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By Jerry Richard Boone Are Christian virtues just for sissies, wimps, and other losers? Or are they the most reasonable way for all of us to live? Let’s check it out. Jesus is the embodiment of virtue. He’s our example. We are to become “little Christs” imitating what he did. He wants to make us over until we are perfect. Following Christ’s lead, these are the virtues we are to embrace: charity, courage, faith, humility, justice, knowledge, wisdom, obedience, perseverance, faithfulness, prudence, and temperance. These Christ-like traits are to become an intrinsic part of our new character. Some of the words such as charity, prudence, and temperance have either changed meaning over time or are no longer part of our current vernacular. A brief explanation of each may help. We will take them in alphabetical order starting with . . . Charity In its wider application, charity covers a large part of Christianity: compassion, kindness, good deeds, encouragement, forgiveness, gentleness, hospitality, love, mercy, and tolerance. Here is what the scriptures tell us about charity. Paul exhorts us to compassion and kindness in Colossians 3:12, Galatians 5:22, and Ephesians 4:32. Peter urges compassion in 1 Peter 3:8. Growing in brotherly kindness, Peter tells us, will keep us from complacency and unproductive service. (2 Peter 1:6-8) In his Sheep and Goats narrative, Jesus says, in so many words, our deeds are our destiny. Those who attend the needs of the hungry, the thirsty, the stranger, the unclothed, the sick, and those in prison will be rewarded with the kingdom and eternal life. Those who do not attend to the ones who need help are damned to eternal punishment. (Matthew 25:31-46) Likewise, the hero in Jesus’ Good Samaritan parable was the one who acted with mercy. (Luke 10:30-37) And in case anyone missed his point, Jesus says, “The Son of Man is going to come in his Father’s glory with his angles, and then he will reward each person according to what he has done.” (Matthew 16:27) Good deeds remains a predominant theme throughout the New Testament. Jesus advocates them in Matthew 5:16, 16:27, Mark 9:41, Luke 6:38, and 14:13-14. Paul commends charitable acts in Acts 20:35, Romans 12:13, 2 Corinthians 8:12, and 9:6-7, and Philippians 2:4. The writer of Hebrews does the same in Hebrews 13:16. We are to encourage one another. Paul prompts us twice: 1 Thessalonians 5:11 and 5:14. And the writer of Hebrews advises it on three occasions: Hebrews 3:13, 10:24, and 10:25. Jesus commands us to forgive each other. In perhaps one of the most chilling statements of the scriptures, Christ says: “If you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.” (Matthew 6:14-16) To illustrate the command for forgiveness, Jesus tells the parable of the Unmerciful Servant. The servant was unable to pay the king ten thousand talents which was due him. The king ordered the servant and his family to be sold to repay the debt. He pleaded for mercy, and the king relented canceling the debt and let him go. But the servant went out and found another servant who owed him a relatively small debt. The first servant demanded payment. His debtor pleaded for mercy. However, the first servant refused and threw him into prison. Other servants told the king what had happened. The king turned the first servant over to his jailers to be tortured until he paid all he owed. (Matthew 18:21-35) Jesus concluded this parable saying, “This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother from your heart.” (Matthew 18:35) Jesus practiced what he preached; he forgave those who were crucifying him. (Luke 23:34) Stephen followed suit and forgave those who were stoning him. (Acts 7:60) In three of his letters, Paul urges us to be gentle: Galatians 5:23, Ephesians 4:1-2, and Philippians 4:5. Peter, Paul, John, and the writer of Hebrews all praise hospitality. See: 1 Peter 4:9, Romans 12:13, 3 John 5-8, and Hebrews 13:2. One of Paul’s requirements for a widow receiving assistance from the church is that she shows hospitality. (1 Timothy 5:9-10) Jesus, Peter, Paul, and John spoke frequently on love. Love, we find, is the very essence of Christianity, the power that motivates all the other virtues. One of the most moving passages in all the Bible is 1 Corinthians chapter 13, Paul’s tribute to love. It reads like poetry. Shortly before his crucifixion, Christ addressed his disciples: ” A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” (John 13:34-35) Jesus: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself. All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” (Matthew 22:37-40) Jesus: “Love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you.” (Matthew 5:44-45) Love is the key, the essential ingredient. Paul says it in Romans 13:8-10 and Colossians 3:14; Peter says it in 1 Peter 4:8 and 2 Peter 1:7; and John makes the same observation in 1 John 3:14, 3:18, 5:2-3, and 2 John 5-6. Jesus advocated the virtue of mercy on three occasions including the beatitude: “Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.” (Matthew 5:7) The other references are Matthew 9:13 and Luke 6:36. Paul too encouraged mercy in three passages: Romans 12:14, 12:17, and Colossians 3:13. James issues the stern warning that judgment without mercy will be shown to those who have not been merciful. (James 2:13) Perhaps the most popular of Jesus’ quotes is on the subject of tolerance. “Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.” (Matthew 7:1-2) Many of Paul’s statements repeat Christ’s plea (and warning) for tolerance: Romans 14:1-4, 14:5, 14:10, 14:13, 15:7, 1 Corinthians 4:5, and Colossians 3:13. In general, we are to accept our fellow Christians. We should never be petty or looking for faults. Certainly we must not get into the habit of condemning others. Nevertheless, some things are not to be tolerated. We are to be constantly on our guard against false prophets, false teachers, and what they say. (2 Peter 2:1) Paul gave the Galatians this memorable warning: “Even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let him be eternally condemned!” (Galatians 1:8) We are also to draw distinctions between right and wrong and between good and bad people. Jesus told us not to give dogs what is sacred or throw pearls to pigs. (Matthew 7:6) Paul cautions us not to even associate with fellow Christians who are sexually immoral, or greedy, or slanderers, or drunkards, or swindlers. (1 Corinthians 5:11) And he told the Corinthians to expel a certain man from among them. (1 Corinthians 5:1-3) As for those who start controversies, arguments, or quarrels, they are to be warned twice. After that have nothing to do with them, Paul advises. (Titus 3:9-10) Nor should we tolerate idlers. If a man doesn’t work, says Paul, he should not eat either. (2 Thessalonians 3:10) Both Jesus and Paul tell us not to permit the church to go astray with sexual misconduct. The man Paul ordered to be expelled from the Corinthian church had sex with his stepmother. (1 Corinthians 5:1-5) Jesus himself warned the church at Thyatira to repent of their sexual immorality. (Revelation: 2:18-22) What of those outside the church? There too we are to use discretion. Paul: “There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God- having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with them.” (2 Timothy 3:1-5) Again it is Paul who offers us an appropriate summary: “Test everything. Hold on to the good. Avoid every kind of evil.” (1 Thessalonians 5:21-22) What should Christians tolerate? We all have flaws and quirks. Paul tells us to overlook them; we are to love our fellow Christians in spite of their rough edges. Then again, there is a point at which we must draw the line. Those who teach or preach false doctrines are not to be tolerated. Likewise, we cannot allow the church to be discredited, corrupted, or divided by fellow Christians. And immoral people outside the church should be avoided. Charity under its broader meaning encompasses a large portion of Christian ethics: compassion, kindness, good deeds, encouragement, forgiveness, gentleness, hospitality, love, mercy, and tolerance. These are not nice options. We are ordered to acquire these qualities. Courage John Wayne once defined courage as being scared to death and saddling up anyway. Do you consider Christianity — a religion for wimps? Then consider Revelation 21:8. “But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars-their place will be in the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death.” If we take that at face value, God has no more use for a coward than he does for a murderer. Both of them are damned. Christianity calls for courage. We are promised hard times ahead. See John 16:33, 1 Peter 1:6-7, 4:12-16, Acts 14:22, and 2 Timothy 3:12. We are simply told to take up our cross and follow Christ. (Matthew 16:24) It takes guts to live like a Christian. Faith The writer of Hebrews provides us with the definition: “Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” (Hebrews 11:1 KJV) Again, the writer of Hebrews: “Without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.” (Hebrews 11:6) Jesus: “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die.” (John 11:25-26) Paul: “We live by faith, not by sight.” (2 Corinthians 5:7) Paul: “If you confess with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” (Romans 10:9) John: “Jesus did many other miraculous signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book. But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.” (John 20:30-31) Faith, like charity and courage , is essential. Humility Humility is the fourth virtue. Jesus give us two beatitudes and two parables on the subject. He tells us “the poor in spirit” and the meek’ are the blessed ones. (Matthew 5:3 and 5) And he vividly contrasts a humble tax collector with a proud Pharisee. (Luke 18:9-14) The second parable regarded taking the least important seat at a wedding feast. (Luke 14:7-11) Jesus concludes both parables with this caveat: “For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.” Jesus again advocates humility in Matthew 20:25-27 and Luke 18:17. Paul does the same in Romans 12:3, 12:16, 1 Corinthians 1:26-29, Galatians 6:3, and 6:4-5, Ephesians 4:1-2, and Titus 3:2. James tells us to humble ourselves before the Lord, and he will lift us up. (James 4:10) Paul, in addition to his other quotes on humility, says we should not do anything because of selfish ambition or conceit but in humility we are to consider others better than ourselves. (Philippians 2:3) The whole concept of humility seems rather quaint nowadays. All too often, we see the opposite: arrogance, conceit, and pride. Humility? Many today associate it with losers, those with low self-esteem, or maybe an inferiority complex. If you’ve got it, flaunt it. That’s the prevailing attitude of our times. Mohammad Allie popularized it. Our culture embraced it. Even so, sooner or later reality kicks in and we come face to face with our own frailties. Of what do we have to be proud? our looks? our bodies? our intelligence? our possessions? or our accomplishments? Do not all end in age and death? Humility before God should not be difficult to understand. It’s nothing more than common sense when we consider our respective positions. He’s the creator; we are the created. He’s in charge. We live and die at his pleasure, and we spend eternity wherever he sends us. Isn’t it obvious? Humility is the only reasonable attitude when we come to understand our true relationship with God. But what of humility towards each other? Here I will venture a guess. We don’t really know what makes other people tick. We don’t have an inside track on their hopes, their problems, their sacrifices, or what God thinks of them. For that reason we should refrain from comparing ourselves to other folks. We are told to treat them as we want to be treated. That’s our job. God will judge them. That’s his job. Justice Justice carries with it the meaning of being fair, impartial, honest, and upright. Cicero defined it: “To give everyone his due.” Jesus had much to say on justice. He pointed out to the teachers of the law that justice along with mercy and faithfulness were three of the more important matters of the law. (Matthew 23:23) He warns of God’s justice: “With the measure you use, it will be measured to you.” (Matthew 7:2) He also gives us the golden rule for human justice: “Do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.” (Matthew 7:12) Two of Jesus’ beatitudes concern justice: “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.” (Matthew 5:6) And: “Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 5:10) In dealing with others, Jesus, John the Baptist, Paul, and James tell us we must be fair, impartial, honest, and upright. See Matthew 5:20, Luke 3:13, 3:14, and 16:10, Romans 13:7 and 13:8, 1 Timothy 6:11, Ephesians 4:25, and James 2:1-7 and 2:9. Justice is not an option, neither are knowledge and wisdom. For conclusion - See Christian Virtues Part Two of Two Jerry Boone, Gatlinburg, Tennessee, United States webmaster@merechristianity.us Mr. Boone is a sailor, author, and webmaster of http://merechristianity.us His works include: Mere Christianity.us and SAFETY LINE - EVIDENCE OF THINGS NOT SEEN, an apologetic study published 1998. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jerry_Richard_Boone http://EzineArticles.com/?Christian-Virtues-Part-One-of-Two&id=527126 no credit check furniture store austin tx online application for secured loan uk project pay day personal loan no credit

By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Philip_Nicosia]Philip Nicosia Maybe you like how they look and the clothes they wear, admire their talent or the role they currently play on the TV, or simply like having their faces on your cellular phone screen. Maybe you took pictures of when you met them, and you intend to prove to everyone you know that you did meet them. Whatever the reason, celebrities continue to occupy the mobile phones of many subscribers. A camera phone makes a convenience out of taking photos of friends and odd sceneries, and practicing basic photography skills. Doing so will provide a whole range of options for changing wallpapers and screensavers on your phone. On the other hand, for the eager entertainment fan, a mobile phone equipped with a good digital camera proves useful, particularly in documenting his or her celebrity encounters. After all, what better way to tell your story than with a visual aid? However, not all celebrity fanatics have the time, energy, or interest in becoming the paparazzi. Thanks to the innovations developed by mobile telecommunications providers, your pictures are just one of the ways through which celebrities can occupy your cellular phone. Some service providers also offer voice tones of your favorite celebrities, as well as ring tone versions of songs of your favorite musical act. Other similar products are cell phone wallpaper versions of movie posters, photos of the celebrities taken on the red carpet, awards night pictures, and sometimes even prison mug shots of celebrities who were previously arrested. Aside from the pleasure of having the latest photos and images downloaded right to your cell phone, the primary use of these features, if nothing else, is to provide you with choices to fiddle with to pass the time. For instance, your cell phone can look like Angelina Jolie one day, and Ewan McGregor the next. You can also switch songs for ring tones to match your mood, or change movie themed wallpapers according to whats showing in the theaters. Sometimes you may even want to swap your photos with those of another celebrity fanatic through Blue Tooth. If a day comes, however, when you suddenly feel like trading your cell phone celebrities for cartoon like images, feel no despair. It is, after all, just a download away. Other wallpaper options for your phone are pictures of scenic spots, such as the beach at sunset, the city skyline, and snow-covered mountains; cute photos of babies, pets, dolls and little trinkets; graphic illustrations of your favorite characters; farm animals; holiday themes, such as Christmas and Halloween; cartoons in 3D and manga; tattoo designs and calligraphy; country flags, jets and cars. Meanwhile, other ring tone options include advertising sound clips, video game sound bytes, as well as excerpts from musicals, movie and television themes, and even the national anthems of different countries. Ringtones.lt is a site specialising in the different genres of [http://www.ringtones.lt/ ]mobile ringtones, and [http://www.ringtones.lt/wallpapers.php]Nokia wallpapers including [http://www.ringtones.lt/wallpapers-sub-2520-Stars.php]celebrity wallpapers. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Philip_Nicosia http://EzineArticles.com/?Cell-Phone-Celebrities:-Stars-on-Your-Cell-Phone&id=182824 can a real estate agent recieve commison on a personal fha loan searching for online private lender bad credit unsecured loan no fees personal loans from loan sharks pioneer djm800 financing no credit check

By Dawn Burden Bates We do everything we can to do our part in the effort to protect the environment. We recycle. We take extra care to combine errands so we don’t waste gasoline (especially at these prices). We even make purchases online to save energy and keep the paper catalogs at bay. And if you are like me, you just love getting packages in the mail. Except… when I open the package and find that my item has been protected from damage in shipping with the dreaded polystyrene packing peanuts! Not only do these pesky peanuts make a huge mess, they are utterly indestructible. When these things end up in landfills, they NEVER degrade. Future inhabitants of our planet will be able to study our culture using these suckers. So what do we do? 1. The best alternative is to simply not use these peanuts. There are alternative packing peanuts available made from starch that almost instantly dissolve in water. Ask your online retailer to begin using this more environmentally friendly alternative to polystyrene. 2. When you receive a package packed in peanuts, test them by running one under water to see if it dissolves. If so, you can simply dump them in your sink a little at a time and run the dissolved peanuts down the drain. They are safe for the water supply since they are made from vegetable and other organic matter. 3. When the peanuts don’t dissolve, there are a few things we can do. When you have a package to ship that requires a bit of protection, use the peanuts. Ask your recipient to do the same. At least they don’t end up in a landfill immediately. 4. If you don’t like the idea of keeping the peanuts around the house, there are several centers and stores that will take them to reuse. Many UPS Stores, Mailboxes Etc., PostNet, and other small packing and shipping centers will accept your peanuts to reuse. Contact your local store for verification. If you have trouble finding a drop-off location, please visit http://www.loosefillpackaging.com for information on businesses and centers willing to accept used peanuts or call the Plastic Loose Fill Council’s Peanut Hotline at 800-828-2214. Get your creative juices flowing Now we know how to recycle those pesky peanuts, but before we get rid of them, let’s ask ourselves what other uses we might find for the peanuts. Can we think of ways we can convert our trash into treasure? Here are a few ideas to get us started. -The holidays are fast approaching, so any peanuts we have left over after using them to safeguard the gifts we’re shipping can be used for decoration. Use a needle and strong thread to string the peanuts like popcorn to use as a garland for your tree. -Place a few peanuts in the bottom of a planter before inserting your plant to conserve soil and to help drainage. Be sure not to use too many or to block the drainage hole completely. -Use an old zippered pillowcase and fill it with peanuts. This makes an inexpensive pet bed or a “bean” bag chair. -Dip the peanuts in paint and use for creative stamps. Many peanuts look like letters or you can cut them into whatever shape you’d like. If you are a scrapbooker, this is a great way to add a creative splash to a page. -Crumble the peanuts into pieces and use them as faux snow in our winter decorations. Even simple actions can help us protect our environment. The more we do, the more we help, the more our world benefits. Dawn Bates is a busy wife, mother, environmentalist, and webmaster to the highly informative recycling website, A Recycling Revolution. For both basic and extensive information on recycling, composting, reusing, and reducing, visit A Recycling Revolution. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Dawn_Burden_Bates http://EzineArticles.com/?What-to-Do-With-Pesky-Packing-Peanuts&id=89917 cheap payday loans fake paycheck software personal loans bad credit hialeah bad credit car loan

By Chris Chew Some people used the term weight loss while others call it fat loss whilst many use the terms weight loss and fat loss interchangeably. Do they mean the same thing? To many people, they do mean the same thing. But the terms may be entirely different in meaning. You must know the difference if you want to lose weight or lose fat effectively and healthily. When you step onto your bathroom scale every morning, what you will be reading from the scale is weight loss and not fat loss. Bath room scales are never accurate in determining fat loss. Why? Because it measures your overall weight and not your body fat per se. If you weigh yourself in the morning before breakfast after your bowel movement, you will probably get your lowest reading of the day because your body is dehydrated through hours of non fluid replenishment when you were sleeping and after emptying your bowels, more water and wastes are flushed away so much so that you are you are lighter. After a night of sleep and not eating anything, your carbohydrate store is running low and therefore you are even lighter without the stored carbohydrate known as glycogen. What happened then? You just loss weight not loss fat! Your body fat is still there while the weight of other substances such as glycogen, wastes, water etc are depleted. Now go weigh yourself again after dinner when you are fully replenished through meals and consumption of water and it may surprised you that you may probably weigh 2kg or more heavier and that is at least 4.4 pounds! You just gained weight and may even gained fat! Now you can see that it is such a misnomer when people think weight loss and fat loss are the same thing. Why must you know the difference? Because for most of us, especially those who are on the fat side want to lose fat and not necessarily want to lose weight. Getting the drift? Now for the more important part. Mere weight loss may cause you to lose muscle and in turn, make you gain body fat later. Yes, it is ironical. That is because the more muscle mass you have, the more you burn fat efficiently because muscle is an active tissue and it requires calories to function. Body fat just sit there doing nothing and thus do not burn calories on its own. So the less muscle mass you have, the less calories your body will burn. The fewer calories your body burn, the more calories ended up being stored as body fat! Therefore it is important to lose fat but not merely lose weight which may include the loss of muscle tissues. How is it that a person may lose muscle on a weight loss program? Well for starters, we commonly hear about people going on this diet and that diet. Most diets demand a severe restriction of food or calorie intake. Your body will then signal to your mind that you are in a starvation mode and the body is designed to store fat for the impending famine and will use up your muscle for energy in your daily activities. Some diets advocate a severe cut in carbohydrate. Carbohydrate is your body’s first source of energy. When your body is depleted of carbohydrate, it turns to your protein (muscles) and body fat indiscriminately for energy. Now to make matters worse, because of the restricted carbohydrate consumed, there will be fewer carbohydrate calories to be used as energy calories and that again will signal the onset of starvation mode again. The vicious cycle of your body cannibalizing its own muscle is set in motion again. The same applies to people on slimming pills or salon fat loss programs. So some people say ok, Chris, I see your point, so I will just do plenty of cardio exercises to lose weight. Another grave mistake. Have you ever wondered why marathon runners, those who run many kilometers often and are doing cardio exercises almost everyday are so skinny with no muscle tone? Because your body is a wonderful machine. It is designed to adapt. When you run or skip or swim long enough, it will say, look, I better get lighter so that I can take the stress better and improve the endurance. Guess what? Your muscles are heavier than fats and what will your body shed more when it wants to get lighter? Muscle or fat? Your body will shed both but more muscles than fats. Anyway, why would you want to lose weight only to become a smaller you with the same body shape without any muscle tone? Why would you want to be on a weight loss program that eats your muscles and lower your fat burning rate so much so that when you are off the program, the fats come piling back on again? Therefore, while you are on a lose weight program, you must also be on a build muscle program. That will mean a combination of correct dietary habit, cardio exercises and weightlifting exercises to maintain muscle preservation and a fat loss result. From now on tell people you are on a fat loss program and not a weight loss program. That you are on a correct eating habit instead of just simply dieting. With the distinction clearly in mind, you will then know how to lose fat effectively, preserve and grow your muscles and at the same time losing weight on your bathroom scale. That would be an ideal way to achieve your weight loss objective because you will lose body fat instead of muscle and mere body wastes. Chris Chew is a fitness personal trainer of fashion models, male pageant winners and actors. 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By Michele Rogers We all love gardens, be it flower gardens. Flowers seem to lift all our dull spirits and seem to make us feel good. Many people now a day have allergies and it is hard to enjoy the out side. If we choose plants and flowers wisely then the bees and allergies will just fly away. While decorating our yards it is smart to take a clip board and draw the shape of your yard. This will help you start to plan where you wish to have a seating area versus an area with beautiful floras. Before you purchase any plants be sure to ask the local nursery which plants attract bees and which are heavy pollen producers. Do not hesitate to go online also and look up the facts that the garden center has given you. Many times they have new people that are in a hurry and may not give you the right information. Also you can go and find a forum that will help in answering your questions. By taking your drawing of your back yard and plan out from the back of the house plan your seating closest to the back door. Then work out from there. If you do not mind some foliage that attracts bees then make them furthest from you. Lets face it sitting and sitting on ice tea and getting stung by a bee is the pits. By working from your back door and out you will note that you want the lowest plant closest so that you can see and enjoy the other taller ones. Planning a backyard garden is the most fun and with the right plants can be your special relaxation grounds. Author is Michele Rogers, owner of http://www.lilyputts.com Lilyputts Gift Baskets , an online gift basket retailer. Also hosted is a http://www.lilyputts.blogspot.com BLOG that reviews gifts and welcomes other comments as well. Please visit Lilyputts Gift Baskets for descriptions and product presentations. Please, if you use any portion herein be sure to email author first. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Michele_Rogers http://EzineArticles.com/?Garden-Bees-And-Allergies&id=480603 bad credit car loan walla walla can i do a balance transfer for a personal loan five star payday payday loan store

By Tim Lee Let’s face it. Much as we want to take our significant others out on fancy dates all the time, it simply is not possible given today’s high cost of living and rising prices. Gone are the days when wining and dining were commonplace among the urban lot. Given the present financial circumstances, the emphasis on dates anchors mostly on quality and not on quantity. Whether you like it or not, you will have to be creative with your dating options so you don’t have to break the bank. Here are some unique ideas for fun dates without causing a strain on your wallet: 1. Sunday Sundaes The trick to enjoying a date lies mostly on the conversation that springs from it and not on what is being utilized. But, hey, if you have some money to spare, why not schedule a mini-trip to the local ice cream shop and order a banana split sundae you can share. Not only is this a cheap alternative, it will also place less pressure on your dieting activities. In addition, you will also get the thrill of sharing something as intimated as ice cream with your mate. Now that’s hitting three birds with one stone! 2. Go to the local museum If you haven’t been to the local museum before or if your memories of the place go back to the time you were in middle school during a class field trip, then perhaps this is the time go re-recognize your roots and get cultured, with your date, of course. The items at the museum will make good conversation pieces so you’re sure not to have a dull moment while you’re there. Who knows, you might be able to discover something knew and obtain information only the two of you share. (Granted that your other friends are not fans of museums.) 3. Tour your own town This may sound boring at first because, well, you probably already know the ins and out of where you live. However, you might be overlooking some things because, well, you might not be looking hard enough and just going through the motions of every day. Put you and your date to the task of finding the ‘odd’ in the every street corner. You will be surprised at what you will find. You can drive around town for this activity. But, if you’re scrimping on gas money, you can also do this on foot. Conclusion In sum, you don’t really have to dish out cash to be able to enjoy a date. As you can see from the examples mentioned, there are a number of interesting and kooky ways to serve a plateful of fun and laughs. Go where your creativity takes you. And, remember, savor the moment. Are you lacking of date ideas? For more cheap and fun dating ideas, please go to http://www.fun-dating-ideas.info/. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Tim_Lee http://EzineArticles.com/?Cheap-And-Fun-Date-Ideas&id=293568 unsecured medical loans payday lottery win combinations & student loans for online courses paycheck claculator

By Jim Sullivan Anxiety is a pernicious little devil; it can hold us back, freeze our creativity and diminish our ability to fight our way out of trouble. Anxiety leads to a vicious cycle in which anxiety feeds poor performance which increases anxiety and . . . you get the picture. We all understand that severe problems make us anxious — career difficulties, financial worries, medical problems. What many people do not appreciate is the low-grade or background anxiety which affects every person, every day. Desmond Morris put it well when he said that we have constructed a human zoo. People in modern society exhibit behaviours which simply arent seen in wild animals — until they are enclosed in zoos. And its our wild nature which we need to look to if we wish to understand this background anxiety. A useful clue lies in phobias. The most common phobias all relate to real dangers in the environment. Fear of spiders is a good example, as is fear of heights. Both represented significant dangers to our ancestors. But wait, take a look at some of the other common phobias. Agoraphobia — fear of open spaces. Why is this so common? Consider your hunter-gatherer ancestors, surrounded by predators and potential enemies. Being exposed is dangerous, so we have developed a natural awareness of exposure. In some people this gets out of hand, and becomes a phobia, but we are all programmed to be aware — at the very least — of situations where we are exposed, away from cover. Social anxiety is also extremely common, with some studies showing 7% of adults suffering from the condition. Social anxiety can be extremely debilitating, and manifests in performance impairment in social situations. This also seems puzzling, at first glance. Why should humans, the great social species, suffer so extensively from social anxiety? The reasons lie in our unnatural population density. We simply didnt evolve to cope with such intense exposure to strangers. Every stranger you meet is, to your ancient mind, a potential enemy. Its remarkable that we all manage so well! So you dont suffer from arachnophobia, agoraphobia, social anxiety disorder or any other anxiety disorder. Whats my point? Simply this. All of these small anxieties affect your performance, day by day. Meeting people is stressful, because your ancient mind insists on being alert to danger. Walking down the street is an adventure in social interaction and exposure. Making presentations at work — exposing yourself to a crowd, possibly a crowd of strangers — is one of the most unnatural activities a human can perform. We all suffer from anxiety, and it affects our performance and our ability to experience joy. We all need to relax. As a hypnotherapist, I always listen out for the moment in a session when my clients tummy starts to rumble. Its a good sign. It shows that the stress chemicals which routinely circulate, holding back digestion (as well as a range of other physiological roles related to fight or flight) have diminished. Just think about what this means. Chances are that your body is preparing you for fight or flight right now. All youre doing is surfing the Web. Within fifteen minutes of beginning to hypnotise you, I can say with some confidence that your tummy would start gurgling and your body chemistry would be changed, because there really isnt any need for this constant state of readiness. Being aware of background anxiety is the first step towards conquering it. Hypnotherapy is incredibly powerful in this respect, but sadly, people tend to call on hypnotherapists only when their problems have reached crisis point. In my next article I will highlight some of the signs of background anxiety. If these relate to you, or if you feel that you would welcome some impartial (and free) advice relating to anxiety reduction, please feel free to contact me via Confidence Club (email info@confidenceclub.net) Jim Sullivan is a hypnotherapist specialising in confidence, self esteem and stress management. He may be contacted via the Confidence Club website http://www.confidenceclub.net Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jim_Sullivan http://EzineArticles.com/?Anxiety&id=20914 loan for business with bad credit no credit check apartment fast cash vt poor credit loan with co-signer

By Lance Winslow Water Conservation; Are you asking yourself what you can do to help? Today I witnessed a lady purchasing facet for her bathroom, she told the cashier that hers had a leak. She is in a city that has a drought restriction and has even had at least one automotive care business in the city go out of business in the current month due to water restrictions making it difficult to do business. Although the facet itself was a small expenditure, it represented what I believe is Americas greater awareness of the subject of sustainability especially in times of drought and areas of economic and population expansion. Water is life for the human species and we must understand that when cycles come and go, there will be times when the precious commodity is stretched too thin. Have you asked yourself how you can save water in your life? Recently the City of Denver CO under the leadership of their governor and with help from the media; the city voluntarily saved 10% off their current usage. Voluntarily people like Mary Ann Colson, the lady discussed above in the Home Depot checkout line is an example of the conscientious foresight we all need to curb the severity of our droughts. She was in a mid sized Idaho town outside Boise, ID the capital which is in a slight drought crisis, not as bad as NM or parts of Nevada or Arizona, but severe enough for people to take notice and to do the right thing. If all of us would follow Mary Anns example which even though was ever so slight, we can reduce by 10-20% easily and save the water in the reservoirs for farmers, hospitals, hotels and livestock and maybe even for us to drink. It is this type of small deed and selflessness that will help us all to a brighter and better tomorrow, we must admit there is a problem and band together to be the ones to fix it, all of us are liable for this. We all use the water and we all need to watch how we use it. The farmers needs it to grow crops to keep prices down to feed the world and stay in business. You need it to drink, wash clothes and dishes and provide your family with a sanitary environment free from disease, mold, bacteria and dust. The businesses need it to, so they can provide jobs, make commerce, feed their families and provide their products and services to the community in which you live and then to the nation and then to the rest of the world in export in that order. We must and we can do it, but only through conscientious effort will it be possible. You see Mary Ann Colson had a plan that day, she wrote down on her lists of things to do, to fix that facet, although she did not call a plumber or understand all the plumbing she knew enough to buy a little tube of silicon clear caulking compound and a five dollar facet, which by the way should save her about $3-5 per month depending on that leak and it spares us all a little more breathing room. You ask yourself what can I do, I do not have any leaking facets? Do you; you dont how do you know; does you toilet run extra long, can you bend the float in the float tank down to shut off the flush water sooner saving a glass or two per flush? Do you care, well you should and even if you do not care, you can still save a little cant you? Because you may not care today, but tomorrow when the city water department says you cannot water your grass you will care then, when they say you cannot wash your own car you may care. Of course you can always call the Car Wash Guys, my company to wash your car for you? We use very little water to wash cars. Here are some tips on saving water brought to you by the people who do care and need to help you understand the seriousness of the issue at hand. http://www.wateruseitwisely.com/ There are easy tips here to help you. The US Geological Society says situations are not getting any easier as areas continually expand and need more water, but they offer many suggestions on ways to help; http://water.usgs.gov/education.html American Water offers you 49 easy, I mean really simple things you can do to save water; http://www.americanwater.com/49ways.htm At the Cambridge Water Expo they came up with many ways to save water on shrubbery and gardens, take a peak they work; http://www.cambridge-water.co.uk/savegarden.htm It is even written in the Bible to save water did you know that; http://www.lifewater.ca/donate.htm “Whoever gives to one of these little ones a cup of cold water because he is a disciple, truly I say to you, he shall not lose his reward” (Matt. 10:42). And if fear of God is not enough to convince you and you will not listen to the wisdom of The Car Wash Guys then perhaps you believe in some of what the EPA, NOAA, USDA is saying; http://www.epa.gov/reg3wapd/monitor/bookmark.htm http://chppm-www.apgea.army.mil/gwswp/GWLinks/preliminary_assessments.htm http://outreach.ecology.uga.edu/watershed/links.html Remember we have been talking about this drought for awhile. We just have concluded a drought study in 6 parts last month and still no sign of relief to stop the problems. And just in case anyone thinks I am a hypocrite I wish to tell everyone right now I have been living on 6.8 gallons per day total allotment for 2 years while living in the motor home Corporate Command Center traveling the country; 210 gallons per month and after doing that I have no doubt if I had to I could cut it down to under 100 gallons per month very easily. What have you done to conserve water this month, what are you going to do tomorrow, do not complain about the drought or the restrictions that you have in place now or will soon unless you are willing to walk the talk America. Get busy and do something. Think on this. “Lance Winslow” - Online Think Tank forum board. If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance in the Online Think Tank and solve the problems of the World; www.WorldThinkTank.net/ Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Lance_Winslow http://EzineArticles.com/?Water-Conservation-For-the-Home&id=45490 paycheck applet how to cash a paycheck personal loan in pakistan payday loans uk

By Rudy Silva Here are two constipation remedies that you can use for a mild case of constipation and for a chronic case of constipation. Apple and Pear Juice If you have a mild case of constipation, you can use this remedy to get results. Prepare equal amounts of fresh apple and pear juice. Drink this combination when you first wake up and one hour before bedtime. Juice the pears that are slightly hard. If the pear is ripe, it is best to blend it whole with apple juice to create a thick drink. Using the whole pear will give you additional fiber. Just remove the seeds but do not peel the organic type. Pears have minerals, vitamins, and chemicals that help to clean out your colon, kidney and to regenerate your blood cells. Apple Juice and Prune Juice Heres a constipation remedy that you can use if you have chronic constipation. In addition to just drinking apple juice, you can accelerate your peristaltic action with prune juice. Heres how to do it. If you have a juicer you can make fresh apple juice and drink 3-4 glasses a day. You can also drink store-bought apple juice but try to get fresh squeezed and not the type that has been flash pasteurized or pasteurized. If you can find fresh apple juice then use flash pasteurized. Buy your juice in glass containers if possible. Plastic containers are processed using solvents that stay in the container walls and gradually outgas into the apple juice. This out gassing is more severe when plastic containers are stored in hot places. To speed up the laxative effects of apple juice, take the following combination first thing in the morning before you have breakfast, Drink 2-3 cups of prune juice. After hour, drink one cup of apple juice Then, 1-hour later drink another cup of apple juice. I usually buy my prune juice in a bottle and fresh squeeze my apple juice. Be prepared to head for the bathroom after you drink your prune juice and your first glass of apple juice. You may need to head to the bathroom soon after you drink prune juice, everyone is different. I have used this combination and have recommended it to my clients and have had good results. Prune juice by itself is good for constipation. It is a safe, gentle and an effective laxative. Drink a cup in the morning and a cup in the evening. Prune juice contain the substance dihydrophenylisatin, which is responsible for the laxative action. Prunes are also high in iron and are a great supplement if you are anemic or low on iron. If you add prune juice to your diet, do not drink as much of it as you would when you have constipation. Drink glass in the morning and perhaps glass in the evening. Rudy Silva has a degree in Physics and is a Natural Nutritionist. He is the author of Constipation, Acne, Hemorrhoid, and Fatty Acid ebooks. For information on constipation and other remedy ebooks go to: http://www.stop-constipation.com See some of his newsletters at: http://www.natural-remedies-thatwork.com/archive.html Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Rudy_Silva http://EzineArticles.com/?Constipation-Remedy-Using-Apples-and-Other-Juices&id=35511 loan but i have bad credit first time buyers loan even with bad credit new york state paycheck laws reviews of project payday

By Elizabeth Morgan Postal mail boxes include both commercial and residential mail boxes, either wall mountable or fixed on a post. They are seen in a wide variety of choices. Mail boxes are built of aluminum, steel or plastic, available with locking or non-locking options. Postal mail boxes are configured to offer hefty and spacious compartments to hold large volumes of mails and packets. These mail boxes are supported by stainless steel hardware and finished with durable powder coats. They have large inward hopper style door to receive bulky parcels. To ensure maximum security, the mail boxes are made of stainless steel hinges and mail slits. Secured locking techniques are employed, the locks being zinc plated in order to prevent rusting. The rubber shutter door seals prevent the mail storage unit from dust and rain. The durable powder coat polish offers not only guaranteed life time non-maintenance service, but also makes the mail box to be in different colors. Mail boxes are fixed together by welding such that unwanted slits are not made possible on the surface of boxes forbidding the passage of dust. Postal mail boxes may be indoor mail boxes or outdoor pedestal mail boxes. They are designed to be mounted vertically or horizontally. They are antiquely beautified with brass, copper or stainless steel polishes and designed with resilience and sturdiness to encourage market value. Simple and strong lockable recessed or surface mountable mail boxes are used for commercial purposes, mostly built of heavy duty steel or aluminum. They are locked with typical padlocks. Such mail boxes are carefully designed to ensure maximum security and weather proof. These units have large capacities to hold books, videos, magazines and packets. The postal mail boxes for residential mounting are available in various decorative groundbreaking and conventional styles and sizes. They are supported with heavy duty, rust and weather proof galvanized steel bodies and supplementary steel or vinyl poles in the case of post mount mail boxes. This post may be designed to support multiple mail boxes at the same time. In addition, it also holds the newspaper holder. Post mail boxes are necessary for any home or office. They can be unique or personalized according to your taste. These can be placed in the homes or gardens and can be given even as gifts for birthdays, weddings, or house warming. Mail Boxes provides detailed information on Mail Boxes, Residential Mail Boxes, Copper Mail Boxes, Decorative Mail Boxes and more. Mail Boxes is affiliated with Foam Mattresses. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Elizabeth_Morgan http://EzineArticles.com/?Postal-Mail-Boxes&id=405555 payday loans no direct deposit or faxing wal mart paycheck for employee directory of georgia payday loans guaranteed overnight next day loans