Posted: under Advice & Tips.
Tags: ability, activity, advice, age, author, benefit, benefits, blessings, body, brain, burden, challenge, challenges, change, classic, computer, concentration, couple, cross, depression, dictionary, duty, earth, elegance, energy, English, era, exam, exercise, experience, eyes, facts, family, fiction, focus, force, friends, friendship, game, global, globe, health, heart, history, idea, ideas, imagination, inspiration, internet, job, knowledge, labor, land, language, learning, legs, life, lifestyle, lifetime, light, load, love, man, mental, might, mind, mirror, moment, morning, mountain, movement, muscle, muscles, music, novel, online, opportunity, others, pain, pencil, period, play, power, quiz, reading, reflection, relaxation, rest, reward, riches, short, skill, skills, sleep, soul, spirit, stress, style, success, task, television, test, thought, time, tips, trial, trials, truth, understanding, universe, voice, wealth, weight, woman, words, work, world, worries, worry
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Brain Exercise
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Your brain needs exercise just like a muscle. If you use it
often and in the right ways, you will become a more skilled
thinker and increase your ability to focus. But if you never use
your brain, or abuse it with harmful chemicals, your ability to
think and learn will deteriorate.
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Here are 5 simple ways anyone can squeeze a bit more
productivity out of the old gray matter.
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1. Minimize Television Watching - This is a hard sell. People
love vegetating in front of the television, myself included more
often than I’d like. The problem is watching television doesn’t
use your mental capacity OR allow it to recharge. It’s like
having the energy sapped out of a muscle without the health
benefits of exercise.
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Don’t you feel drained after a couple hours of TV? Your eyes are
sore and tired from being focused on the light box for so long.
You don’t even have the energy to read a book.
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When you feel like relaxing, try reading a book instead. If
you’re too tired, listen to some music. When you’re with your
friends or family, leave the tube off and have a conversation.
All of these things use your mind more than television and allow
you to relax.
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2. Exercise - I used to think that I’d learn more by not
exercising and using the time to read a book instead. But I
realized that time spent exercising always leads to greater
learning because it improves productivity during the time
afterwards. Using your body clears your head and creates a wave
of energy. Afterwards, you feel invigorated and can concentrate
more easily.
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3. Read Challenging Books - Many people like to read popular
suspense fiction, but generally these books aren’t mentally
stimulating. If you want to improve your thinking and writing
ability you should read books that make you focus. Reading a
classic novel can change your view of the world and will make
you think in more precise, elegant English. Don’t be afraid to
look up a word if you don’t know it, and don’t be afraid of
dense passages. Take your time, re-read when necessary, and
you’ll soon grow accustomed to the author’s style.
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Once you get used to reading challenging books, I think you’ll
find that you aren’t tempted to go back to page-turners. The
challenge of learning new ideas is far more exciting than any
tacky suspense-thriller.
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4. Early to Bed, Early to Rise - Nothing makes it harder to
concentrate than sleep deprivation. You’ll be most rejuvenated
if you go to bed early and don’t sleep more than 8 hours. If you
Read More
Apr 19 2012
Posted: under "A Slice Of Life", "When You're Down to Nothing God's UP to Something", Inspirationals.
Tags: belief, bishop, blessings, burden, challenge, challenges, Christian, cross, depression, exam, faith, focus, friends, glory, God, inspiration, journey, learning, life, link, listening, load, love, minister, music, pastor, pope, prayer, preacher, priest, process, reverend, scripture, storm, struggles, test, trust, video, weight, world
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I have a dear friend who is a minister. We talk almost every day, and she has a way of counseling, planting seeds and providing insight that makes you think YOU came up with the answer or solution. I often run my issues of life past her. Recently, we were having a conversation about how God is working things out of me and purging me of some of my sinful ways so that He can use me. She laughed when I shared with her that the process is no fun. She tried to convince me that the process isn’t so bad, when finally and adamantly I told her that this process is absolutely no fun, but I’m going through it because I want God to get me where He wants me, and I don’t want to have to come this way again. We both laughed at that because she knew exactly what I meant.
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Too often, as Christians, we like to say the ‘politically correct’ things, sugar coat what I call our ‘pruning process’ and make everything sound like it’s just hunky-dory. “Oh, I just want God to use me for His Glory,” or “I can’t wait to see how God is going to work this out.” Well, I’m more inclined to ‘be real’ and call it like I see it. It’s not always pretty, fun or something to look forward to. Sometimes it’s difficult, uncomfortable and painful to go through some of the things that God allows in our lives. It doesn’t make me love Him any less, nor do I want Him to stop preparing me for the things He has in store for me. But the reality is: it’s not always fun or pleasant on this journey; not if you’re doing it right.
There are some days when I get tired, discouraged or just want to quit, and I start thinking what’s the use? But I’m drawn to and
Posted: under "A Slice Of Life", Inspirationals.
Tags: attention, belief, care, challenges, comfort, control, conversation, faith, feeling, friends, God, graduation, guidance, home, journey, laughter, life, Lord, love, Memorial Day, memories, nature, peace, picnic, protection, psalm, road, school, scripture, security, tranquility, trust
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I have a fond memory of the love of my life and me taking a walk in the woods shortly after high school graduation. We were attending a Memorial Day weekend picnic with some friends of his and we broke away from the group to take a stroll through the woods. I don’t recall the name of the park we were in, but I do know that I had never been there before. As we walked, talked and laughed our way through a pathway that was unfamiliar to me, I was engrossed in our conversation and was looking down. I remember feeling like I was in the one of the most peaceful and tranquil settings when suddenly, my friend stopped, stepped in front of me and gently pushed me back. I didn’t know why until I looked up. I was about to run smack into a large branch that was eye-level and probably would have rendered me unconscious.
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Shocked, I looked up at him as he asked, “Didn’t you see that branch?” I had not. I was not paying attention to where I was going. I was blindly following this young man that I loved and trusted. I felt comfortable and secure with him. I knew that he cared for me and that he would get me safely back to our group.
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That memory of trusting someone and feeling protected is not unlike our walk with God. In faith, we allow God to take control of our lives and lead us on journeys, through the unfamiliar pathways and woods of life. We put our trust in Him knowing that He will not
Posted: under "A Slice Of Life", Inspirationals.
Tags: ability, accomplishment, accomplishments, action, actions, age, aid, angel, angels, assistance, beauty, caring, challenge, challenges, change, church, contribution, day, donation, dream, duty, earth, effort, future, gift, global, globe, greatness, history, home, humanity, ingredient, ingredients, inspiration, job, labor, life, love, man, message, minister, organization, others, pastor, potential, preacher, present, president, priest, qualities, quotes, relationship, reverend, sermon, sharing, success, surprise, task, team, time, today, token, universe, volunteer, woman, work, world
When was the last time you were challenged to do something really…
well… great?
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President Abraham Lincoln helped me to understand that there is a
bit of greatness within all of us. It is said that he often slipped
out of the White House on Wednesday evenings to listen to the
sermons of Dr. Phineas Gurley at New York Avenue Presbyterian
Church.
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He generally preferred to come and go unnoticed, so when Dr.
Gurley knew the president was coming, he left his study door open.
On one of those occasions, the president quietly entered through a
side door of the church, took his seat in the minister’s study,
located just off the sanctuary, and propped the door open just wide
enough to hear the preacher.
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During the walk home one Wednesday evening, an aide asked Mr.
Lincoln his appraisal of the sermon. The president thoughtfully
replied, “The content was excellent… he delivered with
eloquence… he had put work into the message..”
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“Then you thought it was an excellent sermon?” questioned the aide.
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Posted: under "A Slice Of Life", Inspirationals.
Tags: ability, bat, care, challenges, faith, generosity, habit, inspiration, Jesus, kindness, life, love, prayer, solution, trust
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The Buzzard:
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If you put a buzzard in a pen that is 6 feet by 8 feet and is entirely open at the top, the bird, in spite of its ability to fly, will be an absolute prisoner. The reason is that a buzzard always begins a flight from the ground with a run of 10 to 12 feet. Without space to run, as is its habit, it will not even attempt to fly, but will remain a prisoner for life in a small jail with no top.
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The Bat:
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The ordinary bat that flies around at night, a remarkable nimble creature in the air, cannot take off from a level place. If it is placed on the floor or flat ground, all it can do is shuffle about helplessly and, no doubt, painfully, until it reaches some slight elevation from which it can throw itself into the air. Then, at once, it takes off like a flash.
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The Bumblebee:
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A bumblebee, if dropped into an open tumbler, will be there until it dies, unless it is taken out. It never sees the means of escape at the top, but persists in trying to find
Posted: under "A Slice Of Life", "LOVE is LOVELY", Inspirationals.
Tags: America, angel, appreciation, attitude, blessings, bride, challenges, dreams, encouragement, faith, family, fiance, food, freedom, friends, God, happiness, heart, home, hugs, inspiration, joy, laughter, life, link, love, Memorial Day, message, military, miracle, photos, president, price, pride, romance, salute, satisfaction, service, smiles, soldier, spirit, troops, video, war, wedding, wishes, world
Pick a war any war.
You can watch my salute to the troops video “When You Come Home” on Beliefnet.com after reading today’s story
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The following story has been repreated all too many times. It serves as a reminder that someone paid the price for your freedom.
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“As they saw his angel face”
by Bob Perks
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A Memorial Day Message
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They were both there the first time he cried. It was a joyful sound. The sound of life beginning and they waited so long to hear it. Mom and Dad were proud of him as they saw his angel face.He grew to be a young man full of hope and pride. He had dreams and plans for the future. In fact, waiting for him back home was the girl of his dreams. They met at school and just like fairy tales and romance stories this love affair was the kind that was meant to be.
The last time they saw each other they made promises of faithfulness. They talked about the wedding and a dozen or more children of their own. He said “I love you more than anything in this world.” She cried and with tears running softly down her face she said, ” I will wait for you and while we are apart my heart will skip every other beat until your return.” Read More
May 25 2009