6 Ways to Build Your Resilience. Kelly Clarkson reminds us that what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger, Elton John is still standing, and of course, Gloria Gaynor will survive. What’s the common thread? A little thing glinting in the eye of the tiger called resilience. Resilience: it’s adapting and responding positively to stress and adversity. The adversity you face may be long-term, like having an alcoholic parent or growing up in poverty. Or it may be a single lightning strike of tragedy—a car accident that claims a limb, an assault that claims your dignity. Even first-world problems require a shot of micro-resilience, like when the person ahead of you snags the last blueberry scone (I’m talking to you, red beanie). No matter the scale of your tragedy, resilience is all in how you respond. Resilience has gotten some pushback recently. The answer? Importantly, resilience is a skill, not a you-have-it-or-you-don’t trait, which means whether you sink or swim is a skill that can be taught.
How to respond to rude, disrespectful student attitudes - The Cornerstone For Teachers. I’ve written A LOT about behavior management: creating a strong, positive classroom culture and being proactive, as well as what to do about extreme student behaviors and how to undo your classroom management mistakes. I’ve talked about how to avoid getting discouraged by these kinds of behaviors, and how to not give up on apathetic kids. But I haven’t addressed practical responses in the moment to student attitudes: How should you respond to the little things students do that are rude, disrespectful, or just annoying? What should you do for minor behaviors that don’t necessarily warrant some kind of consequence, but that you can’t let slide every time? Is there a way to keep kids from eye-rolling, teeth sucking, muttering under their breath, and so on? I don’t want to settle for trite, rehashed info, so I reached out to Robyn Jackson, founder of Mindsteps Inc, because I knew she could take this conversation to a deeper level.
Want to listen to Robyn instead of read? Absolutely. 1. 2. 3. The Danger of Seeking Your Dream Church. Our church, like every other church, gets phone calls throughout the week from people wanting to know about our assembly. They ask questions, but typically they are not the kinds of questions I would ask if I were looking for a church. “What kind of music do you have? Do you have programs for the kids? Does your church home school? Do you have recovery groups? What Bible translation do you use? Do you serve Krispy Kreme or Dunkin Donuts?”
Then, of course, people come and go. For some people, these insubstantial issues manifest themselves in obvious and external behavior. Assessing Our Assessments Have you ever been upset with your church? If you answered “yes” to any of those questions, then ask yourself, Why? As a pastor who planted a church in 1993 and has been serving that church ever since, I have seen many get disgruntled with us for not holding tightly enough to the things they thought were important, whether politics, education, or family planning. Danger of Our Wish-Dreams. Why Teachers Are So Tired - Teacher Habits. Are you tired after teaching? Better question: When was the last time you weren’t tired after teaching? If you’re like most teachers I know, including me and my wife, being tired at the end of the day is a way of life. We’ve become so used to it that it’s hard to imagine how it could be any different. Our non-teacher friends have a hard time understanding how we could be so exhausted.
After all, we’re not building houses, or working under tight deadlines, or competing with co-workers to sell the most widgets, or working in some ultra-competitive office with an unreasonable boss breathing down our necks. There are three reasons. Decision Fatigue and Willpower Psychologist Roy Baumeister coined the term “ego depletion” after he found that humans have a limited supply of willpower. As a teacher, think of how often you use willpower. But here’s the real kicker: making decisions uses willpower. It’s estimated that teachers make about 1,500 decisions every school day. High-intensity emotions Worry. How to treat yourself (for free) Day 4: Animal bonding By day four, I thought I was running low on self-care activities, so I turned to my cat for support. While petting an animal reduces blood pressure and increases the secretion of pleasure hormones, I decided to take my pet-bonding a step further. I emulated the cat. I practiced my purring, and tried to gently headbutt the cat.
Day 5: Small acts of kindness Helping others makes me genuinely happy. Day 6: Radical laughing Laughing is clinically proven to change your life. Day 7: Gratitude I’ve never liked gratitude journals, but by the end of the week, I was reaching for something that might qualify as self-care. It wasn’t hard to find small moments of contentment every day, but at the end of my seven days, I was shocked that I hadn’t missed any of my usual self-care techniques (like an expensive massage or an overpriced cup of coffee).
A Simple Way to Pray Every Day. Of all the things Martin Luther is known for, among the foremost is his dedication to prayer. He is famous for commenting, “I have so much to do that I shall spend the first three hours in prayer.” He wasn’t exaggerating, either. Many of his friends and students could attest that he would spend several hours on his knees in fervent, daily prayer — often at seemingly inopportune times in the middle of the day. At one point, Luther’s barber and longtime friend, Peter Beskendorf, asked if he would teach him how to pray. Luther responded by writing Beskendorf a letter which he called, “A Simple Way to Pray.”
Luther’s letter is a gourmet buffet for all Christians who hunger for more rich and satisfying prayerfulness. While I would encourage anyone to enjoy the full buffet, for now I will simply provide the first course: a simple way to pray by using the Lord’s Prayer. Prone to Wander in Every Age But why should we go to Luther for help praying in the twenty-first century in the first place? 1. Lost Generation. Kombucha (The Wonder Tea You Should Be Drinking) | FOOD MATTERS® We’re a little bit obsessed with drinking Kombucha in Food Matters HQ. You might have seen recently we suggested you have this fermented tea beverage daily to reap the myriad of health benefits associated with it. We’re just love it! We even created some delicious mocktails! Basically, it is a sweetened tea that is fermented using a SCOBY (symbiotic colony of bacteria and yeast), this is also know as ‘mother’ due to its ability to reproduce (not creepy). This is used as the starter culture to produce the friendly bacteria to heal your gut and also your whole body. loaded with probiotics for gut health fights candida overgrowthenhances the absorption of nutrientshelps reduce bloating improves mental clarity stabilizes mood detoxifies the body Prepare your sweet tea.
Have You Tried Making Kombucha? The Greatest Gift Is God Himself. “Don’t take this wrong, but we prayed before our children were born, and all of them were born healthy.” I wasn’t sure how I was supposed to take that. We had just told a new acquaintance that our infant son, Paul, had died several years earlier, after we had already grieved three difficult miscarriages. I felt judged. According to this person speaking to me, Paul’s death and my miscarriages were easily preventable. It was simple. This attitude wasn’t new to me. So I prayed. I assumed my prayers would be effective. But months later, sitting beside Paul’s empty crib, I had more questions than answers.
My Slanted Arrangement Nothing made sense. “The best gift God can give you is not health or prosperity or happiness in this world, but more of himself.” As I examined my expectations, I realized that I had unconsciously assumed that life was linear. Tim Keller, in his book The Prodigal God, talks about this subtle but dangerous expectation. His Surpassing Value. Does God Tell Us Who to Marry? Let me just put it out there: I don’t believe God reveals to us whom we’re going to marry beforehand, at least not with absolute certainty. I understand you might be convinced that God did share this with you, but would you be willing to consider — at least long enough to read this article — that the “voice” or nudge you heard or felt wasn’t from God?
That maybe you were off in how you interpreted his voice or your circumstances? Here’s why I want to challenge you: I don’t want you to have a crisis of faith down the road if and when you do not marry this person. I’d hate for you to discount another godly man or woman who is interested in you because you refuse to give anyone else a chance.
And more than that, I want you to have a proper (big!) God Does Speak Here’s what I believe you do have right: God speaks. The point of Hebrews 1 is to show the supremacy of Christ. How God Speaks Today Let me state the obvious: You and I are not prophets, and we’re definitely not God’s Son. Teach Your Kids These Warning Signs Of Emotionally Abusive Relationships. At least he doesn’t hit me. That phrase, uttered by millions of women, has perpetuated an incomplete definition of the word “abusive.” And it’s not the only one. There are many skewed ideas about what constitutes an abusive relationship. Not all abuse is physical. Not all abuse victims are women. We want our kids to make smart choices when it comes to relationships, but the unfortunate reality is that even healthy, smart kids can unwittingly form friendships or romantic interests with abusive people.
Here are some questions kids can ask themselves to help them recognize less obvious signs of abusive behavior: Kids are just learning how to navigate social relationships in general, so some jealousy among friends is normal. It’s normal and healthy to have relationships with many people. You should never be in a relationship with a person who makes you feel down on yourself. Abusers feel entitled to your time and attention and will make you pay in some way if they don’t get it. 5 Signs You Glorify Self. It is important to recognize the harvest of self-glory in you and in your ministry.
May God use this list to give you diagnostic wisdom. May he use it to expose your heart and to redirect your ministry. Self-glory will cause you to: 1. Parade in public what should be kept in private. The Pharisees live for us as a primary example. I know most pastors reading this column will think they would never do this. 2. We all know it, we’ve all seen it, we’ve all been uncomfortable with it, and we’ve all done it. 3. When you think you’ve arrived, you are quite proud of and confident in your opinions. 4. Self-glory can go the other way as well. 5. When you have fallen into thinking that you’re something, you want people to recognize the something.
Sadly, we often minister the gospel of Jesus Christ for the sake of our own glory, not for the glory of Christ or the redemption of the people under our care. Next week we’ll look at five more signs the pursuit of self-glory shapes your ministry. What Is a Kind Husband? We find many husbands in the Bible, but not many stand out as ideal. One of the men who does stand out is Boaz. Throughout the book of Ruth, he stands out as a model of what a husband as a husband should be. He is a godly and considerate employer (Ruth 2:4).
His kindness toward Ruth is clear and well marked before he thinks of himself as a possible husband to her. His character as a godly husband comes out in his kindness in assuming the role of kinsman-redeemer for Ruth. So, the next time you read through the book of Ruth, think of the kindness of this husband. What do unkind husbands do? The Lies of Mistreatment And unfortunately, while all mistreatment is a lie, more than one lie is possible. “Husbands are speaking all day every day about what Christ thinks of the church.” Another lie is told by a lustful husband. Then there is the lie told by limp husbands. Last, proud husbands tell another lie. Five Characteristics of a Kind Husband So, what is a kind husband? If Facebook Tempts You. With the news from Wall Street that Facebook is going public, we can be confident the social media giant aims to stay around for a while.
And why shouldn’t it? With more than 845,000,000 monthly users, the company has become deeply ingrained the public’s psyche. Whether your preference is Facebook or Twitter or one of the hundreds of other services, social networking is firmly rooted as the new way to “do community.” The ability to connect or reconnect with these networks offers innumerable benefits and privileges we simply did not have before. We are, however, becoming increasingly aware of the limitations of virtual community and the problems associated with our being so connected. The Drain Talk with enough folks who regularly use Facebook or Twitter and you’ll soon recognize a pattern. An “out of sight, out of mind” approach worked for Linne. Both Facebook and Twitter prohibit accounts for kids younger than 13.
But are even 14-year-olds ready for this responsibility? Identity Theft. House Call Doctor : Should You Take Melatonin for Insomnia? Page 1 of 2 Insomnia is such a prevalent medical condition in this day and age of our fast-paced world. Juggling the hustle and bustle of everyday life, whether it is school, work, parenting, or family, can really do a number on our stress levels. Add a tinge of anxiety and depression, and this can be a recipe for some major sleepless nights. Medications should never be our first choice when tackling insomnia, however. But I know that the reality is that many seek over-the-counter sleep aids as a first step. But does it work? What Is Melatonin? Melatonin is a hormone released by the pineal gland, a structure that sits tucked well inside the brain.
With age, this nighttime melatonin naturally diminishes. How to Take Melatonin Melatonin is categorized as a "dietary supplement" and is available over-the-counter in the United States, without a prescription. The recommended dose of Melatonin should ideally mimic physiologic levels. Pages. Why the Church Is Vitally Important for Every Christian. How to change your life for the better in just one month. Blogger Svetlana Pokrevskaya makes a bold promise to all those who carry out her plan: in just one month’s time, you won’t recognise yourself. As she explains, "Recently I received a letter from one of my readers. ’Hi, Svetlana! I want to change my life based on your lifestyle!’ Wow. I began to wonder — do I actually have a specific "lifestyle"?
Well, it seems I have! And straight away I wanted to put it into words, setting it out logically point by point. So, for every week there’s a plan made up of three tasks, which you need to incorporate into your life and keep doing for the rest of the month. Week 1: Purifying your mind and body An early start, around 6 am. Week 2: Putting your private life in order Clean up your personal space. Week 3: Plans, goals and dreams Write down, and then carry out your plans. Week 4: Expand your horizons Try to live differently. Author: Svetlana Pokrevskaya Photo credit: Jean-François Jonvelle We’d love to hear your views on this… 3 Common Dangers Church Planters Face. Did You Marry ‘the One’?
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The magic of tidying up: your guide to getting your place clean once and for all. 15 myths about a healthy diet you need to stop believing. When Singleness Doesn’t Feel Good… - Thinking of God: TOG. What will happen if you start doing planks every day? 12 ideal colour combinations for your hair and clothes. Stop Pretending to Be So Perfect. 11 simple but brilliant tricks to make your home sparkle. How Not to Teach Your Kids the Bible. 45 profound life lessons you’ll wish you’d learned years ago. 10 Habits of Unhappy People. She Tells Her Grandma That She’s Just Been Cheated On So Grandma Tells Her To Do This. Satan’s lies about singleness | The Briefing. Mom Delivers Twins. 4 Years Later, She Looks At Their Faces And Notices A STUNNING Truth... Theconversation. David Suchet: What I learned from recording the whole Bible. Why Generation Y is unhappy.
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A6 Cards - MATT Artboard, Double Sided, Full Colour, 250gsm. A6 Cards - MATT Artboard, Double Sided, Full Colour, 250gsm. If Richard Dawkins Is Right. 10 Personalities that Have No Place in Christian Marriage. Brain Cancer Sucks, But I Feel Lucky | Tessa Calder. Food for Thought cooking class - OzHarvest. WOW: This IKEA Christmas Commercial Is a Wake-Up Call to All Parents.
Apple Layer Cake with Spiced Cream Cheese Frosting. Recipes. This Comic Will Forever Change the Way you Look at Privilege. Marriage With Eternity in Mind By Francis Chan – Foundation For Family Affairs. Offer.