by | Life Application
Big Changes And Your Chance To Win
I’m excited to announce and introduce you to my new website! It has been a goal of mine to update it for a while, and God has opened the door for the opportunity to do so.
Who’s responsible for the new look? That would be the folks over at Standard Theme. I’ve had my eye on this theme for a while now thanks to Michael Hyatt. I still have some work to do, but I’m pretty happy with the current outcome.
What do you think? It is now much easier for you to share posts via social networking and make comments. I love your comments so please post them frequently.
Child of God Lightbox
In celebration of the new kick-off of my website, I want to give something away FREE. This is something I hope to do frequently.
Today I’m giving away this Child of God Lightbox provided by Dayspring, where you can find Christian-themed cards, card sets, decor, and more. Stick this constant reminder of God’s love for you next to your bed or on your desk and wake up everyday with a fresh dose of encouragement.
Follow these easy steps for your chance to win:
- Fill out the entry form here
- Tweet this contest and share with your followers. Copy and paste this easy message: Enter to win a Child of God Lightbox today via @sundijo: http://wp.me/p1GLwZ-Co (Don’t have Twitter? Just tell your Facebook friends about the contest.)
- Leave a comment below and share why the Child of God Lightbox would be perfect for you
It’s that easy!
I will select one random winner on Friday, July 15th.
Good luck and welcome to the new website!
by | Faith Lived Out, Life Application
Calling All Toll-Free Peeps
I was visiting a friend recently and we were watching one of the Christian broadcasting stations. There was a gentleman promoting his latest music cd. As I watched closer, something stuck out to me like a sore thumb.
As video clips promoting his latest and greatest compositions played in the background, the toll-free number flashed across the screen. Of course there was the obvious, “But wait.. buy now and receive the kitchen sink for free.” (Exaggeration mine)
He closed out the promo by asking viewers if they needed prayer. So, perhaps you’re saying to yourself, “Get to the point already.” Okay, here’s the catch: the phone number for prayer requests wasn’t toll-free. Is it just me or does something about that situation seem backwards?
I sat back and wondered to myself just how many people tune into his show on a daily basis who perhaps aren’t in the financial situation to make a long distance phone call. I know it’s hard to believe, but not everyone uses cell phones. I just wonder how many people were held back from making an important prayer request.
It may seem like something small and I almost didn’t blog about it, but I changed my mind. Nothing is small when it contributes, or doesn’t, to the Kingdom of God. I have since been asking myself if I have my priorities in line. Am I focused more on myself or the needs of others? Do I offer more to people when I know I will receive something in return? Who are the toll-free people in my life?
Perhaps it’s something for all of us to think about.
Who are the toll-free people in your life?
by | Faith Lived Out, Life Application
Why Humor Is Necessary
Why Humor Is Necessary
Without humor there is no such thing as laughter. Without laughter I would quickly find myself asking the question, “What’s the point of being here?” Jesus laughed. I’m sure there were days he laughed so hard his stomach hurt.
Think about it for a moment. He was surrounded constantly by 12 of his best friends. There must have been nights they sat by the campfire telling crazy stories, chewing with their mouths open, passing gas, and rating their burps on a scale of 1 to 10. Jesus had to be surrounded by humor. It’s one of the greatest gifts of God.
Not only is laughter good for the soul, it’s good for the body. Here are a few reasons researchers say why humor is necessary for our health:
- Immune System – When stress shows up your immune system decreases. Studies have shown that using humor may actually raise the antibodies in the body and boost the immune system. You know what they say? “A laughter a day keeps the doctor away.”
- Blood Sugar Levels – Place a dibetic in front of a hilarious movie and watch his or her blood sugar level lower. The sweet taste of humor – there’s nothing better.
- Relaxation And Sleep – I’m working on this. Wear those stomach muscles out and head to bed with a relaxed mind, the ability to take the focus on any pain you may have for a while, and sleep soundly. If you try this and it works, let me know. I would love to hear about it.
Humor is my middle name. The feeling of making people laugh is wonderful. It fills me up to watch others smile and laugh.
I still have to be careful because I can quickly use humor to mask pain. I’ve done that since I was a small child and I still find myself struggling with it. My family has always dealt with tragedy through humor and that’s immediately where my mind goes. If something bad happens to someone, I instantly feel responsible to make them laugh. It gets me into trouble from time to time, as they may just want me to be still with them. I’m a work in progress.
Have you laughed enough lately?
by | Life Application
Did you know that over 60% of Americans are overweight? That would explain why diabetes, heart disease, and more continues to increase.
Walk into any grocery store and many of the products read boldy, “low-fat”, “no trans fats”, “zero net carbs,” and more. What does that really mean? Does it mean that if it says “sugar free” I can eat all I want? That’s what I used to think. But the healthier I got the more I learned. Many of the words on the labels today are dangerous.
Woman’s Day recently released a list of 52 superfoods to get you back on track. I wanted to share with you. They recommend cleaning out your kitchen and tossing as many unhealthy items as possible. Rule of thumb: if you can’t pronounce the ingredients, you probably shouldn’t keep it.
Here are a few of the superfoods from the list I eat:
- Eggs – They are an excellent source of protein.
- Apples – Contains antioxidants.
- Steel-cut oats – Not as processed and a great source of fiber. Stick them in the crockpot and add some apples to kick it up a notch!
- Spinach – Great source of vitamin K, helps build strong bones, and more.
- Brown rice – Great source of magnesium.
- Kiwi – One of my favorites. High source of vitamin C.
- Asparagus – Another one of my favorites. Pretty sure I could eat it everyday. P.S. – it helps to banish bloating.
- Sweet potatoes – Get your dose of vitamin A and protect your vision and immune system.
- Peanut butter – Ok, I admit, I may be addicted to peanut butter. I love it! As long as I don’t eat the whole jar, it has great protein and amino acids.
- Edamame – Just had it for lunch yesterday. Thank you to my friend Jennifer for introducing me to it. It contains protein, fiber, and more.
To view the complete list of the superfoods
click here….
What are some of your favorite and not so favorite foods on the list?
by | Life Application
Father’s Day is sneaking up quickly. Only four more days! That means only three more shipping days if you order online.
What are you getting Dad for his special day?
Here are a few out of the ordinary ideas for you. Throw tradition out this year.
Personal Training Sessions
-That’s right. Help Dad get in, or stay in shape by giving him some private workouts with the greatest trainer in your community. He may not be grateful for the gift as he’s sweating while doing bench presses, but he will thank you later when your mother comments on his hard rock abs.
Personalized Oreos
-There is nothing like sitting down with a glass of milk and dipping some dad made Oreos. Order from findgift.com today.
Q&A Session
-Get to know Dad better. Take him out to lunch and ask him about his life. Make it completely about him. Ask him stories of his childhood. Why he fell in love with your mom. His favorite things.
A Candy Bar Bouquet
–Nothing says “I love you” like chocolate. Throw some Reese’s, Snickers, Mr. Goodbar, and M&M’s together to make a manly bouquet. Aren’t that
creative? Check your local grocery store or florist. They may have something already put together.
Technology
-If he’s not already updated with the latest and greatest, now is the time. If he loves to read perhaps an Amazon Kindle. The latest iPhone would make a great gift.
If nothing else, don’t forget the Father’s Day card. Happy Father’s Day to all those special dad’s out there.
What Father’s Day Gift Ideas Do You Recommend?
by | Life Application
What happened to real communication? Does it still exist?
Face to face or phone communication seems to literally be going down the crapper. Yes, I used the word crappy and crapper in the same post. 🙂
Let me explain why I think this is happening.
Recently I had a meeting with a guy in Branson to discuss doing some writing for his website. He was a very laid back kinda guy, which I like. I felt comfortable in the interview. He showed up in shorts and a t-shirt with his Starbucks coffee in hand. After we talked for a while he let me know I would hear from him one way or another. I went on with my week.
A few days later my phone dinged letting me know I had a text message. I took the hands out of the dish water, dried them, and picked up my phone. The message read, “We chose someone else. Thanks for applying. If we need you in the future we’ll let you know.”
Seriously?
I got turned down in a text message! At first I was aggravated that I didn’t get the gig, but then I sat down and thought about it for a minute. Would I want to work for someone who doesn’t even pick up the phone to let me know I didn’t get the job? No. I realized that I don’t want to be under the leadership of someone who doesn’t communicate well.
There are just some things you do face to face or over the phone. For instance, unless you’re 13 and still learning about boys, you don’t break up with someone via text message. You don’t inform someone of a death in a message. You don’t tell someone they didn’t get the job in a text message. That’s my two cents anyway.
As a leader I want those under me to expect more from me. I want them to expect that I will treat them with the utmost respect. And I would expect the same from them hopefully.
What do you think? Have you received news you wish would have been done in a more personal manner?
