True Meaning of Democracy when people understand the power of vote to select and reject instead of giving vote with a mindset that how does my vote make s difference. Revolution, Unison on time to time against Govt apartheid etc are strong mechanism to hold Govt accountable instead of bickering around corridor , social media as an individual topic to debate and forget. Your message should invite people to work in unity and raise voice in mass.
Further, citizen should not shy away from politics by saying that I have no interest in it as politics is not a choice and is a part of life and responsibility and by ignorance allowing miscreants and goons to rule you and pay a heavy price for the same daily basis
“Economic growth may one day turn out to be a curse rather than a good, and under no conditions can it either lead into freedom or constitute a proof for its existence.”
We all travel a different and unique path in life which is who we are and the support we receive for our individual paths is important to the strength of the family as a whole.
Embrace the differences as well as the similarities in your family and help to strengthen both each and every day.
The success of the family as a whole depends on the growth of the individuals in that family. As unique and similar as the family members are the ability of the family to grow strong depends as well on the ability of each member of the family to grow in his or her own unique way.
The freedom and flexibility allowed each individual to travel down their own path will determine their success which will in turn strengthen the family as a whole.
The love and guidance that is offered in each family must be done in such a way that the uniqueness of each member is not forgotten. We can easily forget how unique each path is as we sometimes try to guide in the direction of our own values and beliefs.
When religion is in the hands of the mere natural man, he is always the worse for it; it adds a bad heat to his own dark fire and helps to inflame his four elements of selfishness, envy, pride, and wrath. And hence it is that worse passions, or a worse degree of them are to be found in persons of great religious zeal than in others that made no pretenses to it.
Extremism of any kind, is extreme._Logic dictates that a religion or any other ideal should be judged by it's teachings and philosophy, NOT by the warped interpretations of some of the NUTS that may dwell within it. This is true of any religion from Islam to Christianity.
The message of Christianity, in its totality, is a message of love and forgiveness for all. Hardly evil.
If a Christian engages in a horrible act, it is not because he is ACTUALLY following the message of Christ (even if he thinks he is). The fault is with the individual, not the religion.
"But Christians have killed abortion doctors because of their beliefs!"
This is true, it's happened, it's a tragedy and unforgiveable… and understand, I IN NO WAY CONDONE SUCH ACTIONS. But the reality is that even if the thought process was warped, the goal wasn't to KILL a person, it was to PROTECT the innocent.
Bad acts by bad people are the responsiblity of the person, not the religion that teaches the opposite of those acts.
I was walking across a bridge one day, and I saw a man standing on the edge, about to jump off. So I ran over and said 'Stop! don't do it!' 'Why shouldn't I?' he said. I said, 'Well, there's so much to live for!' He said, 'Like what?' I said, 'Well…are you religious or atheist?' He said, 'Religious.' I said, 'Me too! Are you Christian or Buddhist?' He said, 'Christian.' I said, 'Me too! Are you Catholic or Protestant?' He said, 'Protestant.' I said, 'Me too! Are you Episcopalian or Baptist?' He said, 'Baptist!' I said, 'Wow! Me too! Are you Baptist church of god or Baptist church of the lord?' He said, 'Baptist church of god!' I said, 'Me too! Are you original Baptist church of god, or are you reformed Baptist church of god?' He said, 'Reformed Baptist church of god!' I said, 'Me too! Are you reformed Baptist church of god, reformation of 1879, or reformed Baptist church of god, reformation of 1915?' He said, 'Reformed Baptist church of god, reformation of 1915!' I said, 'Die, heretic scum,' and pushed him off.
When I told the people of Northern Ireland that I was an atheist, a woman in the audience stood up and said, "Yes, but is it the God of the Catholics or the God of the Protestants in whom you don't believe?"
Man is a Religious Animal. He is the only Religious Animal. He is the only animal that has the True Religion—several of them. He is the only animal that loves his neighbor as himself and cuts his throat if his theology isn’t straight.
“Religion is an insult to human dignity. With or without it, you'd have good people doing good things and evil people doing bad things, but for good people to do bad things, it takes religion.”
"Our enemies are innovative and resourceful, and so are we. They never stop thinking about new ways to harm our country and our people, and neither do we."
Son: Dad, I have to do a special report for school. Can I ask you a question?
Father: Sure, son. What's the question?
Son: What is politics?
Father: Well, let's take our home for example. I am the wage earner, so let's call me “Tony Blair.” Your mother is the administrator of money, so we'll call her “Gordon Brown.” We take care of your needs, so we'll call you “the People.” We'll call the maid “the Working Class,” and your baby brother we can call “the Future.” Do you understand, son?
Son: I'm not really sure, Dad. I'll have to think about it.
That night, awakened by his baby brother's crying, the boy went to see what was wrong. Discovering that the baby had seriously soiled his diaper, the boy went to his parents' room and found his mother sound asleep. He went to the maid's room where, peeking through the keyhole, he saw his father in bed with the maid. The boy's knocking went totally unheeded by his father and the maid, so the boy returned to his room and went back to sleep. The next morning he reported to his father.
Son: Dad, now I think I understand what politics is.
Father: Good, son! Can you explain it to me in your own words?
Son: Well, dad, while Tony Blair is screwing the Working Class, Gordon Brown is sound asleep, the People are being completely ignored and the Future is full of
TIPS ON HEALTHY LIVING
Deep breathing.
When you’ve got time – at your desk, driving the car, cooking food – do some deep breathing. Inhale and count up to 5 seconds, hold it for a few seconds, and release slowly. Exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide is one of the best things we can do for our blood and cells.
Benjamin adeoluwa
TIPS ON HEALTHY LIVING
Say yes to freshly squeezed juice.
One of the biggest and most exciting changes I made in my health about 7 months ago was when I said “yes” to having my own freshly squeezed juice every morning. Since then, my energy, body health and vitality has increased ten-fold. I create the time to squeeze my own carrot-apple-ginger juice; however if you don’t have the time, ask someone if they can make it for you in exchange for something you can help them with, or get yourself to a local juice bar and get your share of the juice!
Benjamin adeoluwa.
TIPS ON HEALTHY LIVING
Drink herbal teas.
When at work or home, many people love to get a cup of tea or coffee. Decide that you’ll be more healthy and get a warm cup of herbal tea. The selection available today is absolutely massive, so you’re guaranteed to find one you enjoy. I like mandarin and ginseng tea as well as fennel seed tea.
Eat a handful of nuts.
Get your favorite selection of nuts (almonds, cashews, pecans, walnuts, etc.) and raisins and have a big handful of them at around 3pm. This has been shown to increase afternoon energy and productivity.
Benjamin adeoluwa
TIPS ON HEALTHY LIVING
Avoid going to junk food shops with your work mates.
If your work mates are going and you want to go along, go ahead but don’t order the burger or french fries. Go for a nice salad instead. Or any other healthy meal that takes your fancy. Junk food is full of “empty calories” that do nothing for your body but put on extra unneeded and unhealthy fat.
Exercise on the go.
If you work in an office, get up every 30 minutes and go for a walk. If you have an office with stairs, run up and down the stairs every couple of hours. Get your blood flowing and your muscles moving.
Benjamin adeoluwa
TIPS FOR HEALTHY LIVING
1. Enjoy a pint of water first thing in the morning.
If you haven’t got time for anything else in the morning, make time to drink a big glass of water. We lose a lot of oxygen through the night and to rejuvenate our cells, we need to supply them with water and oxygen. Drink a glass of water and within a week you’ll begin to feel less tired. I like the taste of water, but I know some people do not so if you’re one of them, squeeze some fresh lime into your water to give it taste and drink up.
2. Grab a few fresh fruits on your way out.
Wherever you’re going – whether it’s a walk or drive to the supermarket or on your way to a meeting – pick up one or two fruits and eat them. If you leave for work in the morning and don’t return ’til evening, take a few fruits and eat them throughout the day. Fruits are great for their nutrients, vitamins and sugars that are required in our body.
Benjamin adeoluwa.
SUCCESS TIPS
Magnanimous. Be generous in life. Give of your time, money and wisdom. Share with others so they can see the true joy and adventures of life themselves.
There are the qualities I think helps lead a person to life a successful life. Clearly everyone's views will differ, as they should. What are some qualities that you think define success in life?
Benjamin adeoluwa
SUCCESS TIPS
Altruism. Think of others without thinking of yourself. Do good things for people without expecting something in return for yourself.
Benjamin adeoluwa
Wisdom. Gain from the wisdom that is inside you. Understand the inner qualities of people and learn how to understand situations that might be different than we are used to.
Charity. Practice kind, gentle, and compassionate treatment of others – especially those who may be undeserving. Learn to extend a hand to help others, even though they themselves may not have helped you.
Benjamin adeoluwa
SUCCESS TIPS
Civility. Graciousness and respect go a long way in life. What is more, they are viral – when people see you doing it they are more apt to practice civility themselves. Be kind to others and extend courtesy towards them. Don’t interrupt people when they speak and don’t dominate the conversation.
Benjamin adeoluwa.
SUCCESS TIPS
Incorruptibility. Let it be known that you stand firm for what you believe in and that your morals, values and actions are not for sale. Don’t let outside forces corrupt the person you are.
Sound. Show good judgment and sense in life. Don’t let prejudices or emotions cloud your
judgment.
Benjamin adeoluwa
Humility. Don’t lead a life thinking you are better than others or are superior to those around you. Modesty and humbleness will leave a far more ever lasting impact on people than trying to show off.
Personal integrity. Always follow your heartfelt values, and never let a situation or anyone steer you away from doing what you know is right. Be someone that people can look up to and respect and not someone who trades his or her moral values for material gains in life.
Benjamin adeoluwa.
SUCCESS TIPS
Heartfelt. When you do something for someone, or they do something for you, let your thanks and emotion be openly and outwardly expressed towards them.
Hearty. Be someone who displays an honest, warm, and exuberant personality to those around them. Let your feelings show and let them be genuine when they do.
Benjamin adeoluwa.
SUCCESS TIPS
Wholehearted. Be enthusiastic about what you do. Show it. Be committed to life and everything that you set out to accomplish in life. Devote yourself to your family, friends, and community and commit yourself to being the best father, husband, wife, mother, friend, and neighbor you can be.
Honest. Be honest in your dealings with yourself and with others. When others interact with you, let them see someone who is reputable, respectable and genuine. Do what you say you will do and never use fraud or deception to get ahead in life. Let ethics, morals, and honor be your compass.
Benjamin adeoluwa.
So what are the things we should strive for to make our lives successful and have a positive impact on those around us? Here is a list of traits that I think defines what true success in life is all about. Does your list differ?
Sincerity. Be sincere in your actions. Don’t try to deceive or impress others. Be yourself, and do what you feel is right based on your values and beliefs. You will be surprised at how people accept you when you stop trying to be someone you aren’t.
Unfeigned. Be genuine in what you do; your actions speak louder than your words. Don’t falsify or embellish events that may have happened. Don’t say one thing and do the other
benjamin adeoluwa.
success tips
Magnanimous. Be generous in life. Give of your time, money and wisdom. Share with others so they can see the true joy and adventures of life themselves.
There are the qualities I think helps lead a person to life a successful life. Clearly everyone's views will differ, as they should. What are some qualities that you think define success in life?
akeem adeoluwa
Empathy. Be aware that each person is different and may have different values and beliefs than those that you hold. Be understanding of the feelings and thoughts of others without having to be told or reminded of them.
Sympathy. Share your feelings with others and understand the emotional situations that people go through. Put yourself in their shoes.
Compassion. When someone is in distress, reach out with a genuine interest in helping alleviate their suffering.
akeem adeoluwa
sucess tips
Civility. Graciousness and respect go a long way in life. What is more, they are viral – when people see you doing it they are more apt to practice civility themselves. Be kind to others and extend courtesy towards them. Don’t interrupt people when they speak and don’t dominate the conversation.
Wisdom. Gain from the wisdom that is inside you. Understand the inner qualities of people and learn how to understand situations that might be different than we are used to.
Charity. Practice kind, gentle, and compassionate treatment of others – especially those who may be undeserving. Learn to extend a hand to help others, even though they themselves may not have helped you.
akeem adeoluwa.
success tip
Incorruptibility. Let it be known that you stand firm for what you believe in and that your morals, values and actions are not for sale. Don’t let outside forces corrupt the person you are.
Sound. Show good judgment and sense in life. Don’t let prejudices or emotions cloud your judgment.
Whole. Be focused on what you want to achieve in life. Give everyone you interact with your complete and undivided attention.
akeem adeoluwa
success tips
Humility. Don’t lead a life thinking you are better than others or are superior to those around you. Modesty and humbleness will leave a far more ever lasting impact on people than trying to show off.
Personal integrity. Always follow your heartfelt values, and never let a situation or anyone steer you away from doing what you know is right. Be someone that people can look up to and respect and not someone who trades his or her moral values for material gains in life.
akeem adeoluwa
success tips
Wholehearted. Be enthusiastic about what you do. Show it. Be committed to life and everything that you set out to accomplish in life. Devote yourself to your family, friends, and community and commit yourself to being the best father, husband, wife, mother, friend, and neighbor you can be.
Honest. Be honest in your dealings with yourself and with others. When others interact with you, let them see someone who is reputable, respectable and genuine. Do what you say you will do and never use fraud or deception to get ahead in life. Let ethics, morals, and honor be your compass.
akeem adeoluwa.
SUCCESS TIPS FOR A SUCCESSFUL LIFE
How do you define a successful life? Is it by how much money or stuff you have amassed, or is it by the legacy you leave behind? All too often we equate a successful life with material possessions. Yet, there are millions of people out there who lead successful, fulfilled lives who may be of modest means. They may not be rich in the financial sense, but they are rich in life and values.
So what are the things we should strive for to make our lives successful and have a positive impact on those around us? Here is a list of traits that I think defines what true success in life is all about. Does your list differ?
Sincerity. Be sincere in your actions. Don’t try to deceive or impress others. Be yourself, and do what you feel is right based on your values and beliefs. You will be surprised at how people accept you when you stop trying to be someone you aren’t.
akeem adeoluwa
FIVE TOP SUCCESS TIP
t’s a great feeling when you know you have just aced a lesson – when you have just heard the ‘ker-ching’ that means that the penny has dropped and your students have finally got it! After all, you’ve been trying to teach them that word or grammatical structure for ages now!
But how do you really know what makes a good TEFL lesson? Are rows of smiley happy students definitive of a great lesson? Or can we measure TEFL classroom success in a different way?
While your personality may help your popularity with a class, this alone won’t sustain you for long. The bottom line is that preparation is key if you want to have continued success with your TEFL students.
So let’s look at our top 5 sure-fire ways to create successful lessons.
1. Get your students engaged and involved straight away
A TEFL lesson is like a blog – if it doesn’t get you involved straight away you switch off. So get all your students involved and communicating from the start and set a strong context for the rest of your lesson. This gets them over any inhibitions about speaking English in class and makes communication later in the lesson much easier.
For example, if you’re planning to practice question forms in English, then find out what they can do by having them guess the famous person in your picture by asking ‘yes/no’ questions. See this in action here.
2. Have a clear objective for your lesson
‘Improve students speaking skills’ is too vague and it is also impossible to measure. However, ‘Learn 4 new ways to ask for something in a restaurant and practice using them verbally in a natural context’ doesn’t sound as pretty, but is quantifiable and will focus your activities around this task.
Often it is better to practice one thing in several different ways than keep introducing new elements through the course of a lesson. So keep your objective measurable and realistic to your students’ abilities.
3. Plan your lessons!
You may be able to wing it on the odd occasion but planning is essential if you are to be successful. There is no substitute for a well-prepared lesson plan built around your key objective. Get into the planning habit early and the process will get quicker with time.
Attached is a lesson plan template we encourage all our students to use in our TESOL training courses. Have a look. As you will see, the plan is split into 3 stages. There is presentation stage where you engage students into the theme and present the target language, the study phase which may include reading, writing, listening or speaking tasks with related activities and then a final practice session. This will generally be less controlled and allow the students to practice the target language in a more natural context. A solid objective (see 2) will really help you to plan suitable tasks within each of the 3 sections.
4. Prepare plenty of pair and group work activities
This ensures students get plenty of communication practice and it probably means you as the teacher are not talking too much. As a new teacher, a common mistake is to ‘tell’ everything and to dominate with too much Teacher Talking Time (TTT). Cut it down! You rarely need to say as much as you think.
Remember that good course books have pre-prepared material graded for level and there are a wealth of free TEFL resources and ideas on the internet You can select and adapt these according to your class.
5. Review your lessons
Back to the beginning now – do you remember we asked how we can we measure TEFL classroom success? At the bottom of the lesson plan template you will see some great questions for review after the lesson:
a. Have you got the focus of the lesson right? For example, if it’s a reading/writing/grammar based lesson, have you made this skill or element the central part of the lesson? Is this reflected in the timings? Have you mentioned the relevant skill in your aim?
b. Are there any points where the students might lose interest or where they have worked quicker than you expected? If so, where and do you have a back-up or extra activity? What would you have them do?
c. How could the lesson have been improved? Hard to know before you teach it, but is there somewhere you can see room for potential improvement?
Answer these questions as soon as possible after giving the lesson and be honest with yourself. If this is tricky, ask yourself, ‘If I had to give this lesson again tomorrow, what would I change?’
The bottom line is ‘did I meet my objective?’ If not, why?
Over to you
While we believe the key to TEFL success is mostly about preparation and planning, there is still so much to say about what makes a successful TEFL lesson and we’re sure you have your own ideas. So, over to you; what are your do’s and don’ts for the TEFL classroom? What should you avoid?
contributed by akeem adeoluwa
Fire Worship
Fire Worship, religious devotion to fire as a divine or sacred element. Like sun worship, from which it cannot always be distinguished, the veneration of fire is one of the earliest forms of religion. The flame itself may be the object of adoration, or it may be regarded as the material manifestation of a divinity or fire spirit.
In almost every mythology there is an account of the way fire was brought to humankind. In Greek legend, the Titan Prometheus is represented as having stolen the precious flame from Mount Olympus, the home of the gods, or as having ignited a torch from the burning rays emitted by the chariot of the sun god Phoebus. A legend among the Polynesian Cook Islanders of the South Pacific describes the descent of the culture hero Maui to the underworld, where he learned the art of making fire by rubbing two sticks together. Early inhabitants of the Caroline Islands believed that mortals received fire from the gods through the bird Mwi, which brought it to earth in its bill and concealed it inside trees. Human beings then obtained this fire by rubbing two pieces of wood together. The Native American tribes, like the tribes of West Africa, paid homage to ancestral fire spirits. The Aztec of Mexico acknowledged in their worship the fire god Xiuheuctli, who resembled their sun god (see Aztec Empire). The Inca of Peru also worshiped a fire god. Various Semitic peoples propitiated the fire god Moloch with the sacrifice of their firstborn children, and ritual offerings to fire gods were made by the Egyptians and other peoples of the ancient world. Fire worship occupied a central position in the religious rites of the early Indo-European peoples. Among the early Hindus, sacrifice to the fire was one of the first acts of morning devotion, and the hymns addressed to the fire god Agni outnumbered those in praise of any other divinity (see Hinduism). The ancient Greek cults of Hestia, goddess of the hearth, and Hephaestus, god of fire, like those of their Roman counterparts, Vesta (see Vesta) and Vulcan, were integral features of the religion of classical times. Fire worship also was generally practiced among the ancient Slavic peoples, and the Celts offered prayers to Bridget, the patroness of fire, hearth, and fertility.
The worship of fire had its fullest development, however, in ancient Persia, where from earliest times the ceremonial keeping of the flame was the chief characteristic of the Zoroastrian religion (see Zoroastrianism). Fire was believed to be the earthly manifestation of the Divine, the heavenly light. The term for “priest” in the Zoroastrian scriptures is athravan,”belonging to the fire.” The conquest of Persia by the Muslims was symbolized by the extinction of the holy flame in the Persian temples, and when the Zoroastrian Parsis fled as religious exiles from their native land to India, the sacred fire they carried with them was as much a sign of their nationality as of their faith.
Closely associated with fire worship is the religious ceremony of fire walking. Practiced by many peoples in all ages, it is still performed in Tahiti, Trinidad, Mauritius, the Fiji Islands, India, and Japan. The ceremony involves the procession of a priest and other celebrants barefoot across large stones that have been heated upon a bed of burning logs. Various explanations, none of them altogether satisfactory, have been offered to explain why fire walkers apparently suffer no burns or pain. Some observers have maintained that a religious ecstasy in the celebrants produces temporary insensibility to pain. In ancient times, particularly in India, the rite is said to have involved passing through the flames, rather than walking upon them. Some authorities believe that participants may have been able to walk through the flames without being touched by them.
contributed by Benjamin Adeoluwa.
So, to the Question
What has "monetary" success given me in the last 30 days that made it worth it?
The ability spend quality time with my family, swimming in our pool, camping in our RV, minimizing the stress that not having enough money creates, etc…
It shouldn't be this way but we all know that financial stress is, at least, partially responsible for much family disharmony.
I think that if you love each other, money shouldn't matter. However, life and statistics often indicate, otherwise.
Not being broke allows me to do things with my family that build and nurture our relationship and secure our future.
IT'S NEVER ABOUT THE THINGS THAT MONEY CAN BUY. Success is not measured by the "things" you get, but by the life you live…
Financial success should be about what it allows you to do for others and for cementing relationships and doing the things that matter…at least, that’s how I see it.
One of my favorite passages in the scriptures I would like to this thought in your last reply on success.
you said
1) …"I think that if you love each other, money shouldn't matter"…
2) …"Success is not measured by the "things" you get, but by the life you live…
So to those two thoughts , I reply from this scripture to encourage your success and to thank you for being so thorough and thought provoking.
Psalm 91:1-13
You who sit down in the High God's presence, spend the night in Shaddai's shadow, Say this: "God, you're my refuge. I trust in you and I'm safe!" That's right—he rescues you from hidden traps, shields you from deadly hazards. His huge outstretched arms protect you— under them you're perfectly safe; his arms fend off all harm. Fear nothing—not wild wolves in the night, not flying arrows in the day, Not disease that prowls through the darkness, not disaster that erupts at high noon. Even though others succumb all around, drop like flies right and left, no harm will even graze you. You'll stand untouched, watch it all from a distance, watch the wicked turn into corpses. Yes, because God's your refuge, the High God your very own home, Evil can't get close to you, harm can't get through the door. He ordered his angels to guard you wherever you go. If you stumble, they'll catch you; their job is to keep you from falling. You'll walk unharmed among lions and snakes, and kick young lions and serpents from the path.
Your comment was beautiful and true. I wish more people had that kind of faith and understanding. But I fear that our educational system has been on a campaign to destroy faith. That's a big reason that I have written the articles regarding "Fact" that are wrong and are destroying faith. I think the first step to reversing the process is to expose the many untruths that are being taught as "science". Facts are facts. But just as in a trial where evidence that undercuts the case of the prosecutor is allowed to be presented, the factual evidence that puts into question the anti religious conclusions of our scientists should be presented… but they are not.
Making this right does not require that must teach, for example, "because of X, there must be a God"… Simply acknowledgint the imperfections of the theory would be sufficient i.e "one of the problems with the theory of evolution is the Cambrian Explosion in which virtually all body forms came into being in a geological blink of an eye".
That would be a statement is a FACT.
It undercuts the theory of evolution.
But it is mentioned only in passing as one of the era's without the factual statement its reality does not really conform to the claim of gradual change over time. The Cambrian is a problem for evolutionists but they virtually pretend that it doesn't exist.
I found this and thought you might find it interesting. http://www.fossilmuseum.net/Paleobiology/CambrianExplosion.htm
Also, curious on your take on the time-scale difference between science and the bible i.e. the earth is about 8-10 thousand years old based on the bible, and approx. 4 billion years based on scientific dating
Wow Brian.What an awesome response to Bruce Castro's blog about being successful.His blog was outstanding but of course The God of our Salvation should be our trust and confidence.
I am in making a decision that makes me wonder if i'm headed for failure so i'm shying away from the risk but i believe our God protects
us and guides.But this is a large monetary decision that i have never made before.And my wife doesn't want to take any risks.
Thanks for reminding me Who is in control.
Thank you for chiming in and sharing your thoughts. Can you write out what you actually went through after you came to a conclusion as to the monetary decision you were or will make?
You wrote
…I am in making a decision that makes me wonder if i'm headed for failure so i'm shying away from the risk but i believe our God protects us and guides. But this is a large monetary decision that i have never made before. And my wife doesn't want to take any risks."…
Question?
Your wife does not want you to take Faith Building Risks in your walk with God (ie): Stepping out to have more time with God, Reading your Bible More, Praying more, longer, studying out more character issues fro you or her more effectively?
or
Your wife does not want you to take Faith Building Financial Risks in your walk with her (ie): Stepping out to have more time with her discussing finances, Reading your Bible More with her to come to a financial decision together, Praying more and longer about financial decisions, studying out more about your financial character issues (you may be a spender (faithful) you or she may be a saver / investor (Spend LESS) her more effectively
I would be interested to know how you came to decide which it was and how you came to a decision.
My wife and I had this conversation last night about a Mattress we were shopping for. I am the (faithful) Spiritually and The Financial category she is the spend LESS / INVESTOR prudent and Value conscious. My challenge is If I will spend $1600.00 for a mattress what tis the difference if it costs $2000.00 In her mind we don't have it. In my mind, we have it! Or I would pay what we have now and pay the balance. Her thinking is we have only very much to spend and that is it! I have never thought that, and we've been married for 35 years.
Which meas I have ben wrong for 35 years! So she looked for another mattress at Costco Online and found what she wanted, and it Cost $700.00 I still think the way I do and she thinks the way does to. At the writing of the email, she comes up to me and asks is it okay with you if we get the Cosco mattress as I was crafting this reply to you. I said sure, not because I change my thinking or because I am wrong in my rationale. I made a commitment to God this morning about being unified with him and her. I realized that If I make the decision to obey God and be unified with Feliz it would not matter about each others position because I made that decision in my tome with God this morning before she and I had a conversation!
You don't have to have money to be happy. Some of the happiest days of my existence were when the limits of my wealth was that I could eat at a Mexican restaurant. I played my guitar in clubs at night and rode my bike on the river trails during the day. I don't care what anyone says… I WAS SUCCESSFUL!
Real success IS NOT ABOUT MONEY. It's about creating a balance that lets you live the life you choose..
All the MONEY in the world is useless if you don't have the time to enjoy it.
All the TIME in the world is useless if you don't have the money to enjoy it. It's about BALANCE.
When I speak of success, it's never about money; I'm really referring to achieving the things that we feel are important. It varies for each of us… that's what success is.
No matter what your goal, there are always set backs, it always requires focusing on the objective, consistent effort etc… Whether your goal is a happy wife or a fat wallet the traits and principles that are required to achieve them are often the same.
Another form of succes is …successful"… which means
1. Achieving or having achieved success.
2. Having attained wealth, position, honors, or the like.
Bruce you gave us insight into your understanding and application of it in this way …"I'm really referring to achieving the things that we feel are important"…
Over the last 30 days you have been on top of the inconsistent institution that is suppose to supply payments and commission to your business partners in ASN. To no fault of your own and completely out of your control the did not perform there duties at all.
Affirmed by this thought …"No matter what your goal, there are always set backs, it always requires focusing on the objective, consistent effort "… You learned from it, told your partners in a newsletter email and took responsibility for this even though it was out of your control. Great Job Bruce. This is what leaders DO!
Keep Strong! We are with you and support what you believe in (helping others succeed)!
It depends on what you mean by success, Success means different things depending on the person asked, the situation they are in and their stage of life. My personal definition success today, is DRAMATICALLY different than what it was 20 years ago.
For a fuller perspective see the article http://allsolutionsnetwork.org/blog/what-is-succe…
A successful marriage, family, and friends is all important.
A successful business brings a different kind of reward, one of those rewards is that it "helps" with the others. The wife is happier if I can take the family out to dinner more often. My 10 year old son likes that I can take him to see the newest spider man movie :-), My friends like it if I can occassionally pick up the tab :-)…
However, anyone that works so hard to achieve financial success that they destroy a successful family IS AN ABSOLUTE FOOL AND FAILURE!
Thank you for explaining the …"Success from your perspective that was worth it over te last 3 days"…
Success according to the dictionary means:
1. the favorable or prosperous termination of attempts or endeavors.
2. the attainment of wealth, position, honors, or the like.
3. a successful performance or achievement: The play was an instant success.
4. a person or thing that is successful: She was a great success on the talk show.
Bruce you responded …depending on the person asked, the situation they are in and their stage of life"..
Now since I did not ask you for the dictionary definition I thought I would put this in my reply for those who need to be reminded of what someone else thinks it means:-)
Bruce all of us on this "Market place of ideas" would not be communicating with you or each other if you were of the same mindset of 20 years ago. As a result of your "success" we can communicate with others and appreciate your grow and success.
Looking ahead to the future of our legacy (our children) then beginning to watch them have grandchildren I agree with that thought. We (everyone) who are on the journey of raising children or being raised currently by those who love you, That is the success. Faith Hope and Love being applied to you or you applying it successfully to others.
True Meaning of Democracy when people understand the power of vote to select and reject instead of giving vote with a mindset that how does my vote make s difference. Revolution, Unison on time to time against Govt apartheid etc are strong mechanism to hold Govt accountable instead of bickering around corridor , social media as an individual topic to debate and forget. Your message should invite people to work in unity and raise voice in mass.
Further, citizen should not shy away from politics by saying that I have no interest in it as politics is not a choice and is a part of life and responsibility and by ignorance allowing miscreants and goons to rule you and pay a heavy price for the same daily basis
how do i work this site i watched the youtube video about making money here and getting a free 60 page site where is it?
apparently someone didn’t give you a link to join?
please go here… http://allsolutionsnetwork.com/cgi-bin/d2.cgi/1000/moremoney.htm
you can join for free there.
“Government is not the generator of economic growth; working people are.”
“Economic growth may one day turn out to be a curse rather than a good, and under no conditions can it either lead into freedom or constitute a proof for its existence.”
Laughter is a form of internal jogging…moves your internal organs around…enhances respiration.
Laughter gives us distance. It allows us to step back from an event, deal with it and then move on.
Humor is a wonderful way
to prevent a hardening of
the attitudes.
We all travel a different and unique path in life which is who we are and the support we receive for our individual paths is important to the strength of the family as a whole.
Embrace the differences as well as the similarities in your family and help to strengthen both each and every day.
Family Success"
The success of the family as a whole depends on the growth of the individuals in that family. As unique and similar as the family members are the ability of the family to grow strong depends as well on the ability of each member of the family to grow in his or her own unique way.
The freedom and flexibility allowed each individual to travel down their own path will determine their success which will in turn strengthen the family as a whole.
The love and guidance that is offered in each family must be done in such a way that the uniqueness of each member is not forgotten. We can easily forget how unique each path is as we sometimes try to guide in the direction of our own values and beliefs.
When religion is in the hands of the mere natural man, he is always the worse for it; it adds a bad heat to his own dark fire and helps to inflame his four elements of selfishness, envy, pride, and wrath. And hence it is that worse passions, or a worse degree of them are to be found in persons of great religious zeal than in others that made no pretenses to it.
Extremism of any kind, is extreme._Logic dictates that a religion or any other ideal should be judged by it's teachings and philosophy, NOT by the warped interpretations of some of the NUTS that may dwell within it. This is true of any religion from Islam to Christianity.
The message of Christianity, in its totality, is a message of love and forgiveness for all. Hardly evil.
If a Christian engages in a horrible act, it is not because he is ACTUALLY following the message of Christ (even if he thinks he is). The fault is with the individual, not the religion.
"But Christians have killed abortion doctors because of their beliefs!"
This is true, it's happened, it's a tragedy and unforgiveable… and understand, I IN NO WAY CONDONE SUCH ACTIONS. But the reality is that even if the thought process was warped, the goal wasn't to KILL a person, it was to PROTECT the innocent.
Bad acts by bad people are the responsiblity of the person, not the religion that teaches the opposite of those acts.
I was walking across a bridge one day, and I saw a man standing on the edge, about to jump off. So I ran over and said 'Stop! don't do it!' 'Why shouldn't I?' he said. I said, 'Well, there's so much to live for!' He said, 'Like what?' I said, 'Well…are you religious or atheist?' He said, 'Religious.' I said, 'Me too! Are you Christian or Buddhist?' He said, 'Christian.' I said, 'Me too! Are you Catholic or Protestant?' He said, 'Protestant.' I said, 'Me too! Are you Episcopalian or Baptist?' He said, 'Baptist!' I said, 'Wow! Me too! Are you Baptist church of god or Baptist church of the lord?' He said, 'Baptist church of god!' I said, 'Me too! Are you original Baptist church of god, or are you reformed Baptist church of god?' He said, 'Reformed Baptist church of god!' I said, 'Me too! Are you reformed Baptist church of god, reformation of 1879, or reformed Baptist church of god, reformation of 1915?' He said, 'Reformed Baptist church of god, reformation of 1915!' I said, 'Die, heretic scum,' and pushed him off.
When I told the people of Northern Ireland that I was an atheist, a woman in the audience stood up and said, "Yes, but is it the God of the Catholics or the God of the Protestants in whom you don't believe?"
Man is a Religious Animal. He is the only Religious Animal. He is the only animal that has the True Religion—several of them. He is the only animal that loves his neighbor as himself and cuts his throat if his theology isn’t straight.
A religion that gives nothing, costs nothing, and suffers nothing, is worth nothing
“Religion is an insult to human dignity. With or without it, you'd have good people doing good things and evil people doing bad things, but for good people to do bad things, it takes religion.”
“If there were no God, it would have been necessary to invent him.”
We have just enough religion to make us hate, but not enough to make us love one another.
“Religion is to do right. It is to love, it is to serve, it is to think, it is to be humble.”
"Our enemies are innovative and resourceful, and so are we. They never stop thinking about new ways to harm our country and our people, and neither do we."
Politicians and diapers have one thing in common — they both should be changed regularly and for the same reason!"
I agree with your statement!!
Son: Dad, I have to do a special report for school. Can I ask you a question?
Father: Sure, son. What's the question?
Son: What is politics?
Father: Well, let's take our home for example. I am the wage earner, so let's call me “Tony Blair.” Your mother is the administrator of money, so we'll call her “Gordon Brown.” We take care of your needs, so we'll call you “the People.” We'll call the maid “the Working Class,” and your baby brother we can call “the Future.” Do you understand, son?
Son: I'm not really sure, Dad. I'll have to think about it.
That night, awakened by his baby brother's crying, the boy went to see what was wrong. Discovering that the baby had seriously soiled his diaper, the boy went to his parents' room and found his mother sound asleep. He went to the maid's room where, peeking through the keyhole, he saw his father in bed with the maid. The boy's knocking went totally unheeded by his father and the maid, so the boy returned to his room and went back to sleep. The next morning he reported to his father.
Son: Dad, now I think I understand what politics is.
Father: Good, son! Can you explain it to me in your own words?
Son: Well, dad, while Tony Blair is screwing the Working Class, Gordon Brown is sound asleep, the People are being completely ignored and the Future is full of
I just have to say I loved this comment! LOL
The mightiest of weapons is truth. And everyone knows you’re not permitted to enter a Government building with a weapon.
so that’s their reason for all the lies. Here I was dumb enough to think they were just dirty corrupt politicians!!
TIPS ON HEALTHY LIVING
Deep breathing.
When you’ve got time – at your desk, driving the car, cooking food – do some deep breathing. Inhale and count up to 5 seconds, hold it for a few seconds, and release slowly. Exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide is one of the best things we can do for our blood and cells.
Benjamin adeoluwa
well l have try it,thanks
TIPS ON HEALTHY LIVING
Say yes to freshly squeezed juice.
One of the biggest and most exciting changes I made in my health about 7 months ago was when I said “yes” to having my own freshly squeezed juice every morning. Since then, my energy, body health and vitality has increased ten-fold. I create the time to squeeze my own carrot-apple-ginger juice; however if you don’t have the time, ask someone if they can make it for you in exchange for something you can help them with, or get yourself to a local juice bar and get your share of the juice!
Benjamin adeoluwa.
TIPS ON HEALTHY LIVING
Drink herbal teas.
When at work or home, many people love to get a cup of tea or coffee. Decide that you’ll be more healthy and get a warm cup of herbal tea. The selection available today is absolutely massive, so you’re guaranteed to find one you enjoy. I like mandarin and ginseng tea as well as fennel seed tea.
Eat a handful of nuts.
Get your favorite selection of nuts (almonds, cashews, pecans, walnuts, etc.) and raisins and have a big handful of them at around 3pm. This has been shown to increase afternoon energy and productivity.
Benjamin adeoluwa
TIPS ON HEALTHY LIVING
Avoid going to junk food shops with your work mates.
If your work mates are going and you want to go along, go ahead but don’t order the burger or french fries. Go for a nice salad instead. Or any other healthy meal that takes your fancy. Junk food is full of “empty calories” that do nothing for your body but put on extra unneeded and unhealthy fat.
Exercise on the go.
If you work in an office, get up every 30 minutes and go for a walk. If you have an office with stairs, run up and down the stairs every couple of hours. Get your blood flowing and your muscles moving.
Benjamin adeoluwa
TIPS FOR HEALTHY LIVING
1. Enjoy a pint of water first thing in the morning.
If you haven’t got time for anything else in the morning, make time to drink a big glass of water. We lose a lot of oxygen through the night and to rejuvenate our cells, we need to supply them with water and oxygen. Drink a glass of water and within a week you’ll begin to feel less tired. I like the taste of water, but I know some people do not so if you’re one of them, squeeze some fresh lime into your water to give it taste and drink up.
2. Grab a few fresh fruits on your way out.
Wherever you’re going – whether it’s a walk or drive to the supermarket or on your way to a meeting – pick up one or two fruits and eat them. If you leave for work in the morning and don’t return ’til evening, take a few fruits and eat them throughout the day. Fruits are great for their nutrients, vitamins and sugars that are required in our body.
Benjamin adeoluwa.
SUCCESS TIPS
Magnanimous. Be generous in life. Give of your time, money and wisdom. Share with others so they can see the true joy and adventures of life themselves.
There are the qualities I think helps lead a person to life a successful life. Clearly everyone's views will differ, as they should. What are some qualities that you think define success in life?
Benjamin adeoluwa
SUCCESS TIPS
Altruism. Think of others without thinking of yourself. Do good things for people without expecting something in return for yourself.
Benjamin adeoluwa
SUCCESS TIPS
Sympathy. Share your feelings with others and understand the emotional situations that people go through. Put yourself in their shoes.
Compassion. When someone is in distress, reach out with a genuine interest in helping alleviate their suffering.
Benjamin adeoluwa
SUCCESS TIPS
Wisdom. Gain from the wisdom that is inside you. Understand the inner qualities of people and learn how to understand situations that might be different than we are used to.
Charity. Practice kind, gentle, and compassionate treatment of others – especially those who may be undeserving. Learn to extend a hand to help others, even though they themselves may not have helped you.
Benjamin adeoluwa
SUCCESS TIPS
Civility. Graciousness and respect go a long way in life. What is more, they are viral – when people see you doing it they are more apt to practice civility themselves. Be kind to others and extend courtesy towards them. Don’t interrupt people when they speak and don’t dominate the conversation.
Benjamin adeoluwa.
SUCCESS TIPS
Whole. Be focused on what you want to achieve in life. Give everyone you interact with your complete and undivided attention.
Courtesy. Practice good manners even though others around you may not.
Benjamin adeoluwa.
SUCCESS TIPS
Incorruptibility. Let it be known that you stand firm for what you believe in and that your morals, values and actions are not for sale. Don’t let outside forces corrupt the person you are.
Sound. Show good judgment and sense in life. Don’t let prejudices or emotions cloud your
judgment.
Benjamin adeoluwa
SUCCESS TIPS
Humility. Don’t lead a life thinking you are better than others or are superior to those around you. Modesty and humbleness will leave a far more ever lasting impact on people than trying to show off.
Personal integrity. Always follow your heartfelt values, and never let a situation or anyone steer you away from doing what you know is right. Be someone that people can look up to and respect and not someone who trades his or her moral values for material gains in life.
Benjamin adeoluwa.
SUCCESS TIPS
Heartfelt. When you do something for someone, or they do something for you, let your thanks and emotion be openly and outwardly expressed towards them.
Hearty. Be someone who displays an honest, warm, and exuberant personality to those around them. Let your feelings show and let them be genuine when they do.
Benjamin adeoluwa.
SUCCESS TIPS
Wholehearted. Be enthusiastic about what you do. Show it. Be committed to life and everything that you set out to accomplish in life. Devote yourself to your family, friends, and community and commit yourself to being the best father, husband, wife, mother, friend, and neighbor you can be.
Honest. Be honest in your dealings with yourself and with others. When others interact with you, let them see someone who is reputable, respectable and genuine. Do what you say you will do and never use fraud or deception to get ahead in life. Let ethics, morals, and honor be your compass.
Benjamin adeoluwa.
SUCCESS TIPS
So what are the things we should strive for to make our lives successful and have a positive impact on those around us? Here is a list of traits that I think defines what true success in life is all about. Does your list differ?
Sincerity. Be sincere in your actions. Don’t try to deceive or impress others. Be yourself, and do what you feel is right based on your values and beliefs. You will be surprised at how people accept you when you stop trying to be someone you aren’t.
Unfeigned. Be genuine in what you do; your actions speak louder than your words. Don’t falsify or embellish events that may have happened. Don’t say one thing and do the other
benjamin adeoluwa.
success tips
Magnanimous. Be generous in life. Give of your time, money and wisdom. Share with others so they can see the true joy and adventures of life themselves.
There are the qualities I think helps lead a person to life a successful life. Clearly everyone's views will differ, as they should. What are some qualities that you think define success in life?
akeem adeoluwa
success tips
Empathy. Be aware that each person is different and may have different values and beliefs than those that you hold. Be understanding of the feelings and thoughts of others without having to be told or reminded of them.
Sympathy. Share your feelings with others and understand the emotional situations that people go through. Put yourself in their shoes.
Compassion. When someone is in distress, reach out with a genuine interest in helping alleviate their suffering.
akeem adeoluwa
sucess tips
Civility. Graciousness and respect go a long way in life. What is more, they are viral – when people see you doing it they are more apt to practice civility themselves. Be kind to others and extend courtesy towards them. Don’t interrupt people when they speak and don’t dominate the conversation.
Wisdom. Gain from the wisdom that is inside you. Understand the inner qualities of people and learn how to understand situations that might be different than we are used to.
Charity. Practice kind, gentle, and compassionate treatment of others – especially those who may be undeserving. Learn to extend a hand to help others, even though they themselves may not have helped you.
akeem adeoluwa.
success tip
Incorruptibility. Let it be known that you stand firm for what you believe in and that your morals, values and actions are not for sale. Don’t let outside forces corrupt the person you are.
Sound. Show good judgment and sense in life. Don’t let prejudices or emotions cloud your judgment.
Whole. Be focused on what you want to achieve in life. Give everyone you interact with your complete and undivided attention.
akeem adeoluwa
success tips
Humility. Don’t lead a life thinking you are better than others or are superior to those around you. Modesty and humbleness will leave a far more ever lasting impact on people than trying to show off.
Personal integrity. Always follow your heartfelt values, and never let a situation or anyone steer you away from doing what you know is right. Be someone that people can look up to and respect and not someone who trades his or her moral values for material gains in life.
akeem adeoluwa
success tips
Wholehearted. Be enthusiastic about what you do. Show it. Be committed to life and everything that you set out to accomplish in life. Devote yourself to your family, friends, and community and commit yourself to being the best father, husband, wife, mother, friend, and neighbor you can be.
Honest. Be honest in your dealings with yourself and with others. When others interact with you, let them see someone who is reputable, respectable and genuine. Do what you say you will do and never use fraud or deception to get ahead in life. Let ethics, morals, and honor be your compass.
akeem adeoluwa.
SUCCESS TIPS FOR A SUCCESSFUL LIFE
How do you define a successful life? Is it by how much money or stuff you have amassed, or is it by the legacy you leave behind? All too often we equate a successful life with material possessions. Yet, there are millions of people out there who lead successful, fulfilled lives who may be of modest means. They may not be rich in the financial sense, but they are rich in life and values.
So what are the things we should strive for to make our lives successful and have a positive impact on those around us? Here is a list of traits that I think defines what true success in life is all about. Does your list differ?
Sincerity. Be sincere in your actions. Don’t try to deceive or impress others. Be yourself, and do what you feel is right based on your values and beliefs. You will be surprised at how people accept you when you stop trying to be someone you aren’t.
akeem adeoluwa
FIVE TOP SUCCESS TIP
t’s a great feeling when you know you have just aced a lesson – when you have just heard the ‘ker-ching’ that means that the penny has dropped and your students have finally got it! After all, you’ve been trying to teach them that word or grammatical structure for ages now!
But how do you really know what makes a good TEFL lesson? Are rows of smiley happy students definitive of a great lesson? Or can we measure TEFL classroom success in a different way?
While your personality may help your popularity with a class, this alone won’t sustain you for long. The bottom line is that preparation is key if you want to have continued success with your TEFL students.
So let’s look at our top 5 sure-fire ways to create successful lessons.
1. Get your students engaged and involved straight away
A TEFL lesson is like a blog – if it doesn’t get you involved straight away you switch off. So get all your students involved and communicating from the start and set a strong context for the rest of your lesson. This gets them over any inhibitions about speaking English in class and makes communication later in the lesson much easier.
For example, if you’re planning to practice question forms in English, then find out what they can do by having them guess the famous person in your picture by asking ‘yes/no’ questions. See this in action here.
2. Have a clear objective for your lesson
‘Improve students speaking skills’ is too vague and it is also impossible to measure. However, ‘Learn 4 new ways to ask for something in a restaurant and practice using them verbally in a natural context’ doesn’t sound as pretty, but is quantifiable and will focus your activities around this task.
Often it is better to practice one thing in several different ways than keep introducing new elements through the course of a lesson. So keep your objective measurable and realistic to your students’ abilities.
3. Plan your lessons!
You may be able to wing it on the odd occasion but planning is essential if you are to be successful. There is no substitute for a well-prepared lesson plan built around your key objective. Get into the planning habit early and the process will get quicker with time.
Attached is a lesson plan template we encourage all our students to use in our TESOL training courses. Have a look. As you will see, the plan is split into 3 stages. There is presentation stage where you engage students into the theme and present the target language, the study phase which may include reading, writing, listening or speaking tasks with related activities and then a final practice session. This will generally be less controlled and allow the students to practice the target language in a more natural context. A solid objective (see 2) will really help you to plan suitable tasks within each of the 3 sections.
4. Prepare plenty of pair and group work activities
This ensures students get plenty of communication practice and it probably means you as the teacher are not talking too much. As a new teacher, a common mistake is to ‘tell’ everything and to dominate with too much Teacher Talking Time (TTT). Cut it down! You rarely need to say as much as you think.
Remember that good course books have pre-prepared material graded for level and there are a wealth of free TEFL resources and ideas on the internet You can select and adapt these according to your class.
5. Review your lessons
Back to the beginning now – do you remember we asked how we can we measure TEFL classroom success? At the bottom of the lesson plan template you will see some great questions for review after the lesson:
a. Have you got the focus of the lesson right? For example, if it’s a reading/writing/grammar based lesson, have you made this skill or element the central part of the lesson? Is this reflected in the timings? Have you mentioned the relevant skill in your aim?
b. Are there any points where the students might lose interest or where they have worked quicker than you expected? If so, where and do you have a back-up or extra activity? What would you have them do?
c. How could the lesson have been improved? Hard to know before you teach it, but is there somewhere you can see room for potential improvement?
Answer these questions as soon as possible after giving the lesson and be honest with yourself. If this is tricky, ask yourself, ‘If I had to give this lesson again tomorrow, what would I change?’
The bottom line is ‘did I meet my objective?’ If not, why?
Over to you
While we believe the key to TEFL success is mostly about preparation and planning, there is still so much to say about what makes a successful TEFL lesson and we’re sure you have your own ideas. So, over to you; what are your do’s and don’ts for the TEFL classroom? What should you avoid?
contributed by akeem adeoluwa
Fire Worship
Fire Worship, religious devotion to fire as a divine or sacred element. Like sun worship, from which it cannot always be distinguished, the veneration of fire is one of the earliest forms of religion. The flame itself may be the object of adoration, or it may be regarded as the material manifestation of a divinity or fire spirit.
In almost every mythology there is an account of the way fire was brought to humankind. In Greek legend, the Titan Prometheus is represented as having stolen the precious flame from Mount Olympus, the home of the gods, or as having ignited a torch from the burning rays emitted by the chariot of the sun god Phoebus. A legend among the Polynesian Cook Islanders of the South Pacific describes the descent of the culture hero Maui to the underworld, where he learned the art of making fire by rubbing two sticks together. Early inhabitants of the Caroline Islands believed that mortals received fire from the gods through the bird Mwi, which brought it to earth in its bill and concealed it inside trees. Human beings then obtained this fire by rubbing two pieces of wood together. The Native American tribes, like the tribes of West Africa, paid homage to ancestral fire spirits. The Aztec of Mexico acknowledged in their worship the fire god Xiuheuctli, who resembled their sun god (see Aztec Empire). The Inca of Peru also worshiped a fire god. Various Semitic peoples propitiated the fire god Moloch with the sacrifice of their firstborn children, and ritual offerings to fire gods were made by the Egyptians and other peoples of the ancient world. Fire worship occupied a central position in the religious rites of the early Indo-European peoples. Among the early Hindus, sacrifice to the fire was one of the first acts of morning devotion, and the hymns addressed to the fire god Agni outnumbered those in praise of any other divinity (see Hinduism). The ancient Greek cults of Hestia, goddess of the hearth, and Hephaestus, god of fire, like those of their Roman counterparts, Vesta (see Vesta) and Vulcan, were integral features of the religion of classical times. Fire worship also was generally practiced among the ancient Slavic peoples, and the Celts offered prayers to Bridget, the patroness of fire, hearth, and fertility.
The worship of fire had its fullest development, however, in ancient Persia, where from earliest times the ceremonial keeping of the flame was the chief characteristic of the Zoroastrian religion (see Zoroastrianism). Fire was believed to be the earthly manifestation of the Divine, the heavenly light. The term for “priest” in the Zoroastrian scriptures is athravan,”belonging to the fire.” The conquest of Persia by the Muslims was symbolized by the extinction of the holy flame in the Persian temples, and when the Zoroastrian Parsis fled as religious exiles from their native land to India, the sacred fire they carried with them was as much a sign of their nationality as of their faith.
Closely associated with fire worship is the religious ceremony of fire walking. Practiced by many peoples in all ages, it is still performed in Tahiti, Trinidad, Mauritius, the Fiji Islands, India, and Japan. The ceremony involves the procession of a priest and other celebrants barefoot across large stones that have been heated upon a bed of burning logs. Various explanations, none of them altogether satisfactory, have been offered to explain why fire walkers apparently suffer no burns or pain. Some observers have maintained that a religious ecstasy in the celebrants produces temporary insensibility to pain. In ancient times, particularly in India, the rite is said to have involved passing through the flames, rather than walking upon them. Some authorities believe that participants may have been able to walk through the flames without being touched by them.
contributed by Benjamin Adeoluwa.
I just wanted to take a moment to thank you for your contributions to our site. I found them thoughtful and enlightening. Bruce
Bruce can you name one thing that success from your perspective that was worth it within the last 30 days fo life?
So, to the Question
What has "monetary" success given me in the last 30 days that made it worth it?
The ability spend quality time with my family, swimming in our pool, camping in our RV, minimizing the stress that not having enough money creates, etc…
It shouldn't be this way but we all know that financial stress is, at least, partially responsible for much family disharmony.
I think that if you love each other, money shouldn't matter. However, life and statistics often indicate, otherwise.
Not being broke allows me to do things with my family that build and nurture our relationship and secure our future.
IT'S NEVER ABOUT THE THINGS THAT MONEY CAN BUY. Success is not measured by the "things" you get, but by the life you live…
Financial success should be about what it allows you to do for others and for cementing relationships and doing the things that matter…at least, that’s how I see it.
One of my favorite passages in the scriptures I would like to this thought in your last reply on success.
you said
1) …"I think that if you love each other, money shouldn't matter"…
2) …"Success is not measured by the "things" you get, but by the life you live…
So to those two thoughts , I reply from this scripture to encourage your success and to thank you for being so thorough and thought provoking.
Psalm 91:1-13
You who sit down in the High God's presence, spend the night in Shaddai's shadow, Say this: "God, you're my refuge. I trust in you and I'm safe!" That's right—he rescues you from hidden traps, shields you from deadly hazards. His huge outstretched arms protect you— under them you're perfectly safe; his arms fend off all harm. Fear nothing—not wild wolves in the night, not flying arrows in the day, Not disease that prowls through the darkness, not disaster that erupts at high noon. Even though others succumb all around, drop like flies right and left, no harm will even graze you. You'll stand untouched, watch it all from a distance, watch the wicked turn into corpses. Yes, because God's your refuge, the High God your very own home, Evil can't get close to you, harm can't get through the door. He ordered his angels to guard you wherever you go. If you stumble, they'll catch you; their job is to keep you from falling. You'll walk unharmed among lions and snakes, and kick young lions and serpents from the path.
Real Success!
To be continued,
Brian
Your comment was beautiful and true. I wish more people had that kind of faith and understanding. But I fear that our educational system has been on a campaign to destroy faith. That's a big reason that I have written the articles regarding "Fact" that are wrong and are destroying faith. I think the first step to reversing the process is to expose the many untruths that are being taught as "science". Facts are facts. But just as in a trial where evidence that undercuts the case of the prosecutor is allowed to be presented, the factual evidence that puts into question the anti religious conclusions of our scientists should be presented… but they are not.
Making this right does not require that must teach, for example, "because of X, there must be a God"… Simply acknowledgint the imperfections of the theory would be sufficient i.e "one of the problems with the theory of evolution is the Cambrian Explosion in which virtually all body forms came into being in a geological blink of an eye".
That would be a statement is a FACT.
It undercuts the theory of evolution.
But it is mentioned only in passing as one of the era's without the factual statement its reality does not really conform to the claim of gradual change over time. The Cambrian is a problem for evolutionists but they virtually pretend that it doesn't exist.
Many more articles of actual facts that support religion will be forthcoming.
If you haven't yet seen it go to http://allsolutionsnetwork.com/cgi-bin/d2.cgi/100…
Take care!
I found this and thought you might find it interesting. http://www.fossilmuseum.net/Paleobiology/CambrianExplosion.htm
Also, curious on your take on the time-scale difference between science and the bible i.e. the earth is about 8-10 thousand years old based on the bible, and approx. 4 billion years based on scientific dating
Wow Brian.What an awesome response to Bruce Castro's blog about being successful.His blog was outstanding but of course The God of our Salvation should be our trust and confidence.
I am in making a decision that makes me wonder if i'm headed for failure so i'm shying away from the risk but i believe our God protects
us and guides.But this is a large monetary decision that i have never made before.And my wife doesn't want to take any risks.
Thanks for reminding me Who is in control.
David,
Thank you for chiming in and sharing your thoughts. Can you write out what you actually went through after you came to a conclusion as to the monetary decision you were or will make?
You wrote
…I am in making a decision that makes me wonder if i'm headed for failure so i'm shying away from the risk but i believe our God protects us and guides. But this is a large monetary decision that i have never made before. And my wife doesn't want to take any risks."…
Question?
Your wife does not want you to take Faith Building Risks in your walk with God (ie): Stepping out to have more time with God, Reading your Bible More, Praying more, longer, studying out more character issues fro you or her more effectively?
or
Your wife does not want you to take Faith Building Financial Risks in your walk with her (ie): Stepping out to have more time with her discussing finances, Reading your Bible More with her to come to a financial decision together, Praying more and longer about financial decisions, studying out more about your financial character issues (you may be a spender (faithful) you or she may be a saver / investor (Spend LESS) her more effectively
I would be interested to know how you came to decide which it was and how you came to a decision.
My wife and I had this conversation last night about a Mattress we were shopping for. I am the (faithful) Spiritually and The Financial category she is the spend LESS / INVESTOR prudent and Value conscious. My challenge is If I will spend $1600.00 for a mattress what tis the difference if it costs $2000.00 In her mind we don't have it. In my mind, we have it! Or I would pay what we have now and pay the balance. Her thinking is we have only very much to spend and that is it! I have never thought that, and we've been married for 35 years.
Which meas I have ben wrong for 35 years! So she looked for another mattress at Costco Online and found what she wanted, and it Cost $700.00 I still think the way I do and she thinks the way does to. At the writing of the email, she comes up to me and asks is it okay with you if we get the Cosco mattress as I was crafting this reply to you. I said sure, not because I change my thinking or because I am wrong in my rationale. I made a commitment to God this morning about being unified with him and her. I realized that If I make the decision to obey God and be unified with Feliz it would not matter about each others position because I made that decision in my tome with God this morning before she and I had a conversation!
To be continued,
Brian
You don't have to have money to be happy. Some of the happiest days of my existence were when the limits of my wealth was that I could eat at a Mexican restaurant. I played my guitar in clubs at night and rode my bike on the river trails during the day. I don't care what anyone says… I WAS SUCCESSFUL!
Real success IS NOT ABOUT MONEY. It's about creating a balance that lets you live the life you choose..
All the MONEY in the world is useless if you don't have the time to enjoy it.
All the TIME in the world is useless if you don't have the money to enjoy it. It's about BALANCE.
When I speak of success, it's never about money; I'm really referring to achieving the things that we feel are important. It varies for each of us… that's what success is.
No matter what your goal, there are always set backs, it always requires focusing on the objective, consistent effort etc… Whether your goal is a happy wife or a fat wallet the traits and principles that are required to achieve them are often the same.
Another form of succes is …successful"… which means
1. Achieving or having achieved success.
2. Having attained wealth, position, honors, or the like.
Bruce you gave us insight into your understanding and application of it in this way …"I'm really referring to achieving the things that we feel are important"…
Over the last 30 days you have been on top of the inconsistent institution that is suppose to supply payments and commission to your business partners in ASN. To no fault of your own and completely out of your control the did not perform there duties at all.
Affirmed by this thought …"No matter what your goal, there are always set backs, it always requires focusing on the objective, consistent effort "… You learned from it, told your partners in a newsletter email and took responsibility for this even though it was out of your control. Great Job Bruce. This is what leaders DO!
Keep Strong! We are with you and support what you believe in (helping others succeed)!
Thank you very much.
I didn't think that when I wrote the article, it's principles would be so quickly put to test 🙂
It depends on what you mean by success, Success means different things depending on the person asked, the situation they are in and their stage of life. My personal definition success today, is DRAMATICALLY different than what it was 20 years ago.
For a fuller perspective see the article http://allsolutionsnetwork.org/blog/what-is-succe…
A successful marriage, family, and friends is all important.
A successful business brings a different kind of reward, one of those rewards is that it "helps" with the others. The wife is happier if I can take the family out to dinner more often. My 10 year old son likes that I can take him to see the newest spider man movie :-), My friends like it if I can occassionally pick up the tab :-)…
However, anyone that works so hard to achieve financial success that they destroy a successful family IS AN ABSOLUTE FOOL AND FAILURE!
Thank you for explaining the …"Success from your perspective that was worth it over te last 3 days"…
Success according to the dictionary means:
1. the favorable or prosperous termination of attempts or endeavors.
2. the attainment of wealth, position, honors, or the like.
3. a successful performance or achievement: The play was an instant success.
4. a person or thing that is successful: She was a great success on the talk show.
Bruce you responded …depending on the person asked, the situation they are in and their stage of life"..
Now since I did not ask you for the dictionary definition I thought I would put this in my reply for those who need to be reminded of what someone else thinks it means:-)
Bruce all of us on this "Market place of ideas" would not be communicating with you or each other if you were of the same mindset of 20 years ago. As a result of your "success" we can communicate with others and appreciate your grow and success.
Success is never easy for anyone, but the benefits of putting in the hard work to achieve it are priceless!!
Heather,
Looking ahead to the future of our legacy (our children) then beginning to watch them have grandchildren I agree with that thought. We (everyone) who are on the journey of raising children or being raised currently by those who love you, That is the success. Faith Hope and Love being applied to you or you applying it successfully to others.
Brian
Success may not be easy, but it's worth it!