Your weekly collection of positive tips, hints, and advice offered with humor, inspiration, and other goodies for anyone who is inclined to read. Guidance, mentoring, inspiration, English lessons, editing, proofreading services for entrepreneurs and online marketers.
Publisher: Mary Wilkey
Volume 11 — Issue 2 — January 18, 2011
Published every other Tuesday
Is anyone else as sick of snow as I am? In our neck o' the midwest woods, we certainly have had more than our share since the season began!
Anyway, I'd like to welcome all our new readers and invite everyone to scroll down and enjoy all the goodies in this issue. :-)
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In
Remembrance of
September 11, 2001
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If you enjoy this ezine, you can help it grow faster by introducing 'elf Expressions to just one other person—because the faster we grow, the more we all benefit from the promo copy. Thank you!
If you've missed any issues, you still can see them at:
If my people, which are called by my name,
shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek
my face, and turn from their wicked ways,
then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive
their sin, and will heal their land.
—2 Chronicles 7:14
Contents:
Top Sponsor
Weekly Contest
A Healthier You
Feature Article
Test Your Bible Knowledge
Today's Chuckle
Today's English Lesson
Guest Article
Inspiration
Etcetera
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Contest
Results of last issue's contest, when the question was — There is one Flintstones character missing from Flintstone chewable vitamins—which one is it? The answer — There's no Betty Rubble in the Flintstones Chewables Vitamins. See Joy Amy Cutbirth's offer above.
For our subscribers only: Be first to submit the correct answer to the following question and receive the next available top sponsor slot gratis. So answer this:
The Lampivaara Amethyst Mine claims to be the only active one in Europe. In which country can it be found? Finland
Send to cont@elfexpressionsezine.comand be sure to include your promo copy with your entry. I will no longer contact winners to request it. Several people have missed out having their copy published, because they did not include their ads with their entries!
Just thought you'd like to know — There are more chickens than people in the world.
A Healthier You
You've probably heard a lot about bottled water. That it's healthier for you than tap water, that it can replace your vitamins, that it's really only tap water and how environmentally unfriendly it is.
With this type of conflicting information about water, it's easy to get confused. Let's see if we can help you cut through the clutter and lead you down the path to healthier water consumption.
Environmental Impact
There's no sense in sugar-coating it. Bottled water is destructive to the environment. It is a fact that 67 million water bottles are thrown away each day.
That's a staggering amount of waste considering only 10 percent of these water bottles are ever recycled. Despite the good reputation recycling has, this practice is not always best for the ecosystem as it is labor-intensive, costly and burns natural resources. Also, just because you are throwing your used water bottles into the recycling bin, it does not necessarily mean they are able to be recycled.
Another problem with bottled water is the incredible amount of fuel needed to transport these heavy loads of plastic (and sometimes glass) bottles to your local supermarket, home, or office.
In the sentence of life, the devil may be a comma—but never let him be the period.
Feature Article
You Reap What You Sow
"Good morning," said a woman as she walked up to the man sitting on ground.
The man slowly looked up.
This was a woman clearly accustomed to the finer things of life. Her coat was new. She looked like she had never missed a meal in her life.
His first thought was that she wanted to make fun of him, like so many others had done before. "Leave me alone," he growled.
To his amazement, the woman continued standing.
She was smiling—her even white teeth displayed in dazzling rows. "Are you hungry?" she asked.
"No," he answered sarcastically. "I've just come from dining with the president. Now go away."
The woman's smile became even broader. Suddenly the man felt a gentle hand under his arm.
"What are you doing, lady?" the man asked angrily. "I said to leave me alone."
Just then a policeman came up. "Is there any problem, ma'am?" he asked.
"No problem here, officer," the woman answered. "I'm just trying to get this man to his feet. Will you help me?"
The officer scratched his head. "That's old Jack. He's been a fixture around here for a couple of years. What do you want with him?"
"See that cafeteria over there?" she asked. "I'm going to get him something to eat and get him out of the cold for awhile."
"Are you crazy, lady?" the homeless man resisted. "I don't want to go in there!" Then he felt strong hands grab his other arm and lift him up. "Let me go, officer. I didn't do anything."
"This is a good deal for you, Jack" the officer answered. "Don't blow it."
Finally, and with some difficulty, the woman and the police officer got Jack into the cafeteria and sat him at a table in a remote corner. It was the middle of the morning, so most of the breakfast crowd had already left, and the lunch bunch had not yet arrived.
The manager strode across the cafeteria and stood by his table. "What's going on here, officer?" he asked. "What is all this—is this man in trouble?"
"This lady brought this man in here to be fed," the policeman answered.
"Not in here!" the manager replied angrily. "Having a person like that here is bad for business."
Old Jack smiled a toothless grin. "See, lady. I told you so. Now if you'll let me go, I didn't want to come here in the first place."
The woman turned to the cafeteria manager and smiled, "Sir, are you familiar with Eddy and Associates, the banking firm down the street?"
"Of course, I am," the manager answered impatiently. "They hold their weekly meetings in one of my banquet rooms."
"And do you make a goodly amount of money providing food at these weekly meetings?"
"What business is that of yours?"
I, sir, am Penelope Eddy, president and CEO of the company."
"Oh."
The woman smiled again. "I thought that might make a difference." She glanced at the cop who was busy stifling a giggle. "Would you like to join us in a cup of coffee and a meal, officer?"
"No thanks, ma'am," the officer replied. "I'm on duty."
"Then, perhaps a cup of coffee to go?"
"Yes, ma'am. That would be very nice."
The cafeteria manager turned on his heel, "I'll get your coffee for you right away, officer."
The officer watched him walk away. "You certainly put him in his place," he said.
"That was not my intent. Believe it or not, I have a reason for all this."
She sat down at the table across from her amazed dinner guest. She stared at him intently. "Jack, do you remember me?"
Old Jack searched her face with his old, rheumy eyes. "I think so—I mean you do look familiar."
"I'm a little older perhaps," she said. "Maybe I've even filled out more than in my younger days when you worked here, and I came through that very door, cold and hungry."
"Ma'am?" the officer said questioningly. He couldn't believe that such a magnificently turned out woman could ever have been hungry.
"I was just out of college," the woman began. "I had come to the city looking for a job, but I couldn't find anything. Finally, I was down to my last few cents and had been kicked out of my apartment. I walked the streets for days. It was February, and I was cold and nearly starving. I saw this place and walked in on the off chance that I could get something to eat."
Jack lit up with a smile. "Now I remember," he said. "I was behind the serving counter. You came up and asked me if you could work for something to eat. I said that it was against company policy."
"I know," the woman continued. "Then you made me the biggest roast beef sandwich that I had ever seen, gave me a cup of coffee, and told me to go over to a corner table and enjoy it. I was afraid that you would get into trouble. Then, when I looked over and saw you put the price of my food in the cash register, I knew then that everything would be all right."
"So you started your own business?" old Jack said.
"I got a job that very afternoon. I worked my way up. Eventually, I started my own business that, with the help of God, prospered." She opened her purse and pulled out a business card. "When you are finished here, I want you to pay a visit to a Mr. Lyons. He's the personnel director of my company. I'll go talk to him now, and I'm certain he'll find something for you to do around the office." She smiled. "I think he might even find the funds to give you a little advance so that you can buy some clothes and get a place to live until you get on your feet. If you ever need anything, my door is always opened to you."
There were tears in the old man's eyes. "How can I ever thank you?" he said.
"Don't thank me," the woman answered. "To God goes the glory. Thank Jesus—He led me to you."
Outside the cafeteria, the officer and the woman paused at the entrance before going their separate ways.
"Thank you for all your help, officer," she said.
"On the contrary, Ms. Eddy," he answered. "Thank you. I saw a miracle today, something that I will never forget. And ... and thank you for the coffee."
Question — The Lord showed Jeremiah two baskets full of what fruit?
a — Good and bad apples
b — Bitter and sweet lemons
c — Good and bad figs
d — Pears
Scroll down for the answer.
"Keep surging forward even when struggle pushes you back for every trial is like a wind; it will try to push you back or make you quit. You have to stay strong for struggles don’t last; they come strongly and pass swiftly and only the ones who hold onto their grounds strongly and fight to go forward will emerge victorious."
—Kiplimo Chemirmir, Texas
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Today's Chuckle
The New Pastor
The new pastor in a small Oklahoma town spent the first four
days making personal visits to each of the members, inviting
them to come to his first services. The following Sunday the
church was all but empty.
Accordingly, the pastor placed a notice in the local newspapers,
stating that, because the church was dead, it was everyone's
duty to give it a decent Christian burial. The funeral would be
held the following Sunday afternoon, the notice said.
Morbidly curious, a large crowd turned out for the "funeral."
In front of the pulpit, they saw a closed coffin, smothered
in flowers. After the pastor delivered the eulogy, he opened
the coffin and invited his congregation to come forward and
pay their final respects to their dead church.
Filled with curiosity as to what would represent the corpse
of a "dead church," all the people eagerly lined up to look
into the coffin. Each "mourner" peeked into the coffin, then
quickly turned away with a guilty, sheepish look. In the coffin,
tilted at the correct angle, they saw a very large, shiny mirror!
"To live a creative life, we must lose our fear of being wrong."
—
Joseph Chilton Pearce
Today's English Lesson
Seeing the same elementary mistakes over and over again has prompted this publisher to write an English lesson each issue. Look for some of these lessons to be repeated, because the mistakes are!
Another misusage: "Quaint essential"! The person was talking about a prime example of the ideal picnic. The only conclusion here is that people are becoming increasingly lazy ... I mean, when sites like www.dictionary.com are so easy to use, they really have no excuse.
Obviously, that "writer" meant "quintessential," which is an adjective that describes the perfect example of a particular type of a given subject.
Reminder: We have a reasonably priced editing/proofreading service for articles or even entire ezines. Just email: adm@elfexpressionsezine.com
Give the devil an inch, and he'll be a ruler.
Guest Article
Law Of Attraction: How Limiting Beliefs Limit Your Life by Antonio Thornton
Our beliefs are the foundation of who we are, what we
think, what we say, how we act, and ultimately, how the
world shows up for us. However, when we have limiting
beliefs, we actually limit our life.
Relationships
Limiting beliefs will greatly affect your relationships.
They can cause problems if you have any beliefs about what
can or cannot, should or should not happen in a
relationship. For example: You believe that the person
you're dating should not see an ex-girlfriend or ex-boyfriend
because it's "bad" for the relationship.
What you don't
see is that the person you're with really cares about you.
The relationship they maintain with an ex can be for
multiple reasons. Are there children involved? Does your
significant other pay alimony to their ex? Was the break
up mutual? This doesn't mean that they still love them; it
just means that they are having a working relationship for
the sake of whatever binds them together. But if your
belief is that they're "up to no good," then you'll create
that for yourself and find things that make it so.
Employment
When you limit your beliefs as to employment, it
can be critical to whether you will keep the job or change
your career several times. You may find that you are
staying with a job you hate, because you either think there
is nothing else out there for you to do, or because it is the
"right thing to do."
Fear is just another form of belief
that can also seriously limit our lives. It can keep
us from making career changes or from going back to school,
taking new classes, etc. It can keep us from doing the
things we want to do, because we are "security minded."
Education
We all place limitations on what we think is appropriate
when it comes to education. Let's say you decided not to
go to college right after school or dropped out of college.
You've been employed with the company that you are with
for 10 years. You have been thinking a lot about going
back to school to get a degree, but you keep putting it off
because you believe you're "too old." You won't "make the
grade." You have "forgotten everything."
Well, maybe you
have forgotten some things from when you were in school
because you don't use them. That is normal. It doesn't
make you unintelligent, just normal. But your beliefs keep
you from going back to school, which keeps you in the same place you're in
now.
Creativity
Everyone has heard the phrase "think outside the box."
Even Taco Bell uses it in their slogan, sort of (Think
Outside the Bun). Most people are so used to routine that
they don't realize that they are limiting themselves in
their lives creatively. They think that they are supposed
to stay within those lines.
What if you woke up tomorrow and you didn't get to have
that cup of coffee to start off your day? Would your whole
day be off? Would you be able to function normally?
Physically, you probably wouldn't, but psychologically you
would, because it's outside of your normal daily routine, and
you most likely believe you'd be off, so you would be.
Finding creativity again in your life requires you to
change your routine. Do something spontaneous. Don't
follow the set pattern all the time. You will find the
creativity pouring back in your life.
By changing the things you believe, you can actually change
your reality. Take the time to look at your beliefs, and
ask yourself, "Why do I believe this?" Then ask, "Does
this belief support the things I want in my life?" Most
times that answer will be "no." If it is, then you have
the opportunity to change that belief to the things that
support your desires, which will lead to greater joy and
happiness in your life.
Seen The Secret? New To Law Of Attraction? Antonio Thornton
has helped hundreds of people grow their business, find
love, and live the life they desire simply by changing
their thinking. Discover the fastest and easiest way to
create your life using the Law Of Attraction and
Psycho-Cybernetics:
http://www.antoniothornton.com/law-of-attraction
We don't change God's message—His message changes us.
Answer to Bible trivia:
c — Good and bad figs
See Jeremiah 24:2
Inspiration
The King James Bible and the English Language
This is from "The King James Bible's History of Dissent and Inspiration," The Independent, December 31, 2010: "After four centuries, the symbolic power of the 1611 Bible remains mighty indeed. ... After a mixed reception, it bedded down, fairly slowly, as the English bible of choice: first in the British Isles, then in the North American colonies, and finally in every region where trade, colonisation and evangelism implanted groups of English-speaking Christians. ... It became a masterpiece of English prose to be enjoyed by people of all creeds and none at all."
Today it is a commonplace to note that the words and rhythms of the KJB and its source translations shape the speech of countless millions who never open a Bible or enter a church.
The following quotes demonstrate how popular this old English is in today's speech.
Somehow, the language of the 1611 version never falls from grace (Galatians 5.4), even if its message falls on stony ground (Mark 4.5)
In a secular age where ignorance of religion goes from strength to strength (Psalms 84.7)
among lovers of filthy lucre (1 Timothy 3.8)
who only want to eat, drink and be merry (Luke 12.19)
we know for a certainty (Joshua 23.13)
that these resonant words endure as a fly in the ointment (Ecclesiastes 10.1)
and a thorn in the flesh (2 Corinthians 12.7)
of the powers that be (Romans 13.1)
They can still set the teeth on edge (Jeremiah 31.29)
of those who try to worship God and Mammon (Matthew 6.24)
proof that there is no new thing under the sun (Ecclesiastes 1.9)
now cast its pearls before swine (Matthew 7.6)
and act as a voice crying in the wilderness (Luke 3.4)
a drop in a bucket (Isaiah 40.15)
of unbelief, no longer a sign of the times (Matthew 16.3)
but a verbal stumbling-block (Leviticus 19.14)
or else all things to all men (1 Corinthians 9.22)
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