1. Are you building someone up or tearing them down? 2. Are you repeating what someone has told you? If you are, do you have their permission to repeat it? 3. Does what your saying really need to be said? 4. Will it hurt someone feelings? 5. Does it glorify the Lord?
Seasons
Ecclesiastes 3:1-9
To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven: A time to be born, and a time to die: a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted; A time to kill, and a time to heal: a time to break down, and a time to build up; A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance: A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away; A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace. What profit hath he that worketh in that wherin he laboureth?
My prayer is that God will give me the wisdom to know the right time.
Are you stressed?
Anti Stress Kit Just for fun!
This is your Anti-Stress kit. I hope that these items will help you to relax and enjoy your life more.
Rubber Band: To remind you to stretch your new ideas and your mind to new limits so you will continue to grow and reach your potential.
Tissue: To remind you to see the tears and needs of others, including those of yourself and your peers.
Candy Kiss: To remind you that everyone needs a hug, kiss, or a word of encouragement every day.
Life Saver: To remind you to think of your peers as your "life savers." Care about each other and help each other through the stressful times that occur in life.
Penny: To remind you the value of your thoughts - BIG ones and little ones! Share them with others.
Eraser: To remind you that we all make mistakes and with an eraser they can be erased, as can our human mistakes be overcome.
Toothpick: To remind you to "pick out" the good qualities in others and yourself and to be tolerant and accepting of the differences of others.
Paper Clip: It's important to "keep it all together." Find the balance in your physical, professional, and spiritual life. Explore the resources and programs available to you in the community.
The Stranger
"A few months before I was born, my dad met a stranger who was new to our small Tennessee town. From the beginning, Dad was fascinated with this enchanting newcomer, and soon invited him to live with our family.
The stranger was quickly accepted and was around to welcome me into the world a few months later. As I grew up I never questioned his place in our family. In my young mind, each member had a special niche. My brother, Bill, five years my senior, was my example. Fran, my younger sister, gave me an opportunity to play 'big brother' and develop the art of teasing. My parents were complementary instructors; Mom taught me to love the word of God, and Dad taught me to obey it. But the stranger was our storyteller. He could weave the most fascinating tales.
Adventures, mysteries, and comedies were daily conversations. He could hold our whole family spellbound for hours each evening. If I wanted to know about politics, history, or science, he knew it all. He knew about the past, understood the present, and seemingly could predict the future. The pictures he could draw were so life-like that I would often laugh or cry as I watched.
He was like a friend to the whole family. He took Dad, Bill and me to our first major league baseball game. He was always encouraging us to see the movies and he even made arrangements to introduce us to several movie stars.
My brother and I were deeply impressed by John Wayne in particular. The stranger was an incessant talker Dad didn't seem to mind, but sometimes Mom would quietly get up while the rest of us were enthralled with one of his stories of faraway places, Mom would go to her room, read her Bible, and pray.
I wonder now if she ever prayed that the stranger would leave. You see, my dad ruled our household with certain moral convictions. But this stranger never felt obligated to honor them. Profanity, for example, was not allowed in our house, at least not from us, our friends, or adults.
Our longtime visitor, however, used occasional four letter words that burned my ears and made Dad squirm. To my knowledge the stranger was never confronted. My dad was a teetotaler who didn't permit alcohol in his home, not even for cooking. But the stranger felt like we needed exposure and enlightened us to other ways of life. He offered us beer and other alcoholic beverages often. He made cigarettes look tasty, cigars manly, and pipes distinguished.
He talked freely (probably much too freely) about sex. His comments were sometimes blatant, sometimes suggestive, and generally embarrassing. I know now that my early concepts of the man/woman relationship were influenced by the stranger. As I look back, I believe it was the grace of God that the stranger did not influence us more.
Time after time he opposed the values of my parents. Yet he was seldom rebuked and never asked to leave. More than thirty years have passed since the stranger moved in with the young family on Parkside Avenue. He is not nearly so intriguing to my Dad as he was in those early years. But if I were to walk into my parents' den today, you would still see him sitting over in a corner, waiting for someone to listen to him talk and watch him draw his pictures.
His name?.....
We always just called him TV."
Helpful Hints to remember
Here are some cute little tidbits of information I got in an email, from a friend.
Sealed envelope - Put in the freezer for a few hours, then slide a knife under the flap. The envelope can then be resealed. (hmmmmmm...) ============================================ Use Empty toilet paper roll to store appliance cords. It keeps them neat and you can write on the roll what appliance it belongs to. ============================================ For icy door steps in freezing temperatures: get warm water and put Dawn dishwashing liquid in it. Pour it all over the steps. They won't refreeze. (wish I had known this for the last 40 years!) ================================================== Crayon marks on walls? This worked wonderfully! A damp rag, dipped in baking soda. Comes off with little effort (elbow grease that is!). ============================================ Permanent marker on appliances/counter tops (like store receipt BLUE!) rubbing alcohol on paper towel. ================================================== Whenever I purchase a box of S.O.S Pads, I immediately take a pair of scissors and cut each pad into halves. After years of having to throw away rusted and unused and smelly pads, I finally decided that this would be much more economical. And now a box of S.O.S pads last me indefinitely! In fact, I have noticed that the scissors get sharpened this way! ============================================ Blood stains on clothes? Not to worry! Just pour a little hydrogen peroxide on a cloth and proceed to wipe off every drop of blood. Works every time! Now, where to put the body? ================================================ Use vertical strokes when washing windows outside and horizontal for inside windows. This way you can tell which side has the streaks. Straight vinegar will get outside windows really clean. Don't wash windows on a sunny day. They will dry too quickly and will probably streak. ================================================ Spray a bit of perfume on the lightbulb in any room to create a lovely light scent in each room when the light is turned on. ================================================ Place fabric softener sheets in dresser drawers and your clothes will Smell freshly washed for weeks to come. You can also do this with towels and linen. ================================================ Candles will last a lot longer if placed in the freezer for at least 3 hours prior to burning. ================================================ To clean artificial flowers, pour some salt into a paper bag and add the flowers. Shake vigorously as the salt will absorb all the dust and dirt and leave your artificial flowers looking like new! Works like a charm! ================================================= To easily remove burnt on food from your skillet, simply add a drop or two of dish soap and enough water to cover bottom of pan, and bring to a boil on stovetop. ================================================ Spray your TUPPERWARE with nonstick cooking spray before pouring in tomato based sauces and there won't be any stains. ================================================ Wrap celery in aluminum foil when putting in the refrigerator and it Will keep for weeks. ================================================ When boiling corn on the cob, add a pinch of sugar to help bring out the corn's natural sweetness. ================================================ Cure for headaches: Take a lime, cut it in half and rub it on your forehead. The throbbing will go away. ================================================ To get rid of itch from mosquito bites, try applying soap on the area And you will experience instant relief. ================================================ Ants, ants, ants everywhere ... Well, they are said to never cross a chalk line. So get your chalk out and draw a line on the floor or wherever ants tend to march. See for yourself. ================================================ Use air-freshener to clean mirrors. It does a good job and better still, leaves a lovely smell to the shine. ================================================ When you get a splinter, reach for the scotch tape before resorting to tweezers or a needle. Simply put the scotch tape over the splinter, then pull it off. Scotch tape removes most splinters painlessly and easily. ================================================ Now look what you can do with Alka Seltzer. Clean a toilet. Drop in two Alka Seltzer tablets, wait twenty minutes, brush and flush. The citric acid and effervescent action clean vitreous China. ================================================ Clean a vase. To remove a stain from the bottom of a glass vase or cruet, fill with water and drop in two Alka Seltzer tablets. ================================================ Polish jewelry. Drop two Alka Seltzer tablets into a glass of water and immerse the jewelry for two minutes. ================================================= Clean a thermos bottle. Fill the bottle with water, drop in four Alka Seltzer tablets, and let soak for an hour (or longer, if necessary). ================================================ Unclog a drain. Clear the sink drain by dropping three Alka Seltzer Tablets down the drain followed by a cup of Heinz White Vinegar. Wait a few minutes, then run the hot water. ===============================================
