Patience

Heavenly Father, Help us remember that the jerk who cut us off in traffic last night is a single mother who worked nine hours that day and is rushing home to cook dinner, help with homework, do the laundry and spend a few precious moments with her children.

Help us to remember that the pierced, tattooed, disinterested young man who can't make change correctly is a worried 19-year-old college student, balancing his apprehension over final exams with his fear of not getting his student loans for next semester.

Remind us, Lord, that the scary looking bum, begging for money in the same spot every day ("who really ought to get a job") is a slave to addictions that we can only imagine in our worst nightmares.

Help us to remember that the old couple walking annoyingly slow through the store aisles and blocking our shopping progress are savoring this moment, knowing that based on the biopsy report she got back last week, this will be the last year that they go shopping together.

Heavenly Father, remind us each day That of all the gifts you give us Lord, the greatest gift is love. It is not enough to share that love with those we hold dear. Open our hearts not to just those who are close to us, but to all humanity.
Let us be slow to judge and quick to forgive, show patience, empathy and love.

Working for God on earth doesn't pay much......but His retirement plan is out of this world.

Prevent Birth Defects By Taking Folic Acid

If you are pregnant or planning to become pregnant, you can help reduce your baby’s risk of birth defects by up to 70 percent by taking folic acid.

This nutrient is known to prevent neural tube birth defects such as spina bifida, which affects about one in 1,000 pregnancies each year in the United States. If you take the recommended daily dose of folic acid, you are improving not only your own health, but also the neurological health of your baby.

The best foods to eat that contain this beneficial nutrient are:

Dark, leafy greens

Legumes: lentils or chickpeas

Fruits: papayas, oranges and strawberries

Enriched grain cereal and breads

Here's a healthy Recipe:
Lentil Soup Recipe

Ingredients:

2 tbsp. olive oil
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup diced carrots
¾ cup chopped celery
1 tbsp curry powder
1 cup rinsed green or brown lentils
1 15oz can crushed tomatoes
3 cups fat free, low sodium vegetable broth

Heat oil on medium in large pot (Dutch oven). Sauté onions, celery and carrots until soft. Add curry powder and stir into vegetables. Add lentils, tomatoes and vegetable broth. Bring to boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 25 minutes

Enjoy!

Delcuttering Your Home, Your Life and Your Chakras

I have posted on my other blogs how important it is to declutter your life and your home. Spring is the perfect time to do this. A time when energy is renewed, life blossoms. De-cluttering will bring about a more healthier you and a healthier environment.

You can see obvious clutter in your home if you just walk from room to room, but did you know this clutter causes your Chakras to be cluttered or blocked? Take a tour of your home,so you can see which area needs to be decluttered.

Below you will see which area of your home is associated with your Chakras

· Crown Chakra: Attic, Roof
· Brow Chakra: Den, Home Office, Windows
· Throat Chakra: Living Room, Family Room
· Heart Chakra: Kitchen, Dining Areas
· Solar Plexus Chakra: Bathrooms, Personal Spaces
· Sacral Chakra: Master Bedroom
· Root Chakra: Basement, Crawl Spaces
· Aura: Porches, Decks, Landscaping, Garages

Get cleaning and organize each room of your house. Have your family members participate. Even children should have some responsibility of chores. Focus on one room at a time and do not proceed to the next room until you are completely finished with the cleaning, are organized and of course de-cluttered.

Since the kitchen is considered the heart of the home, this may be the first room to start de-cluttering. This is also the ‘heart’ chakra as well. Start with what is in sight by washing (or dusting) what is on the counters, table, appliances, sink, stove top etc…then go inside the cabinets. Throw out all expired products. Reorganize the goods you have left. Clean your oven, refrigerator, light fixtures and lastly, wash the walls, floors and curtains. Ahhhh, all done and your heart chakra will thank you.

Read some tips about de-cluttering your life at my blog by going HERE

One you have decluttered your life and home, you may want to enhance this pleasant feeling by reading Eric Maisel's book entitled Ten Zen Seconds: Twelve Incantations for Purpose, Power, and Calm
He teaches breath awareness to help you balance and align your chakra energy system. Using the incantations below, you will feel centered and balanced. Repeat each of the twelve incantation ten times. Inhale deeply 5 seconds and then exhale slowly for 5 seconds.

· (My energy)(is free of blockages)
· (My root chakra)(is deeply grounded)
· (My sacral chakra juices)(are creative and bold)
· (My solar plexus)(feels mellow and calm)
· (My heart)(is filled with love)
· (My throat)(speaks the truth)
· (My third eye)(intuits inner knowledge)
· (My crown chakra)(projects inspiration)
· (My chakras)(are spinning in alignment)
· (My aura)(is colorful and clutter-free)
· (My lightbody)(beams brightly)
· (I am)(centered and balanced)

References:
Ten Zen Seconds written by Eric Maisel

GOD Has A Positive Attitude

YOU SAY .....GOD SAYS

You say: 'It's impossible'
God says: All things are possible

You say: 'I'm too tired'
God says: I will give you rest

You say: 'Nobody really loves me'
God says: I love you

You say: 'I can't go on'
God says: My grace is sufficient

You say: 'I can't figure things out'
God says: I will direct your steps

You say: 'I can't do it'
God says: You can do all things

You say: 'I'm not able'
God says: I am able

You say: 'It's not worth it'
God says: It will be worth it

You say: 'I can't forgive myself'
God says: I Forgive you

You say: 'I can't manage'
God says: I will supply all your needs

You say: 'I'm afraid'
God says: I have not given you a spirit of fear

You say: 'I'm always worried and frustrated'
God says: Cast all your cares on ME

You say: 'I'm not smart enough'
God says: I give you wisdom

You say: 'I feel all alone'
God says: I will never leave you or forsake you

God determines who walks into your life....it's up to you to decide who you let walk away, who you let stay, and who you refuse to let go.

Protect Yourself Against Pneumonia

Did you know that pneumonia claims more lives in the United States than all other vaccine preventable diseases combined? The bacteria that causes pneumonia can lead to serious infections of the lungs, blood and brain. You can protect yourself against pneumonia.

I have heard too many times how a patient in the hospital has passed due to the complications of pneumonia they contracted in the hospital. I recently learned there is a vaccine to protect yourself against pneumonia.

You can speak to your physician about getting the pneumonia vaccine, especially if you have one of these chronic conditions:

Asthma, chronic lung disease, diabetes, emphysema, heart disease, kidney disease or multiple sclerosis.

Most adults who receive the vaccine develop immunity to pneumonia within two weeks of receiving it. Only one dose is needed for a lifetime of protection. This vaccine does not contain the live virus for pneumonia, so repeated doses are not required.

A second dose may be given under certain circumstances and only on the advice of your physician. Those circumstances can be: receiving the first vaccine before age 65, the last dose was received more than 5 yrs ago and you have a chronic condition which requires a transplant or another condition that warrants receiving an additional vaccine.

If you fit into the criteria above, speak to your physician, so you can maintain good health and limit health risks.

Source: Focus Magazine/Horizon BC-BS

Heathguru Answers Your Questions

I remember back when I was pregnant I had so many questions. I was young and did not know what to expect. Sure, people were telling me this and that, but the questions I kept in my mind were never really answered. I didn't feel my Mom was comfortable talking about my pregnancy. My goodness, the subject of sex was never even mentioned.

Looking back, I did have the most easy pregnancy. I didn't gain much weight. I looked like I swallowed a basketball. I was one of the lucky ones who didn't have any morning sickness. I was able to eat what I wanted, when I wanted and was never bothered by something repeating on me, upset stomach, cramps or diarrhea.

As my body went through the many changes, I just accepted each one. Sure I wondered why was I always in the bathroom. How much urine is in me? Why am I so tired? But I found I really couldn't sleep. I just went along month after month with the idea that I am going through this because I am pregnant. That's it, don't question it...just accept it. I guess it would have helped me to have explanations.

I remember I was a couple weeks into my ninth month. My mom and I went to visit my grandmother and great grandmother. We were enjoying our visit, but throughout the day I was feeling 'pressure'.I kept this to myself because once again, I figured I am suppose to feel this. I kept getting up to go to the bathroom...with each trip to the bathroom, a few drops of urine escaped. Ok I'm good, I thought. As long as I don't pee my pants, I'm fine. After about the 5th trip, my great grandmother (who spoke Italian) started to get excited and I couldn't understand what was going on. My grandmother was then asking why I was getting up so much. As I explained, my Mom was now nervous and told me my water is probably breaking. My water? What? We were about 40 minutes away from home and another 15 from the hospital. Call the doctor they were all shouting. Ok...now my fear is settling in. What's happening? Am I about to have this baby? They were explaining to me about the danger of a dry birth. By this time, my head was spinning and feeling like a robot, I just got in the car and was driven to the hospital. All ended well. We made it to the hospital in time and a few hours later, I was a Mom with a healthy baby boy.

With a first pregnancy, I believe all women have questions and possibly fear of what to expect. Getting information, having all your questions answered and knowing what to expect would probably help throughout the nine months. If you do not have someone to turn to for this information or maybe you feel embarrassed to ask, here's a great website to get the information you need.

Healthguru.com provides all the information you might need to put your mind at ease. Heathguru answers your questions you have kept to yourself, wondered about or couldn't get the answers to. Let me also tell you that this site offers not only information on anything and everything associated with pregnancy but also provides information on fertility and conception, sex, college student health, STD protection, birth control, your body, your mind, weight loss etc. There's just too many topics to list.

This might be a great site to guide your teenage and college aged children to, whether male or female, for answers you might feel uncomfortable speaking about. This site provides videos and articles which were put together by a team of expert doctors.
Have a question? Find your answer there.

Do you remember having questions with your first pregnancy? Have a funny story to share?

The Eye Of God

It is said this photo was taken by NASA with the Hubbell telescope. This kind of event occurs once in 3000 years. This photo has done miracles in many lives.

Say a prayer and state your wish ... you have looked at the eye of God. Surely you will see the changes in your life.

Whether you believe it or not, it is important to Keep the Faith.

Too awesome not to share.