Don't Count My Years, Make My Years Count

What matters most in life is often viewed as peripheral
to the things that we usually focus on. Passion takes
a backseat to production, wellness to working,and balance
to busyness. The old adage that "life is not a dress
rehearsal" is so true, and yet we act to the contrary by
putting off what is truly important or indulging in things
that are not. On my birthday, stop focusing on my age and
start meditating on my life at this exact moment. How can
I make it better? During the next year, reshuffle my
priorities. Spend more time with God, family and friends,
take care of my body and health by eating well and exercising
regularly,and offer to help others in need. Discover what
matters most to me, and make my daily life into a true
reflection of those ideas, beliefs, and attitudes.

Life is a Miracle

There are only two ways to live your life.
One is as though nothing is a miracle.
The other is as if everything is.

- Albert Einstein, Physicist

Multi-touch Display

A Story of Priorities and A Jar

Time is such a very precious commodity. I can never gain back precious time once it's gone. I wake up every morning with a renewed sense of gratitude in being given another chance to make the most of my time. It's a gift. Also, setting priorities is a skill that gives valuable rewards.

A professor of philosophy stood before his class with some items in front of him. When the class began, wordlessly he picked up a large empty mayonnaise jar and proceeded to fill it with rocks about two inches in diameter. He then asked the students if the jar was full.

They agreed that it was full.

So the professor then picked up a box of pebbles and poured them into the jar. He shook the jar lightly and watched as the pebbles rolled into the open areas between the rocks. The professor then asked the students again if the jar was full.
They chuckled and agreed that it was indeed full this time.
The professor picked up a box of sand and poured it into the jar. The sand filled the remaining open areas of the jar. “Now,” said the professor, “I want you to recognize that this jar signifies your life. The rocks are the truly important things, such as family, health and relationships. If all else was lost and only the rocks remained, your life would still be meaningful. The pebbles are the other things that matter in your life, such as work or school. The sand signifies the remaining “small stuff” and material possessions.

If you put sand into the jar first, there is no room for the rocks or the pebbles. The same can be applied to your lives. If you spend all your time and energy on the small stuff, you will never have room for the things that are truly important.
Pay attention to the things in life that are critical to your happiness and well-being. Take time to get medical check-ups, play with your children, go for a run, write your grandmother a letter. There will always be time to go to work, clean the house, or fix the disposal. Take care of the rocks first – things that really matter. Set your priorities. The rest is just pebbles and sand.

Finding time in the day for fitness or participating in other athletic endeavors should be considered a “rock” for us all. Physiologically, working out releases endorphins in the body. These endorphins are natural pain-relievers produced by the body. This is what gives us the natural high experienced after a workout. This natural high has the potential to positively influence our daily interactions by making us feel better about ourselves. Make fitness a rock solid priority in your life and reap the benefits.

By the SparkPeople

Memories

Memories are a treasure
The wealth we have inside
Special times and sad times
They're all part of life

We often like to retreat
To the memories of yesterday
The tender moments we had
That can never be replaced

When we see that the Lord
Was there throughout our lives
And see the turns we made
With Him as our guide

We see the plan He had
To bring us where we are
We see the road we travelled
Has brought us on this far

So memories of the past
Help us trust to thee
Our future years with gladness
That we cannot yet see

For if in the Father’s care
We place each day we live
We will know His inner peace
And His grace He freely gives

© By M.S.Lowndes

9 Ways to Get More Out of Your Day

Once upon a time I used to wish for more hours in the day, never having enough time to get work done. I learned eventually to make better use of the same 24 hours that everyone else is given in a day. Life Coach Mary Guarino puts it this way with 9 ways to get more out of your day: time to ignore the hourglass. I like what she says in the last part; take time to play.

"Do you always feel pressed for time? If so, you are certainly not alone. Last October, millions of Americans participated in the first annual “Take Back Your Time Day,” a project of the Center for Religion, Ethics and Social Policy at Cornell University. The idea arose as a way to make the public aware of the “epidemic of overwork, over-scheduling and time famine” in our society.

Lack of time can be detrimental to our physical, emotional and spiritual health. When we are pressed for time, we tend to exercise less, eat foods for their convenience rather than their nutritional value, have less time to interact with our families and friends, and spend little, if any time, on self-development and spiritual growth.

Here are some simple ways you can begin to take back some of your time:

* Set aside a certain amount of time each day just to do what you want to do. How about 1 hour each day? If that’s not “possible,” start with smaller increments of time, say 15 minutes, and work your way up.
* Doing part of something is better than doing nothing. Even if you can’t complete a task or a project, it is better to take a small “chunk” out of it rather than letting the whole thing slide until later. If you absolutely “hate” working in that manner, then just make sure you set aside a specific time to complete the entire task or project.
* Learn to say “No.” This isn’t always easy, but it can make a world of difference. Even if you don’t want to say “No” completely, try to set limits around how much you will do and when.
* Bundle your tasks. Save up non-urgent errands so that you can do those that are logistically close to one another.
* Delegate. How much is your time worth? It may be worth the cost of hiring someone to do things like mow your lawn, clean your house, AND you will be purchasing the precious commodity of time. It’s more than okay to ask for help.
* Do the yucky stuff first. Take care of the tasks that you dislike so that you don’t waste precious mental time ruminating about not having done them!
* Are the things you feel you “have” to do really necessary? It can be easy to get caught up in the details to the detriment of the big picture.
* Take an honest look at the activities and people in your life that are “energy drainers.” Do they need to be part of your life? What would happen if you eliminated or reduced your time spent on/with them?
* And, most importantly, set aside time each week to do something special. Make sure that, no matter how busy you are, you take time to play. Spending time with friends, outdoors, at the movies, whatever makes you happy, is essential in helping you be the most focused and effective you can be with your time.

Being God's Man or Woman

I receive in my inbox daily a devotional called A Word With You. It is so inspirational and encouraging that I forward it on to a select group of people. I love the way the author of this devotional puts this life into perspective. One of the thoughts that really grabbed my attention was his idea of how to have a million dollar life. We often think about success and a good life in terms of dollars and cents. However, this is an excerpt of what the author of AWWY has to say about it:

"So what do I have to do to have the honor; the incredible value of being someone that the High King of Heaven can use? "If a man cleanses himself," the Bible says, "he will be an instrument for noble purposes, made holy, useful to the Master and prepared to do any good work." Man, those are beautiful words, "useful to the Master." Just like you or me going to the kitchen to find a glass to drink from, God is looking for someone who's clean to use. And He doesn't find very many. What a powerful reason for you to keep your heart and your mind pure, to repent of the junk you're hanging onto, to meet with Jesus daily for that day's tune-up, to aspire to be, as Robert Murray McCheyne said, "as holy as a saved sinner can be." You'll be God's man, God's woman, through whom God's work will be done in people's lives. That temptation, that compromise can't possibly be worth losing out on a destiny like that! And His choice of the person He will use is not based on the things most people look for. God doesn't care about charisma, or credentials, or connections, or cash. He's looking for character. He's a holy God, and He can only use holy instruments; people who keep themselves clean for His service."

This is phenomenal! I can be God's woman just by submitting myself to Him. He can complete His work in my life and produce something perfectly beautiful as only He can. Just wonderful!

Daily Scripture Nugget

New Scientist video on latest technology

discipline during the holidays

I thought this was very good advice on how to maintain good
nutritional habits during the holidays. I retrieved this from
caloriesperhour:

"There's no need to rely on willpower alone to get through this
difficult time of year. Here are some strategies that will help:
Create a Supportive Food Environment: Keep foods such as fruits,
vegetables and whole grains in your kitchen, your desk at work, and
wherever else you might feel hungry. Pack healthy snacks for the
shopping mall. Surround yourself with low calorie, healthy food
choices.
Avoid Eating Triggers: Everyone has different factors that trigger
their desire to eat. It could be the stress of the holidays, or
feeling deprived. Ask yourself, "What environmental triggers drive
my desire for food?"
Create a Plan: After learning what situations, foods, and routines
tempt you to eat, formulate a plan for dealing with them. If stress
causes you to turn to food for comfort, find a substitute such as
going for a walk or talking with a friend.
If feeling deprived leaves you unable to pry yourself from the
holiday fudge, try allowing yourself a small daily treat. Just
remember that you will need to cut the extra calories elsewhere.
Trade your daily soda for a sample of your coworker's baklava.
Lastly, don't let a little slip give you license to abandon your
goals. In fact, that's a good place to keep your focus this
December. Not on all the temptations and little setbacks, but on
all the positive things you are working towards."