”

He then turns to his youngest daughter, Hill. (You know, Jack and Jill went up the hill…) “Pass the salt. And you, were you born with a telephone in your hand? You already were with your obnoxious friends in school, why do you have to spend three more hours talking with them on the phone?”

And finally, it’s the youngest son’s turn, Pail. (Okay, they really like this Nursery Rhyme.) “Pass the cake. And you, what did you do today aside from wasting your time playing those crappy video games! And are you deaf? Your music is either very loud or extremely loud. Go to the doctor and have your ears checked!”

No wonder the family meal is an endangered species.

Parents, please. Make your meals happy!

Here’s a rule you should write on stone: Ban all sermons when you’re around the table. Instead, feed your children with dishes of laughter, platefuls of inspiration, and trays of encouragement. Make every family meal a joyful occasion.

2. Hold A Family Night Each Week

My kids love Family nights.

If they had it their way, it’ll be done every night.

Sometimes, we watch a movie at home, with a barrel of popcorn. (According to my son Benedict, a movie without popcorn is a horrific crime.)

Sometimes, we play games together. Monopoly, Charades, Pictionary, and Trivia.

Sometimes, we all play video games together. Obviously, the kids always win and the parents lose. But that’s okay. Instead of banning video games from our kids, we enter into their digital worlds. Doing so makes us able to guide them against violent games.

Sometimes, we go to a bookstore and eat ice cream.

I believe the weekly Family Night is a mini-party that you should never miss. Believe me, when you’re old and grey (or old and bald), you’ll look back at these times and thank God you had them!

3. Weekly Dates With Each Family Member

I date my wife each week.

I consider that a mini-party too.

Years ago, we had very little money.

So we had dates in our garage.

Sometimes, we took a quiet walk in our neighborhood.

One day, I thought of something crazy. We ate at home, dressed up really well, and went to a 5-Star hotel. We entered the hotel like we were millionaires. No one knew we had very little money in our pockets. And confidently, I ordered a glass of Coke. And for 2 solid hours, we enjoyed the violin music and beautiful ambiance—all the while sipping our Coke very slowly.

I date my kids each week, too. Those are mini-parties. Sometimes, it’s just donuts. Other times, we walk around a mall. Other times, we play a game together. The key is to make it fun.

I also date my mother every other week. This is such a simple thing, but it means the world to her.

I have regular dates with my friends, too. Our spiritual community, Light of Jesus, is organized around small groups called Caring Groups that meet weekly. Amazingly, I have four Caring Groups, so my weeks are pretty busy having fun times with my many friends.

One last suggestion…

4. Annual Family Celebrations

Create your own Family’s “Liturgical Calendar”.

Sit down and block off the most important dates of the year.

For example, plan everyone’s birthdays.

Many times, it’s very spontaneous. “Oh, it’s your birthday today? Let’s have dinner…” So why not plan a bit more? Go camping in the backyard, or visit an orphanage, or invite your child’s friends for a sleepover, or go out and have a mini-vacation together.

Mark off also your wedding anniversary, Valentines, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, and Grandparents’ Day.

One Valentine’s Day, I did something I cherish to this day. I set up two chairs and a little wooden table in our backyard. I scattered candles all over the grass, dressed in a coat and tie, and brought out my CD player to play Kenny G romantic music. I then ordered pizza. Finally, I got my guitar and sang an original song I wrote for her that day…

Ikaw ang awit ng buhay, Ang tinig ng langit

Ikaw ang himig at kulay, Ng pusong nagmamahal sa iyo

Refrain:

Biyayang galing sa taas, Anghel sa lupa’y naglalakad

Ikaw ang awit ng puso ko…

That happened a long time ago, but I still remember my wife’s tears that special night.

— 0 —

Look at the big Feasts of your faith—Christmas, Easter, Pentecost, etc. Example: During the entire Advent season, we light the Advent wreath as a family for 4 weeks straight before Christmas.

Other important days: First day in school. Last day in school. Graduation. First Job of the new Graduate. It could be Jimbo, the pet dog, giving birth to four puppies.

Hey, if there’s a reason to celebrate, throw a party!

3 Ingredients For Throwing Parties

Let me share three things to make these parties work.

Ingredient #1:

Gratitude

Someone might say, “But Bo, I’m a melancholic person. I’m not like you. I’m the loner and shy type. I really don’t like these party-spirit thing.”

Excuse me, but I’m melancholic too.

Every psychological test I’ve taken confirms without a shadow of a doubt that I’m melancholic. Remember that there are 4 personality types: Melancholic (that’s me), Sanguine (Bubbly, cheerful types), Choleric (Those with cholera), and Phlegmatic (Those with lots of phlegm).

I love being alone. I’d rather be quiet than talk. (Honest!) But I had to adjust. I had to do things that weren’t natural to my personality.

Here’s the truth: Celebrating your relationships doesn’t depend on having a bubbly or cheerful personality. It depends on your depth of gratitude.

You throw a party because you’re grateful to the person for being there in your life.

If you believe that the people in your life are your greatest gifts from God, then you throw parties often to thank them.

Even if we know it’s a lot of hard work.

Ingredient #2:

Hard Work

Have you ever prepared for a birthday party before?

It’s always hard work.

But who said love isn’t hard work? As I said before, love is about dirty hands, not just beating hearts.

Finally, the third ingredient is very important too.

Ingredient #3:

Creativity

Throwing parties requires some creativity.

Do you want to be more creative?

Copy. Get inspiration from others. It’s the secret of the greatest artists in the world: Leonardo de Vinci, Michelangelo, Picasso, Rembrandt, Bo Sanchez, etc…

You don’t know how to express your love in a playful way?

Ask others what they do. Do some research.

Through the years, I’ve given many cards to my wife. Let me share with you two of them today. You’ll notice that I’m not very original. I stole all these from various sources…

Are You Eliminating Enough?

2009-12-04T20:00:00.000-08:00

One of the self improvement training principles of Tim Ferriss' Four Hour Work Week is to eliminate.

Eliminate what? Well, eliminate unneccessary processes, tasks, and all around clutter.

Are you doing enought to eliminate? Here are some tips for "cleaning up" and adding to your own self improvement.

1. Clean your desk/work area. Do this today. Now. You need a clean and more importantly, welcoming area to work. I hate doing any amount of work at my desk when it's messy. Why not clean it up and at least make your work area welcoming if you have to be there, all day.

2. Eliminate "to-dos." Like JB talks about, go for a Sacred 6 or as Tim says in the book, 2 mission critical to-dos for a single day. Ultimately, the message is to not get bogged down in minutiae and creating 42 to-do items for one day, thereby ignoring those "mission critical" items. If you can only get one thing done today, what one thing will make you satisfied with your day? DO THAT, FIRST!

3. What are you doing that someone else can get done if you just let go of the reigns a bit? What are some things that someone else could get done in half the time, ten times the results, and better than you for just a small amount of compensation?

4. What payments can you automate? I cannot tell you the last time I wrote a check for anything or had the power turned off. Everything that can possibly be paid is done so, online, on a schedule, without me even thinking about it, including investing and savings.

5. How many blogs are you writing for? How many Twitter accounts? How many Facebook fan pages are you running? How many are really important? Are you doing one thing well or 10 things mediocre?

With all these tips, the key is to really examine what is necessary. What's mission critical?

This can carry over to your personal life, too. Is it really necessary to finish the food on that plate? Just because you always get popcorn at the movies, are you really even hungry or just doing it out of habit? Do you really need all those clothes or do they just result in more laundry (more importantly, more time to do laundry)?

Stop and think. What can you eliminate? Not just "stuff," but processes, tasks, and so on.

By: Tim jones

7 Tips for Healthy, Happy Holidays

2009-12-03T14:50:00.000-08:00

7 Tips for Healthy, Happy Holidays By Kat Brown, R.D.

As if managing the usual juggle of working, meeting family obligations, eating a healthy diet, and squeezing regular runs into day-to-day life wasn't hard enough, the holiday season brings with it a dizzying array of other challenges: parties, baking, enormous holiday meals, travel, shopping and lots of sweets around every corner. All the festivities can create a recipe for a total nutritional disaster. But it doesn't have to. Armed with these tips, you can survive the holidays without having a cookie meltdown at the eleventh hour. Here's how.

Tip #1: Set a Realistic Goal
Be honest with yourself: Now is not the time to try to lose weight. Instead set a goal to maintain your current fitness level and body weight--and your peace of mind. Write down your goals and create an action plan for the week. Just as you would prioritize a social event, plan in time to take care of yourself--whether it's to exercise, pack a healthy snack to eat while shopping at the mall, or prepare a satisfying well-balanced dinner.

Tip #2: Indulge Frequently, and in Moderation
The question is not whether to eat holiday treats at all, it is how much we should eat. An attempt to avoid all sweets is a battle against biology. Accept it. We're hard-wired for taste. Mary Abbott Hess, R.D., writes in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association, "Even singlecell protozoa in a petri dish will head straight for the sucrose (sugar) source." Some scientists think sweet tastes cause our brains to release endorphins, those feel-good chemicals also released during exercise.

So how can you stay in control of this attraction to sugar? Don't deprive yourself, or you may fall into the "last supper" trap, as described by Elyse Resch and Evelyn Tribole in the book Intuitive Eating. You fit into this all-too-familiar trap if you find yourself consuming an entire plate of macaroons at a party and think, "It's ok, I just won't eat anything tomorrow." The problem with the last supper mentality is it sets you up for a continuing cycle of deprivation and overeating. Instead, sprinkle a few rewards throughout your regular diet so you don't feel tempted to binge. If you have a few sweets on a regular basis, you may find you crave them less and won't go nuts when you're presented with a holiday spread of desserts.

Tip #3: Eat like a Toddler
No, I don't mean you should smear sweet potato casserole on the wall, to your host's disbelief. Rather, learn to understand what your body really needs. Researcher Barbara Rolls, Ph.D., and her colleagues reported in 2000 in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association that three-year old children are able to eat just enough of their meal to fill them up, despite being offered larger portions. That valuable ability to self-regulate can wane with age and external influences. But a large body of research shows that as adults we still have an innate sense of knowing how much food we need, if we take the time to pay attention.

Do yourself a favor and check in with how your body is feeling before, during and after eating to allow that natural perception to kick in. Focus on chewing slowly and thoroughly and enjoying each bite. Before you get seconds wait awhile: It can take up to 20 minutes for your body to experience a sense of fullness. Notice your energy level and how your stomach feels (rather than what your taste buds want) before you reload your plate. Your body knows how to do this, it just takes some practice to learn to listen.

Tip #4: Fuel up Before a Party
I know you may be tempted to "save" some calories by skimping on breakfast and lunch before a party or holiday meal, but this strategy can backfire. Coming to the table starving will set you up for an overeating session. Remember that a ravenous person is rarely a rational eater. Plan on three meals and one to three healthy snacks each day to keep your energy level, mood and hunger on an even keel. This equation will help give you energy that sustains, and allow you to come to the holiday table with a reasonable appetite.

Tip #5: Have a Party Plan
You don't have to skip all the goodies at a party, but you should be smart about how you fill your plate. At a buffet-style gathering, proceed by choosing a small plate and then filling at least half of it with colorful, nutritious options such as vegetables, fruits and lean proteins. At a dinner, take the same approach, filling your plate with healthier options and choosing small portions of higherfat dishes.

As for desserts, as my dietitian colleague Kendrin Sonneville, R.D., says, "Know what you crave, and know what's worth it." Choose a treat that you really want and will enjoy--don't pick up the low-fat brownie just because it's there. Also keep in mind that some foods may sound healthy but are hidden sources of saturated fat and lots of calories, like that spinach dip loaded with cheese or green bean casserole pumped full of high-fat cream.

Tip #6: Make Your Own
To keep you on track, contribute to a holiday party by bringing a homemade, wholesome dish. Or offer to host a holiday meal, giving you the ultimate control over the menu. There are plenty of ways to reduce the fat and calories in a holiday recipe, from using fruit purees instead of butter to cutting the amount of sugar in a recipe by a quarter to a third. You may be surprised how little you notice the difference! Experiment with a few swaps to see what you can do without drastically affecting the taste. For help, visit the Mayo Clinic's "healthy eating" section at mayoclinic.com/health/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/MY00431.

Tip #7: Relax
Take some time for yourself, even if it's just five minutes listening to some soothing music or going for a walk. Here's another tip: get your legs above your heart. Yogis swear by letting gravity do you a favor; by reversing circulation you'll feel relaxed and revitalized.

Try this variation of viparita kirani, "legs up the wall:" Lie on the floor with your legs propped up at a 90-degree angle against a couch or wall. Breathe deeply, scanning your body to release muscle tension. Relax in this position for a few minutes.

Remember: The holidays aren't about obsessing over that pumpkin pie or plate of cookies. Keep perspective: Enjoy being with your loved ones, indulge in moderation, and celebrate the nourishing spirit of the season in health.

You are the creator of your own destiny

2009-12-03T14:47:00.000-08:00

You Are the Creator Of Your Own Destiny
By: Paul Lederman

Its only through our own free will, awareness spirituality and spiritual consciousness that we can start to openly determing our own destiny. This becomes largely relevant when we consider our psychological, emotional and spiritual readiness to live in a society where rapid change is the norm.

Are we ready to respond to new challenges and cooperate with others when our evolution and survival greatly depend on it? The majority of us seek predictability and routine in our lives. That being said, its almost impossible to imagine what world a newborn today will lie in 50 years from now.

Without self knowledge, clarity and sensibility to modern times, we may find ourselves unable to ride the wave that is blasting its way into the future. Clarity means setting and achieving goals. It is NOW time to take advantage of this tremendous opportunity that is before us.

-WE CAN EACH BECOME A CONSCIOUS AGENT IN CREATING THE FUTURE THAT WE DESIRE-
-THE TIME IS NOW-

Three Spirituality Tips

2009-11-29T14:57:00.000-08:00

The 3 spirituality tips are:

1. Have gratitude for life and the personal motivation to live it. Tie into thankfulness of this holiday and start your day with gratitude.
2. Remember others and learn to become a helpful giver. Look for ways you can improve the productivity of others while keeping your own personal growth training moving forward.
3. Practice mindfulness eating understanding you are what you eat and that this alone can change the way you view the world and even help you with your self esteem improvement.

Take the time to have gratitude wherever you are at in the world. In all these years of success coaching this is a key and make sure if physical weight loss is a goal of yours that you make use of exercise foods this holiday season.- JB Glossinger

As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them. ~John Fitzgerald Kennedy

Quotes to think about:
Thanksgiving Day comes, by statute, once a year; to the honest man it comes as frequently as the heart of gratitude will allow. ~Edward Sandford Martin

We can only be said to be alive in those moments when our hearts are conscious of our treasures. ~Thornton Wilder

A thankful heart is not only the greatest virtue, but the parent of all the other virtues.~Cicero

Thankfulness Is Power

2009-11-25T18:17:00.001-08:00

by: Paul Lederman

Even when experiencing tough times, thankfulness is a powerful tool in helping to manifest change in your life. Its part of Metaphysics Consciousness. The act of developing self awareness and how it can bring about positive change is truly remarkable.

During tough times, many people find themselves battling thoughts of anger, depression, fear, etc. These thoughts do nothing to inspire you nor to move you in the right direction. In fact, they make matters worse. Thankfulness on the other hand, is a fast and powerful way to create a positive change in your circumstances. Gratitude raises you up to a new level of consciousness and provides an atmosphere for awakening spirituality. You are able to visualize new possibilities, recieve ideas on what steps to take next and realize a positive vision for the future.

What we feed grows and what we think is purely a matter of personal choice. We have to choose powerful thoughts that move us in a direction that serves our purpose. Powerful, positive thoughts bring us peace of mind and inspire us. They help us with smart goal setting as well as self improvement. Get out of a funk by changing your thoughts and following up with clarity and precise action.

"There are no mistakes. The events we bring upon ourselves, no matter how unpleasant, are necessary in order to learn what we need to learn; whatever steps we take, they're necessary to reach the places we've chosen
to go."
~ Richard Bach

"Happiness is when what you think, what you say, and what you do are in harmony"
- Ghandi

"The life and love we create is the life and love we live."
- Leo Buscaglia

"Be who you are and say what you feel because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind."
- Dr. Seuss

GRATITUDE AFFECTS ATTITUDE

2009-11-25T18:14:00.000-08:00

by: Paul Lederman

It is said that gratitude is the memory of the heart. Its vital in our awakening spirituality to give thanks to everything and everyone that make us happy. One of the biggest precursors to consciousness evolution is the ability to be grateful as well as to forgive.

Below are a few ways that you can live a life of gratitude and as a result have a beautiful attitude.

- Surround yourself with the right people. Seek out characteristics such as; spirituality, empowered, intelligent, energetic and compassionate in your friends and acquaintances.

- Remain mindful. Its the little things each and every day that make life beautiful. Approach each moment with an attitude of awe and thankfulness.

- Be compassionate. which is akin to opening of your heart. Help others when they are in need, and then expand the circle of your comassion to include other creatures, nature and the inanimate world around you.

- Teach your children and all young ones the gift of gratitude. It will become ingrained in them and they will bring that beautiful trait with them as the grow older and wiser.

"Thousands of candles can be lighted from a single candle, and the life of the candle will not be shortened. Happiness never decreases by
being shared."
- Buddha

"The only people with whom you should try to get even are those who have
helped you."
~John E. Southard

"For each new morning with its light,
For rest and shelter of the night,
For health and food, for love and friends,
For everything Thy goodness sends."
~Ralph Waldo Emerson

"He is a wise man who does not grieve for the things which he has not, but rejoices for those which he has."
~Epictetus

You Are The Creator of Your Own Destiny

2009-11-25T18:08:00.000-08:00

by: Paul Lederman

Only via awareness spirituality, clarity and self knowledge can we truly start to freely determine our destiny. This becomes incredibly clear when we begin to consider our emotional, psychological and spiritual readiness to live on a planet where the defining life condition is rapid and growing change.

Without awareness spirituality and sensitivity to the times we are living in, it might be hard to be able to ride this train that is carrying up at high speeds into the future. Or for that matter, to take advantage of a huge opportunity that is CLEARLY before us to become comscious agents in creating and manifesting the future that we truly desire. Mindfulness and setting personal goals are of great importance.

We ar living in quite interesting times and a great shift is upon us. Gain clarity and choose Conscious evolution over fear anger and oppression. Choose love as it is the highest vibration of all.

"Unselfish and noble actions are the most radiant pages in the biography of souls." ~David Thomas

"The smallest act of kindness is worth more than the grandest intention."
~Oscar Wilde

10 Meals for $50

2009-11-23T00:00:00.001-08:00

Simplify your busy schedule by taking some time on Sunday to put together a week's worth of meals. Don't worry, we've done the legwork! Just follow our step-by-step guide to whip up 10 healthy meals for $50.

* Step 1: Use our easy grocery list to go shopping
* Step 2: Prepare your food on Sunday and store it in your fridge
* Step 3: Use the recipes in the chart below to make your prepared food into tasty meals

The Recipes

Lunch Dinner
Sun Hoisin Pork Tenderloin
Mon Pork Tenderloin Wrap Fresh Baked Salmon
Tues Stuffed Salmon Pitas BBQ Turkey Burger
Wed Turkey Burger Burritos Spice Rubbed Filet Mignon
Thurs Chipotle Caesar Steak Salad Rotisserie Chicken
Fri Chicken Veggie Wrap
Sunday Preparation

Pork Tenderloin: Marinate pork with 2 tbsp chopped garlic, 2 tbsp chopped ginger, 1/2 cup of green onions and 1 cup of hoisin sauce for 1 hour. Remove tenderloin from marinade and cook in a pan until internal temperature reaches 140 degrees.

Turkey Burgers: Mix ground turkey with 1/2 cup of BBQ sauce, 1/4 cup of finely diced onions, salt and pepper. Form into 6-ounce patties, cover and refrigerate. On Tuesday night, cook in a pan until juice runs clear.

Salmon: Rub salmon filet with 2 tbsp of olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake in the over at 350 degrees for approximately 20 minutes (or to desired doneness).

Steak Filet: Rub filet with steak rub and store in fridge. Pan sear or grill on steak night until internal temperature reaches 130 degrees.

Broccoli: Steam

Red Potatoes: Toss potatoes with olive oil, salt and pepper. Cook for 20 minutes at 425 degrees.

Asparagus: Toss asparagus with 1 tsp olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper. Cook for 7 minutes at 425 degrees.

Green Beans: Blanch green beans. On filet night, saute blanched green beans in olive oil, salt and pepper and toss in toasted almonds.

Rice: Cook according to directions.

Cinnamon Chile Yam "Fries": Slice yams into wedges, then toss with 2 tsp cinnamon, 1 tbsp chile powder, 2 tbsp olive oil, salt and pepper. Bake for 20 minutes at 400 degrees.

Toasted Almonds: Toast almonds for 5 minutes at 350 degrees.

Chipotle Caesar Salad Dressing: Dice chipotle pepper and mix with 1 tbsp adobo sauce and 1 bottle of low-fat Caesar dressing.

Tomato Basil Relish: Combine 1 cup grape tomatoes with 2 tbsp fresh basil cut into strips, 1 tbsp olive oil, 2 tsp lemon juice, 1/4 tsp chopped garlic and salt and pepper.
The Grocery List

Make sure you have the staples, and then shop for the below list of groceries to complete your recipes.

* 1 1/2 lbs. pork tenderloin
* 1 1/2 lbs. salmon filet
* 1 1/2 lbs. ground turkey
* 6oz filet mignon steak
* Rotisserie chicken (by it on the day you'll eat it so it'll be fresh and hot)
* Brown rice
* High-fiber tortillas
* Whole wheat burger buns
* Whole wheat pitas
* Couscous
* 4 oz. sliced almonds
* 1 can chipotle peppers in Adobo sauce
* 1 bottle low-fat Caesar dressing
* 1 package dried cranberries
* 1 can fat-free re-fried beans
* 1 bag low-fat cheddar cheese
* 1 container hummus
* 1 container shredded Parmesan cheese
* 1 jar Hoisin sauce
* 1 bottle BBQ sauce
* steak seasoning or rub
* 1 bottle red wine
* 1 head broccoli
* 1 bag low-fat cole slaw mix
* 4 tomatoes
* 2 cucumbers
* 1 bag of baby greens and 1 bag of romaine
* 1 bag carrots
* 1 bunch asparagus
* 4 yams
* 2 lbs. red potatoes
* 1 avocado
* 2 russet potatoes
* 1 lb. spinach
* 1 lime
* 1 package fresh basil
* 1 knob ginger root
* 1 bunch green onions
* 1 carton grape tomatoes
* 3 fruits of your choice

**Grocery list was priced out at Safeway.com; doesn't include staple items**

Nine Crucial SAFETY Tips

2009-11-22T21:48:00.000-08:00

1. Tip from Tae Kwon Do:
The elbow is the strongest point on your body. If you are close enough to use it, do!

2. Learned this from a tourist guide.
If a robber asks for your wallet and/or purse,DO NOT HAND IT TO HIM. Toss it away from you....chances are that he is more interested in your wallet and/or purse than you, and he will go for the wallet/purse. RUN LIKE MAD IN THE OTHER DIRECTION!

3. If you are ever thrown into the trunk of a car, kick out the back tail lights and stick your arm out the hole and start waving like crazy...The driver won't see you, but everybody else will.

4. Women have a tendency to get into their cars after shopping, eating, working, etc., and just sit (doing their checkbook, or making a list, etc. DON'T DO THIS!)
The predator will be watching you, and this is the perfect opportunity for him to get in on the passenger side, put a gun to your head,and tell you where to go.
AS SOON AS YOU GET INTO YOUR CAR, LOCK THE DOORS AND LEAVE...

If someone is in the car with a gun to your head DO NOT DRIVE OFF, Repeat: DO NOT DRIVE OFF! Instead gun the engine and speed into anything, wrecking the car. Your Air Bag will save you.If the person is in the back seat they will get the worst of it. As soon as the car crashes bail out and run. It is better than having them find your body in a remote location.

5. A few notes about getting into your car in a parking lot, or parking garage:
A.) Be aware: look around you,look into your car, at the passenger side floor,
and in the back seat

B.) If you are parked next to a big van, enter your car from the passenger door.
Most serial killers attack their victims by pulling them into their vans while the women are attempting to get into their cars.

C.) Look at the car parked on the driver's side of your vehicle, and the passenger side... If a male is sitting alone in the seat nearest your car, you may want to walk back into the mall, or work, and get a guard/policeman to walk you back out.
IT IS ALWAYS BETTER TO BE SAFE THAN SORRY.(And better paranoid than dead.)

6. ALWAYS take the elevator instead of the stairs. Stairwells are horrible places to be alone and the perfect crime spot. This is especially true at NIGHT!)

7. If the predator has a gun and you are not under his control, ALWAYS RUN!
The predator will only hit you (a running target) 4 in 100 times; and even then,
it most likely WILL NOT be a vital organ. RUN, Preferably in a zig -zag pattern!

8. As women, we are always trying to be sympathetic: STOP; It may get you raped, or killed. Ted Bundy, the serial killer, was a good-looking, well educated man, who ALWAYS played on the sympathies of unsuspecting women. He walked with a cane, or a limp, and often asked 'for help' into his vehicle or with his vehicle, which is when he abducted his next victim.

9. Another Safety Point: Someone just told me that her friend heard a crying baby on her porch the night before last, and she called the police because it was late
and she thought it was weird... The police told her 'Whatever you do, DO NOT
open the door...'

The lady then said that it sounded like the baby had crawled near a window, and she was worried that it would crawl to the street and get run over. The policeman said, 'We already have a unit on the way, whatever you do, DO NOT open the door.' He told her that they think a serial killer has a baby's cry recorded and uses it to coax
women out of their homes thinking that someone dropped off a baby. He said they have not verified it, but have had several calls by women saying that they hear baby's cries outside their doors when they're home alone at night.

10. Water scam!
If you wake up in the middle of the night to hear all your taps outside running or
what you think is a burst pipe, DO NOT GO OUT TO INVESTIGATE! These people turn on all your outside taps full ball so that you will go out to investigate and
then attack.

GUIDELINES FOR SELF-CARE

2009-11-22T21:05:00.000-08:00

#1 Symptom: General Cold Symptoms
Home treatment: Drink 8 glasses of liquids; Plenty of rest. Abstain from vigorous exercise; Don't smoke; Humidify room w/ a vaporizer. Take warm, steamy showers. Wash hands frequently

Over the counter medicine:
Decongestant containing psudoephendrine (like Sudafed); Avoid using antihistamines for your cold symptoms. They may cause excessive drying and make secretions too thick for the body to eliminate.

Additional advice:
Avoid dairy products as they increase mucus and congestion. Sherbet & Popsicle are ok. Do not use decongestants containing psudoephedrine at bedtime- they tend to wake you up. Nicotine paralyzes the protective cells lining the respiratory tract. Carbon monoxide from cigarette smoke reduces the oxygen content in the blood, contributing to fatigue; If you are prescribed an antibiotic, be sure to take it until it is all gone, not just until you feel better.
-------------------------------------------
#2 Symptom: Fever
Home treatment: Cool sponge baths. Cold liquids. Rest

Over the counter medication: Take Tylenol or Ibuprofen. Avoid aspirin if you have the flu or the chicken pox.

Additional advice: Always dress lightly with a fever. Bundle up only if chilled.
--------------------------------------------

#3 Symptom: Mucous producing cough
Home treatment: Drink plenty of clear liquids (water is best). Humidify your room with a vaporizer. Take warm, steamy showers. If you are a smoker- stop!

Over the counter medication: Take a cough syrup with an expectorant of Glyceryl Guiacolate (Robitussin)

Additional advice: Don't try to suppress a mucous producing cough. It is a natural healing aid. Avoid milk & milk products. Avoid antihistamines. They tend to make secretions thicker.

--------------------------------------------
#4 Symptom: Frequent, dry, hacking, cough
Home treatment: Humidify room w/ vaporizer. Take warm, steamy showers. Drink plenty of fluids.

Over the counter medication: use throat lozenges. Use a cough syrup with a cough suppressant such as Dextromethrophan (Robitussin DM)

Additional advice: Dextromethorphan may cause drowsiness and constipation. Avoid aspirin if you have the flu or chicken pox or if you are taking an Ibuprofen medication.
----------------------------------------------

#5 Symptom: Headaches & body aches
Home treatment: Drink plenty of clear liquids. Rest

Over the counter medication: Take Tylenor or medications containing Ibuprofen (Advil or Motrin)

Additional advice: Avoid Ibuprofen if you have diabetes or kidney problems. Take Ibuprofen with food.
-----------------------------------------------

#6 Symptom: Sore throat, hoarseness
Home treatment: Rest vocal cords. Don't whisper, it strains the cords. Gargle w/ salt water (1/4 tsp. salt to 8 oz. warm water). Put honey & lemon in tea. Use a vaporizer. Drink fluids.

Over the counter medication: Use throat lozenges, lifesavers or cough drops. Any medicated lozenge will work. Throat sprays such as Chloraseptic may be helpful.

Additional advice: Keep your throat continously moist by drinking fluids, garglging, and using the lozenges recommended.
-------------------------------------------------

#7 Symptom: Stuffy nose
Home treatment: Humidify with vaporizer and take steamy showers.

Over the counter medication: Avoid nasal sprays unless prescribed. Prolonged use may cause rebound nasal membrane swelling and make the symptoms worse.

Additional advice: Remember- decongestants for a cold, antihistamines for an allergy!

U.S. Stupidity

2009-11-15T15:17:00.000-08:00

> Only in America ......do drugstores make the sick walk all the way to the back of the store to get their prescriptions while healthy people can buy cigarettes at the front. ?

> Only in America ...do people order double cheeseburgers, large fries, and a diet coke.

> Only in America .....do banks leave both doors open and then chain the pens to the counters.

> Only in America ...do we leave cars worth thousands of dollars in the driveway and put our useless junk in the garage.

> Only in America .....do they have drive-up ATM machines with Braille lettering.

> EVER WONDER?

> Why the sun lightens our hair, but darkens
> our skin?

> Why women can't put on mascara with their mouth closed?

> Why is 'abbreviated' such a long word?

>
> Why is it that doctors call what they do 'practice'?

>
> Why is lemon juice made with artificial flavor, and dishwashing liquid made with real lemons?

> Why is the man who invests all your money called a broker?

> Why is the time of day with the slowest traffic called rush hour?

>
> Why isn't there mouse-flavored cat food?

> Why didn't Noah swat those two mosquitoes?

> Why do they sterilize the needle for lethal injections?

> You know that indestructible black box that is used on airplanes? Why don't they make the whole plane out of that stuff?!

> Why don't sheep shrink when it rains?

> Why are they called apartments when they are all stuck together?

> If con is the opposite of pro, is Congress the opposite of progress?

> If flying is so safe, ?why do they call the airport the terminal?

Prevent Swine Flu - Good Advice

2009-11-05T14:28:00.000-08:00

The only portals of entry are the nostrils and mouth/throat. In a global epidemic of this nature, it's almost impossible to avoid coming into contact with H1N1 in spite of all precautions.

While you are still healthy and not showing any symptoms of H1N1 infection, in order to prevent proliferation, aggravation of symptoms and development of secondary infections, some very simple steps can be practiced

1. Gargle twice a day with warm salt water or Listerine. *H1N1 takes 2-3 days after initial infection in the throat/nasal cavity to proliferate and show characteristic symptoms. Simple gargling prevents proliferation. In a way, gargling with salt water has the same effect on a healthy individual that Tamiflu has on an infected one. Don't underestimate this simple, inexpensive, and powerful preventative method.

2. Blow the nose hard once a day and swab both nostrils with cotton buds dipped in warm salt water. This is very effective in bringing down viral population.

3. Boost your natural immunity with foods that are rich in Vitamins C and D. If you have to supplement with Vitamin C tablets, make sure that it also has Zinc to boost absorption.

4. Drink as much of warm liquids (tea, coffee, etc) as you can. Drinking warm liquids has the same effect as gargling, but in the reverse direction. They wash off proliferating viruses from the throat into the stomach where they cannot survive, proliferate or do any harm.

Advice from the University of Kansas Hospital to Prevent Swine Flu

Michelle's Random Wishlist

2009-07-01T23:40:00.000-07:00

- good quality knife (IKEA knife causes much frustration)
- circular saw
- staple gun
- straight-edge saw

'Musing' written Sept 2004

2009-07-01T14:41:00.000-07:00

-MUSING-

Scratching his chin
Thinking
Discerning of creating
Beats, rhythm & rhyme
Of images pulsating, transforming, & merging
Like infused cloves of fresh smelling thyme

Relaxing to each and every meshing throb, pounding hammer, & fascinating stroke
The orb of intoxication
Brings to him a straight form of remedial meditation
A natural form of concoction
To this he profusely drinks

He becomes filthy and well absorbed in his drunken state
To this he has become the finely tuned bait
To a well huge alarming estate
No, I am not referring to emerald arctic cash
Like those that yearn to make a quick dash into the riches-
to round a gripload of smelly repulsive malodorous bitche*
Itches of unscrupulous niches
Rather, a house encompassing a world of notable notes,
Imperative instrumentals, lovable lyrics
This man continues to be captivated, fascinated,
Immersed, un-reversed to his charismatic notions
With one heavy sigh, musing mesmerized eyes
Slowly closes one by one
Calls it a night and faintly tells his group, "PEACE."

by Michelle

How to Make Flip Flops from a Yoga Mat (with video) - wikiHow

2009-05-12T11:49:00.000-07:00

How to Make Flip Flops from a Yoga Mat (with video) - wikiHow

Widget: Yoga

2009-05-11T10:10:00.000-07:00

Yoga Journal Pose of the Daygreat free widgetsWidgetbox

The Law of the Garbage Truck

2009-05-05T14:10:00.001-07:00

For those of you that haven't read it.. always a good read

One day I hopped in a taxi and we took off for the airport. We were driving in the right lane when suddenly a black car jumped out of a parking space right in front of us. My taxi driver slammed on his brakes, skidded, and missed the other car by just inches! The driver of the other car whipped his head around and started yelling at us.

My taxi driver just smiled and waved at the guy. And I mean he was really friendly. So I asked, 'Why did you just do that? This guy almost ruined your car and sent us to the hospital!' This is when my taxi driver taught me what I now call, 'The Law of the Garbage Truck.'

He explained that many people are like garbage trucks. They run around full of garbage, full of frustration, full of anger, and full of disappointment. As their garbage piles up, they need a place to dump it and sometimes they'll dump it on you.

Don't take it personally. Just smile, wave, wish them well, and move on. Don't take their garbage and spread it to other people at work, at home, or on the streets.

The bottom line is that successful people do not let garbage trucks take over their day. Life's too short to wake up in the morning with regrets, so...Love the people who treat you right. Pray for the ones who don't.

Life is ten percent what you make it and ninety percent how you take it!

Immediate Release: Beverage Consumption a Bigger Factor in Weight

2009-04-02T15:10:00.000-07:00

From John Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
For Immediate Release: April 2, 2009

Beverage Consumption a Bigger Factor in Weight

When it comes to weight loss, what you drink may be more important than what you eat, according to researchers at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. Researchers examined the relationship between beverage consumption among adults and weight change and found that weight loss was positively associated with a reduction in liquid calorie consumption and liquid calorie intake had a stronger impact on weight than solid calorie intake. The results are published in the April 1, 2009, issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

“Both liquid and solid calories were associated with weight change, however, only a reduction in liquid calorie intake was shown to significantly affect weight loss during the 6-month follow up,” said Benjamin Caballero MD, PhD, senior author of the study and a professor with the Bloomberg School’s Department of International Health. “A reduction in liquid calorie intake was associated with a weight loss of 0.25 kg at 6 months and 0.24 kg at 18 months. Among sugar-sweetened beverages, a reduction of 1 serving was associated with a weight loss of 0.5 kg at 6 months and 0.7 kg at 18 months. Of the seven types of beverages examined, sugar-sweetened beverages were the only beverages significantly associated with weight change.”

Researchers conducted a prospective study of 810 adults aged 25-79 years old participating in the PREMIER trial, an 18-month randomized, controlled, behavioral intervention. Caballero along with colleagues from the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine; the National Heart, Lung, and Blood institute; Duke University; the Pennington Biomedical Research Center; the Kaiser Permanente Center for Health Research; the University of Alabama; and Pennsylvania State University measured participant’s weight and height using a calibrated scale and a wall-mounted stadiometer at both 6 and 18 months. Dietary intake was measured by conducting unannounced 24-hour dietary recall interviews by telephone. Researchers divided beverages into several categories based on calorie content and nutritional composition: sugar-sweetened beverages (regular soft drinks, fruit drinks, fruit punch, or high-calorie beverages sweetened with sugar), diet drinks (diet soda and other “diet” drinks sweetened with artificial sweeteners), milk (whole milk, 2 percent reduced-fat milk, 1 percent low-fat milk, and skim milk), 100 percent juice (100 percent fruit and vegetable juice), coffee and tea with sugar, coffee and tea without sugar and alcoholic beverages. They found that at 37 percent sugar-sweetened beverages were the leading source of liquid calories.

Consumption of liquid calories from beverages has increased in parallel with the obesity epidemic. Earlier studies by Bloomberg School researchers project that 75 percent of U.S. adults could be overweight or obese by 2015 and have linked the consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages to the obesity epidemic, which affects two-thirds of adults and increases the risk for adverse health conditions such as type 2 diabetes. Researchers recommend limited liquid calorie intake among adults and to reduce sugar-sweetened beverage consumption as a means to accomplish weight loss or avoid excess weight gain.

“Among beverages, sugar-sweetened beverages was the only beverage type significantly associated with weight change at both the 6- and 18-month follow up periods,” said Liwei Chen, MD, PhD, MHS, lead author of the study and a Bloomberg School graduate. “Changes in the consumption of diet drinks and alcoholic beverages were inversely associated with weight loss, but were not statistically significant. Our study supports policy recommendations and public health efforts to reduce intakes of liquid calories, particularly from sugar-sweetened beverages, in the general population.”

“Reduction in Consumption of Sugar-Sweetened Beverages is Associated with Weight Loss: The PREMIER Trial” was written by Liwei Chen, Lawrence J. Appel, Catherine Loria, Pao-Hwa Lin, Catherine M. Champagne, Patricia J. Elmer, Jamy D. Ard, Diane Mitchell, Bryan C. Batch, Laura P. Svetkey and Benjamin Caballero.

The research was supported by the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute; National Institutes of Health; the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health’s Center for Human Nutrition; and the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development.

MZ Personality Test: INFJ Profile

2009-03-27T16:11:00.000-07:00

Introverted iNtuitive Feeling Judging
by Joe Butt
Profile: INFJ
Revision: 3.01
Date of Revision: 6 Mar 2005

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Beneath the quiet exterior, INFJs hold deep convictions about the weightier matters of life. Those who are activists -- INFJs gravitate toward such a role -- are there for the cause, not for personal glory or political power.

INFJs are champions of the oppressed and downtrodden. They often are found in the wake of an emergency, rescuing those who are in acute distress. INFJs may fantasize about getting revenge on those who victimize the defenseless. The concept of 'poetic justice' is appealing to the INFJ.

"There's something rotten in Denmark." Accurately suspicious about others' motives, INFJs are not easily led. These are the people that you can rarely fool any of the time. Though affable and sympathetic to most, INFJs are selective about their friends. Such a friendship is a symbiotic bond that transcends mere words.

INFJs have a knack for fluency in language and facility in communication. In addition, nonverbal sensitivity enables the INFJ to know and be known by others intimately.

Writing, counseling, public service and even politics are areas where INFJs frequently find their niche.

Functional Analysis:

Introverted iNtuition
Introverted intuitives, INFJs enjoy a greater clarity of perception of inner, unconscious processes than all but their INTJ cousins. Just as SP types commune with the object and "live in the here and now" of the physical world, INFJs readily grasp the hidden psychological stimuli behind the more observable dynamics of behavior and affect. Their amazing ability to deduce the inner workings of the mind, will and emotions of others gives INFJs their reputation as prophets and seers. Unlike the confining, routinizing nature of introverted sensing, introverted intuition frees this type to act insightfully and spontaneously as unique solutions arise on an event by event basis.

Extraverted Feeling
Extraverted feeling, the auxiliary deciding function, expresses a range of emotion and opinions of, for and about people. INFJs, like many other FJ types, find themselves caught between the desire to express their wealth of feelings and moral conclusions about the actions and attitudes of others, and the awareness of the consequences of unbridled candor. Some vent the attending emotions in private, to trusted allies. Such confidants are chosen with care, for INFJs are well aware of the treachery that can reside in the hearts of mortals. This particular combination of introverted intuition and extraverted feeling provides INFJs with the raw material from which perceptive counselors are shaped.

Introverted Thinking
The INFJ's thinking is introverted, turned toward the subject. Perhaps it is when the INFJ's thinking function is operative that he is most aloof. A comrade might surmise that such detachment signals a disillusionment, that she has also been found lacking by the sardonic eye of this one who plumbs the depths of the human spirit. Experience suggests that such distancing is merely an indication that the seer is hard at work and focusing energy into this less efficient tertiary function.

Extraverted Sensing
INFJs are twice blessed with clarity of vision, both internal and external. Just as they possess inner vision which is drawn to the forms of the unconscious, they also have external sensing perception which readily takes hold of worldly objects. Sensing, however, is the weakest of the INFJ's arsenal and the most vulnerable. INFJs, like their fellow intuitives, may be so absorbed in intuitive perceiving that they become oblivious to physical reality. The INFJ under stress may fall prey to various forms of immediate gratification. Awareness of extraverted sensing is probably the source of the "SP wannabe" side of INFJs. Many yearn to live spontaneously; it's not uncommon for INFJ actors to take on an SP (often ESTP) role.

Famous INFJs:
Nathan, prophet of Israel
Aristophanes
Chaucer
Goethe
Robert Burns, Scottish poet

U.S. Presidents:
Martin Van Buren
James Earl "Jimmy" Carter
Nathaniel Hawthorne
Fanny Crosby, (blind) hymnist
Mother Teresa of Calcutta
Fred McMurray (My Three Sons)
Shirley Temple Black, child actor, ambassador
Martin Luther King, Jr., civil rights leader, martyr
James Reston, newspaper reporter
Shirley MacLaine (Sweet Charity, ...)
Piers Anthony, author ("Xanth" series)
Michael Landon (Little House on the Prairie)
Tom Selleck
John Katz, critic, author
Paul Stookey (Peter, Paul and Mary)
U. S. Senator Carol Moseley-Braun (D-IL)
Billy Crystal
Garry Trudeau (Doonesbury)
Nelson Mandela
Mel Gibson
Carrie Fisher
Nicole Kidman
Jerry Seinfeld
Jamie Foxx
Sela Ward
Mark Harmon
Gary Dourdan
Marg Helgaberger
Evangeline Lilly
Tori May

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Introverted iNtuiting Feeling Judging
by Marina Margaret Heiss
INFJs are distinguished by both their complexity of character and the unusual range and depth of their talents. Strongly humanitarian in outlook, INFJs tend to be idealists, and because of their J preference for closure and completion, they are generally "doers" as well as dreamers. This rare combination of vision and practicality often results in INFJs taking a disproportionate amount of responsibility in the various causes to which so many of them seem to be drawn.

INFJs are deeply concerned about their relations with individuals as well as the state of humanity at large. They are, in fact, sometimes mistaken for extroverts because they appear so outgoing and are so genuinely interested in people -- a product of the Feeling function they most readily show to the world. On the contrary, INFJs are true introverts, who can only be emotionally intimate and fulfilled with a chosen few from among their long-term friends, family, or obvious "soul mates." While instinctively courting the personal and organizational demands continually made upon them by others, at intervals INFJs will suddenly withdraw into themselves, sometimes shutting out even their intimates. This apparent paradox is a necessary escape valve for them, providing both time to rebuild their depleted resources and a filter to prevent the emotional overload to which they are so susceptible as inherent "givers." As a pattern of behavior, it is perhaps the most confusing aspect of the enigmatic INFJ character to outsiders, and hence the most often misunderstood -- particularly by those who have little experience with this rare type.

Due in part to the unique perspective produced by this alternation between detachment and involvement in the lives of the people around them, INFJs may well have the clearest insights of all the types into the motivations of others, for good and for evil. The most important contributing factor to this uncanny gift, however, are the empathic abilities often found in Fs, which seem to be especially heightened in the INFJ type (possibly by the dominance of the introverted N function).

This empathy can serve as a classic example of the two-edged nature of certain INFJ talents, as it can be strong enough to cause discomfort or pain in negative or stressful situations. More explicit inner conflicts are also not uncommon in INFJs; it is possible to speculate that the causes for some of these may lie in the specific combinations of preferences which define this complex type. For instance, there can sometimes be a "tug-of-war" between NF vision and idealism and the J practicality that urges compromise for the sake of achieving the highest priority goals. And the I and J combination, while perhaps enhancing self-awareness, may make it difficult for INFJs to articulate their deepest and most convoluted feelings.

Usually self-expression comes more easily to INFJs on paper, as they tend to have strong writing skills. Since in addition they often possess a strong personal charisma, INFJs are generally well-suited to the "inspirational" professions such as teaching (especially in higher education) and religious leadership. Psychology and counseling are other obvious choices, but overall, INFJs can be exceptionally difficult to pigeonhole by their career paths. Perhaps the best example of this occurs in the technical fields. Many INFJs perceive themselves at a disadvantage when dealing with the mystique and formality of "hard logic", and in academic terms this may cause a tendency to gravitate towards the liberal arts rather than the sciences. However, the significant minority of INFJs who do pursue studies and careers in the latter areas tend to be as successful as their T counterparts, as it is *iNtuition* -- the dominant function for the INFJ type -- which governs the ability to understand abstract theory and implement it creatively.

In their own way, INFJs are just as much "systems builders" as are INTJs; the difference lies in that most INFJ "systems" are founded on human beings and human values, rather than information and technology. Their systems may for these reasons be conceptually "blurrier" than analogous NT ones, harder to measure in strict numerical terms, and easier to take for granted -- yet it is these same underlying reasons which make the resulting contributions to society so vital and profound.

http://typelogic.com/infj.html

Quick Tip: Good Sleep Habits Reduce Diabetes Risk

2009-02-26T09:56:00.001-08:00

Quick Tip: Good Sleep Habits Reduce Diabetes Risk

Skimping on sleep can increase your risk of developing Type 2 diabetes by impairing your body's ability to regulate blood sugar levels. A recent study found that three nights of sleeping badly is the equivalent of gaining 20 or 30 pounds in terms of your diabetes risk! Not only that, but being chronically under-rested can increase your appetite and cause you to overeat and gain weight. The good news? The damage can be undone by adopting better sleep habits.

Imagine living in a world like MARIA SUAREZ

2009-02-20T09:07:00.000-08:00

Maria Suarez:

Synopsis: Maria was 16; her captor, a 65+ year-old-man, told her he had bought her for $200, and she was now his slave. Entrapped in the house, Maria was abused physically, sexually, emotionally, and mentally. As though this experience weren't bad enough, after five years of this torture, a neighbor entered the small house and killed her captor. Falsely accused of the murder, Maria was imprisoned for more than 22 years until recently pardoned by the Governor of California. Now Maria works two days a week at the National Council of Jewish Women and three days a week at About Face where she leads support groups.

In better detail:
Sixteen-year-old Maria Suarez was very excited when she arrived in the United States to live with her sister. She had watched her father and mother struggle to survive on their small farm in Mexico as she grew up. It was now her hope that she could find a good job and provide all the things for them they had never been able to afford.

She didn’t speak English and didn’t know how to even begin her search for employment, so she considered it her good fortune to meet a woman on the street who spoke her language and told her she could find a job for her.

The woman took her to a tiny house and introduced her to an older man about 65 or 70. The woman told her she would meet his wife later and that she was to stay there that evening. She was told they would take her home the next day. Maria was very uncomfortable with this, but they convinced her.

There was no wife and she was not taken home the next day! Instead the man told her he had bought her for $200 and she was now his slave. He terrorized her, telling her he could read her mind and she was to do whatever she was told or he had the power to kill her parents. He claimed to be a brujo or witch.

She was to be entrapped in that little house, suffering terribly, for five years. The man beat and raped her regularly. Every day he abused her mentally, physically and emotionally. Her hopes and dreams evaporated as they were replaced by fear. She rarely saw or spoke to anyone during this time and was so paralyzed by terror that she made no attempt to escape or communicate her dilemma.

As though this experience wasn’t bad enough, after five years of this torture a neighbor entered the small house and beat the man to death. Maria was naively compliant when the neighbor told her to place the murder weapon under the house.

The result? Maria was convicted of the murder and sentenced from 25 years to life in prison despite the statement of her co-defendants that she was not involved in the killing.

She was released 22½ years later after a pardon by the governor of California. The Board of Prison Terms had investigated her record and found her conduct while in prison to be exemplary. Maria said she chose to use her time productively there; she chose to become a better person. She served as a mentor for younger prisoners, studied hard and acquired her high school GED (General Educational Development) credential, took college classes and conducted counseling and therapy groups.

Today, Maria Suarez is studying to become a social worker and works with The Coalition Against Trafficking (CAST) based in Los Angeles, California. She says she wants to help people who need the benefit of what she has learned through her experiences.

You may view a video featuring Maria entitled Dreams Die Hard in which she personally recounts her experiences at http://freetheslaves.net/store/dreams-die-hard/. This short documentary was produced by Free the Slaves, a nonprofit organization working to end slavery worldwide.

Vision contributor Bill Butler interviewed Maria about her experiences with slavery, prison and her life today.

BB Maria, how are you adjusting to life since being freed from prison?

MS I’m doing very well. I’ve been out of prison for two years, and I’m working as a counselor for About Face, a nonprofit domestic violence organization in Los Angeles. I exercise a lot by running—I’ve run the marathon twice in Los Angeles. I’m still spending time getting reacquainted with my family after all these years.

BB What was the time like in prison?

MS I did my best to make my time profitable and to be a model prisoner. I was involved in a number of volunteer activities. I ran marathons; I conducted support groups and took college classes.

BB Have you resumed your college education?

MS Yes, I’m enrolled in a local college here and have been taking classes, although I’m not taking any at the moment. I am trying to focus on my work, now. I plan to re-enroll at some point, and I would like to become a social worker eventually.

BB How are your parents and family doing?

MS Very well. My mother is elderly, over 80 years old. One of the things she wanted was to see me freed from prison, which she did, and to see me before she died which also happened. And obviously I wanted to see her before she passed away, which I have been able to do. My family is happy to have me back after all this time and that everything is working out so well for me. They don’t want me to work so much so they can spend more time with me and make up for the many lost years.

BB What are your feelings toward the woman who sold you into this condition of enslavement and the man who enslaved you?

MS I don’t have any bitterness toward anyone. I believe in justice and that good things will happen to you. I am a very optimistic person and I always have hope and believe that good things are going to happen.

BB What advice would you give to someone who is trapped in a situation like you experienced?

MS I would say don’t give up. Believe that you are strong enough to endure it and always believe there is hope of getting out of the situation if you keep trying.

BB What would be your advice to parents to help a daughter who might find herself in a situation like you were in?

MS I was actually able to talk to my family members and the police during the time I was being held captive by this man, but I was so scared and frightened that I didn't tell the truth—I didn't say what was really happening. My advice to the parents would be the same as for the girl, don't give up hope and keep trying to free yourself of the situation.

Your information & photographs may be in jeopardy when posted on Facebook!

2009-02-17T11:24:00.001-08:00

Updated 2/18/09- PROGRESS!

"Terms of Use Update"
Over the past few days, we have received a lot of feedback about the new terms we posted two weeks ago. Because of this response, we have decided to return to our previous Terms of Use while we resolve the issues that people have raised. For more information, visit the Facebook Blog.

If you want to share your thoughts on what should be in the new terms, check out our group Facebook Bill of Rights and Responsibilities.

------------------------------------------------------------
2/17/2009
Based on the article from DailyTech, the Terms of Service agreement have changed. This means that your information, which includes photographs, videos, etc- MAY be in jeopardy should you decide to cancel Facebook. They can legally (yes, I said LEGALLY) KEEP all your personal info and do what they want to do with it. Before the revision, all your personal info would be terminated in a timely manner. Not the case any more people. For your sake, I would not suggest uploading too much pictures or videos on there. Facebook is not the place to do it. The article is below. Warm Regards- Michelle

Facebook's TOS Changes Anger Some Users

A recent change in Facebook's TOS has left some Facebook users rather disgruntled

The previous Facebook terms of service (TOS) stated that if a user closed his or her Facebook account, rights to original content posted on the profile would eventually expire. The recent TOS changes, however, give Facebook the ability to use uploaded content any way they see fit through an unending and irrevocable license.

Bloggers and Twitter users discovered the new TOS earlier this morning and a mini-uproar has taken place by a number of Facebook users.

According to The Consumerist:
You hereby grant Facebook an irrevocable, perpetual, non-exclusive, transferable, fully paid, worldwide license (with the right to sublicense) to (a) use, copy, publish, stream, store, retain, publicly perform or display, transmit, scan, reformat, modify, edit, frame, translate, excerpt, adapt, create derivative works and distribute (through multiple tiers), any User Content you (i) Post on or in connection with the Facebook Service or the promotion thereof subject only to your privacy settings or (ii) enable a user to Post, including by offering a Share Link on your website and (b) to use your name, likeness and image for any purpose, including commercial or advertising, each of (a) and (b) on or in connection with the Facebook Service or the promotion thereof.

The previous TOS had legal wording that essentially said content would expire at some point after user content is removed from Facebook.

"You may remove your User Content from the Site at any time. If you choose to remove your User Content, the license granted above will automatically expire, however you acknowledge that the Company may retain archived copies of your User Content."

Facebook has more than 175 million active users, gaining around 25 million in about one month. The world's most popular social networking web site may have to answer angry complaints once a larger number of Facebook users become aware of the TOS changes the Palo Alto-based company recently made.

Save Money: Make your Own Energy Bars

2009-02-06T10:01:00.000-08:00

Here's a flexible recipe that you can vary according to your preference or the ingredients you have on hand. (originally published by Elizabeth Quinn on About.com:

-3 cups puffed wheat or other puffed grain cereal
-3/4 cup chopped dried fruit (raisins, figs, pitted dates, cherries, cranberries, etc.)
-1/2 cup chopped nuts (walnuts, pecans, peanuts, almonds, etc.)
-1/3 cup peanut butter
-1/4 cup honey
-1/4 cup light corn syrup
-1 pinch salt (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 and spray a 9x9 brownie pan with non-stick cooking spray. Mix cereal, fruit, and nuts in a bowl. Combine peanut butter, honey, and corn syrup in a small pan and bring to a boil. Boil for one minute, stirring constantly. Pour peanut butter mixture over cereal mixture and stir until combined. Press mixture into pan and bake 10 minutes. Cool completely before cutting into bars. Makes about 10 bars.

Here's a link to lots more recipes for different styles of homemade energy bars: recipezaar.com

Please check out: charitywater.org

2009-01-28T10:27:00.000-08:00

Filipino Tests Positive for Ebola, Experts Worried

2009-01-26T13:53:00.000-08:00

Filipino Tests Positive for Ebola, Experts Worried

Jan. 23, 2009

MANILA (Reuters) - At least one person has tested positive for the Ebola-Reston virus in the Philippines, where the disease has broken out in pigs at two farms north of the capital, the government said on Friday.

Health Secretary Francisco Duque told a news conference that there was little immediate health risk but experts warned the virus' jump to humans was a concern. "This presents a negligible risk to human health," Duque said. Experts from the World Health Organization, World Organization for Animal Health and the Food and Agriculture Organization, all U.N. agencies, ended a 10-day field test at the two farms over the weekend after Ebola-Reston was found there last year. It is the first time the virus has been found outside monkeys and the first time it has been found in pigs. The virus had previously jumped from monkeys to humans but it is the first case of a jump from hogs.

Duque said at least 50 workers in the two farms were exposed to the virus, but only one person tested positive. This person had not shown any symptoms, he said. Experts said the jump was a concern even if the Ebola-Reston strain of the virus is not as deadly as other strains of the disease, which can cause incurable hemorrhagic fever and have a mortality rate of 25 to 90 percent.

"Viruses jumping across species is always worrying," said Lo Wing-lok, an infectious diseases expert in Hong Kong. "If it continues to do so, the virus will adapt to the human body or may mutate to become more transmissible among humans." Although human cases of Ebola Reston in the past have been mild, Lo warned against any complacency. "We can't say for sure that it is not dangerous to man, we have to follow developments very closely," Lo said. "In the past, the infections happened to a very small number of people. "But this virus may get magnified in swine and we could get a higher-density virus in the environment and more cases of human infection can occur," he said.

(Reporting by Manolo Serapio Jr. and Manny Mogato)
(Additional reporting by Tan Ee Lyn)
(Editing by Sanjeev Miglani)

For full article, visit: http://www.reuters.com/article/healthNews/idUSTRE50M29F20090123

President Obama Inauguration

2009-01-20T20:39:00.000-08:00

"Yes, we can, Yes we will, Yes, we did!"

As I was driving to work this morning eagerly waiting to watch the Inauguration festivities, many emotions came through me. I was choked up holding in tears. As I watched the festivities at work on two small windows on my computer, I was drawn listening to President Obama's speech.

I am eager to see the positive changes that he will make. I have faith in him & I honestly, I have a good feeling about him. I hope someday I will meet him...

It's Obamalicious time!

Pls take a few minutes to appreciate semiconductors & how difficult it's made

2008-12-30T11:08:00.000-08:00

Photo memo: 'Dangerous work. Despite improvements in the semiconductor industry, chip making still requires the use of hazardous materials such as toxic solvents and metals, and few companies have adopted international occupational safety standards.'

----------------------------------------------
This made me think how our society often throws old computers & replaces it with new ones simply to have faster & bigger computer capacities. With competitive pricing, it's easier than ever to purchase one and throw the old one away. However, we need to get a grip of where we send our old computers to. We often think our old computers are sent to legitimate recycling centers. Think again people! It's not always that easy. Especially in our financial crisis, government agencies are pushing their limitations to save anything! This would then conclude that we are shipping our computers to developing nations such as China or Africa and let them do the work. Do you know how DIFFICULT it is to remove semiconductors?!? Third world countries do it manually! Do you think they have the most updated protective safety equipment?!? NO! It's hard as it is to come by a rubber glove or a face mask...These poor people who live near the removal sites are exposed to greater exposures to major injury for themselves and their families! Please take a moment to consider this...

Please check out http://www.ban.org/ & consider where our technological waste go to.

The coming of a 2-0-0-9

2008-12-29T15:59:00.001-08:00

2008 has been wild. To our current economic tough times, new president, and natural disasters, this year has seen a bit of everything. As we proceed 2009, let us welcome the new year with a rejuvenated energy; A positive feeling so great that no negative energy can zap it away. Doesn't matter how much turmoil we may be feeling right now so long as we attract positive thoughts. The more we render on positive thoughts, it will attract us to give us good health, healthy financial background, and love all around.

As I did last year, I will reflect on my own successes/doings this year:

Walked graduation during Spring semester (last semester of coursework) with a cummulative CSUF 3.45 GPA
Successfully finished two internships (county of Orange & American Heart Association) & one graduate class (Geographic Information Systems for Public Health)
Attended my first American Public Health Association conference (APHA)
Went on a 3-day cruise to Mexico with Jose
Went to Illinois for work/my 29th bday with Jose
Continued to volunteer with CSP, Inc as Sexual Assault Counselor & voting volunteer with Orange County Asian & Pacific Islander Community Alliance during the election

As I ruminate in my own accomplishments, I am thankful for all that I have been blessed with. The opportunities, my family & friends, the everyday people that I come across to, and the inspiration I find in life.

Living with Inupiaq Eskimo's- Could I handle it?

2008-12-27T11:01:00.000-08:00

So I stumbled upon this website as I was researching for occupational environment injuries & found it interesting. It made me question my own survival skills if I were to live in the ice with the Inupiaq Eskimo's. What a facinating group of people!

Luminous Landscape Forum _ Landscape & Nature Photography _ Home Sweet Home @ 50 below zero

http://luminous-landscape.com/forum/index.php?act=Print&client=printer&f=1&t=18236

I hope you find this site as I interesting as I did!

The Truth About Gratitude (from the Secret)

2008-12-22T15:27:00.000-08:00

A Secret Scrolls message from Rhonda Byrne- Creator of The Secret

The greatest thief of human happiness and abundance is ungratefulness. Any lack in our lives - whether in money, health, or relationships - is simply the evidence of a lack of gratitude. If you focus on lack you are not being grateful, and that will bring more lack into your life. Yet the simple state of radiating gratitude summons everything to you.

No matter who you are or where you are, you can change your life with gratitude, but you must feel it with your whole heart and radiate it from every cell. Gratitude is not a mental exercise, and in fact, if you simply use your mind for gratitude it will have little or no power. True gratitude comes from your heart! You must think gratitude through your heart, speak gratitude through your heart, and feel it intensely in your heart.

Then practice gratitude relentlessly. As you practice gratitude you will attract more thoughts and feelings of gratitude. In a short time your entire being will be saturated with it, and you will experience a happiness that is beyond what you can imagine. This is what is ahead for you when you choose gratitude as your way of life. And if you can really live in this highest state of gratitude, you will never have to ask for anything. Everything you want will be given to you before you even ask, because gratitude is the magnetic substance that opens every single door in the Universe.

"Thank you" in as many ways as you can.
-Write a list of all the people and events you want to give thanks for.
-Return thanks today to those who have done things for you.
-As you walk say "Thank you" in your mind with each step you take.
-As you drive, make each time you stop your cue to say "Thank you."
-At various times in the day, think and feel "Thank you" inside you seven times in a row.
-Look for every opportunity to say "Thank you" to other people, and say it with so much meaning that the person looks right at you.

Thank you" - two words, inconceivable potential power, and all they need is you to put the power into them by expressing them.

Halloween 2008

2008-11-07T16:19:00.001-08:00

This year, Jose & I went to West Halloweird to partake in an annual festivities of costume sharing, partying, and laughing. It was a fun experience and all the better made it convenient since Halloween was on Friday. Jose was Luchadore & I was Darth Vaderess (yes, I said it people...hehe). I purchased my Darth Vader children's mask two years ago for $0.99 & agreed to myself I'd finally use it. My costume was actually a pain-in-the-behind, the mask- well, I couldnt see properly (the eyeholes should have been cut). Additionally, I purchased a wig but because it was very long, it kept going everywhere...so long, it attached itself to my camera! We met up briefly with my cousin & his boyfriend.

The following day, we went to meet up with Kay who's friend was throwing a costume party. I revised my costume, no longer wearing the mask, rather attaching it to my cape. Let me tell you, much comfortable...

Article: Brain Drain: In Rural Philippines, a Dearth of Doctors

2008-11-07T16:02:00.000-08:00

Washington Post, Sept 20, 2008

In Rural Philippines, a Dearth of DoctorsThousands of Physicians, Retrained as Nurses, Take Jobs Abroad

By Blaine HardenWashington Post Foreign ServiceSaturday, September 20, 2008

ANAHAWAN, Philippines -- The government hospital here is supposed to have seven doctors on staff. But five of them have left the country. They became nurses and are working in the United States. Their departure is part of a health-care brain drain that is strangling rural hospitals across the Philippines. Health services are declining, and the proportion of Filipinos dying without medical attention has risen to 70 percent -- a figure not seen in this country since the mid-1970s.

The Philippines has long been the world's biggest exporter of nurses, sending more than 164,000 of them abroad in recent decades. But since 2000, at least 11,000 Filipino doctors have decided to retrain as nurses and join the exodus. More than 6,000 doctors-turned-nurses have left the country, and about 5,000 more are soon to go, according to the Philippine Medical Association.

They do it for the money. In the United States, a nurse can make 10 times the $4,700 annual salary of a government doctor in this seaside town on the Philippine island of Leyte. But what about the patients left behind and the doctors who stay in the boondocks to care for them? At the hospital here, two physicians now serve a regional population of 110,000. To cover for the five doctors who left, they alternate solo shifts. Each works five consecutive 24-hour days, sleeping when and if the workload allows. (Doctors in government hospitals are not supposed to be on duty more than 48 straight hours.)

On a recent Friday morning, four days into his shift, Ernesto J. Cahoy, a physician who is also the hospital's chief of staff, made his daily rounds. The hospital's electricity supply had failed two days earlier, and a standby generator was broken.

Moving through the darkened corridors, Cahoy attended to the needs of 35 patients. He squinted to read their charts in hot, ill-lighted wards where children fussed and adults silently followed him with their eyes.
One very sick man had been admitted the previous afternoon. He appeared to be in his 60s and was severely malnourished. He died while Cahoy was examining him. The doctor did not know the cause of death, nor did he have time to think about it. He closed the man's chart, handed it to a nurse and moved on. Thirteen children required his attention in the pediatric ward. "We are trying to have a quality service here," Cahoy said. "But even if we try, considering there are only two doctors, the patients will be affected. You are bound to have some lapses in your treatment because you are really tired."

The weakening of health care in the Philippines is an unintended consequence of a decades-old government policy that vacuums professional talent out of the country. Since the early 1970s, when the government of President Ferdinand Marcos passed labor export legislation, Filipinos have been encouraged to go overseas, work as hard as they can and send money home. "The government says they are heroes and patriots when they leave," Cahoy said. In many ways, the mass export of humanity has succeeded. To a greater degree than any other country, the Philippines powers its economy with remittances, according to economists at the University of the Philippines. Filipinos working abroad sent home $12.8 billion in 2006, accounting for slightly more than 10 percent of the country's gross national product.

Since 2000, remittances have played a substantial role in reviving the Philippine economy, which last year grew at a robust rate of 7.2 percent. Growth, though, has dovetailed with nearly a decade of shrinking government spending on health care. At the same time, the government has done nothing to regulate the departure of doctors and other health-care professionals.

A bill introduced in the late 1990s to require all graduates of medical courses to serve two years in rural health-care centers died without debate. Last year, a similar bill to require service from graduates of government-funded medical courses also went nowhere. "We are the only country in Southeast Asia without a national health service requirement," said Jaime Z. Galvez Tan, a physician and professor at the University of the Philippines College of Medicine, widely regarded as the country's best medical school. Galvez Tan has helped persuade his publicly funded medical school, beginning with the class that enrolls next year, to require three years of postgraduate work in the Philippines. It is the country's only medical or nursing school, public or private, to impose such a requirement.

The Philippines does not yet have a shortage of doctors, just a shortage of them in poor rural areas, according to Rey Melchor F. Santos, a physician who is president of the Philippine Medical Association.
"Most of the rural hospitals do not have enough doctors," he said. "We know there are rural hospitals that are no longer operating because they have no medical manpower."

Across the country, more and more nursing schools are busy turning doctors into nurses. With poorly paid government doctors as their primary source of students, these schools are part of an astonishing spike in nursing education in the Philippines. In less than a decade, the number of nursing schools has almost tripled, from 170 in 1999 to at least 470 now.

As nursing schools boom, medical schools wither, in part because it is much harder for a Philippine-trained doctor to pass medical board exams in a foreign country than for a Filipino nurse to be certified abroad.
Santos said that the global demand for nurses, combined with the convenient availability of nursing schools throughout the Philippine islands, has triggered a 40 to 50 percent drop in the number of students enrolling in medical schools in the past four years. "The view of greener pastures is making them go directly into nursing," he said. "I guess they are thinking that they might as well go into nursing for a four-year course and skip the nine years of medical training. If this trend continues, then it is going to produce a shortage of doctors in a few years."

The medical association and other physicians' groups here are trying to get foreign governments to acknowledge the adverse consequences of the global job market on the health of poor Filipinos. They want foreign countries to compensate the Philippines for the cost of medical training and for the socioeconomic impact of the brain drain.

"We would like to hold accountable the governments who have imported our people," Galvez Tan said. "Let there be ethical recruitment. They should pay enough to educate three medical professionals here for every one they take away." Galvez Tan said he has received a sympathetic hearing from government officials in Finland and Canada, but not from the United States.

Asked about the medical brain drain, the American ambassador to the Philippines, Kristie A. Kenney, said that she has "never heard it discussed" and that she doubted the United States could "afford" such compensation. Here at Anahawan District Hospital, Cahoy said he sees nothing that can be done to keep doctors on staff. He accommodated the five doctors who retrained as nurses, arranging their work schedules so they could attend nursing school on the nearby island of Cebu.

Cahoy, 57, said he has never seriously thought of becoming a nurse and leaving the country, although his sister, who lives in New Jersey, has told him he should. The government has invested a lot of time and money in his training, which has included postdoctoral courses in surgery, orthopedics, obstetrics and X-ray examination, he said. "I have to stay," he said. "I owe it to the government." But Cahoy intends to work here for only three more years. "At the age of 60, I will have to retire," he said. "I am really tired."

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/19/AR2008091903678_pf.html

Trip to Illinois- August trip

2008-08-19T17:13:00.001-07:00

When: Aug.11.2008-Aug.17.2008
Reason: Risk Control Workshop in Itasca; 29th Birthday; Never traveled to Chicago; Visiting Jose's relatives; V-A-C-A-T-I-O-N

Highlights of the trip (in no particular order):
-Boat tour on Lake Michigan (inc. watching jets practice for the weekend air show)
-Watching Cirque Shanghai
-Millenium Park
-Hanging out with the kids
-Food!, including Jose's notorious German pancake from Walker Bros.
-Lunch on 95th floor of the John Hancock building & observatory
-Food, prepared by Jose's relatives
-Church mass in downtown
-A taste of the Dead Sea (Jose's uncle brought a bottle back; words cannot express how salty it is)
-so many more...

July was tough...

2008-07-19T17:57:00.000-07:00

Emotionally-draining, emotionally stressing
The pain that has murmured over all these years
The tears that will not stop caressing my face
Sour endless taste
Personal despair
For I continue to fear
Rut
Like a one-cockeyed, three-headed rut
Multiplied by migraine, after migraine
Neverending ringing of soul-bashing
Character-hurting
Playing the victim

We all need to heal
I NEED to heal
For I cannot continue to bear this pain
I pray that God continues to comfort me in His arms
For without Him, I am Nothing.

...Upsetting

2008-06-27T17:02:00.000-07:00

A lot of times, I feel that I have to be put on this tough guy, tough girl persona but in the end, I'm just like you and me. Sometimes I have to breakdown in order to get back up.

This week I found myself very angry at some of my colleagues simply because of their selfish habits. I was very fired up by this. As a result I took action "the incorrect way". Someone gave me constructive criticism today; It helped me to understand that sometimes being too nice or being too angry will not work, simply because people are stubborn, hard-headed individuals.

I am an advocate for so many things; In several ways, I feel this is a good trait to have because I strive to take action; I strive to take action to what I feel is right or necessary. I advocate for people, for things, to correct wrongdoings into right. I have the passion. I have the energy. Unfortunately, it can be a double edged sword because every time I put deep amounts of energy bursts, I am also stressing my internal body.

This week has been that week. I felt weak. I felt achy. I felt sore. Headaches.

1 Corinthians 13

2008-06-06T09:43:00.000-07:00

1 Corinthians 13

I may speak in the languages of humans and of angels. But if I don't have love, I am a loud gong or a clashing cymbal. I may have the gift to speak what God has revealed, and I may understand all mysteries and have all knowledge. I may even have enough faith to move mountains. But if I don't have love, I am nothing. I may even give away all that I have and give up my body to be burned. But if I don't have love, none of these things will help me.

Love is patient. Love is kind. Love isn't jealous. It doesn't sing its own praises. It isn't arrogant. It isn't rude. It doesn't think about itself. It isn't irritable. It doesn't keep track of wrongs. It isn't happy when injustice is done, but it is happy with the truth. Love never stops being patient, never stops believing, never stops hoping, never gives up.

Love never comes to an end. There is the gift of speaking what God has revealed, but it will no longer be used. There is the gift of speaking in other languages, but it will stop by itself. There is the gift of knowledge, but it will no longer be used. Our knowledge is incomplete and our ability to speak what God has revealed is incomplete. But when what is complete comes, then what is incomplete will no longer be used. When I was a child, I spoke like a child, thought like a child, and reasoned like a child. When I became an adult, I no longer used childish ways. Now we see a blurred image in a mirror. Then we will see very clearly. Now my knowledge is incomplete. Then I will have complete knowledge as God has complete knowledge of me.

So these three things remain: faith, hope, and love. But the best one of these is love.

Graduation Photographs- Sun, 5/18/08

2008-05-18T14:14:00.000-07:00

I AM SELFISH

2008-05-14T23:18:00.000-07:00

"I AM SELFISH" by MZ

I am a selfish prick
Somebody fuckn throw me a brick
At me
So I'll be hit
Start bleeding
On my upper & lower cracked lip
Next to the tip of my wide round ass
So I'll land on the green covered-with-shit grass
Next to my brass covered, one diamond ring
Someone can you bring?
Some big or small thing
That will console me from this pain
When it feels like thunderstorm, hail & rain
When it's always pouring
Touring
Looking for consolement
Will stop myself hidden from concealment

Some one can you help me?
Tear these metal mental chains so I'll be free
So I will no longer be
in this pain.
Help me....
Can you see?
Are you blind?
All I want is to be is
free
free
free

I want is to sit back, breathe, relax
No, I don't want to take any LAXative
I want to live happily
joyously
And believe
God is with me
I am protected
I hope I will never experience being rejected
That's inevitable cause it’s life
Hold me tight
So I can't take any flight elsewhere
From this pain of remorse
Help me to heal from this mental pain
So I will no longer be a selfish prick.

Mothers Day 2008

2008-05-11T13:01:00.000-07:00

I am thankful for my Mother. I am a part of Her. She is Amazing. She is Beautiful. She is Multi-talented. She is an Inspiration. She is Courageous. She is Driven. She is Smart. She is Noteworthy. She is one of God's children. I feel privileged to say I am her Daughter. (Lunch @ The Octopus, Brea)

Graduating Poem

2008-05-09T19:00:00.000-07:00

Announced Friday, May 9 at the 9th Annual Filipino American Graduation Celebration

Annihilate the negativity
Exhibit positive productivity
I strive to be the best that I can be
Perhaps one day be the next extraordinary
Revolutionary

You see everyone,
I relocated back to my hometown of LA,
After living in the Northern California East Bay,
Ultimate reason,
Being,
In order to go back to school,
To expand my lifelong tool,
Of education,
Growth & inner activation,
Inspiration,
Self-renovation,
It’s taken me 3 long arduous, stressful years,
Self-driven, a multi-tasking mogul of several responsibilities ,
So that I can complete my Bachelors Health Science degree,
And begin to create interventions for several communities.

My gratitude extends to God, my creator above ,
Who gives me His unending Love,
from my dear supportive family, my parents Linda, Victor, and brother, Jepoy
Oh boy,
Be aware
There's my boyfriend, Jose,
what can i say? He's great.
My cousins, Val, Larry, JP who's been w/ me through my personal history.
So has my friends, Thomas & Kay.
Who's laid.
Beside me through laughter & tears.
…These people are the instruments in my life.

Plant the seed and push for peace, because we are one global Filipino family!

Health Science Symposium

2008-04-28T22:36:00.000-07:00

Tuesday, April 28 was the Health Science Symposium at California State University, Fullerton. The symposium is a celebration of graduate and undergraduate students. MPH graduates also have the opportunity to display their research poster presentations. Eta Sigma Gamma, the Health Science Honorary Society also gives awards to students & faculty. I was fortunate to receive the Distinguished Service Award. My immediate family, cousin & boyfriend were all present.

SF Trip- 50th Wedding Anniversary

2008-04-26T13:31:00.000-07:00

Val's Bday

2008-03-08T15:17:00.000-08:00

My dear cousin, Val turns 24 yrs old on Valentine's Day

The Revolutionary Artwork of Emory Douglas (70's)

2008-02-19T21:43:00.000-08:00

This exhibit traces the searing graphic art made by Emory Douglas (b. 1943) while he worked as Minister of Culture for the Black Panther Party from 1967 until its discontinuation in the early 1980s.

Kid Koala/DJ Shadow/Cut Chemist

2008-02-15T00:07:00.000-08:00

Friday, February 15 at The Wiltern, Los Angeles

Valentine's Day

2008-02-14T19:33:00.000-08:00

Steamers Jazz Cafe in downtown Fullerton

Feeling blah...

2008-02-10T15:44:00.000-08:00

Perhaps it's because I'm supposed to start menstruating this week; Maybe because I'm feeling overwhelmed by the tragedies of life; Maybe because I feel exhausted just thinking of what I should be doing now; Maybe it's because I'm disgusted by the minimal responsibility people don't do (or help) other people; Maybe it's because I'm horrified over the world's atrocities; Slowly, it's eating me up inside

I finally checked out the Fullerton Arboretum, located at Cal State Fullerton. Relaxing, tranquil; it helped me gather my thoughts and rejuvenate my energy. And yes, sometimes crying is necessary, a coping method we all need...at least from time to time. Still feeling damper, fortunately I feel slightly better.

This week is the 2nd week of Lent; Additionally, it is Val's 24th bday in combination with St.Valentine's Day. I can only hope it will be a better week....

Dear Lord, please help me in my personal battles; Dear Lord, please help the world and all the people and things in it; Please enlighten us all to help us choose better decisions in our lives; Accepting those that we cannot change and a bigger H O P E we can look forward to.

Thankful for...

2008-01-31T13:51:00.000-08:00

my boyfriend.

my coworkers.

my health & energy.

Accomplishments- 2007

2007-12-28T15:48:00.000-08:00

Reflecting the last 12 months, I feel that we should remind ourselves of the minor or major accomplishments we've done. Personally, I can safely admit I'm happy God bestowed me the following accomplishments:

- Los Angeles Marathon, 3/5/07 - Accomplishing my personal goal of running under 6 hrs
- La Jolla 1/2 Marathon, 4/07- Accomplishing another personal goal of running 2 1/2 hrs
- Mending through the hurt of a broken relationship/being stronger from it, 3/07
- Surpassing the summer semester- 2 classes and working full-time (This was definitely not an easy task; First time I was about to crack; Anatomy/Physiology was not good for my health)
- Traveled to Dominican Republic- summer- 2 weeks of construction & running a summer children's program
- Finally took a swimming class- Just need to Practice, Practice, Practice!

Places traveled:
- Las Vegas, NV (Jan, Feb, Apr)
- Orlando, FL (Feb)
- San Francisco/Bay area (Jul)
- Dominican Republic (Jul-Aug)
- El Hongo, Mexico (Nov)

Volunteered:
- National Homeless Count (made my face in the OC Times)- Jan
- Human Trafficking Conference- Feb
- Fibromyalgia Conference- May
- Dominican Republic- Summer
- Midnight Mission Homeless Shelter- Sept
- Fibromyalgia study- Oct
- Flying Samaritan clinic- Nov
- Planned Parenthood- Dec

This year has had its rises & downfalls. My grandmother passed away in June; I was with someone who broke up with me; I was sick numerous times (Primarily due to stress & trying to juggle multiple tasks simultaneously.) But despite it all, it's been a blessed year. Thanks to the High Almighty, I've overcome personal challenges successfully. I maintained A's & B's in all my classes for Fall 07 (This is self-noteworthy as I was taking 15 units). I'm also looking forward to receiving my undergrad degree in Spring (finally!) & entering (trying to) the Masters program in Public Health Fall 08. To close 2007, the icing on my cake was meeting someone who I simply fancy.

That said, I wish you a joyous 2007 & a blessed upcoming 2008. May Peace & Serenity endure & capture you.

December 2007 events

2007-12-27T22:49:00.000-08:00

Birthday parties, holiday parties, Christmas parties, families and friends all around and so much more!

We are alive in Los Angeles!

2007-12-16T16:28:00.001-08:00

Live music makes me happy.

Gratitute & Thanksgiving

2007-11-21T12:13:00.000-08:00

THANK YOU- By Rhonda Byrne
Gratitude is one of the easiest and most powerful ways to transform your life. If you become truly grateful, you will magnetize absolute joy to you everywhere you go, and in everything you do. In fact, without gratitude, nothing can ever change. Your life will change to the degree that you use gratitude and begin to feel grateful. If you are just a little bit grateful, your life will change a little bit. If you are very grateful, your whole life will change. If you live gratitude every single day, you will become one of the greatest human beings on the planet, and the light of your life will uplift our world.

The greatest human beings who have ever lived showed us the way with gratitude, and by their example became shining lights in our history. Einstein said "thank you" hundreds of times every single day! Ancient wisdom dating back thousands of years gave us the truth about gratitude. Every single religion speaks of giving thanks. All the sages and saviors of the world demonstrated the use of gratitude in all their teachings.

It is impossible to be negative when you are giving thanks. It is impossible to criticize or blame when you are feeling grateful. It is impossible to feel sad when you are in gratitude. Most people are sporadically grateful, however, to change your life with gratitude, a new way of learning how to be truly grateful is what will bring unlimited happiness into your life.

So how do you live in gratitude? Begin your day by feeling grateful. Be grateful for the bed you just slept in, the roof over your head, the carpet or floor under your feet, the running water, the soap, your shower, your toothbrush, your clothes, your shoes, the car that you drive, your job, your friends, your refrigerator that keeps your food cold. Be grateful for the weather, the sun, the sky, the birds, the trees, the grass, the rain, and the flowers. Be grateful for the stores that make it so easy to buy the things you need, the restaurants, the utilities and services and electrical appliances that make your life effortless.

Be grateful for magazines and the books that you read. Be grateful for the chair that you sit on, and the pavement that you walk on. Be grateful for your favorite music that sweeps you away, and for movies that make you feel good. Be grateful for your phone that connects you with people, for your computer, for the electricity that lights up your life. Be grateful for air travel that flies you everywhere. Be grateful for the roads and traffic lights that keep the traffic in order.

Be grateful to those who built our bridges. Be grateful for your pet, for your child, for your loved ones, for your eyes that enable you to read this. Be grateful for your imagination. Be grateful that you can think! Be grateful that you can speak. Be grateful that you can laugh and smile. Be grateful that you can breathe! Be grateful that you are alive! Be grateful that you are You! Be grateful that there are two words that can change your life!

"Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!"

The more that you practice gratitude the more deeply you will feel it in your heart, and the depth of the feeling is the key. The more deeply and sincerely you feel it, the more you will bring absolute bliss and happiness on every single subject. Watch what happens in your life when you practice gratitude every single day and in every single moment and in every opportunity that you can.

Remember, if you are criticizing, you are not being grateful. If you are blaming, you are not being grateful. If you are complaining, you are not being grateful. If you are feeling tension, you are not being grateful. If you are rushing, you are not being grateful. If you are in a bad mood, you are not being grateful.

To understand the power and the magic of gratitude, you have to experience it for yourself. So why not begin by deciding to find 100 things a day to be grateful for? As you practice gratitude every day, it won't take long before gratitude is your natural state of being, and when it happens you will have unlocked one of the greatest Secrets to Life.

I'm thankful for my family, my friends, my many opportunties, my creativity, the love that surrounds me, and the time here on Earth. God Bless all & Happy Thanksgiving. May all of you be thankful for all that you have...- Michelle

El Hongo, Mexico

2007-11-20T12:46:00.001-08:00

"The Flying Samaritans: group of professionals from many different walks of life interested in helping bring healthcare to people in Mexico. We are physicians, nurses, dentists, pilots, translators and many other people. We are a non-sectarian organization and our bylaws clearly establish that our purpose is to offer medical assistance and education to the people in rural areas of Mexico."

As part of the Flying Samaritan organization, last Saturday, November 17 was my first experience in El Hongo. Elizabeth was our driver, a USC graduate who longs to be a doctor. Alongside riders included Lorisa and Raquel, CSF- Health Science students as well. Departing at 6:30am from Cal State Fullerton we finally arrived in El Hongo just about 12:30pm.

We set up shop. I assisted with Phillip, an RN from St.Mary's Hospital (Long Beach). He showed me how to take vitals. Needless to say, I only assisted with temperature. I was intimidated to do anything else. I also shadowed a doctor (forgot his name) for a few minutes and played with two adorable girls.

There were close to 30 people. I met several people from UC Riverside and from other medical facilities. It was a terrific experience. People had loads of enthusiasm, energy, and came from various walks of life. Here are just a few pictures of people. Unfortunately we didn't take a group picture. The group comprised of several people- men, women, young as early in their 20's to true professionals who's had years of experience.

today is a new day..

2007-11-05T06:24:00.000-08:00

Good morning indeed! Today is a new day; a new week; a renewal if you will. Consider this quote: "With God's help, you can turn judgement into compassion. You can turn hate into forgiveness. And you need to forgive yourself, too."- anonymous. As I ponder this statement, I'm thinking of the times that I need to forgive myself. Usually, we tend to be the biggest critic, being hardest on ourselves than anybody else. What I need to remember: I need to be compassionate to myself. They say, you must love yourself first before you can love anybody else. That said, love yourself- Appreciate the moments of introspection & be thankful for being you! Happy Monday!

feeling overwhelmed

2007-11-04T17:02:00.000-08:00

i'm overwhelmed; exhausted; tired; partly confused; I'm taking 15 units right now, I work 32 hrs/week, I have one semester left; I have 1 month/1 week to go before this semester ends; I have two papers to finish before next week- one of them is a huge research paper; I have a C in Chronic Disease Epidemiology; I'm trying to graduate with a 3.4 CSF gpa; I need to start grad school application process; Holidays are around the bend; Taxes is around the corner; I haven't' purchased gifts for the belated birthdays during summer; I haven't been consistent with an exercise program; I'm planning to run the LA Marathon in March; Wondering when will I ever be able to swim; My dad's negativity filtered throughout the weekend; My family is not eating healthy; I'm scared for them; I'm scared for myself; I'm afraid I'm going to catch a cold- with having a low immunity; I feel overweight, lethargic, and unsexy; I have a feeling I failed the EWP again...the list continues

...a state of exhaustion...a feeling of no control...thoughts are all over the place...priorities need to be reassessed..internally stressed & fearful of time

what it boils down to... I simply need emotional support...I need school support...I need encouragement and bursts of motivation

God has bestowed me with several kinds of opportunities each minute, each hour, each day, each year. As soon as we wake up, we're bestowed with the awareness that we're alive. We're bestowed the simple fact that we continue to live another day. As I'm writing a paper on Fibromyalgia, I'm saddened for all those who live with it. It's such an undiagnosed disease yet the majority of people (including medical doctors) have no idea what the hell it is. For those that care, it's a chronic, nonarticular pain syndrome defined by widespread muculosketal PAIN & tenderness. Common symptoms other than CONTINUED EXTREME PAIN include sleep disturbances, fatigue, headache, stiffness, anxiety, etc. Imagine living with extreme pain 24-hr/day. Imagine the symptoms of being pregnant? There is still lack of causality- possibly genetic? environmental? Nobody is quite sure. It can happen to anybody...

That said, make sure to treasure each moment. Tell your love ones you love them. Surprise a random stranger with a gift. Give time to volunteer. Love your people- Essentially we're all one body. We were put on this earth because we have a function. What's our life's mission? We might never know & that's okay. God takes care of us. Leave your worries and problems to him. He'll take care of us and always has. Sometimes we have to go through rough times to realize our true potential. Sometimes we hit stumbling blocks to reevaluate our personal goals. As each experience passes, inner strength is tested-- spirtually, mentally, emotionally, socially, physically... I may complain & whine but now that's said and done in my first paragraph, let's live life to the fullest: carpe diem! Blessings to you and yours... May it be a beautiful week for all of us.

Halloween 2007

2007-10-27T16:22:00.000-07:00

Ex-coworker, Rachel and Erica invited me to their new place in Los Feliz. They recently relocated from the Bay area (originally from TX). We celebrated Halloween on Sat, Oct 27. My friend, Jose & I were a bit late but nevertheless, it was refreshing to see them!

Jason & Joy's Bay Area Wedding

2007-07-18T19:37:00.000-07:00

The newlyweds- Mr. & Mrs. Jason & Joy Villaverde

From being Noi's roomate to Jason's.... good times..

...i miss the Bay area

...the activities

...the people

...the adventures

Notorious as he is, Jason always throws the funnest parties. It was to no surprise that his wedding was also a memory of its own. Encompassing a room of almost 500 people, both Joy & Jason managed to hold a gripload of closest people into one big ballroom of fun.

Thanks Jason & Joy! I hope you guys are having fun in Italy! "Ciao bella!"

Stoked with Google!

2007-06-21T20:54:00.000-07:00

Wow, who would have thought all the services that this services comes with? It's awesome! I'm sure Google has had this for quite sometime now; Nonetheless, I think it's cool...

Peace out

MZ Goals - First Part Of The Year

2007-01-19T07:02:00.000-08:00

MZ Goals - First Part Of The Year (JAN.19.07)
Current mood: content, Category: Life
To keep myself sane, Before 1/2 year, I must: - learn how to SWIM- do another athletic event (ie. mudrun, marathon, cycling, etc.)- learn how to SWIM- go to the Griffith Observatory- go to at LEAST two museums- LEARN HOW TO SWIM ....to be continued
Currently Listening : Wincing the Night Away By The Shins Release date: By 23 January, 2007