Lee, Lizzy, and Gil

Shoes

A little about me as told by my wife...

We are not certain precisely when my husband became a believer. We know that it occurred sometime during our first year of marriage. We also know that it was very hard for him to surrender himself into God's loving care, because of anxieties that my husband had acquired while a child.

During most of his childhood, my husband was poor. He told me that they liked to believe that they were lower middle class, but now he knows that they were just plain poor. He never was sure when he'd have enough clothes, or shoes that fit, or food on the table. As a result of this past, my husband didn't want to live his adult life in want.

Also, now as an adult, my husband was hearing Christians say: Trust in God...He wants to save you from your sins and have a relationship with you. My husband kept on holding back from God for months because he wasn't sure if he could trust this Jesus to truly take care of him....all his needs,.., spiritual as well as physical. Finally, the scripture Matthew 6:25-34 broke through the wall of his fears and my husband surrendered himself completely into the Lord's care. And he was excited; excited about living the Christian life. He wanted to follow Jesus' leading in life. He had sold out to Jesus completely.

During our first year of marriage, my husband was learning his profession. And as "the new kid" he was assigned to run the work and deliver it when it was done. Quite often these deliveries took place in the late night hours. And he usually had many stops each night. In order for me to even have time to talk with him, I often chose to ride in the car with him while he made his deliveries. It was during one of these evening delivery trips that an interesting event occurred.

We were downtown and finishing up to go home. It was cold that night and the sky looked like some snow flurries could be expected. Since we hadn't had snow yet that winter, the sidewalks were clear, but everything was so cold and gray. Our car had just turned the corner when my husband saw a man walking on the sidewalk toward a wide doorway and my husband pointed this man out to me. The man was dressed poorly; very inadequately for the weather. And his shoes, if you could call them that, were split in so many places that they could not possibly keep out the elements.

Almost as quickly as we drove past this man, my husband pulled over to the curb, put on his flashing lights, and announced that he was giving that man his shoes! I really had no time to protest because my husband was already out of the car. I watched as they talked and after some discussion, the man accepted the shoes. My husband came back to the car in his socks and we talked as we drove toward home.

I was concerned because my husband had only two pairs of shoes that were decent enough for work and here he'd just given one pair away! But my husband said that the scriptures said that if you have more than enough and someone was in need, then the Lord wants us to share. He also explained that he could only wear one pair of shoes at a time anyway, so now this simplified things. We closed the conversation with the thought that when my husband needed another pair of shoes, the Lord would provide them.

Time passed, and we could have used that extra pair of shoes, but we got along. Occasionally we talked about the incident and wondered if the Lord had ever intended to give my husband that second pair of shoes.

Approximately 18 months after my husband gave away his shoes, we were visiting at a friend's apartment. Midway through the evening, our host got up and told my husband that he had something for him. He brought back a pair of brown loafers. They fit perfectly. He went on to explain that for more than a year the Lord had been prompting him to give these shoes to my husband, be he just hadn't gotten around to it. We mentioned that my husband had wanted another pair of shoes, but didn't go into any details. We looked at each other and we couldn't wait to talk about it on the way home.

We decided that the most important issue in the "shoe incident" was the way in which the Lord used people to convey his blessings. But the people were always "allowed" to function within their own free-will. My husband was a vehicle for blessing for the man with no shoes because my husband was so willing to obey without question. Our friend withheld a blessing that the Lord intended for us because he was unwilling to obey without question. And the Lord never made our friend obey, he only prompted and let our friend choose to obey. This was an exciting revelation to us because we were able to see both sides of a blessing and how a man can choose to be a part of it.

Ephesians 5:15-17

15 Be very careful, then, how you live-not as unwise but as wise, 16 making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. 17 Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord's will is. (NIV)

Passages on prayer...

John 14:14
You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it. (NIV)

John 15:6-7
If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you. (NIV)

1 John 5:14
This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. (NIV)

James 4:3
When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures. (NIV)

James 5:16
The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective. (NIV)

1 Peter 3:7
Husbands, in the same way be considerate as you live with your wives, and treat them with respect as the weaker partner and as heirs with you of the gracious gift of life, so that nothing will hinder your prayers. (NIV)

Marriage: What is submission?

Biblical "submission" is the voluntary action of any individual to accept another person's authority and responsibility over them and for them.

In the general sense, all believers are to submit to each other (Ephesians 5:21), but in certain specific contexts, "submission" is restricted to identifiable groups: slaves to their masters, children to parents, citizens to the government, wives to their husbands, soldiers to their officers, and Christians to church leaders.

Submission means letting the other person take the lead and responsibility for the outcome.

Within the marriage, this means that the husband is the leader and the wife is his helper. Without her voluntary submission, no husband can be the leader God wants him to be. God calls for her submission to her husband as an act of trust in Him and His wisdom for the way He designed men and women. This is a must if she is to live in a way that is "fitting to the Lord" (Colossians 3:18).

God calls the man to lead and to love and to learn to live in an understanding way with his wife. This is a must if his spiritual life is to flourish (1 Peter 3:7).

http://www.familybiblefellowship.org/family/submit1.htm

We are all called to submit. Ephesians 5:21 -- Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God.

What does submission mean? Submission -- means to yield -- to yield to certain other precepts and principles that have been placed in our lives.

1 Peter 3:1-7 The Behavior of Wives
In the same way, you wives, be submissive to your own husbands so that even if any of them are disobedient to the word, they may be won without a word by the behavior of their wives, as they observe your chaste and respectful behavior. And let not your adornment be merely external-- braiding the hair, and wearing gold jewelry, or putting on dresses; but let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the imperishable quality of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is precious in the sight of God. For in this way in former times the holy women also, who hoped in God, used to adorn themselves, being submissive to their own husbands. Thus Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord, and you have become her children if you do what is right without being frightened by any fear. You husbands likewise, live with your wives in an understanding way, as with a weaker vessel, since she is a woman; and grant her honor as a fellow heir of the grace of life, so that your prayers may not be hindered.

Ephesians 4:1-2

4:1 As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. 2 Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.
(NIV)

Ephesians 2:8-10

8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith-and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God- 9 not by works, so that no one can boast. 10 For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. (NIV)

Ephesians 2:1-3

2:1 As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, 2 in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. 3 All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature and following its desires and thoughts. (NIV)

Ephesians 1:4-8

4 For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love 5 he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will- 6 to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. 7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace 8 that he lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding. (NIV)

God at work: Business embracing faith

God at work: Business embracing faith

More companies nationwide find benefits in promoting a religious context in the workplace.

ABBIE VANSICKLE
Published August 1, 2004

---

Digital Lightbridge started with a few scribbles on a Denny's restaurant napkin. Richard Hayes and Jeffrey Damm had been friends for 13 years. They worked in marketing. They went to the same church. About three years ago, they sat down at the diner to sketch out a business plan that would merge their careers with their Christian faith.

Today, the company has about 50 clients, including J.P. Morgan Chase, the University of South Florida and Simdag Investments. It's a private, for-profit company with five employees who work out of an office building at 102 W Whiting St. in downtown Tampa. Hayes is vocal about the role of faith in the business.

"Ultimately, everything we do has some kind of Christian base," Hayes said.

Although the owners are quick to emphasize their employees don't have to be Christian, their faith is a vital part of their business practices. Digital Lightbridge volunteers its services to ministries that cannot afford pricy marketing firms, including the Tampa Port Ministries, a nonprofit group that ministers to seafarers. It also shells out several hundred dollars each month so Hayes can attend sessions with other Christian company presidents through a national group called the Christian 12 Group, or C12.

Digital Lightbridge is not an anomaly. The joining of companies and faith is a growing trend throughout the Tampa Bay area and the country. Prework prayer meetings, corporate retreats to discuss faith-based business strategies, chaplains hired to minister to employees and other faith-based programs are sprouting up in businesses that range from mobile home park management to high-tech companies.

"Hopefully, it's a trend that's positive both here and around the world," said Jerry Key, a senior chaplain with Corporate Chaplains of America and executive director of Tampa Port Ministries. "Employers are beginning to realize their employees have lives outside the office door."

Just 12 years ago, there were about 25 faith-based organizations in the workplace in the United States, said Os Hillman, president of the International Coalition of Workplace Ministries, an Atlanta Christian nonprofit group that tracks faith in the workplace. In 2004, International Coalition identified more than 1,200 such organizations.

The organizations vary widely in size and product. Coca-Cola has a group called the Christian Employee Fellowship. The owner of Sign-Age of Tampa Bay in Clearwater, a company that manufactures promotional signs, belongs to C12 and holds a weekly prayer meeting. ChurchForce Inc. in Tampa links Christian companies and job seekers online.

"People are looking for more in their jobs," Hillman said. "Everyone has a God-shaped vacuum in their life."

Groups such as C12 are determined to fill that void. Founded in Apollo Beach in 1992 by Buck Jacobs, C12 has swelled to 206 members in 29 groups throughout the country, including seven groups in Florida. Membership costs depend on the corporate revenue, ranging from $450 to $850 a month.

Jacobs, who moved his headquarters to Atlanta last year, said he fields calls and requests from businesses around the world, including, most recently, Nepal and Zimbabwe, that are interested in developing faith-based programs.

"The separation of our work life and our faith life is becoming more unusual," he said.

He attributes the interweaving of the corporate and religious worlds in part to the Internet. Technology links people around the world, bypassing traditional church hierarchies, he said.

"Business is all about relationships," Jacobs said. When employees are treated as if "they all have something to offer," productivity increases. If a business doesn't see increases in profits, they don't have to stick with C12, he said.

The trend does have potential pitfalls, though, Hillman warned. "The danger can be when any CEO goes beyond the limits of what the government allows us to do in terms of religion in the workplace."

The introduction of religious practices and beliefs in the workplace is meant to improve business ethics and help employees, he said. When employers cross the line and begin to hire based on religious beliefs or exclude people whose beliefs differ from their own, their practices negate the intent of the movement, he said.

"America is a place of freedom," he said. "But there are limits of certain expressions in certain areas."

The Council on American-Islamic Relations, or CAIR, is a national Muslim civil rights and advocacy group. The group also cautioned about the influx of religious beliefs into the business world.

"These types of programs can be a healthy aspect and a nice benefit for employees," said Ahmed Bedier, Tampa-based spokesman for CAIR. "However, it's like a double-edged sword. You have to be careful not to alienate your workforce by not giving a diversity of religious beliefs."

Bedier worried that many nondenominational programs tend to espouse Protestant Christian value systems. Vulnerable employees in search of help may not critically evaluate the advice they're given, he said.

"At the end of the day, they're still a Christian perspective," he said. "How are they going to help a Muslim or Jewish person?"

Mark Cress, president of Corporate Chaplains of America, oversees a staff of about 70 full-time chaplains. Companies pay a flat fee based on the number of employees in exchange for the chaplains' services.

Cress is optimistic about the increasing number of programs such as his. He bemoaned the lack of scientific research into the trend but said it's clear that faith in the workplace is gaining momentum, increasing interest in his business. "As they say, "The trend is your friend,' " he said.

He cited President Bush's openness about his Christian beliefs, marketplace downsizing that has left employees wanting someplace to turn for support, and the increasing stress level for baby boomers who now are caring for aging parents as a few explanations for the trend.

Some say it's a trend that has been forming for decades.

Each Thursday morning, about 10 men make their way through the lobby of the Sheriton Suites Hotel near Tampa's Jefferson High School. They sit at the bar, but God is on their minds. They are Tampa's Christian Business Men's Committee, a group whose mission is to minister to other business people about Christianity. The origin of the committee's Tampa chapter dates to the 1930s.

When Bill Martin joined the group 20 years ago, he owned a cable television company in Bradenton and was looking for a way out of $2.5-million in debt, he said. He met a member of the committee, who introduced him to "the manufacturer's handbook," more commonly known as the Bible.

"When you're not familiar with what to do as a businessman, you get a handbook," he said. He figured it worked that way with religion, too.

He thought employees at his cable television company could use it, too. He said the other committee members helped him find solutions to cut down his debt and pay back what he could. Now, he tries to help others.

"We try to touch people in such a way that their primary focus is not business," said Martin, now a financial adviser and no longer in debt. "What is it worth if a person gets ahead but misses out on the most important thing - going to heaven?"

Mercury poisoning symptons

Excerpts from What You Don’t Know Ma be Killing You! by Don Colbert, M.D.

Copyright 2000 ISBN: 0-88419-627-5

Chapter 1: The Menace of Mercury

If you fillings have turned black you may be in trouble. (page 10)

Mercury, a well-known toxic heavy metal, has been scientifically proven unstable and has been shown to slowly bleed out of the amalgam filling. It finds a home inside the human body, mainly concentrating in the liver, kidneys, brain and endocrine glands. A recent study at the University of Tennessee showed mercury to be second only to radioactive plutonium on the toxic scale of inorganic heavy metals. (page 10)

Heavy metal toxicity (as occurs in the slow release of mercury from amalgam fillings) is very slow. Usually the victims simply feel bad. They may say, “I don’t know what is wrong with me – I just don’t feel good, and I am very tired.” (page 11)

Whether or not mercury silver fillings cause specific diseases is an important issue facing medical researchers today. Mercury exposure from any source and in any amount will usually cause mercury poisoning to some extent. (page 12)

The Effects of Mercury Poisoning (page 12)

· It inhibits DNA repair.

· It alters the cell’s ability to control the exchange of materials coming into and going out of the cell.

· It can alter the specific arrangements of atoms within a molecule (the tertiary structure of molecules), thus producing a nonfunctional chemical.

· It can hinder the function of enzymes.

· It interferes with nerve impulses.

· It produces autoimmune responses.

· It interferes with endocrine function.

· It displaces other good minerals in the body.

· It can kill or alter digestive bacteria.

· It can contribute to antibiotic resistance.

What are the Symptoms of Mercury Exposure? (pages 12 - 14)

Some of the symptoms that may be associated with mercury exposure include:

· Tremors in fine voluntary muscle movements, such as handwriting.

· Depression, fatigue, increased irritability, moodiness and nervous excitability.

· Inability to concentrate and loss of memory.

· Insomnia or drowsiness.

· Nausea and diarrhea.

· Loss of appetite.

· Birth defects and miscarriages.

· Nephritis or symptoms of kidney disease.

· Pneumonitis.

· Swollen glands an tongue.

· Ulceration of oral mucosa.

· Sores and ulcers in the mouth.

· Dark pigmentation of gums and loosening of teeth.

The lunula, which are the “half moons” at the base of the nail, amy have disappeared. Your fingernails are the windows of your body. (page 13)

When I was mercury-toxic,only my thumbs had lunula. Since I’ve detoxified, all of my half moons have returned on my fingers except on my little fingers (you’re not supposed to have one on your little finger). This alone is not always a sign of mercury poisoning, yet it is common. (page 14)

There is also concern that mercury leads to memory problems – often termed “mercury fog”. It can impede the nerve cell’s expiratory system – the nerve cells can’t get the nutrients in or expel the waste out. The resulting “fog” can trigger loss of memory. (page 14)

When I discovered that I had mercury poisoning, my attack on my problem was twofold. First, I went through a special mercury detoxification regime to begin binding the mercury and to strengthen my immune system by using vitamins, minerals, amino acids, chlorella (a form of algae), garlic and other supplements. Next I had the eight large amalgam fillings in my mouth taken out and replaced with porcelain. It was both the detoxification program and the removal of the fillings that made a significant difference. My renewed energy level was astounding. (page 15)

Dietary Considerations (pages 18 -19)

The largest dietary source of mercury comes from fish and fish products.

Most tuna have a fairly high content of mercury.

During your detoxification program, limit your consumption of tuna, shrimp and lobster. To be safe, you may want to eliminate all fish from your diet while you are detoxifying.

Pork and fatty cuts of red meat should also be eliminated from the diet during detoxification.

To enhance excretion of mercury and other toxic metals, increase fiber intake to 30-40 grams per day.

Eat unsweetened yogurt to assist in the maintenance of your intestinal flora, or take Lactobacillis acidophilus and bifidus.

Drink a minimum of two quarts of filtered water daily. A gallon of water daily si the preferred intake.

Chewing gum causes the release of mercury vapor from amalgams.

Normally, safe seafood includes:

Pacific (not Atlantic salmon)

Red snapper

Flounder

Grouper

Mahi-mahi

Pompano

Sea bass

Avoid:

Shark

Swordfish

Farm-raised catfish

Stripped bass

Lake trout

Bluefish

02/01/2004 Sunday

I shared with Pastor Jeff my plan to remove my silver amalgams. I told him how on the previous week I had difficulty in putting on my tie. I was able to conceptually figure it out and was able to put on my tie on subsequent days.

I feel that I have a physical and spiritual obligation to take care of my body – that is a major reason why I want to remove the silver amalgams.

1 Cor 6:19-20

19 Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; 20 you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body. (NIV)

1 Cor 3:16-17

16 Don't you know that you yourselves are God's temple and that God's Spirit lives in you? 17 If anyone destroys God's temple, God will destroy him; for God's temple is sacred, and you are that temple. (NIV)

02/03/2004 Tuesday 1:30pm – 3:45pm

Five silver amalgams removed. I had requested prayer from family members and friends for the procedure. Keith Easter even said that he was praying during the dental procedure.

I was told that my skin may itch as the anesthesia was wearing off, and that I would need to take Advil for up to 72 hours. I experienced no discomfort during or after the procedure. I did not take Advil.

“The evil has been removed”.

I was told to eat soft foods like chicken noodle soup. I choose to have homemade plain yogurt and one gallon of water that evening – to start the mercury detox process.

02/04/2004 Wednesday

I had cereal for breakfast. I noticed that three of my five fillings had some tenderness when chewing. I was told that I may experience tenderness with my fillings for three months to a year.

02/05/2004 Friday

My fillings feel just fine – no tenderness when chewing. I went to lunch with my brother at a Mexican restaurant on Davis Island. I had crispy tacos and had no discomfort chewing my food.

04/10/2004 Saturday

I still experience ringing in my ears. The lunula is returning to the middle right finger. I have not had any feelings of depressive malaise since the amalgam removal.

06/30/2004 Wednesday

I still experience ringing in my ears. The lunula is returning to the left thumb, right thumb, and middle right finger. The lunula is a faint milky color and is irregular in shape. I continue to not have any feelings of depressive malaise since the amalgam removal.

Chinese Proverb

The Glycemic Index

Diets that decrease and in some cases eliminate carbohydrates have become extremely popular in the past couple of years. Just look in the diet section of your local bookstore. It is filled with dozens of books telling you that carbohydrates is the greatest nutrition evil of our time.

Carbohydrates are not evil. They are necessary for energy production and general health. Carbohydrates supply the needed energy to keep your heart, brain and vital organs operating. However, these types of diets do have a basis in fact. Some carbohydrates cause you to store fat.

The reason some carbohydrates make you fat is because when they hit your bloodstream they cause insulin to be dumped into your bloodstream. Insulin is a hormone that has one primary job. That job is to regulate your blood sugar. Too much sugar in your blood can lead to vision loss, kidney disease and heart disease. So don’t listen to anyone that says insulin is a bad thing. Without insulin, we would be in a lot of trouble.

High insulin levels do cause an increase in body fat stores. When you eat a food that is high on the glycemic index, your blood sugar soars. This results in large amounts of insulin being dumped into your blood stream. Remember that the job of insulin is to regulate your blood sugar. It needs to do something with the excess glucose (sugar). The easiest thing for insulin to do with it is to store it in your body as fat. In fact, insulin is 30 times more efficient at storing the excess glucose as fat than sending it to the muscles where it would be burned for energy. You can’t and don’t want to stop this insulin response to stop. So what do you do about it? You need to decrease the need for large insulin dumps.

So how do you do this? You simply stay away from the foods that cause the large increases in insulin. That is where the glycemic index comes in. There are a couple of different indexes available. One uses white bread as a standard, with the white bread rated as 100. The other scale uses glucose at the standard, with glucose rated as 100.

The glycemic index was developed in the early 1980’s to assist diabetics. Eating foods that are low on the glycemic index would help them avoid dangerous increases in blood sugar. This will also help non-diabetics with body fat reduction. Staying away from the foods high on the index will decrease the amount of insulin and as a result will decrease the amount of stored fat.

Eating foods low on the glycemic index will also help increase your energy levels during the day. When you eat a high GI (glycemic index) food, you get an immediate rush of energy because of the high blood sugar levels. The resulting insulin response removes the sugar from your blood, so you now begin to feel fatigued. Eating foods low on the GI will keep you from going through this roller coaster of high and low blood sugar. Your blood sugar levels will remain more level throughout the day, which will give you a feeling of high energy all day long.

The GI of a specific food can vary. Cooking, especially overcooking foods will increase their GI. The GI of bananas will increase as they ripen. The GI of pasta can vary by protein content, size and even shape.

Each individual will also have a slightly different insulin response to each food.

Below is a partial list of the GI of some common foods. This list uses glucose as the standard and has a rating of 100.

Breads

· White bread 96

· Waffle 76

· Donut 76

· Whole wheat bread 75

· Bread stuffing 74

· Kaiser rolls 73

· Bagel, white 72

· Melba toast 70

· Tortilla, corn 70

· Rye bread 65

· Whole wheat pita 58

· Pumpernickel bread 49

Cereals

· Puffed Rice 90

· Rice Chex 89

· Crispix 87

· Corn Flakes 84

· Corn Chex 83

· Rice Krispies 82

· Grapenut Flakes 80

· Cocoapops 77

· Cheerios 74

· Shredded Wheat 69

· Puffed Wheat 67

· Grapenuts 67

· Museli 66

· Life 66

· Cream of Wheat 66

· Bran Chex 58

· Oatmeal 55

· Special K 54

· All Bran 42

Crackers/Cookies

· Vanilla Wafers 77

· Rice Cakes 77

· Water Crackers 72

· Golden Grahams 71

· Stoned Wheat Thins 67

· Shortbread 64

Dairy

· Ice Cream 61

· Pizza cheese 60

· Ice Cream – low fat 50

· Milk – skim 32

· Yogurt – with sugar 33

· Yogurt – no sugar 14

Fruits

· Watermelon 72

· Dried fruit 70

· Pineapple 66

· Cantaloupe 65

· Blueberry 59

· Orange juice 57

· Mango 55

· Fruit cocktail 55

· Banana 53

· Kiwi 52

· Orange 43

· Grapes 43

· Pear 35

· Apple 35

· Strawberry 32

· Grapefruit 25

· Plum 25

· Cherries 23

Grains

· Rice – instant 88

· Millet 71

· Rice – white/not instant 70

· Cornmeal 68

· Rye flour 65

· Couscous 65

· Bran 60

· Buckwheat 54

· Bulgur 48

· Spirali, durum 43

· Barley, pearled 25

Legumes

· Fava beans 80

· Baked beans – canned 68

· Romano beans 46

· Black eyed peas 42

· Chick peas 33

· Split peas 32

· Lima beans – frozen 32

· Butter beans 31

· Black beans 30

· Lentils 29

· Beans – dried 29

· Kidney beans 27

· Soybeans 18

Pasta

· Brown rice pasta 92

· Refined pasta 65

· Gnocchi 65

· Whole grain – thick 45

· Angel hair 45

· Star Pastina 38

· Whole grain spaghetti 37

· Vermicelli 35

Vegetables

· Parsnips 97

· Potato – baked 85

· Potato – instant 83

· Pumpkin 75

· French fries 75

· Potato – fresh – mashed 73

· Rutabaga 72

· Carrot 71

· Beets 64

· New Potato 62

· Sweet corn 55

· Sweet potato 54

· Yam 51

· Tomato 38

· Green vegetables low

· Bean sprouts low

· Cauliflower low

· Eggplant low

· Peppers low

· Squash low

· Onions low

· Water chestnuts low

Miscellaneous

· Tofu frozen dessert 115

· Maltose 105

· Glucose 100

· Rice cake 82

· Jelly beans 80

· Pretzels 80

· Honey 73

· Corn chips 73

· Soft drink 70

· Angel food 67

· Sucrose 65

· Hamburger bun 61

· Sponge cake 54

· Chocolate 49

· Instant noodles 47

· Fructose 23

© 2004 RunningPlanet.com. All rights reserved. E-Business Solutions by E-com Media Group

The results of family and friends...

Gil and Barry are… Ephesians

Chances are you’ve made a couple of whopper
mistakes in your life… cause it’s usually people
like you who really understand their
position in Christ. You know it’s not by might,
nor by power, and certainly not through works,
but only through the blood of Christ. That’s all there
is that’s standing between you and the Father…
and that’s all you need. People find you to
be generally more grace-filled than most.
You are attractive to the faith, and are usually
a bit on the non-traditional side.

Lee and Brad are… Proverbs

You don't speak much. But when you do,
people tend to listen. You are logical and precise,
yet you have a very tender heart that longs for
others to learn both from your experience, and
your personal study. People see you more as a
serious person who is willing to listen completely
before trying to solve their problems. They also trust
you to guide them down the right path.
If you are a man who aspires to such, you would
make a great elder. If not, your spiritual gifting
should at least point you to some form of leadership
role in the Body... wise leaders are always in demand.

Lizzy, Dan, Amaryllis, and Christa are… Romans

You have insight on what
it means to turn your life around
and try to live for God.
You really want people to understand
the deeper things of God,
but have a tendency to come across
as pushy and prideful... and at times,
maybe you are. But you know your
weakness and work hard at trying
to temper it with grace and compassion.

Marian is… Leviticus

I’d wager that you are pretty used to
people saying that you are legalistic.
You like having a list of rules to follow
and view most every issue as either black
or white. Part of you would love to experience
the freedom that others seem to have, but you
fear change as much as you fear breaking a
rule. The faithfulness of grace escapes you.

Which book of the Bible are you?

The results of this quiz were written with sincere Believers in mind.

What is your outlook on life?

So much to say... so little time to say it.
People need a leader... I'm here to lead.
> It's all gonna end soon... better get ready.
It's a song ready to be sung!
Life? It's hard... and the troubles just keep comin'.
There's so much to learn... so much to absorb.
> I am holy and blameless... through no work of my own.

What is your mission?

Sing... sing a song... sing out loud... sing out STRONG!
I don't know... depression overwhelms me to the point of not thinking clearly.
To follow the rules... all of them.
To teach... to encourage... to tell it like it is.
I'm just watchin' the signs, man... watchin' the signs.
> To show others the grace I've been shown by God.
> To listen before I speak.

How do most people feel about you?

They think I'm crazy.
They think I'm rigid... and a little too strict.
They usually think I'm uplifting... and maybe a tad loud.
Some think I talk too much... but that's mostly because they don't like what I have to say.
I'm sure they think I'm a downer most of the time... but they just don't understand what my life is like.
> They usually see me as an encouragement.
They mostly think I'm deep.

What kind of animal do you prefer?

A heifer... well done.
A pack-mule. That's what I feel like anyway. Always doin' people's dirty work... never gettin' a break.
A lion... no, a lamb!
> A bird... flying free in the sky.
Any animal is fine with me... they're all okay to have around.
An owl.
A spotless lamb.

What is your view of God?

I know He's there... but He must not be very pleased with me... otherwise my life might be better.
He is full of grace and mercy.
He is powerful and miraculous... requiring much from those who follow Him.
He is my comfort... my shelter... my tower of refuge and strength.
He's the Alpha and Omega... beginning and the end... who was, who is, and who is to come!
He is the giver of all widsom and understanding.
> His grace is greater than all my sin.

My responses to the above are marked with a “>”.

The Universal Prayer

Attributed to Pope Clement XI (1649-1721)


Lord, I believe in you: increase my faith.
I trust in you: strengthen my trust.
I love you: let me love you more and more.
I am sorry for my sins: deepen my sorrow.

I worship you as my first beginning,
I long for you as my last end.
I praise you as my constant helper,
and call on you as my loving protector.

Guide me by your wisdom,
correct me with your justice,
comfort me with your mercy,
protect me with your power.

I offer you, Lord, my thoughts: to be fixed on you;
my words: to have you for their theme;
my actions: to reflect my love for you;
my sufferings: to be endured for your greater glory.

I want to do what you ask of me: in the way you ask,
for as long as you ask, because you ask it.
Lord, enlighten my understanding, strengthen my will,
purify my heart, and make me holy.

Help me to repent of my past sins
and to resist temptation in the future.
Help me to rise above my human weaknesses
and to grow stronger as a Christian.

Let me love you, my Lord and my god,
and see myself as I really am:
a pilgrim in this world,
a Christian
called to respect and love all whose lives I touch,
those in authority over me
or those under my authority,
my friends and my enemies.

Help me to conquer anger with gentleness,
greed by generosity, apathy by fervor.
Help me to forget myself and reach out toward others.

Make me prudent in planning, courageous in taking risks.
Make me patient in suffering, unassuming in prosperity.
Keep me, Lord, attentive in prayer,
temperate in food and drink,
diligent in my work, firm in my good intentions.

Let my conscience be clear, my conduct without fault,
my speech blameless, my life well-ordered.
Put me on guard against my human weaknesses.
Let me cherish your love for me, keep your law,
and come at last to your salvation.

Teach me to realize that this world is passing,
that my true future is the happiness of heaven,
that life on earth is short,
and the life to come eternal.

Help me to prepare for death
with a proper fear of judgment,
but a greater trust in your goodness.
Lead me safely through death to the endless joy of heaven.

Grant this through Christ our Lord

Amen

Lord's Prayer

The Aramaic Prayer To Our Father
"Lord's Prayer"

This wording and pronunciation is the closest that
we know to the form which Jesus spoke.

aboon dabashmaya
Our father who is in heaven,

nethkadash shamak
holy is his name,

tetha malkoothak
your Kingdom is coming,

newe tzevyanak
your will is being done

aykan dabashmaya af bara
on earth as it is in heaven,

hav lan lakma dsoonkanan yamanawashbook lan
give us our bread day by day

kavine aykana daf hanan shabookan
lhayavine oolow talahn lanesyana
as we forgive those who trespass and sin against us

ela fatsan men beesha
deliver us from evil

http://www.barefootsworld.net/lordpray.html 02/22/2004

Digital Rules

Digital Rules
Rich Karlgaard, 02.16.04, 12:00 AM ET

Purpose Driven

Most business books are big fat bores, except for those that are skinny bores--those trite little tomes involving whales and cheese and lessons learned from kindergarten. Unless I know the author personally, I won't read a business book. If I do know the sucker, I like to drop the book on the pavement--in his presence--and back my car over it. I spent too many years reading such piffle, underlining and highlighting "salient" points, taking notes and promptly forgetting everything I'd read within a week. Lessons from business books never stick.

Much better learning tools are novels, history books and biographies. For me, at least, these can really teach. Why? I suppose it's because when your imagination is engaged, when you dig the lessons out yourself and connect them to your own life, the learning goes much deeper.

With that said, I give you the best book on entrepreneurship, business and investment that I've read in some time. It's not new and it's not a business book. It was written in 1995 and comes from the field of religion. It's titled The Purpose-Driven Church and was penned by Rick Warren.

Warren--in 1980 and from scratch--launched Saddleback Church in Orange County, Calif. Under his leadership, the church has become the fastest-growing one in America. (Saddleback is a Southern Baptist evangelical church, by the way.) Weekends bring in an average of 15,000 worshippers. Saddleback has spawned dozens of so-called daughter churches throughout the country. Were it a business, Saddleback would be compared with Dell, Google or Starbucks.

The Purpose-Driven Church has sold more than 1 million copies. Its sequel, The Purpose-Driven Life, has sold 12 million copies. Whatever you think about Warren or his religious beliefs, he has discerned a consumer need out there.

So let's engage our imaginations, substitute the word "business" for "church" and see what Warren has to tell us.

• Don't try to make your business grow. Instead, work to make your business healthy. Because if it's healthy, it will grow.

• Don't be afraid to make it up as you go along. Warren quotes Mark Twain, who once said: "I knew a man who grabbed a cat by the tail and learned 40% more about cats than the man who didn't." A healthy business is one that tries many things that don't work--and has the scratches and scars to prove it.

• Don't trap yourself in costly infrastructure. To accommodate Saddleback's continual growth, Warren used 79 different facilities for functions in the church's first 15 years--schools, bank buildings, recreation centers, theaters, restaurants, large homes, even a 2,300-seat tent. Only in 1995, when the church had grown to 10,000 worshippers per weekend, did Warren erect Saddleback's own building. "The shoe must never tell the foot how big it can grow," he says.

• Don't compete for market share. Instead, compete with nonconsumption. "The church [business] must offer people something they cannot get anywhere else," Warren says.

• Sell big! "I've discovered that challenging people to a serious commitment actually attracts people rather than repels them," says Warren. "The greater commitment we ask for, the greater response we get."

• Faith and dedication won't overcome lack of skill and technology. Funny words from a preacher, but how true. "One of my favorite verses," Warren says, "is Ecclesiastes 10:10: ‘If the ax is dull and its edge unsharpened, more strength is needed, but skill will bring success.'"

• Borrow from others' successes. "Anytime I see a program working in another church [business], I try to extract the principle behind it and apply it in our church. I'm very grateful for the models that have helped me. I learned a long time ago that I don't have to originate everything for it to work."

• Never enter a new business without first picking someone to lead it. "If no leader emerged, we would wait on God's timing before beginning a ministry," says Warren.

• Purpose not only defines what your business should do, it defines what it shouldn't do. "The secret to effectiveness is to know what really counts. Then do what really counts."

• Nothing should precede the purpose of your business. "Plans, programs and personalities don't last," says Warren. Only purpose lasts. It can heal your business, too. "Nothing will revive a discouraged church [business] faster than rediscovering its purpose."

The Lesson of Dell

A couple of weeks ago I interviewed Michael Dell at an investment banking conference. As terrific as Dell Inc.'s success has been, some think the company's announced goal of $60 billion in sales (now $40 billion) by 2006 is, well, too audacious. To hit its mark, Dell must succeed across a range of new businesses--plasma TVs, printers, MP3 players, high-end servers, even consulting services. Many battles on many fronts--thus the skepticism.

But when I look at Michael Dell, I see a guy who told me in 1992--at age 26--that he was going to become the IBM of the 21st century. (Talk about inviting skepticism!) In Dell I see a company that, despite its size, retains its clear purpose. Carly Fiorina of Hewlett-Packard, a top-class CEO herself, inadvertently got Michael Dell to reveal his purpose when she accused Dell Inc. of being a one-trick pony. "No," Dell shot back. "We're a two-trick pony. We satisfy customers and we make a profit."

Such clarity will propel Dell Inc. to $60 billion by 2006.



Visit Rich Karlgaard's home page at www.forbes.com/karlgaard or email him at publisher@forbes.com.