♬..”All we need is ♥♥…. ♬

Once upon a time…..

A woman came out of her house and saw 3 old men with long white beards sitting in her front yard. She did not recognize them.

She said, “I don’t think I know you, but you must be hungry. Please come in and have something to eat.”

“Is the man of the house home?”, they asked.

“No”, she said. “He’s out.”

“Then we cannot come in”, they replied. In the evening when her husband came home, she told him what had happened.

“Go tell them I am home and invite them in!” The woman went out and invited the men in. “We do not go into a House together,” they replied.

“Why is that?” she wanted to know. One of the old men explained: “His name is Wealth,” he said pointing to one of his friends, and said pointing to another one, “He is Success, and I am Love.” Then he added, “Now go in and discuss with your husband which one of us you want in your home.”

The woman went in and told her husband what was said. Her husband was overjoyed. “How nice!!”, he said. “Since that is the case, let us invite Wealth. Let him come and fill our home with wealth!”

His wife disagreed. “My dear, why don’t we invite Success?”

His wife disagreed. “My dear, why don’t we invite Success?”

Their daughter-in-law was listening from the other corner of the house. She jumped in with her own suggestion: “Would it not be better to invite Love? Our home will then be filled with love!”

“Let us heed our daughter-in-law’s advice,” said the husband to his wife. “Go out and invite Love to be our guest.”

The woman went out and asked the 3 old men, “Which one of you is Love? Please come in and be our guest.” Love got up and started walking toward the house. The other 2 also got up and followed him. Surprised, the lady asked Wealth and Success: “I only invited Love, Why are you coming in?”

The old men replied together: “If you had invited Wealth or Success, the other two of us would’ve stayed out, but since you invited Love, wherever He goes, we go with him. 

Wherever there is Love, there is also Wealth and Success!

Yay!!…...Meriam of Sudan Freed After Appeals Courts Ruling...

….I'm always thrilled when justice prevail! …..

Especially when the "voice of the people" is heard...

..Below is Emily Clarke's update on the petition to the Government of Sudan,

not to execute Meriam Yehya Ibrahim for being a christian #Save Meriam

Jun 23, 2014 — Today a Sudanese appeals court ordered Meriam’s release from the prison where for months she’s been awaiting execution for her refusal to renounce her Christian faith. The decision comes after almost a million people from around the world -- including you! -- signed my petition on Change.org that added to the chorus of international voices demanding justice for Meriam. 

Over the past few months world leaders like David Cameron, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, and John Kerry, the United States Secretary of State, have spoken out against Meriam’s imprisonment, and media coverage of her story has raised an important conversation about religious freedom and women’s rights around the world. 

I started my petition after I saw how the #BringBackOurGirls campaign, focused on freeing 276 girls kidnapped in Nigeria, got over a million signatures and launched a global movement that spurred governments to take action. Now, thanks to our voices, a young mother and her children have been freed from prison and the right to religious freedom is a little bit safer.

Over the next few days we will be monitoring reports from Sudan; we cannot let our guard down until we are sure Meriam is home with her family and safe from other threats. 

But let today’s events be a message to the rest of the world that we will not stand by and let injustice happen. We’ve proven once again that coming together online can make a real difference toward the goal of human rights for everyone.

Work is now the new "me" time for moms!!...

By Leslie Morgan Steiner  Modernmum.com

…….You know, hours on end when you can focus on your own goals, not your third graders' math homework; time for you to use your brain; uninterrupted stretches to write a report, study something, hold a meeting, or just plain old GET SOMETHING DONE.  And people there are  actually sometimes impressed with us and our abilities!

We stay home in order to retreat and recharge from the stresses of work, school, and crazy texting drivers on the highway, right?…….Once upon on a time that might have been true…...

The study, conducted by researcher Sarah Damaske at the Council on Contemporary Families, measured the cortisol of 122 workers of various socioeconomic levels at work and at home. Across the board, regardless of socioeconomic status or gender or whether or not they had kids, women reported lower levels of stress at work, while men reported lower levels of stress at home.

Think about it:

• What do we moms confess to each other each January, early September, and on the blessed Monday after Thanksgiving?

• Since when have school breaks, summer vacation, Thanksgiving, or Christmas, actually been any kind of vacation for moms?

Relief and joy, because the holidays-at-home-with-kids-and-husbands are finally over.

Holidays mean endless dispute resolution, extra cooking, tons of additional cleaning, all that gift-wrapping, and way too much relative entertaining.

And lots not get started on snow days and how RELAXING those are when you have kids who cannot be left home alone.

Last but not least, what about moms who are at home full-time? That’s the hardest job there is, because there is no escape. Moms are lucky enough to have jobs go to work to RELAX.

Work – there’s nothing like it for managing stress!

A working mom friend with small kids just got a break from weekends that, as her kids have grown into tweens, have become crazier than weekdays.  You know, the carpooling to soccer, the mind-numbing laser tag birthday parties, the need to channel Nurse Ratchet to get kids to fall asleep at sleepovers. Her husband took their three children camping for a night with a bunch of other dads.  (A horrifying prospect to me, but dads seem to like this kind of thing.)

I asked her how her weekend alone was.

I started to put on my sad face in case she said “lonely.”

"Heavenly," was her immediate answer. I had not heard her sound so enthusiastic since the first time she told me she was pregnant. She sounded like she had just discovered a long hidden new G-spot.

"What did you do?" I inquired, kinda jealous.

"Um, worked until midnight two days in a row!  It was GREAT."

She sounded blissfully content and utterly stressfree.

#BelieveItorNot!

1. Denmark has an organization dedicated to finding employment for people who wake up late….hehehe..I like that…Denmark,here I come!!.
   
2. Picasso was once so poor that he burned his own paintings for warmth….If only he knew how much his paintings would cost...…
   
3. At 420 feet high, the Spring temple Buddha is almost 3 times the hight of the Statue of Liberty….Wow!
   
4. Golf was banned by James II of Scotland in 1457 because it distracted from the importance of archery….Duh!...
   
5. Higashimokoto flower park is breathtaking. it has over 1 million pink shibazakura flowers during the bloom season……now that's a LOT of pink…
   
6. "Omphaloskepsis": to gaze at one's navel as an aid to meditation….errhmmmm,what's so fascinating about the belly-button?…o_O
   
7. Mother's day was celebrated as early as 1914, but Father's day wasn't established until 1972. 58 years later!……Fathers didn't like presents? #justasking
   
8. There's a Zip-line that takes you from Spain to Portugal…..Yipe!!….there should be one from the US to Canada too.#justsaying
   
9. In Korea, a Sundae isn't ice cream... it's cow or pig intestine stuffed with noodles and blood. ....uhmm…No,thank you..I think I'll pass...-_-

  

culled from believe it or not @ripley's

…Check Your Genotype….

June 19th 2014 is World Sickle Cell Day

Sickle cell disease affects millions of people worldwide. It is most common among people whose ancestors come from Africa; Mediterranean countries such as Greece, Turkey, and Italy; the Arabian Peninsula; India; and Spanish-speaking regions in South America, Central America, and parts of the Caribbean.

Signs and symptoms of sickle cell disease usually begin in early childhood. Characteristic features of this disorder include a low number of red blood cells (anemia), repeated infections, and periodic episodes of pain. The severity of symptoms varies from person to person. Some people have mild symptoms, while others are frequently hospitalized for more serious complications.

#LOL!..

How Are You Selling?

If you get into business solely to make money, you won't. But if you try to make a difference you will find true success -Sir Richard Branson

By Richard Branson

Your business will only win if your customers win too. To make your life better, you must first make their lives better. Make a real difference for your customers, and everyone will reap the rewards.

This is a rule we’ve always followed at Virgin. It applied when we started out; was crucial when growing our various companies; and is still at the heart of our plans for all of our ventures.

Whether you are a new start-up or a multi-national corporation, making sure your customers win works for everyone.  
Think about the tried-and-tested model of the local grocer. 
Sure, the bigger chains have infiltrated the market with cheaper prices and more products; however the best local bakers, butchers and fruiterers still exist for a reason – personal service, an emphasis on quality and reputation, and the ability to build personal connections and bespoke service with customers.
Operating first and foremost to contribute to their communities, as well as turn a profit, small businesses can win for themselves, their teams and their customers.

Moving outside the local sphere, it’s also incredibly critical in today’s start-up environment. 
When starting out, all entrepreneurs should ask themselves: 

• What am I offering to my customers?
• How does it meet their needs and how could it improve their lives? 

By keeping these questions in mind, a number of recent start-ups have successfully developed into large enterprises with worldwide followings.  
Take sharing economy successes such as Uber and Airbnb. Both companies offer alternatives to conventional products – i.e. taxi and hotels respectively – to give customers better rates, more accommodating service, and the ability to review their experience. Operating so that the customer wins has helped them to win big too.

Large businesses are not exempt from the rule either. In fact, big business feels it the most when the customer is not kept top of mind. When even the most successful companies lose touch with their customers, you can be sure they will soon come crashing down. When a business becomes dominant in their industry, and abuses that dominance by crushing their competitors unfairly, they can use their market position to undermine their customers.

We’ve seen it happen in the airline industry – I’m sure you don’t need help thinking of some prominent examples – and in many other sectors. Instead of applying a customer-centric focus, they have operated cumbersome, expensive and bureaucratic airlines, where customers were served with high airfares, little choice, and a lack of innovation.

If you get into business solely to make money, you won’t. If you try to make a real difference, you’ll find true success. It’s the perfect balance of win-win all round.

..What's That Smell??….

Soon you'll be able to send a friend not just a picture of a pizza, but the scent of a pizza, using your phone. …...Yes, really.

Harvard engineering professor David Edwards has invented a device called an oPhone that sends and receives photos and scents. You can mix-and-match 32 basic scents to create more than 300,000 unique aromas, according to the oPhone website. You will then be able to send these smells to your lucky friends and loved ones in what will be called oNotes, using an app called oSnap. 

Again... this is all real. Here's what a pair of oPhones look like:

Starting June 17, you'll be able to get the oSnap app on iTunes for free.

On June 10, Edwards sent the first transatlantic scent from his oPhone in New York to a colleague in Paris. The scent was meant to be the smell of New York (gross).

“Scent is the world's natural tweet, because it takes just a few seconds to get a scent," Edwards told Fast Company. “The notion of people saying, 'I miss you in New York,' by sending a scent is really interesting and powerful. Or imagine taking a scent selfie and posting it on Facebook.”

We don't want to know the kind of scent would you send with a selfie.

Sure it sounds weird (and occasionally gross), but it's well documented that scent is closely tied to memory. The company that created the oPhone, Vapor Communications, says it "intends to bring scent messaging to mobile phone users wherever aroma matters, for health and memory, self-expression and entertainment, travel and the marketing of aromatic content online."

An Indiegogo campaign looking to raise $150,000 for the oPhone looking to raise $150,000 for  launches on June 17. 

You'll be able to preorder a pair of oPhones (what good is just one?) for $149 until its official launch in early 2015, after which it will cost $199.

A Dangerous Appetite:Woman eats glass!

A 63-year-old Chinese woman, Chen Fengzhi, is well-known for chewing up glass and stones with her “iron teeth”.

Her special trick is to smash a light bulb and chew the pieces of glass.

After swallowing the glass, she goes on to pick up a small stone and bite down hard on it. This kind of skill is obviously not for everyone.

Is there a diagnosis for this???…..

Keep Your Breasts To Yourself!!.....

Our culture has become overly sexual. Sexual innuendos fill our TV shows, movies,  the music industry, and the internet. Sexuality is being used to sell everything from toothpaste to cars.

The companies and industries that are using the motto “sex sells,” lack the moral integrity  to separate morality from profit. Is it any wonder why problems arise because our children are being raised up in a sexually obsessed culture. A culture that is giving the green light of approval to just about every sexual practice there is.

“They’ve taken our two X chromosomes and turned them into XXX DVD’s”.

Our natural modesty is being suppressed, and desires are heightened. It’s no wonder we are seeing an increase in so many sexually related problems, including addictions to pornography, STD’s, broken homes, unwanted pregnancies, abortion, abuse, and sex crimes.

Not so many years ago a lot of what is being shown in advertising, and on TV  would have been protested against as indecent.  People have become desensitized to blatant displays of nudity, and sexuality.

The present attitude is just about anything is acceptable, as long as its not hurting anyone, BUT IT IS! In one way, or another lack of morality has consequences, hurts, and erodes all of society. It is time to turn away from what our society has been force feeding us, and to listen to what God commands us to do- To be a positive influence.

By David Roads

Weird Beauty Tips

Hello Beautiful!
These are some beauty tips I have tried that I think you will find useful and you won't break the bank!…


Diaper rash cream
I sometimes use my baby's diaper rash cream on my knees and elbows during the harsh winter months :).Diaper rash cream are great for treating dry skin condition. Their main ingredient is Zinc Oxide, which have intense moisturizing properties and anti-inflammatory ingredients that help to treat cracked feet. When applied to the rough skin of the elbows it helps to soften them.

Coffee grounds
My sister taught me this: Get a packet of instant coffee ground- it doesn't have to be the pricey brand. Take a handful of the coffee ground, add a squirt of your usual liquid bath soap, add a teaspoon of water,mix thoroughly, then apply to face and neck area to exfoliate. It works wonders! Your skin will feel soft and clean. It is recommended to use it 2 to 3 times week.

Petroleum Jelly
I got this from sisiyemmie.com. She listed about 6 uses of vaseline petroleum jelly. I have found the use of petroleum jelly as a eye make-up remover very useful. Aside from doing the job of an eye make-up remover, it also serves to moisturize the eye area which usually gets missed when applying lotion/cream to face.

Liquid antacid
Someone told me sometime ago how she used milk of magnesia as oil mattifier- just a pea size on oil prone areas on the face before applying powder or foundation. I did try it and it did work, but you have to be careful not to apply too much so as it doesn't cake.
Also,You can make a face mask out of liquid antacid. Apply liquid antacid on a clean face as a mask and keep it on for 15 minutes. Rinse with water and see the difference. Antacid breaks down oils and acids on the skin, just like it does inside your stomach.

Mayonnaise
 I do like my conditioners thick and creamy so I use mayonnaise as  the main base with other ingredients like shea-butter. It gives the hair a lot of moisture. Whip some mayonnaise plus an egg-yolk and some melted shea-butter . Shampoo you hair and then apply some mayo-conditioner on your partially wet hair. Keep it on for at least 10 minutes. Wash it off with water. Your hair will feel softer and look silkier after this mayonnaise treatment.

Raw potato
Worried about puffy eyes after staying awake late into the night? Raw potato slices will help. Just cut two thick slices and place them on your eyelids. Keep them on for 15 minutes. This will help to reduce eye puffiness. 

Tea Tree Oil
For acne scars and spots, mix a teaspoon of tea-tree oil with 2 table spoonfuls of witch hazel toner. apply with cotton swabs to cleansed affected area twice a day.

....#Justforlaffs.....:)

...#DoYouKnow??......

...Gold Nuggets....

…What Are You Capable Of?...

..This is to encourage somebody out there who is  yet to know what on earth they are here for,like most of us….…...                                          
                                     

                                        Your Abilities are God’s Map for Your Life

Once upon a time, there were some animals that wanted to start a school for animals. They decided the courses would include running, climbing, swimming, and flying. Then they decided that all of the animals should take all of the courses.

That’s where the problem started. ……….

The duck was better than his teacher at swimming, but he only made passing grades in flying and was very poor in running. So they made him drop swimming and stay after school to practice running. This caused his webbed feet to be badly worn, and his grade dropped to average in swimming. But everybody felt less threatened and more comfortable with that — except the duck.

The rabbit started at the top of his class in running, but because of so much make-up work in swimming, he caught pneumonia and had to drop out of school. 

The squirrel showed outstanding ability in climbing, but he was extremely frustrated in flying class because the teacher insisted that he start from the ground up rather than the treetop down. He developed Charlie horses from over-extension, so he only got a “C” in climbing and a “D” in running. 

The eagle was the problem student and was disciplined for being a nonconformist. For instance, in climbing class, he beat all the others to the top of the tree, but he insisted on flying to get there. Finally, because he refused to participate in swimming class, he was expelled.

The point is that God has designed specific animals to excel in specific areas, and he doesn’t expect them to do all the other things. 

When you expect everybody to fit in the same mold, all you’re going to get is frustration, discouragement, mediocrity, and failure. A duck is made to be a duck and not something else.

And you were made to be you. God has given you unique abilities, and He wants you to use them the way he intended.

Your abilities are the map to God’s will for your life. It points the direction. When you know what you’re good at, then you can know what God wants you to do with your life.



© 2014 by Rick Warren. All rights reserved. Used by permission.

…...For The EXTRAORDINARY You!!…..

Summary of 17 Things Extraordinary People Do Everyday……(Maybe often,because that's a long list to keep up with everyday,…...if you ask me,...but I think I can do #13 everyday :)

Some people seem to get ahead, no matter what. They aren't necessarily smarter, more creative or harder working than many others. Still, they achieve much more than their peers. Why is that?

The philosopher Aristotle offered an explanation a really, really long time ago: "We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence is not an act, but a habit."

1. Examine long-term goals.

 Your goals will change, and that's a good thing. But it's easier to act strategically when you've thought about where you want your dreams to lead.

2. Examine daily plans.

 If you're working your tail off each day to become better at something you don't even want to be doing, that's a sign it's time for a change.

3. Ask for help.

Nobody does anything worthwhile alone, and asking for help, when done correctly, isn't a sign of weakness--it's a sign of respect.

4. Engage in mentorship.

Mentorship has two sides, so on any given day, do two things: Engage with a mentor, and also offer mentorship to someone else. Not every interaction has to be profound; that would be exhausting. 

5. Give yourself a break.

 We're only human, and success (however it's defined) is never an overnight thing. Should you hold yourself to high standards? Sure, but every day, give yourself a pass on a few things you did wrong, and for missing a few items on this list. 

6. Write down what happened.

Life is a journey, so keep a journal. You don't need to be a polished writer or even devote a lot of time to this; even a small effort can pay huge dividends.

7. Build your confidence.

Everybody has crises of confidence; everyone has to learn to overcome fear of failure. The best ways to win are twofold, and we've already covered the groundwork on this list. First, engage with mentors. People who've been through similar challenges and inspire you and show you the way. Second, remember the challenges you've overcome in the past--say, perhaps, the things you wrote about in your journal. You did it then; you can do it now. Speaking of which…

8. Give thanks and compliments.

Just as you sometimes have crises of confidence, so does everyone else around you. So, make it a point to compliment others, and to express your appreciation for what they do- you'll find this habit pays you back tenfold.

9. Focus on others.

No matter that you do, you will leave a legacy.The question is whether you'll be remembered for something positive or something negative. So, keep in mind during all interactions, that this might be someone's lasting impression of you.

10. Get some physical exercise.

It doesn't have to be much--just a 20- or 30-minute workout each day can improve your outlook and change your life.

11. Quit something.

Coming up with a great idea isn't the hard part in life. Instead, it's eliminating 99 out of 100 great ideas, so you can focus on the few that really work. The only way to do that is to be willing to give up on things you've tried but aren't paying off--nevermind the sunk costs.

12. Check small things.

Extraordinary people learn to delegate effectively. That can be scary, because it requires trust. You can't possibly check everything you've delegated, but you can check some small things, which in turn creates the possibility you'll check everything. 

13. Laugh--especially at yourself.

Comedy is the flipside of tragedy. For all the passion with which they pursue their goals, truly extraordinary people keep perspective by recognizing that a well-led life is full of humor.  "The crisis of today is the joke of tomorrow."

14. Sleep.

Seven to eight hours a night, at least. If not, you're killing your productivity and killing brain cells.

15. Continue your education.

Lifelong learning is one of the keys to success. Geoffrey James wrote, "[Approach] lifelong learning with a sense of fun that adds pleasure and energy to the tasks at hand. It means expanding your principles and practices so that they serve a greater purpose."

16. Cultivate outside interests.

All work and no play makes ... well, you know the rest. Let your mind wander every day, and feed it heartily. And, when you've stumbled upon something truly fantastic and worth telling 

others about…

17. Share something great.

 Seriously, extraordinary people always have something to share, and something truly interesting to talk about--a joke, a story, a bit of good news. Follow their lead. (Hey, why not start by sharing this article?)

….You've got what it takes….*hugs*