Many people now-a-days are successful self-published authors.  Some indie authors, as most like to refer to themselves, are quite successful.  Some indie authors are even able to make their entire income from their book sales.  There are many legitimate, free platforms where a person can self-publish his/her work.  Some of the most popular sites are:

Kindle: https://kdp.amazon.com/self-publishing/signin/186-0907743-8551031

Smashwords: http://www.smashwords.com/

PubIt: http://pubit.barnesandnoble.com/pubit_app/bn?t=pi_reg_home

iBooks: https://itunesconnect.apple.com/WebObjects/iTunesConnect.woa/wo/2.0.0.9.7.3.1

Createspace: https://www.createspace.com/

Kindle Self-Publishing

The platform that I have had the most success with is Kindle.  Kindle is the most widely used reading app.  Kindle ebooks can be viewed on Mac, PC, iPhone, iPod touch, iPad, Android, and Blackberry phones, as well as on Kindle devices.  Kindle has an easy-to-follow guide for formatting and uploading and ebook.

If you publish your ebook only to Kindle, you can participate in what they call the “KDP Select” program.  Amazon will promote your book more and there are other benefits as well.

When self-publishing though Kindle, you set the price for the ebook and you will receive 70%.  If you set the price below $2.99, you will get 30%.  Your book will be listed for sale on Amazon.com.

Most indie authors I know make the bulk of their money through selling Kindle ebooks.

Createspace Self-Publishing

Createspace produces print-on-demand books so you can sell paperback versions of your book as well as ebooks.  If you self-publish through Createspace, your print-version book will be for sale from their website and on Amazon.com.  You set the book’s sale price and you receive a portion of the profit.

It’s just the most awesome feeling holding a copy of your book in your hands.  I had always felt like a bit of a fraud when I told people that I was a writer, until I held a print copy of my first book.  Then I finally felt like I was a ‘real’ writer.

Cover Art

When you self-publish, you will need to obtain cover art for your book.  If you are artistically inclined, you can simply illustrate your own cover – lucky you!  Otherwise, you could make a cover yourself using public domain photos.  Or you could hire someone to design a cover for you.  One place to get cheap cover designs is http://fiverr.com/.

Write Your Story, Revise, Edit, Publish – Don’t Give Up!

If you have a desire to write, you should do it!  If you have been made to write, you will know.  Once you have written an awesome story, you need to revise and edit.  This is a step that should NOT be omitted.  It is a good idea to let at least two knowledgeable individuals read your story and offer feedback.  Then, once your work is perfected, choose the platform(s) you would like to use and go for it!

I wanted to be a writer since I was 12 years old.  Now I am a writer.  Don’t give up!  You can make your dream come true too.

“It’s understandable.  You were tired.”

“Life is monotonous.  Everyone needs to have fun once and a while.”

“You have a lot of pressure in your family/life.  You needed to unwind.”

I’ve received a lot of these types of comments and I have made them myself, but I’ve come to believe it is not helpful.  It’s true that we legitimately need to unwind, rest, and have fun, and these things are important.  And certain seasons of life can be very difficult and so more rest is required.  But overall, I think there’s way more ‘relaxing’ going on in our culture than is warranted.

Where does this excuse-giving come from?

When a person performs very well, when they work very hard and achieve a great success, I feel happy for them.  But deep down, there are other feelings too.  Often I have felt a pang of jealousy or guilt or disappointment that I wasn’t able to achieve similar results.  But the truth is that their success has no influence on what happens in my life.  My own effort primarily determines my success in the things I do.

Conversely, when a person squanders their time or opportunities or even when the person is downright lazy, well, truthfully, often I feel relieved.  We’re all in the same boat.  It’s hard for all of us.  See, I’m not the only one.

And so I tell them, “It’s okay.”

But it’s not okay.  It’s not okay when I’m lazy and it’s not okay when you are either.  We’ve been given gifts and responsibilities by God, and to waste our time would not be right.  And for me to tell you, “it’s okay”, as a cover for my own laziness, well…that would be selfish of me.

So, instead, I’ll tell you that you can do better next time.  You can do this thing called life.  Eat, get enough rest, and pray to God for strength and wisdom.  You can walk out the calling you’ve received.

It was Christmas Eve.  Snow was blowing outside but, inside, Christmas carols played and a fire burned cheerily in the hearth.  Lydia and Jon, the mother and father of the family, were together in the kitchen.  Lydia took the last batch of Christmas goodies out of the oven while Jon prepared hot chocolate.

The hardwood floor was warm beneath her feet as Lydia walked towards the front room.  She was glad to have time to relax with the family.  Christmas had always been special.  When Lydia looked into the front room, she saw that the children had brought blankets and sheets from their bed and had constructed an elaborate tent using chairs and other objects in the room.

“I’m pleased the two of you are getting along so well.  That makes me feel so happy inside,” Lydia said, sitting down on the couch.  “And your tent reminds me of something.  Did I ever tell you the story about what it was like when my grandpa first moved to Canada?”

“Tell us!” said Junia.

“Did they live in the olden days?”

Their mother laughed.  “I guess so.”

The children settled in at their mother’s feet to hear the story as their father brought in the hot chocolate and set it on the side table.

“We can drink this in a few minutes, after it is cooled,” he said.

Lydia began the story, “My grandfather told me that, when he was a very small child, he and his parents went in a big steam-powered ship.  They crossed the ocean in a little under two weeks.  He didn’t remember very much about it because he was so little.  Then they took the train from the east coast all the way to Manitoba.  When his parents arrived in this province, it was fall.  They bought land to farm.  But they didn’t have time to build a house before the snow came.  Guess what they lived in that whole winter?”

“Not a tent!” cried Joe.  “That would be too cold!”

“Yes, they lived in a tent.  My grandfather said it was so terribly cold.  His parent came from Europe where it was warmer than it is here.  They didn’t realize it got so cold in Manitoba, and they didn’t know anyone nearby so there was no one to help them.”

“That’s terrible!” said Junia.  “Did they die?”

“No,” said her mother.  “They didn’t die.  My grandfather’s parents were very strong and brave.  They prayed each morning before leaving the tent that God would protect them and help them.”

“So… they had their Christmas in a tent?” asked Joe.

“Yes, they did.”

“What did they eat?” asked Joe.

“His father went hunting so they had meat to eat.  And he also sold the animal skins and fur for money so their family could buy some food at the store, too.”

“I’m glad we have a house instead,” said Junia.

“Me too,” said Joe.  “Did they always live in a tent?”

Their mother laughed.  “No.  In the spring his father was able to begin building them a house.”

“How long ago did this happen?” asked Junia.

“Oh, it was about 100 years ago.”

“That sure helps us to remember to be thankful,” said their father.  “The hot chocolate is cool enough now.”  He handed the seaming cups to the children.

“Thank you,” said Junia.

“Thank you,” said Joe.

“Thank you,” said their mother.

“See, said their father, “we’re remembering to be thankful already.”

They all laughed together.

“Mom,” said Joe, “you should have told us a story about a bear chasing them instead.”

“Oh?”

“Yeah.  I know what he would have done.  He would have dived into the tent and grabbed his gun, like this.”  Joe dived into the tent.  But he was still holding his hot chocolate and he got tangled up in the sheets.  The boy landed in the blankets with a loud thud.

“Joe, are you okay?” asked his mother.

He stood up, with hot chocolate all down the front of his shirt.

Joe laughed.  The whole family laughed.

“It’s okay,” said their mother, “we’ll clean up later.”

After the laughter died down, Junia began speaking quietly.

“Living in a tent for Christmas, that reminds me of the first Christmas story.”

“Yeah,” said Joe.  “I don’t know which would be worse, having Christmas in a barn or in a tent in the freezing cold.”

“I think the barn would be worse.  They smell so bad and they’re so dirty,” said Junia.

“Yes,” said their mother, “and don’t forget, Mary had to deliver a baby there.  I can’t imagine having a baby in a barn.”

“Let’s read the Christmas Story,” said their father.  He took the Bible from the side table and turned to Luke, Chapter 2.

In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world.  And everyone went to their own town to register.

So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them.

And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”

“Thanks, Dad,” said Joe.  “I love that story.”

“Me too,” said Junia.  “I wish we could have been there, to see the angels and especially to see baby Jesus.”

Suddenly, the room was filled with glorious light and with angles singing “Glory to God in the highest!”

Lydia was afraid and overwhelmed with amazement.  She took her children’s hands.

“Come!” said an angel.  “You will see the Christ, born for you!”

Jon stood and led the way.

“Come on!”

Lydia and the children followed him as he walked behind the shimmering angel, out of their small living room and through a glowing tear in the fabric of time.  They came out on a quiet dirt road.  There were stone buildings all around them.  It was night.

“I can’t believe this!” said Joe.

“Come,” said the angel again, as he led them to a low building with a wooden gate for a door.

They stood at the gate and looked into the barn.  Lydia saw a tiny crying baby, wrapped in clothes and laying in the hay that was used to feed the animals.  Also in the small barn were a cow, three sheep and two goats.  The baby’s mother looked so tired and dirty and the man looked concerned for her.  The baby must have just been born.

“I guess the shepherds didn’t get here, yet,” whispered Junia.

Mary and Joseph seemed not to hear or notice them at all.

Then Lydia felt tears pouring down her cheeks.  …That God’s son would make himself into such a weak creature and be born into such a circumstance. Her heart was torn.

“What love God has for us,” she said in awe.

The angel spoke from behind them.  “And now you must return.  Remember always what you have seen.”

And with that, they were back in their living room, just as they had been- Lydia and Jon on the couch with the children sitting at their feet.  Jon still held the Bible in his hands.  But tears glistened on all of their cheeks.

“Thank you,” whispered Junia. “Thank you.”

The Bible as a whole can be very confusing.  And the most confusing books of the New Testament are certainly the letters that Paul wrote to the churches: Romans, Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians and Thessalonians.  In other books of the Bible, the whole context is there within the rest of the story.  In the letters, however, only half the context is there.  It’s like hearing half of a conversation.  Paul wrote these letters to the various churches to address the issues and questions they had in each specific church.  If we don’t understand what question a certain church has asked, the answer can seem very confusing – like it doesn’t make sense at all.

The passage above, Romans 9:11&12, seems to suggest that God calls some people to salvation but not others.  It seems to support the idea of predestination; that humans have no choice in the matter.  That it is God who chooses.  But this notion doesn’t fit with what the gospels and the other books of the New Testament say.  In fact, earlier in Romans, in chapters 3 & 4, Paul himself says that we are justified by faith in Jesus and by trusting God, clearly indicating that it is our choice to do so.  So what is the meaning of Romans 9:10&11?!

Paul was a very intelligent and scholarly individual.  In his letters, he addressed one question/topic at a time and then moved on to a different issue.  Paul answered the question of, “How can a person be saved?” in Romans chapters 3 to 6.

In Romans chapters 9 & 10 he was responding to a different statement by a certain group of Jews.  This ‘Circumcision Group’ claimed that you needed to be a Jew and follow Jewish customs to be accepted by God and go to heaven.  They believed all Jews would be accepted by God.  Paul was responding to a statement something like the following:

All descendents of Abraham are accepted by God.  How can you say some Jews will be rejected by God?!  The Bible says, “I will establish my covenant as an everlasting covenant between me and you and your descendants after you for the generations to come, to be your God and the God of your descendants after you” (Genesis 17:7).  This means all Jews are accepted by God whether they believe in Jesus or not.  – The Circumcision Group

So, Romans chapters 9 & 10 was written to Jews living in Rome at that time.  Paul was explaining that, no, not all descendents of Abraham are accepted by God.  Paul pointed out that Ishmael and Esau were both descendents of Abraham yet they were rejected by God.  Paul’s main point, in these chapters, was to show that not all Jews are accepted by God. Then he goes on to reaffirm the way of salvation is through faith in Christ, not by works (not by obeying the Jewish customs).

Read Romans 9 & 10 with these thoughts in mind and see if it makes more sense.

Romans 9

Romans 10

If you wish to hear more on the subject of Romans chapter 9, listen to this message from Southland Church.

Hundreds of thousands of people have been slandered or had their photos/content/songs/programs distributed online without their consent.  Many webmasters are completely unethical and will use any means at their disposal to drive traffic to their sites, including stealing content or other copyright material and offering it on their own site.  Some websites also steal people’s names/photos/profiles to add to their sites.  For instance, recently, a relatively well-known dating site was harvesting names/profiles to place on their site to make it seem like there was a large database of users from which to choose.  This particular site also displayed random pornographic images on the site.  Understandably, the people who found their names linked to this site were outraged.

You can find out where your name has been used by typing your full name into the search bar, with quotation marks around your name.  For instance, I type “Celesta Thiessen” in order to Google where my name is used online.  You may want to do this to see what comes up.  If you have a common name, there will be many, many pages of results, and there is likely nothing to worry about.  But if you have a less common name, such as mine, or if you have a business name, it would probably be a good idea to find out what’s been published in cyberspace about you/your business.  In the course of time, it is almost certain that someone will ‘Google’ you/your business.  Wouldn’t you like to know what’s written about you before they do?

When something of yours shows up on someone else’s site, it’s often difficult to know what can be done to remedy the problem.  Some people think that it is impossible to control the Internet and, therefore, having your photo, full name or other copyrighted material appear here and there under whatever context is inevitable and unfixable.  This is not the case!  Many steps can be taken to have the offensive content removed or rendered inaccessible.  Here are some of the basic steps to take if your copyrighted materials are displayed online or someone maligns by what is posted on their site.

Contact the Site

The first thing to do is to contact the website directly via a contact form on that website or by email.  Always be formal and professional in your communication.  I find adding the following phrases to the end of the email can have good results: “If ________ is not removed from your site, I will be contacting my lawyer to discuss legal action.  Thank you for your prompt attention to this matter.”

However, don’t bother waiting for a reply.  In most cases, they won’t care and will not respond,  although, occasionally, it is an honest mistake (or they pretend it is) and they will willingly remove the copyright material or your photo/ personal info.

Contact the host

The next step is to determine the webspace hosting provider.  You can do this by typing “who hosts this site” into the Google search bar.  A list of sites appears which can be used to determine the name of the hosting provider.  Then go to the hosting company website.

Email the hosting company to register your complaint.  Explain the problem, whether it is copyright infringement or misuse of your personal data or photos.  Make sure to provide the url where the copyrighted material or your name/photo are displayed.  Again, I find it useful to mention the fact that I will be contacting my lawyer if the content is not removed.  Many hosting companies will shut down websites that illegally display copyrighted content or libelous photos/info.  If the hosting company does not respond within 24 hours of email contact, phone and/or fax the hosting company.  Faxes are considered official documentation and are often taken more seriously than emails or phone calls.

Contact Google

One of the most effective and easiest ways to make trouble for those who violate your copyright or use your name or photo in slanderous ways is to get them removed from the Google search results.  This action will prevent most people from ever finding that site, even if the content is not removed.  When someone searches through Google (and more than 80% of people do), the page will never be displayed in a list of results.

It is easy to report to Google websites that violate your copyright or slander you through use of your name or photo.

Don’t despair if you find that people have stolen your copyrighted materials or are misusing your name or photographs.  Instead, take action.  With persistence, you can control how your copyrighted materials, your name, and your photos are used online.

Two of a Kind Author Reading with Celesta Thiessen Poster pdf

“I think the lunch lady hates me,” said Jordan, as he joined his friend and they made their way to an open spot at one of the tables.

“Probably,” agreed Marcy, looking back towards the mess as she set her tray down.  “What was with head-butting the macaroni pot, anyway?”

Jordan sighed deeply as he sat down beside her.  “You know I’ve been having a hard time controlling my flying.  And it gets worse when I’m upset.”

“So you flew into the macaroni pot?!”  Marcy laughed in a friendly way.  “That’s why I like you, Jordan; Superhero School would be rather dull without you around.  I’m so glad you decided to attend here instead of the Supervillan School.”

They started on their lunch.  Jordan was still quiet.

“So what is bothering you?” asked Marcy.

“My dad.  You know he escaped from prison and I thought…well, I thought he might come visit me.”

“He’s a bad guy, Jordan.  He uses his super powers for evil.  Bad guys do bad things.  You should be glad he’s not in your life anymore.”

“Yeah, I guess.”

***

That night, as Jordan stared out his bedroom window at the boarding school, he couldn’t help thinking about the past.  Jordan had sent his father a letter when he was still in prison, telling him that everything was forgiven.  But his father had never written back.

Tears stung Jordan’s eyes, blurring his vision.  He wiped them away with the sleeve of his Superman pajama shirt.  Jordan had chosen to be a good guy and now…it was like he didn’t even have a dad.

Jordan climbed up onto the cement ledge of the open window.  A cool, moist wind blew past his face and through his hair.  Jordan stared up at the star-filled sky and at the half-moon as it gave off a soft, white light.

It is right to be a good guy, he thought.  Whatever happens, I will never change my mind.

As these thoughts passed through his mind, Jordan felt his feet lifting from the ledge.  A surge of joy coursed through him as he jolted upwards.  Up and up he soared until it seemed the stars were all around him. He had never been able to fly so far before.  Then he shot out over the countryside, feeling the wind whipping past, seeing only tiny lights far below.  Jordan shouted in excitement as he stretched his arms out in front of him and swooped towards the Earth.  The rolling hills and tall trees seemed to rush up out of the darkness.  He leveled out, grazing the top-most leaves.

Jordan slowed his speed and turned back in the direction of the school.  Then picking up speed, the ground almost blurred as Jordan raced home.  The large, stone building came in sight, and Jordan made for his window on the second floor.  He landed lightly on the ledge.  A perfect touchdown.

Jordan smiled as he closed the window and headed for his bed.  Whatever happens, I will never regret my choice, he thought, as got under the blankets.  I choose good.

External Pressure

There are a number of ways to arrange to have external pressure.  My three favorite external motivators are NaNoWriMo, attending a local writing group, and having writing buddies.

NaNoWriMo

NaNoWriMo stands for National Novel Writing Month.  The idea is that you have one month, November, to write a 50 000 word novel.  It doesn’t matter what you write.  All that matters is that it is original (you made it up), you write it in the month of November, and it totals 50 000 words.  The interactive website has a large forum and a word count utility/progress bar so that you, and everyone else, can see how you’re doing.  Everyone who reaches the 50 000 word goal wins!  Prizes are given to all the winners!  I highly recommend NaNoWriMo to every aspiring writer.

Local Writers’ Group

Having a local writing group that meets together for writing challenges and for bragging about your latest projects is an excellent way to fuel the writing fires.  Search online and at the local library for writers’ groups in your area.  If there doesn’t appear to be any, why not start one?  The locals in my area started a writing group after the 2010 NaNoWriMo.  We met each other on the NaNoWriMo forums  in the NaNoWriMo Regional Lounges.

Writing Buddies

Another key external pressure ingredient is to have a writing buddy or partner.  In fact, it is a good idea to have at least three.  A writing buddy is someone that you contact daily and talk about how the writing is progressing.  Writing buddies can also help you brainstorm ideas and edit your work.  These buddies can be from your local writers’ group or your facebook friends, or you can find a writing buddy at the AW forums.

Not Too Much Pressure!

Although I find external pressure to be very helpful in motivating me to write and to produce quality finished stories, too much pressure can cause the creative juices to freeze up and bring the writing to a standstill.  I have had two experiences so far where I orchestrated too much external pressure for myself.  One time, I tried to co-write a short story with someone I deeply respect.  It was a spur of the moment thing and we were going to write the story right then and there.  The other time a friend, whom I also deeply admire, suggested a friendly little writing challenge.  We would each write a similar story and compare work.  I found both activities to be quite paralyzing.  Both times writers’ block struck with a ferocity that I rarely experience!  Upon later reflection, I realized that I didn’t give myself sufficient time to complete these challenges.  For me, one week is sufficient time to write a good short story.  One day is not.

So, if you’re an aspiring writer who needs more incentive to get things done, sign up for NaNoWriMo, join a writers’ group, and get some writing buddies!  Happy writing!

The End Is Near

It is not difficult to understand why there have been so many movies, in recent years, about the end of the world.  The end will come.  And the end of all things is closer now than ever before.

In the Bible, regarding the end times, Jesus admonishes the people, “Watch”.  We must be ready for the return of our Lord.  If we are not ready, we could lose it all, even our very souls, as Jesus explained in the story of the oil lamps.  If we are not ready, if we are not watching, if we are not praying, we will be deceived.

The Bible contains much prophecy about the last days.  The reason God gave us these words was to help us to be ready to face that which was to come.  Read the words of our Lord Jesus regarding the last days.

For more information on the end time prophesies found in the Bible and on how these scriptures can be interpreted see “The End Times” by Southland Church and “The End of America” by John Price.

Watch, pray and follow the way of love!

“The end of all things is near. Therefore be alert and of sober mind so that you may pray.  Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.” -1 Peter 4:7&8

Matthew 19:16-22

Just then a man came up to Jesus and asked, “Teacher, what good thing must I do to get eternal life?”

Why do you ask me about what is good?” Jesus replied. “There is only One who is good. If you want to enter life, keep the commandments.”

“Which ones?” he inquired.

Jesus replied, “‘You shall not murder, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony, honor your father and mother,’ and ‘love your neighbor as yourself.’”

“All these I have kept,” the young man said. “What do I still lack?”

Jesus answered, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”

When the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he had great wealth.

Why do you think the man went away sad?

The traditional interpretation of this passage is that he went away sad because he loved his possessions more than Jesus.

But when I asked my daughter, my six-year-old had a different response.

“I think he went away sad because he had a lot of stuff.  He was sad because he was going to give it all away.”

This is the faith of a child.  What else would the rich young man do, but to go away and do just what Jesus had asked of him?  Do we think that he chose his wealth over Jesus because that’s what we would do?  May it never be!

I will obey you, my Jesus.  I am ready to do all that you ask of me!

My Money

I have money.  Money can’t be a friend to me.  Money can’t talk with me when I’m sad.  Money can’t warm my soul.

My House

I have a nice house.  My house can’t speak words of encouragement to my heart.  My house can’t show me the right way to go.

My Car

I have a cute car.  My car can’t comfort me when my heart’s filled with sorrow.  My car can’t teach me to be kind and how to connect with others.

I am blessed.  But in all these things there is no hope.

I have Jesus in my heart.

My Jesus

I have hope!

Lord Jesus, all that I am and all that you have blessed me with, I give it all to you!  I love you Jesus!

The Road to Oblivion

No matter how far you’ve gone in the wrong direction, it’s never too late to turn around.

It’s not too late to believe in God.

It’s not too late to say you’re sorry.

Rescue and hope forever more are much closer than you know…only a prayer away.

____________________________________________________

Historical Documentation of the life of Mira Kadia
– May 24 & 25, Year 3117

May 24 – Mira Kadia Status Update, Social Networking Site

The choice that lies before me is too much for any one person to bear.

May 24 – Internet Chat Between Rashi Kadia and Mira Kadia

Rashi – Hi!

Mira – hi

Rashi – What’s happening?  I came on as soon as my shift ended.

Mira – The enemy finally replied to my father.

Rashi – What did they say?

Mira – They say they’ll leave our planet alone if my father gives me to them.  To marry their prince.

Rashi – That’s outrageous!  No!  Our people no longer practice arranged marriages!  And to them?!  May it never be!

Mira – I am afraid, and I feel my heart is breaking, but I would save my people if it were possible…My father says they want me as a conquest trophy.

Rashi – More like they want our synth.  They must know you’re the leading scientist for the project.  Being able to produce many kinds of food from genetically altered algae is very valuable info.  And we’d give it to them, too, but why you?  No!  Mira, No!!!!

Mira – My father says they might not even leave even if I do go to them.

Rashi –Your father’s not going to give you up, is he?!?!?  I would fight to save you Mira.

Mira – But what if they would keep their word?  You know our shields have been in the red for far too long.  What if my sacrifice could save everyone under the dome?  My father’s letting me decide.

Rashi – We should fight to the last man and let the whole dome fall before we give you up!

Mira – Rashi…Do you think they would leave?  Could we save everyone?

Rashi –Mira, NO!

Mira – But think of our younger brothers and sisters and all the other children…This dome holds over 100 000 souls.  How could I not try?

Rashi – Mira I…I will leave the choice to you, just as your father has done.  You have wisdom beyond your years.  I will trust you to do right.  And I think I already know what you’re going to do.

Mira – I have to go now.  My father’s waiting for an answer.

Rashi – May you always walk in the Light of the Truth.

Mira – Yes and you, too.

Rashi –ttyl

Mira – ttyl

May 25 – Mira Status Update, Social Networking Site

I am ready to face whatever may lie ahead.  I pray that my actions save my people.

…sometimes “ttyl” really means…goodbye forever.

May 26 –Rashi Kadia Status Update, Social Networking Site

For those who believe, there is no goodbye.  Whatever happens, I’ll see you on the other side.

____________________________________________________

Tyra scrolled down.  There was no more.

Is Self-Pity A Problem For Me?

Here are some of self-pity’s favorite phrases:

• It’s so unfair!
• My life’s just not turning out the way I thought it would!
• I just wish life was easier.
• Everything’s going wrong!
• I’ve given up so much for God…I don’t understand why things are going this way…
• Why are people always so mean?
• I just knew this wasn’t going to work out!
• Why doesn’t anyone understand/care what I’m going through?

If you’re saying any of these things to yourself on a regular basis, then yup, you’ve a ‘victim’ of self-pity.  Read the book of Jonah if you’re still not sure if you struggle with the vice of self-pity.  If you come away from the reading thinking, “Poor dude!”, then yes, it’s very likely you suffer from self-pity.

Self-Pity is Self-Sabotage

Self-pity is an emotional response that actually comes from pride!  We think you deserve better results, given the effort we’ve put in.  But ultimately, we think we know better than God what should happen in our life.  When it comes right down to it, that’s what we really think, isn’t it?!  That’s gotta change!  Clearly, God’s way MUST be the best way.  After all, He is God; He knows everything and is PERFECT!  We’re not actually a victim of our circumstance but a ‘victim’ of our own pride.

Self-pity is actually a form of self-sabotage.  When we pity ourselves, we give ourselves a LOT of slack.  For example, things just haven’t been going well for me so I can have a little break from reading the Bible, doing my best, being kind, etc.  When we validate self-pity in our lives, we ensure our own unsuccessfulness.  It’s a cycle of self-defeat.  The more we cause ourselves to fail, the more we pity ourselves and the more we give ourselves permission to do less than our best.

Self-Pity’s Cure

The cure for self-pity is this:

2 Corinthians 4:6-7
“For God, who said, ‘Let light shine out of darkness,’ made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of God’s glory displayed in the face of Christ.  But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us.”

We carry God’s light inside us! God has chosen to dwell within our hearts!!!  How could we ever feel sorry for ourselves when we have God, who created all there is, living inside our mortal bodies?

If you have never asked Jesus into your heart…It’s the most wonderful experience.  Just ask God to forgive your sin and welcome him into your life.  When you choose to surrender your will to God and begin to know His love, then you can have peace.

If you have chosen Jesus but you feel self-pity, you need to re-focus on our Lord.  Pray and thank Him for coming to dwell in your heart.  It is through prayer that we can feel what He feels.  I want to see myself through the eyes of love…through the eyes of God.  Then I will really know…that I’m not pitiful.  I am created and chosen and indwelt by God.

Mercy flowing over me,
You guide me down your path.
You’ve saved me through your blood.
For me there is no wrath.

Perfect peace and perfect hope,
Alight within my core.
I receive your Spirit,
And love forever more.

The Bible says in Ephesians 5:15-16:

Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil.

Sometimes You Don’t Get a Second Chance

We feel like we have plenty of time to get these things done.  It often seems to us that the opportunity just hasn’t been quite right yet.  But our friends and family members are not going to be here forever.  In only a fraction of a moment, they could be gone. The fagile and temporary nature of our mortal lives has been driven home to me over the last weeks.  Two teens from my community have died suddenly in tragic accidents.  Healthy young people who were living good lives and doing right.  Just like that, someone can be gone from this world.  Then the opportunity is lost forever.  When that happens, we can never get closure; never have perfect peace on the matter because we didn’t do what we knew we should have.

Take this as your second chance.  Make the most of this day.  Don’t wait any longer.  You know what you need to do.  Do it.  The time is now!

Self-Publishing for FREE

In the not too distant past, the only self-publishing option was to pay several thousand dollars to have a printer make hundreds of copies of your book.  Then you had to store these books and try to sell them.  (Good luck with that!)  For most aspiring writers, their foray into self-publication turned out to be a financial sink hole, completely discouraging and a dismal failure, leaving them with boxes and boxes of books that they couldn’t sell.  But at least their mothers bought a copy of their books. :P

Now this has all changed.  Anyone can self-publish at no cost!!!  The two best ways to do this is through the Amazon Kindle and thorough a print-on-demand publishing service that sells your book on the Amazon website.

Kindle E-Books

The Kindle app is an application/computer program that runs on PC computers, Mac, iPhone, iPod touch, iPad, Android phones, and Blackberry phones.  The Kindle website provides detailed information for self-publishers on how to correctly format a story for conversion to the Kindle e-book format.  The Amazon Kindle store website also helps market your book by listing it online and by providing customer reviews and the ability for customers to ‘like’ your e-book on Facebook, as well as providing other marketing features on the Kindle store website.  I published my Kitty Castle Books to the Kindle store (for free) and I’m very happy with the results.  With Kindle e-books, authors set the price of the book and make 70% of that amount.   I would suggest that this is the easiest way to self-publish a book.

Books on Demand

With the Books on Demand option, your book is listed on the Amazon website and a copy of your book is printed when someone orders it.  With this option, the shipping is also done by the self-publishing company.  Createspace offers the books on demand service. When selling books on demand, the revenue generated is less than when selling e-books and will vary depending on the printing options selected.

Other Self-Publication Options

I have also published my books for free on lulu.com.  Lulu was supposed to publish my book to iBooks for iPhone/iPod touch/iPad.  So far, they have not and it’s been almost two months so… I’m not too thrilled with that choice.  Smashwords is also popular as a free self-publication option.  I didn’t find their documentation to be very professional so I opted not to go that route.

I have had my short stories and the Kitty Castle Series published to iPhone/iPod touch/iPad by Visions Encoded, the most awesome programming company ever.  I was able to have mine published for free, but then, it’s my husband’s business so, unfortunately, free publication here would not be an option for everyone.  But I’m sure we could make a book app for you for around $500.  Again, revenue for the author is 70%.  I have had the most sales of my stories through these apps.

Marketing of Self-Published Books

Marketing is the most difficult part of self-publication.  A good place to start is to tell family and friends about your book.  Facebook can be a good way to tell everyone you know that you’ve self-published!   If any of you have self-published, I would love to hear about what you’ve done in terms of marketing.  I’m still learning about advertizing/marketing, and I’m hoping to have greater success in this area in the coming years. J

The Bible says in Romans 3:23-24:

“All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.”

I have accepted God’s grace and now I feel hope!  Grace is this awesome thing that, when God looks at me, He sees the me He made me to be and not the imperfect, struggling me.  And the truly wonderful thing is that He not only sees me that way but He also helps me to become that beautiful, talented, kind-hearted person he made me to be.

The Bible also explains in Romans chapter 6 that it is through grace that we are no longer slaves to sin.  (I encourage you to read the entire passage by clicking on the link.)  Grace gives us the power to break free from bondage to sin.  The concept is summed up in Romans 6:14: “Sin shall no longer be your master, because you are not under the law, but under grace”.

What Does Grace Do?

So, then, God’s grace does two things:

1. Grace sets you free from guilt and sin.
2. Grace empowers you to do right.

How Do I Get God’s Grace in My Life?

That’s the easy part!  All you have to do is believe in Jesus and choose to follow Him.  The Bible says, in Ephesians 2:8-10, “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— ⁹ not by works, so that no one can boast. ¹⁰ For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”  So it is a choice.  Choose to put your faith in Jesus!

How Do I know I Have God’s Grace?  How Do I Know I’m Saved?

If you notice, Ephesians 2:10 talks about works.  Works means doing good things.  So, if you are saved, you will do good things.  If you truly put your faith in Jesus, your life will reflect that.  You will do the good things that God wants you to.  If you’re not sure if you’re saved, pray and ask God.  Keep praying and reading the Bible until God gives you an assurance in your heart!

Find out more about God’s grace.

By now, I was really angry.  Why did God bring this up? And then I remembered the blog I had just posted and I felt even worse.  I wanted to forgive but I just COULDN’T!  So I fumed some more and I begged God to forgive me and to help me, alternating with telling Him that I thought it was kinda mean that He had made me write that article and then brought this up!

So then I decided to pray with my husband about the problem.  Leo prayed with me and finally, finally, it was like a door sprang open in my heart and all the bitterness, hurt and anger drained away.   God confirmed to me, through Leo, that it wasn’t my fault, the way this person had treated me.  Then I was able to freely forgive.

This morning when I woke up, I felt different…better…more whole and more myself.  God really is good.

Thank you, God for leading me on this journey of healing.

Bitterness arises from anger left to rot.  Even a small amount of this vile brew will cloud the waters of life.  Many people suffer, their minds and hearts darkened by the poison of bitterness.  I used to be one of these people but now I walk in freedom!

What Is Forgiveness, Exactly?

Forgiveness is choosing to let someone off the hook when they don’t deserve it.  Has anyone ever hurt you?  The only way to rid yourself of that anger and pain is through the deliberate act of forgiveness. Forgiveness says “What you did hurt me/was wrong but I choose not to hold it against you.  Freely I relinquish my right to vengeance.”

But I CAN’T Forgive!

Some offenses are much easier to forgive than others.  I find self-talk helpful when trying to understand the other person’s motivation, thereby making forgiveness less challenging.  I often repeat one of the following phrases to myself when someone has hurt or offended me.  He/she is going through a hard time.  He/she had a messed up childhood/family life.  Hurt people hurt people.  They must have had a very frustrating day. They mean well.  They think that they’re doing the right thing. They didn’t mean to hurt me. They actually don’t know any better. It’s helpful to try to feel where the other person is coming from.

Sometimes what a person has done is truly wrong and deeply hurtful. At times like this, I turn to God. Certain things in my life I found impossible to forgive; even prayer didn’t seem to work. I know the Bible calls us to forgive; I wanted to but…I didn’t feel it.  The anger and pain were still there, even after I had prayed.   Then I discovered the value of praying WITH someone.  When I prayed with someone about these issues, it was like thorns of pain were pulled out of my soul. And then I COULD forgive!

Praying blessings upon the person is an excellent way to seal the forgiveness within yourself. Ask God to give that person all the good things you want for yourself.

Walk in Freedom!

The only way to stay free is to continue to forgive.  As long as we live on this Earth, there will be people who hurt and offend us. Forgive, forgive, forgive, every time – just like Jesus offers forgiveness freely and repeatedly to us.

I feel his love in the quiet time we spend together.  His love drives the darkness from my heart.

He’s never too tired to listen to all my problems and concerns.  He is always here to help and to advise.

I’m so glad you love me!

Precious Jesus, I long to sit at your feet.

Teach me how to love!  Fill me, that I may love with your love!

Heading down the stairs, I thought again of the hours of online research I’d done on nose reduction.  One site had promised good results.  The “Nose Reformer” was only $42.99.  I bought it and the thing had arrived in the mail just two days ago.  Along with wearing the contraption nightly, the site advised the consumption of 6 cups of spinach each day.  Apparently, spinach contains not only antioxidants, but also a large amount of vitamin K which supposedly activates cells that break down excess bone. So the site claimed that spinach would increase the effectiveness of the “Nose Reformer”.  Luckily, I liked spinach.

Sitting at the table, I poured some salad dressing on two cups of spinach.  I was trying to eat it when no one would be around but, today, I was to have no such luck.  There was Jeff, my foster brother.

“Oh, look!” he squealed.  “Jennifer’s eating rabbit food again!  Trying to make your nose smaller?!”  At that, he fell down on the floor, laughing like a lunatic.  He was only ten but his teasing burned.

I blinked quickly.  I wasn’t going to cry in front of him.  The foster family I was with had four boys and Jeff was the oldest.  They all made fun of me…even their father did.  He had said I would just have to get use to being ugly.  I stuffed another bite of spinach into my mouth, pretending the boy didn’t exist.  I knew his parents only wanted a foster daughter so they would have free babysitting.  I knew I would have to watch it or I would have to move again…and I’d been in worse places…much worse.  I forced another large forkful of spinach into my mouth.

Later that day, on the bus, I was glad I’d kept my cool.  Today was the one day each week that I got to see my mother.  When I arrived at the mall, I found a spot to wait by the central fountain.  She was always late and sometimes didn’t show, but I had come to accept it.  She couldn’t do better for me.  Strung out on drugs or whatever else…that’s why I was in foster care.

Finally she arrived, eyes darting here and there, brown hair disheveled.

I called to her, “Mom!”

She saw me and came in my direction.  I noticed she was carrying a plastic grocery bag.

Oh, no.

She sat down on the bench beside me and opened the bag.

“Look what I got for you, Jennifer!”

“Thanks, Mom,” I said, taking the bag from her.  White, stolen hotel towels.  How would I explain this to the foster parents…again? I wondered.

“Wait just a second,” she said wrenching the bag back.  “You didn’t see this!”  Her mother pulled out a magazine.

I took it from her and looked at the cover.  It was some news magazine with a man on the front cover.

“What about it?” I asked, finally.

“That’s your dad!”

“What?” I gasped, looking at the magazine more closely.

“Yup, that’s him.  I’m sure…well, mostly sure.  Yeah, it’s him all right.”

“But…I thought you never knew his name?” I said in disbelief.  All this time, my mother had told me she didn’t know who my father was.

“No.  But I recognize him.  That’s the guy, all right.”

I flipped to the correct page in the magazine and scanned the article.

“I’m hungry,” announced her mother.  “Aren’t we going to get some ice cream or something?”

As I paid for the ice cream and then ate without tasting it, my mother talked bitter nonsense at me, but my thoughts were on the man in the magazine.  The article had said he was successful and rich and he lived right here in my city!

We wandered about aimlessly for several hours, as we did every week.  I let her do most of the talking.  She liked it that way anyway.  When we parted, I stood at the bus stop again.  But I wasn’t going home.  I knew the location of the place where the man was CEO.  It was almost 6:00 in the evening but he might still be working.  I had to try.

When I stepped off the bus, I looked up at the tall, formidable building.  I wasn’t going to be frightened away.  If he were here, I would speak to him.  I pulled open the glass doors and marched to the security desk inside.

“Hi,” I said casually to the burly guard, “I’m here to see Martin Seymour.  I’m his daughter.”

“Oh,” said the guard, “sure, go right ahead.”

“What floor is his office again?” I asked.

“14,” the guard replied.

Feeling the guard’s eyes on my back, I walked slowly to the elevator.  I pressed the call button.  Fear clutched at my chest.  I should leave.  He wouldn’t believe I was his child.  And even if it could be proven that this dude was my father, he probably wouldn’t want me.  Nobody wanted me.  And not only was I worthless, I was ugly, too.  I almost turned around but a chime sounded and the elevator door opened.   I stepped in.

On the way up, I thought about what I would say.  I had considered this the entire bus ride but still had thought of nothing.  ‘Hi, I’m your daughter’ was just so…

A woman sat at a desk in a large room.  She must be his secretary, I thought.  I approached her, feigning confidence.

“Hi, I’m here to see my dad,” I said to the pretty woman at the desk.

“Oh!” she said, looking me up and down.  “Just a moment.  Let me call him and let him know that you are here.”

“Well,” I said quickly, “it’s kinda a surprise.  I’d love to just go in…if he’s not in a meeting or anything.”

“I guess it would be okay,” she said finally.  Then she smiled.  “It’s nice to meet you.  I didn’t know Mr. Seymour had any children.”

I tried to smile back before I made my way towards the great, wooden door.  I hesitated.  Then I turned the latch and pushed inwards.

There, at a large, modern desk, sat the man from the magazine cover.  He looked up and his blue eyes locked onto my face.  His eyes widened and his mouth opened in an expression of bewilderment.

“That face…” he gasped, “that nose!”

I felt my face flushing and I started to back away out of the room.

“Wait!” he cried, jumping up from his desk and spilling coffee down the front of his white shirt.

Suddenly I felt like I had to get out of there.  But before I could turn around, his hand was on my arm.  I couldn’t pull away.

“Who are you?” he demanded, staring into my face.

Fear had taken my voice away so I just stared back at him, panic rising.

“You…”  His voice softened.  “You look like my dear Carissa, my twin sister,” he said, releasing my arm.  “She died when she was your age….drowned.  It’s like…seeing a ghost.”

“I’m…” I swallowed a lump and tried to get my voice back, “I’m Jennifer.  I’m your daughter.”

Instantly, tears sprung to the man’s eyes.  Quickly he pulled me into a firm embrace.

“A daughter,” he whispered.  “My own child.  If I had known you were out there, I would have made you a part of my life.  I would have taken care of you.”  He released me, held both my hands, and stared into my eyes again.  Tears ran down the man’s cheeks.  “And I will take care of you,” he said firmly.  “All I have is yours.  And you, Jennifer, now that I have found you…You are my greatest treasure.”

God Leads Through Our Desires!

I know God does not want to make us miserable!   He made you and me the way we are because He takes pleasure in us!  The desires we have to do certain types of things are from God. In Psalm 139:13 & 14 it says, “For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb.  I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.”  Who we are and the kinds of things we like, is no accident. God made us, knew us before we were born and had a plan for us.  He gives us desires to point us in the right general direction.

I think it is important to go in the direction of your passion unless it becomes clear that direction is not what God is calling you to.  If God wants to change the direction of your life He will make that clear to you.  He will also give you new desires to match the new call.  It can be important to wait for God’s timing; moving forward at God’s pace as He develops your character. Sometimes we have to wait to act on the desires that God gives us.  It is difficult to wait but important not to rush ahead into folly or sin.  Just remember the example of Abraham.  God promised to grant him a son.  Then instead of waiting for the blessing, he went ahead, trying to get the desired results on his own and slept with someone who wasn’t his wife!  That turned out to be disastrous!  You can read the story in Genesis, beginning in chapter 13. Follow your desires to find your destiny but be sure to follow the path of wisdom and goodness.

Other Ways God Leads

God also leads us through circumstances. When all the doors are closing in a particular area it is usually a sign.  That particular destiny is not for you.  When all the doors are open for a thing that you want to do, it is often also a sign.  This is something you are to do.

However, circumstances may mislead you.  Sometimes it is important to press trough on an issue and then the doors will open.  Conversely, sometimes a thing may be a bad idea even if the way seems open.  Always use wisdom.  It is a good idea to ask advice from wise people and again don’t do something dishonest or dishonourable.

There many ways that God uses to lead people.  For instance, sometimes a Bible verse may come to mind regarding a certain issue.  Or the pastor may preach on a certain topic at church which relates to your circumstance.  Or a friend may happen to convey about a personal experience, all the while not knowing about your present dilemma.

Find Your Destiny!

Everyone was created for an important purpose.  If you are wasting your life on T.V., movies, games or other ultimately worthless activities, I would suggest that you have not found your true destiny.  I am not satisfied to live a life where what I do doesn’t matter.  Join me on this journey to search for true love and Truth.



Gentle, humble, ever kind,
I want to know the way.
May your thoughts be on my mind,
Teach me every day!

Holding all things in your hands,
The outcome you foreknew.
May your Truth reach all the lands;
May they know you, too!

The Four Loves by C.S. Lewis

The three human-types of loves, affection, friendship and romance are good and natural and made by God.  They can, however, become corrupted when they are tainted by sin.

Affection:

Affection, which Lewis calls “storge”, is the family sort-of love.  It’s the love you feel for your parents and children and even your pets.  It’s the love that causes you to work for those who depend on you.  This love is a giving sort of love.  But it also takes pleasure in the giving.  Providing for the needs of our family validates who we are.  So we love out of need, the need to be validated in our role as wife, mother, daughter, father, son, provider or whatever our role may be.  Lewis said to watch out for trying to forcibly keep people needing you.

Friendship Love:

Friendship love, which Lewis calls “philia”, is love for friends.  Lewis differentiates between affection felt for comrades, those who are in the same place in life (in the same circumstance) and those with whom there is a truly deep connection (people you ‘click’ with).  He says you need to have comrades (casual friends) in order to make real friends.   Lewis extols the value and beauty of true friendship and how grand it is to have someone who is just on the same wave length as you.  The way he described friendship sounded magical…It made me feel like I never had a real friend, not the way he experienced friendship, anyway.  Lewis said to watch out for becoming cliquish in a mean way and to watch out for bad influences in the group.

Romantic Love:

Romantic love, which Lewis calls “eros”, is passionate love for someone.  Lewis differentiates between romantic love and simple sexual attraction.  I found his description of romantic love to be bang on and it was actually quite funny and quite enlightening at the same time.  I would say this was the best section.  Romantic love is a very powerful feeling that brings two people together.  Lewis described romantic love as the dive into the water.  Once the dive is complete something else is needed to keep the relationship together.  Lewis said to watch out for trusting in romantic love.  He said it is when we are counting on a second thing as a first thing that we are disappointed.  Lewis said that all the human-types of love are good, but are second things.

God Love:

God love, which Lewis calls “agape”, is love for someone that comes from God.  I have to say that I was pretty disappointed with this section.  I listened to The Four Loves for the express purpose of finding out more about agape love.  Though I understood the words Lewis was saying, I don’t think I really ‘got’ it.  Or else, possibly, I was hoping for a how-to guide or better yet to simply be immediately filled with God’s love…didn’t happen.

So the quest for agape love continues…

Janine’s heart started pounding as she saw a faint glow coming from around the corner.  The old house no longer had electricity.  She knew it couldn’t be a ghost…but still Janine fought down the fear.  Her parents thought she was at a friend’s house for a sleepover.  But no.  Foolishly she was here…all alone.

Then round the corner came Sam with a flashlight.

“Tham!” she cried in relief when she saw her good friend.  He grinned when she said his name, as he always did.  Janine struggled with a lisp and Sam never ceased to be amused by it.

“What are you doing here?” she asked him.

“I was worried about you,” he said as he came nearer and then sat beside her, back against the wall.  “Of all the crazy things, Janine…I didn’t want you here all night alone.”

“It’th not crathy!” she insisted.  “Thith houth ith not haunted!  And I’m gonna prove it!”  In the dim light of the flashlight, she could see that Sam was just smiling.  Janine wasn’t sure that she liked his amusement but she had to admit it.  Sam had a really nice smile.  And she was glad he was here.

They sat there, quiet for a bit.  Janine looked at him as Sam looked towards the far wall.  He had reddish brown hair, brown eyes, and freckles; of course it was hard to see that in the dim light.  But Janine didn’t need any light at all to picture him.  She had studied his photos often enough on facebook that she had every detail memorized.

“Are you jutht gonna keep that light on the whole time?” Janine asked, finally.

“Yup,” answered Sam.

“Are you tired, yet?” asked Janine.

“Nope,” answered Sam.

“Maybe we thould go look around,” Janine suggested.

Sam looked at her and smiled bigger.

“Okay.”

He jumped up, flashlight in one hand, and held out his other hand to her.  She reached out to him and he hoisted her roughly to her feet.  Janine looked up at him for a moment.  He sure was tall.  Sam was still grinning.  She wondered if he might like her.

Abruptly, he  turned  and  started  out  of  the  room.

“Wait!”  Janine said, “Where  are  we  going?”

“To look  around,”  Sam  answered,  striding  away.

They walked out of the living room and into the grand entrance way.  The place was desolate.  All items of value had been sold long ago.  Everything was  dark,  with  only  the  weak  beam  of  the  flashlight  guiding  their  way.  Sam shone the  flashlight  up  the  long,  winding  staircase.

“Let’s go up,” he  suggested.

“Are you thure it’s thafe?”  asked  Janine.

She could  see  that  Sam  was  grinning  again.

“Let’s find  out.”

They started up the stairs.  The steps creaked heavily under their weight.  Suddenly there was a sharper ‘crack!’ and Sam was falling into her.  As she tried to step back, her foot went through the old wood.

“Owww!” she cried out.  Sam regained his footing and sat down on the step where she was stuck.  He shone the flashlight on her leg, which was buried in the wood to mid-calf.

“It’th hurting bad, Tham.”

Sam did not smile;he looked grim, the muscles at his jaw, clenched.  He carefully felt around the hole with his fingers.

“Owww!” Janine cried again.

He pulled his hand away and then looked at his fingers in the light of the flashlight.  There was blood on them.  He wiped his hand on his jeans.

“I’m sorry, Janine.  This is my fault.”

“It’th okay, Tham.”

“I’m not sure what to do.  I think maybe I should go get help.  I’m not sure how badly you’re hurt.”

“Pleth don’t leave me here alone, Tham.”  Frantically she reached over and clutched the fabric of his shirt.

“Okay, I won’t leave.  I’ll get you out.”  Sam pulled out a rather long knife.  This gave Janine quite the fright as she saw the blade glinting in the light.  “I’m going to try to cut some of the wood away so your leg will come free.”  Carefully Sam worked the knife, cutting away the old brittle wood.

Janine realized that Sam must have been carrying the knife concealed under his clothing.  She wasn’t sure how she felt about that really…but it sure was coming in handy now.

Soon the hole was big enough for Janine to pull her foot out.  Her jeans had a rip in them and her calf was bleeding.

“Can you stand on it?” asked Sam as he slid the knife away back into a sheath on his right hip.

Janine hesitated.  She felt sure it wasn’t broken and she probably could manage…but it would be ever so much nicer to get ‘help’.

“I’m not sure,” she said, finally.

“Here, I can help you.  Just let me get down off these steps.”

Sam quickly shone the flashlight into the hole where her foot had been.  “Lucky it wasn’t any deeper or it could have been a lot worse.”  He hesitated and continued looking into the hole.

“What?” asked Janine.  “What ith it?”

Sam reached into the hole and pulled something out.

“What ith it?” Janine asked again.

Sam shone the flashlight onto what he had pulled out.  Janine gasped.  It was an old, golden, diamond broach! Janine’s blood had splattered on it and Sam wiped it on his jeans.  Then they looked at it again under the light.  It was large, with quite a few diamonds on it.  Sam didn’t really like the look of it, especially under such circumstances.

“A skull diamond broach?”

“It’s not a thkull!  It’th a horthe thoe!  Thith mutht have belonged to my great aunt!  And it’th probably worth a fortune!  Look at how big thothe diamondth are!”

“A what?”

“A horthe thoe.”

“What?”

“A horthe thoe.”

Janine looked to see Sam was smiling again.  She held out her hand for the broach.

He handed it to her and scrambled down the few steps to the lobby.  Then, carefully, he helped her down.

“Do you want to lean on me or shall I just carry you?” he asked her.

“I think you thould carry me.”

Janine knew her parents wouldn’t be impressed to see that she was hurt or out with a boy so late at night.  But this find would change everything!

The end of all things is near. Therefore be alert and of sober mind so that you may pray. Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. -1 Peter 4:7&8

Long ago there was a great king named Kel who had power not of this world. He was good and kind. Great love burned in his heart.

Kel lived in a barren place. There were no trees, no grass.. no water. He was all alone. He wanted to take care of something and to make something grow. He wanted something to love.

So, using his own power, he caused water to pour from the rocks. Grass and trees began to grow – without seed. When it was finished, it was very beautiful.

In the center of Kel’s garden, he grew a rose bush. And on that rose bush, he grew a single rose. It was big and red, and it filled the whole world with its sweet, sweet scent.

Not long after his garden’s beginning, he made for himself children- many, many children. They were fat and healthy. But as they grew, they became selfish and reckless.

One day Kel’s children had a violent grass fight. They pulled up the grass in great clumps. Amidst their fighting, they realized that they found pleasure in this destruction. So they began to peel the bark off the trees and to pull the leaves off.

Their father met them in the garden. Kel looked at them. He loved them despite what they had done to his garden.

“My children,” Kel said “I love you very much and I will always love you. It is wrong that you destroy my garden, but you must not pick my rose, for you were born under its scent.”

They cared little for his words, but hearing this, they sought out the rose. First, his children just looked at it. Then they began to smell the beautiful rose and then to feel its velvety petals.

Their father looked on and shook his head. He knew what would happen. Yet he did nothing. He could not stop them with words; he would not stop them by force.

Then suddenly they tore off the rose, cutting their hands on its thorns. They laughed as they ran away with their prize. At first the rose seemed the same. It smelled as sweet and looked just as red. But soon it began to wilt, to grow brown and then to die.

The rose was no longer attached to the bush, fed by their father’s power. Its healing fragrance no longer filled the world. The children became ill for the first time.

They were ashamed of what they had done, but they were stubborn. They threw the rose in with the garbage and would not give it back to their father, even though they knew he could make things right.

Every day, the situation grew more and more desperate. Some of his children died. The surviving children were filled with dread. They knew what they had to do, but it had been so long. Many thought that their father no longer had the power to save them. Others feared that the great king wouldn’t want to.

Finally, with tears and trembling, they retrieved the wilted rose, which was now covered with filth, and went back to their father’s garden.

The children were so ill; they barely reached it in time.

The garden was dead. Nothing was left alive. The grass was brown and dry. A cold wind blew through the leafless trees. But instead of the smell of decay, they smelled a smell as sweet as the rose. The children called for their father but he didn’t answer.

They finally found Kel lying on what used to be a bed of violets. He was still and as white as snow. Near him there was a great marble bowl filled with red. Beside the bowl there lay a parchment on which was written a message in his hand.

“Children, my love for you has no limits, and I am always able to save you. To bring the rose to life again, it must be submerged in my blood. So, in the bowl you see before you is my blood, every last drop of it.

I emptied it, even when you would not turn back to me. I prepared everything so you would lose no time and I would lose no more children. Be quick. Throw the rose in.”

The children read and wept and threw the rose in. The blood swirled and covered the rose.

The children were exhausted and fell asleep. While they slept, the blood soaked into the rose. The blood grew less and less, until at last, there was only the rose…Red, lush, and…Alive!

Never to die again! It had the power of their father inside it!

When the children awoke, they saw it and they wept with joy. They looked to where their father lay, but He was gone.

The children sat and talked together. Their father had died to save them. How could they live without him? They had seen him dead, but where was his body now?

Suddenly, their father appeared beside them. He was not a ghost; he was real. With his same power that made the garden grow from nothing, King Kel had defeated death and had returned.

The children jumped up and hugged their father. Kel smiled and held them in his arms.

His children live in great joy. They had, and are still having, many other adventures, some even beyond imagination. But with their great father, King Kel, as their ally, they have success in everything they do.

“Horace, you grabbed the wrong tin from the pantry shelf. That wasn’t mustard powder.”

The only known cure for seizures in Manitou, in 1915:  dip the baby in tepid water, with a sprinkle of mustard powder. This ‘cure’ Anna had used on Melvin every day since he was born. To little avail. Six days had passed and now she feared he wouldn’t live. Yesterday, old Doc. Hamilton had informed them, “Nothing more can be done for him.”

“Horace, help me change this water,” she said as she finished wiping off the baby and wrapping him in a blanket.

Anna would have lost all faith if she hadn’t had Horace. He was her dear, healthy little six-year-old. He didn’t really understand what was going on, but he was such a help to her.

She smiled as she watched Horace struggle with the dishpan. What a good child. She checked the hot water reservoir in the stove. Lots of water. Good.

“Now rinse it out into the slop pail…Horace! Hurry. Melvin’s having another convulsion. Put some water from the water pail into the dishpan.” Holding her shaking baby in one hand, Anna dipped some hot water out of the reservoir and poured it into the pan.

She stripped her infant again and put him in. The seizure passed. Anna sighed. Fourteen today. Oh, God, please help him. She looked at her other son. Maybe he knew more than she thought.

“Thank you, Horace. Bring me a towel and a dry blanket. You’re a good boy.” He handed her the towel and blanket.

“Is Reverend Davidson going to be here soon, Mama?”

“Yes. Your father should be back with him any minute now.”

Her wonderful husband, George. He was always there for her. She remembered the day they’d met just like it was yesterday. At church, he with his black Bible and English accent. She had come to love and depend on him more than anyone else in the world, except God, of course.

Anna had grown up, with eight siblings, in a poor Catholic family.  Because her parents were not really able to support so many children, she was sent, when she was fourteen, to live with a nearby family that kept a boarding house. They were a Methodist family, and she lived there with them in exchange for helping around the house.

Now she and George attended the Methodist church too, but, in her heart, Anna was still a Catholic. She wanted little Melvin baptized before he died, to assure him a place in heaven. She had asked George and he had agreed to it. So he had gone to get the reverend.

Anna sat in her old comfortable rocking chair, holding Melvin in her arms, hoping that he wouldn’t die before the minister arrived. Soon, she heard a shuffling out in the hall. She rose to greet the reverend as he came in.

“I thank God that George came to get me. You know I’ll do whatever I can for this little fellow.”

“Well, I suppose you will need some water,” George began. “I’ll go…”

“Oh, no need for that. I’ll just use this water,” he said, referring to the water they had dipped the baby into. The reverend held out his arms and took little Melvin.

Anna stood between George and Horace. She held their hands tightly. Please, Lord, don’t let him die, she prayed silently. I know, Father, if you will it, Melvin will be all right. The reverend dipped his fingers into the water.

“I baptize you in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,” he said as he touched Melvin’s forehead three times with his wet fingertips.

Melvin didn’t have any more convulsions that night…or ever again. When they were all sure that he was going to be fine, Horace earnestly declared, “See, Mama, all it took was a little more water!”

Fighting Fair

Differences of opinion are bound to occur in every marriage.  When talking about an issue with your spouse it is important to remain on topic.  Never bring up past mistakes, raise your voice or call your partner names!!!  You both want the same thing: to resolve the problem and to have joy in your home.  If it is a small/inconsequential matter, whoever cares less about the issue should be willing to graciously give in.  For more important concerns it is often possible to come up with a solution which both people can feel good about.  It is often a good idea to take some time to pray about the big things and it’s okay to take the time needed to reach an agreement.

End Negativity!

Focus on the positive in your spouse.  The book, “The Love Dare”, by Stephen Kendrick, contains 40 dares intended to save a broken marriage.  The very first one is to say nothing negative to your spouse for the whole day.  This is the hardest challenge.  Try it and see how you do!  Continue this practice of focusing on the positive and it will do much to improve the climate in your relationship.

The Five Love Languages

There are many times in a marriage when one or both of the married partners do not feel loved, when, in actual fact, their partners do love them!  This is due to the facts that many people do not know how to communicate love and people do not always feel loved by the same things.  There are said to be five love languages; five types of things by which people feel loved.  The five love languages are gifts, quality time, touch, words of affirmation and acts of service.

Gifts – chocolate, hand-made items, flowers, food, clothing, electronics – anything that you give to your partner (that they like!)

Quality Time – time spent together where it’s just the two of you and you can actually talk.

Touch (this doesn’t mean sex, it just means touch in general) – hugs, holding hands, pats, massages, etc.

Words of Affirmation – giving your spouse specific compliments.  Words of affirmation can also be given thorough notes/email :)

Acts of Service – this is the work part of love – sweeping, cooking, mowing, washing, lifting, vacuuming, etc.

Most people feel somewhat loved by all five of these love languages.  However, there are usually a top two love languages for each person.  It is important to try to figure out which love languages your spouse responds to so that you can make him/her feel loved.  It feels awesome to feel loved.  Sometimes you need to work to bring that feeling back into the marriage, but it’s so worth it!

When a relationship is new the glow of romance makes everything easier.  All the striving to please the other, that is nothing compared with the sheer delight of their presence.  A relationship is not static.  Feelings shift over time.  Hardship and financial struggles put strain on a marriage.  Through this all a couple needs to put in effort towards the marriage and their spouse.  When romantic love wanes, suddenly what once came out of our ‘love’ now must come from our will…and suddenly it doesn’t feel like love; it feels like work!

When marriage is loveless or wrought with problems it is vital to WORK to improve things.  50+ years is a long time to be miserable!

It is a good idea to find out how to make peace in the home and keep your spouse happy.  The most important way to do that is to listen to your partner to find out what they need.  Books can also be a good resource for learning how to make married life joyful and fulfilling.  I highly recommend the books, “The Five Love Languages” and “The Love Dare”.

For the first seven years of our marriage I was certain I was putting in 60-75% of the work towards maintaining the marriage and it annoyed me.  Then I came to accept it.  I decided to be okay with doing a greater portion to have a healthy marriage and a happy spouse; it was worth it.  To my surprise, one day while we were discussing it, I discovered he thought he was putting in at least 70% of the effort towards making our marriage good and he, too, had decided to be okay with it!  We had a great laugh together.  The bottom line is that YOU need to be willing to do whatever it takes to make a good relationship and not keep score.

God intended marriage to be an earthly reflection of a heavenly truth.  I want that for my marriage!

A common wrong belief held by many is that, “all you need is love”.  Romantic love is not enough as it will not fix issues or problems in your personal life.  People looking for love also need to be aware from the outset that a love relationship takes a great deal of effort/work to maintain.

Deal With Personal Problems Now!

Some people look to love as a solution to all problems.  It’s not.  Falling in love and getting married will do nothing to fix your personal issues or those of your partner.  In fact, when you come into a marriage damaged and sinful the relationship will suffer.  Bitterness and addictions poison the union. Time does not, as they say, heal all things.  In fact, over time, the wounds and sins fester causing more and more division and hurt in the marriage.  It is wise to address these problems as early on as possible.  The ideal would be to have tackled most of the issues, before getting married.

This process of inner healing is not easy.  What saved me was God and prayer, that’s the only thing that could help me change.  I couldn’t fix myself.

How to Deal With Personal Problems:

1. Confess sin! Once sin is repented of and renounced it loses some of its power.  I have also found it helpful to confess to a trusted friend or mentor and to have an accountability partner for certain issues.
2. Forgive! Forgive those who hurt you.  Forgiving is releasing the right to revenge and no longer holding it against them.  Pray to God for help if this does not come easily.  I have found it hard to forgive at times.  But God helped me to let go of that and now the pain and anger are gone.  Praying for the person who hurt you can also be freeing.
3. Pray! Ask God to show you His Truth.  Because the Truth of God sets us free!  Praying with someone when seeking God is very helpful.

Persist and don’t give up.  The issues in your life won’t go away by themselves.  But nothing is impossible with God.  With God all things are possible!  We need His help!

When I hear your strong voice,
I am Cupid’s arrow shot into the sky.  Zing!

When I hold your hand in mine,
I am a rose, blooming in the warmth of your love.

When I hold you in my arms,
My heart is a burning cinnamon candy.

When you touch your lips to mine,
Our hearts entwine.

I love you, my sweet Valentine.

People everywhere have hundreds and even thousands of lovely digital photographs hidden on hard drives. In many cases,they don’t even know what digital pictures they have anymore because they lack a good system of digital photo organization. Having image files scattered here and there is even worse than having loose photos here and there. At least people can look at the printed photos! In many families, digital photos are not viewed and cherished. Instead, they are forgotten.

Digital photos are taken with the best of intentions. People want to capture the special moments in their lives to remember them and to share these special times with others. Unfortunately, organizing digital photographs, getting them printed, buying albums, and putting the photos into these albums seems like a often seems like an insurmountable task, especially when most people are years behind!

Now, finally, there is an easy solution to the problem of digital photo disarray! The first step to managing your digital photographs is to organize them. (An excellent digital photo organization product is now on the market.) Next, instead of getting the digital photos printed, buying albums, and putting the photographs in them, these three steps can be combined and done from the comfort of your own home!

Digital Scrapbooking

Digital photographs should be scrapbooked digitally. It just makes sense! The right digital scrapbooking software is easy to use and very flexible. Using pre-made pages, where photos can simply be selected and inserted, makes it possible to finish an album in a snap! Alternatively, each page can be uniquely designed. There are also several choices when it comes to printing the digital scrapbook. Individual pages can be printed and inserted into a regular album or a hard cover book of the entire album can be printed. Either format can be ordered online right through the digital scrapbooking software!

Digital Photo Sharing

Digital Photos on Facebook

One way to share digital photos with family and friends is to post photos to Facebook. Some digital scrapbooking software have an ‘upload to Facebook’ built-in option. This is a great way to share a digital scrapbooking project with friends and family.

Print Cards from Digital Photos

Another delightful way to share family photos is to print them as cards for various occasions – Christmas cards, birthday cards, thank-you cards, birth announcements – the list just goes on and on! It’s always a perfect time to send someone a special photo as a card. With good digital scrapbooking software, there are downloadable templates for all occasions. It is also possible to design completely original photo cards!

Organize Your Workspace!

Some people feel that the first step to any successful business is to get organized.  While it may not always be the first step, organization is definitely essential for the continuing success of any business.  Customers will not be happy if things are forgotten.  Money will be mismanaged if it is not monitored carefully.  The best product or service in the world won’t benefit the business owner at all if the client is not invoiced!

Getting organized can be quite challenging for a business owner.  It may be difficult to figure out even where to start!  Moreover, since it is essential to keep the flow of money coming in, the business organizational process cannot be allowed to cause the actual work to grind to a halt.

Small Business Organization

It is vital to relieve the confusion brought on by disorganization.  If you are just beginning a business or if you are languishing in an utter muddle, here are some steps to take.

1. Know your products/services.  If you don’t know what you are offering, no one will.
2. Organize your personal life.  Personal problems/issues can easily be allowed to interfere with work, especially if you work at/from home. There must be boundaries set between home life and work.
3. Clean up your physical workspace.  If your workspace is a disaster area, you won’t be able to find anything or work efficiently.   A cluttered work area can also lead to feelings of frustration and discouragement.  You may need to get professional help!  If you have enough money, it may be a good idea to hire someone to help you with the cleaning.
4. Get a system of keeping track of important dates and times.  You may choose to use a paper calendar or a virtual system such as Google Calendar.  The advantage of using Google Calendar is that it is assessable anywhere the Internet is available, including on your smart phone.   A paper wall calendar stays at work, leaving you uniformed if you are not sitting at your desk.  On the other hand, when you use a portable calendar, you run the risk of losing it.
5. Find out the legalities surrounding your business.  You need to be realistic about this.  It will take time.  Set aside certain days to dedicate to looking into these things.  As for government forms that need to be submitted, it is ultimately less time-consuming to go in person.  If you fill it out and mail a form in, it will invariably be returned to you with something highlighted and no explanation.  If you go in yourself, you will get assistance to ensure that everything is done correctly the first time.  Don’t worry, the government workers there will likely have time to see you and you usually won’t have to wait too long.
6. Keep track of the money you make and spend with your business.  For entrepreneurs and small businesses, a good iPhone app for keeping track of money earned is Income Tracks.  To keep track of expenditures, retain all business-related invoices and receipts.  Have a system for organizing these, such as different file folders for the different categories.  Many small businesses find that keeping track of expenses on a spreadsheet, such as Excel, is helpful.  Expenses can be entered monthly or at years-end.  Tallying receipts month-by-month will help you have a more up-to-date picture on your business expenses.
7. Invoice customers.  It is important to have a system for invoicing customers.  Many entrepreneurs find using a spreadsheet for invoicing works well.  Store all of a given year’s invoices in the same folder on your computer.  Label files with the name of the company and the invoice #.  Begin with invoice #1 for each new customer.  Invoices should begin again at #1 each year.  After completing each project, invoice the customer right away so you don’t forget.  If a certain client gets work from you on a regularly repeating basis, mark on your calendar when to send out the next invoice.

Organization is a key to success in business.  The longer you wait to get organized, the worse things will become and the longer it will take when you do finally get to it.  Invest your time now in becoming more organized and reap the rewards of satisfied customers and increased profit.

©2010 Celesta Thiessen

Medication for Depression

There are many different types of medication for depression.  The most common type hinders the breakdown of Serotonin, resulting in more of that neurotransmitter being present in the brain.   The most frequently prescribed of these drugs is Sertraline hydrochloride (Zoloft).  Other depression medications include Paxil, Effexor, Serzone, Celexa and others.  The side-effects with these drugs are numerous and can be severe.  Serzone has been discontinued as it caused liver failure in some patients.  Other side effects for these antidepressant medications include stomach pain and headache.  Effexor can cause hemorrhaging.  Paxil can increase suicidal tendencies.  Celexa and Zoloft tend to leave one feeling flat – emotionless.  No pain or joy.  Just dampened.  These drugs are hard on the system and potentially, very dangerous.  Yet depressed individuals need chemical help.  What is to be done?

5HTP Antidepressant

5HTP is sold at health food stores.  It is considered a food supplement, not a medication.  The compound 5-Hydroxytryptophan is what your body uses to make Serotonin.  If you take 5HTP, your body produces more Serotonin.  One side effect of 5HTP is a headache, which is present only for the first few days.  Some people have trouble sleeping but others sleep more easily when taking 5HTP.  If you find it makes you sleepy, take it at night but, if it makes you feel wakeful, take it in the morning.  Unlike prescription medication that takes up to two weeks to make you feel better, with 5HTP you will notice a difference in your mood the very day that you take it!

5HTP Dosage

With prescription medication for depression, you are told exactly how much to take.  With 5HTP, you need to decide how much will be right for you.  Start with 50mg/day for adults and gradually increase the 5HTP dosage until the symptoms of depression fade away.

Studies have been conducted on the safety of 5HTP.  There is very little data to indicate 5HTP could be stressful for the liver or kidneys.  However, injected 5HTP has caused kidney damage in rats ^[1].  It is uncertain if massive doses of 5HTP could lead to liver or kidney damage in humans.  It wouldn’t be advisable to take more than is needed.  One can read online of some people taking massive amounts of 5HTP with no adverse effects but it would be best to take no more than 300mg/day.

Another side effect of 5HTP is the decline of higher brain functions over time while on the drug.  This condition vanishes after two or three days without 5HTP.  To avoid this problem, periodically take days off.  Some people find using 5THP every second day is something that works for them.  Others may take the weekend off.  This taking time off from using 5HTP will also prevent the body from developing a resistance to 5HTP (so you won’t need to increase the dose).

5HTP Cure for Depression?

5HTP will cause the Serotonin levels in the brain to increase and, thus, the symptoms of depression will be alleviated.  Sometimes therapy and or lifestyle changes are also needed.  If the levels of Serotonin in the brain dropped due to life circumstances, then counseling from a psychologist, psychiatrist, or pastor is in order.  If, however, the cause is genetic in nature (your body simply does not produce enough Serotonin), then 5HTP is all that is needed.

1. Hirai M et al.   Biochemical studies on the mechanism of difference in the renal toxicity of 5-hydroxy-L-tryptophan between Sprague Dawley and Wistar rats. J Biochem (Tokyo), 1979.

© 2009 Celesta Thiessen

Problems that Plague Marriages

Lack of time together damages marriages. Work, children, hobbies, and social obligations can take away from spending quality time with your spouse.

Devaluing your spouse is commonplace. Words or action directed at your spouse can convey the message to your partner that he/she is not important.  You should never call your spouse mean names, even in jest.  Don’t criticize them to others.  Be punctual when picking them up or meeting with them.  Being late says I don’t care enough about you to bother being on time.  You wouldn’t feel okay about going late to a job interview, would you?

Spending alone-time with other members of the opposite sex can lead to problems. When someone spends time alone with someone of the opposite sex, it is not uncommon for emotional bonding and/or physical attraction to develop.  Work friends and others of the opposite sex are fine as long as social outings are group excursions.  A married person should never go out alone with someone of the opposite sex unless that person is a near relative (father, mother, sister, brother).   Some people may not agree with this advice but many marriages have been ruined when a friendship with a member of the opposite sex developed into love.

Spending excessive time watching the television or going online can be detrimental to a marriage. When someone chooses to spend time with an inanimate object instead of with a partner, it can feel very hurtful.  Also, social networking or chat sites online have the potential to lead to marital unfaithfulness.

Being in-dept puts stress on a marriage. Many North Americans are significantly in dept.  Money problems are often the cause of arguments in a marriage.

The Way to A Happy Marriage

Make time for your spouse each week. Set a weekly date night set aside and keep it!

Use your words to encourage. Whenever you think of something positive about your spouse, be sure to tell them, using specific language.  Sometimes, to change things up, write them a note or an email as well as telling them!

Get your finances under control. Make more than you spend.  Reduce expenses.  Don’t gamble.  Cut up credit cards.

Find things to do that you both enjoy. Take up a hobby together.  Work out together.  You need to find positive things to do together.  Throw that television or computer out the door if it is harming your marriage.  Seriously, what is more important?

Provide intimacy. Renew your physical love with your partner.  It is good to partake together as often as the more eager partner wishes.  If you don’t really feel like it, try to think your way there and enjoy the experience through the eyes of your spouse.

A marriage, like any important venture, takes work.  Each partner must give between   60 % and 90% for the marriage to survive.  Honour your spouse, seek to bring them joy, and ensure that they feel loved.  All you can do is your part.  Chiding your partner into loving you more simply won’t work.  As your spouse feels more loved, they will begin to reciprocate.  Don’t give up.  Love is well worth the effort!

© 2009 Celesta Thiessen

Ways to Cure Insomnia

The following are some tips that can help cure insomnia.

1. Get enough exercise. Individuals who are overweight are at increased risk of insomnia.  Cardiovascular workouts that exercise the entire body are best.   They lead to a feeling of tiredness at the day’s end.  However, don’t exercise right before bed.
2. Alleviate pain. If you suffer from chronic pain, get medicine to control the pain so you can sleep.
3. Avoid caffeine. Stop eating/drinking caffeinated products completely, if possible.  If you do continue to consume caffeine, be aware that one cup of coffee has more caffeine than seven cans of cola.  The effect of caffeine on insomnia will be less if the caffeine is consumed earlier in the day.
4. Don’t nap after 3:00 in the afternoon. Napping in the evening will prevent you from getting a full night’s sleep.
5. Keep a regular schedule. Try to head off to bed at the same time each day.  Shift workers are at an increased risk for insomnia.  If you work a shift job and suffer from insomnia, it might be worthwhile to try to get a different job or a different position within the company so that you wouldn’t have to do shift work.
6. Create a bedtime routine. Try to maintain a regular nighttime routine to prepare the body for sleep.  Just before bed, engage in quiet, relaxing activities.  Do these things each night at the same time.  A bedtime routine to reduce the risk of insomnia could be comprised of several of the following: have a warm bath, sit in a hot tub, read something pleasant, pray, have a cup of warm milk with a little sugar and cinnamon.
7. Avoid stressful thoughts just before bed. Make a habit of never checking work-related emails in the evening.  Don’t watch or read the news after work.  If you must keep up with the abysmal events of the world, do so in the morning when it won’t affect your sleep.
8. Don’t sleep alone. Skin contact with a spouse is best.  Touching another person’s skin can be very beneficial and soothing.  If you’re not married, get a pet to share the bed.  A soft, warm, furry thing sleeping near you in the bed can be very calming and restful.

The cycle of insomnia can be broken.  Making a plan now and sticking to it will lead to blissful and very much-needed rest.

©2009 Celesta Thiessen

It is important to eat iron rich foods to maintain a healthy body.  Iron, in the form of iron rich foods, is needed by the body to create and maintain red blood cells.  Red blood cells carry oxygen in your body.  If you do not eat enough iron rich foods, the body does not get enough oxygen due to a lack of red blood cells.  You will feel tired and weak.  A lack of iron rich foods in your diet causes Anaemia and can lead to other serious health issues.

What Are The Iron Rich Foods?

The following is a list of some of the iron rich foods.

Which Iron Rich Foods Should Be Eaten?

There are two types of iron rich foods.  There are iron rich foods from animals, such as beef, pork, lamb, fish and chicken.  Plants can also be a source of iron rich foods such as apricots, prunes, broccoli, beans lentils and spinach.  Iron rich foods from animals contain heme iron.  Non-heme iron is in foods from plants.  Heme iron is more easily absorbed by your body.  In fact, most of the iron in plant-based iron rich foods will pass right through your body without being absorbed.  This is why it is good to include some meat products in your diet, if possible.

How Should Iron Rich Foods Be Eaten?

To get the most out of the iron rich foods from plants, include items in the meal rich in vitamin C.  Vitamin C increases iron absorption.  Also, including a little meat with the meal will increase overall iron absorption from all iron rich foods consumed.  Avoid drinking coffee or tea with the meal as caffeine reduces iron absorption.  Drinking milk with the meal does not affect the absorption of iron from iron rich foods.  Using an iron frying pan for cooking will increase the iron content of the meal and so is also beneficial.

It is recommended that you get between 8.7 and 14.8 mg of iron daily.  It is important to monitor your diet to ensure you are getting the iron you need.  Often a person can feel tired and not realize they are iron deficient.  If you have questions or concerns about the iron in your diet or want more information about iron rich foods, contact your family physician.

One contender is the alcohol, ethanol.    Ethanol burns, thus enabling it to drive a combustion engine.  A vehicle could be manufactured to run entirely on ethanol, or a mixture of traditional gasoline and ethanol can be used.  In fact, most cars can run on up to a 15% ethanol mixture with no noticeable effect on engine performance.

People view ethanol as a good alternative to gasoline because it is renewable.  This alcohol is made through the fermentation of foods from plants, such as corn or wheat.  More plants can be grown to turn into ethanol for burning in cars.  Using ethanol in this way is also proposed as beneficial to local farmer because the selling price of their crops will rise.  Also, ethanol burns more cleanly than gasoline.  Thus, many people feel that ethanol or ethanol blend gasoline would produce fewer emissions and so be better for our environment.

The government of Canada supports the use of ethanol blend gasoline.  Most of the gas stations have gasoline blended with ethanol and the country has seen a rise in crop prices that corresponds to the increase in use of ethanol as a gasoline additive.

However, the use of ethanol as a fuel for vehicles does not only have positive effects.  There are issues and costs that are greatly minimized or ignored all together by the advocates of ethanol fuel.  Ethanol cannot be used without the addition of gasoline in vehicles in northern climates as it cannot be ignited in cold weather.  Alcohol also corrodes many conventional automobile parts made of materials such as plastic, lead, and aluminum.  Cars using an ethanol blend should ideally have these parts replaced.

Additionally, the benefit to farmers is not as great as it appears at first glance.  Although crop farmers have an increase in profit, dairy, beef, and pork producers all have to buy feed that is now much more costly.  Some livestock farmers have had to give up the family farm because they could no longer afford to feed their animals.  The cost to consumers who fill their tanks with a blend is increased as well, due to the fact that ethanol is not as efficient a fuel as gasoline.  Fuel mileage decreases from 1% – 4% on 10% blends, depending on the car and the weather.   Typically, the greater the alcohol content, the faster the fuel burns.

This fact also casts doubt on the theory that using ethanol fuel would reduce emissions.  Since more fuel is burned when using an ethanol blend gasoline, more research is needed in order to determine if there are really less emissions when ethanol is used in a vehicle (rather than comparing ethanol and gasoline by burning them in a laboratory).  The use of the term ‘green’ is conjunction with ethanol is also somewhat of a misnomer since the burning of any material, including ethanol, produces carbon dioxide, which is thought to contribute to the greenhouse effect.

Although ethanol fuel for cars appears to have many environmental and economic benefits, there are too many drawbacks to burning our food supply in vehicles.  Our search for alternative power sources must continue, as ethanol is most certainly not the ideal answer to our current energy and environmental crisis.

Do Mini Kitties Exist?

The normal weight range for an adult cat is between 6 and 18 lbs.  Some people claim that any cat under 10 lbs is a mini kitty but this is categorically untrue.  Cats less than 6 lbs, however, are considered unusually small and are, by some, called mini kitties.  Mini kitties can come in many different colors and can be different breeds of cats.

What Types of Mini Kitties Exist?

Any domestic cat can produce a mini kitty.  Some specific breeds likely to have mini kitties are Silver and Golden Persian, Siamese, Singapura and Munchkin cats.  Rusty Spotted Cats are the smallest kitties on earth.

Domestic cats can produce a mini kitty as the result of a genetic mutation of some type.  A mini kitty of this kind is the tiny runt of the litter.  These mini kitties can be very small.  Some mini kitties with a genetic defect never grow past the kitten stage and maintain their adorable kitten look and behaviour for as long as they live.  Unfortunately, most of these mini kitties will not enjoy an average lifespan due to complications associated with their genetic mutation.  Mr. Peebles, a domestic tabby cat, was awarded the title “World’s Smallest Living Cat” by the Guinness book of world records in 2006.  He was 3 lbs.  Mr. Peebles has since passed away, due to a stroke, at 4 ½ years of age.

Silver and Golden Persian cats are generally smaller than other Persians.  Some breeders have used selective breeding to produce a toy (smaller) version of the Persian.  Golden and Silver Persian mini kitties can be as small as 4 lbs.   These mini kitties are often free of the health problems that other mini kitties may have.

Siamese cats, at one time, were selectively bred to produce mini kitties.  This breeding program has been abandoned due to the health issues experienced by the smaller Siamese.  There are some Siamese mini kitties under 5 lbs.

Singapura cats are considered to be the smallest breed of domestic cats.  Singapura average weight range is between 4 and 9 lbs.  Many individuals from this breed would fit into less-than-six-pounds category and thus would be considered mini kitties.  The average female Sinapura is about 5.5 lbs.  Singapura mini kitties do not suffer from significant health problems due to size or inbreeding.  These cats are rarer than other breeds and are quite expensive.

Munchkin cats have dwarfism.  Their bodies usually grow to full size but their legs are much shorter.  Sometimes a Munchkin will be a mini kitty with short legs, if the cat itself is small.  Heed, a Munchkin cat, was a contender for the title of “World’s Smallest Cat”.

Rusty Spotted Cats are truly the smallest cats on earth.  Rusty Spotted cats weigh between 3 and 6 lbs and average about 14-17 inches in length.  Unfortunately, this mini kitty is not domestic but a wild cat.  Rusty Spotted cats live primarily in India and are considered an endangered species.

How Can I Get A Mini Kitty?

There are three ways mini kitties can be obtained.  You can search for mini kitties by checking out all the kitten litters near you.  When you find a tiny runt of a littler, choose it because it is likely to be a mini kitty.  Kittens are often given away or sold at a cheap price so obtaining a runt is an inexpensive option.  Just be aware of the possible heath issues mentioned above.  A second alternative is to get an adult cat of mini kitty size.  Check out the local classified ads in your area.  People often give their older cats away free.  Some of these cats are mini kitties.  A third option is to contact a breeder of a specific type of cat and order a kitten.  Make sure to inform the breeder that you would like a mini kitty, with an expected full-grown size of less than 6 lbs.  Be aware that special breeds of cats are likely to be quite expensive, between $500 and $2000.

What is the Value of Mini Kitties?

Mini kitties are petite, snugly and very cute!  These small cats are better suited for restricted environments such as apartments.  Also, being so small, mini kitties are portable and can be carried about it a large purse or small bag.  Like all cats, mini kitties provide companionship, lower blood pressure, reduce stress, and even decrease the risk of heart attack.