Why Smart Goals Don't Work - And What to Do About It

Each year, I receive at least half a dozen identical articles touting the benefits of SMART goals: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, and Time-bound. SMART goals are increasingly seen as the secret to personal and business success. Unfortunately, it's a pretty safe bet that most of these goals will go the way of the proverbial New Year's resolution. Why? Because none of these articles actually tell you how to make SMART goals work. In fact, most people who try the SMART approach for any but small and relatively easy goals frequently find themselves frustrated and disillusioned.

Well-constructed goals are extremely powerful tools for getting things done, increasing concentration and motivation. Successfully completing a well-constructed goal builds self-confidence. Unfortunately, creating a well-constructed SMART goal is not quite so simple as the average article makes it out to be.

To begin with, a specific goal is only useful if it's something you can control. Although this may seem obvious, the fact is that far too many people set goals that appear to be under their control, but really are not. For example, consider the athlete who sets the goal of winning an upcoming tournament: it's specific, it's measurable, it has a time of completion associated with it. Is it achievable and realistic? Depending on the athlete's level of skill, very possibly. However, the athlete has no control over the difficulty of the competition. He may simply be outplayed by a more skilled opponent.

Furthermore, although the goal is measurable, in that the athlete will know whether or not he accomplishes it, the measurement is not particularly useful. At no time will he know how close he is to accomplishing the goal, where he needs to focus his energies, or what else needs to be accomplished. The athlete is far better served by setting the goal of exercising certain key skills in the competition, skills that have a high probability of leading to a victory. Not only will he gain the self-confidence boost of accomplishing his goal, he may just win the tournament.

Another problem is that a goal is simply too big. If a goal takes years to accomplish, it can be extremely difficult to maintain motivation. Big, ambitious goals are wonderful, but they need to be carefully structured. It is vital to break them down into subgoals that can be accomplished in a much shorter period of time. The perception of progress is critical to maintaining motivation, whether for an individual or a team.

Having too many goals is another common problem. Well constructed goals are great, but if you have too many of them at once, they become a distraction. Many people can focus on three to five unrelated goals without a problem, but not ten or twenty. Keeping in mind that each goal might generate numerous subgoals along the way, it's easy to see how having more than a few key goals can easily balloon out of control.

Is the goal something you really care about? Many people have goals that they don't really care about. Perhaps they've been told it's something they ought to do or they believe they should do, but they don't really care about the outcome. If you don't care whether or not you accomplish a goal, it's hard to find the motivation to do it.

Used properly, SMART goals can be a very powerful and effective tool. Well-constructed goals can increase motivation, improve focus, and build self-confidence. Used improperly, they can decrease motivation, and destroy self-confidence. If you're using SMART goals, here are some questions to ask yourself:

Do I control the outcome?

Can I measure progress in a meaningful way?

Is my goal too big? Can I break it up?

Do I have too many goals? Is there enough time in the day/week/month to work on each one?

Do I really care about my goal? Is this something I genuinely want to accomplish?

Good luck!

Stephen Balzac is the president of 7 Steps Ahead (http://www.7stepsahead.com), a consulting firm based in Stow, MA. He can be contacted at 978-298-5189 or steve@7stepsahead.com

Water Damage Restoration - House Tips

Imagine the following scenario: you're just getting ready for a hot, relaxing bath when the phone. You dash down the stairs to see who is calling and it's your teenage daughter saying her car has broken down and she's stranded on the freeway. In your rush to rescue her, you forget to turn off the bath water. When you return home, your daughter's safe, but your house is flooded and the water damage is readily apparent!

Now what? An overflowing upstairs bathtub can cause significant water damage affecting several rooms of your home and various structural elements including the bathroom floor, the ceiling of the room below, the walls, carpets, electrical systems, insulation, baseboards, doors, and furnishings. Regardless of how water damage occurs, what's a homeowner to do?

First, take a deep breath because you have a big job ahead of you, even if you will be hiring a water damage restoration service. First, you'll need to ensure the safety of your family by taking the necessary safety precautions such as turning off the power to prevent electrocution. Next, stop the water! Depending on the source of the overflow, you may need to use the home's main water shutoff valve. Next, perform emergency dry out procedures before calling your insurance and a professional water damage restoration expert.

In our example above, you would first turn off the power at the main breaker (making sure that you're not standing in water when you do so) and then go upstairs where you'll turn off the bath tub's faucet. In this case, you'd start mop up procedure upstairs and work your way down. This is because of the simple rules of gravity. After all, if you dry the downstairs first, water will continue to drip from above, defeating you as you go.

Contact your insurance company to see if the water damage is covered by your insurance policy. Water damage claims are tricky to determine coverages, so it never hurts to call. Many policies do cover water overflows such as our bathtub example. Next, call a water damage restoration company for assistance in thoroughly drying out your home and repairing the damage.

Professional water damage restoration help can minimize the damage, especially when you choose a company that promises a fast response. A fast dry out is necessary to prevent mold growth as well as lessen the trauma and inconvenience of a flooded home or business. Water damage restoration goes beyond merely mopping up the mess as structural repairs may be needed such as removing and replacing drywall, cleaning and disinfecting water soaked items, repairing electrical systems, fixing floors, retexturing and repainting the ceiling, and so on.

No matter how your home or business flooded, an experienced water damage restoration expert can help you recover from a flood, roof leak, overflow, or plumbing accident.
By: Mr. Mark Decherd

For more information and other articles by Mark Decherd go to:

Dryout Inc.
1415 Colonial Blvd.
Fort Myers, Fl. 33907
http://www.dryout.net
239-437-7100
Water Damage

Dryout Inc Emergency water damage restoration, drying, deodorization, decontamination, disinfection, mold removal, water damage repair, restoration and reconstruction of commercial and residential properties damaged by fire, water and other disasters by a network of trained specialists, technicians and restoration professionals across the USA and Canada.

A Two Year Old Prophecy Over My Life That I Cherish

It was Juliette who wanted to write tonight, but it is I who want to speak to you and your heart. So I am the One who is choosing to speak to you. I have told Juliette that she is not to be the one to write and that she is to shut down her mind and allow Me to say exactly what I want to say to you without changing My words or allowing herself to cut in when she feels that I couldn't possibly be wanting to say these things to you.

There are times when I look at you with wonder and think about why you continue to be so hard on yourself. You have much to give, yet you let your own ideas dominate over the ones that I have for your life. You freely give My words to people, yet fail to see that I have words that I want to freely give to you.

Yes, My heart grieves at the lack of commitment from those who know Me and yes there is much anger I carry in My heart for the injustice of this world and I allow you to feel these things to enable you to see that I am the One who cares about those who you see around you.

You have continued to be faithful to Me and have reached into the lives of many. You do not understand why I use you and you do not understand why I give you wisdom. You cannot see why I continue to take you into the night and speak into the lives of people who dont know you and at times dont want to know you. But I have a plan and purpose for your life that goes way beyond what you will ever be able to understand.

The times that you struggle are the periods in your life that will bring you growth. The times when you feel darkness around you, are the times I need you to reach out to Me the most, for it is My strength which will sustain you through these moments.

I have taken you and called you to Myself. You say that you never asked for what you have now, yet you asked to serve Me, you asked to reach into the lives of people and to show them Me. Now you carry your burden and there are times when you want to run away. You escape into sleep and cannot see that it is I who is trying to shine a light into your life that will cause you to lift from the moment of despair that you find yourself in.

When you wrote your web site did you think it was just a foolish notion or do you believe it was something that I planted within your heart? When you wrote the words that spoke into the lives of those that sought answers from you did I not give them to you because you were happy to serve Me and bring My love into peoples lives. My ways are not your ways. My ways are infinitely greater and always will be.

Those that fear Me know what it is to serve an awesome God. A God who created the Heavens and the earth and who set the stars in the sky as a reminder to all who gaze upon them.

My love for you goes beyond what you will ever understand and your worth is found in Me. You are worthy because I say youre worthy and there should be no better reason than that. I am who I say I am and you look at these words and believe them. Can you then not also believe that when I say you are worthy, you are!

I have spoken over your life words that see you moving beyond this nation and now is a time of testing and refining. I will use these moments to create within you a new heart and will create within you a new mind. Your eyes will see infinitely more than they do now. Your ears will hear more wisdom than youve already heard and there will be fresh revelation of who I am and what My ways are.

Over and over I will show you what it is to know Me in great intimacy. You see before you your friend Jesus who has traveled this road with you and who has loved you despite all your circumstances. I also love you and want you to see that as much as Jesus loves you, Jesus also loves all those around you. His heart breaks for those that dont know Him and His heart bleeds for those who turn away.

My word does not lie and there will be times of judgment when I pour out My wrath upon this earth. You know that in your heart to be true. There will be moments in time when My anger will come down in such a way that countless lives are wiped out in an instant. Does this mean I do not care about my people? Does this mean I dont long to save everyone?

I have tempered my anger with great love and it is I who decide those who should die and those who should live. It is before Me that people will stand in judgment, it is before Me that they will have to give account of all that theyve done. It is before Me that they will need to explain why they made the decisions they did.

I want you to see that you are special to Me and that I have just as many words for you as I have for those around you. I want you to see that what you pour out I will pour back in. I want you to see that what you freely give will be freely given back to you.

Keep running child, keep fighting.

I am outworking My will in your life and I am changing you from glory to glory. No more will people be able to say about you that you dont belong. You belong to Me, youre Mine. I own you, youre marked by Me. My Son carries His stripes for you, my Son carries the marks in His hands for you. My Son who walks with you and who you know so well.

Do you see the weight of my words for you? When you spread your wings, you are going to soar because you will soar with Me, but now is not yet the time to spread your wings. Theres more I need for you to learn. Theres more I need to teach you. Theres more I have to give you before I send you out amongst the nations. Theres more that you need to learn to see through My eyes.

Everyday will bring with it new challenges. Everyday will bring with it new lessons. Everyday will see you experiencing something different. I desire for you to see in those experiences the depth of My love not only for you, but for all people.

Dont let go of Me My son, hold my hand. Place your hand in Mine and let Me hold you close and comfort you, especially now. Let Me pour in great refreshing. Let me do a new work in you. Let Me be the one who causes you to grow. Such love I have for you.

When the moon is in the sky and the stars shine, do you see the blessings I have for your life? Each star represents a blessing that I want to give just to you. Each light represents a part of Me that you still dont understand.

Your worth to Me outweighs the treasures of this world. Your worth to Me outweighs the wall you have seen standing here in Heaven. Your worth to Me goes beyond what your mind can conceive. Dont try to understand it, just accept it!

Try to see that I will have My way, no matter what happens. My little friend, so open to Me, so wanting to please and serve Me. Such beauty I see in you, such pleasure.

When you read this it is My heart you will see. When you read it again, it is my wisdom you will fathom. When you read it once more it will be My words that sear across your mind.

Take these things I say to you and burn them on your heart, remember that it is I who love you and it is I who will have My way. Just be obedient to Me and let Me order your footsteps according to My plan for your life and you will see that the plans you commit to Me will succeed.

With love from your Father in Heaven.

Have you ever wanted to see a clairvoyant but the Bible forbids it? Did you know that there are people in churches with a gift of prophecy that can get a message off God for you? You can ask questions of them and they can take the questions to God for you. Eighty percent of the church don't use these people as they don't think the gift of prophecy exists anymore but the people that do use them get tremendously blessed.If you are not a Christian just say that in your email and the prophet will be more sensitive to you. Come and request a free personal prophecy today at http://www.personal-prophecy-free.net

Smoke Damage - Home Repair Advice

Smoke, a harmful mixture of chemicals and toxins, is dangerous to your health and your property, and adds to the damage done to your property as the result of a fire.

Inhaling smoke is very damaging to your health, which is why fire departments help vent smoke from buildings.

Once the fire department has put out the fire and vented the building, their job is complete, and there is often a large mess left behind, including discoloration and corrosion of materials as well as pungent odors that may be difficult to eliminate from your home and belongings.

At this point, smoke restoration companies should be called for professional help. This clean-up job requires special tools and knowledge to prevent further damage and to restore the property.

The extent of smoke damage and the ease with which it is cleaned away is often based on the type of smoke in your home: wet, dry, protein and fuel-oil.

Wet smoke comes from low heat and is difficult to clean. Dry smoke results after a fast burning fire at high temperatures. Protein smoke is invisible, but discolors varnishes and has an extremely foul odor. Fuel-oil soot smoke is a result of a furnace malfunction.

Before the restoration professionals arrive, there are several things you can do to start the smoke removal process. Immediate action is important since many items in your home can be damaged by smoke, including electronics, clothing, upholstery and draperies.

First, open windows and turn on fans, if possible, to air out the home and begin to eliminate the remaining odor. This can also help dry out your carpets and other upholstered items that may have been water damaged by extinguishing the fire.

These tips will speed up the restoration process, too:

Do

• Brush off or vacuum loose soot particles from upholstery, drapes and carpets.
• Discard open food packages.
• Take clothing to a laundry specializing in smoke damage restoration.
• Wipe residue from kitchen and bathroom fixtures.
• Relocate pets to a clean environment.

Don't

• Attempt to wash walls or paintings because improper techniques could do more damage.
• Use electrical appliances until cleared to do so by the restoration professionals.
• Use ceiling fans because they could short circuit if the ceiling is wet.

ACCORD Restoration specializes in clean-up, repair, restoration and rebuilding after fires, floods, storms or natural disasters. We offer reliable, 24/7/365 emergency services carried out with expert craftsmanship.

To learn more visit http://www.accordrestoration.com/

An Unpopular Promise Regarding Persecution; Notice the Complete, Unavoidable Feature of this Promise

Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution. (2 Timothy 3:12)

We are in the category of "unpopular" promises. This promise guarantees persecution for the people who are serious believers in Jesus Christ. In a church world where many of the treasure comfort and the status of ones self are more important, this promise is not at all well-received.

This promise is given to those who want to live a life of godliness: "who desire to live godly." Godliness is the will of the Lord for His people. Read that again; Godliness is the will of the Lord!

"But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and hurtful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is the root of all evils; it is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced their hearts with many pangs. But you, O man of God, flee these things and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, gentleness" (1Timothy 6:9-11).

Our Lord Himself stated that there is great blessing in having a passion for righteous living. "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness" (Matthew 5:6). The blessing is God's pledge to satisfy the heart that desires for righteousness. "For they shall be filled" (Matthew 5:6).

Yet, we have seen that fullness of righteousness is not all that is promised to those people who want to walk in godliness. Persecution is also promised. "Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution." Notice the complete, unavoidable feature of this promise. "All who desire to live godly . . . will suffer persecution." There are no exceptions - again I say - there are no exemptions.

All who sincerely desire to follow the Lord Jesus Christ will experience the consequences that He met, as He walked in righteousness. "Remember the word that I said to you, 'A servant is not greater than his master.' If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you" (John 15:20). Jesus was not very will like by everyone for the way He lived on the righteous path. He was opposed, mocked, conspired against, and betrayed. We dont need be troubled when events of similar harassment happen to us.

Of course, this promise of persecution is not given to discourage us from pressing on down this path of godliness. Rather, it is presented to prepare us for the difficulties that are guaranteed as we seek to grow in Christ likeness. In fact the Lord even adds gracious encouragements to be righteous, so we will be strengthened to practice His holy will in this matter. "Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven" (Matthew 5:10). Persecutions can remind us that we are not from this world; we are headed home to heaven. Persecutions can bring us heavenly actions of supporting grace along the way.

Prayer:

O righteous Lord, I long to walk in Your paths of righteousness. Strengthen my heart with Your grace that I might press on in godliness. Help me to never shrink back, even though persecutions are guaranteed. Help me to stand true, even though persecutions may become severe. Lord, I count on Your promises to see me through the battles, in Jesus name, Amen.

The possibilities of prayer are gauged by faith in Gods ability to do. Faith is the one prime condition by which God works. Faith is the one prime condition by which man prays. Faith draws on God to its full extent. Faith gives character to prayer. A feeble faith has always brought forth feeble praying. Vigorous faith creates vigorous praying. Christ asks this pointed question, When the Son of Man cometh, shall He find faith on the earth? For more info on prayer and faith please go to my blog at byfaith-enterprises.blogspot.com and leave a comment. For prayer or any questions you may have, leave the request in the comment section. Also sign-up and get your FREE eBook and Prayer Training Report. I have written a book called The Science of Prayer and it is ready at, byfaith-enterprises.blogspot.com Keep praying to the Great I AM.

Factors to Consider When Building a Porch

When you decide to build a porch as an addition to your home, there are several factors that you need to take into consideration before you start. There are many different porch designs, some of which you may really like, but will not match the exterior of your home. When building a porch, you also need to consider the purposes for which you will use it because this will help determine how large it needs to be.

Even though you browse pictures of porches online and in magazine, the key to getting the right porch design for you is to visualize what each one will look like on your home. You need to either purchase a porch plan or design your own because you need to have a plan to go by during the building phase. Choosing the location is also important because this will be important in the way in which you use the porch. If you want protection from the wind, then you have to choose a location that receives the least amount of wind. If you want to use the porch as a place where you can sit and enjoy the sunset, then this will determine the location where you build.

When you start building the porch, you do need to make sure that you have a solid base. It could be an existing deck or you may want to pour a concrete slab. Even if you use an existing deck, you will want to provide extra supports underneath because the base will now have to take the weight of the walls and the roof in addition to the furniture and the people seated on the porch.

Care needs to be taken in ensuring that the layout of the porch is straight and level as well as being square with the house. You should start by nailing a guide board along the edge of the house to help you get started. Once you have this in place, you should measure the length of the porch out from this guide and set pegs in the ground to serve as posts. Once you are sure that the pegs are in the right place and that the line out from the house is straight, then you can start putting in your corner posts.

For more information onporches, front porch designs and related topics, visit AboutPorches.com

Tub and Tile Reglazing Advice

With the current strain on the economy and the housing market , it is becoming more and more common to "make do with what we have" which means instead of remodeling we are restoring.

The question lies here, is it cost effective? Is it going to last? What is the maintenance involved? Why are you going to charge me $450 to re-glaze my tub when I can buy a new one for $200? These are all quality questions which deserve quality answers.

Let's start with cost. First of all, the average cost of a tub install is anywhere between $1,400 and $2,500 and that does not factor in the tub surround. When your old tub is removed the tile at the base of the tub must be demolished. It is possible that a "good" installer can demo in such a way that you only have to repair the first row or two of tile. The reality is if it is older than 10 years finding a match for the tile will probably be impossible and will lead to a complete re-tile. Now, you are looking at about $4,000 to $8,000 just to replace the tub and is this cost effective for you? Be prepared from the moment you decide to dress up that tub to make this decision.

Now, a good re-glaze can last better than 10 years if done properly and there is a process which will ensure this. Preparation, product and technique are the key to a long lasting finish. If this technique is not followed your re-glaze will last anywhere from 1 day to 2 years. Two years may sound like a lot but when another company has to go in and strip the old finish off add another $500 to the re-glaze for a total of $950 to have it re-glazed again. This is not cost effective. If you're going to do it, do it right the first time and you will pat yourself on the back 5 years later when your tub still has a shine and is not peeling. Now let's get down to process.

The re-glazing process can be six to seven steps.

1. Removal of any caulking materials. Silicone is a contaminant and will cause the finish to fish eye. It is important to remove all traces of this by means of a silicone digester
2. Next, the old porcelain needs to be etched by means of an acid paste. This process will prepare the surface for the primer
3. When the acid etch is complete the surface must be wiped down with a solvent de-greaser to ensure that there are no more contaminants left behind
4. Primer - The surface must be primed with an epoxy primer to ensure proper cross hatching of compounds (i.e.-porcelain to primer, primer to finish, finish to clear coat)
5. Finish - The surface is then sprayed with an acrylic-urethane resin which can be tinted to any color you desire. It comes in two types, 24hr cure and 72hr cure. The 72hr cure is best if you don't mind waiting the extra time but the 24hr cure is good too.
6. Clear coat - The surface is then sprayed with an acrylic urethane clear coat which will kick up the gloss a bit and provide protection from common household chemicals
7. If you are refinishing from a previous re-glaze, the finish must be stripped. If this is the case, add this step before the first.

When these steps are followed, you can be sure your re-glaze is going to last for years. A good refinisher will give you at least a 10 year warranty "in writing", now that is cost effective! You will be happy and have just saved at least 70% of the cost of replacement.

MAINTENANCE

With the process you have just done, maintenance will be a breeze. You may also use rubber mats which many re-glazers will not recommend simply because they know it will peel. You will be able to use soft scrub and a white 3M cleaning pad without harming the surface. You will also be able to safely dye your hair without the fear of staining your finish providing the clear coat was used. With this in mind, re-glazing is not only practical but a very cost effective solution to replacement.

Your project when complete will look as though it was installed yesterday saving you $1000s on an install.

My name is George Piccot and I am the owner of Southern California based AB Ceramic Tile Regrout and Reglaze Systems (http://www.regroutpros.com). I have been in the restoration industry since 1989 and have seen every possible scenario and I hope this article serves you well in your endeavor.

AB Ceramic Tile Regrout and Reglaze Systems

Bullying Awareness - How to Become Aware of & Clamp Down on Office Bullying

The 7th November marked National Ban Bullying at Work Day. As a part of this, a leading employment solicitor in the south has joined the campaign to help reduce bullying in the work place by raising awareness of this epidemic that causes companies a mind-blowing 19 Million work days every single year. Despite this there are still companies that are either unaware or ignore this problem within the work place.

Despite radical improvements over the past few years, around 40% of UK based companies have not got an explicit and effective policy on workplace bullying in-place. The head of employment law at a leading Southampton based solicitor has recently commented on that are clear policy is needed as bullying can cause a whole range of problems for any business. These can include reduced productivity and performance, poor morale, increased staff turnover and tense inter employee relations. Over 2 million people a year are bullied every day at work and the, 'come to your senses' theme of the campaign centers on reducing the fear for employees and to encourage co-workers who think that someone is being bullied to have the courage and the conviction to speak out and not to ignore the problem.

The Hampshire Solicitor has detailed some advice to anyone looking to minimize the threat of bullying in the work place: Create and implement a clear, widespread ant-bullying and harassment policy that can be read and communicated by all staff members. Ensure that this policy is zero tolerance and that any complaints made will be treated with the utmost severity and the company will investigate all cases and act accordingly. Prevent bullying from happening in the first place. Team building days and social events are always appreciated and enjoyed. This can raise staff morale, as-well-as help strengthen inter-office relationships.

Put up anti bullying posters around the office to re-enforce the message laid out by the original policy. Communication is always paramount in any company and by conducting regular meetings between management and staff, barriers can be broken down and trust increased Keep informed. Most people do not know that email bullying is one of the most common forms of bullying, therefore by taking steps to monitor and filter-out and bullying emails. If you do find yourself as a victim of bullying, it is best to remember this quote by Benjamin Disraeli. "Courage is fire, bullying is smoke."

Check out Divorce Lawyer and Family Solicitor at http://www.mooreblatch.com

Transform Your Bathroom - Home Tips

When you don't have room in your budget to completely renovate your budget, it is amazing what installing a new bath vanity will do for the look and feel of this room of your home. The simple task of changing the cabinetry in the bathroom will make it look as if you have redone the whole room. Simply adding a few different accessories, such as changing the color of the towels of the shower curtains will enhance the effect.

A bath vanity does not have to be an expensive proposition with the many styles of discount vanities available. You do have to look at the size of your bathroom so that you get a vanity that will suit the space you have. For example, adding a large vanity to a small bathroom will make the room look crowded.

The vanities available in MDF are not expensive and require assembly. However, the detailed written and visual instructions that are included will make the assembly quite easy. Even the tools you need to put the various pieces together are included. All you have to buy extra is the sink and countertop, but there are some models that have this included as well.

The bath vanity is the central focus of a bathroom. This is where you will spend time grooming yourself in the morning before you go to work and when getting dressed to go out at night. You do need to have drawers and shelves where all your grooming aids are close at hand.

You can blend the old with the new by using an antique style that has a wash basin type sink that sits on the countertop. You can choose from a wide variety of colors, but the best rule of thumb to follow is to have a vanity that is of a neutral color. You can add contrast in the faucets and colors of linens that you use.

You do have to make sure that the bath vanity of your choice is sturdy and durable. You will not save any money by buying a vanity that is really cheap only to find that you have to replace it in a few years. A lot of the furniture manufactured today is eco friendly using glues that will not emit any harmful fumes into the air when they come in contact with water.

Even the smallest bathroom can have an elegant bath vanity or even a glass sink. A stone vanity, for example, can measure only two feet wide and will make a bold statement in your bathroom as well as make it look larger than it is. A vanity made of stone with teak cabinetry inserted in the center is also a viable option if you are looking for durable construction that will last for many years to come.

When you shop for a new bath vanity you can do so in many different ways by focusing on any of the following aspects:

Size

Shape

Material

Price range

Obviously the price will be the bottom line for you, but you will find that there are vanities to suit every taste. Browse the sites of the many online retailers just to get a glimpse of the wide assortments you can choose from. This will give you ideas to work with when you are contemplating making changes to your bathroom.

Allison Ryan is a freelance marketing writer from San Diego, CA. She specializes in home remodeling and interior design. For a beautiful bath vanity or glass sink for the bathroom of your dreams, please visit http://www.mybath.biz/.

The Secret Nazis Covet the Temple Mount

"Even before the end of this war, I revealed to you the plans for a NAZI UNDERGROUND MOVEMENT, to go underground as a SECRET organization the very moment they lost the war - to lay low...then come forth when least expected, RESTORE GERMANY TO POWER, and go on to finally accomplish their aims in a WORLD WAR III" - The Plain Truth, Sept. 1948.

The Philadelphia Trumpet magazine (Feb. 2000) reminded its international audience that Herbert W. Armstrong wrote those prophetic words long before they were confirmed by Reuters Arthur Spiegelman, who wrote on May 10, 1996: "Realizing they were losing the war in 1944, Nazi leaders met top German industrialists to plan a secret post-war international network to restore them to power, according to a newly declassified U.S. intelligence document. The document...says an SS general and a representative of the German armaments ministry told such companies as Krupp and Rohling that they must be prepared to finance the Nazi Party...when it went underground."

Ella Steinberg, executive director of the World Jewish Congress stated: "Now that the Nazi secret plan has been confirmed, the central question is whether it has been carried out."

Need we wonder? Considering German hegemony throughout Europe is practically a done deal (with the Vatican's blessing), aren't Herbert W. Armstrong's warnings about the final revival of the "Holy Roman Empire" being fulfilled before our very eyes? Only the deaf, dumb and blind could deny that the Germans have thoroughly carried out their plans!

But what is the German-Catholic kingdom without the crown of Jerusalem? "Woe to Ariel, Ariel, the city where David dwelt!" (Isaiah 29:1). The Vatican covets Mount Zion and the Temple Mount and Europe won't quit until it occupies the eternal capital of Israel! Both the Arabs and the Jews had better beware any European moves into the Middle East.

David Ben-Ariel, a Christian-Zionist writer and author of Beyond Babylon: Europe's Rise and Fall, shares a special focus on the Middle East, reflected in hard-hitting articles that help others improve their understanding of that troubled region. Check out the Beyond Babylon blog.

House Pocket Door Problems

Just a few months ago I went over to repair a pocket door that was closing at a weird angle. This was the first time I had ran into this sort of situation and was definitely confused. I got a flashlight and started looking inside the pocket door frame. I had a hard time finding the problem but when I did it was obvious.

As the pocket door was sliding closed it would work perfectly but when you went to open it the bottom of the door would stick out about an inch and a half passed the door jam. The problem turned out to be the track was missing a screw in the very back and as the door slid back into the frame the tracking would hang down at an angle from the weight of the door. There was no way to reach the screw because it was at that very back of the pocket door frame near the framing itself.

In order to fix the pocket door problem I was going to have to remove a good sized area of the plastered wall at the upper right hand corner of the pocket door frame. This was the only thing I could think of and would require a simple wall patch and some paint to make the repair complete.

This job took me about one hour to cut the hole and replaced the screw that had fallen out of the pocket door tracking. I then use some fast setting drywall plaster and some fiberglass drywall tape to repair the wall. This took another hour to finish the drywall properly.

Some pocket door problems are a little easier to repair than this one. Most pocket doors seemed to have problems sliding and eventually are left closed, never to be used again.

Painting the doors over and over again can actually add to the thickness of the door or excessive moisture in the home over long periods of time can also cause the door to swell preventing it from opening properly.

Painting the rollers themselves or the track that the rollers ride in can create a problem with rolling the door easily and effortlessly. If the pocket door rollers or tracking is damaged they will have to be repaired or replaced, obviously. Some people actually spray silicon on the rollers or grease the pocket door wheels and over time the track becomes caked with dried grease and dirt making the door hard to open and close

Here's one most people don't ever think about and yet I have faced this problem more than once. "The Dreaded Picture Hanger". Most people don't realize that the pocket door will not operate very well with a nail driven through it. I have had people complain about their pocket door not operating properly but they can wiggle it a little.

When I come upon a situation like this it usually just requires removing the nail that the picture is hung upon.

I have also seen instances where the home has been remodeled and new floor trim or door trim has been installed. The finish carpenter using his nail gun without changing to a shorter nail has himself nailed the pocket door shut. This could be a big problem because the nails are so thin they could be hard to remove.

Well that's all I can think of for pocket door problems that I have ran into for now. Until the next article have fun remodeling your home.

Greg Vanden Berge is working on the internet to promote the education for creating simple to follow guides and home building books to help professional building contractors as well as the weekend warriors. He is currently working on more Building and Remodeling Library and adding useful content to help solve problems created by the lack of construction knowledge in the building industry.

Visit us and get more information on building and remodeling your homes and Vista Door Repairs

Manipulating Bible Verses - Thou Shall Not Murder

If you're a Christian, you've probably heard of this Bible verse. Thou shall not murder. If you've heard of it, you probably know that it's one of the 10 Commandments or one of the original laws from Moses. However, most people don't know about its application to Christianity.

If I was to tell my children, not to lie and always tell the truth but I was a liar, would this be considered a good example for my children? If my children seen me lying and then I told them not to lie, would they consider that a lie? Does this example make sense to you?

As the parent, I'm the example. As the children, they are my disciples or followers. By lying to my children, I am showing them that it is okay to lie or stretch the truth or even manipulate the English language for my personal benefit.

How much different is this example from the example of the way some Christians use the Holy Bible? "Thou shall not murder," to me translates into," you should not kill." That's pretty simple and easy to understand, wouldn't you agree.

I could easily manipulate this Bible verse into, thou shall not murder, only applying it, to killing someone without a reason or you can kill someone in the name of God. You can change the meaning of anything if you really want to.

The point I would like to make here, is that the truth always comes out in the end, once the lying and the manipulation becomes visible. Do you have the ability to tell who's lying and twisting the Bible scriptures for their benefit or personal gain?

Bible verses that are clearly written, shouldn't have any hidden messages. "Thou shall not murder," is easy to interpret, once you understand what all four of these words mean and this task can easily be accomplished with a dictionary.

Thou - refers to you, the person being addressed or written to.

Shall - it will happen in the future or is intended to happen.

Not - is often used to express refusal, denial or the negation of the statement, just made.

Murder - the crime of killing another person deliberately and not in self-defense.

With the definition of these four words sitting right in front of us, you could still interpret this Bible verse in the few different ways. I'm going to take a stab at it and interpret it as I see it.

"You should not kill another person deliberately or outside of self-defense."

This means that I am not allowed to kill anyone, in the name of God, during war, or for any other reason except for defending myself.

When it says," Thou shall not murder," how does this apply to animals or anyone who is involved in a death sentence. Judges, lawyers, prison guards and other individuals who are directly involved in the murder of someone else.

How many other Bible verses have been manipulated for the benefit of Christianity?

God Said What

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Greg Vanden Berge is a published author and a inspiration to millions of people. He has been involved in religious research for almost 30 years, and his influence in the Christian community is growing. The Holy Bible, is the core to Christian beliefs and most Christians don't even question it. Was the Bible actually written by men?

His newest book," Did God Actually Say That?" Was written specifically for Christians who are interested in gaining additional knowledge about the Bible. This book provides Christians with advanced biblical knowledge, answer some tough questions and should be read by every faithful follower of Christ.

Click here if you're interested in Basic Christianity.

How Long Does God Really Want Me to Try?

The Holy Spirit has been working through me for many years and I really want to know how long, God really want me to try? How long does he want me to try to get Christians to think and understand Christianity? I'm doing the best that I can and as long as God is working through me, I will try to do better.

God put me here for a reason and my reason is to teach other Christians about Christianity. As long as the Holy Spirit will keep me alive, I will continue to do the best that I can and teach other Christians, how to study the Bible and where their religion actually came from.

If you're reading this article, your probably interested in Christianity and the Bible, if you do read the Bible, do you actually understand what it's saying. If you study the Bible, are you exposing yourself to others who also study the Bible, or are you only studying the Bible with people you know and are familiar with.

How long are you going to try, before you actually quit? Have you quit before and started again and maybe you've done this a few times, but you haven't quite yet. I know where you're coming from, I've been there myself and continue to motor ahead.

I would like to give you a word of advice, don't ever quit and don't ever give up. Keep searching and you will find the answers, keep knocking and doors will be opened. I have been knocking and will continue to keep knocking.

I wish you nothing but the best of luck on your journey towards the ultimate answers that we're all hoping to find.

Do Christians Believe Everything

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Greg Vanden Berge is a published author, internet marketing expert, motivational inspiration to millions of people all over the world and is sharing some of his wisdom with experts in the fields of writing,marketing, and personal development.

Greg is currently working on a Christian self help library filled with great subjects on a wide array of topics, like religion, self help and spiritual changes in the world. His views on religious freedom are slowly changing the way people think about institutional religion.

Imagine Jesus' Children Reporting Directly to God

Now what if, Jesus actually had a son, and his son followed the Old Testament rule of being fruitful and multiply. Each one of Jesus' kids had at least 10 kids and by now there's thousands of his descendants all over the world and these guys are watching everything that's going on around them and reporting everything directly to God.

Imagine this, every one of his kids have down syndrome, are handicapped, blind, deaf, homeless, homosexuals and the worst of all, atheists. They have been strategically positioned all over the world to gather information on how, Christians actually treat other people.

Every time that a homeless person has asked you for spare change and you haven't given them anything, this would count as one black mark against you, on the great chalkboard at Judgment Day.

Every sign you held up, rejecting gay marriage or abortion, would count as five black marks. Each one of these people or any other person, who you had intentionally hurt their feelings, would be 15 black marks.

Every time that you lied to another Christian, this would be 50 black marks. If a Christian lied to a nonbeliever, especially when trying to convince them that the Bible is the written Word of God, this would be 150 black marks.

Jesus' children would be reporting directly to him on a daily basis, through the use of the Internet, God's Internet that is. Every Christian who thought they were doing the Lord's work, could actually be in grave danger.

You only get a thousand black marks and if you're 150 black mark short of entering heaven, you will have plenty of time, as you burn in eternal lake of fire, forever. Think about it, the next time that you lie to someone, refuse generosity, or try to convince someone that the Bible is actually the written word of God.

You are free to copy this article to your site as long as you include the following resource information with an active link to my site:
Greg Vanden Berge is a published author, internet marketing expert, motivational inspiration to millions of people all over the world and is sharing some of his wisdom with experts in the fields of writing,marketing, and personal development. Check out one of his recommended books, You Can Have It All

Greg is currently working on a self help library filled with great subjects on a wide array of topics, like religion, self help and spiritual changes in the world. His views on religious freedom are slowly changing the way people think about institutional religion.

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Living the Ultimate Lie - Religious Fundamentalism

I've been doing research on Christianity and other religions throughout the world for quite some time and find it hard to believe that most of these religious followers, won't even listen to facts that I and others have found regarding their religion.

I find most of these people to be living the ultimate lie and when it comes to Christian fundamentalism or someone who I would consider to be a super Christian, these people adamantly hold both hands over their ears, while stomping their feet, trying to scare me into submission.

No matter how you slice it, no matter how you want it delivered to you, the truth is always going to be the truth. If you won't listen to the truth, you will live trapped living in a world of lies. It doesn't matter whether you're a Christian who believes in Jesus or an Islamic follower of believes in Allah, the truth, for most people, can only be found outside of your religion.

Let me give you an example of what I'm talking about. How many religions talk about how the world was created, most of their followers, choose to believe their religious leaders and their religious text, without ever questioning, but often doubting what they were taught.

Science teaches us one way, religion teaches us another, however, neither one of them have any scientific evidence to back up their theories.

The minute that you state either one of these beliefs as a truth, you're living in a world of lies. If a scientist or religious leader, can convince you that their way is right, they have simply took a belief, without any evidence and made it into a fact. This illusion, is simply a belief that you have personally made into a truth and as long as you continue to believe this, without doing any of your own research, you will continue to spread lies and rumors throughout the world.

Problems With Noah's Ark Story

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Greg Vanden Berge is a published author, internet marketing expert, motivational inspiration to millions of people all over the world and is sharing some of his wisdom with experts in the fields of writing,marketing, and personal development.

Greg is currently working on a religous article library filled with great subjects on a wide array of topics, like religion, self help and spiritual changes in the world. His views on religious freedom are slowly changing the way people think about institutional religion.

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Mysteries of the Bible - Advanced Bible Study Techniques

Have you ever wanted to really know what the mysteries of the Bible really are? Was Jesus more important than God? Why were the Jewish people considered to be the chosen ones, even though they don't get to go to heaven, because they don't believe that Jesus Christ was their Lord and Savior? I would like to help you solve some of the mysteries of the Bible.

Whether you're a Jewish or believe in Christianity, each if you share an interest in the Holy Scripture. Jewish people obviously don't believe that Jesus was the Messiah and are still waiting for their Messiah to come and free them. Christians obviously believe that Jesus of Nazareth was the true Messiah and fulfilled all the prophecies.

One of the mysteries of the Bible that I would like to share with you, is that your actually going to need to read the Bible to find them. The biggest mystery of the Bible is actually reading it. You don't need to read the entire Bible, to figure out, what it's actually saying.

Start reading certain sections that interest you. Two of the most read books in the Bible are the books of Genesis, which is the first book in the Old Testament and the book of revelations, which is the last book in the New Testament. Both of these books are extremely popular reads.

The book of Genesis is about the beginning and the book of revelations is about the end of times and this seems to be the biggest interest for Christians. In other words, you're not going to be able to find the mysteries, within the Bible if you don't at least start to read some of it.

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If You're a Christian Woman, You Had Better Watch This Video on Problems With Women Speaking in church. Are women really allowed to speak inside the church, you won't believe what you're about to see.

Greg Vanden Berge is a published author, internet marketing expert, motivational inspiration to millions of people all over the world and is sharing some of his wisdom with experts in the fields of writing,marketing, and personal development. Check out one of his recommended books, You Can Have It All

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Religious Mind Control Or Generational Sin

If you were raised with certain beliefs and belong to a certain religion, there is a very good chance that your parents followed your religion and share the same beliefs. If you are a Muslim, there's a very good chance that your parents were Muslims. If you live in the United States, there is a really, really good chance that you're a Christian, especially if you live in Texas or Utah.

Is this religious mind control and generational sin or is this truly the way life is meant to live. Your parents and ancestors formed strong beliefs and pass them on to their children. What's wrong with that? Is it a generational sin to pass on what you truly believe? With that question asked, is a generational sin our mind control to teach our children how to fit into society, is it our obligation as stewards.

We often send our children to school, give them a good religious upbringing and then assimilate them into the workplace, almost like robots on an assembly line. We seem to never even question where these beliefs originated, we have no idea where they are going to take us and above all, we have no idea that they are truly beneficial to society, let alone ourselves.

Teaching our children what we have been taught, isn't always going to be right. If you look back in history, at all the beliefs, rituals and facts that have been disproven and are no longer followed by modern man, you can get a pretty good idea what I'm talking about. These people often taught their children, what they were taught. In centuries to come, these truths died out and were replaced by new ones.

Religious mind control can be cured by opening your mind and reading articles like this. You might be talking to someone who you have been taught to fear or even hate your whole life, only to find out that they think like you. They care about their families, feel sorry for others who are less fortunate and usually eat and sleep just like you do. If your mind is open enough, you could realize that you have been lied to and now it's time to start thinking seriously about what you were taught and what you're going to believe in the future.

Religious mind control can be cured through reading books, watching television, visiting other countries and educating yourself about other cultures and religions. The change you make today could affect future generations in your family.

You are free to copy this article to your site as long as you include the following resource information with an active link to my site:

Greg Vanden Berge is a published author, internet marketing expert, motivational inspiration to millions of people all over the world and is sharing some of his wisdom with experts in the fields of writing,marketing, and personal development. Check out one of his recommended books, You Can Have It All

Greg is currently working on a religious help library filled with great subjects on a wide array of topics, like religion, self help and spiritual changes in the world. His views on religious freedom are slowly changing the way people think about institutional religion.

Properly Exercising Faith - People Who Represent Christianity

It's your responsibility as a Christian to properly exercise your faith and to express your opinions as such. If you don't know something for a fact, you are obligated to seek and gather more information about these so-called facts.

With this said, if you hear a Bible verse quoted to you by someone and you don't necessarily understand 100% of what they are saying or you think that they might be twisting around the Scripture, it's your obligation to find out, the truth and nothing but the truth.

Let me give you an example of how to properly exercise your faith. An atheist walks up to you and asks you why you believe in God, you reply," Because it says so in the Bible." Wrong.., wrong answer. Because it says so in the Bible, isn't what I would consider a good answer. It's what I would consider to be a controlled Christian answer, simple but untrue.

The minute that you start referring to things in the Bible and you don't really understand what it is that you're talking about, you're not doing Christianity any favors. The minute that you listen to another person quote out of the Bible and start repeating, what it is that they were saying, without clearly understanding the truth, you're simply spreading rumors.

Think about this, the next time that you tell someone something that you heard, just because you hear something three times, doesn't make it a fact. I would like to tell you a little secret, so pay attention, simply because someone within your religious community, who others look up to, say something that sounds believable, don't start spreading rumors, find out for yourself, if it's actually true.

Christian Bible Problems

You are free to copy this article to your site as long as you include the following resource information with an active link to my site:

Greg Vanden Berge is a published author and a inspiration to millions of people. He has been involved in religious research for almost 30 years, and his influence in the Christian community is growing. The Holy Bible, is the core to Christian beliefs and most Christians don't even question it. Was the Bible actually written by men?

His newest book," Did God Actually Say That?" Was written specifically for Christians who are interested in gaining additional knowledge about the Bible. This book provides Christians with advanced biblical knowledge, answer some tough questions and should be read by every faithful follower of Christ.

Understanding the Bible

Tell Me Why You Truly Believe in God

Is God the person that you pray to and every once in awhile, he sends someone down to earth, to answer your prayers, like a good parent. God is always taking care of you, whether you're driving down the freeway at 75 miles an hour, or walking through a park.

Do you really know why, you believe in God? I bet you, that you're starting to think about the question now. As children, we are taught to believe, that God is the ultimate protector of the world and is always looking out for us. This seems to bring us comfort, as we go through our daily lives.

Do you think that Hindu's, Muslim's or Christians, have similar beliefs in their god or gods? I have seen Hindus and Muslims that live pretty good life's. Why wouldn't these people be punished by the other gods or God? If I was the god of Jehovah and got mad at everyone who made false idols or worshiped other gods, why wouldn't I go out of my way to make their lives miserable?

It just doesn't make any sense, if you really spend the time, to think about it. If God is that powerful, why wouldn't he wiped out the opposition? Why wouldn't he be story their possessions?

Doesn't it say something like this in the Bible? God will make people's lives miserable if they don't follow him, yet I know plenty of people that are miserable and follow him. Are you really going to spend your life believing in your personal God, and never questioning his existence or even the origins of your religion.

Ask yourself one question, is God real and if so, how do you know that your right? Have you ever thought that someone else could be right and you could be wrong?

What Did God Really Say

You are free to copy this article to your site as long as you include the following resource information with an active link to my site: Greg Vanden Berge is a published author and a inspiration to millions of people. He has been involved in religious research for almost 30 years, and his influence in the Christian community is growing. The Holy Bible, is the core to Christian beliefs and most Christians don't even question it. Was the Bible actually written by men?

His newest book," Did God Actually Say That?" Was written specifically for Christians who are interested in gaining additional knowledge about the Bible. This book provides Christians with advanced biblical knowledge, answer some tough questions and should be read by every faithful follower of Christ.

Find out a little bit more about Your Religious Freedom

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Financial Burdens From Church Leaders

I really can't believe how many people that don't have enough money and could be living below poverty levels, often he as much as they can to their religious organizations. It saddens me to see those who don't have enough to eat, giving money to their church, even though they needed more than God does.

I realize that the Bible tells its followers to give at least 10% of their earnings to their church or temple. The problem is, that the Bible doesn't provide any information for people that constantly give money to the church, even though they can't afford to. They need this money for food and to educate their children.

I guess it's okay, to form a dependency on your church, even though you could provide for yourself, if you didn't give away all of your money. There are plenty of churches that will provide their patrons with close, food and some of them will even provide shelter for the poor or homeless.

The financial burdens that are produced by some church leaders, make me sick. They make those who can't afford to give, feel guilty and this guilt eats away at them like a cancerous disease, working its way through your vital and important body parts.

I'm going to suggest something to the church leaders. Quit making people feel guilty, simply because you need more money to accomplish the things that you are planning to do. It doesn't really matter, if the stuff that you are doing is great for wonderful, if you're doing it at the expense of others.

I would also like to give some advice to those people who can't afford to give away their money. Quit giving it away. Save your money, feed your family, by your own clothes, and save up for your children's education.

Some of, the money that you are giving to your religious organization, might be squandered away on your church leaders programs. These programs might have nothing to do with God's desire for a better world.

Click Here For A Fascinating Journey Into Christianity - Great Book About The Bible

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If your interested in a different point of view READ THESE ARTICLES - Great Articles For Christians

Greg Vanden Berge is a published author and a inspiration to millions of people. His newest book," Did God Actually Say That?" Was written specifically for Christians who are interested in gaining additional knowledge about the Bible. This book provides Christians with advanced biblical knowledge, answer some tough questions and should be read by every faithful follower of Christ.

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