I think each child should be 4 years apart. By age 4 a child is more secure. He does not cry when separated from you at church, he can go potty, he (hopefully) is no longer clinging to a self soothing toy, bottle or paci except maybe at bedtime. He is in preschool and about to start Kindergarten. He can fetch a diaper and play alone for at least a little while. Perfect!

I think 9 years is way too long. Bigger siblings sometimes regret the new addition. They liked things the way they were and feel some resentment towards you (the parents) for rocking their perfect world with this crying, pooping baby. They feel like they have to do “everything” if you ask them for help in fetching, rocking or attending to the baby while you make this post. Nine years is TOO far!

I may be jaded (because I am still adjusting to this) but 2 years is way TOO close! I have never been so stressed as a mom than I have been in the past 4 months. I have had both “babies” crying at once and often have 2 messes to clean up all at once. Since I can’t keep a close enough eye on the 2 year old while feeding the littlest one, he tends to get into things– like Sharpies! Then the biggest kid gets angry because when she comes home and there is a nice new drawing on her wall– well take it from me, she is not happy. And then just forget about her babysitting while you take a shower! I can easily say I am definately of the opinion that 2 years (or less) is WAY TOO CLOSE!

What do you think? Is there hope for 2 siblings both clawing for a mothers attention? Can a mother survive having 2 babies? I think about Kate (the mother of multiples on TV) and slap my wrist. I must be some kind of weanie mom. Help!

Do you struggle with Anxiety? I want to encourage you that you are not alone. It is more common than people realize. First we want to look at what anxiety is before we can address how to deal with anxiety. A summarized definition of anxiety is: Having a uneasy, overwhelmed, apprehensive, fearful, concerned, and worrisome state of mind with the feeling of inadequacy to cope.

Anxiety also affects us internally to where we can become physically ill if untreated. There are different levels of anxiety but we will be dealing with anxiety in general. If you feel you are dealing with severe anxiety I encourage you to see a doctor who can give you a full diagnosis.

Now that we have established what anxiety is, we now have to look at the core of the problem which is what causes anxiety. The key of understanding the cause for anxiety is in the above summarized definition which is that it is a “state of mind”. The root of having any particular state of mind begins with our thoughts. Our thoughts whether good or bad lead our mind into a direction, and how much thought that goes into that particular direction affects not only our minds, but our point of view, our feelings and our emotions and that can then turn into our actions or reactions.

For example; A professional NFL football player injures his knee and was told that he had to sit out for a few football games to heal. His mind went from sitting out a few games to the coach putting him on second string to he’s going to be fired from the NFL to he’s going to lose his car and his house because he can’t pay the bills to his wife will probably leave him and take his children to he’ll be alone and homeless with no one around.

This poor guy went from hearing that he needed to sit out a few games and let his mind roam to him being homeless and lonely living off the streets. all over a matter of a few minutes. He allowed negative self talk scenarios lead him down a path that caused him to be anxiety filled and panic stricken. Although this is an extreme example this situation is more common than we want to admit.

So how can we deal with anxiety and negative self talk scenarios that lead us to anxiety? We can start off by accepting the fact that we need to re-program our minds on how we respond to the negative thoughts that enter in and practice using tools through the Word of God to combat those thoughts.

To begin, always begin with prayer and ask God to help you through what ever trial you are going through so remember to pray before during and after. (Phillipians.4:6-7)

I’m going to share helpful tools on how you can prevent those thoughts from turning into anxiety. Here are five preventative measures you can use:

1. Restrain your Thoughts: When the wrong thoughts come into our minds that are negative and untrue, we are to remove them and take them captive by not allowing them to run free but restrain and remove them by not entertaining or dwelling on them. Simply put “Don’t Go There!” (2 Cor 10:5-6)

2. Redirect Your Thinking: Redirecting your thoughts means to change your thoughts that are not true and negative to thoughts that are true and biblical as it is said in (Phillipians 4:8) This passage says to think thoughts that are true, noble, right, pure, lovely etc…. Memorize this scripture and ask yourself if your thoughts are true, nobel and right or are they being carried away in the negative self talk scenarios. Re-direct your thoughts to the Word of God and your mindset will begin to change. (Phil 4:8)

3. Renew Your Mind: With any habit we want to change we not only need to stop the cycle but replace the bad habit with a good habit. This is where we practice renewing our minds by memorizing scripture and replacing negative thoughts with thoughts that are edifying, pure, holy etc….We need to replace those thoughts with thoughts that are true through scripture memorization as mentioned in #1 by reciting a scripture or by spending time in the Word. It’s amazing how our thoughts can change when we read scripture. Renewing our minds takes constant practice but as we create a new habit we will find the old one is left far behind and far away from us. (Romans 12:2)

4. Redefine your Priorities: One other issue that causes anxiety is feeling overwhelmed by too many tasks or thoughts at once. To help alleviate this problem; you can sit down and write it out 1. What’s a real problem and what’s not. 2. Sort out your concerns and prioritize them. 3. Weed out what’s not important by either delegating it or putting it on a separate list to do. 4. Narrow down your list and focus on one task at a time and do the most important ones first.

Focusing on one task at a time will help you to not feel so overwhelmed and at the same time will organize your thoughts as well as your tasks into a doable plan and help you regain your ability to cope.

5. Carry it Out: Now that you know that these thoughts are not good and do harm you need to follow through with what you know is true and take them captive, remove them, don’t entertain them and replace them with good and pure thoughts. Changing our behavior takes practice and as you work on this faithfully you will have a new habit and renewed mind before you know it. (James 1:25)

If you do these things with prayer and by faith God will provide His strength in the midst of your weakness and give you the power to overcome for our victory comes from Him.

Scripture References:

(2 Cor 10:5-6) “We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thobught to make it obedient to Christ.”

(Phil 4:8) “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable — if anything is excellent or praiseworthy — think about such things.”

(Romans 12:2) “Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is — his good, pleasing and perfect will”

(James 1:25) “But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it — he will be blessed in what he does.”

Filoiann is a Pastor’s Wife, Work at Home Mom, Woman’s Biblical Counselor, Bible Teacher, Writer and Columnist. Her work can be found on a number of home business and Christian websites and blogs. Visit her website and sign-up for her monthly newsletter. www.filoiannwiedenhoff.com

Life becomes much clearer when you understand that things can never satisfy the deep longings of the heart. When you grasp this truth, you are freed from the constant drive for instant gratification. You are free to enjoy possessions without being controlled by them, because you know they cannot meet all your needs.

So how do you switch your focus from finding satisfaction in worldly stuff to finding satisfaction in God? Consider these three steps that will help you:

1. Recognize that there is a problem. Things God gives us to enjoy can easily stand in the way of our enjoying God. Have you allowed yourself to be so filled up on junk food that you don’t have room left for God’s feast? If you’re not sure, ask God to show you ways in which you regularly look to sources other than him for fulfillment. When you ask, be ready to be surprised at what he may reveal! You may realize that some other seemingly harmless habit isn’t as harmless as you thought.

2. Release that problem to God. Once you have identified problem areas, invite God into the situation to help you change. Ask Him to suppress your appetite for quick fixes and temporary highs and to replace it with a healthy hunger for the lasting satisfaction only He can give. In addition to asking for His help, do your part by positioning yourself to better connect with him. Spend some extra time in prayer. Listen to praise and worship music. Participate in a new Bible study. These activities will help you draw near to God so you can experience fulfillment in Him.

3. Remove yourself from problems before they start. Make a commitment to avoid those situations in which you are tempted to seek temporary gratification. If your downfall is shopping at the mall, go only when you have a legitimate need. If you are a sucker for mail-order catalogs, don’t even open them before throwing them away. If you look to entertainment for your feel-goods, restrict the frequency of your restaurant or movie outings. Break the control these hindrances have over you by controlling your contact with them.

Have you been trying to find lasting happiness in temporary pleasures? If so, you are eating a greasy burger and fries when you could be dining on lobster and prime rib! But as you learn to depend less and less on things, you will find the clarity of satisfaction like you’ve never known before.

[Excerpt taken from: From Clutter to Clarity: Simplifying Life from the Inside Out © 2007 by Nancy Twigg, published by Standard Publishing (www.standardpub.com). Used by permission.]

Byline:  Nancy Twigg is an author and speaker who loves inspiring women to live more simply. She is the author of three books and the editor of Counting the Cost Ezine (www.countingthecost.com/index1.htm). To learn more about Nancy’s speaking and writing ministry, visit her online at www.keepitsimplesister.com

So, ambitious as our family is, we decided to embark on making homemade marshmellows. We carefully measured the ingredients and followed the instructions to the letter. We boliled the syrupy mixture to a whopping 360 degrees. The next instructions left out important details which would have been helpful. We next needed to pour this piping hot mixture into a bowl of other ingredients and using the mixer, whip it up to a thick creamy texture. I did just that.

As soon as the mixer started, piping hot mixture went spraying all over the kitchen. Turns out my bowl was too small to catch the cast off liquid from the high speed beaters (did I mention it was piping HOT?). Our clothes saved us, but one small drop fell onto my flip flop ladden foot. I screamed and instinctively wiped my foot across my calf. OUCH! I have for several weeks now been doctoring my serious burns. THe marshmellows were terrible and we threw them away!

Martha Stewart may make homemade marshmellows, Kathy Firkins does NOT!

Just so I don’t feel so stupid, please share a recent cooking or craft blunder with me.

The ultimate goal of Virtual Assistants is to partner with their clients. By partnering the VA learns all they can about their clients’ business to become a trusted and valued member of the team—an extension of their organization. At the same time, the VA only charges for time on tasks so it ultimately saves the client in overhead expenses while affording them the necessary time to take care of more business.

A perfect example of a Client/VA partnership is the sole proprietor; let’s say a consultant, who charges $300 an hour for his consulting services. The consultant is spending time each week preparing presentations and teleseminars, rummaging through paperwork, marketing his business, keeping up with the social networks, generating mailings and sorting through the tons of email he gets on a weekly basis. Since the consultant is doing this work himself he is paying $300 an hour for these services when, in reality, it would benefit him to partner with a VA at a rate of $40 to $95/hr (depending on specialty) and save tons of money a year. Plus, he could be generating more revenue because he would have more time available for doing what he does best—consulting. See how it works? As evidenced in this example, clients can’t afford NOT to have a virtual assistant on their team.

In addition to the financial rewards for the client, the following list reinforces other areas clients benefit when working with a virtual assistant.

Personalized attention – The virtual assistant works one-on-one with clients and often knows their clients’ business better than they do. That personalized attention allows clients to keep things under control and more organized and often relieves the pressure of having to do it all and remember it all. How great would it feel to just say to your VA, please handle this for me and know that it was done.

Exceptional service – Virtual Assistants are a proud bunch and take great pride in the Virtual Assistant Industry. One of the ways that VAs protect the integrity of this Industry, is to always offer exceptional services. Virtual Assistants want their clients to tell others about them and how having a VA on their team is one of the best business investments they have ever made. Therefore, most Virtual Assistants go above and beyond what is expected of them to make sure the work is done accurately, professionally, and successfully.

Experience in the latest technology – A virtual assistant knows that there’s always an easier and better way to do things and are constantly looking for those ways. Most continue to update their skills and network extensively with others to learn the latest and greatest tools out there.

A colleague to brainstorm ideas with - Have you ever had this great idea, but just couldn’t bring it to fruition because you couldn’t get it all together? Not anymore. Virtual Assistants are there to brainstorm and work with you to help you bring those visions to reality. No benefits/no equipment/no office space - That’s a given. It’s obvious that clients won’t be paying for their Virtual Assistants’ office space or equipment. But in today’s economy, think how truly important that is. By not having to pay for someone’s electric and office use, that saves money. Money clients can spend in growing their businesses.

Specific knowledge of your niche – This is perhaps one of the greatest benefits that a virtual assistant can offer - specific knowledge of a clients’ particular niche. Virtual Assistants specialize in different areas, fine tuning their skills always striving to be the best in that niche. Therefore, when you partner with a virtual assistant that specializes in the area of your business, you have someone who knows the lingo and knows the ins and outs and what works and what doesn’t. It’s a win/win for all.

What types of services can a virtual assistant perform? Sit back and be amazed. Virtual Assistants can assist with tasks as simple as transcribing every day correspondence to as detailed as implementing an entire marketing campaign. Virtual assistant services include the following: publicity and marketing, article and press release writing and distribution, social networking updates, legal, medical and general transcription, bookkeeping, web design, administrative tasks, and so much more.

As Virtual Assistants become as commonplace in the workforce as the computer in everyone’s office is now, there’s never been a better time to analyze what your business needs are and how the right virtual assistant will meet those needs. Stop by our site at Virtual Word Publishing, www.virtualwordpublishing.com for complete information on what a virtual assistant is and how you can find that virtual assistant to add to your team. Also, if you feel a career in the Virtual Assistant Industry is right for you, email me at diana@virtualwordpublishing.com for our free business informational package. Today’s the day to start running your business better. The start begins with one simple step – Hire a Virtual Assistant.

Article by Diana Ennen

Diana Ennen is the co-author of numerous books including Virtual Assistant: the Series, Become a Highly Successful, Sought After VA and the co-host of the MomCast Live Radio show. She specializes in publicity and book marketing and is president of Virtual Word Publishing http://www.virtualwordpublishing.com. Email us at diana@virtualwordpublishing.com for a free business informational package. Articles are free to be reprinted as long as the author’s bio remains intact.

“You’re wrong!” was his emphatic answer as he drove right passed the exit. Our friendly conversation was forgotten, the mood changed in an instant.

My husband and I were in the car—again—this time, on our way to Georgia to help our daughter-in-law settle into a new apartment while our son was otherwise engaged with the military. Thankfully, she was following behind us in another vehicle rather than listening to the debate in our car.

“I’m the one with the map!” I reminded him.

“We haven’t even gotten to the connecting highway, yet!” my momentarily confused husband disputed.

I explained to him, most emphatically, how mistaken he was.

He still didn’t believe me.

Then I got quiet and changed my tactic. I looked down at the map and started reading off the names of the roads we would be coming to next. Due to the fact I haven’t taken the time to get my glasses updated for far too long, he knows I’m not reading the signs along the road. I can’t even read them until we’re practically a car length away from them. This has, of course, contributed to our problems with me as navigator of this trip. But what would you rather have: a semi-blind person navigating or driving through unfamiliar, winding, hilly roads? My husband, wisely, designated me as trip-long navigator; I thought he’d at least trust me as such. After all, I trusted his driving.

Because the first 18 years of life trains a person to the unique way his or her family communicates, conversation styles brought into a marriage are often very different. Discussing daily activities and various topics at a healthy, marital level is an acquired skill that has not always been easy for my husband and me. For one thing, my husband understands his own feelings much better than I understand mine. He can tell when the temperature in a room plummets drastically, and he often presses, “Are you upset about something?” and I respond, “Yes!” Often, his next question is, “What about?” my reply is something akin to, “I don’t know, yet; I’ll let you know when I do.” This, of course, frustrates him. I didn’t even understand this was a problem until we’d been married a couple of years. Withdrawing and isolating had been modeled for me. Isn’t that how everyone communicates displeasure with their spouse? I thought so. My husband kindly informed me it wasn’t the way we would continue to share our feelings. I had to learn to communicate with words rather than punish him with my silence. So, on this day, like a good wife, I was talking….

“Next we will come across Highway 17, and then we’ll come across….”

“Okay, okay. You were right,” my husband conceded as he saw proof of our whereabouts, “I’m sorry I didn’t believe you.”

I accepted his apology and reached for my purse at my feet for my cell phone. I was going to call our daughter-in-law in the car behind us to inform her we’d be taking the next exit and changing directions (not for the first time on this trip, I might add). But, my husband saw what I was planning to do and quickly accessed his Blue Tooth attached to his ear. His silver blue eyes sparkled as he smiled and gave me a satisfied look that celebrated his quickness with his phone and also said he was quite happy to give our daughter-in-law his account of the turn around rather than mine.

“Hi! We’re going to be taking the next exit. We will be turning around and going back to catch an exit we missed.”

He was quiet while she spoke on the other end of the phone line, but I later found out she asked, “How far are we going back?”

To which he responded, “About the length of an argument.”

Funny. I wish all arguments could be cleared up in such a short length. Exiting arguments sure would be easier.

Approach your staycation as if you were really going to Mexico.  Create a budget, set a date, put it on the calendar, and schedule time off from work.  Taking time off from work for a staycation is kind of like calling in sick to stay home and goof off.  But it won’t end up in your personnel file.

Next, check out language CDs from your library.  Buy a Spanish/English dictionary.  Make labels in Spanish for everyday items around your house so that your children can learn some vocabulary. Look for books and DVDs at the library that will give you and your kids insight into Mexican culture and history.  If you have teenagers who have taken Spanish in school, consider making one night a week Spanish speaking only.  (You won’t need a translator when they sigh and roll their eyes.)

As any mother will tell you, family vacations are a lot of work.  Staycations are no exception.  To make your experience as authentic as possible, consider creating individual passports for family members complete with photos.  (Note:  <a href=”http://travel.state.gov/passport/get/fees/fees_837.html“>Real passports are expensive</a>.  Adult passports are $100 and are good for 10 years.  Children’s passports cost $85.00 and are only good for five years.)

Prepare to write to family and friends about your trip to Mexico by creating your own Mexican postcards on cardstock from on-line photos.  During your trip have everyone write a line or two to Grandpa and Grandma.  Grandparents love getting letters from their grandkids.  And when they see the lengths you’ve gone to save money by staying home for your family vacation, they might feel sorry for your kids.  They may even send a reply letter with some cold, hard cash.

Staycations are cheaper than a regular vacation, but they still cost money.  If you’re trying to make your family trip as authentic as possible, tip every third person you meet.  Also consider investing in maid service.  You can justify it as a means to reproduce the effect of staying in a hotel.  (You’re doing the planning.  You might as well enjoy a few perks!)  Other ways to simulate a hotel stay include:

Place glassware by the bathroom sinks with paper covers.  (Cupcake liners serve as easy covers.)
Fold the toilet paper end into a point each morning.
Call room service.  (Pay a friend of neighbor to perform this job.)
Learn how to turn towels into animals.  (Check out this <a href=”http://www.metacafe.com/watch/618261/how_to_make_a_cruise_ship_towel_animal_aka_towel_origami/“>video</a>.)

If you’re heading to Mexico, stock up on bottled water.  During your staycation don’t drink tap water.  You might also want to arrange for taxi service during your trip.  The best way to get an authentic experience is to hire a recently licensed teenager.  Have your kids practice asking, “Are we there yet?”

Many destinations in Mexico are known for great snorkeling.  Get some snorkel gear and explore the bodies of water in your area.  Snorkel in an irrigation ditch.  Try the local lakes.  Your neighbor’s backyard koi pond might also prove to be an interesting excursion.  Stay away from square lakes.  They’re sewage lagoons.  They are off limits to snorkelers.

You can’t come home from a Mexican vacation without a tan.  Don’t lay out in the sun without sunscreen!  Instead, invest in sun-less tanning products.  My favorite is Loreal’s Sublime mist.  Unlike many of the lotions that I’ve tried, the spray mist from this product doesn’t leave me streaky.  I know from experience that pre-teen girls also like this product.  Just advise your kids that it’s not meant to be applied so heavy that it runs down their legs.  If that should happen, my daughter Lou has learned that a pumice stone will rub the runs right off.

Look for a Latin grocery store in your city.  Buy a pre-made piñata and fill it with Latin candies and treats.  If your area doesn’t have a grocery store that caters to the Hispanic population, most large chain grocery stores have sections that will have similar products.  Go out on a limb and try something new.  Let each of your children select something to buy and try back at the hotel, uh . . . I mean home.  Have a family fiesta.

When your family staycation is over, don’t wait too long before planning next year’s staycation.  This time make it a couple staycation.  That’s when you send the kids off to their grandparents’ house and you and your spouse stay home alone for a week.

Who says saving money can’t be fun?

Article by Christie A. Hansen
(http://www.bellyacrefarm.blogspot.com)

Someone near and dear to me was laid off last week. He did not panic, cringe or scream. He has an emergency cushion to help his family survive temporarily and his family has a POSITIVE plan in place.

We discussed options and his family plan. This is what my wise friend has done so far: He has put the word out that he is searching for employment. The process has begun for filing for unemployment. The family has made eliminations from the budget in order to keep the emergency funds as long as needed. Only ‘essentials’ are purchased. He and his wife are also coming up with many creative outlets for contract work or other miscellaneous streams of income.

Clearly the key to success with challenges and in life overall is ATTITUDE.

How is your attitude?

About the Author:
To reach Lesley Johnson, EA with JOHNSON FINANCIAL SERVICES for comments, suggestions or questions call 816-289-0476 or email johnsonfinancialsvc@hotmail.com

The good life is simply a life showered with God’s goodness. Psalm 116:7 says, “Be at rest once more, O my soul, for the Lord has been good to you.” Regardless of your income or social status, God has showered and will continue to shower his goodness on you again and again. You don’t have to fret if your piece of pie doesn’t seem as big as someone else’s. You can rest in thankfulness and appreciation for what you do have, knowing that God has been good to you.

On some level, this tendency to define the good life by worldly standards is a hindrance that entices us all. How easy it is to get caught up in unhealthy comparisons. But remember what Hebrews 12:1 tells us: “Let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles.” Ingratitude is a grievous sin when it causes us to look at our lives through deprivation-colored glasses. But when we change our perspective on what it means to live well, we soon realize that nothing stands in the way of our living the good life—no income shortage, no financial hardship, nothing—except our own attitude toward whatever circumstances we face.

In our fifteen years of marriage, Michael and I have experienced our share of having very little. Most times we have chosen to view our cup as half full rather than half empty. But I can remember a season during which I struggled with this. It was during the Christmas holidays right before our daughter was born. Our businesses had not done well that year, and with the added expenses of a pregnancy without insurance coverage, our budget was even tighter than usual by the time the holidays rolled around.

“I wish Christmas would just go away!” I told Michael in a moment of frustration as we talked about whether we should buy a Christmas tree that year. We could barely afford inexpensive presents for everyone on our list; how could we justify spending even fifteen to twenty dollars more for a small tree?

I felt poor, and I didn’t like the feeling one bit. Intellectually, I knew Christmas was not about how much we could spend or whether we had elaborate decorations. I also knew we had more than our share to be thankful for—not the least of which was a beautiful baby on the way. Yet in my heart I couldn’t shake the feeling of being deprived because our holiday celebration would be much simpler than that of our relatives and friends.

Have you ever experienced a similar situation? Are you feeling that life has dealt you a bad hand compared with that of someone else? Here are some things I did that you can also do to help move from feeling sorry for yourself to feeling grateful within your circumstances:

Refocus on your blessings.

Although we couldn’t afford expensive gifts, we could afford to give each person on our list something. Although we couldn’t buy a tree, we had an ample supply of decorations to make the house look festive. What can you be thankful for in your current circumstances? Instead of focusing on what isn’t as you’d like it to be, focus on the blessings to be found when you choose to look for them.Put your creativity to work.

I worked hard at finding out-of-the-ordinary ways for us to give of ourselves while still giving within our means. Instead of feeling bad because I couldn’t buy expensive gifts, I focused on using my time and talents to express my love for each person on my list. Likewise, you will probably feel much better about your situation if you approach it with a healthy dose of creativity. Look for ways to enjoy simple pleasures and make the most of what you have.Let go of preconceived expectations and ideas.

Having a good Christmas that year required that I let go of any expectations about what an enjoyable holiday celebration was supposed to be. I knew that if I busied myself with being thankful and resourceful, there wouldn’t be much time left for feeling sorry for myself. You too may have to let go of some preconceived notions about what it means for you and your family to have a satisfying life. Ask God to help you let go of worldly definitions of success and accomplishment so you can embrace his definition of living the good life.

Has the habit of comparison held you back? Have you allowed ingratitude to sneak in and steal your joy? If so, it’s time to get rid of any faulty perceptions of what it means to live well. Choose instead to live with gratitude, and rest in the clarity of God’s goodness.

[Excerpt taken from: From Clutter to Clarity: Simplifying Life from the Inside Out © 2007 by Nancy Twigg, published by Standard Publishing (www.standardpub.com). Used by permission.]

About the Author

Nancy Twigg is an author and speaker who loves inspiring women to live more simply. To learn more about Nancy’s speaking and writing ministry, visit her online at www.keepitsimplesister.com

I know what your thinking, your thinking HOW could it possibly do that? Well ladies from here on consider me your personal WAHM expert and resource in becoming a successful WAHM. I will be teaching you seven powerful things you can do right now to get you in the flow of running a household full of children and running a business without loosing any of hair on your head! So pull out a chair and listen up!

Secret #1
What are we doing today? Create a schedule for yourself but don’t kill yourself trying to follow it to the tee. As mom’s we know that deciding to work from nine am to twelve pm does not mean we will sit there for three hours straight without interruption. You will probably get up twenty or more times in three hours if you have small children around the house. But children do need and thrive on being on a schedule. If you have very young ones you should feed them and put them down for a nap at the same time everyday. Or at least try to do so.
As a mom of four with a one year old baby, I know that my little one sometimes has plans of his own and will try to resist napping. When you have day’s like this where it seems like nobody is going with the flow, just relax and be grateful that you have the opportunity of being home with your children, getting frustrated at the work that goes undone will only add stress to your life and the very fact that you work from home is because your children are your priority. So if the work doesn’t get done, Let It Go, you can always catch up later or on the weekend. Besides, these interruptions are your most Important work.

Secret #2
What’s for Dinner Mom?
Yea, I know that sounds silly, but when the clock hit’s 5pm do you know what your going to cook?
If you don’t it will take you twice as long to get Dinner ready. My suggestion is plan your meals a week in advance, put a grocery list together of everything you will need and stock up for all those meals. This will save you lot’s of time. Another useful tool to use in the kitchen is a crock pot, you just throw everything in there in the morning and by 5pm dinner is ready. VOILA!

Secret #3
Just say NO!
It seems everyone wants a piece of you! Your sister wants you to take the kids for the weekend, your kid’s school wants you to bake four dozen cookies for a fundraiser event, your mother wants you to come over and fix her screen door, your best friend wants you to come over to talk about her impending divorce, a local charity wants you to volunteer, telemarketers want you to subscribe to the local newspaper……need I say more?
We take on more than we can comfortably deliver in an unconscious desire to impress others, get ahead, and keep up with other’s expectations. Meanwhile, our top priorities go unaddressed.
To become a successful WAHM and creating your desired lifestyle, you will have to get comfortable at saying NO to all the people and distractions that would otherwise devour you. Successful WAHM’s know how to say NO without feeling guilty.

Secret#4
Maximize your time.
When that baby or toddler is sleeping then I recommend you RUN to your office. The best time to accomplish tasks that need to be completed is when the little ones nap. What might take you two hours to finish with the kids awake will take you only 30 minutes while they sleep, so if you can, always plan on making phone calls and working on things that need your undivided attention when the little ones are napping. This one is pretty mom common sense, I don’t need to elaborate further.

Secret #5
Ask for help.
You can do anything but not everything. It is so important that everyone in the household contributes. A family needs to work as a team, you should not be doing everything yourself. Delegate household chores to your husband and your children (as long as they are old enough to help). Laundry, dishes, sweeping, organizing, dusting, cooking ect…
All these things are not your sole responsibility. As children get older you will be amazed at all the things they can do. My eight year old for example washes dishes, sorts the laundry, cleans countertops, makes our bed. My seven year old vacuums, dusts, picks up his toy’s, makes his bed as well as my six year old and my one year old loves to throw toy’s in the toy basket! Start early on to teach your kids to be organized- The reward is huge!
And if this isn’t your situation then just take it one step at a time, don’t give your kids a long list of chores and expect them to run off and get them done. Start with one thing like making their own beds for 2 weeks, once that has become a habit go on to another task that they can do. Do this over and over and your kids will become the best help you will ever know or have!

Secret #6
Where’s my bubble bath?
Practice good self care. You take care of everyone else all day long but don’t forget you need to take care of YOU! Without you at your emotional best even the smallest thing can turn you into a walking time bomb. Take the time to relax in a bubble bath, read a great book, get a massage, get a pedicure, take a walk alone, or whatever helps you to clear your mind and focus on you. You are the most important part of this equation!

Secret #7
What is your vision for the future?
What do you want? More money you say, yes but what do you want to do with more money? Write down what your life is going to look like after you earn X amount of money. You need to know why you are doing what your doing.
Maybe it’s more trips to Disney World every year or that your children will have secured funds for college or maybe you want a new car, a bigger house, a cleaning lady, a personal chef, whatever it is write it down and know that being a WAHM will come with it’s challenges, but you have decided to live your best life possible.
You have the best of both world’s. Your children are not at a daycare, they have your love and attention everyday, you have a career that mentally stimulates you. YOU have an incredible opportunity to help other women live this way. So start today, implement these 7 steps that will make it a very smooth journey towards becoming a Successful Work At Home Mom! And remember Ladies, Your a Superstar Mom!

Written by Ismary Leon

Ismary Leon is a Work At Home Mom that is dedicated to helping other women achieve their dreams and to empower women to be multi-dimensional success stories.
If you would like connect with Ismary you can visit her blog at http://www.IsmaryLeon.com

I was driving around this afternoon, running errands for this and that, picking up the kids then taking the kids here and dropping them off there. Now that I have teenagers I think I spend more time in my car now than ever.

As I was coming home I thought about the story of Martha and Mary and how the topic of sitting at the Lords feet rather than works has been coming up a lot lately. Hmmm….gee I wonder if God is trying to send me a message?

Well, one thought did come to mind. When I was thinking about Martha, I realized that faith without deeds is dead but Jesus said that one thing was needed and Mary chose the good part and it will not be taken away from her. So I asked myself, “Where is the balance between being a Mary and a Martha?”

What I love about God’s Word is when you look at the heart of what the scriptures are really saying, you will find that it makes so much sense and it also brings clarity. For example, If you look at the passage again, Martha was doing a noble thing. She was preparing a meal for Jesus and His disciples. Remember in those days they did not have microwave ovens, electric stoves and a supermarket to buy fresh bread. Everything had to be handmade from scratch and most likely took hours to prepare.

So in looking back in time, asking Mary for a little help would have been reasonable. The wonderful thing about Jesus was that He knew how hard Martha was working in the kitchen and also knew that she probably did need help but saw Mary’s heart as an opportunity to display His will rather than Martha’s will. He wanted them both to know and understand that sitting at His feet was more important to Him than serving Him food. As you read on you will see that the food Jesus desires doesn’t come from human hands.

Do you remember the story of the woman at the well? After Jesus spoke to the Samaritan woman he told His disciples that His food was to do the will of His Father. His ministering to the woman at the well was His sustenance; it nourished Him and made Him full. We don’t realize how important to God we are. Yes, we do know that He loves us and died for us but for some reason it seems as though that concept doesn’t register in our minds what the height, depth and width of His love for us really is.

We forget that this world is passing away and we get so caught up in this life with so many things and neglect what really matters most which is our personal relationship with Jesus. We read the bible for 15 minutes and call it a day instead of meditating on His Word or His Love all day long. We’ll choose to watch a two hour movie but spending a half hour in prayer is too long for us. We go here and we go there but never stop to give God our thanks and praise.

All the while, He is there just waiting patiently for us to remember Him in the midst of our busy lives. But Mary’s heart is what blessed Him. He saw that she just wanted to inhale anything that came out of His mouth. She was so grateful and thankful to Have Him there in her house that she didn’t care about anything else but being right there at His feet.

So what was the question again? It was how do we find the balance between being a Martha and a Mary?

Jesus set the tone with His response to Martha by saying that she was distracted by much serving. The key word here is “distracted”. What’s interesting is the word used in the Hebrew is “Perispao” in our English language it is, “cumber” which means hindered by being in the way. In other words Martha’s busyness and serving was actually hindering her and getting in the way of her relationship with Jesus.

My question to you is, “Is your service or busyness keeping you or getting in the way of you having a deep and intimate relationship with Jesus?”

Jesus also said that Mary chose that good part and it will not be taken away from her. The word part also means portion. He was making a distinction between Martha’s serving and Mary’s sitting. In our relationship with Jesus we are created to serve Him and Glorify God and we are also called to sit at His Feet and receive from Him. But Jesus makes it very clear which part comes first.

Martha’s desire to feed and serve Jesus was indeed a blessing, but Mary’s sitting and receiving from Jesus was the one thing that was needed and it will never be taken away from her because she chose that good part. So the message here is that before we go out to serve the Lord, we must first sit and receive from Him because it is He that enables us and empowers us to do His good and perfect work here on earth.

Rom 9:16
“So then it is not of him who wills, nor of him who runs, but of God who shows mercy. ”
NKJV

Remember that Jesus’s food was to do the will of His father by making Himself real to the people that God brought to Him by feeding them with His Word. Do you see how when we come to Jesus and allow Jesus to feed us His Word that He is fed also and so are we?

Rev 3:20
Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me.
NKJV
So the next time you find yourself being a Martha, don’t forget to ask yourself if you are first being a Mary. Invite Him in and allow Him to feed you with His Word and in the midst of your busyness you will find peace and joy because you dine with your Lord and King who sustains you and makes you full. For the bible says that He will satisfy us.

Last question: Are you dining with Him? If not, He stands at the door knocking and waiting for you to open the door of your heart. Allow Him to come in and dine with you and you with Him.

Filoiann Wiedenhoff is a pastor’s wife, woman’s biblical counselor, bible teacher, writer and columnist. You can view her website at www.filoiannwiedenhoff.com

Communication with potential and existing clients is so much easier, as is marketing your day care when you have an online presence. It is not difficult to maintain or create a website and a professional look can be easily achieved. Your business can be marketed better by a regularly updated, vibrant website and blog than by other methods at less cost. Include lots of information about you and your day care ensure your site is easily navigated.

Granted it took a few months of work submitting my site to online business directories and ensuring I had all my meta tags and keywords up to speed but ultimately it was worth it. My day care almost always shows up in the first few listings for any search for child care in my area (oftentimes for nationwide searches).

Pictures of your day care should abound, both interior and exterior - nice bright shots of your playrooms and playgrounds. Help parents understand what your day care offers by incorporating details of important policies, your educational curriculum and what you charge. You can include downloads of your day care contract and parent handbook - the more information you provide the less questions they’re going to have.

Having a blog associated with your site is a lovely idea and keeps both present and future clients updated and involved. I just recently revamped my site adding a blog (I use wordpress and highly recommend it) and am already reaping the rewards and hearing lots of nice feedback. Consider having a staff page with pictures and mini biographies of your carers (even it it’s just you). People love that personal touch and feel that you are less of a stranger to them.

Article by Fiona Lohrenz

Fiona Lohrenz drew on her 10 years experience of running a day care to found ChildCareOnly.com and produce a ‘How to Start a Day Care Business’ DVD guide: www.startchildcare.com Fiona can be reached at her website: http://www.childcareonly.com

There are some steps that you can take to help you get the most fun out of your family vacation, while also minimizing the stress. After all, we take vacations for enjoyment and relaxation, right?
Planning
Assuming you have already chosen your destination and travel dates, it’s onto planning what you will be doing on your vacation and what you need to do to get ready for it. Consider creating an itinerary for your travels but be flexible. Keep alternative activities in mind to allow for unexpected changes. The main goal is to have fun, even if things don’t go as planned.

Get the whole family involved in the planning. You may want to hold a couple of family meetings to let everyone know what is going on and what part they need to do in order to get ready for the trip. What major activities does the family want to do and what are some of the smaller activities? Get everyone’s input.

Finalize and confirm your reservations. Always be sure to ask, “Am I getting the best rate?” Or, “Do you have any specials right now that I can take advantage of?” You’d be surprised by what you can get just by asking. Take advantage of any discounts through your AAA membership if you have one.

Make Lists
Lists will definitely help you reduce your stress while you are planning your family vacation. Rather than trying to remember it all, I suggest creating master lists on your computer that you can print and use each time you take a trip. You will be able to greatly reduce your planning time for the next vacation and lessen the chance of forgetting any details.

Start with the list of the things you need to do to get ready to leave on your vacation. Do you have to make arrangement for the mail and paper? What about pets and plant watering? Will you be using a house sitter?

Next, make lists for the items you need to pack. Give children their own lists to be responsible for. Help create lists for younger children by using pictures, numbers, and words of the items they can gather.

Keep your printed lists with you so you can easily jot down ideas whenever they come to you. Take time to update the master lists as needed.

Start Packing
Have a designated packing area and let the kids help pack their things. Many times I have to go back and redo some of my kids’ efforts, but they love to feel helpful and they are learning life skills. One tip is to pack the kids’ clothes together by outfits. Roll each outfit together or use gallon-sized plastic bags and label them.

Limited on space? Plan to stop at a laundry mat during your trip. This is a good way to cut the amount of clothing you will need to pack by at least half. Remember to allow space for souvenirs. Have the suitcases ready to go one day prior to departure.

Don’t forget the books, crayons, and games to help keep children entertained in the car or on the airplane. Create a vacation scavenger list that children can either draw, take pictures, or buy postcards of the items on a list throughout the trip. They can add journaling and then they will end up with their own vacation scrapbook. I also like to bring a few surprises along. I remember when my parents did this for me and my brother; it added to the fun and excitement of our family vacations.

Relax!
It’s vacation after all! Remember your objective of taking the trip. If things don’t go as planned, be determined to have fun regardless. Traveling with children can be a trying event at times. Allow for some time that you might be able to get a few quiet moments. For example, when we go camping, I try to get my morning walk in before everyone is awake. I love this routine at home and on vacation because it gives me time to think, pray, and reflect. I find this helps me ready my heart and perspective for the day (I am not the best morning person!).

Returning Home
Allow at least one day for everyone to readjust before returning to their normal schedules. Start unpacking and get clothes washed. Or, leave the dirty clothes in the suitcases and plan a trip to the laundry mat to tackle several loads of wash at once. While you wait, you could even get those developed vacation pictures labeled and into an album. As you are unpacking, gather all the memorabilia in one place. That way, if you plan to put together a scrapbook, it’s all together - just add pictures.

Make arrangements to keep your first few days home after a vacation low-key. Avoid making appointments and other commitments if you can help it. You’ll be busy with laundry, putting items away, grocery shopping, and probably a little bit of recovery. Allowing this extra time in your schedule will help you get those post-vacation tasks done in a reduced-stress environment.

Enjoy your summer, vacations, and family!

Article by Paula Constable

I hear that everyone has a twin somewhere. There may be someone who looks a lot like us, but we each have our own DNA and personality. It’s just a little bit of difference that makes us unique. I’m still amazed that of all the people in the world that have come and gone that are and will come, no one is just like my daughter and no one matches my son completely. And it’s their uniqueness that makes them so special.

We all ooh and ah over our newborns and look upon them as pretty special. But it’s when they grow older, and caring for them has taken a toll on us that we are tempted to put them aside a little bit. On days when a strong willed three year old enforces his ‘no’ by throwing your vase at the wall, or a five year old begs you to read ‘The Cat in The Hat’ for the umpteenth time, you may begin to take their specialness for granted.

But this is exactly when they need your unwavering love and affirmation. Good thing God loves us in our trying moments. He lets us know He loves us and He builds us up with His Word: He affirms us.

By affirming our children, we are teaching them how God feels about them. We are making the Bible real to them because the Bible is all about God and His relationship with us and with them.

There are many ways we can affirm or build up our children. I like the five steps of blessing Gary Smalley and John Trent use in their book, The Blessing.

They start with ‘meaningful touch’. Children crave to be touched. Your children yearn to be close to you; to have intimacy with you. As that special adult in their lives you are all-important to them. Holding them and hugging them, conveys to them that you are there for them.

When I was visiting my three year old grandson, Sam, this week, a thunderstorm broke out in the afternoon. He came running to me crying, “Protect me, protect me!” All he wanted was for me to hold him and make him feel safe. I was there in person with him and I would not have let anything hurt him. He knew that. But he needed to feel it.

It’s not only preschoolers who are blessed by your touch. Your kids’ hearts, no matter what age, are warmed by your touch. Touch communicates warmth, personal acceptance, and affirmation. At times my husband just casually puts his hand on our fourteen year old, six foot plus, grandson’s shoulder. Darian never fails to smile and his eyes light up. I’m confident this loving gesture lets Darian know he is unconditionally accepted by his grandpa.

In the Bible we read how Jesus blessed the children. He touched them. He laid His hands on them and took them up in His arms. This gives us an incredible picture of God’s tender love for little ones. He made them. He understood their need to be held, to be hugged. As we show affection to our kids they come to believe that others can love them too; even others, like God.

The second way of affirming your child is by words. Like a self-fulfilling prophesy, your child often becomes what you say he will be. If you put him down and say he will never amount to anything, he will begin to believe it. On the other hand, if you build him up and say amazing things about him he will know he can conquer the world.

We can take an example from God, the Father. When Jesus came up out of the water, after His baptism, His Father’s voice surrounded Him saying, “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” God communicated His blessing through His spoken words, even to His Son, Jesus.

The third way is to place high value on your child. Be truthful and realistic with them but be their greatest fans. You can plant seeds in their outlook for life that will help them accomplish the things they really want to. Help them become competent by teaching them life’s skills. The patriarchs in the Old Testament gave their children - especially their oldest sons - a special family blessing. It confirmed to their children that God had a special plan of blessing for their life too. In fact that’s what all their planning was based on.

Bless your children - literally - when you pray with them-at the end of the day or in the morning- say “the Lord bless you.” Your child hears that you are there for them but if you fail, God has them covered. Everything is possible with God; He never fails. He will see them through in the times when human dads and moms fails. They learn that God is concerned with their life and welfare.

Fourthly, picture meaningful goals for your children, giving them not only hope but direction. We can’t predict our children’s future but we can give them a picture of what is out there and how they might fit in.

I loved my grade three teacher, Miss Reidiger. She boarded at our neighbor’s house, so I got to spend time with my teacher. She especially encouraged me in my reading. I was a good reader but when it was my turn to read in class I read way too fast. With her trust and praise I began to want to be like her. My desire to be a teacher just like her was planted in my heart that year. Now I had a purpose in life and all of my courses were geared toward that goal.

Finally, the fifth step to affirm your children is to make an active commitment to them. Help them become the best they can be, starting with a deep relationship with God, the foundation of you children’s lives. Get to know your children personally: their desires, needs, goals, hopes and fears. Then meet them where they are. Build them up where they are weak, praise them in their strengths, and get involved in developing them. It will take sacrifice on your part - a sacrifice of time, of energy and even finances.

Your children need you to affirm them. Your affirmation of them, blessing them, will profoundly impact them forever. The interaction with you will influence not only their self-image, their current relationships, and future relationships, but that all important relationship with God.

By Ruth Willms

Ruth Willms is a Christian author and educator who teaches parents how to make Jesus part of their kids’ lives, everyday. If you found this article helpful, you can subscribe to her monthly newsletter at http://www.RuthWillms.com and discover more ways to make God’s love real to your kids.

Money management does not need to be complicated and should be a routine exercise.

There are three secrets to money that I share with elementary children when we are doing money workshops.

SHARE:
You need to share your money – your wealth. My parents always reminded us growing up that there is always someone in more need than you. You can also view this as your spiritual money – count your blessings and help others in need. There are ‘theories’ that if you give to others on a regular basis, then wealth is returned to you.
There is a tax savings advantage – our contributions to bonafide charitable organizations are deductible. You are rewarded for your good deeds.

How much do you share? 10% of your income – that is $0.10 for every dollar you earn. You have the other $0.90 for every dollar.

Idea – Have a family meeting to decide which charities you will share with – include the kids.

SAVE:
You need to save!
For emergencies – to meet your goals for retirement, college savings for your children, caring for for your parents, etc.
Your emergency fund must be liquid – that means the money should be easily accessible in a savings account so that you can acquire the funds when an emergency arises.
Your other long-term savings funds, such as, retirement, college funds, etc. should be placed in investing vehicles that match your goal. Your Investment Advisor can help you find the right match out of all of the options available to investors.

How much do you save? MINIUM 10% Again, this is only $0.10 for every dollar you earn.
When investing your savings your money will grow.

Take advantage of employer sponsored retirement plans – for the savings benefits – for the tax benefits – for the convenience of having your funds put away automatically.

Idea – to pay yourself routinely – set up an automatic deposit. For example, have your employer deposit a portion of your net pay into your savings account directly.

SPEND:
This is the area where most of the attention is needed. You need to review your past – where your money has been going. You must analyze your spending to make sure that your family finances stay in line with YOUR plan. Your spending should include your living expenses (ie., home, utilities, food, medical, etc.) . Your plan for spending should also include income taxes – I realize no one wants to pay them, however, they are required.

How much should you spend? Average 70% When reviewing your past – if your spending is greater than what you earn – you need to develop a plan. When spending exceeds income, this is when financial troubles arise.

There are a variety of ways to manage your spending. Keep a daily log for a few weeks – you will quickly see how and where your money goes. This log will help you determine where you can make changes in order to meet your financial goals.

In order to manage your family funds, you must list your goals. What do you want your money to do for you? What do you expect to accomplish financially in 1 year, 5 years, 10 years, etc.? Once you identify your family goals you can develop your plan of action. How will you get there? What lifestyle changes do you need to make? Where can you cut expenses? Remember, this needs to be reviewed REGULARLY. Once your plan is prepared, you can review it along with your monthly income and expenses once a month, or once a week.

There are many ways to track to finances too. Some prefer, pencil and paper – it helps them to sort their thoughts and visualize the plan. There are also various over-the-counter software packages. Many are user-friendly. Quicken (by Intuit) or MS Money (by Microsoft) or basic spreadsheets can be set up –templates are available on various websites. Do not be afraid to consult professional help. Sometimes you may need an outside guide to assist with your plan.

Remember, managing your money can be fun. Especially when you have a plan in place and everyone has a common goal. The family can work together.

The following are some RECOMMENDED WEBSITES to enhance your money savvy skills
(for the whole family):
www.practicalmoneyskills.com
www.bankrate.com
www.toolkit.com
www.jumpstartcoalition.org
www.cashworkbooks.com
www.moneyopolis.com
www.younginvestor.com/kids
www.sharebuilder.com
www.nfcc.org
www.ftc.gov
www.about.com

The following are RECOMMENDED BOOKS to enhance your money savvy skills and inspire you:
The Millionaire Mind, by Thomas Stanley
The Millionaire Next Door, by Thomas Stanley
The Millionaire Women Next Door, by Thomas Stanley
Ye$ You Can Achieve Financial Independence, by James Stowers
Rich Dad Poor Dad, by Robert Kiyosaki
105 Questions Children Ask about Money Matters, with a foreword by Larry Burkett
Growing Millionaire Kids by Marvin Sparks and Bruce Palaniuk

Information provided by Lesley Johnson of Johnson Financial Services. Lesley is the mother of four (ages 11, 6, 5, and 2). Her family resides in Pleasant View, TN. You can email questions and comments to johnsonfinancialsvc@hotmail.com or call the Money Hotline at 816-289-0476

You will need to separate your mileage for January-June 30, 2008 and July 1 - December 31, 2008 at tax time so that the correct rates are applied on your return.

We have a mileage log form available on our website at www.JFSMONEY.com. Please feel free to print off copies and keep in your vehicles so that you may log your mileage, as well as, the purspose and the dates. Please feel free to contact me or your tax professional for any questions. I can be reached at johnsonfinancialsvc@hotmail.com or 816-289-0476.

Lesley Johnson, EA

Weight loss is a very big issue (no pun intended) and a growing portion of the population are desperate to attain a thin physique in any way they can. This paves the way for all types of pills, powders and potions to be marketed in a billion dollar weight loss industry; preying on peoples desire to lose weight whether it is in a healthy way or not.

When we explore this issue from the health viewpoint, we find that there is often an underlying health problem that is causing the weight gain, rather than just a lack of willpower. The stick thin image is also a false goal that people would be better off replacing with the aim of being fit and healthy with vibrant energy. I have experienced being overweight at one time, and I always kept in mind how good it felt to be healthy, rather than focusing on a figure on the scale.

Several years ago I broke my leg (femur) at Tae Kwon Do training which is where my weight problem started. I was unable to exercise for quite some time, and the trauma of breaking my leg and the operation to repair it, had a negative affect on my thyroid and adrenal glands. It was a difficult recovery and my overall health declined.

During the six months that I was healing, I gained about an extra 30% on top of my normal weight. Along with the weight gain, I had low thyroid symptoms such as severe fatigue, depression, brain fog, feeling cold all the time and my hair started falling out.

When I had recovered from the actual injury, I started a slow program of exercise and made sure that I was eating very well, but the weight proved very difficult to lose.

It wasnt until I started on the correct treatment to support my adrenal and thyroid glands, that I made a full
recovery and easily came back to my pre-injury weight. This just goes to show that even the best diet and exercise program will not have the desired effect if there is a metabolic disorder affecting the body.

With the correct treatment I lost that stubborn weight in a matter of a few weeks, and my other symptoms such as fatigue and depression also dropped away. Once a metabolic disorder is corrected, the body can start functioning properly again.

So if you are battling with a weight problem, make sure you work with a good health practitioner to investigate all of the possible underlying causes, and dont just assume that you need to eat less and exercise more.

By: Leisa Wheeler

Naturopath Leisa Wheeler guides people towards a healthier lifestyle through living, raw foods and
exploring healing on an emotional level. Her insightful and thought provoking lecture is now on DVD
www.emotionalaspectsofhealingdvd.com and you can read more about health matters at her blog
www.embracinghealthblog.com

The term “blog” is short for “weblog”, which just means an online journal or “log”. You can jot down personal thoughts and notes, post articles you’ve written or keep track of interesting websites you find. The sky is the limit, it seems, when it comes to blogging. A blog is something entirely of your own creation and you can use it to share your thoughts with the world, well….with anyone you can get to read it anyway.

One of the main debates going on about blogs is whether blogging can be done to improve Search Engine rankings for businesses or to create a buzz about business websites. Both of these can be true if the blog is used correctly. Many resources show that once a blog is created, many times it is listed in Search Engines within 48 hours. This was true of the blog I created for Christian Work at Home Moms.

These are many ways to create a blog. The easiest by far is to use one of the free tools available online, such as Google’s Blogger. You can create your blog for free using their online tools and templates(nothing to download). After you have created the blog, you can then publish your blog through them and “Wa-La” – your blog is posted online for the world to see.

Once you’ve created your blog, you will need to decide how you will use it. Will it be a personal blog, full of thoughts and comments for yourself alone or maybe your family? Or will it be a business blog, with articles and tips for potential customers? If you want your blog to be found by others, blogging experts recommend that you begin by setting the title and descriptions for your blog. These are similar to the the title and descriptions you set for your website. Try to make them meaningful because they are what people will see when your blog is returned in a Search Engine. If your description is simply “my blog”, you may not draw the attention you’d like.

If you are blogging in the hopes of attracting customers, make sure to use wise use of words and links in your blogs. Try to avoid the “click here” link. Instead, opt for links within descriptive sentences. Add the HTML link within the sentence and attach it to the words that are closely related to the page or site you are linking to. For example, to link to my website I would not use “click here” as my link. I would say, “Please visit Christian Work at Home Moms for home-based work resources.”

There are many ways to get your blog noticed outside of optimizing them for Search Engines. For instance, there are entire websites devoted to listing blogs dedicated to any topic that you can think of. One of the best such websites devoted to women-created blogs, is BlogDaisy.com. You can also use free tools such a FeedBurner.com to track the traffic on your blog and to create a dynamic title box that can be used to display your blog headlines on your website or even in your email signature. Each time you update your blog, these headlines are instantly updated.

There are many ways to use a blog for either personal or business use. If used correctly, a blog can be a terrific tool to inform potential customers of your business. Be sure to update your blog at least once a week so that the content remains fresh and you remain in the Search Engines.

If you’ve tried to organize your desk in the past, but it didn’t last, consider these tips from Elizabeth Hagen, CPO® to eliminate clutter, reduce stress, and increase results:

• Take everything off your desk except what you must do.

Today’s mail is tomorrow’s pile. Put everything else you can’t throw away in boxes to deal with later. Create a new system to eliminate future messes – then you can deal with the past.

• Clutter is Postponed Decisions®! Implement The FAT System™.

1. 1. File it in a reference file or electronic folder in case you need it later.

1. 1. Act on it immediately or in the near future.

1. 1. Toss, recycle, or shred it.

• Get The Magic 6™ tools for your desk to implement your decisions and eliminate unnecessary paper.

• 1. Wastebasket/recycle bin/shredder
  1. Sorting trays on your desk for In, Out, and File.
  2. Rolodex or electronic database for contact information
  3. Calendar/electronic planner for appointments
  4. File drawer or box for Action Files – things to do
  5. File drawers or boxes for Reference Files – papers you want to keep

• Organize your Action Files to prioritize your work and manage your time.

Categorize them by date (a “tickler file), by category of action (“Date Entry), or by project name.

• Create an Index for your Reference Files.

A filing software program, such as Taming the Paper Tiger, creates a file index, prints labels, and allows you to cross reference files. You can also do a “Google search” for the paper files as well as electronic files in your own office.

An organizing service offered by Hagen called The 8-Hour Miracle™ guarantees three results: (1) you will know what to do with every piece of information from that day forward, (2) you will be able to find anything you file in five seconds, and (3) you will have a game plan for integrating whatever you didn’t handle during the eight hours into the new system.
SIDEBAR

The Art of WastebasketryÒ

Determine whether you want to keep each piece of paper at all by asking yourself these “Art of Wastebasketry” questions:

1. Does this require any action on my part?
2. Does this exist elsewhere?
3. Is it recent enough to be useful?
4. Can I identify specific circumstances when I’d use it?
5. Are there any tax or legal implications?

If you answer “No” to all the above questions, but are still not comfortable throwing something away, ask one last question:

1. What is the worst possible thing that could happen if I didn’t have this information?

If you can live with your answer, toss, recycle or shred it – and work happily ever after!

About the Author

Elizabeth Hagen is a dynamic and inspiring productivity expert and speaker who has motivated thousands to take action and get organized. She is President of ElizabethHagen.com and works with women home-based business owners to help them get focused, organized, and more productive. She helps clients by working on site or virtually! Her newest book and manual “Organize with Confidence” will change your life! Subscribe to Elizabeth’s free ezine “Extraordinary Results” at http://www.ElizabethHagen.com and receive “31 Tips to Simplify Your Life” as her gift to you.

Do you look at your office or home and feel totally overwhelmed by the clutter, piles, and stuff? Do you wonder where to start? Do you want to run out in terror?!

I know what it’s like to feel like your home or office is totally out of control instead of you being in control. I know that this feeling causes stress and anxiety. And, can make you a not very nice person to live or work with!

There’s hope. I work with overwhelmed people every day and help them get focused, organized, and productive in their home and office. But, you need a plan.

Step 1: Get Ready

Take out your calendar and pick the date you are going to go through your entire home or office. This will take anywhere from 30 minutes to 2 hours. Have a clean sheet for each room and write the name of the room down on top of each page.

Step 2: Identify the Areas to Organize

Begin at the front door and imagine a big clock imposed on the floor. Choose where you want 12:00 and start there. Now, look around the room clockwise writing down any area that you’re tolerating or that bothers you. Before you leave each room put a * by the area that bothers you the most in each room. Go through each room in the home or office.

Step 3: Prioritize

Take a clean sheet of paper and title it “Priority Form”. Now, transfer each priority from all the room sheets onto this paper. Look at each area and decide which one you want to tackle first. You may want to pick an easy area to have a quick success story or you may want to pick a large task to get the worst out of the way right away.

Step 4: Choose a Date

Set a date to organize this area and put it in your calendar.

Step 5: Get Ready to Take Action

Look at the task that you’ve chosen to do first and decide what supplies that you’ll need. If needed, break this task down into smaller tasks and number in what order you’ll do them. Write down a reward that you’re going to give yourself when you’re done. Make it a GREAT reward!

Step 6: Do It!

The day is here and you’re ready to get started. Put on some fun music, some comfortable clothes and start organizing the area. Use my S.T.A.R.T. ™ method to get organized:

Sort

Throw