Real Life Enrichment

Pretty Cool Jump Rope Routine

2009-10-31T10:53:00.001-07:00

God Said No

2009-10-31T10:44:00.000-07:00

YOU HAVE TO THIS!!!

God Said NO!!
I hope that you can get the effects on your computers!
The words are great, but the movements of the faces add a lot....

I asked God to take away my habit.

God said, No.

It is not for me to take away,
but for you to give it up.

I asked God to make my handicapped child whole.
God said, No.
His spirit is whole, his body is only temporary.

I asked God to grant me patience.

God said, No. Patience is a byproduct of tribulations;
it isn't granted, it is learned.

I asked God to give me happiness..

God said, No.

I give you blessings;
Happiness is up to you.

I asked God to spare me pain.

God said, No.
Suffering draws you apart from
worldly cares
and brings you closer to me.

I asked God to make my spirit grow.
God said, No.
You must grow on your own,
but I will prune you to make you fruitful.

I asked God for all things
that I might enjoy life.

God said, No.
I will give you life,
so that you may enjoy all things.

I asked God to help me LOVE others, as much as He loves me.
God said... Ahhhh,
finally you have the idea.

THIS DAY IS YOURS
DON'T THROW IT AWAY

May God Bless You,

'To the world you might be one person,
But to one person you just might be the world'

'May the Lord Bless you and keep you,
May the Lord Make his face shine upon you,
And give you Peace........Forever'

'Good friends are like stars...
You don't always see them, But you know they are always there.

Life Is a Gift

2009-02-09T07:20:00.000-08:00

Life Is a Gift

Today before you say an unkind word - Think of someone who can't speak.

Before you complain about the taste of your food - Think of someone who has nothing to eat.

Before you complain about your husband or wife - Think of someone who's crying out to GOD for a companion.

Today before you complain about life - Think of someone who went too early to heaven.

Before you complain about your children - Think of someone who desires children but they're barren..

Before you argue about your dirty house someone didn't clean or sweep - Think of the people who are living in the streets.

Before whining about the distance you drive - Think of someone who walks the same distance with their feet.

And when you are tired and complain about your job - Think of the unemployed, the disabled, and those who wish they had your job.

But before you think of pointing the finger or condemning another - Remember that not one of us is without sin.

And when depressing thoughts seem to get you down - Put a smile on your face and think: you're alive and still around.

Blindness

2009-02-08T09:14:00.000-08:00

There was a blind girl who hated herself because she was blind.

She hated everyone, except her loving boyfriend. He was always there for her. She told her boyfriend, 'If I could only see the world, I will marry you.' One day, someone donated a pair of eyes to her. When the bandages came off, she was able to see everything, including her boyfriend.

He asked her, 'Now that you can see the world, will you marry me?' The girl looked at her boyfriend and saw that he was blind. The sight of his closed eyelids shocked her. She hadn't expected that. The thought of looking at them the rest of her life led her to refuse to marry him.

Her boyfriend left in tears and days later wrote a note to her saying: 'Take good care of your eyes, my dear, for before they were yours, they were mine.'

This is how the human brain often works when our status changes. Only a very few remember what life was like before, and who was always by their side in the most painful situations.

My Name Is Rose

2009-02-07T09:07:00.000-08:00

My Name Is Rose

The first day of school our professor introduced himself and challenged us to get to know someone we didn't already know. I stood up to look around when a gentle hand touched my shoulder.

I turned around to find a wrinkled, little old lady beaming up at me with a smile that lit up her entire being.

She said, 'Hi handsome. My name is Rose. I'm eighty-seven years old. Can I give you a hug?'

I laughed and enthusiastically responded, 'Of course you may!' and she gave me a giant squeeze.

'Why are you in college at such a young, innocent age?' I asked.

She jokingly replied, 'I'm here to meet a rich husband, get married, and have a couple of kids...'

'No seriously,' I asked. I was curious what may have motivated her to be taking on this challenge at her age.

'I always dreamed of having a college education and now I'm getting one!' she told me.

After class we walked to the student union building and shared a chocolate milkshake.

We became instant friends. Every day for the next three months we would leave class together and talk nonstop. I was always mesmerized listening to this 'time machine' as she shared her wisdom and experience with me.

Over the course of the year, Rose became a campus icon and she easily made friends wherever she went. She loved to dress up and she reveled in the attention bestowed upon her from the other students. She was living it up.

At the end of t he semester we invited Rose to speak at our football banquet. I' ll never forget what she taught us. She was introduced and stepped up to the podium. As she began to deliver her prepared speech, she dropped her three by five cards on the floor.

Frustrated and a little embarrassed she leaned into the microphone and simply said, 'I'm sorry I'm so jittery. I gave up beer for Lent and this whiskey is killing me! I'll never get my speech back in order so let me just tell you what I know.'

As we laughed she cleared her throat and began, ' We do not stop playing because we are old; we grow old because we stop playing.

There are only four secrets to staying young, being happy, and achieving success. You have to laugh and find humor every day. You've got to have a dream. When you lose your dreams, you die.

We have so many people walking around who are dead and don't even know it!

There is a huge difference between growing older and growing up.

If you are nineteen years old and lie in bed for one full year and don't do one productive thing, you will turn twenty years old. If I am eighty-seven years old and stay in bed for a year and never do anything I will turn eighty-eight.

Anybody can grow older. That doesn't take any talent or ability . The idea is to grow up by always finding opportunity in change. Have no regrets.

The elderly usually don't have regrets for what we did, but rather for things we did not do. The only people who fear death are those with regrets.'

She concluded her speech by courageously singing 'The Rose.'

She challenged each of us to study the lyrics and live them out in our daily lives. At the year's end Rose finished the college degree she had begun all those years ago.

One week after graduation Rose died peacefully in her sleep.

Over two thousand college students attended her fun eral in tribute to the wonderful woman who taught by example that it's never too late to be all you can possibly be.

When you finish reading this, please send this peaceful word of advice to your friends and family, they'll really enjoy it!

These words have been passed along in loving memory of ROSE.

REMEMBE R, GROWING OLDER IS MANDATORY. GROWING UP IS OPTIONAL. We make a Living by what we get. We make a Life by what we give.

God promises a safe landing, not a calm passage. If God brings you to it, He will bring you through it.

Good Morning

2008-10-10T09:04:00.001-07:00

When I say good morning I mean to say:

G-od
O-ffers us His
O-utstanding
D-evotion to

M-ake us
O-bedient &
R-eady for a
N-ew day with Him.
I-nspire others please, and
N-ever forget
G-od loves you!

HAVE A BLESSED DAY!

Sleeping when the wind blows!

2008-01-24T06:58:00.000-08:00

Sleeping when the wind blows!

Years ago a farmer owned land along the Atlantic seacoast. He constantly advertised for hired hands. Most people were reluctant to work on farms along the Atlantic. They dreaded the awful storms that raged across the Atlantic, wreaking havoc on the buildings and crops. As the farmer interviewed applicants for the job, he received a steady stream of refusals.

Finally, a short, thin man, well past middle age, approached the farmer. "Are you a good farmhand?" the farmer asked him.

"Well, I can sleep when the wind blows," answered the little man.

Although puzzled by this answer, the farmer, desperate for help, hired him. The little man worked well around the farm, busy from dawn to dusk, and the farmer felt satisfied with the man's work.

Then one night the wind howled loudly in from offshore. Jumping out of bed, the farmer grabbed a lantern and rushed next door to the hired hand's sleeping quarters. He shook the little man and yelled, "Get up! A storm is coming! Tie things down before they blow away!"

The little man rolled over in bed and said firmly, "No sir. I told you, I can sleep when the wind blows."

Enraged by the response, the farmer was tempted to fire him on the spot. Instead, he hurried outside to prepare for the storm. To his amazement, he discovered that all of the haystacks had been covered with tarpaulins. The cows were in the barn, the chickens were in the coops, and the doors were barred. The shutters were tightly secured. Everything was tied down. Nothing could blow away.

The farmer then understood what his hired hand meant, so he returned to his bed to also sleep while the wind blew.

MORAL: When you're prepared, spiritually, mentally, and physically, you have nothing to fear. Can you sleep when the wind blows through your life?

The hired hand was able to sleep because he had secured the farm against the storm. We can secure ourselves against the storms of life by grounding ourselves in the Word of God. We don't need to understand, we just need to hold His hand to have peace in the midst of the storms. ...

I hope you sleep well!

A POW Christmas Story

2007-12-27T07:20:00.000-08:00

A POW Christmas Story

As a POW, my captors would tie my arms behind my back and then loop the rope around my neck and ankles so that my head was pulled down between my knees. I was often left like that throughout the night.

One night a guard came into my cell. He put his finger to his lips signaling for me to be quiet, and then loosened my ropes to relieve my pain. The next morning, when his shift ended, the guard returned and retightened the ropes, never saying a word to me.

A month or so later, on Christmas Day, I was standing in the dirt courtyard when I saw that same guard approach me. He walked up and stood silently next to me, not looking or smiling at me.

After a few moments had passed, he rather nonchalantly used his sandaled foot to draw a cross in the dirt. We stood wordlessly looking at the cross, remembering the true light of Christmas, even in the darkness of a Vietnamese prison camp. After a minute or two, he rubbed it out and walked away.

That guard was my Good Samaritan. I will never forget that man and I will never forget that moment. And I will never forget that, no matter where you are, no matter how difficult the circumstances, there will always be someone who will pick you up and carry you.

John McCain

www.johnmccain.com

Resolutions

2007-10-12T07:05:00.000-07:00

How about FALL Resolutions?
(After 9 months of not keeping the ones from New Year's)

Give up complaining . . . focus on gratitude.
Give up harsh judgments . . . think kind thoughts.
Give up worry . . . trust divine providence.
Give up discouragement . . . be full of hope.
Give up bitterness . . . turn to forgiveness.
Give up hatred . . . return good for evil.
Give up anger . . . practice patience.
Give up pettiness . . . put on maturity.
Give up gloom. . . enjoy the beauty that is around you.
Give up jealousy . . . pray for trust.
Give up gossiping . . . control your tongue.
Give up sin. . . . turn to virtue.

MORE COMMANDMENTS

2007-09-28T06:37:00.000-07:00

Thou shall not worry; for worry is the most unproductive of all human activities.

Thou shall not be fearful; for most of the things we fear never come to pass.

Thou shall not cross bridges before you come to them; for no one yet has succeeded in accomplishing this.

Thou shall face each problem as it comes; you can only handle one at a time anyway.

Thou shall not take problems to bed with you; for they make very poor bedfellows.

Thou shall not try to relive yesterday for good or ill, it is forever gone; concentrate on what is happening in your life and be content now.

Thou shall be a good listener; for only when you listen do you hear different ideas from your own. (It's hard to learn something new when you're always talking.)

Thou shall not become "bogged down" by frustration; for 90% of it is rooted in self-pity and will only interfere with moving forward.

Thou shall count thy blessings; never overlooking the small ones, for a lot of small blessings add up to a big one.

Anger Management

2007-08-31T07:00:00.000-07:00

Anger Management

A husband asks his wife, "When I get mad at you, you never fight back.
How do you control your anger"? "I clean the toilet bowl." "
How does that help"? "I use your toothbrush."

THINGS I WISH I'D KNOWN BEFORE I DATED

2007-07-17T13:03:00.000-07:00

THINGS I WISH I'D KNOWN BEFORE I DATED

~ Never date anyone who is rude to the waiter/waitress.

~ Never date anyone who is rude to their mother.

~ If they have a tendency to be rude to you now, just wait.

~ If you date someone who doesn't share your standards, they'll lower yours.

~ The five most essential words for a healthy, vital relationship: "I apologize" and "You are right."

~ Everyone seems normal until you get to know them.

~ If he/she says you're too good for him/her, believe it.

~ If they have a tough time apologizing now, just wait.

~ Never date anyone who spends more time gazing into the mirror, than they spend gazing into your eyes.

Responsibility

2007-07-09T13:03:00.000-07:00

No one is responsible for your happiness, sadness, or success. No one but you. Yes You!

The day you take complete responsibility for yourself and your choice is the day you start a journey toward grand personal fulfillment.

You're the only one that lives your life. Believe it is or not, you do have the power to succeed at anything you choose. The strength to fulfill your dreams is within you , at this very ,moment. Accepting responsibility without excuses, frees your power to achieve.

Focused abundance

2007-07-09T12:08:00.000-07:00

Focused abundance

Abundance is all around you. At any given moment, you are immersed in it.

Through the living of your life, you focus that abundance. And it becomes specific experiences, creations and accomplishments.

There is never any shortage of positive possibilities. Whatever your circumstance, life's abundance is available to be transformed by the guiding power of your intentions.

There is always plenty of raw energy available to you. Your challenge is to consistently and persistently direct that energy into a life that is rich and meaningful.

Consider carefully what you choose to allow and what you choose to block. Every choice you make is amplified many times over by the constant flow of abundance that is always present in your world.

Visualize a life that is the best you can possibly imagine. Hold steady to that vision, and you will make it so.

-- Ralph Marston

A Tribute to our Flag

2007-07-02T16:09:00.000-07:00

A Tribute to our Flag

http://home.comcast.net:80/~nw-fla/tribute_flag_B_thompson.htm

Run Through The Rain

2007-06-06T11:48:00.000-07:00

A little girl had been shopping with her Mom in Target. She must have been 6 years old, this beautiful red haired, freckle faced image of innocence. It was pouring outside. The kind of rain that gushes over the top of rain gutters, so much in a hurry to hit the earth it has no time to flow down the spout. We all stood there under the awning and just inside the door of the Target.

We waited, some patiently, others irritated because nature messed up their hurried day. I am always mesmerized by rainfall. I got lost in the sound and sight of the heavens washing away the dirt and dust of the world. Memories of running, splashing so carefree as a child came pouring in as a welcome reprieve from the worries of my day.

The little voice was so sweet as it broke the hypnotic trance we were all caught in "Mom let's run through the rain," she said. "What?" Mom asked.

"Let's run through the rain!" She repeated.

"No, honey. We'll wait until it slows down a bit," Mom replied.

This young child waited about another minute and repeated: "Mom, let's run through the rain,"

"We'll get soaked if we do," Mom said.

"No, we won't, Mom. That's not what you said this morning," the young girl said as she tugged at her Mom's arm.

This morning? When did I say we could run through the rain and not get wet?

"Don't you remember? When you were talking to Daddy about his cancer, you said, 'If God can get us through this, he can get us through anything!"

The entire crowd stopped dead silent. I swear you couldn't hear anything but the rain. We all stood silently. No one came or left in the next few minutes.

Mom paused and thought for a moment about what she would say. Now some would laugh it off and scold her for being silly. Some might even ignore what was said. But this was a moment of affirmation in a young child's life. A time when innocent trust can be nurtured so that it will bloom into faith.

"Honey, you are absolutely right. Let's run through the rain. If GOD let's us get wet, well maybe we just needed washing," Mom said.

Then off they ran. We all stood watching, smiling and laughing as they darted past the cars and yes, through the puddles. They held their shopping bags over their heads just in case. They got soaked. But they were followed by a few who screamed and laughed like children all the way to their cars.

And yes, I did. I ran. I got wet. I needed washing.

Circumstances or people can take away your material possessions, they can take away your money, and they can take away your health. But no one can ever take away your precious memories...So, don't forget to make time and take the opportunities to make memories everyday. To everything there is a season and a time to every purpose under heaven.

I HOPE YOU STILL TAKE THE TIME TO RUN THROUGH THE RAIN.

One Thing To Never Forget

2007-05-29T12:13:00.000-07:00

One Thing To Never Forget

Your presence, is a present to the world.
You're unique and one of a kind.
Your life can be, what you want it to be.
Take the days, just one at a time.

Count your blessings, not your troubles.
You'll make it through, whatever comes along.
Within you, are so many answers.
Understand, have courage, be strong.

Don't put limits on yourself.
So many dreams, are waiting to be realized.
Decisions are too important, to leave to chance.
Reach for your peak, your goal and your prize.

Nothing wastes more energy, than worrying.
The longer one carries a problem, the heavier it gets.
Don't take things too seriously.
Live a life of serenity, not a life of regrets.

Remember, that a little love goes a long way.
Remember, that a lot of love goes forever.
Remember, that friendship is a wise investment.
Life's treasures, are people... together.

Realize, that it's never too late.
Do ordinary things, in a extraordinary way.
Have health, hope and happiness.
Take the time, to wish upon a star.

And don't ever forget....
For even a day....
How very special you are.

Steps To Happiness

2006-08-29T19:42:00.000-07:00

Steps to Happiness!

Everybody should know:
You can't be all things to all people
You can't do all everything at once
You can't do all things equally well
You can't do everything better than everyone else you're human, just like everyone else.

So:
You have to find out who you are and be that
You have to decide what comes first and do that
You have to discover your strengths and use them
You have to learn not to compete with others because no one else is in the business of being you.

Then:
You will have learned to accept your own uniqueness
You will have learned to set priorities and make decisions
You will have learned to live with your limitations
You will have learned to give yourself the respect that is due and you will be on the road to being the best "you" that you can be.

Dare to believe:
That you are a wonderfully unique person
That you are the only one just like you in all of history
That it is more than a right, it is your duty to be who you are
That life is not a problem to solve, but a gift to cherish
You will be able to stay on top of what used to get you down and achieve the impossible.

Have A Banana

2006-08-10T19:02:00.000-07:00

HAVE A BANANA

If you want a quick fix for flagging energy levels there's no better snack than a banana.
Containing three natural sugars - sucrose, fructose and glucose - combined with fiber, a banana gives an instant, sustained and substantial boost of energy.

Research has proved that just two bananas provide enough energy for a strenuous 90-minute workout. No wonder the banana is the number one fruit with the world's leading athletes. But energy isn't the only way a banana can help us keep fit. It can also help overcome or prevent a substantial number of illnesses and conditions making it a must to add to your daily diet.

Anemia:
High in iron, bananas can stimulate the production of hemoglobin in the blood and so helps in cases of anemia.

Blood Pressure:
This unique tropical fruit is extremely high in potassium yet low in salt, making it the perfect food for helping to beat blood pressure. So much so, the US Food and Drug Administration has just allowed the banana industry to make official claims for the fruit's ability to reduce the risk of blood pressure and stroke.

Brain Power:
200 students at a Twickenham (Middlesex) school were helped through their exams this year by eating bananas at breakfast, break, and lunch in a bid to boost their brain power. Research has shown that the potassium-packed fruit can assist learning by making pupils more alert.

Constipation:
High in fiber, including bananas in the diet can help restore normal bowel action, helping to overcome the problem without resorting to laxatives.

Depression:
According to a recent survey undertaken by MIND amongst people suffering from depression, many felt much better after eating a banana. This is because bananas contain trypotophan, a type of protein that the body converts into serotonin known to make you relax, improve your mood, and generally make you feel happier.

Hangovers:
One of the quickest ways of curing a hangover is to make a banana milkshake, sweetened with honey. The banana calms the stomach and, with the help of the honey, builds up depleted blood sugar levels, while the milk soothes and re-hydrates your system.

Heartburn:
Bananas have a natural antacid effect in the body so if you suffer from heartburn, try eating a banana for soothing relief.

Morning Sickness:
Snacking on bananas between meals helps to keep blood sugar levels up and avoid morning sickness.

Mosquito bites:
Before reaching for the insect bite cream, try rubbing the affected area with the inside of a banana skin. Many people find it amazingly successful at reducing swelling and irritation.

Nerves:
Bananas are high in B vitamins that help calm the nervous system. Overweight and at work? Studies at the Institute of Psychology in Austria found pressure at work leads to gorging on comfort food like chocolate and crisps.

Looking at 5,000 hospital patients, researchers found the most obese were more likely to be in high-pressure jobs. The report concluded that, to avoid panic-induced food cravings, we need to control our blood sugar levels by snacking on high carbohydrate foods such as bananas every two hours to keep levels steady.

PMS:
Forget the pills eat a banana. The vitamin B6 it contains regulates blood glucose levels, which can affect your mood.

Ulcers:
The banana is used as the dietary food against intestinal disorders because of its soft texture and smoothness. It is the only raw fruit that can be eaten without distress in over-chronic ulcer cases. It also neutralizes over-acidity and reduces irritation by coating the lining of the stomach.

Temperature Control:
Many other cultures see bananas as a 'cooling' fruit that can lower both the physical and emotional temperature of expectant mothers. In Thailand, for example, pregnant women eat bananas to ensure their baby is born with a cool temperature.

Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD):
Bananas can help SAD sufferers because they contain the natural mood enhancer, trypotophan.

Smoking:
Bananas can also help people trying to give up smoking, as the high levels of Vitamin C, A1, B6, B12 they contain, as well as the potassium and magnesium found in them, help the body recover from the effects of nicotine withdrawal.

Stress:
Potassium is a vital mineral, which helps normalize the heartbeat, sends oxygen to the brain and regulates your body's water balance. When we are stressed, our metabolic rate rises, thereby reducing our potassium levels.

These can be rebalanced with the help of a high-potassium banana snack.

Strokes:
According to research in 'The New England Journal of Medicine,' eating bananas as part of a regular diet can cut the risk of death by strokes by as much as 40%!

Warts:
Those keen on natural alternatives swear that, if you want to kill off a wart, take a piece of banana skin and place it on the wart, with the yellow side out. Carefully hold the skin in place with a plaster or surgical tape!

So you see a banana really is a natural remedy for many ills. When you compare it to an apple, it has four times the protein, twice the carbohydrate, three times the phosphorus, five times the vitamin A and iron, and twice the other vitamins and minerals. It is also rich in potassium and is one of the best value foods around. So maybe its time to change that well-known phrase so that we say, "A banana a day keeps the doctor away!"

Kevin Rayner
Tecumseh, OK