| Hi Visitor,
It has been a gloriously sunny, warm,
and unusual January. You know you're in
Vermont when you have a thunderstorm with
lightning, hail, and finally, a dusting
of snow followed by rain, all in the same
day. As my wife and I took a ride to New
Hampshire the other day, it was amazing
to see patches of lush green grass along
the way. I realize this kind of weather
doesn't do much for the diehard snowmobilers,
skiers, and other winter enthusiasts,
but I've got to say it warms my heart
just fine to enjoy the brighter days and
warmer temperatures. I am sure before
long, the months of February and March
will bring what the winter enthusiasts
are waiting for to enjoy their favorite
seasonal sport.
On a personal note: Our thirteen year
old grandson underwent an appendectomy
last week; he was a real trouper and came
out of it fine. Although, due to some
strange viral infection, causing a high
fever and a change in his white blood
count, he went back in the hospital for
several more days. For a thirteen year
old that's quite a challenge. I knew he
was feeling better when he expressed a
little complaint about his confinement.
First, know that the hospital is situated
a stones throw away from the local mall.
He and a visiting friend went for a walk
around the hospital grounds (in his pj's)
to get a change of scenery and some fresh
air, but he quipped to me, "It was
okay to get out, but they wouldn't let
me go to the mall!" We both had a
good chuckle. He's out of solitary confinement
and back home; we hope for good this time.
And we're looking to see him back on the
basketball court before too long.
May you continue to be filled with the
small blessings in your everyday life.
Focus on what you have, not on what you
believe you lack; the more you focus on
what you have, you will be sure and not
miss the multitude of blessings that come
your way.
Ron
Love
is like a mustard seed; planted by God
and watered by men - Muda Saint Michael
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Today's Issue Contains: |
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| MEN
FIND SUCCESS IN THEIR PERSONAL LIVES
BY BEING COACHED! |
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It's no secret that
men are generally less in touch
with their feelings and not too
comfortable acknowledging the feelings
that they do recognize. The overall
health and well-being of men is
affected by their inability to acknowledge
and deal with emotional issues.
Jed Diamond,
author of the latest breakthrough
book on male health and well-being,
The Irritable Male Syndrome, contains
the most up-to- date research that
reveals "why so many normally
loving husbands, fathers, and sons
suddenly become irritable, angry,
and withdrawn." The four common
triggers of IMS, according to Diamond,
are fluctuating testosterone levels,
biochemical imbalances, loss of
masculine identity, and stress.
Men who find themselves
being consistently angry, impatient,
moody, bored, hypersensitive, exhausted,
aggressive, unloved, unappreciated,
tense, touchy, unloving, lonely,
hostile, overwhelmed, defensive,
desire to drink, use drugs, increase
work, less intimate, withdrawn,
may not be living the life that
fulfills them. They may not be living
their authentic selves.
Find out the secrets
in overcoming these things that
keep you from living a healthier,
wealthier, and more fulfilled life.
Life Coaching designed for men that
focuses on living a successful and
fulfilling life has proven to be
a beneficial alternative when addressing
men's emotional and general health
issues.
Men who recognize
the need to make a change but are
afraid or hold onto their old ways,
or who spend a lot of time searching
for happiness and success may now
feel called upon to take an inner
journey to find a resolution to
those things that keep them from
feeling fully satisfied with their
lives.
Successful men are
searching for ways to create more
harmony in their lives, finding
more suitable jobs, develop better
relationships with their partners,
becoming more involved and nurturing
fathers before serious problems
arise in their lives.
Champions become
or remain champions because they
invest in the process of coaching,
honing their personal talents to
become more skillful individuals.
I work with men
who want to "slam dunk"
a balance between their personal,
career, and family lives. If you
or someone you know can benefit
from having their own Life Coach,
please send them my way. I offer
a 45-minute FREE conditional consultation.
Don't wait until a serious health
issue arises or you are faced with
losing your family, or losing your
job because of your moods or unhappy
lifestyle--get coached today to
a better way of living your life.
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The
History of Valentine Day |
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| As
early as the fourth century B.C., the
Romans engaged in an annual young man's
rite to passage to the God
Lupercus.
The names of the teenage women were
placed in a box and drawn at random by
adolescent men; thus, a man was assigned
a woman companion for the duration of
the year, after which another lottery
was staged. After eight hundred years of
this cruel practice, the early church
fathers sought to end this practice...
They found an answer in Valentine, a
bishop who had been martyred some two
hundred years earlier.
According to church tradition St.
Valentine was a priest near Rome in
about the year 270 A.D. At that time the
Roman Emperor Claudius-II who had issued
an edict forbidding marriage.
This was around when the heyday of Roman
empire had almost come to an end. Lack
of quality administrators led to
frequent civil strife. Learning
declined, taxation increased, and trade
slumped to a low, precarious level. And
the Gauls,
Slavs, Huns, Turks and Mongolians from
Northern Europe and Asian increased
their pressure on the empire's
boundaries. The empire was grown too
large to be shielded from external
aggression and internal chaos with
existing forces. Thus more of capable
men were required to be recruited as
soldiers and officers. When Claudius
became the emperor, he felt that married
men were more emotionally attached to
their families, and thus, will not make
good soldiers. So to assure quality
soldiers, he banned marriage.
Valentine, a bishop
, seeing the trauma of young
lovers, met them in a secret place, and
joined them in the sacrament of
matrimony. Claudius learned of this
"friend of lovers," and had him
arrested. The emperor, impressed with
the young priest's dignity and
conviction, attempted to convert him to
the roman gods, to save him from certain
execution. Valentine refused to
recognize Roman Gods and even attempted
to convert the emperor, knowing the
consequences fully.
On February 24, 270, Valentine was
executed.
"From your Valentine"
While Valentine was in prison awaiting
his fate, he came in contact with his
jailor, Asterius.
The jailor had a blind daughter.
Asterius
requested him to heal his daughter.
Through his faith he miraculously
restored the sight of
Asterius'
daughter. Just before his execution, he
asked for a pen and paper from his
jailor, and signed a farewell message to
her "From Your Valentine," a phrase that
lived ever after.
Valentine thus
become a Patron Saint, and
spiritual overseer of an annual
festival. The festival involved young
Romans offering women they admired, and
wished to court, handwritten greetings
of affection on February 14. The
greeting cards acquired
St.Valentine's
name.
The Valentine's Day card spread with
Christianity, and is now celebrated all
over the world. One of the earliest
card was sent
in 1415 by Charles, duke of Orleans, to
his wife while he was a prisoner in the
Tower of London. The card is now
preserved in the British Museum.
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SELF WORTH |
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| "He
has made perfect forever those who are
being made holy",...
Underline the word Perfect. Note that
the word is not better. Not improving.
Not on the upswing. God doesn't improve,
he perfects. He doesn't enhance; he
completes.... Now I realize that there's
a sense in which we're imperfect. We
still err. We still stumble. We still do
exactly what we don't want to do. And
that part of us is, according to the
verse, "being made holy." But when it
comes to our position before God, we're
perfect. When he sees each of us, he
sees one who has been made perfect
through the One who is perfect-Jesus
Christ."
From "God's Inspirational Promises"
by Max Lucado
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LOOKING TO
GROW YOUR BUSINESS? |
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"Word of mouth" is the most
cost-effective form of advertising.
Business Network International provides
a structured environment for the
development and exchange of quality
business referrals for both men and
women. If referrals are an important
part of your business, then BNI is the
organization for you.
BNI provides a structured and supportive
system of giving and receiving business.
It does so by providing an environment
in which you develop personal
relationships with dozens of other
qualified business professionals. By
establishing this "formal" relationship
with other people, you will have the
opportunity to substantially increase
your business.
Read
on... |
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AWAKEN AND SUPPORT -- THE CREATIVE
SPIRIT |
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With
Vermont Artist Kirsten Wiley
"Awaken and Support the Creative
Spirit" is a series of workshops to
stimulate and support creative
yearnings in adults. The focus will
be on 2 dimensional
art, with
the media of your choice. During the
5 workshops, we'll explore
inspiration and vision, health
benefits of creating, set-up,
technique, redirecting mistakes,
follow-through and finishing.
The workshops will be held on Main
Street in Barre,
beginning March 7th, Tuesday
evenings from 7:00- 8:30 pm. We will
meet for approximately 90 minutes.
No materials are needed for the
first class; bring your sense of
humor, relax and enjoy!
Contact Kirsten to reserve your
space at 839- 6228
Class Costs:
$15.00 each class/pay as you go with
cash or checks |
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