Hello everyone!! Sorry that it has been so long since I have logged on here. I am sending you all this message because I have launched a new business website and I would like you guys to be the first to take a look at it. This first link is pictures of some of the things that I have made. It's handmade cards, wall art, and scrapbook pages. Any comments that you would like to leave will be most welcome. http://cid-2a74c4b6517e0545.skydrive.live.com/summary.aspx This second link is a blog explaining the different sizes that the items can be cut at as well as the different uses for each cut out. Just because I used something on a card or for wall art or on a scrapbook page does not mean that's the only use for it. Rachel's Original Creations
http://rachelsoriginalcreations.spaces.live.com/blog/
As of yet I have not set any prices for anything. I am just putting out some feelers to see how people would feel about the stuff. So, if you have ideas about prices please let me know. I will be doing cards of all kinds, wall art, scrapbook pages, entire scrapbooks and anything else people ask me to do. For some things I will have set prices for others I will have to set a price as i am asked to do it. So any help from friends is always appreciated.

Rachel Miller
CEO/ Rachel's Original Creations

Too many people focus only on what they want, what they need, and what they feel will most benefit themselves, and they never get it. Quit trying to figure out what everybody can do for you, get your mind off yourself, start trying to figure out what you can do for somebody else, and go do it. Go visit a nursing home or a children's hospital. Call a friend and encourage that person. If your struggling financially, go out and help somebody who has less than you have. For example, you could mow somebody's lawn or help them with something that needs to be fixed in their house. Somebody needs what you have to share. Somebody needs your love and encouragement.
If you want GOD to bless your life LIVE TO GIVE!!!!

Remember:

Those who shut their ears to the cries of the poor will be ignored in their own time of need.
PROVERBS 21:13

Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal among you, which comes upon you for your testing, as though some strange thing were happening to you.   1 Peter 4:12

When adversity comes knocking on the door, some people immediately think they have done something wrong, that God surely must be punishing them.  Friend, God will not allow a difficulty to come into your life unless He has a purpose for it.  Granted, there are times when we can't understand what we're going through or why, or why, but we must learn to believe that God is going to bring good out of it.

God says. "Don't think it's a big deal when you go through these tough times." Learn to cooperate with God and be quick to change and correct the areas He brings to light.  Then yours pass that test and you will be promoted to a new level.

Amazing Grace

Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound,
That saved a wretch like me....
I once was lost but now am found,
Was blind, but now, I see.

T'was Grace that taught...
my heart to fear.
And Grace, my fears relieved.
How precious did that Grace appear...
the hour I first believed.

Through many dangers, toils and snares...
we have already come.
T'was Grace that brought us safe thus far...
and Grace will lead us home.

The Lord has promised good to me...
His word my hope secures.
He will my shield and portion be...
as long as life endures.

When we've been here ten thousand years...
bright shining as the sun.
We've no less days to sing God's praise...
then when we've first begun.

Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound,
That saved a wretch like me....
I once was lost but now am found,
Was blind, but now, I see.

A mockingbird sings at 2:00 AM,
waking me from a dead sleep,
like a dream, the still
darkness settles into the hardwood
floors, the fan moving the air,
my beloved wife, asleep in the shadows
of the moonlight as it filters through
the sounds of creation.
Stars shine like birds
moving through the oak trees, through
the soul of the seeing, light
filtering through the dead branches,
earth spinning into view.
I believe in something beyond
this tiny frame, insignificant
corpse of the future, becoming ashes,
into nothing, forgotten.
It sings, even in the night,
through the breeze that carries the sounds
of power, of beauty in the broken stillness.

© by Randy Rich

To let it go isn't to forget, not think about, or ignore.  It doesn't leave feelings of anger, jealousy, or regret.  Letting go isn't winning and it isn't losing. It's not about pride and it's not about how you appear, and it's not about obsessing or dwelling on the past.  Letting go isn't blocking memories or thinking sad thoughts and it doesn't leave emptiness, hurt or sadness.  It's not about giving in or giving up.  Letting go isn't about loss and it's not defeat.  To let go is to cherish memories, but to overcome, and to move on.  It is having and open mind and confidence in the future.   Letting go is accepting.  It is learning, experiencing and growing.  To let go is to be thankful for the experiences that made you laugh, made you cry, and made you grow.  It's about all that you have, all that you had, and all that you will soon gain.  Letting go is having the courage to accept change, and the strength to keep moving.  Letting go is growing up.  It is realizing that the heart can sometimes be the most potent remedy.  To let go is to open a door and to clear a path and to set yourself free.

Develop greater self-confidence and assertiveness

Assertiveness is a very necessary quality in today's world. It's not aggressiveness - we have enough of that already! It's more like a process of knowing you have a right to be in your place in the world, a right to occupy the space you are in, and a right to get what you want, or at least to negotiate it strongly, in the face of others' demands and expectations that you accommodate their wishes and desires.

If that sounds a lot like a definition of self-confidence, then you're right - it is. Assertiveness and self-confidence are inextricably linked together.

There's another important aspect to assertiveness, too, and that's about control. Confidence allows you to exert control over a situation - or at least to exert more control over it. Assertiveness does the same. All in all, therefore, confidence and assertiveness are different sides of the same coin.

Assertiveness does not come easily to most of us. That's because we are trained as children to be compliant and socially acceptable. Assertiveness puts a child in direct conflict with its parents: and, because the parents tend to be more powerful, the child usually loses that struggle. Fortunately, it is easy to train yourself to regain the assertive traits that you lost as a child.

You might at this stage be wondering if there's a difference between dominance and assertiveness. Very confident people are often seen as having the ability to dominate the room with their confidence, and dominance implies the ability to control people. But dominance is more about power, and it's a very different thing to assertiveness.

Leadership may require confidence and assertiveness, but it does not necessarily require dominance. Indeed, the best leaders are those who include people in their decisions and processes, seeking consensus, but being able to assert their authority through the quality of assertiveness.

It's also true that people who show too much dominance are essentially bullies. They may require that they get their own way, they may override the views and opinions of others, and they may be driven by a need for power and a sense of inferiority rather than a well-balanced sense of self-confidence.

Bullies are a classic example of a dominant personality that seeks to assert itself through force rather than confidence or assertive consensus. Their victims are people who obviously have less power than they do; their methods centre on aggression and fear. The desire for power, accumulation of wealth, and to see the fear they inspire in others is what motivates such people to seek to exert their power - yet, at its very root, the bully psychology is one of inadequacy and trying to overcome a victim mentality though dominance and power.

Assertiveness is a quality best used to develop your own confidence in your abilities to control your own life and destiny, rather than the lives and destinies of others. Used in this way it is a true adjunct to self-confidence. Assuming that you want to be sufficiently assertive to do this, rather than to be assertive enough to control others, the techniques you can use to become more assertive are actually rather easy.

How to develop greater assertiveness and self-confidence

• Have a code of values that you believe in and live by
• Know your facts before you enter into any new venture and use them effectively
• Anticipate other people's objections and behavior and prepare suitable responses
• Defend yourself with open questions that allow you to retake the initiative
• Practice responding to aggression so you are ready for it when it comes your way
• Use positive affirmations about your own strength
• Surround yourself with inspirational people and materials
• Have faith in yourself and the fact that you will ultimately triumph

More on some of the above suggestions for developing greater assertiveness

To be prepared is the best defense against those who would undermine you. And no matter what the situation you are entering, you can always do some preparation which will allow you to have the edge in the situation - that might be mental rehearsal, learning new strategies and tactics to deal with difficult people, going on a public speaking course, and so on.

Anticipate what others will do and say, and have a response prepared

You can always ask others to support you; you can prepare in your imagination for all the eventualities that may arise; you can learn to be assertive. Being prepared in this way will allow you to have full control and complete self-confidence.

Assertiveness requires that you know what to say

And of course this again means being prepared, both physically and mentally. So, for example, if you are presenting information to a group who may be unwilling to accept what you say, having a list of thorough, probing, constructive and incisive things to ask will help you to feel confident. Indeed, it's the key to feeling confident.

For example:

• Do you have any evidence for that assertion?
• Who have you asked about this?
• Have you measured that quality?
• How did you look for alterative solutions?
• How does this compare to other specific solutions implemented by (name someone)?

It's important not to be distracted, but to stick to what you're saying and what you believe to be true. You can say: "We are not discussing that now, We are discussing this." Keep your point in mind until it is accepted or you have been assertive enough to silence the ill-informed.

Reprogram your own reaction to aggression

There are many strategies for controlling the dominant and aggressive. First among these is delaying tactics which you can use to gain more time to think about something: "Wait. You have not explained that properly." "Wait, I need more time to think about that." In the end, this is all about being firm and decisive, and not allowing yourself to be distracted or deflated by the verbal or psychological strikes that the bully may make against you.

Have faith in yourself and your own confidence

The strengths of a non-assertive person usually centre on attention to detail, completion, thoroughness, research, co-operation and commitment. By developing a more assertive personality, these fundamental strengths combine with a level of self-confidence which can achieve great things.

May to day there be peace within
My you trust GOD that you are exactly where you are meant to be
May you not forget the infinite possibilities that are born of faith
May you use those gifts that you have received, and pass on the love that has been given to you
May you be content knowing you are a child of GOD
Let this presence settle into your bones, and allow your soul the freedom to sing, dance, praise and love
It is there for each and every one of us.

Author:  Mother Theresa

While the Department of Homeland Security admits they have "no specific information" of any violent activity or plans of any violence, in a "Rightwing Extremism" report, DHS Secretary Janet Napolitano has labeled law-abiding citizens as "right-wing extremists" and potential "terrorists" anyway, and has instructed state and local law enforcement to monitor, investigate and "report information concerning suspicious or criminal activity to DHS and the FBI."

Ironically, this is the same "Extremism and Radicalization Branch" of DHS that eradicated all references to the terms "Islamofascist" and "jihadist" (even though that's the name those who are at war with us, themselves, use). The Obama administration, in replacing "war on terror" with "overseas contingency operations," for fear of offending Muslims, apparently has no fear of offending Christians and conservatives.

Among the groups being targeted as "terrorists," according to the report, are "military veterans" who return home (from fighting terrorists), those who "reject federal authority in favor of state or local authority" and "groups and individuals that are dedicated to a single issue such as opposition to abortion or immigration."

Are you the Obama administration's idea of a dangerous subversive? Fight back with the magnetic message: "Why is being Right Extreme?"

Also listed among the targeted potential "terrorists" are those who purchase legal firearms and ammunition and oppose laws that restrict the Second Amendment. Also on the new terrorist watch list are those who believe in "'end times' prophecies," and those with "fear and paranoia" "of an impending economic collapse." In addition, law enforcement agencies are instructed to monitor and investigate citizens who do not embrace globalism, a "New World Order," and those concerned about "a world government that would usurp the sovereignty of the United States and its Constitution."

In fact, the New Terrorists (according to Obama's Department of Homeland Security) would include the following:

1. George Washington (military veteran and gun owner)
2. Mother Teresa (pro-life)
3. Ronald Reagan (pro-life and staunch advocate for less government), and
4. The pope (supports life and traditional marriage)

'Most dangerous'

Ignoring the real threats to our security from known Islamic jihad terrorist cells currently training terrorists on American soil, DHS, instead, has declared law-abiding citizens who express their First Amendment Rights as: "the most dangerous domestic terrorism threat in the United States" and has initiated domestic spying on them.

We've just seen this trial balloon shot down in Missouri when their Missouri Information Analysis Center issued a very similar "Strategic Report" that targeted those opposed to the United Nations, New World Order, Gun control, a Constitutional Convention, North American Union, the Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) chip, abortion and illegal immigration as "potentially dangerous." It also urged law enforcement to be alert to such warning signs as bumper stickers for candidates such as Rep. Ron Paul and Chuck Baldwin.

Even after this report was supposedly retracted, Catherine Bleish, executive director of the Liberty Restoration Project, reported (Faith2Action radio, April 1) cases of law-abiding citizens being followed, stopped and searched without cause or provocation. This is what political profiling looks like.

Meanwhile, a separate assault on our freedoms is being waged in the U.S. House Judiciary Committee with H.R. 1913, the "Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act of 2009," scheduled for a vote tomorrow. We have already seen similar profiling in the "National Hate Crimes Training Curricula" in police training centers at selected colleges and universities that receive grants from the U.S. Department of Justice's division called COPS, Community Oriented Policing Services.

The suspect groups in these curricula also include Christians whose "ideology is apocalyptic and who believe we are in, or approaching, a period of violence and social turmoil which will precede the Second Coming of Christ" (p.22). If you are a Christian who believes what the Bible has to say about homosexual behavior, you're a suspect. If you've noticed that reading the paper is strikingly similar to reading the book of Revelation, you are also on a police "most wanted list" of potential criminals.

Both the DHS report and "hate crimes" legislation target law-abiding citizens with "politically incorrect" views. We've been led to believe it's about crime, but there are already laws against crime. Rep. (and former judge) Louie Gohmert, R-Texas, pointed out in the House Judiciary Committee the bill "is going to put pastors in prison." Here's how: Title 18 of the U.S. Criminal Code, Section 2 (a) reads:

Whoever commits an offense against the United States or aids, abets, counsels, commands, induces or procures its commission, is punishable as a principal.

– 18 USC Sec. 2

That means if you "counsel someone," write a book, or read from the Bible (such as what Obama says is an "obscure" passage in the first chapter of Romans), you could be found guilty of "inducing" someone to commit a crime.

(Column continues below)

The Homosexual Triangle Foundation's executive director, Jeff Montgomery, told the Saginaw News back in April 2005: "Vocal anti-gay activists should be held accountable as accessories to these crimes because, many times, it is their rhetoric that led the perpetrators to believe their crimes are OK."

They are targeting our beliefs and our speech. And they don't want anyone to know about it. As the DHS report states, knowledge of this political profiling could "jeopardize their investigative activities."

This DHS report states, "No portion of the LES information should be released to the media, the general public, or over non-secure Internet servers. Release of this information could adversely affect or jeopardize investigative activities." Yet, this report was leaked just before the thousands of tea parties protested the Obama spending programs.

Whether it was an intentional intimidation tactic or an accidental occurrence, one thing's for sure – we aren't going to stand by while they profile good, law-abiding citizens as terrorists and take away constitutional freedoms.

Therefore, we, the law-abiding citizens of America, demand:

1. The resignation or removal of DHS Secretary Janet Napolitano for her partisan political profiling of veterans and conservatives and her abuse of power.
2. An apology from President Barack Obama to ALL Americans for his administration's call for domestic spying.
3. The immediate retraction of the "Rightwing Extremism" report for labeling law-abiding citizens as "terrorists" because of their political views.

If you'd like to help sound the alarm before you're monitored as a potential terrorist, please help. Go to www.f2a.org and click the first blinking alert to fight "hate crimes" and click the link to www.NoPoliticalProfiling.com to help us place a newspaper ad and sign the petition to fight the new definition of "terrorist."

The only way we can keep our freedoms is if we'll use them – now.

Someone once noted that a Southern can get away with the most awful kind of insult just as long as it’s prefaced with the words, “Bless Her Heart” or “Bless His Heart.” As in, “Bless his heart, if they put his brain on the head of a pin, it’d roll around like a BB on a six lane highway.”

Or, “Bless her heart, she’s so bucktoothed, she could eat an apple through a picket fence.”  There are also the sneakier ones:  “ You know it’s amazing that even though she had that baby 7 months after they were married, bless her heart, it weighed 10 pounds.”

As long as the heart is sufficiently blessed, the insult can’t be all that bad.  I was thinking about this the other day when a friend was telling about her new Transplanted Northern friend who was upset because her toddler is just beginning to talk and he has a Southern accent.  My friend, who is very kind and, bless her heart, cannot do a thing about  those thighs of hers, was justifiably miffed about this.  After all, this woman had CHOSEN to move to the South a couple of years ago.  “Can you believe it?”  said her friend..”A child of mine is going to be “taaaallllkkin liiiike thiiiissss.”

Now, don’t get me wrong.  Some of my dearest friends are from the North, bless their hearts.  II welcome their perspective, their friendships and their recipes for authentic Northern Italian food.  I’ve even gotten past their endless complaints that you can’t find good bread down here.  And the heathens, bless their hearts, don’t like cornbread!

We’ve already lost too much.  I was raised to say “swanee,” not swear, but you hardly ever hear anyone say that anymore, I swanee you don’t.

And i’ve caught myself thinking twice before saying something is “right much,” “right close,” or “right good” because non-relatives think this is right funny indeed.  I have a friend from Bawston who thinks it’s hilarious when I say i’ve got to “carry” my daughter to the doctor or “cut off” the light.  She also gets a giggle every time I am “fixin’” to do something.  And, bless their hearts, they don’t eve know where “over yonder” is or what “I reckon” means!

My personal favorite was my aunt, saying, “Bless her heart, she can’t help being ugly, but she could’ve stayed home.”

Southern girls know bad manners when they see them:
1.  Drinking straight out of a can.
2.  Not sending thank you notes.
3.  Velvet after February.
4.  White shoes before Easter or after Labor Day.

Southern girls always say:
1.  “Yes, ma’am.”
2.  “Yes, sir.”

Southern girls have a distinct way with fond expressions:
1.  “Y’all come back! now ya heaah,”
2.  “Well, bless your heart.”
3.  “Drop by when you can.”
4.  “How’s your mother?”
5.  “Love your hair.”

Southern girls know their three R’s!:
1.  Rich
2. Richer
3.  Richest

Southern girls know everybody’s first name:
1.  Honey
2.  Darlin’
3.  Sugah

Southern girls know the movies that speak to their hearts:
1.  “ Gone with the Wind”
2.  “Fried Green Tomatoes”
3.  “Driving Miss Daisy”
4.  “Steel Magnolias”

Southern girls know their cities dripping with Southern charm:
1.  Hotlanta or Adlanna - {Atlanta as outsiders say}
2.  Richmon
3.  S’vannah
4.  Challston
5.  Birminham
6.  Nawlins’
7.  OH! And that city in Alabama?  It’s pronounced MUNTGUMRY!

Southern girls know the three deadly sins:
1.  Bad hair
2.  Bad manners
3.  Bad blid dates

G.R.I.T.S = Girls Raised in the South!

Remember:

“Just because your children were born in the South does not make them Southerners.  After all, if a cat had kittens in the oven, that wouldn’t make them biscuits.”

I have decided to embark on a new journey.  I wrote a letter to the Department of Social Services asking for the non-identifying information on my biological family.  All I have to do is get the letter notarized and mailed off.  Hopefully this is going to help me better in the search for my biological family.

Alternative Treatments for Fibromyalgia

How well do they work?

By Jeanie Lerche Davis
WebMD Feature

Reviewed by Brunilda Nazario, MD

To get relief from fibromyalgia pain, more and more people are trying alternative treatments. It's often instinctive -- putting an icepack on a painful spot or reaching for the heating pad when muscles hurt. Or it feels good – like a massage. Even acupuncture is becoming a mainstream pain treatment, with endorsements from the NIH and the World Health Organization.

Now, researchers are honing in on how these various home remedies and alternative treatments work.

"In all these therapies, we're stimulating pressure points... we think there may be a similar underlying mechanism in how they work," says Tiffany Field, PhD, director of the Touch Research Institute at the University of Miami School of Medicine.

Pressure applied to the right spot triggers all sorts of changes in the body -- in a good way, she explains. The pressure points have nerve connections to major nerves in the body that affects physiological processes.”

This reduces flow of stress hormones and pain-inducing chemicals -- and ramps up production of mood-related brain chemicals such as serotonin, she says. The result: The body slows down, you feel calmer, sleep is more restful -- and you are able to tolerate the pain of fibromyalgia better.

Massage and Fibromyalgia Treatment

For the past three decades, Field has conducted more than 80 studies looking at massage's effects on various conditions. Her research team looks deeply at the underlying physiological processes involved in sleep -- especially as it relates to fibromyalgiapain.

Researchers tracked patients' sleep patterns, also measuring "substance P," a brain chemical that is central to fibromyalgia pain. People with fibromyalgia pain have higher levels of substance P in the spinal fluid. They also have lower than normal levels of mood-boosting serotonin.

When they get a massage, all that changes. Field's studies have shown less substance P in patients' saliva -- and they report less pain. They also have fewer painful tender points.

The studies typically involve 20-minute massages -- which is only practical if a significant other is trained to do it, she says. One bonus for the family masseuse: People who give massages have lower stress hormone levels, too.

To get the most benefit, it's important to apply moderate pressure. "It doesn't matter whether you're rubbing, kneading, or stroking -- it's the pressure that makes the difference," Field says. "You have to move the skin, actually see finger indentations in the skin. It doesn't hurt, but it's more than light stroking. We've found that light stroking doesn't help."

Massage also helps relieve depression, Field adds. "Depression is related to low serotonin, low dopamine, and increased cortisol. We can jazz that up with massage. There are a lot of positive benefits from massage."

Acupuncture and Fibromyalgia Treatment

Acupuncture, a traditional Chinese treatment, also helps ease fibromyalgia symptoms. Acupuncture works on brain chemicals to decrease anxiety, depression, insomnia, stress, and pain.

Anti-Stress Tips
Friday, December 19, 2008
By: Elisabeth Deffner

FMOnline vol. 8, no. 12

Work responsibilities. Family friction. Healthcare challenges. Economic tumult. We all know there are plenty of reasons to feel stressed out—and we all know that too much stress can impact our health: increasing blood pressure, disturbing sleep, even paving the way for a fibro-flare.

We also know the best ways to stave off stress: stay as healthy as possible by maintaining a good diet and getting enough sleep, exercising the body, and taking time to relax. But what to do when stress hits anyway? That’s the question we asked FM patients. Here we share their top suggestions.

Eyes and Ears
You may benefit from carefully considering what you watch and what you listen to. Karen Call relaxes every day with “Reduce Stress and Anxiety,” a DVD by Dr. David Illig, or Dr. Andrew Weil’s Mindbody Toolkit, which includes breathwork, meditation, guided imagery, and sound therapy. It’s not difficult to find soothing CDs of ocean sounds or bird calls; perhaps classical music is key to calm for you.

“When I am having a flare-up. I sip warm tea, curl up with my heating pad, cuddly throw and just close my eyes and listen to the ocean, the rain, and beautiful music,” says Suzanne Blaquiere.

Daily affirmations may be helpful for you as well. There are many books available, as well as page-a-day affirmation calendars. You may also want to search online for a website that can emailyou a daily affirmation.

Four-Legged Assistance
Study after study has shown that animal interaction benefits people physiologically—and Arlene LaBarre Kempf of Amity, Ore., has experienced this firsthand. “With everything I've been through, my love of my horses, my complete involvement in their care and training—as well as the high level of fitness and the amount of exercise I was getting—always so completely occupied my mind that it allowed me to de-stress, unwind, let-down, relax,” she says.

While maintaining a stable may be out of economic reach for many people, there are plenty of inexpensive ways to interact with animals—from renting a horse to go riding, to owning a small pet such as a guinea pig, to pet-sitting for friends and neighbors, to volunteering at an animal shelter or veterinary clinic.

“Relieving stress for me meant totally occupying my mind with the one thing that I loved more than anything else in the world,” says LaBarre Kempf. “Occupying my mind with something I felt passionate about … causes me to forget about the pain and the stress for those periods of time when I am on a horse's back.”

“I raise Nigerian Dwarf Dairy Goats and Chihuahuas,” says Claudia Mitchell of the southwestern Missouri Hoof Print Farm. “When I get that feeling of stress, I go to the barn and hug goats or just watch them. I feel so good when I go back up to the house.”

“I have a cat. She purrs and when I need some loving, I pick her up and she purrs and all things don't seem as bad,” adds Sandy Crary.

Focus
When Anne Kennedy feels stressed, she takes time out to sit comfortably somewhere and “center” herself. Then she begins to consciously relax her body, a little bit at a time, taking deep breaths as she does it, and focusing on the areas where she is experiencing a lot of pain. “Sometimes it'll work after one try; other times I keep at it until I relax,” she says.

Change Your Mindset
Family squabble got you stressed? Is your boss in a bad mood? Break your favorite piece of china? Take a deep breath and remind yourself that these are small bumps in the road. Few things are worth the pain of a fibro-flare, so don’t let small annoyances stress you out and put you in one.

“When I get up in the morning I actually do make a conscious decision to be happy and not let things get to me,” explainsAngie Phillips of Burlington, Iowa. “When things do get to me I ask myself one question: ‘In the big scheme of my life, does this really matter that much?’ A lot of times I discover that it doesn't and I'm able to deal more effectively with whatever is bothering me.

“I really think that the best first step to controlling stress in anyone's life is to recognize that the control is ours! We can make all the difference in the amount of stress that we have in our lives each day simply by paying attention to our attitudes.”

“I learned that when the stress gets out of control, I need to change the things I can, and it helps me to deal with the things I can't,” says Michele Stobbe Schenck.

Exercise
You don’t need to do aerobics to experience the de-stressing benefits of exercise. A leisurely walk outside may offer you a new perspective on the issues that are causing you stres and release some endorphins, raising your mood and even decreasing your pain levels.

“Exercise definitely helps,” says Gina S. “At first I didn't believe it. Exercise in the last thing you think you need when you are curled up in bed, especially on these lately cold mornings. But when I leave the gym and take a shower I feel so much more energized and happy. It has become a healthy addiction for me. I only hope I can keep it up!”

Get a Hobby
Studies have shown that different kinds of handwork—such as knitting and sewing—provides a “relaxation effect” that can sooth your stressed mind. Other hobbies you enjoy, such as painting, gardening, writing, or scrapbooking may provide a distraction from the issues that are bothering you, staving off stress. Christine Margaret Knox, who lives in North Yorkshire in England, makes cards and knits scarves—activities she enjoys, which result in products she can sell for funds to donate to her support group. 

Eliminate the Stress Source
Many of the tips above focus on managing stress, which is an important skill to develop. But big, constant stressors might be better dealt with if they were eradicated. Angie Phillips of Burlington, Iowa, only realized how intensely stress impacted her fibromyalgia symptoms after her divorce became final and she moved to a new community. “I was amazed, and still am, that within a few weeks of the finalization of my divorce and arriving in my new life, I literally felt like a whole new woman,” she says. “It was amazing how much better my pain levels were, how much clearer I could think, how much better my balance was, and I didn't feel like dying anymore!”

“The first thing I had to do was to distant myself from people that stressed me out (you could call them ‘high-maintanance’),” says Dionne White. “Then I would have to learn to say ‘no.’ I had to stop committing to things that I could not do. Believe me, it keeps stress at bay. You don't end up disappointing someone else or even yourself.”

“One of the hardest yet most important things I needed (and finally did learn) to help manage my stress levels was to give myself unconditional permission to step back, or even withdraw both emotionally and physically from stressful situations,” says one patient in Bend, Ore. “I give myself to permission to remove myself from a ‘toxic’ situation for whatever time I may need to get back in the saddle again.”

Laugh it Up
“Laughter is a great stress relief,” says Dionne White, who often watches funny movies to reduce her stress. “You feel better when you laugh and I'm convinced it fights depression.”

“Anytime I start to feel stressed I either pop in a funny movie (Blazing Saddles works every time) or I call a friend or one of my sisters. We always end up laughing, and I always feel better!” says Cynthia Mittel.

Consider Alternatives
Valerie Blake loves to cook big holiday meals—but she knows the toll that takes on her, so she has re-consideredher methods. She buys frozen mashed potatoes and mashed sweet potatoes. Her daughters bake the holiday pies, and her grocery store cooks the turkey.  “It's a hard change to make,” she admits, “but time with my family is far more important to me than the food preparation.  I am thankful I have learned this lesson before I spent one more year suffering through it."

Santa and Sarah
Three years ago, a little boy and his grandmother came to see Santa at the
Mayfair Mall in Wisconsin. The child climbed up on his lap, holding a
picture of a little girl.
"Who is this?" asked Santa, smiling. "Your friend? Your sister?'"
"Yes, Santa,' he replied. "My sister, Sarah, who is very sick," he said sadly.
Santa glanced over at the grandmother who was waiting nearby, and saw her
dabbing her eyes with a tissue.
"She wanted to come with me to see you, oh, so very much, Santa!" the child
exclaimed. "She misses you," he added softly.
Santa tried to be cheerful and encouraged a smile to the boy's face, asking
him what he wanted Santa to bring him for Christmas. When they finished their visit,
the Grandmother came over to help the child off his lap, and started to say something to Santa, but halted.
"What is it?" Santa asked warmly.
"Well, I know it's really too much to ask you, Santa, but.." the old woman
began, shooing her grandson over to one of Santa's elves to collect the
little gift which Santa gave all his young visitors.
"The girl in the photograph... my granddaughter well, you see ... she has
leukemia and isn't expected to make it even through the holidays," she said
through tear-filled eyes. "Is there any way, Santa, any possible way that
you could come see Sarah? That's all she's asked for, for Christmas, is to see Santa."
Santa blinked and swallowed hard and told the woman to leave information
with his elves as to where Sarah was, and he would see what he could do.
Santa thought of little else the rest of that afternoon. He knew what he
had to do. "What if it were MY child lying in that hospital bed, dying," he
thought with a sinking heart, "This is the least I can do."
When Santa finished visiting with all the boys and girls that evening, he
retrieved from his helper the name of the hospital where Sarah was staying.
He asked the assistant location manager how to get to Children's Hospital.
"Why?" Rick asked, with a puzzled look on his face.
Santa relayed to him the conversation with Sarah's grandmother earlier that
day. "C'mon.....I'll take you there." Rick said softly. Rick drove them to the
hospital and came inside with Santa.
They found out which room Sarah was in. A pale Rick said he would wait out
in the hall.
Santa quietly peeked into the room through the half-closed door and saw
little Sarah on the bed. The room was full of what appeared to be her family; there was the
Grandmother and the girl's brother he had met earlier that day. A woman
whom he guessed was Sarah's mother stood by the bed, gently pushing Sarah's
thin hair off her forehead. And another woman who he discovered later was
Sarah's aunt, sat in a chair near the bed with a weary, sad look on her
face. They were talking quietly, and Santa could sense the warmth and
closeness of the family, and their love and concern for Sarah.
Taking a deep breath, and forcing a smile on his face, Santa entered the
room, bellowing a hearty, "Ho, ho, ho!"
"Santa!" shrieked little Sarah weakly, as she tried to escape her bed to run
to him, IV tubes intact.
Santa rushed to her side and gave her a warm hug. A child the tender age of
his own son -- 9 years old -- gazed up at him with wonder and excitement.
Her skin was pale and her short tresses bore telltale bald patches from the
effects of chemotherapy. But all he saw when he looked at her was a pair of
huge, blue eyes. His heart melted, and he had to force himself to choke
back tears. Though his eyes were riveted upon Sarah's face, he could hear
the gasps and quiet sobbing of the women in the room.
As he and Sarah began talking, the family crept quietly to the bedside one
by one, squeezing Santa's shoulder or his hand gratefully, whispering "Thank
you" as they gazed sincerely at him with shining eyes. Santa and Sarah
talked and talked, and she told him excitedly all the toys she wanted for
Christmas, assuring him she'd been a very good girl that year.
As their time together dwindled, Santa felt led in his spirit to pray for
Sarah, and asked for permission from the girl's mother. She nodded in
agreement and the entire family circled around Sarah's bed, holding hands.
Santa looked intensely at Sarah and asked her if she believed in angels.
"Oh, yes, Santa... I do!" she exclaimed.
"Well, I'm going to ask that angels watch over you." he said. Laying one
hand on the child's head, Santa closed his eyes and prayed. He asked that
God touch little Sarah, and heal her body from this disease. He asked that
angels minister to her, watch and keep her. And when he finished praying,
still with eyes closed, he started singing, softly, "Silent Night, Holy
Night.... all is calm, all is bright..."
"The family joined in, still holding hands, smiling at Sarah, and crying
tears of hope, tears of joy for this moment, as Sarah beamed at them all.
When the song ended, Santa sat on the side of the bed again and held Sarah's
frail, small hands in his own. "Now, Sarah," he said authoritatively, "you
have a job to do, and that is to concentrate on getting well. I want you to
have fun playing with your friends this summer, and I expect to see you at
my house at Mayfair Mall this time next year!"
He knew it was risky proclaiming that to this little girl who had terminal
cancer, but he "had" to. He had to give her the greatest gift he could --
not dolls or games or toys -- but the gift of HOPE.
"Yes, Santa!" Sarah exclaimed, her eyes bright. He leaned down and kissed
her on the forehead and left the room.
Out in the hall, the minute Santa's eyes met Rick's, a look passed between
them and they wept unashamed.
Sarah's mother and grandmother slipped out of the room quickly and rushed to
Santa's side to thank him.
"My only child is the same age as Sarah," he explained quietly. "This is
the least I could do." They nodded with understanding and hugged him.
One year later, Santa Mark was again back on the set in Milwaukee for his
six-week, seasonal job which he so loves to do. Several weeks went by and
then one day a child came up to sit on his lap.
"Hi, Santa! Remember me?!"
"Of course, I do," Santa proclaimed (as he always does), smiling down at
her. After all, the secret to being a "good" Santa is to always make each
child feel as if they are the "only" child in the world at that moment.
"You came to see me in the hospital last year!"
Santa's jaw dropped. Tears immediately sprang in his eyes, and he grabbed
this little miracle and held her to his chest. "Sarah!" he exclaimed. He
scarcely recognized her, for her hair was long and silky and her cheeks were
rosy -- much different from the little girl he had visited just a year
before. He looked over and saw Sarah's mother and grandmother in the
sidelines smiling and waving and wiping their eyes.
That was the best Christmas ever for Santa Claus. He had witnessed --and been
blessed to be instrumental in bringing about -- this miracle of hope. This precious
little child was healed. Cancer-free. Alive and well. He silently looked up to Heaven
and humbly whispered, "Thank you, Father. 'Tis a very, Merry Christmas!"
If you believe in miracles you will pass this on..I did!

If any of you have ever been to a military funeral in which taps were played; this brings out a new meaning of it.
Here is something Every American should know. Until I read this, I didn't know, but I checked it out and it's true:
We in the United States have all heard the haunting song, 'Taps'. It's the song that gives us that lump in our throats and usually tears in our eyes.
But, do you know the story behind the song?  If not, I think you will be interested to find out about its humble beginnings.
Reportedly, it all began in 1862 during the Civil War, when Union Army Captain Robert Ellicombe was with his men near Harrison's Landing in Virginia ..  The Confederate Army was on the other side of the narrow strip of land.
During the night, Captain Ellicombe heard the moans of a soldier who lay severely wounded on the field.  Not knowing if it was a Union or Confederate soldier, the Captain decided to risk his life and bring the stricken man back for medical attention  Crawling on his stomach through the gunfire, the Captain reached the stricken soldier and began pulling him toward his encampment.
When the Captain finally reached his own lines, he discovered it was actually a Confederate soldier, but the soldier was dead.
The Captain lit a lantern and suddenly caught his breath and went numb with shock.  In the dim light, he saw the face of the soldier. It was his own son. The boy had been studying music in the South when the war broke out. Without telling his father, the boy enlisted in the Confederate Army.
The following morning, heartbroken, the father asked permission of his superiors to give his son a full military burial, despite his enemy status. His request was only partially granted.
The Captain had asked if he could have a group of Army band members play a funeral dirge for his son at the funeral.
The request was turned down since the soldier was a Confederate.
But, out of respect for the father, they did say they could give him only one musician.
The Captain chose a bugler.  He asked the bugler to play a series of musical notes he had found on a piece of paper in the pocket of the dead youth's uniform.
This wish was granted.
The haunting melody, we now know as 'Taps' used at military funerals was born.
The words are:
Day is done.
Gone the sun.
From the lakes.
From the hills.
From the sky.
All is well.
Safely rest.
God is nigh.
Fading light.
Dims the sight.
And a star.
Gems the sky.
Gleaming bright.
From afar.
Drawing nigh.
Falls the night.
Thanks and praise.
For our days.
Neath the sun.
Neath the stars.
Neath the sky.
As we go.
This we know.
God is nigh
I too have felt the chills while listening to 'Taps' but I have never seen all the words to the song until now.  I didn't even know there was more than one verse.  I also never knew the story behind the song and I didn't know if you had either so I thought I'd pass it a long.
I now have an even deeper respect for the song than I did before.
Remember Those Lost and Harmed While Serving Their Country.
Also Remember Those Who Have Served And Returned; and for those
presently serving in the Armed Forces.
Please send this on after a short prayer.
Make this a Prayer wheel for our soldiers....please don't break it!

Tex Mex Chicken and Rice Casserole

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Prep: 20 minutes
Bake: 25 minutes

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Ingredients

· 1/2  cup chopped onion (1 medium)

· 1  tablespoon olive oil

· 1  6.9-ounce package chicken-flavored rice and vermicelli mix

· 1  14-ounce can chicken broth

· 2  cups water

· 2  cups chopped cooked chicken or turkey

· 1  cup chopped seeded tomatoes (2 medium)

· 3  tablespoons canned diced green chile peppers, drained

· 1  teaspoon dried basil, crushed

· 1-1/2  teaspoons chili powder

· 1/8  teaspoon ground cumin

· 1/8  teaspoon black pepper

· 1/2  cup shredded cheddar cheese (2 ounces)

Directions

1. In a medium saucepan cook onion in hot oil over medium heat until tender. Stir in rice and vermicelli mix (including seasoning package); cook and stir for 2 minutes. Stir in broth and water. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes (liquid will not be fully absorbed).

2. Transfer the rice mixture to a large bowl. Stir in chicken, tomatoes, chile peppers, basil, chili powder, cumin, and black pepper. Transfer to a 2-quart casserole.

3. Bake, covered, in a 425 degree F oven for 25 minutes. Sprinkle with cheese. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving. Makes 6 servings.

Make Ahead Directions: Prepare as above through step 1. Cover and chill for up to 24 hours. Bake, covered, in a 425 degree F oven about 40 minutes or until heated through. Uncover and sprinkle with cheese. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving.

I wanted to share this recipe with everyone.  My kids absolutely loved it!!!