Marriage – The First MinistryStatistics reveal that about 45 – 50 percent of all marriages will eventually end in divorce. These numbers are staggering to say the least. These numbers include Christian marriages as well.Why are these numbers so high? The answer: marriages have stopped being a priority in the lives of many busy couples.Work, children, and social activities have been substituted for the number one ministry between a man and a woman - that is the ministry of marriage.What is ministry? Ministry is from the Greek word "diakoneo", meaning "to serve" or "douleuo", meaning "to serve as a slave". In the New Testament, ministry is seen as a service to God and to other people in His name. Jesus provided the blueprint for the pattern of Christian ministry – He came, not to receive service, but to give service (Matthew 20:28; Mark 10:45; John 13:1-17)In marriage, couples are to minister by meeting the other's needs with love and humility on Christ's behalf (Matthew 20:26; Mark 10:43; John 2:5,9; Acts 6:3; Romans 1:1; Galatians 1:10; Colossians 4:12).When we think of ministry, we think of the minister or the pastor of a church or the different functioning organizations within the church. As married couples, it is our obligation to be the minister in our spouse's life.Counseling and Life Coaching are wonderful tools to assist couples and individuals who are in desperate need of these services and are very much necessary for the help they provide. If couples would not only think of themselves as just husbands and wives but think of themselves as ministers to their spouses, the counseling load would not be as great. Ministering to your spouse can and should include ministering to the physical, emotional, mental, vocational, and financial needs of the other.Marriages today have become self-centered when the marriage is no longer two people being one, but two people remaining as two. My money, your money, my car, your car – couples are living more separate and divided lives within the same home. Today solid and happy homes are becoming a thing of the past. There are no more Ozzie and Harriet's, Leave It to Beaver's or Father Knows Best households. In these homes husbands and wives were both in the home, fathers took the roles of headship, provider, mentor and the disciplinarian in the home, and fathers were looked up to as the children's hero, not an action figure on television. Wives could be at home to raise the children and not rely on daycare to nurture and care for the family. In these homes, husbands and wives were the staple of the family and took active roles in the lives of their children and their communities. Times have changed so drastically. Today there are one parent households, children being raised by television, the drop out rate for high school students is at an all time high, and a major part of the criminal activities in our society are committed by our youth.The Cosby Show tried to depict a solid family image to American families and some did not buy this as reality, especially for the African American community.I can think of couples who were happily married five years ago, who today are no longer married or are now living emotionally divorced and living separated lives within the home. Marriage is the foundation to a great family life and God's greatest tool for ministry.Great marriages with their priorities in order depend on these elements to remain fortified: honesty, communication, commitment, and sacrifice. Placing our spouse as our first priority will produce true prosperity in our homes. There will be nothing missing, nothing lacking and nothing broken.The Bible speaks of several action verbs in Genesis 2:24 which models some priorities in marriage. The first verb is to "leave". Man is to leave his mother and father and to establish a new beginning with his wife. The second verb is to "cleave". Man is to leave his mother and father and to cleave to his wife. Cleave means to weld together or stick to like glue.Marriage is not only a priority- it is preeminent. It is superior to, and surpassing above all other human relationships. Husband and wife are to be bound together and should not be cut apart. The third verb in this passage of scripture is the verb "be". First, man is to leave then to cleave and to be one flesh. Becoming one is more than being physically one, but also psychologically one which is communication.Most marriages break down for a lack of communication with their spouse. The lack of attention and communication will eventually result in both parties involved to struggle, which will finally cause a break down in the home. Couples must stay committed to the vows they took on their wedding day before the Lord, to be committed "for better or for worse". There will be difficult times in the marriage and that is not the opportunity for the husband or the wife to bail out of the marriage. We are to stick it out and give that situation over to God. Be committed in "for richer or poorer". In these tough economic times that we are facing, when some are just getting by, when the prices are high and the paychecks are low, commitment is essential. Lastly, be committed in "sickness and in health". We do not know what challenges or sickness either spouse may face in the life of the marriage. We are to continue to love and to cherish our mate til death does part us.Ministry can and should be carried out daily in our lives with our spouses. God set the example of how much He loved us that He gave His only begotten Son to come to earth and die on a cross for us. It was God's priority to send us a Savior. We in turn, are to love and meet the needs of our spouse as a priority, setting the example in our marriages and sharing our love just as God has done for us.by Glyniel GarnerGlyniel Garner is a Professional Certified Life Coach, Board Certified Biblical Counselor and Certified Marriage Mentor. She is the founder of New Horizon Coaching Associates in Ocala, Florida. Glyniel can be reached at www.ourchurch.com/member/n/nhca www.myspace.com/newhorizoncoaching
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Posted by Narda Goodson on February 9, 2009 at 8:44pm
Discouragement and desperation are tools that the enemy uses to keep us from reaching our goal in Christ. From the beginning of time many have given up their dreams and hopes due to the incessant assaults from the enemy. This is why we are admonished in 2 Corinthians 10:5 to cast down every imagination and thought that exalts itself against the knowledge of God.There are times we will feel like we want to concede defeat. The pressures of life dig at you without mercy. The relentless stress, anxiety, and demands of your problems increase as you find your ability to cope decreasing. You begin to lose your grip in life and eventually, you breakdown in despair.The word discourage in its verb form means oppose, hinder, inhibit, prevent, stop, and suppress. It also means dishearten, cast down, and depress. When you have been beat down by ‘discourage’, you fall into a state of discouragement.Discouragement is a saddened and cast down feeling we experience when we disallow the Word of God to have absolute dominion over our thought life. It is a deterrent, whose ultimate goal is to lead you away from God. Once discouragement has settled and permeated your heart, its doppelganger, desperation kicks in.Desperation is the state of extreme anxiety. At this stage, you encounter the brutal assaults of distraction, misery, harassment, and nervousness from “the thing” that initially came against you. The continual onslaughts of “the thing” that opposes and suppresses you have brought you to this gloomy place called desperation.When we are desperate, we become forgetful and apprehensive. We do not function at our best because we focus more on “the thing” rather than staying committed and steadfast to what the Word of God has said about the situation. While it is the enemy’s assignment to pursue and hassle you to the point of taking you off course, your job is to keep your guard at all times. 2 Timothy 2:3 says that we are to endure hardness as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.There are many who are being “opposed” by the enemy. This word is a reminder that you are to take your position in your opposition, for the battle belongs to the Lord. The Bible declares that He that has begun the good work in you will complete it (Phil. 1:6).God’s grace is more than enough to get you through the storms of life. By refueling your spiritual gas tank with the Word of God, your enemy will not be able to wear you down. Determine that you will finish what God has started. Stand still and see the salvation of the Lord. Destroy the spirit of a quitter!Tilt your heart towards the SON!Pastor Narda GoodsonFirst Lady of Whitewright, TexasOfficial Website: http://anointedarrowsproductions.org\Social Network: http://christianwomenpredestinedbygod.ning.com/Copyright 2008 Gospel "PiLLs". All Rights ReservedRead more…
Posted by Narda Goodson on January 27, 2009 at 7:36pm
There are “wildflowers” that grow in their natural state rather than being cultivated in the parks or gardens, yet, they tell of the splendor and brilliance of God’s glorious design. While not all “wildflowers” are bad, God has placed them in unique places, i.e. highways and by-ways, meadows, pastures, and fields. Remarkably, they can also be found in remote and secluded territory.The Lily of the Valley is a type of believer that grows in the deep and difficult places of life. This serves as a reminder that others have gone before us, yet, they were able to develop, blossom, and mature during their demanding seasons. It also serves as an indication of God’s power to keep us during our personal wilderness and valley experiences and an amazing glimpse that beauty can be seen even in the most unpleasant circumstances.Are you like a wildflower? Can you, through the rigid conditions of life’s journey, develop, blossom, and mature to your full potential? Do you permit the power of God to flow through you even when things are grueling, strenuous, and testing? Can you grow “anywhere” God chooses to plant you? Finally, the most challenging question, can you allow the brilliance of your life to shy away and go to seed when it is over? For he that loseth his life for my sake, shall find it (Matt. 10:39).Our “wildflowers” should be God’s gift of uniqueness that conveys and radiates His love, grace, and strength in us for others. Psalms 2:1 says, He is the Lily of the Valley and the Bright and Morning Star. All of this can be seen in a “wildflower”.Tilt your heart towards the SON!Pastor Narda GoodsonFirst Lady of Whitewright, TexasOfficial Website: http://anointedarrowsproductions.org\Social Network: http://christianwomenpredestinedbygod.ning.com/Copyright 2008 Gospel "PiLLs". All Rights ReservedRead more…
Posted by Narda Goodson on January 21, 2009 at 5:27pm
I am amazed that after a good downpour, gardens have a natural ability to "suck it up". . .that is the excess water that has fallen. After the downpour, a garden usually looks muddy and messy; a typical result from the effects of a storm.Although the excess invasion of water appears to be harmful at first, it is actually helping the garden flourish. You see, the excess water seeps into inconspicuous crevices that often materialize when the soil has become hard and dry. Once it enters, it dampens and moisturizes the deep, dry, and unseen dingy places.We will sometimes experience the downpours of life. At times, it may feel like the water will overflow us, but if we allow the excess watering of God's Word to flood our lives, then we too, like the garden will experience a refreshing that will revive, rejuvenate, and revitalize the deep places of our thirsty souls.Does your life have the ability to "suck it up"? Allow the rain in your life to eliminate, eradicate, and exterminate the dry and hard elements that cause infertility and unfruitfulness. When you "suck it up", you will begin to encounter a refreshing, restoring, and renewing that will transform your muddled garden into an amazing terrain.Tilt your heart towards the SON!Pastor Narda GoodsonFirst Lady of Whitewright, TexasOfficial Website: http://anointedarrowsproductions.orgSocial Network: http://christianwomenpredestinedbygod.ning.com/Read more…
Posted by Narda Goodson on January 26, 2009 at 11:47pm
There is a lot of work and responsibility that goes with owning a large piece of land. Everyone can see the weeds, tall grass, and wildflowers if it is not properly maintained or cared for. What’s ironic is that these never-ending menaces do not need our permission to breed, they just do. They automatically develop because this is its function.Do you know your function? Do you know what you have been created and designed to accomplish in life? While there may be more than one answer to this question, our personal resume of accomplishments, while noteworthy, does not exceed the importance of our faithfulness and commitment to it. Luke 12:48 says that to whom much is given much is required.How well are you maintaining your garden of life? To maintain means to keep something in working order. A beautiful lawn or garden doesn’t just happen by chance. One must be reliable and devoted in order to enable its beautiful life to continue.We may not be able to stop weeds and tall grass from producing, but we can surely stop them from taking root in our lives by paying attention. When we neglect to weed-eat and prune our personal life, we give place for the uncultivated character or behavior of our flesh to produce in us rotten outgrowth.What is your land producing? Do people see the weeds, tall grass, and wildflowers in your life or do they see the wholesome fruitfulness of a well-kept garden?Tilt your heart towards the SON!Pastor Narda GoodsonFirst Lady of Whitewright, TexasOfficial Website: http://anointedarrowsproductions.org\Social Network: http://christianwomenpredestinedbygod.ning.com/Copyright 2008 Gospel "PiLLs". All Rights ReservedRead more…
Posted by Narda Goodson on January 31, 2009 at 1:10am
The caterpillar knows his assignment; he understands and recognizes his season of change. He does not fear or fight against it but willingly positions himself to embrace and endure the severe process of metamorphosis.He does not despise his beginnings because he understands that the matrix of his world as a caterpillar is only a temporary form that carries his future. The ‘caterpillar’ is the larval stage of what he’s been created to be, a butterfly. He knows that beneath his uncomely exterior awaits a new birthing.The word caterpillar is a compound word. The word cater is a verb meaning to furnish, provide, and supply. The word pillar is a noun meaning support, rock, and leader. Caterpillars do nothing but eat and nourish on plant life during this humble beginning. However, this season of its life grounding, preparing, and becoming a tower of strength and support for its next phase of life.When you find yourself in the caterpillar stage of life, it is your job to feed on the nourishment of God’s Word so that it can sustain you during your pupa stage. When you have completed your pupa stage, you are then ready to emerge into maturity. Your life as a butterfly is to pollinate the lives of humanity through the gift of God’s love.Tilt your heart towards the SON!Pastor Narda GoodsonFirst Lady of Whitewright, TexasOfficial Website: http://anointedarrowsproductions.org\Social Network: http://christianwomenpredestinedbygod.ning.com/Copyright 2008 Gospel "PiLLs". All Rights ReservedRead more…
Is your JOB toxic?? We have all heard of toxic relationships and friendships. You know the ones that bring you down, lead you down the wrong path, or cause you more harm or hurt than good. So, is your JOB toxic? And how can you tell. If your immediate response to the question was yes, then case closed. If you are not so sure whether your job is toxic or not, I have some things you may want to think about. I'm not professing to be a career counselor, or anything like that, but I had a conversation with a friend that some people may be able to relate to...~ Signs your job may be "toxic" ~- Are you literally saddened by thoughts of your job or the thought of going to work?- Do you constantly go to work in a good mood, but leave angry or depressed?- Have you or are you developing health issues, (for example, high blood pressure, ulceres, anxiety) due to job related stress?- Does your job consumes all aspects of your life, even when you don't want it to?- Does your job interfere with your personal life or cause a strain in your personal relationships? You know, you are constantly missing valuable family time because you have to work late or bring the job home with you. ( Think carefully about this, don't confuse it with a toxic relationship at home)- Has your behavior change negatively since you have been working at your job.?- Do the practices of your company conflict with your personal values?I think that if you've answered yes to more than one or two of these questions then you may have a toxic situation on your hands. But what should you do about it? Now, with the economy today, I would not advise just quitting. 71,000 jobs were lost on Monday, 10,000 on Wednesday, and there are certainly more to come. So chances of getting hired somewhere else are slim.But in the meantime, see if there are other ways to survive and keep your sanity. Instead of griping about your job, thank God, that you have a means to provide for yourself or your family. While you are there, take comfort in knowing that you are doing the best that you can do while you are at work. Set limitations for your self try to work late only once or twice a week, and then set limitations on how late you will stay. Say I'm leaving at "x o'clock" no matter what. And stick to it. If possible, find something you do like, whether it be another job, or your own business. And by all means, be sure not to take the stresses of the day out on your loved ones. They will be there for you long after that job has passed.
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Posted by Bozz Ladi on December 30, 2008 at 1:30pm
INSTRUCTIONS FOR LIFE:1. Take into account that great love and great achievements involve great risk.2. When you lose, don't lose the lesson.3. Follow the three R's:Respect for selfRespect for others andResponsibility for all your actions4 Remember that not getting what you want is sometimes a wonderful stroke of luck.5. Learn the rules so you know how to break them properly.6 Don't let a little dispute injure a great relationship.7.When you realize you've made a mistake, take immediate steps to correct it.8 Spend some time alone every day.9. Open your arms to change, but don't let go of your values.10 Remember that silence is sometimes the best answer.11. Live a good, honerable life. Then when you get older and think back, you'll be able to enjoy it a second time.12. A loving atmosphere in your home is the foundation for your life.13. In disagreements with loved ones, deal only with the curent situation. Don't bring up the past.14. Share your knowledge. It is a way to achieve immortality.15. Be gentle with the earth.16. Once a year, go someplace you've never been.17 .Remember that the best relationship is one in which your love for each other exceeds your need for each other.18. Judge your success by what you had to give up in order to get it.19. Approach love and cooking with reckless abandon.
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because of the half a million job layoff lossesmany of us have had to make major job changes career changesHow to make a career change, mycareer.comFlick through any lifestyle magazine and you'll read about people who have found fulfilment by downsizing their careers or realising long-held professional ambitions. Indeed, with sea and tree changes the order of the day, a new career often comes with the territory. But what should you consider before making a career change? And how do you make it happen?Annabel Rees, National General Manager of People Solutions, helps get you started:1. Check your motivationsBefore you dive into planning your career change, assess your motivations so you can be sure that you’re doing it for the right reasons. If you’re reacting to poor management, then you may want to forgo a career change and switch employers instead. Or, if it's a response to personal challenges or change, a rethink might be wise.2. Get brainstormingIf you’re having trouble coming up with career alternatives, then consider using brainstorming techniques and psychometric assessments for greater inspiration. It's common for people to generate a number of potential new careers before settling on the one that’s most suited to their skills, interests, and personality.3. Do your researchResearching careers online and talking to industry experts will give you a greater understanding of any professional qualifications, memberships or certificates that are required. And if you want to get to the grit beneath the glitter of your new career, shadowing someone in their job for a day will give you a greater understanding of what’s involved.4. Start preparing Solid preparation makes a successful career change more likely. To this end, consider polishing your resume and interview skills. This can be done in workshops where presentations, role plays, case studies and written quizzes will get you up to speed. Or, if you don't have time to fit a class into your busy schedule, look out for helpful books or articles.5. Plan your transitionOne secret to making a successful career change is to identify the steps required to make it work for you. This can be achieved using a career coach or your own initiative. Make a list of what you want to achieve and then use SMART goal setting to ensure that they’re specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, and timely.6. Take active stepsRemember, your career change won’t happen by itself. The best way to achieve it is through commitment, action and sheer hard work. Also, the more structured your career change, the greater your chances are of you pulling it off, so, where possible, follow your plan to a tee
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Making the Choice Not to WorryPaul J. MeyerMore damage is done by worrying than by what is being worried about. This is because 90 percent of all worries never come to pass. Over the years, I have made it a deliberate point not to worry. If something happens at work or at home that would constitute a worry, I have learned to address the potential worry and say, "I'm going to wait to worry." Then when I objectively and realistically address the issue, the "obvious" need for worrying goes away.For me to enjoy life, remain healthy, and be full of peace, worry cannot be part of my daily routine. I've seen its disastrous effects on the lives of people and their children. Here are a few of the side effects of worrying:Self-doubt - It is a downward spiral that focuses on the negative and why things cannot be done versus why things can be done. It is a sinkhole, a debilitating attitude, and a terrible habit.Mediocrity - Capable people who worry are rendered incapable of accomplishing their intended goal. Worry makes you peck around on the ground like a chicken when you were intended to soar like an eagle.Fright - People who worry are not being cautious or thinking things over; they are simply scared. Running scared is the enemy of success, peace, contentment, happiness, joy, and laughter.No spark - The excitement is gone. Worry lets the air out of all you do, draining the fun and excitement from everything.No creativity - The freedom to be creative is squelched by worry. You simply cannot excel to your full potential when worry controls your thoughts.Improper shaping - You are molded and shaped by your thinking, and worries should not shape your future.Hazy results - Those who worry are second-guessing themselves, which produces a hesitancy that brings with it an unclear focus. Such a hazy goal will produce a hazy result.Bad habits - Worrying is a habit, the result of preconditioning and years of practice. The destructive habit of worrying turns people into prisoners.Physical ailments - The body reacts adversely to internal worries. John Edmund Haggai insightfully stated, "A distraught mind inevitably leads to a deteriorated body."Wasted time - Over 90 percent of what you worry about never comes to pass. To worry is to waste time; therefore, the more you worry, the less you accomplish.Make the decision for yourself to live life worry-free. It is not only possible, but it is also very enjoyable!Read more…
Posted by Deidre Logan on December 15, 2008 at 11:45pm
Amnesia is Impossible. Now What?Hurt feelings happen. Pain is a fact of life. Get used to it. It's not going anywhere. Create a strategy for dealing with it right now and spare yourself years and years of needless pain.The good news is hurt feelings are not fatal. You don't have to die from your pain. Pain doesn't have to be a lifestyle. Contentment and happiness can be made in spite of it. The real question is, are you willing to do what it takes to have contentment and happiness anyway?Maintaining a lasting relationship is impossible if you expect that your partner would not disappoint you if they truly loved you. Proximity alone makes this absolutely impossible. The mistake here is the "my feelings are hurt = my partner doesn't love me" assumption. News flash: the world doesn't revolve around your feelings. That's good news. It puts the control back where it should have been all along - in your hands.You can be right or you can be in relationship. When you're really fortunate, you can be both. But there are times when you will have to choose. Here's something to keep in mind: forcing "right" makes you an enemy to your partner. How excited would you really be to be sleeping with your enemy? Don't set yourself up for the failure.Listen, I understand that some things can, and should, not be negotiated. I'm not talking about those things. I'm talking about times when your pride becomes more important than fostering the kind of trust that creates the safety that makes true intimacy possible in any relationship. There will be more than enough situations in your partnership that will tend to divide you. If there's room to forgive, take it at every available opportunity. I promise you that you will soon be the one who needs the favor in return.You will not get amnesia. If that's what it takes for you, then you've got much bigger relationship issues. Forgiveness isn't about forgetting. It's about making a conscious decision not to continue to hold an offense against someone. It is to know what the wrong was and to give up your "right" to revenge and retribution. To forgive, is to be willing to value your relationship above your feelings.It's a tall order. Accept that your partner is not purposely trying to hurt you. Take responsibility for your own feelings and stop unfairly burdening the one you love. You will find that your relationship will improve right away.Speaking the truth in love,Deidre
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Posted by Deidre Logan on December 15, 2008 at 11:43pm
Like most people, I have often heard the all-too-common refrains, "you can't help who you love", "it just happened", or "one thing led to another". Most often, I hear this from women who are attempting to justify their ill-advised involvement in some situation that has come back to bite them in the behind.Ladies, I'm about to set you free!! None of these assessments is accurate. The truth is - you absolutely, unequivocally "help" who you love; it did not just happen; and one thing did not lead to another. You either made it happen or you allowed it to happen. Now, you're free because either way, the situation is in your control. For purposes of this entry, however, I will focus on the 'who you love' issue as it concerns unhealthy romantic love.Contrary to popular opinion, love is not accidental, incidental, or happenstance. It isn't random, arbitrary, or evolutionary. It happens by the sheer force of two independent wills focused in the same direction. It happens because the two people involved wanted it to happen, and have usually expended considerable effort to make sure that it did happen. Love is not a hole in the sidewalk waiting for you to blindly fall into it. Love is the by product of mental and physical time and effort deliberately put forth to create and continue feelings of infatuation and romance.We've all seen the situations where people have gotten involved in emotional and/or physical intimacies with someone they were "just friends" with. The usual protests go something like "I don't know how it happened", "I never intended for it to happen", or "I couldn't help myself". The facts are that these relationships never just happen. They occur after days, weeks, and months of finding big and small ways to perpetuate the ectasy of illicit attraction.That fact alone begs the question, is it really love you've created? You might think it is. Your partner may even agree. The truth is you've created a fantasy that can only survive in the bubble of the manipulated realities you've invented. That's why the magic dies under the stresses and strains of real life. No longer able to shield your "love" from the side effects and consequences of real life, you usually soon find that your "love" fades.In short, true love is a series of choices that you get emotional about. It is not merely an emotion or a feeling that you just helplessly fall into like a hole in the sidewalk. True love is deliberate. It lasts, not because of how you feel about eachother - but because of your dedication to your commitment to eachother.Speaking the truth in love,Deidre
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Grand parents are the salt of the Earth! We have raised our families and worked for most of our lives to take care of ourselves and our families to the best of our ability. Providing safe shelter, clean living conditions, healthy food, a balanced environment free from abuse or neglect, was my goal for my children. Maintaining this level of clean drama free living requires discipline, focus and determination to live life with a consistent level of devotion to giving your children the best life you could.In our 50’s, 60’s and beyond we should be able live the life we have earned and do whatever we want to do in our retirement years. For some this is not until until the late sixties or even 70’s, now retirees work part time either out of necessity or to stay active. It is not so easy to retire nowadays unless you have a sound financial plan in place to cover the cost of living a comfortable existence.Health care, housing, food, life insurance, transportation, are essential whether you are a married or single retiree. We don’t want to be a burden to our children, we want to live the “golden years” when you can travel, indulge in your favorite hobbies, become a serious gardener and play with our grandkids when we want to.Read moreOmitunde, Publisher of African American Family ConnectionAn online magazine about African American Family values and community.Visit AAFC for the latest issue each month and a copy of "The Ripple Effect".
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Posted by Andrea Fields on October 5, 2008 at 5:33pm
If it is true that what we love is our path to greatness – then it is also true that everyone who is working for barely makes do wages or less doesn’t have to. It also means that people who feel trapped in well paying jobs don’t need to. The question now is: How do we transform what we love into cash.I once heard a story of a man who had an infinity for fixing small electrical things. Radios, mixers, sewing machines; whatever – he could fix it. He never had any formal training in electronic or electrical repair. It was just something he instinctively knew how to do. Friends and family members often brought things to him to repair. Eventually his wife got sick of all of the money he was spending on tools and repair parts and him not making any money for his efforts. Finally he decided to rent a small room so he could continue to indulge in his love; but keep peace in his home. So to pay for his work space, he started charging people a nominal fee to do their repairs.As fate would have it, a time came he got laid off from his job and his wife didn’t make enough to support them. So, he began to call to check on a few offers he had received from customers to teach, to be on call to properly set up major appliances etc. Within a month he was making more money than he had ever made at his job.The answer to the questions: How do we transform what we love into cash is: For some people, transforming what you love to do into cash is a matter of making some decision and following through on them. For some it will take a business plan, investors . . . . Still others will simply stumble into their gift. The key however is to take the time to regularly work at that which brings you joy and a sense of fulfillment.Armed with this information, I finally put aside all of my reasons, excuses, meanderings … and dove into one of my favorite activities. At first it was awkward and felt strange – like I had never made a good living sewing before. As I moved forward and started on my second piece it began to feel good. Wonderful memories of past accomplishments began to appear in the forefront of my mind one by one. As I worked on my third piece, I began to relive the emotions that made me decide to become a seamstress in the first place.I’ll keep you posted on the outcome.
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In the dictionary definition, democracy "is government by the people in which the supreme power is vested in the people and exercised directly by them or by their elected agents under a free electoral system." In the phrase of Abraham Lincoln, democracy is a government "of the people, by the people, and for the people."Democracy is supposed to be set of ideas and principles about freedom. We have been told that is consists of a set of practices and procedures that have been set forth by our forefathers consisting of these four basic elements:1. A political system for choosing and replacing the government through free and fair elections.2. The active participation of the people, as citizens, in politics and civic life.3. Protection of the human rights of all citizens.4. A rule of law, in which the laws and procedures apply equally to all citizens.Today we have the opportunity to exercise what we believe as a collective group of citizens.What will we do with this opportunity? We will get drunk and raise the roof, what are we celebrating? It will be time to roll up our proverbial sleeves and improve upon whatever we are doing to be individuals that model the behavior of new president. Let's be sensible and really make a difference.President-Elect Barack Obama has shown us what it takes to fight for what he believes in. He has shown us that he believes in the America we were destined to be. Not just a super-power globally, but a country that takes care of its citizens.Be proud, be happy, be mindful the now the work has just begun.Omitunde, Publisher of African American Family ConnectionAn online magazine about African American Family values and community.Visit AAFC for the latest issue each month and a copy of "The Ripple Effect"Read more…
Hi,Friends, you are all invited to open and read and listen this link. Tell me what you think about the graphics and the narrator. Tell me how you could use it in your ministry/church/youth group outreaches. Here's link: God's UmbrellaGod's blessings,maria evangelistaCelebrate Jesus! Ministries, Inc.(Mat. 19:26)- - -GOD'S WORD - HIS HELP FROM ABOVE:"... I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." Jer. 29:11"In this new life one's nationality, race, education, social position is unimportant; such things mean nothing. Whether a person has Christ is what matters, and He is equally available to all" Col.3:11"The key to godliness is not more knowledge of God but more obedience to Him" Rom.6:16* Celebrate Jesus! Ministries in a web witness reaching souls in the internet one 'CLICK' at a time through these websites:BlogSisters in Christ/Woman to womenGod's giftHelp to parentsLifestyle?ZOEIndependence Dayministergospel2* Also these are excellent ministries:Gospels of John offerWho is God's umbrella?donate bibles at no cost to you25 yrs of ministry to poor and homeless in NYCRead more…
I grew up during a time when African Americans loved each other and lived in neighborhoods and communities that were interconnected like the web of love. A web of love and support that looked like women cooking for other families when there was illness or taking food to a repast for a family grieving the loss of a loved one. Yes, I was one of those children thatwas corrected by a neighbor and again when they informed my parents of what I was guilty of.Today we are not that close knit community. If you say something to a young person today, you could get cussed out or worse, physically attacked.Reuniting the African American family is very important to me and I hope is it important to everyone who cares about the future of African American children. Have you ever looked around at the people that would come to your aid in a crisis? If you are the head of your household, who would come to assist your loved ones if something happened to you? It is urgent that we reconnect and become strong again.Read moreRead more…
excerpt of Steve Jobs' Commencement address (2005)this really inspired meThis is the text of the Commencement address by Steve Jobs, CEO of Apple Computer and of Pixar Animation Studios, delivered on June 12, 2005.I am honored to be with you today at your commencement from one of the finest universities in the world. I never graduated from college. Truth be told, this is the closest I've ever gotten to a college graduation. Today I want to tell you three stories from my life. That's it. No big deal. Just three stories.The first story is about connecting the dots.I dropped out of Reed College after the first 6 months, but then stayed around as a drop-in for another 18 months or so before I really quit. So why did I drop out?It started before I was born. My biological mother was a young, unwed college graduate student, and she decided to put me up for adoption. She felt very strongly that I should be adopted by college graduates, so everything was all set for me to be adopted at birth by a lawyer and his wife. Except that when I popped out they decided at the last minute that they really wanted a girl. So my parents, who were on a waiting list, got a call in the middle of the night asking: "We have an unexpected baby boy; do you want him?" They said: "Of course." My biological mother later found out that my mother had never graduated from college and that my father had never graduated from high school. She refused to sign the final adoption papers. She only relented a few months later when my parents promised that I would someday go to college.And 17 years later I did go to college. But I naively chose a college that was almost as expensive as Stanford, and all of my working-class parents' savings were being spent on my college tuition. After six months, I couldn't see the value in it. I had no idea what I wanted to do with my life and no idea how college was going to help me figure it out. And here I was spending all of the money my parents had saved their entire life. So I decided to drop out and trust that it would all work out OK. It was pretty scary at the time, but looking back it was one of the best decisions I ever made. The minute I dropped out I could stop taking the required classes that didn't interest me, and begin dropping in on the ones that looked interesting.It wasn't all romantic. I didn't have a dorm room, so I slept on the floor in friends' rooms, I returned coke bottles for the 5¢ deposits to buy food with, and I would walk the 7 miles across town every Sunday night to get one good meal a week at the Hare Krishna temple. I loved it. And much of what I stumbled into by following my curiosity and intuition turned out to be priceless later on. Let me give you one example:Reed College at that time offered perhaps the best calligraphy instruction in the country. Throughout the campus every poster, every label on every drawer, was beautifully hand calligraphed. Because I had dropped out and didn't have to take the normal classes, I decided to take a calligraphy class to learn how to do this. I learned about serif and san serif typefaces, about varying the amount of space between different letter combinations, about what makes great typography great. It was beautiful, historical, artistically subtle in a way that science can't capture, and I found it fascinating.None of this had even a hope of any practical application in my life. But ten years later, when we were designing the first Macintosh computer, it all came back to me. And we designed it all into the Mac. It was the first computer with beautiful typography. If I had never dropped in on that single course in college, the Mac would have never had multiple typefaces or proportionally spaced fonts. And since Windows just copied the Mac, its likely that no personal computer would have them. If I had never dropped out, I would have never dropped in on this calligraphy class, and personal computers might not have the wonderful typography that they do. Of course it was impossible to connect the dots looking forward when I was in college. But it was very, very clear looking backwards ten years later.Again, you can't connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backwards. So you have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future. You have to trust in something — your gut, destiny, life, karma, whatever. This approach has never let me down, and it has made all the difference in my life.My second story is about love and loss.I was lucky — I found what I loved to do early in life. Woz and I started Apple in my parents garage when I was 20. We worked hard, and in 10 years Apple had grown from just the two of us in a garage into a $2 billion company with over 4000 employees. We had just released our finest creation — the Macintosh — a year earlier, and I had just turned 30. And then I got fired. How can you get fired from a company you started? Well, as Apple grew we hired someone who I thought was very talented to run the company with me, and for the first year or so things went well. But then our visions of the future began to diverge and eventually we had a falling out. When we did, our Board of Directors sided with him. So at 30 I was out. And very publicly out. What had been the focus of my entire adult life was gone, and it was devastating.I really didn't know what to do for a few months. I felt that I had let the previous generation of entrepreneurs down - that I had dropped the baton as it was being passed to me. I met with David Packard and Bob Noyce and tried to apologize for screwing up so badly. I was a very public failure, and I even thought about running away from the valley. But something slowly began to dawn on me — I still loved what I did. The turn of events at Apple had not changed that one bit. I had been rejected, but I was still in love. And so I decided to start over.I didn't see it then, but it turned out that getting fired from Apple was the best thing that could have ever happened to me. The heaviness of being successful was replaced by the lightness of being a beginner again, less sure about everything. It freed me to enter one of the most creative periods of my life.During the next five years, I started a company named NeXT, another company named Pixar, and fell in love with an amazing woman who would become my wife. Pixar went on to create the worlds first computer animated feature film, Toy Story, and is now the most successful animation studio in the world. In a remarkable turn of events, Apple bought NeXT, I returned to Apple, and the technology we developed at NeXT is at the heart of Apple's current renaissance. And Laurene and I have a wonderful family together.I'm pretty sure none of this would have happened if I hadn't been fired from Apple. It was awful tasting medicine, but I guess the patient needed it. Sometimes life hits you in the head with a brick. Don't lose faith. I'm convinced that the only thing that kept me going was that I loved what I did. You've got to find what you love. And that is as true for your work as it is for your lovers. Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven't found it yet, keep looking. Don't settle. As with all matters of the heart, you'll know when you find it. And, like any great relationship, it just gets better and better as the years roll on. So keep looking until you find it. Don't settle.My third story is about death.When I was 17, I read a quote that went something like: "If you live each day as if it was your last, someday you'll most certainly be right." It made an impression on me, and since then, for the past 33 years, I have looked in the mirror every morning and asked myself: "If today were the last day of my life, would I want to do what I am about to do today?" And whenever the answer has been "No" for too many days in a row, I know I need to change something.Remembering that I'll be dead soon is the most important tool I've ever encountered to help me make the big choices in life. Because almost everything — all external expectations, all pride, all fear of embarrassment or failure - these things just fall away in the face of death, leaving only what is truly important. Remembering that you are going to die is the best way I know to avoid the trap of thinking you have something to lose. You are already naked. There is no reason not to follow your heart.About a year ago I was diagnosed with cancer. I had a scan at 7:30 in the morning, and it clearly showed a tumor on my pancreas. I didn't even know what a pancreas was. The doctors told me this was almost certainly a type of cancer that is incurable, and that I should expect to live no longer than three to six months. My doctor advised me to go home and get my affairs in order, which is doctor's code for prepare to die. It means to try to tell your kids everything you thought you'd have the next 10 years to tell them in just a few months. It means to make sure everything is buttoned up so that it will be as easy as possible for your family. It means to say your goodbyes.I lived with that diagnosis all day. Later that evening I had a biopsy, where they stuck an endoscope down my throat, through my stomach and into my intestines, put a needle into my pancreas and got a few cells from the tumor. I was sedated, but my wife, who was there, told me that when they viewed the cells under a microscope the doctors started crying because it turned out to be a very rare form of pancreatic cancer that is curable with surgery. I had the surgery and I'm fine now.This was the closest I've been to facing death, and I hope its the closest I get for a few more decades. Having lived through it, I can now say this to you with a bit more certainty than when death was a useful but purely intellectual concept:No one wants to die. Even people who want to go to heaven don't want to die to get there. And yet death is the destination we all share. No one has ever escaped it. And that is as it should be, because Death is very likely the single best invention of Life. It is Life's change agent. It clears out the old to make way for the new. Right now the new is you, but someday not too long from now, you will gradually become the old and be cleared away. Sorry to be so dramatic, but it is quite true.Your time is limited, so don't waste it living someone else's life. Don't be trapped by dogma — which is living with the results of other people's thinking. Don't let the noise of others' opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary.When I was young, there was an amazing publication called The Whole Earth Catalog, which was one of the bibles of my generation. It was created by a fellow named Stewart Brand not far from here in Menlo Park, and he brought it to life with his poetic touch. This was in the late 1960's, before personal computers and desktop publishing, so it was all made with typewriters, scissors, and polaroid cameras. It was sort of like Google in paperback form, 35 years before Google came along: it was idealistic, and overflowing with neat tools and great notions.Stewart and his team put out several issues of The Whole Earth Catalog, and then when it had run its course, they put out a final issue. It was the mid-1970s, and I was your age. On the back cover of their final issue was a photograph of an early morning country road, the kind you might find yourself hitchhiking on if you were so adventurous. Beneath it were the words: "Stay Hungry. Stay Foolish." It was their farewell message as they signed off. Stay Hungry. Stay Foolish. And I have always wished that for myself. And now, as you graduate to begin anew, I wish that for you.Stay Hungry. Stay Foolish.Thank you all very much.Read more…
making the choice not to worryPaul J. Meyer from success magazineMore damage is done by worrying than by what is being worried about. This is because 90 percent of all worries never come to pass. Over the years, I have made it a deliberate point not to worry. If something happens at work or at home that would constitute a worry, I have learned to address the potential worry and say, "I'm going to wait to worry." Then when I objectively and realistically address the issue, the "obvious" need for worrying goes away.For me to enjoy life, remain healthy, and be full of peace, worry cannot be part of my daily routine. I've seen its disastrous effects on the lives of people and their children. Here are a few of the side effects of worrying:Self-doubt - It is a downward spiral that focuses on the negative and why things cannot be done versus why things can be done. It is a sinkhole, a debilitating attitude, and a terrible habit.Mediocrity - Capable people who worry are rendered incapable of accomplishing their intended goal. Worry makes you peck around on the ground like a chicken when you were intended to soar like an eagle.Fright - People who worry are not being cautious or thinking things over; they are simply scared. Running scared is the enemy of success, peace, contentment, happiness, joy, and laughter.No spark - The excitement is gone. Worry lets the air out of all you do, draining the fun and excitement from everything.No creativity - The freedom to be creative is squelched by worry. You simply cannot excel to your full potential when worry controls your thoughts.Improper shaping - You are molded and shaped by your thinking, and worries should not shape your future.Hazy results - Those who worry are second-guessing themselves, which produces a hesitancy that brings with it an unclear focus. Such a hazy goal will produce a hazy result.Bad habits - Worrying is a habit, the result of preconditioning and years of practice. The destructive habit of worrying turns people into prisoners.Physical ailments - The body reacts adversely to internal worries. John Edmund Haggai insightfully stated, "A distraught mind inevitably leads to a deteriorated body."Wasted time - Over 90 percent of what you worry about never comes to pass. To worry is to waste time; therefore, the more you worry, the less you accomplish.Make the decision for yourself to live life worry-free. It is not only possible, but it is also very enjoyable!
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One of my favorite poems is called "The Dash" by Linda Ellis. Written shortly after her grandmother’s death, it’s an eloquent invocation to live one’s life thoughtfully...So, what on earth is a dash and why should it count?We are born and then we die. But what really matters is what happens in between. By making a conscious choice to live our lives with passion and purpose, we can leave our mark on the world by leaving it in a better place than we found it.
THE DASHby Linda EllisI read of a man who stood to speakAt the funeral of a friend.He referred to the dates on her tombstoneFrom the beginning…to the end.He noted that first came her date of birthAnd spoke the following date with tears,But he said what mattered most of allWas the dash between those years.For that dash represents all the timeThat she spent alive on earth…And now only those who loved herKnow what that little line is worth.For it matters not, how much we own;The cars…the house…the cash,What matters is how we live and loveAnd how we spend our dash.So think about this long and hard…Are there things you’d like to change?For you never know how much time is left,That can still be rearranged.If we could just slow down enoughTo consider what’s true and real,And always try to understandThe way other people feel.And be less quick to anger,And show appreciation moreAnd love the people in our livesLike we’ve never loved before.If we treat each other with respect,And more often wear a smile…Remembering that this special dashMight only last a little while.So, when your eulogy’s being readWith your life’s actions to rehash…Would you be proud of the things they sayAbout how you spent your dash?(Article submitted by Michelle James: 1961 dash ....)
