Thursday, July 30, 2009

Are Postcards a Good Marketing Strategy?

Postcards are no longer just something we send to our family and friends when while we are away on vacation. Many businesses are now using them as an effective communication tool to generate website traffic and sales leads. With postcards as part of your overall marketing plan, you have a simple, cost-effective method to communicate with new and current customers. Some of the most popular ways to use a postcard is to announce a store opening, offer special discounts, or to simply give the reader a reason to find out more about your business.

The simplicity of postcards gives them their number one advantage: 100% readership. With a straightforward card, there is no envelope to open. If designed well with an attention-grabbing headline and layout, a postcard can convey your desired message in less than a few seconds.

Even if that card is tossed into the trash immediately after, your company has still gotten its foot in the door and created an instance of name recognition. With multiple mailings, postcards allow you the advantage of putting your business in front of your target audience repeatedly.

What is more, postcards are inexpensive, from designing and printing to mailing. Many printing companies offer bulk rates, and because these cards are so inexpensive, you can afford to have them mailed over and over again. And like I have said before, this increases your company's name recognition with your target audience. You practically build your business with each mailing. Additionally, if you are design-savvy or know someone who is, designing your postcard is one less thing you have to pay to have done. Recent figures estimate that you could see as much as a 700% return on the money you invest in a postcard marketing campaign.

For companies looking for a simple and budget-friendly way to enhance their marketing campaign, postcards are a practical and reliable solution.

Excell Print & Promotions, Inc (http://www.excellprint-promotions.com) is a professional printing company that offers affordable post card printing in White Plains, NY. Rachel Spohn is a freelance writer.

Tuesday, July 28, 2009

Traditional Chinese New Year Food

When ringing in the new year in traditional Chinese fashion, you have to consider the importance of Chinese New Year food as well. Food plays a huge part in such celebrations. The Chinese New Year is a particularly special one. It is one of the most important Chinese holidays. Sometimes called the Spring Festival, sometimes called the Lunar New Year, it takes place on the first day of the first lunar month, as denoted by the Chinese calendar. It ends on the fifteenth day of the first lunar month.

Now, back to the subject of food - it is indeed hugely important during this celebration. Foods which are considered lucky and fortuitous are served throughout the entire fifteen days. The qualifications for lucky or symbolic foods vary.

In some cases, foods are considered precursors of good fortune because of how they appear. A whole chicken, for instance, is a symbol of family togetherness. Thus, offering a whole chicken during the Chinese New Year festivities promises that the family will remain together throughout the coming year.

Noodles are another food traditionally found during Chinese New Year's celebrations. In fact, they are practically required. In the Chinese culture, noodles symbolize a long, long life. For that reason, certain superstitions say they should not be cut. To do so would bring bad luck or worse. The inclusion of clams and Spring rolls are used to bring luck in matters of wealth. Clams are said to look a lot like bouillon. Spring rolls represent wealth because they look a bit like bars of gold.

Other foods are significant during the New Year because of the way they sound. Literally, they are used because of the Chinese pronunciation of the word. Lettuce is a good example of this. In Cantonese, the word for it sounds fortuitous. Likewise, certain citrus fruits are served because the words for them sound like forebears of good fortune, such as "luck" and "wealth."

Fish is symbolic in several ways, and thus is frequently served. One reason is because the word for it is "yu." This word resembles the terms for "wish" and "abundance." Both of those are good things to have on your side in the new year. Symbolically, serving the fish whole is good luck as well. When the head and tail are still attached, then the fish is a symbol for a good beginning and a good ending in the year ahead.

Henry Fong
Feng Shui Consultant
Feng Shui Absolutely

Spiritual Journaling

Monday, July 27, 2009

Alfredo, And Who On Earth Was He?

Yes, Italians make a dish of pasta, fettuccine dressed with nothing else than good aged parmigiano cheese and a lot of butter, but is such a simple preparation that Italians dont even consider it a recipe.

Waverly Root in his famous book The Food of Italy (New York, 1971) wrote: FETTUCCINE AL BURRO is associated in every tourists mind with Rome, possibly because the original Alfredo succeeded in making its serving a spectacle reminiscent of grand opera. It is the same ribbon shaped egg pasta tat is called tagliatelle in Bologna; but the al burro preparation is very Roman indeed in its rich simplicity. Nothing is added to the pasta except grated cheese and butter - lots of butter. The recipe calls for doppio burro, double butter, which gives it a golden color.

Who was Alfredo then? Alfredo di Lelio, this was his full name, was an inspired cook who proposed this new exciting dish in the restaurant he opened in Rome in 1914. It was a high gourmet preparation in the Roman tradition of simplicity. Apparently he created his Fettuccine allAlfredo when his wife lost her appetite during her pregnancy. To bring back her appetite he prepared for her a nutritious dish of egg fettuccine with parmigiano cheese and butter. That probably gave him the idea for his triple butter fettuccine.

He was an extravagant character who used to personally serve his paper-thin fettuccine with golden forks, apparently donated to him by Mary Pickford and Douglas Fairbanks, the famous silent movie stars. In the fifties and sixties, Hollywood discovered Rome. Paparazzi photographers took photos of actors such as Tyrone Power, Ava Gardner, Richard Burton, Liz Taylor, or Sophia Loren in front of a plate of Fettuccine allAlfredo, making his restaurant famous all around the world. The restaurant is now run buy his grandson, and the golden forks are still used to serve this dish for special occasions.

Samuel Chamberlain, journalist and food writer, met Alfredo in the late fifties and wrote in his book Italian Bouquet An Epicurean Tour of Italy (New York, 1958): Finally there is the great Alfredo, showman par excellence, who draws an endless file of amazed and hungry tourists to watch his calisthenics over a dish of hot noodles. The King of Noodles has come out of retirement, and now wields his golden fork and spoon at ALFREDO ALLAUGUSTEO, at number 31 on the Piazza Augusto Imperatore. His Maestosissime Fettuccine allAlfredo are most majestic, without a doubt. [] You have to visit this place at least once, we suppose, just to say you have seen this elderly, melodramatic good-hearted clown in action.

So, forget the heavy cream, the parsley, the garlic, and all the other stuff suggested in the hundreds of Alfredo recipes that circulate around. Take down from the shelf that pasta machine, prepare your fresh fettuccine (you can substitute fresh fettuccine with excellent dry egg noodles), and enjoy the simple Maestosissime Fettuccine al Triplo Burro the way Alfredo himself would do them. Find the step-by-step illustrated recipe at this URL:
http://www.annamariavolpi.com/pasta_alfredo_recipe.html

Enjoy!

Anna Maria Volpi, Copyright(C)2004

Anna Maria Volpi is a cooking instructor and personal chef in Los Angeles. Visit Anna Marias website http://www.annamariavolpi.com/page28.html for step-by-step illustrated Italian recipes, articles, pictures, and to enroll in her free newsletter. *************************************** Permission is granted for this article to reprint, distribute, use for ezine, newsletter, website, as long as no changes are made and the copyright, resource box, and active link to her website are included. Please inform Anna Maria if you use of this article: anna@annamariavolpi.com

Cecil Murphey

How Many Disciples Were There, Really

Your Hardest Day In Life
Listen To Your Own Advice

Wednesday, July 22, 2009

Do You Really Know Why Your A Christian

Jim Rohn Author Review
Dale Carnegie

The Missing Years of Jesus Resolved

Shrouded in mystery, fable and legend, nevertheless the Bible recorded the birth of Jesus Christ and follows His life up to about 12 years old.

To this day Jewish male children undergo Bar Mitzvah at the age of 13. This was not recorded by the Evangelists. Indeed, the life of Jesus is not considered again till the age of 30.

To accept that Jesus was just at home with His family is a plausible explanation, but not in keeping with the Gospels that say at the age of 12, Jesus was at the Temple, and the people marveled to hear Him.

Certainly, after His Bar Mitzvah, He would have been technically a man and no longer a boy, and would naturally continue to marvel the people. It would have been His right to speak in the Temple. There is no such record.

There is much speculation, but a lot of recorded incidents and connections. One very important one is Joseph (Saint) of Arimathea. Certain he was a rich man, and certainly he was able to speak (in Greek and /or Latin) to the Roman governor at a very sensitive moment, so he was certainly influential.

He gave his own tomb for the burial of Jesus, and paid for all the necessary burial formalities. There is no question he was close to Jesus, and as a member of the Sanhedrin, would have defended him in that assembly. There were more connections, and many very plausible.

Joseph of Arimathea was certainly wealthy, but how did he amass his wealth? Arimathea, is not a town or district at all, but a Greek compound word meaning Harima Theo (by the Grace of God).

He most likely came from Ramle or another town. He was said to be in the trade of metals; tin precisely. This would have theoretically put him in contact with England, where tin was mined and sent throughout the Roman Empire.

More speculation has Joseph related to Jesus directly. It is been written by early Church fathers that Joseph was the uncle of Mary, the mother of Jesus. Certainly the Gospel has them familiar as when Joseph was burying Jesus in his tomb, he was accompanied by Mary (the mother of Jesus), and Mary Magdalena.

Jesus Himself was familiar with Alexandria in Egypt (where He grew up) and as a major center of learning (the Library was there), Jesus would have also spoken Egyptian.

Since where there is so much smoke there must be fire, the story of the young Jesus being accompanied by Joseph, his uncle, on a journey to England is certainly possible.

The legend records the journey home, but with a diversion to Greece, and then into Asia Minor. There it is said that Jesus and Joseph departed, with Jesus joining another wealthy traveler with his son.

At the time, there were Buddhist missionaries all over Asia Minor, and indeed as far as Rome and Egypt. It is plausible Jesus had encountered one or more, and thus found His interest and way to India.

There are many records from early travelers to India having been shown or heard about Jesus time there.

The famous James Churchward in his major work Mu the Lost Continent describes such an encounter. There have been many others including Notovitch in 1888.

Aside from the fantastic speculation, many of the diversions from classic Judaism appear to be oriental in nature, and very specifically Vedic in nature.

Where the Jews were waiting for a Messiah, the Hindus have their belief in Avatars which are human incarnations of God.

So the missing years perhaps saw a journey from the Holy Land to Egypt, to England, passing central Europe into Greece, Asia Minor, and the Hindu Kush all the way to the Himalayas.

There, Jesus would have found the perfect environment to slowly become the world Avatar that He has indeed become.

There is no Hindu which does not accept Him as a divine incarnation.

Here is William Blakes poem Jerusalem which alludes to such a visit

And did those feet in ancient time

Walk upon Englands mountains green?

And was the holy Lamb of God

On Englands pleasant pastures seen?

And did the Countenance Divine

Shine forth upon our clouded hills?

And was Jerusalem builded here

Among these dark Satanic Mills?

Bring me my Bow of burning gold;

Bring me my Arrows of Desire;

Bring me my Spear; O clouds unfold!

Bring me my Chariot of Fire!

I will not cease from Mental Fight,

Nor shall my Sword sleep in my hand,

Till we have built Jerusalem

In Englands green and pleasant Land.

There have been many theories on Jesus the missing years and we hope you find our view thought provoking.

More free information

For more thought provoking articles on http://net-planet.org/newage.html visit our website for more articles, features and downloads at:

http://www.net-planet.org

Stopped Losing Your Car Keys

Symptoms of Toxic Mold Exposure

Unfortunately, the symptoms of toxic mold exposure can be quite similar to those of other illnesses. Sneezing, coughing, dryness of the throat, shortness of breath, and headaches are just some of the initial symptoms a person exposed to black mold would experience.

Others are memory lapses, mood swings or depression, nausea and vomiting, and a tightness in the chest.

One can usually eliminate other illnesses if the condition is accompanied by an irritation of the eyes and skin. However, this still does not eliminate the possibility of a usual allergy.

To find out with a significant degree of certainty that there has been toxic mold exposure, you need to perform a combination of tests.

First, if the symptoms appear when you enter a particular room or area of the house and are relieved when you are away from that particular area, there is a high possibility that that room has toxic mold growth somewhere.

Second, if the symptoms aren't consistent with, say, the common cold, where a running nose is often accompanied by cough with phlegm, you can also start considering mold as a possible culprit.

Preventing toxic mold exposure

Here are the most basic steps to take in preventing exposure to harmful toxic mold:

First step: Track the mold down. Keep a journal in order to monitor those areas of the house where you most often experience the symptoms.

First search in places which have a high humidity level, and those that may have been subjected to water leaks or flooding. The basement, the attic, and the bathroom are the places where you should first make an inspection.

In every room, check the wallpaper, under the carpet, window sills and joints, ceiling boards, and crawlspaces. Toxic mold thrives in dark, damp spots in poorly ventilated rooms.

Second step: Get rid of it! Once you have tracked down the growth, it's time to scrub them away. Use a mild detergent and some water plus a good scrubber to get to the bottom of the contamination. Remember not to overlook any spot, as even a small amount of surviving spores can cause another growth cycle.

When getting rid of an entire wall panel, plastic sheeting must be used to prevent the growth from spreading to adjoining panels of the wall or the floor. Don't forget to protect your eyes, nose, and mouth when you start cleaning off the mold, as it may be toxic.

Don't fret if all this seems like a job too much for you to handle. You can always consult the yellow pages to look for professionals who can do the cleaning for you. They have the equipment and the expertise in dealing with toxic mold and they can do it in a much shorter time than you can, reducing the risk of further spreading mold growth.

You can also find more info on black mold exposure. Blackmoldbliss.com is a comprehensive resource which provide information about Blackmold.

Bathroom Remodeling Problems

Tuesday, July 21, 2009

The Art and Science of Painting Your Home Interiors

So you want to have your home painted right? But you're not sure who to contact and how much you should pay, as well as what services to expect from the painting contractor you hired? In that case, you should do your homework first about what to expect when you undertake painting your home as a home makeover project.

First of all, you have to understand that painting your home is not one all-in-one job done by a one-size-fits-all contractor. Painting your home can be subdivided into the areas of interior and exterior painting, which are two very different fields altogether. As their names suggest, an interior painting job will involve painting the internal parts of your house while an exterior painting project encompasses all the external parts of your home.

For this article, we will focus on interior painting, which is more complicated than exterior painting.

First, in interior painting, your contractor and his team will remove all the furniture from the room they will be working on so that no paint splatters on them. Then, your contractor will tell you what paint brands he plans to use for your room, and present certain color schemes that he hopes you will like as the color schemes for your room. Some clients like to use different color schemes for every room, while others like to have a common theme throughout the interiors and exterior part of the house.

It would be great if the painting contractor is skilled in using paint software to visualize the house before choosing paint color, under your watchful eye of course. This then leads you to the problem of what kind of finish to choose for your interiors you can choose between the gloss, semi gloss, eggshell, flat paint types, among others. The rule of thumb to follow is that the better the sheen of the finished product, the more durable it actually is under regular wear and tear.

A gloss paint finish may also refer to the satin paint finish, which is a good type of paint to use if your contractor is not that experienced, or if you are painting children's rooms or trim which may require a degree of washing to clean them from crayon or pencil scribbles. Gloss paint is also used for furniture painting as well, due to the durability and modern appearance it gives to chairs and tables. Semi gloss and high gloss paint finish reflect more light than a gloss paint finish. Semi gloss alone is advisable for use on kitchen and bathroom walls which require a lot of exposure to water during periodic house cleaning blitzes.

Eggshell does not have much of a sheen to it since it absorbs much light, kind of like a matte finish. You can use eggshell paint finish on interior walls that may need it rather than flat paint which does not allow surface dirt and substances to be washed off as well. Flat paint, on the other hand, is generally used to cover up surface defects or application imperfections (like when the painter uses the brush in the wrong direction from his previous applications.)

Remember that the function or purpose of the room you will be painting should dictate what finish you finally use it for. When the interiors are done, you can then move on to exterior painting of your home.

Extreme Makeover Pros is your affordable contractor serving Orange County, Ca. for nearly 25 years. Specializing in Home Improvement For more details visit http://www.extrememakeoverpros.com

Long Dryer Vent Problems

Ramadan - Fasting in 2009

Ramadan is the time of the year when Muslims must obey one of the five pillars of Islam, fasting. Fasting is an important step all Muslims must take.

What time does fasting begin and what time does fasting ends depends on the rising of the sun and setting of the sun. You can find out what day Ramadan begins and the last day. It is customary to open you fast with dates, which are very inexpensive and can be bought from many shops, if not than something sweet will do, such as fruits etc.

When a Muslim man or woman fast they are learning how precious life is and how we should be grateful for what we have and feel as others less fortunate then we are.

Tips for fasting. There shouldn't really be any tips on Ramadan or fasting as that would perhaps defy the whole point God found Muslims to complete this task every year. But there are some things Muslims can do. Drink plenty of water before starting your fast to avoid dehydration as you are not permitted any foods or liquids of any kind while fasting.

For all of you who want quick facts about fasting than here goes, Please remember these are guidelines.

1. No eating or drinking during fasting times

2. No smoking or taking of illegal drugs

3. No sexual activities

4. No behaviors which are considered harmful

5. Fasting is not allowed during menstrual periods.

6. Medical conditions which would require you to break your fast is allowed.

Remember this is a fast of not just food but also of the soul, of our daily luxuries.

This is the time of contemplation and spirituality.

Shazia Shah is a practicing Muslim and has been a driving force behind the Muslim Matrimonials website http://www.muslimandsingle.com and http://www.asians4asians.com With Muslim Members from all over the UK and rest of the world.

Getting Up Earlier

Tips on How to Finish a Basement Wall

The walls are something you should take account of when you finish a basement. Finishing a basement is very important if you want your basement not only to look good. The walls in the basement are very important because they provide the structure for your basement and carry the weight of your home above it.

Tip 1: Make sure your walls are dry enough to work with.

Check how much moisture content your wall has. If it has too much moisture, there are probably leaks either on the walls itself or on the floor.

Tip 2: Install drywall.

Installing drywall to your concrete walls does not take a genius. It is also more time efficient as compared to applying plaster instead. Drywall is also made out of gypsum that helps prevent the spread of fire. When attaching your drywall, make sure that nothing is protruding on its surface (ex. nails).

Tip 3: Add furring strips

Furring strips will prevent water from leaking in your basement and will provide a more leveled wall to work with. A leveled working surface is very important when you finish a basement.

Tip 4: Insulation and Vapor Barriers

Attaching both of them, will aid in possible heat-related problems in your basement .Insulation is important or less heat loss. It is needed to help maintain a suitable room temperature especially during the cold months.

Tip 5: Design your walls.

The design of your walls is really up to you. You can paint over the surface of the drywall or create a textured finish with the use of wooden boards and other similar materials.
To finish a basement wall is one of the few things you should remember if you want to be able to enjoy your basement longer.

Want to learn how to decorate your basement wall a little more creatively? Discover practical basement remodeling ideas online and turn cheap basement ideas into dream basements at a budget.

How Tough Are Concrete Epoxies

How Do We Know If it is Spiritual Love Or Just Physical Pleasure?

Love is spirituality along with the actual realistic knowledge of knowing there is someone other than oneself in the picture. Spiritually as if your heart is not in your own body, it inhabits the space in the heart of the person you love, with that person's heart inhabiting the space in your own, as if indistinguishable who is who, and it does not matter. Physically there are two, though spiritually there is only one, and that one is love, body, mind, and spirit. It can not be broken, ever, period, at least if it is absolute love from the infinite timelessness of our spiritual being, in the present body.

Simple, yes if it is realized that our nature is love and our spirits are free of complications or delusional illusions of what someone else may tell us. In other words when we listen to anyone other than ourselves in the realm of our own spirituality in consideration of love we give up our truth and become as deluded as the ones telling us what to do or who to love. Delusion is rampant in to-days so called intelligent society because of the ego of the experts (supposedly experts) who give out guidance as if there were no tomorrow, even though they may say they are not orders it is implied that if you do not follow their guidance you will be left out. Our media circus is great at that one, and unfortunately many seem to be unable to reject or ignore the zoo keepers. It is akin to actors in Hollywood, or anywhere for that matter, being the character in real life as well as the part they play, so they really are confused as to who they are for the most part. Hence all the idiocy we see coming from so called celebrity status.

What is the circus selling? Pure and simply sex in all the glory it has. Glorification though of sex is like being blissfully ignorant, even though most buy it, or so it seems when we look at statistics of who watches what and what movies sell the most tickets. No there is nothing wrong with sex, or even liking it, and obviously it is a beautiful aspect of life, though it is perhaps the least understood in all that we aspire to understand. Difficulty is the fact that spirituality and sex go together, while sex can be apart from spirituality nothing comes from just sex by itself. Our deficit in spirituality leads to a loss of value to the human condition as well as some of what we see going on in the economy right now, greed for only pleasure/money/sex with no actual work being done.

Pleasure is not a bad thing, though sexual pleasure just for the sake of pleasure is what tears at the very foundations of our human existence, especially in the way of our spiritual realm. Spiritually we have occupied many bodies, we do not know how many, though the fact of our spirit remembering minute, less than perhaps molecular pieces of our past memories is why we behave the way we do, along with of course the cause and effect of our present surrounding. If from childhood we live without any trauma whatsoever we may grow up with full faculty of our own spiritual being, truly knowing who we are all the while not needing any type of mind altering substance or wanting to be altered. Rare indeed, and yet that in itself does not mean the spirit is ready for enlightenment, or love, though perhaps it may help, for example in the area of sex, it is known instinctively, no matter male or female, what is means to be attracted to the opposite sex and why as spiritual purity enables such innocent attraction to manifest with an intimacy which has nothing to do with the physical nature of the body. Of course one will know something is there, though with again the innocence of love. If there is a beginning to true or absolute love it is here in the innocence.

Just for the sake of looking at things from perhaps what some may call a rather different perspective, think of making love as something that everyone sees, not only those involved, hopefully a male and female who actually love one and other, in what we will say is in the spiritual realm. We will leave religious dogma out of the equation for now. When we leave the body at death of the body our consciousness or spirit searches for a womb, unless it has become as god consciousness or enlightened, in order to have a new body to house the spirit. How many spirits are watching when those in love are making love? Choose the womb carefully from Tibetan Buddhism is the relevancy of how and why spirituality is the most important factor in life, as in we are responsible for our own choices. In other words if we are not making love, we are not in love and sex is the only factor, the spirits who are ignorant may end up in a womb they are not meant to actually be in at that time (hence birth control, as in take away responsibility) and may need to start the search all over shortly thereafter, how ever unfortunate it is. Choose the womb carefully.

Sex for sale, narcissus, egotistical, sociopathic exhibitionism and or voyeurism are some of the factors of the spiritual deficit in the world, there is no love or spirituality in this scene. Like it our not religion is meant to be a structural support of love and spirituality, as human beings have always needed some kind of structure to help in behavior, which is why we are not still beating each other with sticks, hopefully. Our spirit is the foundation with love being the transporter which allows life in the physical body to exist, and why spirituality is the actual basis for the foundation. Point is this, the unrestricted sexual behavior of a non-spiritual nature confuses our own consciousness along with all the other spirits involved with our personal behavior.

Depression, irritability, anger, frustration, anti-social behavior all are part of the consequence of our behavior of any type in the realm of sex, be it physical or mental. Drugs, which by the way alcohol is one, are the emotional strength to delude the body and mind that all is just great. Our spirit knows, yet our mind and body pay no attention to the signs and leaves the spirit in the dirt. Of course this is why when it comes to the sex trade, no matter what is happening, drugs are a necessity to keep girls, boys, women, men in the game to profit from, another words exploit without spiritual consequences.

No consequences, is just a lie or delusion that goes with the behavior, even for those who may not actually partake to the extent of some and seem to keep their senses for the most part. It is like standing at the edge of a cliff thinking you are able to fly when you jump. Deviant behavior of a sexual nature must stop before any type of spiritual awakening is enabled. Love making is not deviant behavior, even though it may not be spiritual, though when it is done for an audience other than the female and male involved it turns into deviance, known or not. Usually this type of sexual behavior is not done without the help of some type of uninhibited mind altering substance, which bears repeating, or just plain delusion that there is nothing wrong with it.

In a free society such as ours here in America we must not try to control any-ones' behavior other than those who break the law. Our constitution was and is written in order to allow freedom of all people here in the United States. Behavior is something which is ones' own responsibility, owning up to it is another story perhaps, and spirituality does not necessarily need to be a part of any-ones behavior at least consciously, although it is always there waiting in the background to let us know when we have screwed up, ignored or not.

If love is based on spirituality it will be known to anyone involved as intimacy and innocence will allow the female and the male to actually get to know each other before any physical contact of a sexual nature takes place. When the time comes the female will let the male know what is going to happen or not, or how much, which is completely normal when all is right with the relationship. Meaning it is the female who controls the situation, yet this does not mean or imply she is somehow to blame when things may not go right. Problem is man, usually is the one who pushes or forces something which is not totally wanted, though interestingly younger boys, or young adults will respect the wishes of the girl before an older man will, which again is normal as the spirit is not yet pushed aside in the young man who realizes there is something more at play here than just sex. Point here is man will at times use force to control the woman, and this is and has been and most likely will remain the problem as long as man deludes himself into thinking that he is the one in control of woman. It is kind of a paradox as most men know this already though do not want to admit it because they want to think they are the boss though they know they are not, which ignorantly is why they continue with the stupidity. Of course not all men are stupid, which is why so many people are happily married and do have spirituality in there lives, mainly though because of and through the spiritual nature of woman, as she instinctively knows what is love and what is not because she has the womb the spirits keep wanting to enter.

What can be perhaps the most significant in importance is when there is a true spiritual connection between the female and male there will never be any force what so ever in any part of the relationship. Force is not needed at any time in the union of the female and male, it is the force of nature which is absolutely the way the universe intended in the realm of physical intimacy between the female and the male, as nature is what does and or has brought anyone together in a spiritual union. Fact is we may at times think this will not happen, though with a spiritual nature kept solid through discipline and will we do find we are brought together with someone to love in a spiritual way, which is one reason why they say, and it is true, patience is a virtue. Physical pleasure, or just sex will not happen under those conditions, the spiritual universe will not allow narcissus, egotistical, or a sociopaths behavior to exist in those conditions. Love, absolute spiritual love, is what the universe allows, period.

George Merritt is a Certified General Contractor, Welder, Writer, Machinist always learning something new, and never gives up hope on the love of life and the human condition in the quest for truth, love, peace, and joy among other things.

http://www.georgetmerritt.com

Backup Plans Feel Good

Monday, July 20, 2009

Storage Rentals Make Remodeling Easier

A person may need storage rentals for a variety of different reasons. They can make many unpleasant tasks a lot easier. It isn't just individuals renting these storage containers. In fact, a number of retail businesses and even sports teams rent them for temporary storage of equipment and inventory. For the homeowner, some of the most common reasons to rent a storage container are when one is remodeling the house. From tearing down walls to adding a new bathroom, a remodel can become a messy affair. It is good to have a safe place in which to put all of your valuables.

It is just as handy for other, smaller jobs you are doing on the house. If you are going to take out the carpet and replace it with hardwood floors, or if you are repainting, you may want to use storage rentals to secure your belongings while you work. You will need to call the storage company and tell them the date on which you want the container delivered. Depending on the amount of material that you need to move into the container, you may want to have it delivered a few days ahead of time. This ensures that you won't have to rush the procedure.

Although there are many companies that offer storage equipment on the Internet, you should find one that has been in business for a while and has a professional staff. These professionals will listen to your needs and can help you with the proper storage container solutions. Learn more about a professional storage rental company by visiting ABRichards.com.

A.B. Richards, Inc., is a company that offers great storage rentals. To look at the available storage options, visit http://www.abrichards.com.

How Tough Are Concrete Epoxies

For the Best Spiritual T-shirts - Full of Faith T-shirt Expressing How You Feel About Jesus

This started about 4 years ago when I was at church hearing the preacher say when God is with you all things are possible no matter how it looked. that word started stirring me up on the inside. I know I wanted to started my own business but what. I know I had drawing talent but I did not know how I was going to put it to good use. I prayed about it everyday asking God I wanted to your my talent to glorify you. it took awhile it did t happen over night.

It was about 3 years later. One night God puta vision of a logo in my heart; I quickly woke up and drew it on a sheet of paper. Still I did not know what it meant at first because I still wanted to use my drawing talent for God. Then it hit me I seen alot of t-shirts but very few that Christian can wear that would express how they felt about God. Then I know I was on to something very special. I took my drawing talent and started making design for the christian to show how much they love God using my talents to focus on Jesus in a way that never been do before.this t-shirts are a powerful witness tool for christian of all ages. there is a t-shirt that will please everyone. but for the most part I just one of many trying to do my part in getting the word out that Jesus is here now and forever more.

My Name is Thomas Gathers born in Brooklyn New York now living Lynchburg, Virginia, with my wife of 14 year Gwendolyn and my 2 year old daughter Brookelyn. I am one out of seven children. My life was not easy, but my parent Annie & Ancil done their better to make sure that we had everything we needed. I had friend but sometime they were up to no good. But when I met my wife for the first time there was something different about her. She had Jesus in her life something I really didn't know about. But the more time I spend with her the more I wanted what she had. Joy, peace, happiness. then that special day on 11/21/01 when I accepted Jesus Christ and the rest is history. My life was changed forever I never know life can be so wonderful with Jesus in it.

Finding Something You Don

Should You Cancel Your Home Building Insurance?

Only if you are going to take out alternative cover!

It is very risky not having home building insurance. There are two main reasons. Firstly, if you have a mortgage you have to have it. Secondly, you will have to be pretty well off to be able to re-build the house in the event of a catastrophe. Don't forget, nobody thinks it will happen to them.

What does buildings insurance cover?

So, what do you get for your hard earned cash? Hopefully, just piece of mind, and it is money down the drain. Most people aren't sure what is covered by home buildings insurance and what is covered by home contents insurance. Here is a summary but remember, it varies with different insurers and it is wise to check with the insurer or better still use a broker who knows what he is talking about.

Home buildings insurance covers the main structure of your home, the garage, and outbuildings, (although sometimes only if they are listed in the deeds), for the cost of rebuilding. Usually so is everything else; walls, paths, drives, patios, terraces, fences, hedges, and gates - even tennis courts, swimming pools and ornamental ponds, but watch out for exclusions as they can be difficult to spot in the small print. Many people now have solar panels and wind turbines, they're usually covered too, as are your fixtures and fittings. Inside the house a good rule of thumb is: If you turn the house upside down and it stays put, it's covered under the home buildings insurance.

Other things to look out for:

Some providers need a re-build cost of the property, others use a notional cost of say between 300,000 - 500,000, which is usually adequate, and others use an unlimited amount. Don't be fooled into thinking unlimited is best, that doesn't mean they will give you a blank cheque!

  • Some charge extra for monthly Direct Debit others don't.
  • You often will get up to 20,000 for alternative accommodation.
  • You would usually get cover for fire, storm and flood damage.
  • Cover for subsidence or heave of the land your property stands on. (Normally there is a 1,000 excess for this).
  • You get a no claims discount, if you don't claim. Always think carefully before making a small claim, after the excess and increased premiums the following year may cancel it out or even make you worse off.
  • You can often get an additional discount on buildings and contents insurance if you buy them together.
  • It also covers any permanent fixtures in your home like built-in wardrobes, kitchen surfaces, taps, basins, baths and showers.
  • If your house was built before 1800, is not of "Standard construction" (i.e. brick walls and a tiled roof) or is listed then you will need special advice and insurers as normal insurers won't touch them.

What causes the damage? You are usually covered for the following conditions:
  • Fire, smoke, explosion, lightning or earthquake.
  • Riots, civil commotion, labour and political disturbances or strikes.
  • Malicious damage or vandalism.
  • Storm or flood (If you have claimed for flood damage, don't cancel, you may find it difficult to get covered again).
  • Impact or collision.
  • Escape of water or oil.
  • Theft or attempted theft

If the property is going to be unoccupied for more than 30 days then check with your insurer as it increases their risk. Wet or Dry rot is not covered. Pollution from outside sources is unlikely to be covered. If you are doing structural work to your property then check the builder has insurance, your home building insurance will not cover you if the house collapses!

Colin Warburton is a qualified UK Mortgage and Home buildings insurance Broker and a Network Marketer. If you are looking for a Residual Income, Colin can show you how to get prospects to come to you. You haven't got the time to waste dealing with people who aren't interested in whatever you have to offer.

Ceiling Water Damage

Sunday, July 19, 2009

Do it Yourself Home Security Systems Comparisons - Research the Products and Options

The modern world for all its fascinating advances still can be less than safe. There are lots of dangers out there that may present themselves to our lives at some time. This is why many people install a security system for their homes and their possessions. There are many different systems available to consumers today, so it is important that you learn how to do 'do it yourself home security systems comparisons'. Renters as well as homeowners can benefit from the safety offered.

It's obvious to anyone who looks that home security systems vary widely. For example, do it yourself home security systems comparisons might search for the best wireless home security systems or a wired alternative. It's always best to make sure you know what's available before looking for the best of those systems. You can do so by conducting your own research.

Lots of firms provide installation at no extra charge on a high proportion of their security systems. One can economize by buying diy wireless home security systems too. They are not as expensive as the ones from services which include installation with no fee added. This is their best feature of all. They may come with cameras, alarms, motion sensors, and fire detectors. Some of them can be turned on and off by remote control or telephone. In addition, there are models which automatically notify the homeowner if something bad happens.

Do it yourself home security systems comparisons are available online. The topic is addressed on various websites through reviews and articles. It is helpful to read what others have to say so that you can learn from their experiences and hardships. Learning by following the advice of others is crucial to your success in any area of interest.

You are not able to put a price on the safety of you and your family. That is why home security systems are so important to you and your loved ones. Purchasing a security system is like purchasing peace of mind. Such peace of mind will allow you to worry less about someone breaking into your home or perhaps harming your family!

Plenty of reliable security systems are out there, you'll find - the most important thing is to find one that meets the needs of your unique situation. For example, if you have the ability to complete the installation yourself, then your needs will be different from someone who is searching to hire an installation or monitoring company. In either case, plenty of worry can be averted through do it yourself home security systems comparisons.

Nowadays, shoppers can choose from all sorts of security systems, so you should learn how to perform do it yourself home security systems comparisons and contrasts. Even rental tenants derive advantages from the extra safety these systems provide. As you research the various models, be sure to check out the outstanding wired ones as well as the best wireless home security systems while you're at it. You can also save some money by purchasing a system known as diy wireless home security systems. You will see that these systems really cost less than those from companies that offer free installation.

Architects And Home Design

Psychics and Psychic Readings - The Higher Level

When people research or debate also talk about psychic clairvoyants or precognitions, and try to expand their knowledge about this phenomenon, and when people try to find facts about this subject using known theories, this in itself becomes a conflicting challenge about their personal theories, and not many people would like the fact that their theories are challenged.

There are many people who experience events and somehow feel that it is more than coincidence, through out our life of human history. Psychic intuition skills have helped us whether we were aware or not. To glimpse in to the future sounds out of this world, but as we know, we live in a very complex world indeed. And the advancements of modern science answer many unknown facts about our existence. Example being; we now know that our beautiful planet is round instead of flat. Yet also, ancient cultures without such scientific advancement have astounded us with their marvelous creations such as the Pyramids of Giza. They have placed high regard, rather evolved around the concept of spirituality for their spiritual masters. We can all agree we are far from really understanding our true nature.

Also we must place high respect for science and their findings as well, especially the science of consciousness. Many research and energy is being put towards subjects of psychics clairvoyants extra sensory perception telepathy just a name a few. As you maybe aware that psychic readings give insights to events and situations. Psychic readings and psychics ability to accurately advice people, on matters that concern them has forever been within our human history. Also we all have seen movies where in past history, when people who practiced or explored different beliefs or concepts have been tied to a tree and prosecuted. Thank goodness that is in our unintelligent past, as freedom of speech and choice of belief, is the most important factor, rather a sacred treasure, we must all uphold.

Psychic intuition is built in us to protect us from danger, guide us to our true nature (spiritual) just like a little new born turtle hatched and knows to swim straight to the ocean. We too are drawn to spirituality, almost all the people around this complex planet believe in spirituality. And almost all the cultures have a psychic to consult when faced with spiritually unfamiliar waters. The ocean of emotions in every heart thirsts for spiritual reason, guidance and spiritual answers. And only the calm waters will reflect the stars. When we expand our beings then calmness can become part of our hearts ocean.

It is possible to glimpse also anticipate near future events, this requires an art, art of seeing; whether one likes to label such visions as predictions or perception. To have a real psychic ability, one must attend life from a view point of purity of heart, and when a spiritual psychic advances in wisdom through proper guidance and learning for many many years, will develop an intuitive psychic ability. Every human is equipped with this psychic ability; it's just only select few choose to explore the boundaries. And just like any chosen subject, the more we attend the more we learn of it. Also when we debate a subject of reality, then this becomes a personal matter. As what is real for some might not be real for others. Yet if we were to draw a straight line _______ and we both at the same time see this line. We will both see and agree that it is a straight line. The truth cannot be bent. And the truth of the matter is, within the garden of every spiritual heart, there is a rose that is blossoming silently, which is called YOU.

Tolga Savas
International psychic clairvoyant answering all your metaphysical questions, and offers real psychic readings, dream analysis, psychic chat online, Kumalak the Mirror of Destiny, See the Future that is Now

You Have To Start Somewhere

Home Repair Costs - Home Tips

Home repair costs can be quite expensive, that is why it is important to see how you can reduce those costs. You certainly don't want to have to spend money that you don't have, so it will be worth your while to look into what ways you can repair your home without paying an unnecessary price.

Below are ways you can do just that:

1. If some kind of accident occurred on the property that caused the damage, check with your insurance company to see if your home insurance will cover it. If so, that is money that you do not have to spend out of your pocket.

2. Schedule a home inspector to come to your home so that you can have all of the damage assessed. This allows you to see what needs immediate fixing and what doesn't. It also helps you pinpoint areas that could easily become damaged again after making the repairs.

3. Sometimes home repair costs can be reduced by doing things such as painting, cleaning, and waxing. An entire wall may not need replaced. It just might need some cosmetic help.

4. Compare prices at the various home improvement stores. You can reduce home repair costs if you look for the same quality materials at lower prices. Every little bit helps.

5. If you must use a home improvement firm, compare rates. Don't simply go with a company because they claim to be the best. Ask questions.

6. If you don't know how to repair common issues yourself, purchase a manual that can teach you to do so. You can reduce home repair costs by not having to hire a professional.

7. If you must get a loan to cover your home repair, be sure to shop around for the best interest rate.

8. You can also reduce your costs by simply using preventable maintenance. Tackle the problem before it exists.

9. If you use a professional service, be sure they provide you with a signed estimate before they touch anything within your home. That way, you can either negotiate with them or find a cheaper service.

10. If you can establish a relationship with a good home repair service, then you can reduce your home repair costs dramatically over time.

These are simply ten tips that you can use to make sure you don't pay more for home repair costs than what you have to. No one should have to lose money that they don't need to, so use caution and be patient. That way, your home repair costs don't get the best of you.

Ian Pennington is an accomplished niche website developer and author.

To learn more about home repair costs, please visit Quality Home Repair for current articles and discussions.

Electric Dryer Gas Conversion Ki

Saturday, July 18, 2009

Spirituality - 3 Questions to Develop Your Personal Spiritual Relationship With Your Higher Power

Women often find themselves searching for deeper meaning in life.

We all know a woman who seems to be at complete peace with her divine relationship. She is serene, has confidence and her life works.

  • Maybe she grew up in a spiritually rich environment and has always felt guided and protected by her Higher Power.
  • Maybe she grew up without a spiritual foundation at all and has developed her Divine Relationship on her own.
  • Maybe she had to reinvent her relationship with her Creator for various reasons.

Whatever her path, a woman in an intimate relationship with her Higher Power is a beautiful being indeed.

So, what about you?

You intuitively know that you are intricately connected to something greater than yourself but if you don't have an established spiritual belief in place, where do you start?

Start here.

Ask yourself these 3 Important Questions designed to help you develop your own deeply personal and satisfying relationship with a Divine Power, however you choose to understand that Power.

#1 What is your current understanding of a Higher Power?

  • You may or may not have had any religious or spiritual instruction growing up. Some of what you did receive may no longer fit what you truly believe. Maybe you have gleaned bits and pieces from various sources and haven't taken the opportunity to put it all together. It doesn't matter really, you are who you are, and you are enough.

#2 How would you like to feel about your relationship with your Higher Power?

  • This may seem like an unusual question. By answering it you will understand what you need from your Divine Relationship. Everyone will want something different.

#3 What questions would you like to find your answers to?

  • You undoubtedly have some questions about spirituality. Gather them up and go looking for answers that feel right.

In the end, all paths lead to the same place.

There are no right or wrong answers. There are so many aspects of spirituality in the world. With a bit of insight you will find the path that feels right for you. You will know when it is a good fit. It will feel like you have "come home".

Caution: Some of us have been wounded spiritually at some point in our lives. If this applies to you, please give yourself the gift of finding a support system. This journey is supposed to feel good, you are supposed to feel connected and loved. Anything less than that is unacceptable. Ask someone for help.

Wishing you Peace & Abundance... Joyce Lee "Your Life Empowerment Coach"

2008 joyceleelifecoach.com

Are you ready for more opportunities to explore and reflect? Go to http://joyceleelifecoach.com/prompts.html for your special gift of "20 Profound and Provocative Journal Prompts" designed to help you focus on your life with a spirit of peace.

Joyce Lee is a certified Life Empowerment Coach, Personal Growth Facilitator and Law of Attraction Practitioner, specializes in helping women understand the Law of Attraction and deliberately creating the life they really want.

Spending 15 Minutes Each Day

Wise Buys For American Garage Door Consumers

Saving for the rainy days is one of the best values a homeowner should bear in mind. Especially in this time of crisis, consumer responsibility is vital. In purchasing an American garage door, consumers should not only consider affordability but quality as well. Even if garage door openers don't come cheap these days, buyers should not worry so much. There are many door manufacturers that offer discounted prices and promotional packages for their patrons.

Wise buys for American garage door consumers include those door openers bought from manufacturers that attach coupons for freebies or discounts up to 50% or even greater. There are also free home service and maintenance repairs for a year or longer, depending upon the manufacturers. For homeowners that purchase through credit cards, manufacturers and credit card companies offer sign-up bonuses and 0% promos on credit card transfer balance.

Consumers need not fret on getting a good quality American garage door opener in their homes. In fact, the more expensive it is, the more safety and security it brings. These door openers should be bought or custom-made at manufacturer companies already known for fine quality and services in producing garage doors. Remember that one of the reasons why a home can look outstandingly beautiful is its garage and having garage door openers that is all that splendid and affordable is definitely a wise investment.

During this time when the U.S. economy is very unstable, buying new American garage door openers is a wise investment. Aside from increasing your real estate's worth, it reduces the risk of damage.

Knowing what to look for in an American garage door is not enough. Find out WHERE and HOW you can grab the top deals on the best garage door online!

Resolving Home Remodeling Anxiet

Does God Not Like Corner Backs?

I am a person that has been on a journey. Over that last few years I have really searched for a spiritual centeredness in my life. I grew up in a very religious family. Religion tore our family apart because certain philosophies could not exist. Everyone felt they had the true way to heaven. Now mind you all of them considered themselves Christian, but with their own brand of Christianity.

My family for me is a microcosm of the world. Everyone is not Christian but each religion feels as though THEY have the way to heaven. As a matter of fact if you do not believe as THEY do then you and others that think like you deserve to die! I never could understand the thought process that another creation of the God you worship should not live because you disagree on some miniscule point. For me it is difficult to understand how a creator of all things can choose one group or one person over another.

One day I was watching a football game. My team did win the game on this particular day. One of the receivers was very emotional during the game after he caught a touch down pass. He sat on the sideline actually crying! After the game a reporter asked the receiver what was going through his mind at that time. The receiver stated that he had spoken with his pastor at church the day before or sometime during the week. He said the pastor told him that God would allow him to do something great in the game to glorify him. Because the touch down was a turning point in the game the receiver surmised that this was the great thing that God had allowed him to do. God was on his side that day according to the receiver. A thought came over my mind at that moment. What did the corner back (this is person that plays a position on defense in American football) do to fall out of favor with God? Did God not like the corner back so he allowed him to get embarrassed on national TV?

I make lite of the situation with the cornerback, but it puts religion in a perspective that we should start to think about someday and I hope soon. Many people think of God as someone watching over all facets of our existence. I know some days he must get tired and just rest. He takes his eyes off the window to the world for brief times. I know this is true because I was going to the barber last week and prayed for a good hair cut. The barber messed up!

I figured I got in the same dog house as the cornerback or else he would not have gotten beat for a touch down and my barber would have had a steady hand. Or maybe he was busy with the guys involved in the war that had the guns praying that they be the ones to live and the other guy die? Have you ever thought how a God would choose which one of his creations would live when they were in conflict? People often speak of God as being the father. If that is so then how does a father choose one child over another? If you are a parent, what could your child do that you would never forgive them for and send their souls to burn in hell for eternity?

I don't think any religion has it right. When there is any thought that God will favor one over another for any reason it is wrong. When we start to question why a God does not work favorably for everyone then maybe we can move away from the thought process of God punishing one person over another. That cornerback has to know that he was not out of favor with God and that is the reason he was embarrassed by that receiver. I have come to believe that God is not a being in any sense of the word. However, there is a source that is greater than us, a source that we are all connected with. This source does not favor anyone anymore than the next person. One day I hope that religion will come to grips with its contradictions and let that lowly corner back know that him being out of favor was not the reason he was beaten on national TV. In our connection with universal consciousness, we all are as great as we choose to be.

Hi my name is Reginald Martin and my perspective is one of a holistic approach with the knowledge of how the universe weaves its interconnected tapestry and affects our lives. I am just like many of you. I have been through many of life's major ups and downs, like the birth of my children, raising a family, a divorce, Amway (any former distributors out there?) starting out dating again after years of marriage and being laid off from a job. These ups and downs can either make you or break you! My friend they made me. Although when my Amway business went under that was close to the straw that broke the camels back for me. J Just kidding. I developed a consciousness about life through the school of hard knocks that I would like to share with you. I look back on many of those events now and can laugh a little. I have been where many of you are about to go. There is a saying that I like, "you can learn from your experiences or from the experiences of others. The former will take you a lot longer to get the lesson but you will eventually learn it." I have mucho experience! My expertise is the areas of man, husband, father, brother, uncle, boss, friend and neighbor. I enjoy sports, reading, blogging and manly things like crotch scratching, yawning and stretching in the morning. Unless you have not lived you know that anything going haywire in those areas can cause you to have mental breakdown followed by a spiritual awakening, or not! And oh yeah, I kinda look at life in an irreverent quirky kind of way. I swear this is like writing an online dating profile!

Helpful Habit Planning Tips

Building Stairs With Recycled Concrete

What a great idea using your old side walk or driveway to build a nice stairway for your front or back yard. Using the old concrete instead of sending it to the landfill. Wow talk about earth friendly. Who would have thought that using recycled concrete would create a beautiful center piece in your landscaping plans.

That's enough about that lets get to the nuts and bolts of building the stairs. I came across the idea by visiting one of our favorite breakfast stops in Fallbrook. I had been walking down these stairs for quite a while when it dawned on me that the stairs where kind of jagged. When I took a closer look I couldn't figure it out, What kind of building materials did they use.

Then I realized it was recycled concrete in other words someone's old side walk. They even used the old concrete to make some nice planter boxes and retaining walls. The whole area really looks nice. The landscaping created natural look with a old world look to it.

How do I build the stairs using recycled concrete? Simply put first thing you need to do is get some recycled concrete. If you are going to be tearing up a old sidewalk, driveway or patio then you won't have to look far.

If not you can contact some local general or demolition contractors. They would love to have someone haul away their concrete. The reason for this is they have to pay around five hundred dollars for every ten tons hauled away from the jobs they are working on.

The more recycled concrete you need the easier it will be to get it. If you need a lot you will be able to contact a concrete recycling plant and get the phone number to a local contractor that hauls broken up concrete to their plants. These people can drop off a large load if you have a large area to drop it.

Remember that most contractors don't want to be bothered because they are busy working or planning on working. The easier you can make it on the contractor the more likely you will get what you want from them. They usually aren't interested in doing extra work just to make you happy. You can get a lot by being courteous from most people.

Now that you have the concrete you can start building. The concrete will be stacked on top of the other concrete to form the steps. Depending on how long of a stairway you are building you will have to level the dirt and stack the recycled concrete to make the stairs.

Greg Vanden Berge is working on the internet to promote the education for creating simple to follow guides and home building books to help professional building contractors as well as the weekend warriors. He is currently working on more building stairs books and adding useful content to help solve problems created by the lack of construction knowledge in the building industry.

Visit us now for more great Home Remodeling Tips

Plaster And Drywall Cracks

Friday, July 17, 2009

Ezekiel Prophecy - Bridge Uniting House of Judah and House of Joseph

The following is a bridge from the Native American spiritual path, the Red Road, as taught by Cherokee elder John Red Hat Duke, to Torah, the holy scriptures of our ancestors in Jerusalem, on which Judah (Jews) and Joseph (Hopi and those tribes associated with them) may unite with HaShem's blessing.

Note: The union of the House of Judah and the House of Joseph is the same event as the completion of the Hopi migration back to Jerusalem, as revealed to Dorothy by Creator. Ezekiel 37

Step 1: Observe nature with awe and gratitude. A sense of love and respect for all creation will begin to grow within me.

Creation. Our universe. The cycles of life and death. A vast composite of exquisite harmony; a truly beautiful harmonic symphony of melodious verse with each vibratory element sustaining one another, loving one another. This is truly a miracle of melodies played out in the grand scheme of creation.

HaShem's plan for humanity is wondrous and exciting! As the salmon swim upstream every year to spawn, they are led by HaShem's awesome spirit. In the wondrous scheme of HaShem's creation, all of creation follows an internal instinct, and so Jacob's children yearn to go home. HaShem has provided an inheritance for them in Judea-Samaria so His plan of creation may be fulfilled.

Step 2: Learn to trust Creator and accept my circumstances. Overcoming adversity will produce spiritual growth within me as I walk the Red Road.

Today we face great adversities, probably greater than any of us have ever seen in our lifetimes. It is also a wonderful time of great opportunity for spiritual growth. We have the potential of rising to great spiritual heights; even to the place of forgiveness, love and tolerance where we will be prepared for the coming of Messiah.

Moses' life was filled with circumstances that tested his faith in HaShem, G-d. He was instructed by Creator to go to Pharaoh and lead the Israelites out of Egypt. Moses had to trust HaShem or he would have given up on his mission before he ever began it because in his mind the work was impossible. Yet, if he had given up and not trusted HaShem, the Israelites could still be living as slaves under the Egyptians, but HaShem's plan was fulfilled. The Israelites were protected and sustained. Creator led them through the wilderness to the land of milk and honey. Through all the adversity of wandering in the wilderness, Moses had to convince the people of Israel to accept their circumstances and trust HaShem and He would lead them home.

We have a tendency to quickly enter the land of 'fire and ice," where our emotions fluctuate to extreme anger (fire) and to coldness and judgment (ice.) Now we must learn to enter the land of 'milk and honey,' where we will nourish, i.e. provide milk for all the children of Jacob with an attitude of sweet forgiveness, i.e. with the sweetness of honey. May we move beyond the place of being extremely difficult to appease to a place where we will bring joy to Jacob and all of our ancestors who wait with hopeful hearts that we will enter the land of milk and honey.

Step 3: Seek for truth within myself, that I may remove hypocrisy and evil intent from within my heart.

Creator is the third partner in procreation. It is He who gives life. It is interesting to note that procreation is the first mitzvah mentioned in the Torah, which gives it primary importance.

Children are the greatest blessing we can have in this life, and Jacob's children were no exception. They were his greatest joy, and it is said that Joseph was his favorite.

This apparently caused jealousy in the hearts of his brothers, except for Benjamin. So they contrived evil action against Joseph to get rid of him. They contemplated killing him, but ended up throwing him down a well from which he was sold into slavery in Egypt.

Joseph's brothers, including Judah, then went home and practiced possibly the greatest hypocrisy and deception of their lives. They pretended to be grief stricken, and convinced their father, Jacob, that Joseph had been mauled to death by wild animals.

However, HaShem was with Joseph, and turned the evil action of his brothers into a positive guidance and blessing for Joseph and for all of Israel.

There is a way to remove jealousy and evil intent from our hearts and return to live in the abundant blessings and unconditional love of HaShem. HaShem commanded the Israelites that He is Yahweh their God who brought them out of Egypt where they lived as slaves. They shall have no other gods to rival Him.

As we serve others with loving-kindness, we serve HaShem. As we allow His Living Waters to flow through our hearts and bring joy to others, the flowing water also purifies our own hearts through love, and this prepares our hearts to be ready for the coming of Messiah. The reason the union has not occurred between Judah and Joseph prior to now is because the people have not been ready! There has been no water in the well!

Is there any other way for all the children of Israel to regain wonderful blessed companionship with Creator except to accept each other with unconditional love and return to being the unified family of Jacob? Let's bring Joseph back home to his father and receive HaShem's blessing.

Step 4: Repent and humbly surrender my will to Creator, that I may become one with Great Spirit.

The joy of walking in harmony with Creator cannot be surpassed by any worldly activity. It produces a profound sense of peace and completeness; it answers the question, "Who am I?"

The House of Israel sinned against HaShem. We chose to live wickedly and rebel against Him. Before we can walk in harmony with Him again, we must see our own wickedness as repulsive and turn away from it in humility and repentance. We must ask HaShem's forgiveness.

We must surrender our arrogant self-will to Creator's will. For instance, He told us to remember the Sabbath day and keep it holy, and He declared the seventh day as the Sabbath.

Some of us feel it does not matter which day we choose to call the Sabbath, but that is not humble surrender to the will of HaShem; it is arrogant self-will! The Sabbath given to man was a blessing from HaShem, and a blessing once given cannot be changed! If we desire to walk in companionship with Him and receive of His blessing, we must repent and humbly surrender to His will.

When we have turned away from our wicked ways, and received Creator's forgiveness, then we will be ready to accept our inheritance in Judea-Samaria. Currently, Judah is in control of this area. Although HaShem has promised to join together Judah and Joseph as one stick, it will only be accomplished when the people are ready. Judah must be ready as well as the Ten Northern Tribes; the House of Joseph.

It is not enough to walk in the ways of the Noachide Laws, or to adhere to the 613 laws of the Torah. This is like singing in low bass; a very low vibration. We must sing in high tenor or soprano at a much higher vibration. We must walk the higher spiritual path of purity and unconditional love; the spiritual path of the Keetoowah, the Red Road, in the truth of the Torah. This can only be accomplished by learning to walk in the way Creator commanded when He told us to not bear any grudge against the children of His people, but to love our neighbor as ourselves. (Leviticus 19:18)

All children of Jacob, Israel, must accept one another in the way HaShem commanded before we will be ready to fulfill the prophecy in Ezekiel 37:19. May we be quick to forgive perceived wrongs, and not relish being cruel and difficult to appease. May Israel again see all his children united as one family.

Step 5: Communicate with Great Spirit from my heart; listen, and live the insight I receive.

Israel is to listen! Yahweh our G-d is one G-d, and we must love Him with all our heart, soul, and strength. (Deuteronomy 6:4-5)

Have we lost the unity between our body, mind and spirit? Is our worship of HaShem lip service only? We can try to convince others that we walk with HaShem by speaking about holy things. However, our actions speak much louder than our words, and our actions betray what is in our hearts, and what is in our hearts is who we really are.

Some Israelites were thorns in the side of Moses. They tried to convince the people that they should return to Egypt to the good life. These are the dark forces that are with us still.

Today, Joseph wants to return home and claim his inheritance, but there are those who would deny him that which HaShem has provided, saying Joseph's children are an abomination in the sight of Creator and would only destroy eretz Israel if they were allowed to return.

Judah is refusing to invite Joseph back home, and in some ways he has good reason. The Ten Northern Tribes of Israel have not been living as a light reflecting the wonderful love of HaShem. They have assimilated into the many Nations of the world and many of them are living in idolatry today.

But what has Judah done to draw them back into the love of HaShem? Where is the light that would light the pathway for the rest of Jacob's children to find their way back into the joyous place of living in harmony with Creator? Judah, herself, does not appear to carry this light!

We must rise above the material world of law, only, into the spiritual world of HaShem. It is here that love resides; that HaShem resides. It is here that Light exists. It is here that our thoughts exist and we make our choices.

Creator has given us instruction; we are to have a heart full of unconditional love. If we refuse to accept our brothers and sisters of the House of Israel with unconditional love and forgiveness, and with a helpful spirit to help each other prepare to stand before HaShem in purity and truth, then we are a hypocritical people; we worship HaShem with our lips only! We must live His commands if we are to truly be His people! We must love our people as ourselves; all the children of Jacob!

Step 6: Learn true abstinence. It is in serving others, with an attitude of loving-kindness that I create a flow of Living Waters which will purify my heart.

Joseph served his Egyptian master well. Even when he was falsely accused and imprisoned, he retained his attitude of servitude and loving-kindness by interpreting the dreams of the chief cup-bearer and the chief baker. When the pharaoh had two dreams and could find no one to interpret them, the chief cup-bearer remembered Joseph and told the Pharaoh how he had interpreted his and the chief baker's dreams accurately.

So the Pharaoh called Joseph to him and asked him to interpret his dreams. He did so, and then suggested how the Pharaoh should govern in the approaching times of plenty and famine.

Pharaoh approved of his suggestions and the interpretation of his dreams, and therefore promoted Joseph to chancellor. Only his own throne was above Joseph.

Joseph was blessed by HaShem, and because Pharaoh accepted Joseph into his household, he prospered.

Joseph knew and acknowledged that it was HaShem who interpreted the dreams. He also knew that when he served others, he served Creator.

When Joseph's brothers came to him during the famine and asked for food, Joseph lovingly fed them and provided additional food for them and their families. It was this service with loving-kindness that created tremendous joy in Joseph's heart; the joy of serving HaShem.

Jacob's family was reunited, and the flow of love, the flow of Living Waters, moved them all to tears. This is why water is used as the symbol for the cleansing of the soul. Flowing water purifies, and love flowing from HaShem through compassionate servants like Joseph purify their hearts with the flow of living waters.

This same joy will be experienced again when Joseph's brothers serve HaShem by welcoming Joseph's children and the other members of the House of Israel home. It is then that HaShem will establish a new covenant with the House of Judah and the House of Israel. It will be a covenant written in the heart, a covenant of unconditional love without judgment. It will be a time of great joy and abundant blessing as we experience the wonderful love and compassion of HaShem.

Step 7: Attain complete, joyous harmony with Great Spirit; walk the Red Road. This requires that I totally surrender my will to the will of Creator, and love others unconditionally without judgment because that is who I am.

IAM is calling. Have we forgotten how to listen to His voice? Have Judah and the House of Israel become deaf to the voice of HaShem and turned to self-worship in the ways of the world?

We must return to the ways of the traditional ancestors if we would be ready to welcome Messiah (Masaau). We must return to the ways of Abraham, and the ways HaShem taught Moses when he called His children out of Egypt; out of bondage into a land of milk and honey.

We are invited to enter the land of milk and honey and we can do this by inviting our children home with a sweet, forgiving spirit.

It is time to do more than talk about HaShem and about holy things. It is time to BE that which we were created to be. It is time to become one with the wonderful, awesome IAM; to walk in companionship with Him as Adam and Eve did in the Garden of Eden.

Joseph was a wonderful example, and we can do this as he did. With a forgiving spirit, he fed his brothers when they came to ask for food from him in Egypt during the famine.

Joseph depicted a man totally surrendered to the will of HaShem, else he would have judged his brothers guilty and unconditional love and forgiveness would not have been possible.

Joseph walked the Red Road by fulfilling HaShem's Law of Love, and now Joseph's children are asking his brothers to complete HaShem's plan of Creation by walking in companionship with them along the Red Road and inviting them to come home. Will HaShem hold Judah guiltless if they do any less?

For more information about gaining eternal life in the presence of Creator, and about the return of the long awaited Hopi Pahana, read the books Red Hat Speaks, and Red Hat's Wisdom, by Dorothy K. Daigle. These books can be ordered from any bookstore or online from http://www.iuniverse.com or Amazon.com

Dorothy was taught by Cherokee elder and wisdom keeper, John Red Hat Duke, for over ten years in the Keetoowah Cherokee spiritual ways, in Eastern philosophy, and in Judaism. She was raised Christian so she has a good working knowledge of Christianity. She now follows no religion but strives to walk the Red Road spiritual path according to Jesus' teachings.

She received her call from Creator in the fall of '92, and was then taught by the great prophet Elijah for four years. She was given four assurances by Creator when He called her. She was told that she was anointed by the Holy One of Israel, that she would be protected until this work was done, that Creator would go before her whenever He sent her somewhere, and that she did not have to prove herself to anyone. She is one of Creator's prophesied Two Witnesses. She carries wisdom of many years of living under Creator's guidance and direction.

Starting With Simple Things

Asphalt Shingle Roofing - Poway Home Remodeling

Is it any wonder why almost 80% of homes in North America use asphalt shingles as the roofing material of choice. The prevalence of asphalt shingles has created a vast assortment of fittings and fixtures designed to work with them. Items such as a multitude of flashing configurations, edge products, and almost every skylight manufactured has an appropriate base configuration for a weatherproof connection with asphalt shingles. All of the material that you need for a proper installation, such as the shingles, tarpaper, nails, vent boots and chimney flashing are available at any home improvement retailer.

The primary attributes of asphalt tiles are:

  • reasonably priced (economical),
  • require very little maintenance,
  • versatile,
  • provide excellent protection on steep sloped roofs,
  • are weather and sunlight resistant,
  • easy to cut,
  • can be nailed by hand or with powered nailers.

There are two different types of asphalt shingle base material construction - composition and fiberglass. Composition shingles use a base material termed organic felt, which is a blend of paper and wood fibers. Fiberglass, on the other hand, uses a base that is comprised of a fiberglass mat. In both cases, once the base material is produced it is soaked in an asphalt compound. In numbers sold, fiberglass leads the market. They are less expensive, weigh less because they are thinner, have a longer wear life and have a better fire rating than the composition base shingles.

Average cost of a shingle roof is $50 to $150 per square, installed. Removal of old shingles will cost between $30 and $50 per square.

Both types of asphalt shingles are manufactured with embedded mineral granules. Seeing the granules in your eaves trough (after the initial installation) is a sure sign that you need to repair or replace the shingles.

Where just a few years ago asphalt shingles were only available in simple tab configurations in blacks, grays and browns, the manufacturers have expanded their product lines to include a vast array of colors, profiles and with the use of laminate coatings have created as assortment of eye pleasing textures. Special chemicals are also being blended into the shingles to make them mold and algae resistant. Although these additional features do increase the price per square, asphalt shingles are still the most economical roofing material available.

Drawbacks:

The serviceable life of asphalt shingles is the lowest of all the roofing materials. Although they are available in numerous grades designated by the expected life, from 15 to 50 years they often need repair or replacement long before their supposed life has expired. The hotter the climate, the shorter the life of asphalt shingles. Many of the asphalt shingle problems that are encountered by homeowners are a direct result of two factors:

  • poor initial installation
  • damage due to sever weather

Poor installation usually occurs in the area of deck preparation, and not providing adequate flashing around items that are protruding through the roof such as vent pipes and chimneys. Other poor installation methods are not using the required amount of nails per shingle and nailing in the wrong area of the shingle. There are many fly-by-night roofing companies that will quote low prices, because they won't be around to stand behind the workmanship. Choose a roofing contractor carefully.

Roof Repairs:

You should inspect your shingled roof and all the flashing at least once a year and after any major storm such as a hurricane. Hurricane winds will remove entire shingles and lift others. Sun and rain can cause asphalt shingles to crack. You should also go into the attic and look up, any sign of daylight means that there is a hole. When inspecting the roof look for shingles that have lost the granule minerals - bald spots, cracked and/or curled.

If you have to make a roof repair, choose a warm day so that the shingles will be flexible and unlikely to crack when lifted. The roofing cements also spread easier in warmer temperatures.

You will know when you have a roofing problem when you see beige spots appearing on ceilings and walls close to the ceiling. Beige spots are a sign of water damage.

Maintenance:

Roofing cement is the equivalent of duct tape for roofs. It will repair most leaks, cracked or torn shingles, patch flashing around vent pipes and chimneys. You can also use the roofing cement to cover nail heads that have been exposed.

Shingles fade with age so any replacement shingles used will most likely be visually obvious. Shingle over damaged ridge shingles, by nailing down all the corners of the old shingle first - do not remove them.

If you have to replace an entire shingle, lift each of the tabs and pry the nails out of the shingle of the one that needs to be replaced. Remove the top corners of the replacement shingle and very carefully, without damaging the tarpaper, slip it under the existing shingles.

Use roofing nails (large head, galvanized) to fix the new shingle to the roof decking. Use roofing cement to cover the nail heads.

Planning and knowledge are the keys to any successful home improvement, remodel or landscaping project!

For additional information on roofing materials for your home or other renovation projects, including landscaping, visit Renovation Headquarters

Wood Flooring Problems In Bath

Thursday, July 16, 2009

Acoustic Ceiling Removal - Home Repair Tips

Acoustic ceiling removal is known by another term which is popcorn ceiling removal. It is necessary for your home to undergo acoustic ceiling removal at times, because you may want to update the style of your home and increase equity if you are able to get rid of the old popcorn ceilings and retexture your ceilings. It also becomes necessary for your home to undergo acoustic ceiling removal because the surface of your popcorn ceiling can attract dust particles. These dust particles will then accumulate so that the health of people breathing your indoor air will be imperiled (particularly if the room occupants are asthmatic or allergic to dust.)

So out with the old , in with the new. But do it right when trying to remodel your home, start with the roof, and proceed to the ceiling before trying to upgrade other parts that are lower down or nearer eye-level. The process of acoustic ceiling removal is called ceiling scraping.

Before the contractor proceeds to tell you how we scrape your ceilings, it is necessary to have him explain first how we protect your personal belongings and furniture. This is because there is a right process and a wrong process in trying to undertake ceiling scraping. And the right process means all the personal belongings and furniture of the homeowner has to be removed from the affected room first before ceiling scraping can proceed.

There are also two products that the contractor has to have to conduct ceiling scraping properly a ceiling texture scraper, and a popcorn ceiling texture removal solution. In addition, you should inform the contractor if your acoustic ceiling was installed before 1979 because popcorn ceilings dating back to those years may have asbestos in them.

When that concern has been gotten out of the way, the ceiling scraping team can proceed to seal off the affected room with plastic sheeting stretching from the crown molding and extending to the floors. It is necessary to provide ventilation to the team with a window fan at the window.

A drop cloth featuring waterproof backing must be laid out over the floor. The team will then start spraying the acoustic ceiling surface with a standard garden sprayer to allow the surface texture to soften and allow ceiling scraping to proceed at a much easier pace. Be careful that the ceiling does not get sprayed with too much water though. The top layer of water allows dust to be contained as well so that it doesnt get in the eyes, nostrils and other body parts of the ceiling scraping team.

The ceiling texture scraper will then be used to remove the wet surface of the acoustic ceiling. You may employ a putty knife instead for the ceiling corners, as well as the crown molding areas. As you can see, it is a relatively easy process though special care must be taken not to damage the underlying wallboards as the team proceeds in this home makeover project.

Extreme Makeover Pros is your affordable contractor serving Orange County, Ca. for nearly 25 years. Specializing in Home Improvement and Renovation. For more details visit http://www.extrememakeoverpros.com

Pocket Door Problems