Your Spiritual Journey is a Gift

5:53 PM Diposkan oleh Master Kecebong

It’s easy to think that we have to do something, or experience something, remarkable to have a reason to share the story of our lives. We have a way of believing that our ordinary lives are just that, ordinary. The value in reaching out is missed in our poor estimation of what we have to offer. We wait for something big to happen to us before we recognize the importance of our journey. We don’t acknowledge the special gift we have to share. It’s the gift of our ordinary lives shared with others.

I joined a codependency support group. The people in my group are extraordinary. They’re not, although, extraordinary by a worldly definition. None of the people at the table are famous, exceedingly rich or outrageously successful. They are ordinary people living ordinary lives. I learn from their lives. They live simply, and honorably, in the face of great adversity. In fact, adversity transforms them, making them gentler, kinder and more forgiving. I admire their stamina and their confidence in God’s plan for their lives. Their journeys encourage me.

For a while, I felt like I had no business taking a spot at the table. I expected to have very little to offer, or receive from, the people sitting around me. Then, it started to happen. As stories were shared I began to connect with people. Some days I discovered that we had the same feelings. Other days I found myself working through the same problem as someone to the left or the right of me. Our lives began to intersect. Common threads connected their journeys to mine. Their stories filled my world with hope. I began to expect that I would have something to receive.

Some days, when the meeting was over, people would thank me for having shared. My journey touched others and encouraged them. They found healing through my expression of the simple, ordinary experiences of my life. My stories filled their world with hope. I began to see that I not only had something to receive, I had something to offer.

I began to see that I desired to share my journey. I knew my story wasn’t earth shattering or surprisingly unique. I knew it was an ordinary story about an ordinary life. I knew it had the regular ups, downs and in-betweens much like the lives of others. Yet, with all its ordinariness, I began to desire that my journey could be a gift. I have since prayed that my journey will have common threads that connect the lives of others to mine. God willing, my journey will touch and encourage others. Maybe lives will intersect and healing will be found in the expression of the simple, ordinary experiences of my life? That would be a gift for others and for me too.

I’m sharing my spiritual journey because I believe it is a gift with value. I’m also taking in the spiritual journeys around me. The journeys of others are encouraging my own spiritual growth and spiritual healing at this very time. We, the storytellers, are giving each otherthe gift of our stories. We can change the world with each retelling, because each retelling is an opportunity to touch someone’s life. Some part of ourjourney, big or small, can speak to those given the opportunity to take it in.

Perhaps you have an ordinary life that’s a little like mine? Maybe we should both share our journeys? Together we could reach out to even more people who could reach out as well. Imagine all the people who would realize that they are not alone. Imagine all the people who could be touched, encouraged and healed through the simple truth that a shared journey is a gift with value.

I have begun sharing my journey with those who would like to receive it. I’ve given my journey to some friends, and I’ve also begun to make it available to strangers and casual friends. People are being touched. Strangers are hearing my story and finding that their life is not so different from mine. People I know just a little arereaching out because they’ve discovered, through my story, that they are not alone. I’m not doing anything special to make this all happen. In fact, I don’t really make it happen at all. I just tell my story and God does the rest. It’s absolutely amazing.

People are walking in your shoes and they don’t even know it. Tell them about your own journey, and they’ll know the truth that they are not alone. You don’t need to be someone extraordinary to give the gift of your story. In fact, the journeys that change lives are often the ones that say, “I’ve been where you are.” An ordinary life has incredible power in the simple truth that it is very ordinary. If you have an ordinary life, you’ve got something valuableto share.

Maybe you’re intimidated by the idea of sharing your journey? I’ll give you one piece of advice that helped me get over my own intimidation: trust God. He’s big enough to connect your life tothe lives of others. If you’re faithful to share your life, God is ready, and very able, to honor your desire to reach out to others. He’s in the business of touching lives. Let Him use your life to touch others. Tell your story.

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Do Acne Products Really Work?

12:48 PM Diposkan oleh Master Kecebong

Many people want to know if acne products really work? In the old days you could only get your non prescription acne products from the drug store but now in the information age there are so many different acne medications available from a great many sources. How many of us have been awake to see the late night infomercials on acne treatments that are supposed to have been developed by some brilliant doctor selling for $39.95 a bottle.



Then there are the numerous books as well as countless articles that boast that they have discovered the latest magical acne cure. And lets not forget that all natural acne cure recipe that can be provided for download for only $9.99. There are also those infamous best acne treatments list here or the we have the cure for acne there that get peoples attention because of the definite need.

Dont get me wrong. I am not at all a skeptic, I just know that what may be a cure for one persons acne may only be a treatment for someone elses. One person may be allergic to some home remedies for acne while others have responded well to laser treatment. Everyone needs to find a treatment that is best for them. The best treatment for some peoples acne is to use laser treatment. This is often expensive and not covered by insurance because it is considered cosmetic. I have met people that were happy with the results. They felt more confident and there the results were immediate where as using acne medications took time.

Many people opt for the expensive over the counter acne products and medication this way seems to work best for them and they are patient and when they see results they are happy and if not they are open to other forms of acne treatment. Watching those late night infomercials with the before and after photo shots and tearful testimonials is very convincing. I mean some of these products are reasonable while some are not but it is worth a try for people who have been plagued sometimes for years with this unsightly and uncomfortable skin condition.

Then there is good old fashion witch hazel and benzoyl peroxide that you can get over the counter in most drug stores to use for an acne treatment. People that suffer with mild cases of acne respond well with common natural acne treatments. Natural acne treatments are a favorite for some because they are less abrasive, contain less chemicals and rejuvenate the skin.

There is some acne treatment, medication, product, out on the market that has worked for someone at some time or another. All acne treatments work for all of the people some of the time and some of the people all of the time but never all of the people all of the time. So people need to research and try many availableacne products and acne treatments until they find one that works well for them.

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Terrorism and the Constitution

1:44 PM Diposkan oleh Master Kecebong

Immediately after the constitution became the supreme law its detractions warned that to much unstrained powers had been given to the central government.

Thomas Jefferson was among those who embraced the constitution but feared that without certain clauses the document did not protect individuals.

The result was a list of ten additional articles limiting the powers of the federal government.
The bill of rights established how things will work.

When members of the radical Islamist Cult Al Qaeda flew fully fueled jumbo jets into the World Trade Center on September11, 2001,nation paid attention.

Fear gripped the nation and people lashed out at fellow Americans who dared to say or do anything that did not follow lock-step with what the administration.

The host of the talk show politically incorrect, Bill Maher, responding to the George Bush stated opinion that the September 11 events were cowardly acts, said this on the air.

The show sponsors, Federal Express and Sears, pulled their advertising and the network ABC pulled the Show.

White House spokes person Ari Fleischer commented with these chilling words: all Americans need to watch what they say, watch what they do.

This was the death of the first amendment. Some Americans were saying we were sacrificing the very freedoms we were claming to be defending.

Most Americans feel that in a time of war, the United States should be a model of civil liberties and civil rights protecting individual rights underthe constitution.

Civil liberty since the USA-Patriot Act was to make the country a safer place for Americans citizens by expanding the reach of law enforcement.

It included sweeping changes in definitions and descriptions of what constituted suspicion, denied due process to huge numbers of people.

It even created new and incredibly ambiguous acts that appear to be intended to influence the policy of a government by intimidation or coercion.

Terrorism and the constitution is always a problem of trying to keep a balance of both competing interest of the government and the rights of people protected bythe bill of rights and the constitution.

Civil liberties the personal guarantees and freedoms that the federal government can not abridge by law.

The civil rights the government protected rights of individual against arbitrary discrimination because ethnicity, especially after 911.

The Bill of Rights and the fourthteen amendment of the constitution are major corner stones of the constitution and should never be allowed to be subvert in this era of terrorism.

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The Case for Taking Vitamin & Mineral Supplements

6:21 AM Diposkan oleh Master Kecebong

Many people feel they eat a healthy diet and don’t need to supplement. There are many reasons you are not getting all the nutrition you think you are even if you have the “perfect” diet.

Vitamins and minerals are essential elements for all of our bodily functions and disease prevention. Many people believe they can get all of their nutrient needs from food. They may have been true a few hundred years ago, but not anymore.


Let’s explore the reason why:

*Soil nutrients are being depleted

Decades, even centuries, of agriculture have depleted the soil of its nutrients. The plants absorb nutrients from the soil as they grow. If there are little nutrients in the soil, there will be just as little in our food.

*We don’t digest our food efficiently.

With today’s fast paced life, we inhale our food and don’t chew it thoroughly before we swallow. The stomach cannot digest whole pieces of food. As such, the nutrients in these pieces of food just get passed out (hopefully) without the nutrients being utilized.

Try chewing your food until it is liquefied. Digestion begins with the enzymes in your saliva. Eat slowly and enjoy your food. You will eat less and enjoy it more, keeping you from over eating and craving more food later.

*We overcook our food.

Cooking food, specifically vegetables, leaches nutrients from the food. It becomes dead food with dead nutrients. To get optimal benefit from your food eat it raw or juice it.

*Limited food selection

Unlike our ancestors who ate dozens of different vegetables, nuts, seeds, roots and lean meats everyday, we get stuck in a food rut and typically eat just a handful of veggies, a couple fruits and a few meats. That keeps us from the broad spectrum of nutrients our body needs.

Try more variety next time you are at the grocery store. Eat a variety of colors of vegetables. Incorporate nuts and seeds into your snacks.

*A Toxic Body

A body that has plaque formed along the walls of the intestines and colon is not going to absorb food efficiently. Essentially the walls are blocked and the nutrients go unused. Use a good intestinal cleanse to thoroughly clean these blocked walls and the nutrient absorption will improve.

Although we’d like to think we get all the nutrients we need from our diet, in today’s society, it just doesn’t happen. It is best to supplement with a daily multi-vitamin & mineral source. Liquid supplements are ideal because they have a higher and more immediate absorption rate.

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How to Dance Samba No Pe

8:16 PM Diposkan oleh Master Kecebong

There are many forms of samba danced in Brazil. The two leading samba types in Rio today are the street samba dance called samba no pe, which is a solo dance and samba gafieiro, which is a partner dance.

The conventional type of samba danced during the Rio carnival is samba no pe. But according to some samba dancers there is a slightly difference between samba no pe and the show dance used during the Rio carnival. Samba no pe is also often seen as the most original samba. But others may claim that there is no such thing as an original samba dance.

Samba no pe is done in a 2/4 rhythm where the dancer takes three steps to every bar. This could make the samba to feel like a 3/4 timed dance. Samba no pe could be danced either alone or in a group. The dance consists of one basic step. The basic step requires a straight body and a bending of one knee at a time.

In samba no pe men and women are dancing samba with different steps and emphasis on different things during the dance. The male samba dancers often do a lot of acrobatic tricks with their feet. It is said that a good samba dancer speaks with his feet.

The female dance can be characterized as quick symmetrical feet movement with each foot twisting on the heel. All the time the femalessamba dancers put emphasis on their femininity by using their hips and shoulders very much.

The male and female dancers can dance together but they do not touch each other. Often the men dance around the women including spins, hops and jumps. The dance has a high tempo and is a complex combination of the basic steps, different variation and improvisation.

The dance is often done unaccompanied and begins straight away when the samba music starts. The speed of the movements change with the tempo of the music, some samba dances are very fast and other samba dances move at a more regular pace.

The dance consists of jumps and turns. It is important that when you jump you should not jump too high. It’s not easy to pick up the samba dance the first time you try. You should not be disappointed if you don’t get the hang of it the first time. It’s important that you stop looking at you feet and that you hold the body straight and at the same time start to relax.

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The Popular Sport of Airsoft Gaming

12:40 AM Diposkan oleh Master Kecebong

High intensity, high adrenaline, non-stop energy all leading into head-to-head competition! All this while keeping yourself and your team focused on the single objective at hand, “take no prisoners”. Airsoft Gaming, very similar to Paintball gaming, is becoming widespread and at the same time a worldwide sport. There are many forms, regulations and simulations that the Airsoft enthusiast can participate.

in but nothing compares to the realistic features and experiences involved in Airsoft Gaming.

Airsoft Gaming took its roots in the East and has been moving to the West for the better part of 20 years. While slowly becoming popular in the US, one can find dedicated Airsoft Gamers from California to Florida and everywhere in between. This sport has become a great event for big corporations to offer to their employees as a fun adventure day, and is even found at small events like birthday parties hosting only ten people. Men and women, old and young alike, canparticipate in a great heart racing, strategy-involving, team-building activity.

Many Airsoft enthusiasts participate in standard Skirmish games, Mil-Sim games, or impressive Mock Battle games. Skirmish’s are usually run like the following: two teams trying to kill off the other team in any variation ranging from capture the flag, siege fights, or last-man standing. While Mil-Sim’s look like the following: role-playing variations and focus on strategy and tactic rather than speed. Finally, Mock Battle’s look like the following: they are structured to simulate a famous battle. Whether the battle mimics something from WWII or something from the Gulf War, it can look like the real thing. BecauseAirsoft guns are replicas, the participants can put regulations on the Airsoft gun and equipment correlating with the specific time period.

So what does it cost? Well, depending on where you decide to go you can pay anywhere from $15-20 for gun and equipment rentals, plus an extra $5-10 for ammo, and, finally, a small fee of $20-30 to use the property. These are not set prices for any oneAirsoft Gaming location just estimates. There are typically discounts for group’s or special occasions. All in all it is a great way for bonding, team building, or just having fun. Whatever worries you have you can blow off your steam while unloading a magazine of 6mm plastic BB’s firing up to 600-900 rounds-per-minute in a safe, non-lethal environment.

It is important to note that with Airsoft Gaming come necessary precautions; all Airsoft Gaming locations will have specific safety requirements. Some general safety precautions and highly recommended safety equipment are for eye and face protection. Wearing some form of heavy clothing is advisable for the rest of your body. Some enthusiasts even use a scarf or handkerchief to protect their necks, while others just go commando wearing only shorts and a T-shirt. It depends on the player, but always remember eye protection is imperative no matter where you are playing.

Finally, I don’t endorse using public property while participating in your Airsoft Gaming experience, although I have heard of teams playing in abandoned buildings, golf courses, and fields. If one wants to participate in this sport in a public place, keep in mind that a group of people flashing 1:1 scale replicas of real firearms could potentially get themselves into trouble. Always remember to make sure that your orange tip on yourAirsoft gun is visible and easily seen by spectators. To those who choose to participate in a private closed field, enjoy your Airsoft Gaming and continue to support the fastest growing sport in America.

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Just Bitten by the Bass Fishing Bug? A Basic Equipment List

12:03 AM Diposkan oleh Master Kecebong

Bass fishing for many begins the first time they get that hit and proceeds from there to become a lifelong avocation. If you have just discovered bass fishing then it’s time to start accumulating your bass fishing tackle. Over the course of your bass fishing lifetime you will probably have many rods and reels, literally hundreds of lures and a wide variety of storage boxes. However, the first gear you buy need not be expensive or abundant as long as it suits the needs of a novice bass angler.

Rods. As you become more experienced you may find that you want several rods of varying lengths and made out of different materials. A good first rod for a neophyte fisherman is generally five and a half to six feet long and made of graphite, fiberglass or a graphite/fiberglass blend. Longer rods may give more reach in casting but they also require more nuance. Look for a balanced, medium weight rod. As the term implies, that is a rod which has its weight evenly distributed from end to end.

Reels. Once you have chosen your rod, select a complimentary reel. Consider a rod and reel combo package. Many beginning fishermen shy from this simple answer to tackle selection; after all, buying stuff is half the fun. Still purchasing an inexpensive rod and reel bundle allows you to get the feel for bass fishing gear before making a large investment.If you have decided to make separate purchases, check out the spincast reels. They have fewer line tangle problems and provide smooth casting and retrieval. Most also allow for a wide variance in lines and lures.

Lines. Most rod and reels will recommend the line weights that harmonize well with them. In general, a 10# line will hold up well in the vast number of situations you’ll encounter. As you become a more sophisticated angler you will learn the many factors that go into proper line selection. Strength, resistance to breaking, stretch, diameter, even color are all important in making more sophisticated line choices. Don’t worry about those now though; just buy a high quality line.

Lures. Choosing the right lure for the right area and the right bass is key to successful bass fishing. If you are going with experienced fishermen or with a guide, they will be your best resource for information on what lure or bait to pack. The number one bait out there though is the humble worm. Stock up on these in a variety of colors and pick up a few inexpensive spinnerbaits.

Tackle boxes. Here again many new fishermen go for the fully featured models, the more drawers and trays the better. Quite often though the more places you have to put things the more ways you have to lose them. Start out with a simple tackle box with a large open bottom and a few small trays.

Now you’re ready for the most fun of all: Bass fishing. Hit the water, be safe and good luck.

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Improve Your Punting Technique

10:28 AM Diposkan oleh Master Kecebong

Since every punter kicks somewhat differently from the next, he should take the stance that is most comfortable to him. Keep arms and hands flexed and in a relaxed position.

The kicker should stand with feet slightly spread, the left foot a bit in advance of the right These instructions, of course, are for right-footed kickers. A maximum of three steps should be taken forward while punting; but if more than three steps are taken, the kicker should be instructed to move back two to three yards.

The punter should face squarely to the front, looking at the ball on the ground through the center’s legs. Before the ball is snapped, he should be completely relaxed with the body weight distributed equally on both legs. The weight will be shifted to the left leg as the ball is snapped. The kicker must keep his eyes on the ball at all times in order to avoid a fumble and to mold the ball properly for the actual punt.

HOLDING AND DROP OF THE BALL

The ball should be held in one hand and guided by the other as the kicker advances in his steps. The ball is held in front of the body, out over the kicking leg. The forward point of the ball should be slightly to the left and slightly depressed. The lacing will be on the top, or possibly to the right of center.

The left hand should support the left forward side of the ball, well toward its front. Do not put the left hand over the point of the ball, as is the practice among many novices. The right hand should hold the ball at its rear point. The fingers are spread and up, with the thumb to the left of the laces and the point of the ball lying in the hollow of the hand.

The drop of the ball should be as slight as possible. The kicker should practice kicking the ball out of his hands, thus learning how to avoid a long drop from hands to foot. A long drop of the ball can cause a wobbly, inaccurate kick.

If the kicker is getting too much height and no distance, the ball is possibly being dropped with bent arms too close to the body. Another reason for the kick that is too high could be the position of the toe – it is being pointed upward instead of being kept depressed.

STEPS AND SWING OF THE LEG

As the ball approaches, the kicker may take a short half-step with the left or lead foot. The ball should be molded into kicking position as the punter takes the first step.

The kicker now takes a full step forward with his right foot . He keeps his eyes on the ball as he molds it in his hands. In fact, he should not take his eyes off the ball until it actually leaves the kicking foot and is lofted in the air.

The next and last step will be directly forward with the left foot. As the left foot reaches the turf, the whip of the right leg should be started.

The right leg starts from an extended position and becomes fully flexed to create the potential energy for the kick. The toe should be pointed forward, downward, and slightly inward.The ball should be met on the instep when the swing of the leg is about the height or a little above the hip. This will vary with kickers as nature seems to tell the individual when his leg is at the highest point of acceleration.

For proper distance, a high trajectory, and a good spiral, the punter must follow through with his kicking leg . Without the follow-through, his timing and distance will suffer. Lack of follow-through will indicate that the kicker’s timing is off and that he has made contact too late, causing a shanking of the ball off the side of the foot. I’m sure we have all experienced this type of kick.

Remember, as with all aspects of football, practice makes perfect.

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