The Man Who Had Everything

In this text Mark does an excellent job of acquainting us with the dangers of wealth concerning Gods Kingdom even though there are several instances concerning wealth throughout the bible (e.g. Deuteronomy 8:18, Psalm 49:6, Proverbs 13:11, 1 Corinthians 10:24). However, if you explore deeper youll discover that wealth is representative of any vice that prevents us from a closer walk with God. Carpenter & McCown (1992) asserted To enter the kingdom one must die to self-autonomy and self-security (p. 865). Wealth in and of itself is not inherently dangerous but rather the strain that it put on our relationship with God. Leaders must constantly remind followers that there is something greater than ourselves.

The Quest for life

And when he was gone forth into the way, there came one running, and kneeled to him, and asked him, Good Master, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?

-Mark 10:17

This mans enthusiasm was readily apparent by his running. He had everything but eternal life but did not know how to obtain it. And his desire to enter into the kingdom of God was manifested in his inquiry for eternal life. What shall I do He asked as if it was something that is earned through a deed that must be accomplished. As if to say tell me what you did to obtain eternal life so that I can do it to. Eternal life equates to entering the kingdom of God. how hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God. (Mark 10:23).

Its also clear that the man respected Jesus which is evident by his kneeling. But his use of the adjective Good when addressing Jesus as Good Master also sheds light on this mans understanding of Gods kingdom. In other cases in the bible only God is referred to as being good (i. e. Psalm 38:8, Psalm 73:1). Master was a term applied to men of high standing such as a priest, scholar, or teacher. Master alone would have been sufficient enough for this man to demonstrate the his surrender to the wisdom of Jesus. This man viewed Jesus as legendary and someone who achieved this status on his own. But this descriptive word Good implied that it was possible for the man, who considered himself a good man, to be like Jesus or in essence like God.

And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? There is none good but one, that is, God.

-Mark 10:18

In this verse, Jesus corrects the man without rebuking him and reminds him that only God is good. Jesus was not denying his own divinity but rather reminding the man that he must not appeal to the humaness in Him but rather to God. Funk & Hoover (1993) suggested that this was Jesuss attempt to refocus attention on God, rather than on himself, as generally in line with Jesus disposition. (p. 91). Jesus may have been merely rejecting a compliment to prevent envy or maybe he wanted the man to understand that only God is good and this is not something that he could achieve. He was forcing the man to recognize that his only hope was in reliance on God alone and that eternal life was a gift from God.

Every manager has had a new protg that was eager and motivated to learn all that she could so that she could in turn contribute to the organization. Her motivation may be to win a promotion or the opportunity to breathe life into an organization. As a mentor, if you help mentees create a satisfying new vision for their life or work, mentees will do most of what is necessary to bring the vision to reality. (Shea, 2002, p. 44). Many people can visualize the goal to be obtained which in turn becomes their driving factor. However, many people get stuck in a rut or are unable to visualize the goal.

These emotions are often combined with thoughts or feelings such as disappointment, embarrassment, or dissatisfaction. Shea (2002) argued The capacity to detect the emotions and feelings of others and to respond appropriately is a critical art of mentoring. Overlooking the feelings that motivate people can limit a mentors effectiveness because feelings inspire people to get things done. Jesus recognized the mans passion for eternal life and therefore chose to handle the situation with caring.

Not Just Hearers of the Law

Thou knowest the commandments, Do not commit adultry, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Defraud not, Honour thy father and mother. 20And he answered and said unto him, Master, all these have I obsewrved from my youth.
-Mark 10:19-20

Here, Jesus mentions all six commandments that prohibit wrong doing against another person (i.e. Exodus 20:12-16). The prohibition of fraud is representative of the tenth commandment against covetousness. To covet is to desire something with evil motivation. To defraud is to cheat, deceive, or beguile someone which is ignited by evil motivation. To break Gods commandments inwardly is equivalent to breaking them outwardly. Jesus was merely testing the man with the recital of the commandments. Funk and Hoover (1993) indicated that every Judean or Christian should know these commandments and that Jesus rehearsal of them was scarcely a distinctive statement. (p. 91). Being wealthy, one would expect that it would be easy for this man to follow the commandments known to everyone. The difficulty for this man was understanding that the kingdom of God is a gift that must be received after all obstacles have been removed.

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

-Mark 10:21

In recognizing the mans enthusiasm, as any good mentor would do, Jesus did not shame the man by exposing is failure to grasp the spirtual depth of the kingdom of God. The mans problem was his wealth which prevented him from his spiritual walk with God. There is no indication that the command to sell all of his possesions was meant for all Christians but rahter it was the obstacle that prevented this particular man from trusting Jesus. This man needed to remove this vice from his life but the treasure of salvation is not something that can be earned by simply giving up your material goods but is also received by following Jesus; take up the cross, and follow me. Carpenter and McCown (1993) maintained that the mans great wealth is developed as a symbol of the problem of faith. (p. 865). The mans riches was his vice and he needed to remove it before he could enter the kingdom of God.

Leaders guide protgs in shifting their context to envision worthy goals and move toward their fulfillment. When a leader sees a circumstance in a larger, more meaningful context and is willing to explain it, that leader is in fact creating the context, calling everyones attention to the idea that the context is greater than what first appears. (Pearce, 2003, p. 94). When followers have an understanding of what the organizational context is and are able to put it into perspective, change is inevitable. When others havent considered the context that the leadership has considered; they must be properly informed so that they can make sense of it.
Vices & Wealth: Accumulation of Non-necessities

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

-Mark 10:22

The tragic decision to turn away reflected this mans greater love for his wealth than his desire for eternal life. Wealth refers whatever spiritual problem or vice Christians happen to be facing. Vice is the opposite of virtue. In this sense, the word vice comes from the Latin word vitium, meaning failing or defect. One way of organising the vices is as the corruption of the virtues. A virtue can be corrupted by nonuse, misuse, or overuse. Thus the cardinal vices would be lust (nonuse of temperance), cowardice (nonuse of courage), folly (misuse of a virtue, opposite of wisdom), and venality (nonuse of justice).

For people to listen to others without filters of fear or suspicion, trust is the fundamental requisite. If leaders want followers to take up the organizational banner and follow them, then they must build trust and commitment. Followers will give their hearts and souls to authority figures who say, You really matter, no matter how small the followers contributions may be. (Goffee and Jones, 2001, p. 171). The man had excellent credentials and moral character and he was expecting Jesus to compliment him for his diligence and hard work. The key for todays leaders is to offer constructive criticism in the form of positive feedback as evident in Jesus comment in Mark 10:21, One thing thou lackest, or in other words the only thing you lack. followership implies commitment, but never without conditions. The follower wants the leader to create feelings of significance, community, and excitement. When leaders herald the significance of an individuals work, they are rewarded with loyalty, even obedience. And after all that Jesus had said to encourage and engage this enthusiastic man, he still refused to let go of that which constrained him.

A Kingdom At Hand

Marks Gospel describe Jesus as proclaiming the Kingdom as something that was at hand, and about to break out at present, and not merely a future reality (see Mark 1:15). This might provide another reason why the man was running in Mark 10:17. He knew that the kingdom was at hand and wanted to reserve his seat. Mark clearly illustrates the care Jesus takes in addressing this man. Its obvious that the man is sincere in his quest for eternal life.

Finally, all that we do as leaders must be done out of love for the whole person. It is who we are and our interactions with others that will resonate throughout the organization. Jesus response to this man was prompted by Love Then Jesus beholding him [the rich young man] loved him (Mark 10:21). Mark is the only one who tells us this, as though to show that without love service is barren. (Pink, 1921, p. 34).

References

Carpenter, Eugene and McCown, Wayne (1992). Asbury Bible Commentary. Grand Rapids, Michgan. The Zondervan Corporation.

Funk, Robert W. and Hoover, Roy W. (1993). The Five Gospels. The Search for the Authentic Words of Jesus. New York, NY. Polebridge Press.

Holy Bible (1985). King James Version Study Bible. Grand Rapids, Michgan. The Zondervan Corporation.

Pearce, Terry. (2003). Leading Out Loud : Inspiring Change Through Authentic Communication. San Francisco John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Pink, Arthur W. (1921). Why Four Gospels. Grand Rapids, Mich. Christian Classics Ethereal Library.

Shea, Gordon F. (2002). Mentoring: How to Develop Successful Mentor Behaviors. Menlo Park, California. Course PTR.

Goffee, Robert and Jones, Gareth. (2001) Followership: Its Personal, Too. Boston, Mass. Harvard Business Review On Breakthrough Leadership: Harvard Business School Press.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Lieutenant Kenneth Rice is an Active Duty Naval Officer stationed in Norfolk VA. Lieutenant Rice is a graduate of Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Virginia where he received a Masters of Science in Educational Leadership and an Education & Training Management Subspecialty. He is currently enrolled in the Naval War College completing the Joint Professional Military Education Phase I and at Regent University working towards a Doctorate in Strategic Leadership.

Stair Treads - Stair Building

If you've built as many stairways as I have, this is a very simple question to answer. Should I use 2 x 12 or 3 x 12 for my stair treads? Without a doubt I would use the 3 x 12 for a couple of reasons.

The thickness of the three by material gives it some additional strength and that strength could prevent someone from falling through the stairway and getting injured. Visually looking at the 3 x 12 it gives you the illusion that the stairway is safe. Once you start walking up the stairway and the stairs seem solid and well constructed, it takes the illusion and makes it a reality.

If you're walking up a poorly constructed stairway every day, not only is it a safety problem but it takes a little bit of effort as you walk up the stairway, holding on to the hand rail with a death grip, this can easily wear someone out physically and mentally, over time. Stairways should be constructed and maintained with safety as the main priority.

If you've ever walked up and older stairway that was built using 2 x 12 for the stair treads, you probably know what I'm talking about. Walking up and down the stairway, while the stair treads are moving, does not give you a strong sense that the stairway is safe. And of course sometimes the stairway isn't.

For example if you have a 3 inch knot in a 2 x 12 stair tread, over time as the wood expands and contracts, the knot can loosen up and fall out of the stair tread, often creating a weak spot in the step. With a thicker stair tread, it will take a little more expanding and contracting to create a weak spot in the stair step.

If you're building a stairway wider than 36 inches, with no center stair stringers to support the stairway, I would suggest using a 3 x 12 or 4 x 12 for your stair treads. 2 x 12 should not be used for stair treads on any staircase wider than 36 inches.

If you choose to use 2 x 12 for your stair treads, select premium grade lumber for safety. Try to avoid using center cut building materials and 2 x 12 with knots larger than an inch and a half. Large knots are one of the biggest problems in construction safety.

Greg Vanden Berge is working on the internet to promote the education for creating simple to follow guides and home building books to help professional building contractors as well as the weekend warriors. He has just finished a home buyers guide to take some of the frustration out of home shopping.

Learn more about the parts of the stairway, whether you're a experienced carpenter or homeowner. Stair building does not necessarily have to be as complicated as most people make it out to be. There's also a book on how to build straight stairs that can save you a lot of frustration, if you've never built a stairway before. Visit the website.

Feng Shui - Using Mirrors

According to Feng Shui principles, mirrors are often referred to as the Feng Shui aspirin. Here are 6 mirror tips for you.

1. Make sure that what your mirror reflects is positive. Pay close attention to what it's reflecting. Since mirrors expand and double whatever they reflect, you don't want to enlarge a big pile of clutter! If your mirror is reflecting a photo of you and your family having a great time on vacation, it's doubling the joy in that area of your home.

2. Hang a mirror large enough and high enough to reflect your entire head. You don't want to distort the image of your face. Make sure the mirror is hung high enough for the tallest person in your house.

3. Mirrors should be kept sparking clean, untarnished, and unbroken. Even though antique mirrors can be pretty make sure you're not staring into a tarnished reflection day in and day out.

4. Tiled mirrors present problems because they're literally slicing up your face and/or body. Subconsciously, they can have a disturbing effect on you. I know they're popular, but think twice before purchasing one for your home.

5. Mirrors expand and bring light into a room. They create a window effect and are great to use in a room with little light, small spaces, and few windows.

6. If you're having trouble sleeping at night and you have a mirror across from your bed, cover it up or remove it from the wall for a few weeks. See if your sleeping improves. Mirrors expand and activate energy and this is the opposite of what you want to happen while you're sleeping.

2008 Energy In Motion LLC. All Rights Reserved

If you enjoyed this article, you'll love "Feng Shui Made Simple: Room By Room" ebook. Since your home mirrors your life it's important to create an environment that supports your goals and dreams. You have the power to create your best life yet and this book will give you the tools. Click this link to read more about this book: http://tinyurl.com/98rtkb

Hiring Contractors Books

Shape Up Your Office For the New Year

Several years ago, I was having tea with friends at the Four Seasons in Santa Barbara, when the conversation turned to feng shui, the Chinese art of placement. I knew nothing about it and decided to investigate. I made several attempts to learn more by reading about feng shui, but found the books complicated and hard to apply.

Sometime later, I noticed that two local feng shui practitioners were giving a talk at Border's. My friend Jill and I decided to attend-a decision that seemed quite innocent at the time.

Little did I suspect that it was going to turn me into a madwoman. The lecturers gave us some simple tips about things we could do in our environments to improve the chi (energy flow), along with a description of the bagua (kind of a blueprint for placement). I spent an hour or so in bed that night mentally moving furniture. I decided that my office was completely backwards, feng shui-wise, so the next morning I began rearranging things. Six hours later, my office had taken on a new airiness and was more inviting than it had ever been.

The speakers told us in order to get things flowing ahead we should go home and move 27 objects that hadn't been moved for a year. I had no difficulty locating 27 things that were ready for relocation. I changed mirrors and hung crystals, I fretted over sharp corners and pondered ways to soften them.

That was only the beginning, however. Feng shui masters had, in fact, developed a list of principles for improving business. For instance, to get the new year off to a prosperous start, they recommend greeting a new stranger every day for 27 days.

One bit of advice perplexed me: "To stimulate a positive cash flow, collect a small amount of water from nine different prosperous financial institutions, and store it in the far left-hand corner of the office." My bank doesn't even have a drinking fountain and I couldn't imagine asking the teller to fetch a bit of water from the employee restroom so I passed on that one.

Other nuggets of feng shui wisdom were more easily implemented. You can add good energy to your business with one or several of these suggestions:

* To invite opportunity to knock, fix your front door. Allow no squeaking, sticking or or wobbling door knobs.

* To further your opportunities, unblock doorways and remove stored items from behind doors.

* To support your vision and commitment, sit at a desk that is spacious, allowing room for the expansion of your ideas.

* To call forth a clear vision, hang a brass chime just inside your office door.

* To think creatively, hang a mirror to the right and to the left of your desk.

What's particularly interesting to me about this feng shui business is that it's a wonderful way to become more clear about the metaphors in your life. For instance, after I moved my computer to the other side of my office, I needed a longer cord. The one I had was quite tangled and I was going to just move it when I realized it would be running through my partnership area. "I don't want tangled partnerships," I told myself and decided to take time to straighten out the cord.

It can get more cosmic than this, but I will resist my urge to go on about the metaphysical insights gained from moving furniture around.

"Care for our actual houses," writes Thomas Moore, "is also care of the soul. No matter where we live, we can cultivate this wider piece of earth as a place that is integrally bound to the conditions of our hearts." But, then, the Chinese knew that all along.

****************

Want to know more? I highly recommend Move Your Stuff, Change Your Life by Karen Rauch Carter which is written with the Western reader in mind.

Barbara J. Winter is a Las Vegas-based self-employment advocate and writer. She is the author of Making a Living Without a Job. She conducts seminars throughout the US and Canada on creative self-employment. Her newest events are a one-day seminar called What Would an Entrepreneur Do? and a three-day event, Compelling Storytelling. She also publishes Winning Ways newsletter, now in its twenty-second year of helping people turn passions into profits. http://www.joyfullyjobless.com

House Attic Books

Feng Shui - Tips to Try

I have recently being looking at the practice of Feng Shui. It is a fascinating concept of creating a balance in your environment.

Feng Shui originates from and is practiced in China. this has spread to millions of other people who now firmly believe in it. These people say that their lives are controlled by natural forces around them. Although there are many schools of thought of Feng Shui systems, there are many factors that have a common trend in the use and positioning of many items changing colours scheme to mention a few.

A Feng Shui specialist may give many ways to improve your environment and create a harmonic balance in homes or even in businesses. They use five elements, xuan kong flying star, colour, positioning of furniture, simple remedies and cures for problem areas and many other practices beyond these. those who practice Feng Shui claim that it enhances and attracts good health, wealth and relationships.

Much advice has been thrown around, and it can be quite confusing to many on how to achieve this balance in you own environment. So I have taken a few of Feng Shui instructions and simplified them. You may want to try out to see whether it makes a difference to your life.

* Remove all your shoes and slippers and allow main door to be free and clear.

* No televisions in the bedrooms or cover it over with a plastic cloth when not being watched.

* No mirrors opposite or by the side of your bed.

* Get an indoor water fountain in your home, you can put this anywhere you like.

* If you have had bad luck and have a fish tank in your house, move it somewhere else in the house. If you still get bad luck after a few more months, move it again.

* Your cooker in the kitchen should have no refrigerator, washing machine or toilet opposite it. The fire and water is bad and causes arguments.

* Mattresses on the floor should not be slept on by children. It will cause them to be sick often.

* Young children should have their backs to the wall when they write.

* Double bunk beds are bad for children. The child sleeping underneath will not have "fresh chi" and their health might be weak.

* Your bed should always have a solid wall behind it.

* On top of your bed there should be no beams.

* A marble table in your dining room may give you pressure at work. Get it replaced with a wooden one!

* If your child is sick put them into another bedroom or hang a six-rod metal wind chime in the room. Put it by a window where the wind can make it chime is a good idea.

* Red coloured sofas are bad and will give rise to heavy work pressure, troubles and obstacles.

* Your bedroom windows should remain open at least once 20 minutes a day to allow fresh chi to come in.

Even if you can't manage all these, just a few may well make a difference to you life, luck and even love.

http://bulgarianslivatree.com

http://tipsnwrinkles.com

Deck Building Books

Is 2012 Really the End of the World?

Maybe just the end of the world as we know it. No, the world is not going to implode or explode or be completely destroyed in any form for that matter. 2012 is a new beginning, not an end.

There has been so much said about all this, from the bible, from Nostradamus, from Edgar Cayce, from the Mayans. In 2012 we will truly be able to experience heaven on earth. For some, this has already started. We are already feeling these changes. There are many people on this earth who have Ascended from the 3D reality to the 5th Dimension reality already. The Earth herself has ascended from 3D to 5D. In 5D time and space are different, they do not exist in the same way as they do in 3D. This is why so many people are having experiences outside what the "norm" has been the past few thousand years.

Some people think the financial meltdowns etc. are really bad news. It is just a change, different things going on, it doesn't have to be bad news. Everything is perception. A lot of people are being forced to change the way they have been thinking, or the way they have been doing things. So much of the world's issues right now are related to the old 3D ways crumbling. It is a new beginning, not an ending.

Jesus (or whatever Ascended Master you relate to based on your religion or lack thereof), IS coming. It is the Christ Consciousness in us all. Jesus "the man" is not going to just show up one day to save us. Its not quite like that. The consciousness of Jesus will show up for us all as soon as we realize that we have access to it. It is your own greatness, your own Christ Consciousness that will save you. Your realization that you are God. We ourselves are the second coming.

What makes things so hard is the separation from the divine light and love of all that is. For many years people have turned to religion, or leaders that tell us that things are outside of ourselves. Those in perceived power don't want us to know that the power of EVERYTHING is within us. We are all one.

The talk of hellfire and hell coming to earth for those that do not accept Jesus into their lives is true in some ways, but not in the literal sense that some organized religions would have you believe. It has to do with those that accept they are the creators themselves. Those that can see and feel their own greatness will truly be creating a heaven on earth for themselves and those around them.

Those that rely on (or "worship"), things from the 3D reality -- money and ego and external power -- truly will be in a hell on earth. Earth and her energy is changing, has already changed. We, as a species, are learning that we can create whatever we want here. It has very little to do with ego and power. There are many on the earth right now who are here to help with this transition. Many lightworkers who are ascending and "getting it" are here to help you. Many are actually devoting their lives to helping others remember where they came from and what divine beings they are. The first wave of Ascension is over. There are many Masters on this plane of our planet right now. Willing to help you to realize you don't have to stay stuck in 3D any more. Many people think Jesus is a saviour, as in separate from you, that will come and rescue you from your life, your existence, yourself, your perceived sins. God is not going to "make people go to hell". What kind of loving God would actually make people go to hell? If all one does is worship money, control or power they WILL likely end up in their own hell. This will be their own doing (or undoing) though. It will not be something that is done TO them.

Look at how things are right now. The world financial crisis is HUGE. Anyone who is very centred in, or worships, money or power at this point in time is RIGHT NOW in their own personal HELL. God certainly isn't putting them there. It is their perception of their time on earth that is putting them there.

Those that are suffering right now just need to look inside themselves, at the Christ Consciousness, at the God in THEM. Hanging onto the old 3D reality and the worship of external things like money or power or ego is what is causing them suffering. The always wanting more is causing suffering. There is enough on this earth for everyone. Some say they don't believe that...I've had people tell me to my face that I'm full of you know what just for suggesting such a thing.

The reality of it though....at least MY reality of it is that there is enough for all. If we take the greed, the control, the lusting for external power away, there is enough.

All through the bible it states that God is in all of us. Therefore, Love is in all of us.

Religions made the devil up to scare the heck out of people. There were, and still are, those that do not want you to know your own greatness. They don't want you to know what they know. If everyone knew, there would be balance. No one would be better than, or richer than. Everyone would just "Be".

Religions say the devil "fell from grace" because he wanted to be God-like. What better way to make people shun their own greatness, their own connection with God. Scare the crap out of them so that when they start to realize their own greatness, and that they are not just a "part of Source (God)", but that they are indeed Source (God) themselves, the creators of their own lives and spiritual journeys, they get afraid and experience more separation. As soon as people realize their greatness, no one will be able to control them. That is very scary for those that think they have the power over the masses.

We are all God-like. We are all creators, God is Love, we are all a part of God. This scares a lot of people and there are certain governments and religions that don't want people to know this, so they make up stuff like the devil or demons to scare people. They don't want the general population to realize their power, they would lose their own place in society; in the 3D reality they have created for themselves. Imagine if everyone knew just how much like God we are, how much a part of God we are.....no one could control us anymore. No one would have the power to "make" us fearful. God is Love.....the "devil" is fear.

So, is 2012 the end of the world? I certainly hope it is the end of the world as we have known it up to this point.

Do not fear the changes, embrace them. Connect with Source in your own way. Find and connect with your own internal Christ Consciousness, your own greatness.

When things are done with Love and not fear, nothing but God and Love can shine through.

There are many things going on. Being a psychic lightworker myself (for lack of a better term), I know that what I see and do, anyone can see and do. The biggest challenge is to KNOW that you can do it. It is just a matter of being open to it and having the realization that we are all Source.

Remember where you came from, remember your divinity. Connect with your own Christ Consciousness. Experience the bliss every day, feel the love every day. Live with Love not Fear of what is going on on our earth. Its all good...

I am a psychic living in British Columbia, Canada. I have been psychic since birth and have been doing psychic readings for others for the past 25 years. With these psychic readings I help people to enhance their own personal growth and assist them to realize their life path. I am also a medium and often when I do readings I have contact from the other side, whether from a loved one who has passed over or Spirit teachers and guides. Visit Psychic Medium for more information on psychic readings.

Who Really Wrote The Bible

Gay Teenager Problems

Never Let Anyone Get Your Goat

Stay Happy, never let anyone get your goat.

Whether phrased as "push your buttons," "get your goat," "get you riled up," or "annoy you," it's no fun to be on the receiving end. How to cope?

1. Don't take it personally. Even when someone criticizes your actions or demeans your very nature, know that they are merely directing their inner turmoil in your direction. Someone else's opinion of you is mostly irrelevant, and basically none of your business. Don't assume that there is any validity to an accusation. Perhaps there is a valuable lesson buried inside the unkindness that merits objective consideration, but negative emotions are best quickly discarded.

2. Look to the positive people in your life for support. If you balance many positive and supportive friends against one or two negative influences, it is much easier to cope. If you don't currently have enough positive people in your life, begin a focused effort to add positive people to your inner circle. If you don't have personal connections, search for groups of positive people at MeetUp.com.

3. Remove negative people from your life. Yes you can, even if it's your boss. You don't need that job so much that it's worth your health or happiness. Everything in life is a choice. Sometimes making a change is important, while other times just knowing that you hold the power to make a different choice is enough.

4. Forgive the offender, not for their sake, but for your own sake. The act of forgiving releases your anger and provides space for rational thinking and action.

5. Be grateful for the wake-up call. Any time that someone or something grabs your attention is a good time to be grateful - even if the message is unpleasant. Something is happening that requires your conscious awareness. Perhaps you have a lesson to learn or an action to take. Perhaps it is time to remove another negative influence from your life.

6. Release any expectations that the unkind person should have acted differently. Life is not fair, and you only cause yourself unhappiness if you hold an expectation that life or any individual should be fair or kind.

Visit Jonathan's Daily Inspiration - Daily Quote blog at http://www.DreamThisDay.com, and read his article: Stop Anger Before It Stops You - 7 Secrets for more ways to cope with anger.

Jonathan Lockwood Huie is an author of self-awareness books. He has been dubbed "The Philosopher of Happiness" by those closest to him, in recognition of his on-going commitment to seeing Joy in all of life.

Today is your day to dance lightly with life. It really is. - Jonathan Lockwood Huie

New Thinking About Noah's Ark and Family

Prosperity Thinking Like The Rich

Commentary on Real Religion

Swami Vivekananda presented the talk, Real Religion at the World's Parliament of Religions in 1893. With this speech, he introduced Vedanta (AKA Hinduism) to the West. It is more than 100 years later and the Christian West continues to struggle with the world's religions. This is a brief opportunity to comment on Vivekananda's speech.

"Religion does not consist in doctrines or dogmas." What simple and wise words. However, the religion of the West, Christianity, is devoted to its doctrines and dogmas. Doctrines about Christianity as the exclusive path to salvation are the roots of Christian evangelization and, sadly, of Christian intolerance. Such intolerance extends to the ends of the earth. The Catholic hierarchy, for example, sets its gaze upon every religious tradition and judges. The proselytizing view of the Catholic Church and all of Christianity, peruses its own house. In Catholicism, for example, Catholic theologians who dare to present theological arguments for salvation in religions other than Christianity are silenced, taken from teaching positions, indexed.

I agree with Vivekananda. Doctrine is not the same as the experience to which doctrine points. God-realization cannot be achieved by reading doctrines or encyclicals. The Christian Testament points to a reality that must be experienced. The purpose of the Gospels, for example, is to encourage faithful to embark on a journey home to God and to portray the unfathomable source of pure love that is God. But, the words are not the journey. "The raft is not the shore." If you meet the Buddha on the road, kill him.

This does not mean that doctrines, dogma, sacred texts are disposable and without real spiritual value. I merely suggest that the source of strife among the peoples of the world is inordinate reliance upon religious teachings at the expense of emphasis upon an experience of God and the consequent comprehension of the interrelationship among all people and the cosmos.

For religious leaders in any religious traditions, why is it so incomprehensible to agree with Vivekananda: As soon as a man stands up and says he is right or his church is right and all others are wrong, he himself all wrong. Of course, in order to be consistent, I suppose I must admit that I could be wrong.

Sandi Fults has a Master's degree in Systematic Theology from St. Mary's University in San Antonio, Texas. She also attended the graduate Middle Eastern Studies program at the University of Texas at Austin. Her area of specialization is Interreligious Dialogue and the world's religions, with emphasis on the South Asian Hindu and Buddhist religious traditions. She is convinced that interreligious dialogue is a way to peace.

Good Explanation of Old Testament Tithing

Religious Education And Fear

The Genius Project - God's Mistake Or Yours?

If you've been reading my last few articles then you know about the Genius Project which was conducted by my good friend Mr. Jay Niblick. You'll also recall that your ability to achieve 5th Level of performance (Genius Level) you must rely on your natural talents and be authentic to yourself. This post addresses the thought processes on how geniuses view themselves and their abilities.

Here's another way to look at it. To assume that you - at your very core - need to fix yourself requires the presupposition that you must be broken, and that implies that God screwed up. I mean feel free to substitute whatever spiritual belief you have, but it likely doesn't change the concept. Think about it. If you believe that at your very core that the way you were made is insufficient to achieve success, then you have to admit that you view yourself as flawed, or at best incomplete. Now I'm not talking here about developing new acquired talents, rather a belief that "I need fixing". Acquiring new knowledge and experience is great. That's a prerequisite for anyone's success and something all 5th level performers (Geniuses) constantly do by the way. But when you attempt to fix who you are instead of fixing how you are, then you must first think who you are is insufficient. And if you think that then you can't avoid the question, "Who screwed up?"

If you need to fix anything, it is the way you apply you - not you!

In reality it's not what you are at your very core that needs work, but how you apply yourself that needs fixing. God created you for a purpose and you have a completely unique and incredibly powerful set of natural talents for that purpose, so it's not what raw materials you have to work with that you should be concerned with - because the geniuses we studied aren't. What you should be focused on is how you apply those raw materials.

Geniuses understand this. They don't view their set of talents as flawed; rather any flaws they see come in how they apply those talents. Because of this radically different perspective on themselves, when they focus on correcting flaws, those flaws are in their application of themselves, not themselves. In other words, they achieve tremendous leaps in performance by adjusting their environment (what they do or how they do it) not themselves. They don't change their talents; they change how those talents are applied.

Give yourself up to your inner genius and allow that which is you - as you were created - to do what it does best. Remember, regardless of whatever higher power you believe in, if you believe that such a higher power is infinitely more powerful and knowing then you, you have to ask yourself, "did that power know what it was doing when it created me?"

If you answer yes, then you can't blame your God for making you incorrectly? If you still agree with me then any mistakes in your life are not, cannot be, in you, but in the application of you. In other words, God made you, but you decide what to do with yourself. If a problem exists it's not with the thing God created, but how you apply it.

I say all of this because there is a huge difference between thinking you are broken and realizing that you are just not well aligned. The former is a race car with a blown engine that must be completely rebuilt (broken). The latter is a perfectly good Ferrari trying to race in an off-road rally (not well aligned).

Success in not about developing talent - it's about aligning it.

Mr. Timothy A. McGinty is the published co-author of the highly regarded Wake Up... Live the Life You Love series. This series is a collaborative effort with such inspirational leaders as Tony Robbins, Dr. Wayne Dyer, Brian Tracey, Steven E, and Lee Beard.

Mr. McGinty is also the author of "Your Blissful Life", a book which takes the reader by the hand and walks them through a process for defining their "Blissful Life" and the action plan for achieving it.

Imagine Yourself... is an organization focused on enabling clients "breakthrough" in achieving their success. Mr. McGinty has helped many organizations and individuals discover their passion, define the life balance they seek, develop strategies for achieving that balance, and held them accountable for reaching their goals. His clients have been so successful that Mr. McGinty is known as "The Breakthrough Guy"

Imagine Yourself...
13477 Prospect Rd. Suite 204
Strongsville, Ohio 44149
Telephone: 440-236-6519
Web: http://www.timothymcginty.com
E-mail: tim@timothymcginty.com

Why Do You REALLY Believe In God - Christians

What Is Intuition

Why Should We Give Thanks in Times Like These?

According to History.com, the first Thanksgiving took place in Massachusetts during the Pilgrim Settlers second winter in America in December 1621. The first winter had killed 44 of the original 102 colonists. And because an unexpected trading vessel arrived, and swapped beaver pelts with them for corn, they were able to survive. Since next summers crops brought hope, the Plymouth colonists and Wampanoag Indians shared an autumn harvest feast on December 13, 1621, which is acknowledged today as one of the first Thanksgiving celebrations in the colonies. Although this feast is considered to be the very first Thanksgiving celebration, it was actually in keeping with a long tradition of celebrating the harvest and giving thanks for a successful bounty of crops. The Pilgrims gave thanks to God for helping them find acres of land that had no hostile Indians and for newfound religious freedom. They also celebrated with the friendly Indians who brought wild turkeys and venison with them. As well as prayers, sermons and songs of praise. They spent three days feasting and praying. Since that time, Thanksgiving is a celebration of thanks of gratitude to God for His grace and mercy upon us. And President Lincoln officially set aside the last Thursday of November in 1863, "as a day of thanksgiving and praise to our beneficent Father." In 1941, Congress ruled that after 1941, the fourth Thursday of November be observed as Thanksgiving Day and be a legal holiday.

But why should we give thanks in times like these today? It is true that in today's society, some of us may think we don't have much to be thankful for. From loss of jobs, homes, cars and possessions, what's left? From the fall of Wall Street, the never ending war and the bad economy, why should we still be thankful to God? 1 Thessalonians says, "Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you." This means, no matter what we may go through, good or bad, God will always make a way for us. Even at our darkest time or hour, God will always turn a negative into a positive, if we only believe and trust in Him. Even in the book of Exodus, the Israelites sang a song of thanksgiving as they were delivered from Pharoah's army after they crossed the Red Sea. And the book of Psalms is full of songs of thanksgiving for God's grace to the Israelite people as well as for His individual graces to each of us.

In this life there will always be things to complain about. But God gave us a choice. Do we choose to be positive or negative? Is the glass half empty or full? No matter how grim our situations may be, there will always be something to be thankful for. Did we live to see another day? Do we have our health and strength? Are our families ok? Do we have clothes, food and shelter? If we only believe and trust in God, He will give us our needs and not necessarily our wants. For Romans 8:28-30 says, "For those who know Christ, God also works everything together for good, even events we would not necessarily consider good." May God grant that He may find us grateful everyday for all gifts- spiritual and material.

Wanda is a wife, mother, public speaker and contributing author of EzineArticles.com. She has been writing about God and spirituality for over 20 years and has researched the bible and its history. Wanda also specializes in Christian poetry and children books and believes and teaches that regardless of a person's background or their mistakes of the past, God has a place for them.

She is the publisher and bestselling author of "Kids Ask The Darndest Things About God And The Beginning- Answers From The First Five Books Of The Bible" available at http://www.amazon.com

Visit Ball Publications Christian Books at http://www.ball-publications.com and sign up for "The Knowledge" monthly Newsletter. Gain Knowledge and Power with articles, discussions, tips and special offers that will be provided from time to time. Take advantage of up and coming events, radio broadcasts and recommended products of interest for you and your family!

Can You Ask God For Wisdom

Feeling Alive Teenage Problems

Five Things You Should Know About Religion

Most of us are raised from children into adulthood, to believe in someone else's religion. Most of us never even got the chance to choose a religion or spiritual beliefs to follow on our own. I came up with a simple list of five things that you should know about your religion, or you shouldn't be allowed to practice it.

1. Where did your religion or spiritual beliefs originate from? You should find out who started your religion and why they started it. Some of the worlds major religions were started by intelligent people. Do you think it's possible that your religion was created by an intelligent person, instead of a supreme being or multiple gods. Someone's just trying to trick you into believing.

2. How did you get involved in your religion or spiritual beliefs? Was it part of your upbringing, did your parents suggest this religion to you, how long has your family been involved in your current religious beliefs. Was your great, great, great, great, great grandfather or grandmother part of this religion or spiritual belief. How far back does it go in your family?

3. Do you believe in your religious doctrine or scripture? Is there any parts of your religious scriptures, writings or communication from other fellow believers that doesn't sit right with you? Does every part of your religion makes sense and can it be explained sensibly to someone outside of your religion?

4. Do you practice what you believe on a daily basis? If you're supposed to read your scriptures or pray daily, do you? If your religion teaches love and compassion, how do you treat people less fortunate than yourselves? Are you one of those people who can justify your wrong doings, to yourself and others, to give them the illusion, that you are a religious or spiritual person.

5. Do you know where you are going after you die? Are you going to someplace wonderful and extraordinary, like heaven? If you had to earn enough credits or points, do you think you have acquired enough, to enter the next level of existence? If you're bad, are you going to a bad place, with all the other bad people?

Try to always keep one thing in mind do you use, religion and responsibly.

These are just some of the answers, that I sincerely believe most people should know about their religion or beliefs. You should be able to answer at least one of these questions if asked by a nonbeliever.

Greg Vanden Berge is a published author, internet marketing expert, motivational inspiration to millions of people all over the world and is sharing some of his wisdom with experts in the fields of writing,marketing, and personal development

Greg is currently working on a spiritual religious articles filled with great subjects on a wide array of topics, like religion, self help and spiritual changes in the world. His views on religious freedom are slowly changing the way people think about institutional religion

Should Christians Buy This Book?

Sometimes Your The Problem

You Too Can Build Solar Panels

Yes, it's possible for you to build solar panels to help reduce your carbon footprint, and wean you off of fossil fuels. Fossil fuels are finite, and at the rate that we're consuming them, they won't last long. Anyone with a little bit of intelligence can figure out for themselves that carbon based pollutants are negatively impacting our climate. As a result, more and more environmentally conscious people, such as you, are looking towards renewable energies.

However noble your motives are, the fact remains that building solar panels is a costly endeavor. Professional installation of a solar panel system for your home can cost thousands of dollars. There is a way for you to do your part to save the environment, but not have to break the bank in doing so. How is this possible? It's simple--you can build your very own solar panels at home.

There are a myriad of useful resources out there that can help you build your own solar panels. But for the most part, what you'll find are instructions for building solar panels that are way too small to power anything but a small lamp, or simple appliance. If your goal is to run your household on solar energy, this simply will not do.

The larger commercially available solar panel kits can produce the wattage that you're after, but they're extremely costly. What you'll want to do instead is create your own solar panel kit, and at the fraction of the cost.

There are resources available that you can use to help you build your solar panels without breaking the bank. In fact, there are instructions for building solar panels with simple supplies you can acquire at your local hardware store. You can even build the panels in a single weekend and in the comfort of your home workshop.

Generally speaking, building solar panels is so easy that children can do it, even teens, and of course, you. Soon, you'll be on your way to your own solar power system, and you won't have to spend thousands of dollars to do it.

If you are looking to build your own solar panel you need the right guide. There are plenty of resources available to help you through the process. You can even involve your entire family and friends, and everyone can share in the pride of knowing they're all doing their part to save the environment. All the components are relatively inexpensive, and easy to acquire, and you'll be able to build the solar panel system to suit your home's unique needs.

Congratulations on making the choice to build your own solar panel. Now, you need the complete step-by-step fully illustrated manual that will have you generating your own electricity for less than $200.

You can get it by visiting http://renewableenergyathome.info today!

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Third eye Mediation - Spiritual Video

Ahhhhh is the sound of God and can be used for meditation. Listen to this wonderful sound and try to find God in it.

Question Your Religion

Greg Vanden Berge is a published author, internet marketing expert, motivational inspiration to millions of people all over the world and is sharing some of his wisdom with experts in the fields of writing,marketing, and personal development.

Greg is currently working on a religious help library filled with great subjects on a wide array of topics, like religion, self help and spiritual changes in the world. His views on religious freedom are slowly changing the way people think about institutional religion.

Problem Solving Tips
One Step Away From Success

Green Your Kitchen

Has going green become a mission in your life? Are you looking for ways to change your family and home for the better of the planet? If so, start with your kitchen. With a few simple choices, you can find options that make your kitchen ecologically friendly.

Make natural surface cleaners. There are several natural options for creating homemade surface cleaners to replace the over-perfumed and chemical sprays of store-bought cleaners. The simplest and most effective homemade cleaners use baking soda, lemon juice and water. This combination removes odors, offers scrubbing capabilities and leaves a fresh scent once the surface is clean. A second option is a mixture of white vinegar and water though people don't always like the scent that remains.

For stains and soap scum, make a paste. The first cleanser requires a tablespoon of baking soda, a squeeze of lemon and a teaspoon of warm water. Mix the three together to form a paste for scrubbing surfaces. Add some additional water if needed.

Use a spray for surface cleaning. Use the same ingredients to make a non-scrubbing cleaner to wipe down surfaces to clean and sanitize them. Combine a cup of warm water with a tablespoon of baking soda and a teaspoon of lemon juice in a spray bottle. Spray surfaces that need cleaning and wipe down with a clean, dry cloth.

Simplify recycling. If your family isn't joining you on the environmental bandwagon, you might need to make the process simpler for them. Consider placing three bins under the kitchen sink so that the containers are easily separated. Or designate one family member each week to sort the garbage every day. After a few weeks, everyone will be sorting ahead of time so they don't have to sort through the trash at the end of the day.

Make the switch to organic. The final step to greening your kitchen is the hardest one. Start picking up your produce from the local farmers market or from the organic aisles in your grocery store. The switch to organic foods will keep the pesticides and unnatural chemicals from invading your kitchen in the first place. Though the change can be expensive, think of it as an investment in the future of the planet.

Renata Lavlor writes clean green tips and other housekeeping tips for HowToDoThings.com.

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Easy Steps to Decreasing Your Electric Bill

We keep hearing about going green and being eco-friendly. The terms may seem a little confusing when you plan to put them to work in your home but there are easy ways to do that and add to your savings. As you learn more and more you will find that those concepts will help you decrease the cost of your electric bill.

Anytime that you purchase new appliances consider that they should be energy efficient. Another tip is to unplug any unused appliances. This may seem a hassle at first but it will soon become second nature. Lowering the temperature on your water heater will also bring about some results. Try setting it at 120 degrees Fahrenheit. Additionally you will want to purchase a hot water heater blanket. These are inexpensive and can result in huge savings.

When you do laundry only wash full loads and do use cold water. With the new detergents you will find that your clothes come out just as clean and fresh in cold water as they do in warm or hot. If possible you can save even more by hanging your clothes to dry.

The same principle holds true with dishes. Only run the dishwasher when it is full and allow your dishes to air dry.

Change out all your light bulbs to the newer energy saving models. If you cannot afford to do it all at once then begin replacing the bulbs slowly, first in the most used areas of your home. By saving small amounts in lots of ways you will begin to see substantial savings.

Programmable thermostats allow you to control the temperature of your home at all times. Consider leaving your heat setting at a lower temperature when you are away or while you sleep. The same is true during the summer months; it really is not necessary to maintain a comfortable temperature when no one is at home.

Ceiling fans are useful year round. In the summer they circulate the air which makes you feel cooler and in the winter they can be used to push down all the warmth that collects at your ceiling.

Changing your faucets and shower heads out to low-flow energy efficient models can also add to your savings. This is an easy process that any homeowner can handle.

For lots more ideas about how to save you can do a Google search. It is also wise to gather information about products by doing an online search. Be prepared with that information before you visit a store. This will ensure that you have a clear understanding of what you should look for in the product and which ones offer exactly what you want.

Find out how you can get a free report on saving at the grocery store and another on saving at the gas pump by visiting: http://www.money-savingideas.com Debbie Allen is an Internet marketer and a writer.

Home Buying Books
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David Lynch on Transcendental Meditation Part Two

Start Liking Yourself First
Disclaimer

Low Energy Lamps - An Update

Three Ways of Reducing Electricity Bills for Lighting.

The most common is to use compact fluorescent low energy lamps (or the larger 'strip' fluorescent light fittings, for commercial buildings or where their appearance is acceptable). A rapidly growing alternative is to use LED low energy lamps, although these are still not bright enough for many applications, unless you are prepared to pay a lot more money. If you still insist on using incandescent bulbs (many of which are being phased out in some countries), energy usage can be reduced using dimmer switches.

Compact Fluorescent Lamps

Many people have already switched to these, but there is still considerable resistance to their use, mainly because some people still base their opinions of them on early examples. They have improved considerably and I would like to counter some of the most common prejudices:

1. They are not made with fittings that fit my lamps. Compact fluorescents are now made to fit nearly all kind of fittings (except the very small halogen capsule bulbs - fittings taking these bulbs are best avoided). There are 'retro-fit' ones, which replace ordinary incandescent or halogen lamps, and ones fitting dedicated compact fluorescent fittings. These have bases that conventional bulbs will not fit, and are commonly found in new builds.

2. They take a long time to come on. We are used to incandescent bulbs, which reach full brightness in a fraction of a second. It is true that they do take a few seconds to reach full brightness, but certainly not a few minutes, as early ones did. I have tested current examples by Philips, Osram, GE, Megaman and others, and found that while the first time they are used they may take a longer time to 'warm up', after that they reach full brightness in a few seconds. In most applications, does this matter?

3. They are very big or very dim. The brightness of the lamp depends largely on the length and thickness of tube. By various ingenious methods of cramming longer lengths into smaller spaces the bulbs have got brighter and smaller. These include 'U' tubes, spirals and other shapes. While it is still true that an incandescent lamp giving the same amount of light can always be made smaller, this is often not important. A lampshade of sufficient size will hide the bulb. and if you are buying a new light fitting, always ask yourself or your retailer whether it will look good with low energy bulbs. In fact low energy bulbs should automatically be supplied with most new fittings these days.

4. They look ugly. Do they? I contend that some people think this because for many decades, we have got used to the look of incandescent lamps. If the positions were reversed, I imagine that so would these opinions.

5.Incandescent lamps contribute more to heating. This is true (in fact the reason they are so inefficient is that they give out about 85% of their energy as heat, not light). But do we buy lamps to provide heat or light? Do we want this heat in warm weather when we may want light? Do we want the majority of this heat near the ceiling of a room, where most lamps will be?

6. Compact fluorescents contain hazardous mercury. This is also true, as do longer 'strip' fluorescents. We are talking about tiny amounts though, and when they are disposed of leave them intact when giving to the refuse disposal people. Do not smash them, and they will provide no danger.

7. Compact fluorescents affect certain conditions, causing headaches, nausea, etc. This can be a problem with a very few people. Controlled tests have shown it is somewhat exaggerated, as the psychological effect of people expecting this, because they have been told about it, makes them think they are experiencing it. Remember that offices having banks of flourescent fittings, where many people work, function in the same way. Some people say they experience no ill effects with these, but do not like compact fluorescents. I do not understand this. There are however a very few conditions that are worsened by them, and if you are affected, I do not know of any way around this, other than not using them.

8. The 'whiteness' of the light they give doesn't look right. The 'colour' of the light depends of the colour temperature, and they now come in a big range of colour temperatures. The higher this is, the more blue the light (nearer to natural sunlight). Choose one that suits you - some people prefer 'warm white' at the lower end of the scale, while others prefer a 'cool white' or higher. Here is a list of approx. colour temps for different types of light: 2700K to 3000K - warm white (sometimes given the colour code 827 to 830) 3500K - white (colour code 835) 4000K - cool white (colour code 840) 6000K - daylight lamps or craft lamps (colour code 860) 8000K - sky white (colour code 880) As a means of comparison, most incandescant bulbs have a colour temperature of about 2800K and halogens of about 3000K. Natural daylight can be anything between 4000 and 10000K. All the above range is available in various types of fluorescents although you will pay more at the higher end of the scale.

9. Compact fluorescents cannot be dimmed. This is true of most of them, but there are now compact fluorescents that are dimmable. There are two types. One of them is used with a dimmer switch, used the same as with a convential lamp. The second can be dimmed from a normal light switch, so even a dimmer switch does not have to be fitted.

Savings in cost and CO2 emissions using compact fluorescents are made using the following assumptions: (a) the cost of one unit of electricity (1kWh) is 12p in UK prices. (b) the cost of one retro-fit cfl is 42p - this is a Megaman 'My Planet' 15W lamp, taken from the author's website. Some other lamps are more expensive, but this is a basic cfl, suitable for most applications. The cost of an equivalent incandescent bulb is 39p. (c) the lifetime of the bulb is 10000 hours (compared with 1000 hours for the average incandescent). Again there are longer and shorter lifetimes of both types, but these are typical values. (d) the energy consumption of a cfl is one-fifth that of an incandescent for the same light output. (e) the bulb is used for an average of 4 hours a day.

The average saving in costs over the lifetime of the cfl (6.8 years) is 75.68 or 11.13 per year. This saves over one-quarter tonne of CO2 emissions over the lifetime of the lamp. This is just for one lamp. Good for your electricity bills and good for the environment.

LED energy saving lamps

These are an order of magitude more efficient than compact fluorescents. Advances in these have been made in recent years, so that a greater selection of fittings and brighter light is now available, but bright ones for normal practical lighting are still very expensive. Moderately priced ones are useful for low level decorative or emergency lighting. There is no extra cost for coloured ones, and colour changing ones are becoming increasingly popular for special effects. Whereas cfls use about one-fifth of the electricity of incandescent lamps, some LEDs use one-tenth to one-fifteenth. I would particularly consider using them as GU10 halogen replacements, providing bright light is not needed. A reasonably priced GU10 replacement LED will give the equivalent of 20W of light, but only use about 1.5W electricity.

Dimmer switches

Where all else fails, an incandescent lamp run below its rated wattage on a dimmer switch will save electricity and increase the lifetime of the lamp. I am often asked if running a lamp at, say, half power using a dimmer switch saves half the running cost. The answer is more or less yes (a very little power is lost in the dimmer switch, but this is negligible). Thus it makes good sense to run lamps more dimly on dimmer switches, except on occasions when the brightest light is needed.

Barrie Newton B.Sc.
Owner of Rhyl Lightworks Co
http://www.thelightworks.net
or for energy saving lamps see:
http://www.thelightworks.net/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=37_73

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Another Point of View on 2012

Dovid Krafchow author of Kabbalistic Tarot explains the meaning behind the Mayan calendar according to Jewish knowledge and scientific investigation.

If you're really seeking the kingdom of heaven, the glory of God and the true vision that Jesus had, check out some great Christian articles . These articles are designed to teach and educate Christians.

Quit Waiting For Help
Stop Feeling Guilty Part 2

Home Heating Crisis Imminent - Winter 2008

Homes located in areas with very cold climate are never without a good heating system. The system is a source of heat during the winter season to keep families warm and comfortable. As winter approaches, a home's heating system will prove its worth once more amidst the reality of an energy crisis caused by the high oil prices around the world and a weak U.S. economy.

Homeowners, however, are experiencing a lot of anxiety this early worrying as to how they're going to cope with the increasing prices of home heating oil. Compared to 2007, they will have to spend more this year in order to have their usual supply of fuel. This is in addition to the high heating bills they will have to deal with as a result of the increased electricity rates. Heating bills are expected to increase by an average of 20 percent making it probably the worst winter for low-income people.

Even with a decline in the price of crude oil, home heating oil prices normally go up during the winter months. And although prices of heating oil have actually fallen from their peak levels but they are still above the 2007 levels.

The ones to suffer most here are families with low income and the elderly. A survey of utility arrearages and shutoffs done by the National Energy Directors Association (NEADA) found that 15 million households including those occupied by the elderly are having difficulty paying arrearages from their heating bills last year. The figure is up by almost 10 percent compared to the same period last year. It also revealed that at least 1.2 million homes suffered disconnection from electric and natural gas service three months after getting shutoff notices.

The U.S. Department of Energy is expecting prices per gallon to go up by 25 percent resulting in an average cost for heating oil at more than $4 a gallon across the country. This translates to higher household expense of $720 this 2008 winter.

On the other hand, the Energy Information Administration projects home electricity prices to hike up by three percent this year. People living in states undergoing market restructuring are seen to experience faster price hikes by as much as 50 percent due to the expiration of rate caps and as electric firms passing on to the consumers the high fuel costs.

With this looming energy crisis, more people are cutting on their expenditures. Another NEADA survey showed that 70 percent of low-income families have lowered their spending on food due to high gas and energy costs. Additionally, 31 percent have reduced their medicine purchases while 19 percent lessened their education expenses.

It's a good thing that some senators are exerting extra effort to help provide relief to the affected sectors. A new legislation known as the "Warm in Winter and Cool in Summer Act" has been introduced with a goal of providing $2.53 billion more emergency funding this winter for the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP). The program gives direct help to families with low income, senior citizens and the disabled who are having a hard time paying their heating bills.

Learn more about alternative home heating by visiting: http://www.homeheatingsystemhelp.com/alternative-heating-systems.html.

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The Last Days Of Christianity

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Homemade Solar Cells - DIY Plans to Build Your Own Home Solar Panels

One thing you've been told that's wrong is that you have to pay thousands of dollars to install solar cells in your home to harness the sun's energy. If you haven't already heard, you can easily build homemade solar cells right in your own backyard and start enjoying huge savings in your monthly energy bills. Game enough to learn? Read on then!

Just a couple of years ago, installing a solar cell system can make your poorer by a few thousand bucks at the onset. That's how much it would cost to engage a local contractor to hook up your home to use solar power. But the fact is, the technology behind the solar panel system is not exactly rocket science.

Why?

Many folks I know, even my neighbors, have followed specially-designed plans to build their own solar panel systems on the cheap. How cheap? Well, if you've 200 bucks to spare, you can start reaping the benefits of using the sun's energy. That's just a fraction of what it would cost if you choose to get it professionally installed.

Many do-it-yourself plans and guides are now available to the man in the street looking to slash his hefty electricity bills. But beware of free plans that claim to help you do so...many of these are plain difficult to follow and are often missing crucial details. The old adage "you get what you pay for" still rings true.

For a little less than 50 bucks, you can get a good instructional guide that provides you with instructions to build your own solar cells at home. The really good ones come with step-by-step video instructions that make the entire process easy for you.

You can get most of what you need from your local hardware store....stuff like plywood, copper wire, glass sheets. Chances are, you may even have them in your home or garage. For photovoltaic cells, you can get them rather cheaply over the internet or your local suppliers.

The best thing about building your own homemade solar cells is that you can start small...make enough energy to power up simple appliances such as your TV, computer, small lighting. You can later add on and build more panels that can even power your ENTIRE home. That's going completely off-grid for you!

And if you generate surplus energy, your power company will even buy that from you each month! That's extra money in your pocket that you could spend on more important things in your life!

Take a little time to choose a plan that suits your household needs, budget and your level of knowledge. Learning to build your own homemade solar cells will go a long way to reduce your hefty energy bills and go green at the same time!

Want to build your own homemade solar cells but don't know where to start?

Fret not! Many people just like you have successfully built these on their own to DRASTICALLY cut their monthly electricity consumption. They are already shaving $1000s off their energy bills every year. If you need STEP-BY-STEP guidance in installing one, I have reviewed the Best Online Guides on Homemade Solar Cells for your convenience. These highly recommended guides provide EASY-TO-FOLLOW instructions that will help you save money in no time.

Dave Keller is an Renewable Energy Specialist who takes pride in helping the average consumer save on their energy bills using simple DIY devices... and give power companies a run for their money! For a candid review of the best-selling guides, go to his website at http://www.HomeSolarPanels4u.com now.

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Homemade Solar Panels - What You Need to Know to Start Saving Money on Power Bills

Homemade solar panels have many benefits. First, they mean purchasing materials which can be bought locally. Second, the savings in energy mean they quickly pay for themselves. Finally, they help reduce use of non-renewable resources such as fossil fuels. Homemade solar panels can be a major boon to any home and even some small businesses.

A homemade solar panel can be made in several ways. There are simple electricity generators, air heating banks and water warming heat exchangers. The homemade generators are not the most efficient source of solar electricity, but can add to the house anyway. Air heating banks can be made from simple black PVC tubing and then used to regulate temperature throughout a home. Water warming heat exchangers, the most efficient homemade system, can be made with black PVC and a large, well insulated tank buried in the yard. Most of these parts can be purchased in your local area, keeping money home and shipping to a minimum.

As everyone knows, energy costs keep rising. Simple homemade solar panels can reduce your dependence on outside energy. This means you save money, which can be spent in other areas. It doesn't usually take long to save the money you put into the project.

The last good reason for using homemade solar panels is the reduction in non-reusable resources. In the current world economy, fossil fuels, especially oil, are becoming a choke point on all fronts. The ability to use less fossil fuel will mean less long term dependence on rapidly dwindling resources. Therefore, fewer people will have to spend time defending international interests in politically volatile regions.

Consider all the different points. Locally purchased materials keep money local and shipping costs down. Savings in energy can be real and immediate. Reducing dependence on fossil fuels is good for everyone. Homemade solar panel are a good addition to any home or business.

Homemade solar panels - Start saving on your power bills today.

Homemade solar panels are simple affordable and anyone can do it.

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Green is More Than a Trend, It's a Standard in Home Building

Last week (September 17, 2008), Sandy Dunn, National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) president and a home builder from Point Pleasant, W.Va. responded to the August 2008 decline in housing starts and builders' reducing production and pulling fewer permits for new homes to help restore better balance between supply and demand positively, stating, "With help from the new first-time home buyer tax credit and improving rates on home mortgages, the long downswing in production activity is slowly but surely putting us back on track to a healthy housing market."

The road back to a healthy housing market must include green and sustainable design and building techniques. Our old ways of building, without concern for the environment and energy consumption need to be replaced with careful consideration of each site environment and ways to incorporate renewable energy. Every positive action counts.

From my vantage point as a green architect, any improvement to any portion of the building process helps the environment. An incredible 40% of energy consumption in the United States is attributed to residential buildings, and of that, 32% is consumed in heating and cooling.

Homeowners desiring to make the largest effect for the smallest effort & investment will build a better insulated, energy efficient home with renewable heating and cooling systems, utilizing natural day-lighting and incorporating a renewable energy system such as solar to produce hot water and/or electricity or geothermal system, which uses stable ground or water temperatures near the earth's surface to provide heating, air conditioning, and in most cases, hot water.

Small steps in aggregate will have an enormous impact on our global environment - and give you a comfortable, energy efficient home with a great return on your investment.

About the Author: Jeremy Bonin, a principal partner of Bonin Architects & Associates, is an award-winning green architect and the author of TIMBER FRAMES: Designing Your Custom Home. With a special interest in sustainable design and green homes, structural insulated panels (SIPs), as well as timber frame construction, Jeremy incorporates renewable energy practices where possible, including geo-thermal, solar, radiant heat, and energy-efficient foundation systems.

Walkways Books
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I Can't Believe This Guy- Movie Video

Can you believe this guy, if you look up these verses in the Bible, you will see that there and there, but how did he come up with these ideas about the Sabbath, teenagers and the fact that the Bible is repulsive.

If you're really seeking the kingdom of heaven, the glory of God and the true vision that Jesus had, check out some great Christian articles . These articles are designed to teach and educate Christians.

My General Spiritual Beliefs
Benefits Of Meditation

Can You Green a Home on the Cheap For a Faster, Higher Sale?

Offering something unique and timely can always help sell a home more quickly and possibly closer to the listing price. Aside from the usual home staging techniques, implementing some easy, but key energy and water saving options too might just do the trick! Savvy buyers will ask what utility costs are or to see actual bills, especially in older homes, and be impressed at measures taken to reduce those costs.

Here are some easy, yet smaller projects that can increase a home's appeal in a time of high energy costs and an extraordinary focus on being green. Oh, make sure you of course market the home with these positive, new features.

• Replace regular light bulbs in permanent fixtures with compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs use about one-fifth as much energy as regular bulbs, and last about 12 times longer).
• Install low-flow showerheads, which will save on water heating and use.
• Install an ENERGY STAR qualified, programmable thermostat
• Close the damper on the fireplace. It sounds simple, but is often forgotten season to season and causes drafts and high energy loss.
• Add insulation to an attic.
• Seal basement rim joists. This is along the top of the basement wall where the cement or block comes in contact with the wood frame. This is a common area of air leakage.
• Insulate water heater tanks for energy savings.
• Repair water leaks in tubs, showers and sinks. Not only are they big water wasters, but a leak really shows the home is not cared for anymore.
• Perform duct sealing or hire a contractor. 20 percent of the air that moves through the duct system is lost due to leaks, holes, and poorly connected ducts.
• Other visible changes that may attract a buyer are using renewable sources in any flooring you might replace prior to listing such as recycled carpeting, bamboo, cork or other flooring from fast-growing wood sources.

You can also recommend a home energy audit to help your clients identify other easy, but important fixes and also demonstrate to potential buyers the sellers are serious about home maintenance and improvement. It will give buyers a fun jump start too on accomplishing more efficiency improvements in their new home.

Being willing to partner a bit with the buyers creates an air of security that the home is still cared about and all parties want them to have as great an experience in it with their family as the previous family did.

House Renovation Books
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The Hidden Truth about Christians

How To Win Friends
Pay Attention To Your Intuition

EcoEnergy - A Smart Choice Before Starting Home Renovations

With talks of recession and the cost of oil skyrocketing, consumers are becoming more energy conscience in their daily lives. The talk around the patio this summer is the low interest rates on vehicles and other promotional items to encourage them to continue purchasing the "typical" gas guzzling vehicle. The conversation may flow towards the new hybrid cars available from various companies. One conversation that happens rarely is how consumer's can make their homes more energy efficient.

Consumers tend to change their old 20 year old furnace when it "konks" out and no longer provides heat. Windows are replaced when the old windows are no longer aesthetically appealing. Insulation in the basement is added when they decide to refinish and the attic insulation is never a concern. Consumer's today have more knowledge of their vehicles than they do their largest investment.

The ecoEnergy Program, launched in 2007, by the Federal Government provides the education that a homeowner requires when making energy efficient decisions. As a bonus, Natural Resources Canada and the Ontario Ministry of Energy provides up to $10,000 in grants when making Energy Efficient upgrades. The education received by having an ecoEnergy evaluation is priceless. Homeowners are educated on how their home operates as a system and how one component is vital to another component in the house. Homeowners must have an initial evaluation prior to performing any Energy Efficient upgrades. This evaluation should include:

* Detailed certified examination

* Blower door test to determine air leakage

* Standby power loss demo

* Tour of air leakage sites

* Analysis of heating and cooling equipment

* Assessment of insulation values

* Comprehensive list of energy trouble spots

* Prioritized energy action list

* Official EnerGuide rating label

* Energy Saving Advice

* Complete report presentation on-site

As with any purchasing decision, it is always advisable to shop around and get three quotes for an ecoEnergy evaluation. Some advisor's provide the ecoEnergy report presentation on site, where others process the report in a central location where it is then mailed to homeowner within two weeks.

Once the preliminary evaluation is conducted the homeowner has 18 months to complete some or all of the renovations recommended. The ecoEnergy advisor returns to conduct another blower door test and document the upgrades performed in the home.

Lastly, the renovation contractor is the last person a homeowner will see when making their investment. It is always advisable to work with a contractor who, not only provides information about their product, but also encourages having an ecoEnergy evaluation performed on their home. A contractor who advises this to the homeowner is not threatened to 3rd party unbiased advice and has provided the homeowner the opportunity to receive the grants available and will put off the installation date (for a reasonable period of time) to keep their homeowner satisfied.

About the Writer

Trina Stewart has been working with Renovation Contractors and homeowners since 1996. She has been intimately involved with various programs including the Window Wise National Certification Program, Energuide for Houses Program, and ecoEnergy. Her reputation as being an information source for contractors, homeowners, local utilities, municipalities, and other organizations has contributed to her success in the renovation industry.

Trina Stewart is the President of Trina Stewart Consulting which offers consulting and virtual administration services to businesses across The Golden Triangle and the GTA. She is currently Marketing Development Specialist for The House Whisperers (http://www.thehousewhisperers.ca), an ecoEnergy Service Organization servicing BC and Ontario.

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Doreen Virtue appeared discusses the Crystal Children

Doreen Virtue appeared discusses the Crystal Children, a type of child born since 1995 that has unusual attributes such as very large eyes, telepathy, and fearlessness. Virtue had previously studie

Life of Jesus

You are free to copy this article to your site as long as you include the following resource information with an active link to my site:

Greg Vanden Berge is a published author, internet marketing expert, motivational inspiration to millions of people all over the world and is sharing some of his wisdom with experts in the fields of writing,marketing, and personal development.

Greg is currently working on a self help library filled with great subjects on a wide array of topics, like religion, self help and spiritual changes in the world. His views on religious freedom are slowly changing the way people think about institutional religion.

Pleasure Based Motivation
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The Eco-Friendly Kitchen Remodel

The environment may be suffering from the endless barrage of technological advances, but your kitchen remodeling project doesn't have to contribute to the eco-unfriendly trend. Fortunately for the modern-day homeowner, there are many ways to remodel a kitchen without leaving behind a jarring impact on the world in which we live.

Late last year, Low Impact Living, a Web portal devoted to helping individuals lower the environmental impact of their home and their daily life, published an article titled "Low Impact Living: Green Your Kitchen." Therein, advice was given on how to reduce the "biggest resource hog" room in the house: the kitchen.

More specifically, the site offered the following seven suggestions to homeowners who are planning a kitchen remodel on how "to lower their environmental impact and also to live in a healthier home":

Tip #1: "Use energy-saving appliances." - In particular, the article recommends choosing appliances with an Energy Star label. Such appliances, the author points out, "can save as much as 50% of your energy and water use, and can cut your carbon footprint by 1000+ pounds, compared to standard appliances."

Tip #2: "Use compact fluorescent lighting." - These types of bulbs "use 1/4 the energy and last up to 10 times as long as standard bulbs," the author enthuses.

Tip #3: "Recycle and Re-Use." - Never throw away anything that can be used again. The world's landfills will thank you.

Tip #4: "Eat Organic, Eat Local." - Organic eating "keeps chemicals from running off into our oceans and rivers from non-organic farms" while local eating "means tons of carbon dioxide are not released into the atmosphere in the process of transporting food to you."

Tip #5: "Get green cleaners." - No more breathing "in a fine mist of harmful (to you and the environment) chemicals" every time you spray.

Tip #6: "Compost." - "Save landfill space and make your own rich potting soil using a composter," the author suggests

Tip #7: "Only run your dishwasher when you have a full load." - You'll save energy and water at the same time.

Tips # 4 through #7 are up to you once your kitchen has been remodeled, but tips #1 through #3 can be taken into consideration prior to your kitchen remodeling's commencement. To work maximum green friendliness into your remodeled kitchen, you'll want to consult an online provider of kitchen remodeling ideas and links to a wide array of recognized leaders in the world of cabinet, countertop, faucets, sinks, flooring, lighting, ventilation, window and appliance manufacturers. That way, you can pick and choose the kitchen remodeling options that are most environmentally friendly.

An environmentally friendly remodeled kitchen with Energy Star appliances, compact fluorescent lighting bulbs and recycle-encouraging furnishings is just a few mouse clicks away.

While you're at it, work these additional HGTV green kitchen ideas into your kitchen remodel:

Water-Saving Features - "Choose faucets with aerators, which inject air bubbles into the water stream to achieve the same pressure with less volume."

Flooring - "Linoleum is enjoying a comeback, largely due to its green properties."

Finishes - Look for "eco-friendly paints, stains and finishes that reduce exposure to harmful compounds."

Carmen Fontana is a Web Services Manger for Western Reserve Internet Services. She recommends visiting the SuperKitchens website for more information on remodeling your kitchen with green principles.

House Window Books
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