How a Blind Artist Teaches Others to Practice a New Philosophy

When I first met Keith Salmon I was struck by his gentleness and simplicity. As I got to know him more I became inspired by his inner strength and his continuing desire to create and work towards conquering new goals.

Keith became blind through diabetes - however, he did not let that stop him following the career that he had chosen, learned and practiced as a youth - of becoming an artist. Through his path of self-development he has never let his deteriorating sight stop him from realizing his dream of creating art, and today he shares how he dealt with his condition with others and teaches them to overcome their difficulties and to keep working towards their dreams.

Frequently he will talk to groups of people who were once sighted and who have lost their vision as he did, teaching them to move forward and not give up on their goals. Illustrating to them how best to maintain their motivation and telling his story of how he conquered his drastic loss of vision and using the 10% of sight that he still has in one eye to its best advantage in the creation of new method and depth in his artworks and which has allowed his art to advance dramatically over the last decade. All this has been largely due to his acceptance and positive reaction to his forced change of perspective on life.

Rather than accept some kind of defeated attitude from the cards this life have dealt him, Keith Salmon`s work shines by his actual physical and mental example of how not to take the world sitting down and by leading from the front. By sharing his philosophy with others he has inspired many people who might otherwise have felt defeated to rise up and lead their life from the front.

Keith is not only an accomplished and respected artist, living and working in Scotland, but is also someone who has continued to combine his childhood pleasure of hill walking with his work as an artist. Consequently his contemporary landscape art of the Scottish mountains is perhaps one of awe-inspiring intimacy. For not only does Keith represent the landscapes that he paints but given that he has lived them for the best part of the last fifty years and has experienced them as many of us may not, and is able to transfer those feelings and that adventure that he still feels when walking in the hills today, led by friends, onto bare canvas and board is a testament to his strong desire to share what he loves with the world.

John McMenemy is a respected art dealer and artist promoter who works with artists internationally, promoting their works and arranging for it to be exhibited. If you would like your art promoted you may contact him directly via the author link to his web page.

Helpful Habit Planning Tips

Imagine No Need for Greed or Hunger

Imagine There's No Heaven, It's Easy If You Try, No Hell below Us, above Us Only Sky, Imagine All the People Living for Today. Imagine There's No Countries, It Isn't Hard to Do, Nothing to Kill or Die for, and No Religion Too. Imagine All the People Living Life in Peace. Think about It.

It's hard to imagine, with the information today and even 50 years ago that most people still believe in religions all over the world, just because they were raised to believe in them. Religions of the future will have to adapt to change, a little faster as more people read articles like mine to promote education within your religion.

Find out a little bit more about Your Religious Freedom

You are free to copy this article to your site as long as you include the following resource information with an active link to my site:

Greg Vanden Berge is a published author, internet marketing expert, motivational inspiration to millions of people all over the world and is sharing some of his wisdom with experts in the fields of writing,marketing, and personal development.

Greg is currently working on a religous help library filled with great subjects on a wide array of topics, like religion, self help and spiritual changes in the world. His views on religious freedom are slowly changing the way people think about institutional religion.

Loving People With Kindness
Smiles Are Free So Give Them Awa

Religious Views Based From Fear

I was told by an advertising executive one day that all of your advertisements need to deliver some sort of hope for the people you're trying to persuade into buying your products. Funny, if you think about it, I got some and great advice about life from someone in the advertisement business.

Most people are looking for hope, in everything they do. Most of our daily activities revolve around hope and this gives our lives some sort of direction. If you believe in an almighty being and creator of the universe, often you will try to please him, ....or her, ....or it, in hopes of entering the kingdom of heaven or the promised land after you die.

Often our fears will increase our levels of hoping, the fear of doing something against your religion can often inspire you to become a more spiritual person, a good and moral person. Fear of making the wrong choices will inspire us to make better, moral choices, all for the sake of acquiring a ticket to Heaven or Nirvana. You're hoping, your good deeds on earth will earn you a place in heaven.

Most people are afraid of dying and leaving this world, for good. They don't know where they're going and that seems to scare most people. If we can offer someone a little hope, that they are going to a much better place than here, we can often ease the pain and suffering associated with death. I have to admit, most religions of the world promise another world, after we're done with this one.

If you're living a honest and moral life with the hopes of living a bountiful life in heaven, could you be wrong. What if you're seeking Hope in the wrong religion? If you're a Christian and the Hindus are right and you're wrong, do you get to enter there eternal kingdom.

Think about this question, I'm about to ask you. What if spend your whole life studying your religion and it's wrong? There is no heaven and when you die, that's the end of your existence

Have you ever wondered why you believe in your religion and someone in another country or even a couple of miles away believes in something entirely different.

Don't get mad at me or yourself, simply think about the question for a while, this question has transformed my life and put me on a wonderful spiritual path of learning.

Greg Vanden Berge is a published author, internet marketing expert, motivational inspiration to millions of people all over the world and is sharing some of his wisdom with experts in the fields of writing,marketing, and personal development. Check out one of his recommended books, The Power of Intention

If you want to read something funny and get your daily laugh in, you need to read this, it's funny Using Religion Responsibility. It's based on overindulgence.

Water Damage Mold

The Five Major Pieces to the Life Puzzle

Jim Rohn has been writing and speaking on success for over 40 years. He has been called America's Foremost Business Philosopher. He does not disappoint in his little book, The Five Major Pieces to the Life Puzzle.

For those familiar with Rohn's work the themes and stories in this book will be mostly familiar. Even if you have heard Rohn speak you will benefit from reading this book.

Rohn approaches success through five factors, or pieces of the puzzle. They are Philosophy, Attitude, Activity, Results and Lifestyle.

Jim Rohn's chapter on Philosophy can be summed up in his quote: To have more we must first become more". He teaches that we make our own future. Like many other authors of note he stresses taking responsibility for our lives. He teaches that to have more we must be more. He reminds us to work on ourselves first and foremost to make ourselves more valuable in the market place and to achieve more. He then takes the reader down a road teaching how you can and should improve yourself so you can be more.

In his chapter on Attitude he stresses the importance of our attitude in all things. He teaches the value of being present, of learning from the past, and of applying those lessons to the future. He teaches how to plan for the future building on the lessons learned in Philosophy.

In Activity he tells us that no matter how well we plan and how clever we are if we do not act on our plans no progress can occur. All achievement is the product of our action. He stresses the need for sound planning and discipline.

In Results he discusses the measurement of what we do to learn how to improve on our results. He then discusses the importance of expanding our capacity and improving our results.

In Lifestyle Rohn points out that you do not need to be rich or powerful to enjoy life and live with a touch of class. He gives good examples of this and how to enjoy life without the need for conspicuous consumption.

In his conclusion Rohn discusses the importance of a sense of urgency in what we do. Our time is limited and our opportunities are numbered. He stresses that we must exploit that time and opportunity for once it passes it is lost. He also compares the level of success of those who have a sense of urgency with those who do not.

In these 121 short pages Jim Rohn teaches many of the most important principles of success and achievement. This little book is worth its weight in gold.

1991 Jim Rohn
Dickinson Press Inc.
Southlake, Texas

Daniel R. Murphy -- helping people build wealth through self education and development. For more Free Special Reports and other information leading to personal success and financial independence visit http://www.books2wealth.com.

Check out what we have to offer. Sign up for the free ezine, Creating True Wealth, bringing you book reviews and helpful articles twice per month to help you build wealth, manager your time and achieve success. You will secure your future through your continued education and self improvement.

Guilt Feeding On Your Conscience

The Burning Desire to Succeed

You wish with your eyes but want with your heart. Desire is fulfilled with the heart.

It is the constant longing for achievement, the little voice inside that encourages you to fulfill your dreams.

It takes strength and intensity, backed with powerful, positive emotions and faith to accomplish your goals.

A passion so deep that it drives you to achieve your objectives no matter what obstacles you must overcome in order to succeed.

You will get what you want if you have a burning, intense passion to accomplish your goals and you take action to make your dreams a reality.

Everyone has the ability to get what they want. It is natural for the forces around you to give you what you want when you ask for it. Therefore, it is important to think positively about what you desire to achieve.

Anthony Robbins, World Renowned Expert on Motivational Thinking, said it best...

'By repeating an affirmation over and over again, it becomes embedded in the subconscious mind, and eventually becomes your reality. That is why you need to be careful what you think and believe, because that is exactly what you will get!'

Positive thoughts bring positive results.

As you look for ways to accomplish your dream, look to accept what experiences come your way and be grateful for them. Accept them with thanks and gratitude, and focus on having more of what you desire.

Isn't it interesting how happy people always seem to get what they want? I believe it is because they use what 'God' has given them, are truly thankful for it, and strive for more of it.

If you are unhappy about everything in your life then your experiences will be unhappy. Your negative attitude shouts, 'Forget it! Who needs this?'

Not the attitude that will make your dream a reality.

Have you ever heard someone say, 'Man, a black cloud follows me everywhere I go. If something bad is going to happen it'll happen to me'? And sure enough, that person continually pulls along with them that little black cloud. Surrounding themselves with all the wrong forces and creating a life of misery.

I prefer this positive definition of desire, 'The natural longing that is excited by the enjoyment or the thought of any good, and impels to action or effort its continuance or possession; an eager wish to obtain or enjoy.'

GO FOR YOUR DREAM with the intense hunger and passion to achieve success!

Many famous people have survived serious illness through their intense will to live and enjoy every moment of living. Adversity can be overcome through the power of a strong, intense desire.

Even those whose destiny is not life, they survive every moment with a burning passion to live.

What a positive way to overcome the obstacles by replacing negative thinking with positive thinking; enjoying and living your life to the fullest every day.

You can conquer anything you want when the desire to achieve it is filled with passion, a hunger so deep that nothing can stop you from accomplishing your dream. Take the time to write down your goals, visualize your success, and never wane from accomplishing your objective. The passion in your soul that never sleeps will open your mind to achieve what you believe in.

Failure is not an option... merely steps toward your achievement! You can, and will, achieve your dream successfully.

Want to learn more about the positive personal power techniques that will help YOU achieve your goals? Claim your FREE copy of The Habits of Achievement today and watch your passion to achieve your dreams power up to succeed.

Developing Wealth Building Habit

How to Get What You Really Want

I love Wayne Dyer and here's one of his great videos

What are you going to change today about your life? Make a list of things that you're not happy with about your life and start making the new habits that you need to create the life you deserve and desire.

Greg Vanden Berge is a published author, internet marketing expert, motivational inspiration to millions of people all over the world and is sharing some of his wisdom with experts in the fields of writing,marketing, and personal development.

Greg is currently working on a personal development article library filled with great movies on a wide array of topics, like religion, self help and spiritual changes in the world. His views on religious freedom are slowly changing the way people think about institutional religion.

Create Your Day
How Do I Know What The Universe

Free Me To Live - A Workbook That May Change Your Life

Let me ask you this:

Do you suffer with depression, guilt, shame or self -blame?

Do you cringe when you look in the mirror?

Do you find it difficult to forgive yourself for what you have done?

Do you feel that you are damaged goods?

Have you experienced an abortion? Were you ever abused? Raped? Did you suffer a serious violation of your self like incest or sexual molestation?

As the story goes, we get hurt deeply when choices we make or the choices someone else makes cause us to hurt (emotionally, physically or even spiritually.) Such hurts get internalized and "stuffed." The result is that the pain becomes a "hidden thing of shame." As long as something like the pain of abortion, rape, incest or abuse is hidden, it causes shame and guilt. The thing that is hidden has power to harm you. These hidden things of shame dominate our life.

This is why I call these kinds of hurts: LIFE DOMINATING PROBLEMS.

They do not go away with time. In fact, they often resurface with greater intensity later. That is the nature of post-traumatic stress.

You can not wash the feelings of guilt and shame away with soap. You can not escape the nightmares. Most commonly, people live with a scar of hidden shame that too often results in depression.

In fact, if you look just at one trigger issue that has impacted about 50 million women in the united states, the symptoms of abortion related aftermath read just like post traumatic stress. The most common expression of women of abortion is "I can't forgive myself." Those who have been violated by someone else tend to say, "I will not trust them ever again."

Untreated, these life dominating problems can cripple the person

You can not run away from your real self. You can not wish away the painful memories.

These life-dominating issues ultimately result in an emotional implosion.

Have you experienced one of these problems?

Are you are sick and tired of the pain?

Are you are ready to do what ever it takes to be free from all the guilt and shame and oppressive feelings that weigh you down.....then I want to share a secret that may change your life.

Here is the SECRET!

Ready?

You do not have to hurt...Someone Cares!

There are many support groups waiting for you in almost every major city in the United States, Canada, and through out Europe.

But, if you can not attend one of those live support groups, chances are you can still find your hope in your time of great need.

Now, you can access a helpful email series combined with a 150 page web-based distance-learning course that can help you no matter where you live. The only requirement is that you have internet access.

Here is what you might expect:

1. You could gain access to 14 key object lessons that will help you to address your hurts positively with great results.

2. You could learn over about 45 days new facts about who you are, why you can be free and how you can be free from now on.

3. Participants report the experience described as "chains of bondage breaking."

4. You might discover how to break out of a self-imposed emotional prison.

5. You might experience new light flooding the darkness and the sludge within your heart of hearts.

6. It is likely you would feel loved like you have never been loved before by completing the course.

How much does it cost to take such a course?

Absolutely Nothing! It is free!

Let me invite you to visit freemetolive.com to learn more about this powerful Christian recovery course.

It may just change your life for the better!

Ken Freeman
http://coachmeken.com

Water Damage Cleanup

Four Reasons Why We Procrastinate

The biggest obstacle to success and fulfillment for most people seems to be procrastination. Likewise, a major component of effective time management is avoiding procrastination.

Avoiding procrastination is also crucial if we hope to realize our dreams. This must be a conscious effort, because procrastination is so easy to engage in, yet so difficult to overcome. We must keep our goals in mind and maintain our desire to reach those goals, so that the temptation to put off our responsibilities until later does not eclipse our desire to succeed.

There are many reasons why we procrastinate - and we all do it. Procrastination, though, means sure death to reaching your goals.

1. Fear of Failure.
Many people put off doing things because they are afraid of failing. If they only speak of their hopes and dreams, but make no firm effort towards achieving their goal, they cannot fail. If, however, people take action towards reaching their goals yet fail to realize them, they fear they will be seen by others as failures.

Even if a goal is not reached, the act of trying is reward in itself. Great learning is derived from experience, which can only be attained through action. Also, most people recognize a valiant effort and applaud it regardless of the outcome. The act of trying is an act of bravery. The act of avoidance is paramount to cowardice. Do not fall into the trap of using fear as a reason to procrastinate.

2. Feeling Overwhelmed.
Many times we look at a goal and feel that there is too much that needs to be done in order to accomplish it. The sense of being overwhelmed paralyzes us, preventing us from taking even the first step towards achieving our goal.

For every goal you have in life, break it down into individual parts. Determine what actions each individual part needs in order to be successful. If looking at the big picture makes you feel overwhelmed, look at the tiny steps along the way instead. Tackle them one by one, without worrying about the next one. Forge ahead with each individual victory, and before you know it you will have found success.

3. Human Nature.
We naturally tend to avoid that which causes us hardship or pain, and gravitate towards that which is easy or gives us pleasure. In order to avoid procrastination due to the unappealing or difficult nature of a task, commit to complete the most unpleasant jobs first. Dive in with a can-do attitude, and realize that the sooner you start and the harder you work, the sooner it will be over. Tackling the most difficult responsibilities first paves the way for smoother sailing down the road.

4. Perspective.
If we view a task as being difficult, then that is exactly what it will be for us. Rather than dreading a given assignment, view it as an opportunity to excel. If you are being asked to complete a research assignment, view it as the chance to gain new knowledge and expand your mental boundaries. By diving into a project with enthusiasm, deriving it wherever it can be found, you can turn a chore into pleasure. Try changing your perspective and see if it helps fan the flames of enthusiasm.

There has been much talk throughout history about the destructive nature of procrastination. One of the best ways to view it is that we do not know what fate tomorrow will bring us, so we are best off experiencing everything we can today.

Another irony of procrastination is that so many of us complain about not having enough time, yet spend so much time sitting idly, dreading the work that awaits us. If we just dug our hands in and got started, there likely would be more time found in the day, and we would accomplish a great deal more.

If you find you are having difficulty achieving your goals, take a look at the steps you must take to achieve success and ask yourself if you have fallen into the dark pit of procrastination. Examine what your own reasons for procrastinating are, then vow to yourself that you will not let it kill off your hopes and dreams.

Lifestyle Mentor, Personal Coach, Author, Educator, and Entrepreneur, David B. Bohl is the creator of Slow Down FAST. To learn more about this step-by-step strategy for Living YOUR Life YOUR way, and to sign up for his 9 FREE Tips for Finding Happiness in a Fast-Paced World, free teleseminars, free Special Report, free bi-monthly ezine and more, go to: http://www.SlowDownFAST.com

Healthy Lifestyle Tips

The Most Popular and Effective Stuttering Therapy Treatments

There are now numerous forms of therapy available for people who have a stutter. So which of these types of stuttering treatment are the most beneficial and effective?

A recent survey has suggested that the most popular form of stuttering therapy comes in the form of specialised one-to-one speech therapy courses which are run by people who have previously had a stutter. These courses are normally held over a five-day period however there are shorter three-day and weekend speech courses available.

The fact that they are run by somebody who has previously had this form of speech impediment makes these courses more popular and effective than the more traditional forms of speech therapy. Speech therapists have not lived life with a stutter and therefore can not fully comprehend just what a struggle life can be etc.

A speech course does not suit everybody for a variety of reasons. For example a person who has a stutter may not have enough confidence to attend such a course or may not be able to afford the course fee.

Fortunately there are also a number of self-help stuttering therapy products on offer. This is where a person attempts to overcome their stutter from the comfort of their own home by following a set of stuttering cure techniques. These self-help products include a DVD, an audio book and an e-book.

In the end the survey suggests that it all depends on a person's individual circumstance but that there is normally a product to suit.

One last thing to remember; it is important that there is a continued after service on offer. These are usually offered free of charge and is where people are able to keep in regular contact with the person who is offering the stuttering therapy service, to ask any questions that may arise and to seek additional advice.

Steve Hill is a speech coach from Birmingham; he has a number of websites including: stuttering therapies
stuttering

Christianity Saved My Life

Communication Style Quiz

Try this fun self-quiz to find out your dominant Communication Style. Afterwards read about the different styles and reflect on how you can work with others of a different style. Choose the number of the statement that most closely resembles you:

1. At a large social gathering, you are most likely to:

a. interact with many different people, strangers included.

b. talk one-on-one mostly with people you already know.

c. use the opportunity to make important contacts.

d. leave as soon as it is polite to do so.

2. When you first arrive at a meeting you are usually

a. ...a bit late, and try to sneak in the back without being noticed.

b. ...purposely a bit late, you like to get there when things have started happening already.

c. ...arrive right on time and feel impatient if the meeting starts late.

d. ...arrive early so that you can be ready and organized when the meeting starts.

3. If you were famous in your field, which career would most suit you?

a. Movie star

b. Head of a company

c. Inventor

d. Humanitarian

4. What style of entertainment do you most enjoy watching?

a. Something warm and friendly.

b. Something quirky and intellectual.

c. Something political or satirical.

d. Something wild, outrageous and/or fun.

5. Of these four personality traits, you consider your strongest to be:

a. Compassion

b. Assertiveness

c. Imagination

d. Persistence

6. The statement that most closely describes you is:

a. Sensible and frugal.

b. Rational and quick-witted.

c. Sensitive and reliable.

d. Creative and fiery.

7. Which appeals to you the most?

a. Taking action on a calculated risk.

b. Creating harmonious human relationships.

c. Discovering the secret behind a complex mystery.

d. Going to an exciting social event.

8. Which rules you more?

a. Your heart

b. Your head

c. Your wallet

d. Your libido

9. New and non-routine interaction with others:

a. ...usually stimulates and energize you.

b. ...revitalizes you, if you have a special connection with someone in the process.

c. ...taxes your reserves, and you arent afraid to let people know it.

d. ...taxes your reserves, so you quietly slip away when no one is watching.

10. When doing group projects, which part of the process is most important to you?

a. Creating relationships with people.

b. Sorting out who is playing what role in the project.

c. Organizing the way the project is done.

d. Making sure the process of doing it is fun and exciting.

11. If you suddenly have some spare time on a weekend, what you usually most WANT to do is:

a. ...contact several friends and see if there is something fun going on.

b. ...have some quality time with one or a just a few people.

c. ...get a number of important things done on your TO DO list.

d. ...focus your energy on one specific hobby or project.

12. You want to buy a special gift for a new friend that you dont know very well. You are most likely to:

a. Buy the first thing you see that you intuitively think they would like.

b. Carefully find just the right thing, after much comparison-shopping.

c. Buy the same special gift you always buy for special people.

d. Get someone else to buy the gift, or just give your friend some money.

13. Which description most fits you?

a. Hard working and ambitious

b. Animated and gregarious

c. Focused and efficient

d. Cooperative and gentle

14. Most of the time, when working, you prefer:

a. To do your job quietly on your own.

b. To be an integral part of a team working together.

c. To influence the team in new and creative directions

d. To be the leader and structure-maker for the team

15. When the phone rings do you

a. ...answer it immediately and talk at length.

b. ...look forward to the call, but wait a few rings before answering.

c. ...deal with whoever it is quickly and efficiently.

d. ...hope someone else will answer it.

16. Your favorite type of clothing to wear:

a Something comfortable, practical and low key.

b. A unique ensemble that makes a statement.

c. An expensive-looking power outfit.

d. Something easy-going and nice.

17. Which genre of fiction to you most prefer:

a. Mystery, documentary or science fiction

b. Feel-good story or romance

c. Epic, historical or action

d. Comedy, psychological thriller, glitzy

18. Which is more admirable:

a. The ability to organize and be methodical.

b. The ability to take charge in a chaotic situation.

c. The ability to motivate others to succeed.

d. The ability to make people feel comfortable and included.

19. In terms of comedy, I most closely identify with people who can:

a. tell a heartwarming, funny story.

b. tell a good joke.

c. create great characters through movement, voice, costume, etc.

d. tell a witty one-liner, pun, or wordplay.

20. If a conflict arises between a friend and I, my first reaction is to:

a. make sure they understand my position on things.

b. make sure the relationship doesnt get damaged.

c. avoid that person for a while.

d. find a compromise, where we both get at least part of what we want.

Communication Style Quiz - Answers

Circle the answers you chose. Then, count the number of As, Ds, Ns, and Cs you have at the bottom

1. a. D b. N c. A d. C
2. a. N b. D c. A d. C
3. a. D b. A c. C d. N
4. a. N b. C c. A d. D
5. a. N b. A c. D d. C
6. a. C b. A c. N d. D
7. a. A b. N c. C d. D
8. a. N b. C c. A d. D
9. a. D b. N c. A d. C
10. a. N b. A c. C d. N
11. a. D b. N c. D d. C
12. a. D b. N c. C d. A
13. a. A b. D c. C d. N
14. a. C b. N c. D d. A
15. a. D b. N c. A d. C
16. a. C b. D c. A d. N
17. a. C b. N c. A d. D
18. a. C b. A c. D d. N
19. a. N b. A c. D d. C
20. a. A b. N c. C d. D

Total As _____

Total Ds ______

Total Ns ______

Total Cs ______

Total should come to 20

Read on about the various Communication styles. Keep in mind, the descriptions that follow are extreme examples to illustrate how they differ. Most people are a combination of the four styles, and some people are so unique, they dont fit into any quadrant. Use the descriptions simply as a guideline to help you see how workplace communications can be greatly affected by an individuals style

Demonstrators

Demonstrators are people-oriented, fast-paced and enthusiastic. They usually have more open and casual body language. They tend to be animated and outgoing, and prefer an informal atmosphere. Demonstrators can be outrageous, spontaneous, excitable and sociable. They are ideas people who like to be in the limelight. If over-balanced in this style some weaknesses may show up such as being unreliable, self-centered, overly optimistic and indiscriminate.

How to recognize Demonstrators

They tend to:

be somewhat disorganized

have trouble being on time and keeping track of details

wear bright colors

sit in an open posture

take the initiative in the conversation

laugh easily and loudly

are fun-loving

like to talk about themselves

Types of professions where you find many Demonstrators

Salesperson

Trial Lawyer

Entertainer

Public Relations Officer

Advertising Executive

Social director

Famous people who are predominantly Demonstrators

Steve Martin

Carol Burnett

Robin Williams

Jim Carey

Lucille Ball

Jerry Lewis

Elvis Presley

Zig Ziglar

Pierre Trudeau

Marilyn Monroe

Charlie Chaplin

Assertors

Assertors are fast-paced and direct, like Demonstrators, but are more task-oriented, than people-oriented. They tend to be hard working, ambitious, leader types. They are good at making decisions quickly and efficiently. They are goal-oriented, assertive and confident. Assertors are the take-charge people who let nothing stop them. If over-balanced in this style some weaknesses may show up such as being too impatient, competitive and judgmental.

How to recognize Assertors

They tend to:

like timeliness and efficiency

look and appear powerful and formal

sit in an erect posture

be highly discriminating in many areas (people, opportunities, food, etc.)

laugh less frequently than demonstrators, maintain a more serious demeanor

take a leadership role in most situations

ask pointed or challenging questions

have strong opinions and creative ideas to share

Types of professions where you find many Assertors

Corporate CEO

Politician

Stockbroker

Lawyer

Hard-driving newspaper reporter

Independent consultant

Drill sergeant

Film/TV Director

Entrepreneur

Famous people who are predominantly Assertors

Jonathan Winters

Bea Arthur

Joan Rivers

John Cleese

Muhammed Ali

Carroll OConnor

Ed Asner

Clint Eastwood

Candace Bergen

George C. Scott

David Letterman

Margaret Thatcher

Contemplators

Contemplators are task-oriented like Assertors. However they are more indirect and slow-paced. Contemplators tend to be analytical, detail-oriented, thinker types. They are persistent, good problem solvers, and pride themselves on their orderliness and accuracy. Often seen alone, they tend to have quiet, low-key personalities. If over-balanced in this style some weaknesses may show up such as being too withdrawn, rigid, closed-minded, and overly pessimistic.

How to recognize Contemplators

They tend to:

wear conservative, simple, functional clothing

sit in a closed posture

keep to themselves

not initiate conversations, wait for you to do that

take copious notes

maintain meticulous organization

stay serious, rarely laugh

like to hear facts, figures, statistics and proof

Types of professions where you find many Contemplators

Accountant

Secretary

Bookkeeper

Repair person

Engineer

Draughtperson

Electrician

Plumber

Jeweller

Scientist

Famous people who are predominantly Contemplators

Albert Einstein

Rick Moranis

Steven Wright

Woody Allen

Leonard Nimoy

Paula Poundstone

Deepak Chopra

Victor Borge

Carl Sagan

Al Gore

Angela Lansbury

Narrators

Narrators are slow-paced and indirect like Contemplators, but they are more people-oriented like Demonstrators. They are warm, friendly, gentle and cooperative. They highly value relationships over goals. They are good at listening, have a sweet temperament, and tend to be open-minded. Most people find them to be loving, and emotionally intuitive. If over-balanced in this style it can show up as overly meek and easily sidetracked.

How to recognize Narrators

They tend to:

come across as very accommodating and helpful

wear casual, simple clothing, nothing too loud

take the initiative to create relationships, like to both talk and listen

have pictures of family on their desk

laugh quietly and often (but sometimes theyre laughing just to be polite)

show gratitude easily

Types of professions where you find many Narrators

Counselor

Teacher

Minister

Human Resources Manager

Nurse

Social Worker

Famous people who are predominantly Narrators

Mary Tyler Moore

Bill Cosby

Jean Stapleton

John Candy

Mr. Rogers

Gilda Radner

Dan Ackroyd

Jack Canfield (Editor of the Chicken Soup for the Soul books)

Leo Buscaglia

Jimmy Carter

Barbara Walters

Bill Clinton

Florence Nightengale

Carla Rieger is an expert on creative people skills at work. If you want a motivational speaker, trainer, or leadership coach to help you stay on the creative edge, contact Carla Rieger.

Web site: http://www.carlarieger.com
Tel: 1-866-294-2988
Email carla@carlarieger.com

What Are Affirmations

The Wisemen Weren't Very Wise - Christianity

Here's a verse from Matthew in the New Testament, read this first and then I will explain why the wisemen weren't very wise.

"9 After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen in the east went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. 10 When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. 11 On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold and of incense and of myrrh. 12 And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route."

The wisemen traveled great distances from around the world to see the new King. The star in the sky obviously pointed the way to his birthplace and when they saw him, they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, and incense and myrrh. It doesn't really say how much or what the value of these gifts was, but if I was to guess, it would've been around $1 trillion dollars. Okay that's pure speculation and let me get back to my point.

Here's the part I don't understand, if Jesus was born King of the Jews, how did we get Christianity. How come the Jewish faith didn't become stronger and more powerful with this newborn King. I know, there's probably all sorts of things you could say in Christianity's defense, like the Jews killed him or even the little dying on the cross incident, kind of put a damper on things, but the Jews lost there king and the wisemen disappeared, never to be heard of again.

Now if I was one of the wisemen or the Magi, I would have been smart enough to stay in contact with Jesus. I couldn't have e-mailed him but could have used the stars somehow to find him, like they did originally. If it were smart enough to use the star in the first place, he could have been found using the solar system a second time. Don't you think.

What it all comes down to, is this, if these Magi were so smart, why didn't they seek Jesus's advice or counsel in days to come. Why would they have given him these gifts, only to never be heard from again in the Bible. Another thing to think about on your religious path to spiritual enlightenment.

Oh by the way, what the heck did Jesus's parents do with the gifts.

Hope in Religion

You are free to copy this article to your site as long as you include the following resource information with an active link to my site:

Greg Vanden Berge is a published author, internet marketing expert, motivational inspiration to millions of people all over the world and is sharing some of his wisdom with experts in the fields of writing,marketing, and personal development.

Greg is currently working on a self help library filled with great subjects on a wide array of topics, like religion, self help and spiritual changes in the world. His views on religious freedom are slowly changing the way people think about institutional religion.

Powerful Life Changing Thoughts

The True Christian - Becoming a Great Person

For years, I have been trying to figure out what a true Christian believer is, is it someone who studies the Bible on a daily basis and develops excellent habits to keep them in line. Is a good Christian someone who helps people and inspires them to become better Christians. At what point in our lives do we know that we are true Christians. What separates a true Christian from regular Christians.

The true Christian is someone who reads their Bible on a daily basis and develops good study habits. These Christians bring their Bibles to work with them and set a good example by reading the Bible during their lunch break. Often showing every one that they are the above average Christian. Most of these people can answer any questions that are asked to them simply and effortlessly.

The answers will be based on information that they have gathered from the Bible, videos, audios, other Christian related material and of course their church leaders. Often these true Christians are leaders in their church and community. Followers of Jesus Christ are often inspired to help their friends and fellow church members.

Ordinary Christians are those who go to church every once in a while and never carry their Bible to work. They can however be found drinking coffee and eating doughnuts at local donut houses. Sometimes these donut houses even carry free newspapers that provide unchristian like materials. Every once in awhile I will notice a man, wearing a trenchcoat, taking one of the newspapers home with him. He's a bad and naughty Christian.

HELLO! LISTEN UP

The truth is, that a true Christian is only someone who lives a life like Christ. It doesn't get any simpler than that. Treating people with kindness, compassion and understanding, trying to become a better person or an example for others and their children. It's not necessary to read the Bible every day or associate with Christians only.

Jesus set the example for others to follow, read about him in the Bible and use him as a good example, but not the only example. There's plenty of good examples throughout history. Spiritual leaders like, Buddha, Krishna, Mohammed and Moses are also great teachers and can provide you with other experiences and knowledge.

You are free to copy this article to your site as long as you include the following resource information with an active link to my site:

Greg Vanden Berge is a published author, internet marketing expert, motivational inspiration to millions of people all over the world and is sharing some of his wisdom with experts in the fields of writing,marketing and personal development.

Greg is currently working on a video library filled with great movies on a wide array of topics, like religion, self help and spiritual changes in the world.

Cookie Thief

A College Party Changed My Life Forever

Excitement immediately exploded as one person after another was asked to the Toga party at the elite sorority house surrounding the pristine college campus. To be invited to this occasion was like finally arriving at the top! Now you would be forever associated with the 'in crowd' who set the highest bar to the most elaborate parties around.

I couldn't believe how lucky I felt! What was I going to wear to the Toga party? Quickly I text messaged my friend telling the news and together we planned my entrance. I wanted to be noticed and invited back again and again.

I arrived at the sorority house filled with anticipation. Entering the house, I walked through two Roman like columns with white cascading draperies across the top and long flowing white sheers on either side. My hostess handed me a beer. Looking around I saw a tent with more sheers and drapes and skimpily dressed girls standing by the entrance beckoning everyone to come in. There were pillows and mattresses spread all over the floor.

Music flooded my ears and the smell of tobacco and marijuana wafted through the air. There was a group of girls all wearing olive leaves in the shape of bikinis and they were dancing and enticing others to join them. One girl grabbed my hand and encouraged me to let go and have fun.

I was from a small town and I was raised by a very conservative family. This was the first time I had attended any kind of toga party with my friends. I had to admit I was a little shy about letting go and enjoying myself. I took a puff from a joint that a friend handed me and before long everything I was taught about faith and obedience to God was pushed aside.

I wanted to have fun. I didn't want to think about whether it was right or wrong. Before long the girls and guys began disrobing and it was no longer about drinking, but about hooking up with as many people as you desired. I was feeling so free and they were so enticing! Why shouldn't I join them?

Not many people understand that we live in a teaching world. It all began when Satan entered into the snake and tempted Adam and Eve to eating the apple from the tree of knowledge. In order to attain knowledge you must be presented with right and wrong choices. Now the once perfect world God created was instantly changed because Satan entered into the world bringing the full force of evil with him.

Satan became man's greatest adversary and he corrupted the souls of men by luring them away from the right teachings of God. Satan does this by attacking man's human desires. He uses sex and the feelings of desire that awaken within a man at the sight of a beautiful woman to lure him into giving into lust. He uses feelings of not being accepted to trap us into drinking until we are drunk and taking drugs so we can feel totally free. He knows just what to say even using our very friends to get us to think with our emotions and not with our heads.

This is the reason why there are orgies because young men and women become so filled with lust, they can't control there desires. This is the reason why there are rapes that lead men into taking sex by force. This is why, young people especially, fall prey to pornography that stimulates there desires to an explosive energy that makes them fall prey to giving into their desires without thinking about the consequences.

During the time of Moses, God separated the Israelites from evil by taking them into the Promised Land. But the people were so corrupted by the teachings of the Egyptians that they wandered in the desert for forty years until he could get them to understand the difference between following Him or Satan. He did this by teaching Laws that gave them the key to resisting evil.

The Ten Commandments taught them how important it was to believe in God. The Commandments taught them how to resist Satan by not committing adultery, murder, stealing, lying and many others that were meant to give them an upper hand against the very things that Satan would use to tempt them into doing evil.

Because Israel was the chosen people they also became the world's example of what happens when you give into sin. They wrote hundreds of stories of their experiences in the Bible so the entire world would understand the consequences for giving into sin and how it can ruin your life for an entire lifetime. One such story was when they were about to enter into the Promised land and they came into the country of Moab. Moab had an evil King named Balak. He found out through a corrupt evil soothsayer named Balaam how to defeat Israel and keep them from taking over their land.

Balaam had a donkey who spoke to him. The donkey saw an Angel of God standing in the road and he stopped Balaam from cursing Israel. As the story unfolds we find that Balaam blessed Israel instead and this made King Balak very mad. So Balaam manipulated the circumstance and encouraged the king to lure the men away and trap them by instructing beautiful Moab women to have sex with the Israelites. (Numbers 31: 16)

Once the Israelites gave into their lust then they would invite them to parties in order to get them to worship their god Baal. When they were no longer serving God then they would be under a curse and the Moabites would easily defeat Israel.

Numbers 25: 1-3a, "When the Israelites were camped at Acacia Valley, the men began to have sexual intercourse with the Moabite women who were there. These women invited them to sacrificial feasts, where the god of Moab was worshiped. The Israelites ate the food and worshiped the god Baal of Peor. So the Lord was angry with them."

In the Old Testament every sin had a sentence that had to be followed in order for God to bless them. This was a sin that could only be rectified with death. Immediately an epidemic spread through Israel killing 24,000 Israelites that committed a sexual sin and were led into worshiping Baal. Remember, this may have seemed like a very harsh punishment, but it had to be like this so we could see what happens when sin enters into a person's life.

The Old Testament clearly illustrates what happens when you give into sin. It tells stories of what happens when God isn't first in your life. It presents stories of real people who allowed Satan to come in and use the very weaknesses found in man to lead them away from God and trap them into living there lives for evil.

If you are not on God's side then you are on the side of Satan and evil. Satan uses lust to tempt the men into turning their backs on God. He uses parties as a means to corrupt your thinking through the use of alcohol and drugs. He uses the desire to fit in as a means to get us to let go of our moral values and give into sin.

2 Peter 2: 13-19, "Pleasure for them is to do anything in broad daylight that will satisfy their bodily appetites; they are a shame and a disgrace as they join you in your meals, all the while enjoying their deceitful ways? They want to look at nothing but immoral women; their appetite for sin is never satisfied. They lead weak people into a trap. Their hearts are trained to be greedy. They are under God's curse! They have left the straight path and have lost their way; they have followed the path taken by Balaam son of Beor, who loved the money he would get for doing wrong and was rebuked for his sin. His donkey spoke with a human voice and stopped the prophet's insane action.

These men are like dried-up springs, like clouds blown along by a storm; God has reserved a place for them in the deepest darkness. They make proud and stupid statements, and use immoral bodily lusts to trap those who are just beginning to escape from among people who live in error. They promise them freedom while they themselves are slaves of destructive habits-for a person is a slave of anything that has conquered him."

When you are in a huge multi-faceted world game of good versus evil you must understand the rules of engagement. Believing in God is the difference between winning and losing your game of life. Understanding sin and temptation is the difference between following God or giving into your desires.

The excitement of the toga party faded when the doctor told me that I had contracted Aids. I couldn't believe how stupid I was to have allowed the pressure of being accepted to lead me into having sex with someone I didn't even know. Now I was under a death sentence for the rest of my life. Who would want a person who could infect them and destroy their life too?

The Old Testament taught us about sin and the consequences. The New Testament tells us about the saving power of grace and how believing in Jesus Christ as your Savior can bring about forgiveness of sin. Jesus' can take a hopeless situation and turn it into good if you will give your life to Him!

Linda C Dipman author of THE GAME OF LIFE IT'S ALMOST OVER http://outskirtspress.com/gameoflife presents AND HIS LOVE SHONE DOWN my true life story! It describes all the persecutions I endured. It will put you on the edge of your seat as you read each vivid detail. You will feel terror and experience love like nothing you have ever read before. http://lovinghandsministry.com

Guilt Feeding On Your Conscience

The Latte' Factor - Never Too Late to Learn to Save (Even With Pocket Change)

In my early adulthood, when I was finally able to afford, at least some of the things I wanted and/or needed, I became a big fan of frivolous spending. I had to have that new issue of Esquire, that personal trainer at the gym (not just the gym), an office in a better location, a more trendy breed of dog or cat, live in a nicer neighborhood, and, of course, later, "My morning Starbuck's". I "had arrived". The "American Dream"...or so it seemed, for awhile.

I am not proud of having been a male version of Madonna's "Material Girl", but I was young, in my thirties and early forties, and was naive enough to believe that peer pressure at least ended after high school, and certainly after college. Not so. It became worse. If my friends bought a better house, I sure better call my Realtor immediately. They got a Lexus, time for a Mercedes. It all seemed like fun and games and, in fact that is all it was. A proverbial game of "show off".

Then came the 1994 Northridge Earthquake. Within twenty minutes, all that I had acquired as a material consumer was gone. And insurance didn't come close to covering my collectibles, antique furniture, family albums/videos, memorabilia from as far back as kindergarten, etc. I was left with my car, and a few boxes of clothes, and a one year old golden retriever puppy named Otis who saved my life (barked wildly before the earthquake), I thought to go out to do his business, but to alert me at 5 a.m to get out of harm's way.

Fifteen years have passed and I learned something I never had before, and never thought I might learn. It is called "humility". Please do not confuse humility with sainthood, far from it. Rebuilding one's life from scratch midlife, after "having it all" teaches a few lessons, and, I am certain I am not

unique in this situation. When I say "having it all'; I don't mean the Forbes 400. I mean whatever I wanted, I could generally afford it.

At least I had my health. For awhile. But then that went too for a number of years. This was a motivating factor in my going back to college as an adult, and reading voraciously when not in college, visiting the library often.

One of the most interesting books I ever read was not within the genre of books I usually consume. The book is titled "Start Late, Finish Rich" by David Bach. In it, he talks at length about something called "The Latte' Factor". Strange name I know, but it describes how the American consumer is taught from birth to consume all he/she can in this material world, that life is short, get it while you can, carpe diem, etc.

Then he calmly suggests ways to counteract that. Do we really need that magazine subscription, must we have a latte' and bagel each morning at Starbuck's. Do we have to even buy his own book if its available at the library. Must we have a car that is made to "show off"when a pre-owned Honda, Saturn, etc. does the trick. I have a wonderful eight year old 4-door Saturn now and it rides better than my old fancy German car ever did. Better gas and reliability as well.

When you add it all up, just the small non-necessities, that we don't need, or, in the case of Starbuck's could make coffee at home with flavored creamer for pennies and a bagel for a quarter, nix the magazines, etc. We are talking saving anywhere from $800-2000 or more a month. If that is put into an IRA, even if you are in your fifties now, you will be wealthy by the time you are of retirement age.

Gifts need not be expensive. He recommends memorable personalized gifts that people see daily and enjoy and think of you when they see or use them.

He recommends losing the credit cards and paying as you go, cash, check and/or debit card. I began doing that, and noticed a huge difference in my extra cash at the end of the month. I never used to budget. I do so now.

There is much more to the book, but the bottom line is that The Latte' Factor need no longer be a part of our lives. Yes, at first it seems strange and a little boring, but it is a self behavior modification in which, once done, we never go back. And we are happier and more prosperous in the long run for it.

Rick London is a cartoonist, freelance writer, and e-tailer, and was founder of the Internet's top-ranked award-winning London's Times Cartoons which is known to feature the Funniest Cartoons On The Internet and owns a number of critically-acclaimed e-shops featuring his images on funny gifts He offers personalization for $2 and most gifts are in the $15 range.

Learning From The Masters

How is Your Back Pain? Part 3

Learning what it feels like to relax your mind and your muscles will help you to recognize when you are becoming overly tight in other situations and will help you prevent injury; to notice when a muscle is too tight for good performance. This calms and unifies the body and mind to maintain energy balance, while it massages and exercises the joints and internal organs. As mentioned earlier, reiki is an ancient form of natural, energy-based healing involving the laying on of hands by the practitioner, which promotes a deep sense of relaxation and helps the client access their abilities to promote their own healing in body, mind and spirit.

Yoga has been a mode of exercise that has been in use for ages, and believes in the union of the spirit, body, and mind to create peace within the self, through the practicing of asanas and other meditative exercises. If therefore that yoga, by keeping your body healthy and in shape reduces the possibility of your getting back trouble, and prevents other ailments, then yoga is well worth the effort with the results gained. You will feel younger and stronger, helping you to lead a greater and more fulfilling life. Thus it can be said that practicing yoga is not only healthy for the body but for the mind as well.

Exercise

For acute back pain (sciatica) keep the body moving and encourage long exhalation that stretches the sciatic nerve by extension exercises. Of all the exercises available in the market place, one of the most popular choices of gentle exercises is yoga. This form of exercise also works to improve muscle strength and posture, as well as promoting overall alignment. However, those practicing yoga, hold the belief that by using these techniques and dealing with the back pain through exercises, you can help decrease the amount of time needed for recovery. There are various levels of difficulty, but the student should always be physically comfortable, while performing the exercise. As you exercise, you are stretching some muscles and loosening others.

You can learn to use your breath to support stretching and strengthening exercises. Your body begins to heal and rebalance itself with these targeted exercises combined with conscious breathing.

Neutral spinal curves can change for the better with exercise and training; and sometimes for the worse with injury, aging, poor posture habits or a disease. If yoga is properly taught and properly adapted for every individual, then clearly it's a blend of relaxation and physical exercise that can improve pulmonary function, muscular endurance, and strength.

Glen Wood - The Yoga Teacher. Glen is a yoga expert who loves to teach you how to lose your neck, shoulder or back pain with yoga. He is dedicated to unlocking the Real Secrets of Back, Neck and Shoulder Pain.

To help you further with your back, neck and shoulder pain you need to sign up for your FREE "Yoga and You" report at http://www.YogaTeachingwithGlen.com

Neale Donald Walsh - Video

I Recommend Watching This Video and Then Picking up the Book If You're Interested in Any Spiritual Change

Just how big of a deal is Money in Organized Religion. Your money is used for various things and some of them, you might not really want to spend the money on. Something to think about.

If you want to read something funny and get your daily laugh in, you need to read this, it's funny Using Religion Responsibility. It's based on overindulgence.

Smiles Are Free So Give Them Awa
Fighting In Gods Name

When You're Smiling!

Smile , it is the key that fits the lock of everybody's heart."

Anthony J. D'Angelo

Back from Florida ahead of Hurricane Wilma, I asked my teenage son what he thought I should write about this time and he said doughnuts. I explained that although I found the topic an intriguing one (my mind immediately leaping to how I could link this into an interesting piece), it really needed to be more relevant to what I do, not what he would like to be doing! So his next suggestion was Smiling.

I nearly dismissed this until I remembered that while I had been working on the fourth module of my e-course today the topic of smiling had come up. It was in the context of self-confidence and how to develop it, in this case by meeting people with a smile and a friendly manner so as to engage and interest them. By asking people about themselves and really listening to their answers with a smile, not only will they feel comfortable and pleased to be around you, but your confidence will grow with each encounter. You will be remembered as much for your smile as who you are and what you do. As long as the smile is genuine and you use eye-contact you will come across as friendly and approachable and confident. Smiling is such a powerful tool.

I couldnt leave it there, so did a search on Google and came up with the following:

More facts about smiling

A smile is a universal expression of happiness and recognized as such by all cultures

A smile is the most frequently used facial expression It takes as few as five pairs of facial muscles and as many as all 53 to smile

Regardless of the precise number of muscles used, smiling causes far fewer muscles to contract and expand than frowning

Smiling releases endorphins and makes us feel better

Even faking a smile can lead to feeling happier

People are born with the ability to smile (They dont copy the expression, even babies who are born blind, smile)

Babies reserve special smiles (Duchenne smiles of joy and happiness) for their loved ones

A newborn shows a preference for a smiling face over a non-smiling face

Women smile more than men

Younger people smile more than older people. American males with high testosterone smile least of all.

There are 18 different kinds of smile used in a variety of social situations

Human beings can differentiate between the felt (Duchenne) smile (of joy and happiness) and the social smile its in the eyes (literally)

A smiling person is judged to be more pleasant, attractive, sincere, sociable, and competent than a non-smiling person

A person who studies laughter is called a gelotologist

From www.raisingkids.co.uk

Can smiling help you to move forwards? Are you lacking in confidence and afraid to be noticed? Practice smiling. Think of what you can ask people about themselves and jot down some notes. Try it out on a family member, friend or a colleague that you trust. Think about those people who seem to always have a smile and a word for others. How do they make you feel? You can be like that too.

You can choose to be permanently grumpy or you can choose to cheer up and smile! Have you been putting off the smiles? By smiling you will be releasing endorphins in your brain which will make you feel better (see above). You can even trick your brain into believing you feel good by getting that smile on your face, even if you dont feel like it yet. Do it long enough and you wont have to fake it.

One of my favorite exercises is to have a Smile Day. From the moment I get up I decide that I am going to smile at everyone I see. It doesnt matter if I know them or not, I will still smile, and often say Hello. It is amazing how many people will smile back. Sometimes you dont get one in return, but most people are delighted to return it to you. By the end of the day I am much more happy and positive than when I started.

What makes you happy? What do you like doing? Where can you include more of this in your life?

Try and smile at at least one stranger each day. For the less confident this could be a challenge but you can do it!

Happiness comes from many sources, including expressing ourselves creatively. What are you going to do this week to express yourself? I have planned a whole day of crafting, as I have been putting that on the back seat for quite a while. You dont need to commit to a whole day, just what you can.

A smile costs nothing, however it brings great richness to the recipient

Kate Harper is a Motivation Coach based in the beautiful Highlands of Scotland. Check out her website http://www.harpercoaching.com

She works with people from all over the world who are seeking change in their lives. If that is you, please take a look at Kate's website. Her special interests are the promotion of Wellbeing and Self Confidence through her coaching.

"The distance is nothing; it is only the first step that is difficult." Madame Marie du Deffand

Take your first step today and contact Kate.

Go here to get my free 7 day mini e-Course on Procrastination - http://www.harpercoaching.com/HC_e-Courses_Menu_Page2.htm

False Prophet Are Biblical Facts- Movie Video

Can you believe this guy, if you look up these verses in the Bible, you will see that there and there, but how did he come up with these ideas about the Sabbath, teenagers and the fact that the Bible is repulsive.

If you're really seeking the kingdom of heaven, the glory of God and the true vision that Jesus had, check out some great Christian articles . These articles are designed to teach and educate Christians.

Do Only A Few Go To Heaven

When Backsliding is a A Good Thing

I had a very interesting conversation with a client this week. She was very concerned that the high hopes and optimism she had been feeling a few weeks ago had almost drained away and she was not sure what she was doing. If any of you are in the same boat then take heart: I believe this is not a 'fault' in you, but a necessary part of adjusting to any major change.

One of the things I speak about a lot is our attitude to success and why we are often as afraid, if not more so, of being a great success than we are of failing. Why would this be? Well, most of us are neither a great success nor a terrible failure, but we inhabit the middle ground with occasional forays over the line to each extreme and frankly we are comfortable there. All change requires us to go out of our comfort zone and the biggest challenge can be facing the fact that we are afraid not of how we would cope with success, but how our partners, friends, colleagues and family will react.

A consistent theme among those who achieve sudden fame or wealth is that they are cut off from their old life and haven't yet forged the new one. The sadness, or questioning of ourselves that goes on then is a necessary part of the adjustment. We need to be asking what I call the three essential coaching questions:

1. What do you want to keep in your life?

2. What do you want to change?

3. What do you want more of?

By asking those questions you will be able to move forward with more confidence, and certainly more self-knowledge.

Anna is an author and speaker on health, personal development and creativity. To get weekly updates on health, creativity and personal development visit her website at http://www.catalystonline.co.uk or to learn more about procrastination visit http://www.procrastinationkiller.co.uk.

When Preparation Meets Opportunity - Creating Good Habits

You must be ready when an opportunity comes before you, opportunity often comes in the form of work and that's why most people seem to miss it. Most people are too busy looking for the easy path through life. They seem to lay around waiting for the opportunity of a lifetime,... to simply fall at your feet.

Why would you want to spend so much time complaining about something, or someone? Other people can help you along the way, if you let them, but it's up to you, ultimately, to become the most you can possibly be. I have had plenty of opportunities in my life and have took advantage of some, while letting most of them pass by.

I'm no different than most people but now seem to be aware of my surrounding opportunities, all the time.

How many times do you wish for an opportunity to come along? It's probably one that you missed already, at some point during your life. Are you going to be prepared for the next opportunity when it comes along? These opportunities seem to repeat themselves throughout our lives and if we're not in the right state of mind, we often overlook them and let them pass by, time and time again.

You need to prepare yourself in advance for the next opportunity. If you are prepared and have your eyes open, you will be able to see the next opportunity that comes your way. Preparation will increase your chances for success and good fortune always.

Opportunities come in all shapes and sizes. Be on the lookout, when you're walking to the grocery store, taking a break at work, reading the newspaper, talking to your neighbor, walking down the street or even while you are sitting alone, letting your mind wander away. Your chances for success could come while your in your quiet places, or relaxing. Be prepared.

Greg Vanden Berge is a published author, internet marketing expert, motivational inspiration to millions of people all over the world and is sharing some of his wisdom with experts in the fields of writing,marketing, and personal development.

Greg is currently working on a video library filled with great movies on a wide array of topics, like religion, self help and spiritual changes in the world. His views on religious freedom are slowly changing the way people think about institutional religion.

Spending 15 Minutes Each Day

The 7 Dimensions of Spiritual Thought

3rd dimension

This is the dimension of Perception, and essentially refers to the physical place in which we live I.e the physical universe as we can feel, see, touch, smell etc. it. It is a multidirectional environment and direction exists. This is also a dimension where space (places) and time exist. You are able to go somewhere else, and be there at a specific time. As humans this is one of the primary dimensions in which we function, and think.

4th dimension

For lack of a better description this is essentially the spirit world. The place where our, and all, spirits reside. In this dimension there is no direction (or space) or time, yet these concepts do appear to exist, for our interpretation of them. Most self aware species, in the 2nd and 3rd dimension, have awareness of this dimension, and spiritual growth increases awareness, as well as our ability to consciously function in this dimension.

Examples of this include meditation, astral projection, lucid dreaming. Full functioning and awareness appears to be only likely when we are not attached to a body, residing in the 2nd and 3rd dimension. Thinking in terms of this dimension (comprehension) is fully possible, but remains challenging at best. This since one has to wonder if conscious functioning does not simply constitute 2nd dimensional understanding, rather than actual comprehension of the 4th.

5th dimension

Parallel universes. The universal balancing act. Though from all definitions the 5th dimension here operates on the same principles as the 3rd dimension. However it gains its presence from being the balancing act for the 3rd dimension (described above), and derives, in multiplicity, from the 4th. Fully understanding this is extremely challenging, except when one considers the key. These exist alternate 3rd dimensional existence only exist in parallel to the 3rd described above. I repeat the key, "parallel". To help you further understand this I would suggest this, though regrettably this remains an extremely simplified explanation : "For every choice you make, consciously or not, there is an alternate you out there, that are making the opposite choice you have made. This to ensure universal 100% balance". Well, of course you have to wonder if that choice was really yours?.... Hmmm....

6th dimension

Time or not? This dimension is not so much a dimension that can be perceived from within the confines of the typical human mind, which typically operates within the confines of the 2nd and 3rd dimension. In fact it can not be interpreted in those terms at all. The comprehension of this dimension requires the application of this dimension to all others in existence. In this dimension it states that time does not exist. That does not mean everything is forever. It means everything is NOW. A subtle but very distinctive difference. And even thinking of this in this way, offers merely an understanding of this dimension. Not a comprehension.
Allow me to try to illustrate:

• There are 2 souls, one (call it A) died in the year 2007. The second (call it B) died in 2008.
• (A) decided to move on and reincarnate into a next body immediately. That means that when (B) arrives in the spirit world (A) is no longer there, right?...
• WRONG. The spirit world has no time and because there is no time, even though (A) has in the 3rd dimension moved on, (A) remains in the 4th at the same time as when (B) arrives there, and they both remain in the 4th dimension forever . (NOW) where time does NOT exist).

Understand this and you have made significant progress towards comprehension. However realize that what is presented here is merely scratching the surface of comprehension.

7th dimension

Spacelessness. Similar to the 6th this is a dimension which does not easily fit within the typical confines of our limited 2nd and 3rd dimensional minds minds. However this dimensions states that space does not exist. I.e. there is no places, anywhere. Conversely - Everywhere is Everywhere - is Nowhere - is Anywhere - is Everywhere - IS NOTHING, yet is everywhere and everything.

A little confusing, though not to much when this dimension is viewed on it's own entirely. The real confusion comes in when this dimension is applied to the other 6 dimensions. And of course then one has to consider that this is the "start" of the 1st dimension.

So, next time(2nd & 3rd) when one has thoughts(2nd) of a spiritual nature(4th), realize(2nd) that you are having thoughts(2nd) of something(3rd), that has always been there(1st), thoughts(2nd) which are being balanced(5th) by your alternate(3rd), all of which is only happening right NOW(6th) and does not really exist (7th).

And now if your mind is exploding a little, that's OK. This is just your consciousness expanding to incorporate these totally unexpected comprehensions.

Enjoy. I assure you it just keeps on getting better.

Pieter Heydenrych is a Reiki master with a passion for learning, and teaching. Pieter has established site called Wicca and Esoteric Library which is dedicated to the pursuit of knowledge and the totally free distribution of the same, to anyone with an interest in topics of an Esoteric Nature. Pieter is also the founder of The Order of Perfect which seeks to pursue objectives of spiritual growth and enlightenment, whatever this may mean.

Older Homes And Dryer Hookups

My Walk With Farrakhan - Can Righteous People Sin and Can Wicked People Do Righteous Deeds?

I have written 7 articles detailing different aspects of my faith walk with my spiritual guide, The Hon. Louis Farrakhan. I have been blessed by God during my time of being a student of God's word under his direction to make some amazing changes in my life since my acceptance of Islam on March 20th, 1996. However, I don't want anyone, for one second, to think that my life has been perfect for the past 12 years since walking in the path to become a Muslim. I have made an equally fair share of mistakes and yes "sins" since becoming a Muslim.

Sometimes, many religious people let their supposed new righteous life give them the false arrogance that they are better than others. But, I take the view that I am on a journey in the path of God striving to be qualified to be one of his righteous servants. I don't look down on others, but rather try to encourage others to reach for the best everyday.

I, after 10 years of being a Muslim, during the year 2006 had a major fall in my personal life that tested my faith and made me reflect on my journey deeper.

I will be exploring this sensitive subject of my fall to sin during the 8th part of my article series, My walk with Farrakhan. I won't give the specific instances where I fell, but I will say that I went from the highest of high to the lowest of low in my personal life.

Before we get into exploring this subject let's define a few words to ensure we have the clearest possible understanding of the words used in this article. One of the things both The Most Hon. Elijah Muhammad and his student The Hon. Louis Farrakhan teaches us as students is to get definitions of the words we use. Also, Minister Malcolm X began his journey to enlightenment just by reading the dictionary and learning the meaning of words.

The word Righteous, according to Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary is defined as,
"1: acting in accord with divine or moral law : free from guilt or sin 2 a: morally right or justifiable righteous decision> b: arising from an outraged sense of justice or morality 3 slang : genuine, excellent"

The word wicked, according to Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary is defined as,
"1: morally very bad : evil 2 a: fierce, vicious wicked dog> b: disposed to or marked by mischief : roguish does wicked impersonations 3 a: disgustingly unpleasant : vile wicked odor> b: causing or likely to cause harm, distress, or trouble wicked storm> 4: going beyond reasonable or predictable limits: of exceptional quality or degree throws a wicked fastball.

The word sin, according to Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary is defined as,
"1 a: an offense against religious or moral law b: an action that is or is felt to be highly reprehensible c: an often serious shortcoming : fault 2 a: transgression of the law of God b: a vitiated state of human nature in which the self is estranged from God"

Now with a clear definition of the key words used in this article, we will now proceed to explore this subject of righteous people, wicked people and sin.

Understanding Adam, Sin and falling from grace

"And certainly We gave a commandment to Adam before, but he forgot; and We found in him no resolve (to disobey)." Holy Qur'an 20:115

Both the Bible and The Qur'an speak of ALLAH creating a new man, giving that man specific instructions and that man ultimately falling from grace. This is the daily story of the human family of the earth that is striving in the path of God. Whereas both the Bible and Qur'an relate the same story there are differences in understanding of meaning. The Holy Qur'an takes the position that human beings are created in a state of Islam(natural submission to God) and are pure until our parents, environment or our own deeds take us from the path of righteousness.

The story of Adam and Eve has been used to promote the position that it is natural to sin or the "human" thing to do. In one sense yes humans inevitably make mistakes, but we are not created in the image and likeness of Almighty God to act less. Also, the Holy Qur'an doesn't blame the woman for leading man into temptation. We learn from reading Sura(chapter) 20:125 that Adam didn't intend to disobey his Lord, but rather he forgot. We are taught in Islam that all deeds will be judged by our intentions while doing the deed. Some people do good deeds for wicked intentions. Likewise, some people do wicked deeds while feeling the pangs of their conscious.

Yes, Adam fell from his great glory, but did Almighty God give up on him or turn his face from him? The Qur'an teaches that ALLAH turned mercifully towards Adam and "reminded" him of the promise of divine guidance.

I will use the biblical story of the prophets to make the next points in this analysis of righteous people and wicked people. Before I proceed I must make a clarification. The Holy Qur'an accepts all of the prophets mentioned in the Bible as true men of God. However, The Holy Qur'an doesn't accept the stories attributed to them of unrighteousness. The Qur'an teaches that for the prophets to be examples to purify others they must be pure themselves.

The Bible teaches us of man named Noah who was chosen by God to be a fulfiller of his will. The story further teaches us that Noah was a "righteous and "just" man(Gen 6:8-9). He was chosen by God to build the Ark and be a savior of his people. After Noah had fulfilled his mission from God and survived the flood, the Bible teaches that the sons of Noah found him in a drunken state. One of the sons of Noah saw the drunken state of his father and told the other brothers. We then learn that the two brothers refused to look at the nakedness of Noah and covered him.

Later, when Noah awoke he cursed (and God upheld the curse) the son (Ham) who looked and blessed the sons (Shem and Japheth) who covered him. The point to this story (from the biblical perspective) is that Noah was a righteous man who did an unrighteous deed, but that didn't stop God's favor on him. As for the sons, their refusing to look at their father naked could mean: they chose to look at the good of their father instead of the bad or they refused to judge this aspect of his life.

Another biblical story teaches us of a great king named David, who was the father of Solomon and a forerunner of the Messiah. The Bible teaches that David had a heart after God's own heart. Yet, despite these great qualities the book informs us of several misdeeds of David. Some scholars have suggested that David violated about 9 of the 10 commandments. However, David is still held up as an example of a true man of God and his kingdom set a standard for all others.

Travelling (travail) on the path of God

I like to describe my faith walk with God as being a journey. I have been on this journey for 12 years and will be on it for the rest of my life. I want you to think about something related to a journey. Imagine if you lived in Pensacola, Florida and you decided to travel to Chicago one day. You would find yourself travelling up I-65 N for a long period of time. Let's also say this is your first time travelling to the destination, so you are checking your map closely trying to stay on course. Yet, you made a mistake and took a wrong exit, therefore ended up in Kentucky. What fool would sit on the side of the road, give up and never try to make adjustments (checking the map) to get back on the interstate towards your destination. Likewise, in our journey to godliness we may find ourselves making some wrong exist Ex. drugs, alcohol, adultery, lying, stealing etc...

However, we don't have to stay on these wrong exists. As one would get back on the interstate to continue travelling to a city, we should, if a wrong exit was taken, get back of the path to continue our journey to God.

The Bible perfectly illustrates this point in the following words
"For a righteous man falleth seven times, and riseth up again; But the wicked are overthrown by calamity." Proverbs 24:16

If you notice that while the above scripture describes a man (or woman) as falling he still has righteous attached to him name. Why is this? Though we are taught that all have fallen short of the glory of God; is there a difference between righteous people who sin and wicked people who sin? As I wrote the last sentence, I thought how it could sound like a major paradox or contradiction. I think people can make unintentional departures from the right way and still be righteous. Yet, other people live a lifestyle of sin and are blatantly ignoring the will of God. This is what I think is the difference between righteous people and wicked people.

The example of The Hon. Minister Louis Farrakhan

Brother Farrakhan, to me, is a great example of a Muslim, because of his strong insistence that me must submit totally to ALLAH's will, fear no one but ALLAH and his ability to be honest about his short comings. After the Nation of Islam "fell" in 1975, Brother Farrakhan said that he became "disillusioned" with religion and fell from his former resolve. After reflection on his life, the condition of our people and the teachings of his spiritual father, The Most Hon. Elijah Muhammad, Minister Farrakhan recovered from his "fall"

Concerning this The Most Hon. Elijah Muhammad, ALLAH's messenger to us, reminds us

"So this is the thing that you must remember, that trials, sometimes, are so terrific that they will weaken the most strongest person sometimes." (The Most Hon. Elijah Muhammad 1964 Laborer meeting)

His example teaches me that the true strength of a person is not that you wont get knocked down from time to time, but can you get back up from a fall, make adjustment and go on to shine.

As I mentioned at the beginning of this article, I had a major fall in my spiritual life after 10 years of striving to be a good Muslim. Yet, after much reflection and the help of God, I am now returning to the path of God and am seeking to be qualified to be called by his name. The Bible teaches us: "All things works for the good of those who love the Lord." It is important when you are having a down moment to have the "right mental attitude", which will determine your response to a down moment.

I want to encourage you to examine Minister Farrakhan and his example of being a servant of Almighty God.

Thank you for reading these few words!

Mustafaa Muhammad is an "African American" who is a follower of the Islamic faith. Through independent religious studies developed an ecumenical view of the world's religions and the people of God. And while he is devoted to Islam as his faith he is at home in the Church(or other religious institutions) as he is in the Mosque.

He has been featured on the Radio, Newspapers, public speaking events and at Mosques/Churches telling his story and offering his understanding of Almighty God's plan for salvation.

Mustafaa is involved in community activity. He believes that our faith must inspire us to greater service to humanity or we may be making a mockery of the purpose of faith. Contact him @ http://brothermustafaa.com

Why Do We Need Religion

Sandy - My Spiritual and Inspirational Friend With Autism

Sandy, a nonverbal student with autism, displayed significant sensory, movement, and auditory processing problems. Expecting competence and talking to him at a soul level seemed to have a profound effect. In contrast, he continued to demonstrate difficulty following basic concrete verbal directives. He remained dependent on visual cues such as pictures, signs, and/or gestures.

Early on, Sandy pulled my hand to point to simple choices in his communication book. He could not make these selections on his own. When Sandy began working from a field of choices, initially, he would hold my hand and take me to the correct response. One day, instead of holding my right hand with his right hand and using me as a tool to aid his selection, he grabbed my right hand with his left hand, as he made selections, unaided with his right hand. He still needed physical contact with me, but he did not need me to hold the hand he was selecting the correct answers with anymore. Eventually, he let go of the left hand too. If he was sitting in close proximity, he could accurately select appropriate word cards by name, by function, and as a response to questions asked. Often he would give me the correct response before I had time to finish asking the question.

His answers were accurate and instantaneous when selecting responses in words. He was less accurate if the response was in picture format. The most errors were made when he was expected to choose three-dimensional objects. Did it occur because words are constant, but pictures are more varied, and three-dimensional objects differ even more? Is it possible that sending the image of a three-dimensional object is perceived differently between sender and receiver? (E.g. Like many others, if I were seated and asked him to give me the word "ruler," he would be fast and accurate. But if I asked him to hand me a picture of a ruler, his accuracy, although still good, was somewhat diminished. If I asked for the actual ruler, he would have the most difficult time. To further complicate issues, if I asked him to get up to get a ruler on my desk a few feet away, as soon as he stood up, he would be lost-unless I showed him a picture of the ruler or gave it to him as he was walking there.) When gross motor movements were involved, all circuits seemed to shut down.

Sandy learned to use PECS (Picture Exchange System) and voice output communication devices independently during snack time. Also, he was fluent when making basic requests based on routines, nonetheless, responding to questions demanded "agent" proximity. In addition, he could not write or draw on his own, however, he could move my hand to do so if I held the writing utensil.

As Sandy's motor skills improved, he could type letter for letter and word for word what I was consciously "sending" him if I held the keyboard. When we "joined" in what I refer to as "conscious surrender". Sandy's messages were often spiritual. It was difficult to determine where the information was coming from. Individuals I have used FC with or supported by holding the keyboard as thy hit the keys independently seem to share my vocabulary and knowledge base, but not my writing style.

One morning, I was astonished during the morning talk; I asked Sandy what day it was as I held out a keyboard. I expected him to type "Friday". Instead, he typed Frank Logan, the name of a deceased parent of a former student of mine. The student had been in my class eight years prior in a different state. (His father had died suddenly. His son was a student in my classroom at the time and his mother had requested that I try to explain it to him.) After Sandy typed the letters "f r a n", of the name, admittedly this man's name popped into my head as Sandy continued to type "Frank Logan". Sandy typed a message about his son.

Stunned, I asked another nonverbal student who was sitting next to Sandy if he could explain what had just occurred. I held the keyboard as he typed, "Sandy is a catalyst for dead people." I then asked, "How about you?" He replied, "No, that is Sandy's thing." I then held the keyboard in front of Sandy. Remembering, that on several prior occasions, he had typed "Jesus", I muttered, " You don't channel Jesus, do you? As close as I can remember, he typed, " No, Jesus great friend, I can step aside and let the great heart of Jesus speak through me just as you can step aside and let me speak through you. It is just a matter of stepping down of vibration."

Since Sandy, like many others had repeatedly proven that he was sensitive to my mental prompts, I once again was unable to determinable as to what was coming from him, what was coming from me, what might have come from joining our subconscious minds, what might be coming from Spirit/higher levels of consciousness/the universal cognitive field. Nonetheless, I am humbled and impressed with anyone of the possibilities.

Lessons learned from Sandy:

Many children may use your hand as a tool for selection.

Many children need physical contact or close proximity with the agent/facilitator in order to communicate.

Some children need visual prompts when a child has to move even if he seems to understand you while seated, yet he is lost while moving.

Suppositions:

Some students may be gleaning information from the memory banks of others. Examine possibilities of the effect that your anticipatory responses may have.

Some messages may be coming from the subconscious, spirit world, or a universal cognitive field.

Saying all information is "definitely" coming from the person who types without any outside influence is not true in my experience. I cannot speak for others.

The emphasis of my anecdotes and articles is on anomalies and phenomena that I have experienced working with these magnificent and intriguing souls. I believe they have much to teach us about the potential of human consciousness.

I was unnerved by the message supposedly from Frank Logan and typed by Sandy. Mainly, because, I was unsure whether I somehow influenced Sandy when Frank Logan's name popped into my head. I have faith in Sandy and the many other students who have typed for me but lack trust in my own ability not to anticipate and taint the communication. Therefore, I stay away from prophecy. I also stay clear of anything remotely accusatory toward another person. I am always honest with parents about my limitations.

I am only speaking about the limitations of my own competence. I keep an open mind and fully realize others might be experiencing something different and even more profound than I have.

For better understanding, see: "Matching Vibration" and "Sending, Joining, and Receiving."

M.A. Harrington

J L Mackie