Archive for May, 2008

Bracelet Bead Pattern - Pearls and Sea Foam Seed Beads

Thursday, May 29th, 2008

By Jennifer Thoden This 3 strand beaded bracelet is elegant with it’s cool, translucent sea foam strands… and dangles of glass pearls… sparkling with silver beads and spacers. Wear this bracelet with an elegant white blouse or dress up your casual t-shirts… or wear it with a green sweater to pull out the green. Beautiful! Skills required: Crimping Stringing Beads Wire Working Beading Supplies Crimping pliers Needlenose pliers Flat nose pliers (24″) .014mm Stringing Wire (14) Silver Plated 2″ Head Pins (6) 2mm Crimp Tubes Sterling Silver (6) Crimp Covers Silver (1) 24mm 3 Strand Hook and Eye Clasp Sterling Silver (257) Size 11 Seed Beads Transparent -Sea Foam (20) 6mm Glass Pearl White (26) 4mm Spacer Bead Antique Silver Plated (12) 3mm Silver Bead Sterling Silver (7) 4mm Jump Rings Silver Creating the dangles Step 1. String onto a head pin, 1 pearl, 1 spacer bead. Step 2. Form a wrapped loop close to the spacer bead. Trim off excess wire. Step 3. Repeat steps 1 and 2 for a total of 14 pearl dangles. Step 4. Hook 2 pearl dangles together with a jump ring… create 7 sets. Vist http://www.beadpatternsonline.com to read the rest of this article with detailed photos and diagrams. Happy Beading! Jennifer Thoden Discover free bead patterns, beading instructions and an online bead store directory. Visit http://www.beadpatternsonline.com to enjoy free designer bead patterns, detailed step by step bead instructions, dozens of beading related articles and a growing online bead store directory to help you find the beading supplies you need. http://www.beadpatternsonline.com Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jennifer_Thoden http://EzineArticles.com/?Bracelet-Bead-Pattern—Pearls-and-Sea-Foam-Seed-Beads&id=132089 personal car loan with bad credit score getting a home equity loan with poor credit payday candy bar receipes sallie mae personal loans

Building An Effective Church Website

Monday, May 26th, 2008

By Lee Wilson In 1995 I started building and marketing Christian-oriented websites. That makes me one of the veterans of the net. I was still in my teen years and saw the Internet as the mature version of Nintendo. Besides, the excitement of my learning permit lost its glow after the third or fourth drive with my parents. My parents, by the way, would occasionally become frustrated with me and tell me to “Get off that computer and get in bed! It’s 1 A.M.!” I eventually obeyed, but I don’t regret those late nights of learning and building for the future. Today I simply tell them that I was preparing for my career. Most churches did not have a website in those days. In fact, the idea of a church having a website was actually being debated by some churches and denominations. “Is it scriptural?” I remember hearing several times. In fact, even as late as the year 2000 I was actually reprehended by a self-appointed church leader for making a very basic website for a church where I youth ministered. He couldn’t quite put his finger on it, but I had done something too new for his taste–and that just had to violate some scripture, some where. We’ve matured beyond that now except for extreme and absolutely silly situations that aren’t even worth mentioning. “So webmaster, hurry up and tell us something useful!” So you want to use the Internet to reach the lost? Okay, but remember that just because something is new and trendy doesn’t mean it’s effective. However, through my work on the Internet I have come to believe that it can be very effective in reaching people. One example is what happened to the movie Gigli that featured mega stars Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez. The marketers spent a jaw-dropping amount promoting the movie and with expectations of being the “movie of the year,” it had a very large opening weekend. Then the teenagers and twenty somethings struck. They blogged and posted in forums with statements like, “Overrated.” “Stay at home.” Or “Watch anything else.” The movie flopped. “In the old days, there used to be a term, ‘buying your gross,’ ” Rick Sands, chief operating officer at Miramax, told the Los Angeles Times. “You could buy your gross for the weekend and overcome bad word of mouth, because it took time to filter out into the general audience.” Those days are gone with blogs and message forums that allow the “average person” to act as movie critic. So what does that mean to the church? It means that the Internet can give most anyone a voice–even a church. In terms of a church website, you’re not going to accomplish much of anything if your site simply features your address, phone number and “worship times.” Sure, your members might know how to call the church building to borrow tables for their garage sales, but that’s about all you can expect. Putting articles on your church website is certainly a good thing–especially if they are on topics that pull in the “average” person. Be careful that you don’t “preach to the choir.” A church website is probably not the place for major doctrinal studies and statements. That’s what your member-attended Bible classes are for. If you truly want to be evangelistic, your target audience won’t have a clue what some of your doctrinal words and beliefs mean or why you care so much about them. It would be like trying to recruit students for a beginner’s cooking class by arguing over which garnish was proper for a plate at the banquet of Trimalchio (don’t ask). Make your church website matter Provide information that matters to your audience. Articles on parenting, marriage and financial stewardship might be a descent start. However, if you want to truly have a shot at bringing in outsiders with your church’s website, have the members of your congregation write about their areas of expertise. For example: If you have a computer expert in the congregation, ask him/her to write some articles on common computer problems and how an average user might fix them. Or if you have a doctor in the congregation, have him write articles on keeping children healthy or symptoms that warrant a doctor’s visit. Or ways to lose weight. Use your imagination. If you have a coach in the congregation, you could have him write an article about lessons kids can learn from sports and include a Bible verse with it such as “Whatever you do, do your best as if you are working for God” (Colossians 3:23). A coach could even write an article about how parents should not push their children into sports or be poor examples by yelling at umpires. Maybe you write seasonal articles about the local highschool football team that includes games statistics and names of those who made key contributions in games. Write about other local events in order to reach those in your community. At the end of all of the articles have something like, “From your friends at the Harpeth Church, located at 555 Whatever Street.. If you would like someone to to pray with you or study the Bible call us at 555-7733. We care.” Obviously this doesn’t replace your outreach efforts or actual participation in community events. But I believe churches should use every tool available to reach the lost. And if you’re thinking about having a church website or improving the one you have, these strategies will have you on the right path. Ask members of your church to link to the church site from their personal websites and you are well on your way. In my opinion, the Internet is another way of becoming “all things to all men.” It’s another way to use your congregation’s gifts to help people and “in any way possible” lead them to Jesus. It also involves the congregation in evangelism and might prime the pump for other evangelistic activity. Go into all the WWW! ============================================================ Note: This article may be freely reproduced on other websites as long as the AUTHOR’S resource box at the bottom of this article is included and all links are active with no syntax changes. This note may be removed when the article is published on your website. ============================================================ Lee Wilson founded Grace-Centered Magazine and has spoken on many lectureships and Christian events. He co-wrote “The Real Heaven: It’s Not What You Think” and speaks to churches about how misconceptions and incorrect teachings about Heaven cause the world to turn away from Christianity. Lee also founded Real Christian Singles, a website that helps Christian singles form godly relationships. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Lee_Wilson http://EzineArticles.com/?Building-An-Effective-Church-Website&id=338278 payday lloans make your own paycheck undecured personal loan 20000 christmas instant no fax payday loan

Amaze Your Lover - 16 Romantic Ideas To Keep Them Happy

Saturday, May 17th, 2008

By Jessica Kihara Some people have a natural ability to romance the oppposite sex and others seem like they don’t even know what it means. However, everyone should know how to make their partner’s heart melt because it’s one of the finest acts of seduction. For Your Wife/Girlfriend: 1. Kidnap her for a surprise picnic. Plan your rendevous for the weekend or when you both have a free day. Make sure she doesn’t have any plans. Then you tell her to come with you to the supermarket or something along those lines. Give her time to get ready, get in the car, and pick up some take-out food. Then head to a nice empty beach or park and explain to her that you’re having a romantic getaway! 2. Write her a poem. If this is not your thing, there are lots of places to get some inspiration. Try a poetry book, romantic song, etc. Just don’t repeat anything word for word because it may sound familiar to her and she’ll know you faked it. 3. Cook her a delicious meal, light some candles, dim the lights and CLEAN the house! When she gets home, she’ll be speechless. 4. Hold her hand everytime you go out. If this isn’t possible (because one of you is carrying a baby or pushing a shopping cart) then make sure to maintain some form of physical contact. This will make her feel like you’re proud to be with her and can’t keep your hands off her! 5. Give her a spa like treat. Fill your tub with warm water then add some milk and honey. Invite her in, give a a nice scrub down, then sit behind her and give her a firm yet gentle scalp massage. 6. Plan a photography session. Let your wife or girlfriend get all dolled up for you, then take pictures of her that you’ll keep in your wallet, office, or car. Tell her that she’s beautiful and that she takes amazing pictures. 7. Get up a few minutes before her one day and write a simple “I Love You” on a post-it. Stick the post-it on the bathroom mirror or someplace she’ll be sure to see it. This is guaranteed to make her feel special and lovey-dovey! If you wan’t to expand on this idea, you can leave sweet little notes for her in so many other places too! 8. If you’re an artist, take inspiration from Titanic and draw, paint, or sculpt your lover. You’ll get the best resluts if your masterpiece actually looks good but if not, tell her you could never create something as beautiful as her. For Your Husband/Boyfriend: 1. After a hard day at work, give your man an exquisite back massage. Use some aromatheraoy massage oil to relax and soothe him. 2. Wear lingerie. This might not seem like the most romantic thing to do, but he will absolutely love it. He will definitely appreciate the effort you made and it’ll seem super-romantic to him! 3. If your lover shaves his face, you do it for him. Play some romantic music, lather him up, and use slow, gentle strokes to shave him. DO NOT cut or nick him! Just take your time and he’ll feel satisfied and taken care of. 4. Take some time out to just look into each other’s eyes. Appreciate his presence, his scent, and his warmth. If you feel like kissing him, go for it! 5. Pretend to need him. Men like to be the ones to protect you, so tell him you get scared when he’s not around or that you feel safe with him there. 6. Cuddle him unexpectedly. Warning - do this when you two are completely alone so that he won’t feel uncomfortable or embarassed. To keep him happy, stop before he feels crowded. I suggest you hold him for about 5-6 minutes, then give him some space. 7. Buy him tickets to a football or basketball game that you know he wants to see. To keep things romantic, go with him and cheer for his team! 8. Cook him a huge feast, let him stuff himself, then you load the dishes in the dish washer while he rests. When you’re done, sit near him and stroke his arms while whispering sweet nothings in his ear. These are great tips that you can use anytime. Good for special occassions such as anniversaries or when you just want your partner to feel extra special. Don’t ever let your significant other forget how much you care. Keep them feeling warm and fuzzy and they’ll treat you so much better! Jessica Kihara To join our newsletter and recive our special report, simply send a blank e-mail to mailto: newsletter@sensationaltreasures.com GHM Industries, Inc. http://www.SensationalTreasures.com Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jessica_Kihara http://EzineArticles.com/?Amaze-Your-Lover—16-Romantic-Ideas-To-Keep-Them-Happy&id=62438 personal installment loans hard money business loans i have bad credit but need an unsecured loan online signature loans

Making Your Own Bird Feeder

Wednesday, May 14th, 2008

By Greg Pilson There is estimated to be over 100 billion individual wild birds on earth, and each one needs to eat certain amounts of food on a daily basis in order to survive. Thats where we come in! Birdfeeders are fun to make and are essential in order for birds to live. Bird houses can be made out of practically anything and are usually hung in different locations around your yard for birds to enjoy. Purchasing a bird feeder is another option, however this can be expensive and both methods serve practically the same purpose. The following is a fun and easy way for children (or adults) to make a bird feeder: What You Will Need: An empty milk or juice carton (any size will do) String (must be strong) Scissors Stapler Hole punch 2 small sticks or wooden rods Bird seed Markers, paint or anything which can be used to decorate the carton. Ensure the paint is water based not to hurt your feathered friends and try not to use anything that can be potentially dangerous to swallow. Directions: 1. Wash and dry the carton thoroughly. 2. Decorate your carton however you would like. 3. Using your scissors cut a square in each side of the carton (a square big enough to fit at least the head of a bird). 4. Using your hole punch (or your scissors) make a small hole below each square. 5. Push your sticks or rods through the holes from one side of the carton to the other (the sticks will form a t). 6. Fill the bottom of your carton with bird seed. 7. Punch a hole (or two if you like) in the top of your carton. 8. Hang your finished feeder to a tree branch with string. Although these bird feeders will not last forever (or even close), they are a fun, inexpensive way for children to learn about birds and the importance of caring for our wildlife. Greg Pilson is an avid bird watcher who also dabbles in freelance photography of his favorite subjects. When hes not working full time in the engineering industry, he writes as a freelance writer for http://www.birdfeedersdirect.com a site that offers information about bird feeders, bird houses and more. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Greg_Pilson http://EzineArticles.com/?Making-Your-Own-Bird-Feeder&id=48647 pay day loan franchise short form loan policy cash untin payday renting a home no credit check lithonia ga

The End Times and the Return of Jesus

Friday, May 9th, 2008

By Tim Tuohy The End Times and the Return of Jesus I maintain Jesus was not a prophet; for not only did Jesus prophesy and cast out demons, He fulfilled many long standing prophesies. During His incarnation every demon was subject to Jesus. He alone was given all power in heaven and earth. As the incarnation of the word of God; Jesus was the master of all prophesy and the keys to all Biblical prophesy are His. I could mount a reasonably good argument that Jesus wasn’t prophesying when He spoke of the future because He knew the future. If you remember something it isn’t prediction it’s cognoscente! The signs of the timesOnly Jesus’ words can be used as the guide when you look at Biblical prophesy. The text is found in Matthew 24 if you want to read it. Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives and the disciples came to him, this is how it went. “Tell us,” they said, “when will this happen, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?” When will this happen? 1. Jesus answered: “Watch out that no one deceives you. For many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will deceive many. 2. You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. 3. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of birth pains. 1. Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, 2. and you will be hated by all nations because of me. 3. At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray 4. and hate each other, and 5. many false prophets will appear and deceive many people. 6. Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, 7. but he who stands firm to the end will be saved. 8. And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come. What will be the sign of the end of the age? 1. “So when you see standing in the holy place ‘the abomination that causes desolation, spoken of through the prophet Daniellet the reader understand then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. 2. Let no one on the roof of his house go down to take anything out of the house. 3. Let no one in the field go back to get his cloak. 4. How dreadful it will be in those days for pregnant women and nursing mothers! 5. Pray that your flight will not take place in winter or on the Sabbath. 6. For then there will be great distress, unequaled from the beginning of the world until nowand never to be equaled again. 7. If those days had not been cut short, no one would survive, but for the sake of the elect those days will be shortened. 8. At that time if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ or, ‘There he is!’ do not believe it. For false Christs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and miracles to deceive even the electif that were possible. See, I have told you ahead of time. What will be the sign of your coming?For as lightning that comes from the east is visible even in the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. Wherever there is a carcass, there the vultures will gather. Immediately after the distress of those days: 1. the sun will be darkened, 2. and the moon will not give its light; 3. the stars will fall from the sky, 4. and the heavenly bodies will be shaken.’ 5. “At that time the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, 6. and all the nations of the earth will mourn. 7. They will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky, with power and great glory. 8. And he will send his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other. “Now learn this lesson from the fig tree: As soon as its twigs get tender and its leaves come out, you know that summer is near. Even so, when you see all these things, you know that it is near, right at the door. Since Jesus said when you see the abomination that causes desolation, spoken of by the Prophet Daniel, lets look at what Daniel says about it. The instructions are found in Daniel chapter twelve. The End Times The angel told Daniel, “At that time 1. Michael, the great prince who protects your people, will arise. 2. There will be a time of distress such as has not happened from the beginning of nations until then. 3. But at that time your peopleeveryone whose name is found written in the bookwill be delivered. 4. Multitudes who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake: some to everlasting life, others to shame and everlasting contempt. 5. Those who are wise will shine like the brightness of the heavens, 6. and those who lead many to righteousness, like the stars for ever and ever. 7. But you, Daniel, close up and seal the words of the scroll until the time of the end. 8. Many will go here and there to increase knowledge.” Then Daniel, looked, and there before him stood two others, one on this bank of the river and one on the opposite bank. One of them said to the man clothed in linen, who was above the waters of the river, “How long will it be before these astonishing things are fulfilled?” 1. “It will be for a time, times and half a time. 2. When the power of the holy people has been finally broken, 3. all these things will be completed.” 4. Many will be purified, made spotless and refined, 5. but the wicked will continue to be wicked. 6. None of the wicked will understand, but those who are wise will understand. 7. “From the time that the daily sacrifice is abolished 8. and the abomination that causes desolation is set up, there will be 1,290 days. Blessed is the one who waits for and reaches the end of the 1,335 days. “As for you, go your way till the end. You will rest, and then at the end of the days you will rise to receive your allotted inheritance.” There are so many prophesies about the end times that they have confused a great number of people. Among the most prolific interpretations of prophesy is that written by Darby at the end of the 19th century. His interpretation of Biblical prophesy, known as dispensationalism, was (and is) widely accepted. However, the key to all Biblical prophesy must be the words of Jesus. Any prophesy that doesn’t conform to His words must be assumed to be about something else.So lets look at the Seals in the book written by John. Lets look at Revelations Chapter six. The Seals I watched as the Lamb opened the first of the seven seals. Then I heard one of the four living creatures say in a voice like thunder, “Come!”I looked, and there before me was a white horse! Its rider held a bow, and he was given a crown, and he rode out as a conqueror bent on conquest. When the Lamb opened the second seal, I heard the second living creature say, “Come!” Then another horse came out, a fiery red one. Its rider was given power to take peace from the earth and to make men slay each other. To him was given a large sword. When the Lamb opened the third seal, I heard the third living creature say, “Come!” I looked, and there before me was a black horse! Its rider was holding a pair of scales in his hand. Then I heard what sounded like a voice among the four living creatures, saying, “A quart of wheat for a day’s wages, and three quarts of barley for a day’s wages, and do not damage the oil and the wine!” When the Lamb opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth living creature say, “Come!” I looked, and there before me was a pale horse! Its rider was named Death, and Hades was following close behind him. They were given power over a fourth of the earth to kill by sword, famine and plague, and by the wild beasts of the earth. When he opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar (the place of sacrifice) the souls of those who had been slain because of the word of God and the testimony they had maintained. “How long, Sovereign Lord, holy and true, until you judge the inhabitants of the earth and avenge our blood?” They called out in a loud voice. Then each of them was given a white robe, and they were told to wait a little longer, until the number of their fellow servants and brothers who were to be killed as they had been was completed. I watched as he opened the sixth seal. 1. There was a great earthquake. 2. The sun turned black like sackcloth made of goat hair, 3. the whole moon turned blood red, 4. and the stars in the sky fell to earth, as late figs drop from a fig tree when shaken by a strong wind. 5. The sky receded like a scroll, rolling up, 6. and every mountain and island was removed from its place. Then the kings of the earth, the princes, the generals, the rich, the mighty, and every slave and every free man hid in caves and among the rocks of the mountains. They called to the mountains and the rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the face of him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb! For the great day of their wrath has come, and who can stand?” The Seventh Seal When he opened the seventh seal, there was: 1. silence in heaven for about half an hour. 2. seven angels who stand before God and to them were given seven trumpets 3. Another angel, who had a golden censer, came and stood at the altar. a. He was given much incense to offer, with the prayers of all the saints, on the golden altar before the throne. b. The smoke of the incense, c. together with the prayers of the saints, went up before God from the angel’s hand. 4. Then the angel took the censer, a. filled it with fire from the altar, b. and hurled it on the earth; c. and there came peals of thunder, rumblings, flashes of lightning and an earthquake. The Angels and Trumpets Then the seven angels who had the seven trumpets prepared to sound them. 1. The first angel sounded his trumpet, a. There came hail and fire mixed with blood that was hurled down upon the earth. i. A third of the earth was burned up, ii. a third of the trees were burned up, iii. And all the green grass was burned up. 2. The second angel sounded his trumpet, a. Something like a huge mountain, all ablaze, was thrown into the sea. i. A third of the sea turned into blood, ii. a third of the living creatures in the sea died, iii. And a third of the ships were destroyed. 3. The third angel sounded his trumpet, a. a great star, blazing like a torch, fell from the sky on a third of the rivers and on the springs of water the name of the star is Wormwood i. A third of the waters turned bitter, ii. Many people died from the waters that had become bitter. 4. The fourth angel sounded his trumpet a. a third of the sun was struck, b. a third of the moon, c. And a third of the stars, so that a third of them turned dark. i. A third of the day was without light, ii. and also a third of the night. 5. The fifth angel sounded his trumpet, a. A star falls from the sky to the earth. i. The star was given the key to the shaft of the Abyss. ii. When he opened the Abyss, smoke rose from it like the smoke from a gigantic furnace. iii. The sun and sky were darkened by the smoke from the Abyss. b. Out of the smoke locusts came down upon the earth and were given power like that of scorpions of the earth. i. They were told not to harm the grass of the earth or any plant or tree, but only those people who did not have the seal of God on their foreheads. ii. They were not given power to kill them, but only to torture them for five months. c. The agony they suffered was like that of the sting of a scorpion when it strikes a man. i. men will seek death, but will not find it; ii. they will long to die, but death will elude them. iii. They had as king over them the angel of the Abyss, whose name in Hebrew is Abaddon, and in Greek, Apollyon 6. The sixth angel sounded his trumpet, a. A voice said to the sixth angel who had the trumpet, “Release the four angels who are bound at the great river Euphrates.” i. And the four angels were released to kill a third of mankind. ii. The number of the mounted troops was two hundred million. The rest of mankind that were not killed by these plagues still did not repent of a. the work of their hands; b. murders, c. their magic arts, d. their sexual immorality e. or their thefts. they did not stop worshiping a. demons, b. and idols The Angel and the Little Scroll Then another angel from heaven doesnt sound a trumpet. He was robed in a cloud, with a rainbow above his head; his face was like the sun, and his legs were like fiery pillars. He was holding a little scroll, which lay open in his hand. He planted his right foot on the sea and his left foot on the land, and he gave a loud shout like the roar of a lion. When he shouted, the voices of the seven thunders spoke. And when the seven thunders spoke, I was about to write; but I heard a voice from heaven say, “Seal up what the seven thunders have said and do not write it down.” He is the same angel Daniel saw earlier giving the same orders to John as he did to Daniel! This angel Raised his right hand to heaven. swore by him who lives for ever and ever, who created the heavens and all that is in them, the earth and all that is in it, the sea and all that is in it, “There will be no more delay! But in the days when the seventh angel is about to sound his trumpet, the mystery of God will be accomplished, just as he announced to his servants the prophets.” John is then instructed to take the scroll and eat it. He will have to prophesy against many lands and peoples. It is the finding of the scroll of Daniel that triggers the prophets! This is when John tells us of two witnesses, prophets who will come in to the world. 1. And I will give power to my two witnesses, 2. and they will prophesy for 1,260 days, clothed in sackcloth.” 3. If anyone tries to harm them, fire comes from their mouths and devours their enemies. 4. They have power to shut up the sky so that it will not rain during the time they are prophesying; 5. and they have power to turn the waters into blood and to strike the earth with every kind of plague. 6. when they have finished their testimony, the beast that comes up from the Abyss will attack them, and overpower and kill them. 7. Their bodies will lie in the street of the great city, which is figuratively called Sodom and Egypt, where also their Lord was crucified. For three and a half days men from every people, tribe, language and nation will gaze on their bodies and refuse them burial. 8. The inhabitants of the earth will gloat over them and will celebrate by sending each other gifts, because these two prophets had tormented those who live on the earth. The Seventh Trumpet The seventh angel sounded his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven, which said: “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he will reign for ever and ever.”Then: The twenty-four elders, fell on their faces and worshiped God. God’s temple in heaven was opened There were flashes of lightning, rumblings, peals of thunder, an earthquake and a great hailstorm. The woman clothed with the sun, a. with the moon under her feet b. and a crown of twelve stars on her head. c. She was pregnant d. cried out in pain as she was about to give birth Then another sign appeared in heaven: an enormous red dragon that ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, who leads the whole world astray His tail swept a third of the stars out of the sky The dragon stood in front of the woman so that he might devour her child the moment it was born. She gave birth to a son, a male child, who will rule all the nations with an iron scepter. her child was snatched up to God and to his throne. The woman fled into the desert. There was war in heaven. Michael and his angels fought against the dragon The great dragon was hurled down. He was hurled to the earth, and his angels with him. Then a loud voice in heaven says: “Now have come the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God, and the authority of his Christ. For the accuser of our brothers, who accuses them before our God day and night, has been hurled down. They overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony; they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death. Therefore rejoice, you heavens and you who dwell in them! But woe to the earth and the sea, because the devil has gone down to you! He is filled with fury, because he knows that his time is short.” This is the basis for Demons and Prophets. It may not be the most pious of the definitions of the Biblical text but it is accurate to level that I can keep it so. See, God is the same yesterday as today and will remain the same forever. He doesnt have bad days, and he doesnt treat me different than you, not my ancestors different than me. He has only one will and only one law. These do not change because of us. So dispensational theology is not right and I challenge you, my friend, to read the Bible yourself and see if I am not correct. Furthermore, read all you can about Jesus first. For Jesus is the key to it all. Anyone who tells you otherwise is a false prophet and a false Christ. The will of God is not biased by how well the human animal behaves, He is concerned with your spirit and soul not the carcass you carry around. To understand more visit timtuohy.com # # # As well as being an avid student of the Bible and ancient texts, Tim Tuohy is a zSeries systems programmer. He is an honorably discharged, decorated veteran of the Air Force. His extensive training and education, as well his travels throughout the North American continent, bring reality and excitement his novels and stories. His accomplishments include many highly technical designs and installations. He lives outside Atlanta where he is working on a new novel. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Tim_Tuohy http://EzineArticles.com/?The-End-Times-and-the-Return-of-Jesus&id=388530 can you file payday auto title loans for bankruptcy bad credit loan calculator payday predatory lending and the elderly payday loan funding

Depression-Some Natural Cures From the Health Food Store

Sunday, May 4th, 2008

By Royane Real Many people who suffer from depression prefer the idea of finding a natural treatment for their condition instead of taking prescription anti-depressants. Is there anything you can get in a health food store that might help with depression? Yes, maybe, if your depression is in the mild to moderate range of severity. A more severe or long-term depression should be treated by a qualified professional. If you are already taking prescription anti-depressants, do not also take any natural remedies at the same time without first consulting your doctor! In some cases, there can be dangerous interactions. Just because something is natural does not mean it is always safe for everybody. St. Johns Wort One of the best known and most widely prescribed natural remedies for depression is St. Johns Wort. This herb has been used as a remedy for depression in Europe for decades. It is believed to now be the most commonly used anti-depressant in the world. Many people who take St. Johns Wort say they prefer the gentle lift this herb provides compared to the side effects of prescription anti-depressants. The exact method by which St. Johns Wort works is unknown. The main active ingredient is believed to be hypericin. Other factors in the plant may have an anti-depressant effect as well. A typical recommended dose is 900 milligrams per day, divided. Look for a product that is standardized to contain .3 percent hypericin. Some side effects with St. Johns Wort may be experienced. They include nausea and abdominal pain. Some people experience increased sensitivity to sunlight and there is some indication that taking it may lead to a higher incidence of cataracts. Not all studies of St. Johns Wort have shown positive results. Many researchers in Europe say that St. Johns Wort is effective, but at least one large recent American study found it to be ineffective as a treatment for depression. When buying St. Johns Wort, or any other herbal preparation, purchase only those brands that have a reputation for reliability. Some independent tests have confirmed that not all brands of St. Johns Wort offered for sale actually contain the ingredients being claimed on the package. If you are already taking a prescription anti-depressant, do not start taking St. Johns Wort without consulting your doctor first. It may not be compatible with your other medications. Dont take St. Johns Wort if you have bipolar depression or if you are pregnant. SAM-e If you want to find something from the health food store to fight depression, you could ask for SAM-e, also known as s-adenosyl-methionine. SAM-e is a substance which our body can make using the amino acid L-methionine, and various other nutrients. It is believed that SAM-e can boost the neurotransmitters serotonin and dopamine in the brain, which may be able to improve mood. Research reports from Europe say SAM-e has the same rate of effectiveness as most prescription anti-depressants, about 70 percent, but that it works faster and has fewer side effects. Some studies have found positive improvements in depressed patients in as few as four days. SAM-e is better absorbed if you take it on an empty stomach between meals. A suggested dose is 400 milligrams per day. People who have bipolar depression should not take SAM-e. If you are already taking MAO inhibitor antidepressants, do not take SAM-e. SAM-e is not legally available in all countries. Amino Acid Therapy for Depression Not all psychiatrists prescribe pharmaceutical antidepressants. Some psychiatrists prefer to treat depression with natural supplements such as vitamins, minerals, essential fatty acids, and amino acids. The amino acids which have been found most effective in treating depression are L-tyrosine, L-tryptophan and L-phenylalanine. For many decades, the amino acid L-tryptophan was widely used to successfully treat depression. However, in 1989 a contaminated batch of this substance resulted in several deaths, so L-trypophan was removed from the market. Even though the manufacturing process for L-tryptophan has been changed to prevent this problem, the ban on the sale of L-tryptophan in many countries persists. Today, a product related to L-Tryptophan, called 5-HTP is available in many health food stores. The 5-HTP is believed to have none of the problems that caused L-Tryptophan to be withdrawn from the shelves, and it appears to be effective in lifting depression. If you decide to use 5-HTP for depression, discuss it with your doctor. People who are taking MAO inhibitor drugs for depression should not be taking amino acid supplements. Very young and very old people should avoid amino acid supplementation. Other Natural Therapies to Consider In those countries where the population eats a lot of ocean fish, the rate of depression appears to be low. North Americans dont eat very much ocean fish, and the rate of depression in North America is quite high. Many nutritionally oriented therapists believe there is a connection. Certain ocean fish such as tuna and salmon are very rich in Omega 3 fatty acids and other compounds that are beneficial to the heart and the brain. Eating more of these fish, or getting fish oil capsules from the health food store may be useful in treating some instances of depression. However, there is a lot of controversy over whether these fish are safe to eat, since many large ocean fish are now contaminated with mercury poisoning. Does the benefit of the fish oil outweigh the possible danger of the mercury? Researchers dont agree about this at this time. But you can try to include a lot more fish like salmon and tuna in your diet to see if it boosts your mood. Folic Acid Folic acid is one of the most important nutrients in the body, but sadly, a lack of folic acid is one of the most common deficiencies in the world. Low levels of folic acid are associated with heart problems, memory problems, and depression. If you suffer from depression, consider taking at least 400 mcg. per day in a supplement. Final Thoughts This has been a brief rundown of natural products you might find at the health food store that can help with depression. But there are at least two more ideas I want to mention in closing that have been shown to be very beneficial to cases of depression. Remember that before antidepressants were invented, people mostly relied on talk therapy to try get better. This can still work really well, if you have a good therapist, and if paying for therapy isnt a problem for you. Not all types of psychotherapy work for depression. Cognitive therapy teaches the patient new, more realistic ways of thinking. Cognitive therapy has a record of curing depression that appears to be just as the rate of cure of most antidepressants. Also remember that before therapists were invented, people talked over their problems with trusted friends, family members and spiritual advisors. So, if good therapists arent easily available where you live, you can try look for other people to talk to that might help. And now, one here is one final cure for some cases of depression that is easily available to most of us exercise. In some studies, regular physical exercise was shown to relieve depression just as effectively as medications! So, consider incorporating some of these ideas into your life if you are feeling a bit depressed. However, if your depression is serious, then professional treatment may become necessary. Royane Real is a long time science educator and self help author. To learn more ways to improve the way your brain works by using nutrition, exercise, meditation, and other techniques, download her book How You Can Be Smarter - Use Your Brain to Learn Faster, Remember Better and Be More Creative” today at http://www.royanereal.com Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Royane_Real http://EzineArticles.com/?Depression-Some-Natural-Cures-From-the-Health-Food-Store&id=447331 cash advance payday loans for the military missouri legislation-pay day loans personal loans with poor credit borrow money overseas lenders

If Diets and Weight Loss Programs Leave You Cold - Start Your Own!

Thursday, May 1st, 2008

By Donovan Baldwin Anything that I write on the subject of weight loss has GOT to include facts. Not supposition. Not opinion. Not argument. Not pie-in-the sky. None of that. I said “facts”, and I am talking about proven facts on the subject of diets and weight loss. Fact #1: Diets are not a permanent weight loss solution. Fact #2: Even a “good” diet is usually mis-handled. (Okay, one opinion.) Fact #3: You won’t get there without exercise. Fact #4: In place of a “diet” you need to substitute good nutrition. Fact #5: Almost everything else is a helper or a hindrance. Fact #6: You need your own weight loss program, not somebody else’s. A DIET IS NOT A PERMANENT WEIGHT LOSS SOLUTION It is well documented that dieting, that is removing certain things from you normal list of foods you eat or eating only certain foods, does not work as a permanent weight loss solution. The explanation of this could be the subject of a book itself, but to make it short, you get bored, it’s hard to stay on the diet, dieting produces changes in your body that encourage weight gain, you lose energy, it just isn’t fun and so on. Pick any diet you want. Are you prepared to spend the rest of your life eating that way? Probably not. The only real solution to a lifetime problem is a change in lifestyle and behavior. DIETS ARE COMMONLY MISUNDERSTOOD AND MISHANDLED Here’s a classic example: The Atkins diet! Ask almost anybody you know what the Atkins diet is, and they will say it’s a diet that lets you eat lots of things like steak, bacon…you know, the fun stuff, without worrying about those nasty old veggies and carbohydrates. That’s why it’s called “low carbohydrate”, right? Shows how far most people read. A few pages into the Atkins diet plan, you learn that eating like that is only supposed to be done for about the first two weeks, to shift your body into the proper mode for the next three phases. In each of those phases, Dr. Atkins actually instructed people to begin adding certain foods, including carbohydrates, back in because it is not healthy to remain on a straight diet of chicken-fried steak or whatever for the rest of your life. Just to drive the point home, I have a friend who went on the Atkins diet over two years ago. After a couple of years, he was still eating the from the list of foods that were recommended for the first two weeks! He lost weight at first, he’s gaining it back now, and then some, and has no idea why the Atkins diet doesn’t work any more. It’s interesting to note that the Atkins diet, and almost any other weight loss program, diet drink, diet pill, fitness coach, you name it, includes exercise as being important to their product being effective. YOU HAVE GOT TO EXERCISE FOR WEIGHT LOSS In fact, many people could lose most of the weight they need to lose just by getting into the right exercise program and staying with it! That’s half the problem. Our bodies are designed by Mother Nature to DO THINGS! Clicking the remote doesn’t count. Again, this topic is broader than the scope of this article, but the facts are that if you want to improve your overall health, defeat or at least delay dozens of mental and physical conditions, get more enjoyment out of life, live longer, live better, AND lose weight, you need to exercise. The basic rule of weight loss and weight gain is that if you eat more calories than you burn you gain weight. If you burn more calories than you burn, you lose weight. That simple. For most people it really seems simple. If they eat less, they will lose weight! IN PLACE OF A DIET YOU NEED TO SUBSTITUTE GOOD NUTRITION As pointed out above, simply cutting foods out of your diet is not the answer. However, the solution is simple - just eat sensibly. Nobody ever said you can’t eat chocolate cake, just that you shouldn’t eat two or three pieces a day, and the piece you DO eat should be a normal size. We all have at least a vague idea of what foods we SHOULD be eating, and we have a good idea of what we shouldn’t be eating, or at least eating a lot of. This is an active process. Most people drive up to the window and say, “Give me your 99 cent greaseburger and a cup of water with sugar.” When asked if they want to “supersize” it, they agree. Even the good restaurants serve a lot more food than it is healthy to eat, but most people go ahead and eat it anyway because they have no idea of how much they should be eating, because it tastes so good, or because they were taught to clean their plates. DON’T WORRY ABOUT THE FRILLS You see a lot of diet and weight loss products that claim that they have found THE SOLUTION to your weight loss problem. Hardly anybody gets overfat (Arnold Schwarzenegger is “overweight”) because of one single thing. Mostly, it will occur over a period of time because of a combination of factors. While nutrition and exercise are two of the absolute MOST important factors, simply changing one without the other doesn’t work as well as putting both into action. Little things like an electric exercise belt, a pill made out of grapefruit, or a secret drink from Tahiti might help your weight loss program, but if you aren’t already doing the two most important things, don’t expect to see much in the way of results. That’s why so many of these diet and weight loss products have a remark on the label that says something like “…when used in conjunction with a proper diet and regular exercise.” There is good scientific evidence that things like cortisol and caffeine can influence weight gain and weight loss, for example, but if you were to try to control your weight over a lifetime by controlling these factors, you probably would not notice any real results. If, however, you were to begin eating sensibly and getting more exercise, taking cortisol blockers or cutting caffeine out of your diet MIGHT contribute a few extra pounds of weight loss, but it is weight you will probably lose eventually if you stay on your weight loss program. YOUR WEIGHT LOSS PROGRAM, THAT’S THE GOAL You are not your brother, your sister, or your mother no matter how closely you are tied to them genetically. What works for one of them might not be what you need. While there is scientific fact to back up the exercise equations outlined above each person is going to react in their own unique way. You need to exercise, but maybe not as much as your friend. You need to eat less chocolate ice cream, but maybe you can’t eat as much as your friend does. You need to make any weight loss program work for you by designing it around you. Do the exercises you like to do, just make sure you are doing enough. What’s enough? Well, you will have to experiment and see. Eat the foods you like, just eat them in sensible quantities and eat primarily foods that have a lot of real nutrition in them. What foods? Again, you will have to find your way, probably by trial and error, although there are many excellent books to give you guidance. Speaking of goals, your goal is to be healthy and happy. Wanting to weigh a given weight because somebody else weighs that amount is senseless. You shouldn’t even be trying to weigh what you weighed in high school, because, physically speaking, that was a different person. He or she was someone with a different metabolism, lifestyle, and tastes. Concentrate on getting your exercise and eating properly and let your body figure out how much it needs to weigh. Trying to tailor a weight loss program on someone else’s results is just asking for trouble as far as weight loss is concerned. They may be able to run faster than you. They may have a higher metabolic rate than you. They may have a different bone structure. They may have fewer obstacles than you. Let’s face it, somebody like Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie can have the best equipment, the finest personal trainer, and can make the opportunity to sculpt a beautiful body. Plus they have the incentive of knowing that their multimillion dollar salaries depend on their maintaining the basic equipment their genetic makeup endowed them with. You and I have an old set of barbells, a cracked sidewalk, sneakers that are falling apart, live paycheck to paycheck, and the kids are going to be home in two hours. You and I are not going to look like Brad, Angelina, or Arnold. Just do the best you can with what you’ve got, and you will not regret the outcome, trust me. Donovan Baldwin is a Dallas area writer. A graduate of the University Of West Florida (1973) with a BA in accounting, he is a member of Mensa and has held several managerial positions. After retiring from the U. S. Army in 1995, he became interested in internet marketing and developed various online businesses. He has been writing poetry, articles, and essays for over 40 years, and now frequently publishes articles on his own websites and for use by other webmasters. He has a blog on the subjects of health, fitness, diet, and weight loss at http://nodiet4me.com/ and a website on the subject of weight loss at http://nodiet4me.com Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Donovan_Baldwin http://EzineArticles.com/?If-Diets-and-Weight-Loss-Programs-Leave-You-Cold—Start-Your-Own!&id=235300 mobile home loan for bad credit in alabama jacksonville refinance car loan bad credit erase bad credit instant can charge offs be removed from credit report