My Obligation

Selfishness is devotion to or concern with one's own advantage or welfare to the exclusion of regard for others. Science and religion both teach selfishness: That the first rule of life is self preservation, which results in "me first" and the creed of materialism. Selfishness results from the original sin of separateness (separation).Selfishness is a primary or sole concern with one's own welfare. It is the stinginess resulting from a concern for your own welfare and a disregard of others.

A man is called selfish not for pursuing his own good, but for neglecting his neighbor's. Richard Whately





Recent events have left me very dissapointed in the human race, as my husband says " I am very disenchanted"! A wide variety of emotions have swept over me this past week. Anger, frustration, sadness, disappointment, and hurt. Then I had an an illuminating discovery, all these emotions are inevitable, I cant change them. But I can choose how I react to them! Will I react in Anger,frustration, sadness, dissapointment and hurt? Or will I rise above those who choose the path of selfishness and react in Love, kindness, forgiveness, patience and peace? This world is wicked but I must teach my children to find the good in everything they can, even when we hurt. I MUST teach them the way of selfLESSness, compassion, giving, trustworthiness and honor! My hope and prayer is that the lessons I leave my children will penetrate their hearts. There is a much bigger picture than what we can currently see. I hope what I am giving back to the world is full of virtue and value!
It is every man's obligation to put back into the world at least the equivalent of what he takes out of it. ~ Albert Enstein

How He makes me Feel....

The love I have for him is so intense. Whenever I look at him, my heart overflows with all kinds of emotions. I don't know whether to cry from happiness or laugh from it or just grin. The love I have for him will last forever, through all space and Time. Some people wonder if they will ever find true love. I don't have to wonder any more because I have found it in him. I love him with all my heart and all my soul. I love the way he treats me, the way he makes me feel, the way he hugs me, the way he talks to me, the way he looks at me, the way he kisses me, the way he touches me, the way he holds my hand, the way he walks with me, the way he spends time with me, and the way he loves me and all the other feelings that he gives me, and I especially adore the way he says, "I Love You." He takes my breath away!! I have a burning desire in my heart to always be close to him. He brings out the best in me. He was sent to me by God himself . You are my friend, my hero, my lover, my husband and my everything!! I love you more than could ever be expressed in words and more than I could ever say!

40 Tips for a better life!

40 Tips for a Better Life

1. Take a 10-30 minute walk every day. And while you walk, smile. It is the ultimate anti-depressant.

2. Sit in silence for at least 10 minutes each day.

3. Buy a DVR and tape your late night shows and get more sleep.

4. When you wake up in the morning complete the following statement, 'My purpose is to __________ today.'

5. Live with the 3 E's -- Energy, Enthusiasm, and Empathy.

6. Play more games and read more books than you did in 2007.

7. Make time to practice meditation and prayer. They provide us with daily fuel for our busy lives.

8. Spend time with people over the age of 70 and under the age of 6.

9. Dream more while you are awake.

10. Eat more foods that grow on trees and plants and eat less food that is manufactured in plants.

11. Drink green tea and plenty of water. Eat blueberries, wild Alaskan salmon, broccoli, almonds & walnuts.

12. Try to make at least three people smile each day.

13. Clear clutter from your house, your car, your desk and let new and flowing energy into your life.

14. Don't waste your precious energy on gossip, OR issues of the past, negative thoughts or things you cannot control. Instead invest your energy in the positive present moment.

15. Realize that life is a school and you are here to learn. Problems are simply part of the curriculum that appear and fade away like algebra class but the lessons you learn will last a lifetime.

16. Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a college kid with a maxed out charge card.

17. Smile and laugh more. It will keep the NEGATIVE BLUES away.

18. Life isn't fair, but it's still good.

19. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone.

20. Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does

.21. You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.

22. Make peace with your past so it won't spoil the present.

23. Don't compare your life to others'. You have no idea what their journey is all about.

24. No one is in charge of your happiness except you.

25.Frame every so-called disaster with these words: 'In five years, will this matter?'

26. Forgive everyone for everything.

27. What other people think of you is none of your business.

28. REMEMBER GOD heals everything.

29. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.

30. Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your friends will. Stay in touch.

31. Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful or joyful.

32. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.

33. The best is yet to come.

34. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.

35.Do the right thing!

36. Call your family often.(Or email them to death!!!)

37. Each night before you go to bed complete the following statements: I am thankful for __________. Today I accomplished _________.

38. Remember that you are too blessed to be stressed.

39. Enjoy the ride. Remember this is not Disney World and you certainly don't want a fast pass. You only have one ride through life so make the most of it and enjoy the ride.

40. Please Forward this to everyone you care about.

May your troubles be less, May your blessings be more, May nothing but happiness come through your door!

Reflections......

Ahhh.... What a refeshing sunday I had. We had a family service at our church where the kids stayed in the service with us and we had communion. Our daughter is in the kids chior, this time the kids chior director decided not to focus on "practicing" but to really let the kids experience what "Worship" means. A hard thing to explain to a 6 year old. He talked about what Hallelujah means and why we sing to the Lord. On the way home I was talking to my daughter, trying to help her understand a bit more. I compared Worship to the Movie Happy feet. Sydney, in the movie Happy Feet the penguins try to find their heart song. When they do it comes out in a beautiful way. Mumble finds his heart song in the form of a dance. Not everybodies Worship looks the same. Some people sit quietly with their eyes closed. Some sing Loud, Some raise their hands, some people dance or use sign language. Close your eyes and really think about Jesus, how much you love him and then just do what you feel like doing.

As the Worship team began to play, No sweeter name than the name of Jesus, I saw my Sydney Close her eyes really tight and begin to sing. Her little hands streatched out to the sky and she stayed in that moment for worship for the entire song. So beautiful. All I could ever ask is that my children know and Love the Lord. It was also a BIG reminder to me of how much God loves me. As I watched my daughter and I was so Happy and proud, I thought , God is watching me right now and he loves me more than I could ever begin to imagine. Then I heard his still, soft voice saying " You, yes YOU are my daughter, I love you. I am So proud of you and the person you have become. You have nothing to prove, nothing to show, nothing more that you can do to make me love you any more. All I ask is that you follow me. I will give you everything you need and want, just like any father would. This place you are now is so temporary, soon it will pass and then all that you will have to do for eternity is be at my side. Rest in the the shelter of my love, find strength in my words of wisdom, find peace in my never ending grace. I have made you new! My preciuos, precious child. I love you more than you will ever know or understand!" and all I have to give him is adoration!
SO Thank you Lord for showing me The faith of a child. reminding me of your uncontional Love, Grace, Faithfulness and Patience. Thank you for picking me up out of the dirt, cleaning me of and taking me to the table. I dont deserve to be there but you bring me anyhow! How truely amazing is your Grace!!

My New health and Fitness Challenge

Developed by Dr. Ian Smith, The Fat Smash Diet is a book that has attained a certain level of popularity through its involvement on VH1’s Celebrity Fit Club. The Fat Smash Diet is a diet divided into four different phases. The book promises to provide the dieter with the resources necessary eat well, change lifestyles, and keep the weight off forever. Most dieters, claims the book, will see a difference in thirty days, and all without counting calories or putting the body through gimmicks or short-term fixes. Due to heavy marketing we are asked if we "Got Milk" and told that "Beef is What's For Dinner." The reality is that the focus on these two food sources is making us fat and probably killing us. This does not mean eliminate meat and dairy. Just go easy on it. And eat all the fruit and veggies you want.


Program At A Glance
The four phases of The Fat Smash Diet are as follows: Phase 1: Detox. This is a nine-day detoxification program in which the dieter will eat mostly fruits and vegetables, and so rid the body of any impurities. Detoxification is accomplished by supplying the body with the nutrients, vitamins, and minerals essential to purification. Interestingly enough, this section also deals with the detoxification of the mind, though it is unclear what that means or how it is achieved, other than the ambiguous practice of surrounding the self with “positive energy and people.”

Phase 2: Foundation. This is a three-week program designed to replace the foods the dieter excluded during the detoxification week. During this phase, the rules of fat smashing apply stringently, as this phase is obviously about setting good habits and getting rid of bad habits. These rules are perhaps somewhat obvious: don’t overeat, eat plenty of fruits and vegetables, don’t skip meals, continue regular exercise according to Smith’s program, and stay away from fried and fatty foods.

Phase 3: Construction. This is a four-week phase that will allow the dieter to reintroduce some favorite foods into the well-balanced foundation set in Phase 2. The portion control lessons of Phase 2, however, will apply to the favorite foods of Phase 3, and so this is definitely an implementation stage, when the rubber hits the road.

Phase 4: The Temple. This final and lifelong phase is the full function of the diet. The structures and habits set in the early stages will come to bear on the rest of the dieter’s eating habits in the future. A good understanding of how the body stores fat, and what it means when the body “plateaus” will aid the dieter in understanding how mistakes are inevitable in a diet. This honesty and the lifelong pursuit of health in the “temple” will allow the dieter to enjoy his/her favorite foods, while still living in a healthy and well-balanced way.

In January of 2006 after 3 very frightening episodes, a trip to the hospital and a visit to the cardiologist, I was told I had a Congenital heart Defect called Wolf Parkinson White. WPW is considered a rare disease, about 272,000 people in the US have it. Optional treatment for this disease is being medicated for your entire life to control the attacks of tachycardia or a sugery called ventricular ablation. After being on the medication which left me tired all the time, I opted for the sugery. I have had a clean bill of health since March of 2006 and I am so grateful. Next month is CHD awareness month.

Here are a few ways you can help:Join our circle of hearts fundraiser. “Circle of Hearts” is an online fundraising and awareness campaign designed to educate friends and family about Congenital Heart Defects, and raise money to support the programs and services provided by The Congenital Heart Information Network.

Also I am putting on a HUGE event at World Gym Postfalls on valentines/CHD awareness day, february 14th. Join us for classes, prizes, fun and donate to a cause that is very close to my heart! More details to come soon!

Thankyou so much, Please feel free to email me with any questions!Visit our team web page at http://tchin.kintera.org/worldgympfand help me in my efforts to support Congenital Heart Information Network!

Thanks, Rachel Larsen

CHD Awareness

In January of 2006 after 3 very frightening episodes, a trip to the hospital and a visit to the cardiologist, I was told I had a Congenital heart Defect called Wolf Parkinson White. WPW is considered a rare disease, about 272,000 people in the US have it. Optional treatment for this disease is being medicated for your entire life to control the attacks of tachycardia or a sugery called ventricular ablation. After being on the medication which left me tired all the time, I opted for the sugery. I have had a clean bill of health since March of 2006 and I am so grateful. Next month is CHD awareness month. CHD is found primarily in Children. Here are a few ways you can help:

SPONSOR A CHILD'S TREATMENT
Little drops make an ocean. Your small contributions will help give a child a chance. Donate just $5 or $10 towards the cost of treating a child with congenital heart defects. Click here to give now

TELL YOUR FRIENDS ABOUT THIS SITE
On the Internet, word-of-mouth is the most powerful way to spread a message. We've made it extremely easy for you to spread the word about 'A Day For Hearts' - and even offer you a prize to make it more exciting. Click here to get started

SEND A SPECIAL VALENTINE'S DAY CARD
A message from your own heart. This February 14th, send your heart-throb a lovely special CHD Awareness card. Click here to send a card

EMAIL A FRIEND A PAGE FROM THIS SITE
You can also email a page from this site to a friend using our easy-to-use page mailer program. Just enter your friend's name and email address, then click a button - learn more about it here


BECOME OUR PARTNER
Become a Partner of 'CHD Awareness Day' and you'll help more children with heart defects, and support our role as a dynamic force in the struggle against CHD.
As a Partner, your name will be proudly displayed on the site and very soon you'll be eligible for many special offers from other partners. We welcome you to join our circle of Partners today! Click here to learn more

TELL POTENTIAL SPONSORS ABOUT 'A DAY FOR HEARTS'
Advertising and sponsorship revenue can do more to help children with heart defects. And all corporate and other donations do more with us. By streamlining processes, we have brought healthcare costs in developing countries to a bare minimum while ensuring the highest standards of patient care.
Advertising on this site carries more than commercial benefit. It offers our sponsors the opportunity to bask in the glow of goodwill that goes with an effort to save the lives of children.
For more information on becoming a sponsor, click here

PROMOTE 'A DAY FOR HEARTS' IN YOUR EMAIL SIGNATURES
Another way you can support this program is by sending out the URL of this website in all your emails. You don't have to do this manually each time. Simply set your email program's SIGNATURE block to include the text below:
Show Your Support For Heart Kids. Visit the webpage for 'A Day For Hearts' - Congenital Heart Defects Awareness Day Go to ==> http://www.chdinfo.com/chdaware/chdspecial.htm
Please feel free to copy and paste the block into your signature file.

DISPLAY A CHD AWARENESS BANNER OR BUTTON ON YOUR WEBSITE
If you have a website of your own, please consider displaying a picture (banner or small button graphic) that explains 'A Day For Hearts' on it. This is an easy, effective way to help in the promotion of CHD awareness day. Click here to see how it's done

Salvation

I am not sure how much emotion the human body can take? Over the last few days I have discovered it can take ALOT! It is amazing how you can be sad, happy, angry, afraid,desprate, content, numb and fearful all at the same time. I am so sad to live in such a dying and sometimes down right evil world! How people can be so caught up in material things, how can there be so much hate in a persons heart, how can you abandon all reason for personal gain and why oh why are people So SELFISH?? I have literally gotten down on my knees and prayed to God to take us out of this pit we feel we have fallen into. Then he reminded me as He said in 2 Corinthians 12:7-10
7To keep me from becoming conceited because of these surpassingly great revelations, there was given me a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. 8Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. 9But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. 10That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong"
Yes Lord my salvation is enough !! Thank you for your promises!!

Acts 2:25-28
'I saw the Lord always before me. Because he is at my right hand, I will not be shaken. 26Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices; my body also will live in hope, 27because you will not abandon me to the grave, nor will you let your Holy One see decay. 28You have made known to me the paths of life; " 'I saw the Lord always before me. Because he is at my right hand, I will not be shaken. 26Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices; my body also will live in hope, 27because you will not abandon me to the grave, nor will you let your Holy One see decay. 28You have made known to me the paths of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence. you will fill me with joy in your presence.

What will you write? Our Daily Bread January 4th, 2007


You do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away. —James 4:14


In January 2006, a mine explosion in rural West Virginia threatened the lives of 13 coal miners. Having grown up in that state, I was among the millions riveted to the news for the next few days. Tragically, all but one of the miners were found dead. To compound the pain of that loss, the first reports given to the families said that all but one had been found alive. When the grim news of the deaths came, the grief was compounded with anger—and a desire to blame someone for the whole gut-wrenching event.
At one of the funerals, however, Rev. Wease Day asked the hurting to look in a different direction—within. During their last hours, some of the miners had written notes to their families, in some cases offering comfort and hope. In light of that, Pastor Day urged his congregation not to seek to fix blame. He instead challenged them to imagine what they would write in a farewell note if they had only hours to live.
In some ways we are like those miners. We are trapped in a dark world and are facing physical death. How we live our lives as followers of Christ becomes our “note” to the world. James wrote that life is “a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away” (4:14). By God’s grace, what will you write with your life today? —Bill Crowder

Lord and Savior, Christ divine,Reign within this heart of mine;May my witness ever beAlways, only, Lord for Thee. —Brandt

A Christlike life is a message of hope to a searching world.

Well done good and faithful servant...

Dear Papa,

It has not even been a week since you passed into the loving arms of your savior Jesus Christ and we miss you desperately! Some times the pain is so deep you cant even imagine it and there are no words to describe it as well! people ask how we are doing? I know it is their way of trying to communicate and console but the truth is we are hurting, mourning and deeply saddened. Time is supposed to heal wounds but I think that even time wont fully heal this one. I want to ask you to please tell Jesus to be close to Karen and Mike right now, they both feel so very alone, be there to comfort them in those lonely times. Mavric told us he wanted his best friend back and Sydney cried so very hard when we told her you went home to be with Jesus, please console their little hearts. I put all your pictures together today for you slide show and it was so hard to do, I loved to see your happy round face but it was so sad to know that here on this earth I will never see that face or feel that warm bear hug you would always give me. I will look forward to our heavenly meeting and the return of your hugs! You are in a heaven now and I can only imagine how beautiful it must be. I know that it is everything you deserve, beautiful beyond words, free of pain and suffering! I am so glad I had the chance to tell you how much you mean to me , that I love you and that the very last thing you said to me was I love you. It makes my heart glad. I promise you I will take care of your precious grand kids and that Mike and I will do everything in our power to take care of your lovely wife. We miss you and love you, rest easy now in the arms of your savior. I know he is saying to you" Well done my good and faithful servant!" I love you! Your adoring daughter