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Family Worship Times

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Photo: Sanja Gjenero

“Worship the Lord in the splendor of his holiness.” Psalm 29:2

“Daddy, is it time yet?”

“Yes, sweetie. You may bring the special worship time box to the family room and call everyone.”

Whether it’s morning or evening (or both, if possible) having a family time of worship to God is a blessing for everyone involved. If you think you just don’t have the time, consider it an investment in family bonding, character development and relaxation therapy. It doesn’t have to be long; the length of time can vary according to your family’s needs. Just be regular and sincere in your efforts. Here are a few ideas to get you going (or to perk up your family worship times if you’re already in the habit).

Choose a specific place and specific times to gather your family together. This will help you be consistent. If you attend a church, take advantage of the materials they may give out for Bible study at home. Older children can read the lessons for themselves while a parent helps the younger ones. Sometimes our family acts out charades or everyone draws pictures of a particular story.

Reading a book aloud together is also great. Try some of the many inspiring mission stories or biographies available. It helps if you have a special box with cloth books and other quiet activities that younger children can play with during this time. On the weekends when more time may be available try playing a board game such as Bible Trivia ™. 

Active Involvement

Human beings learn and remember best through stimulation of their senses. Playing instruments or singing together is fun. There is a wide variety of appropriate music available including hymns, praise songs and Scripture songs. In the winter we often build a fire in the fireplace and get out the felt box. The kids like to arrange the felt figures to depict Bible stories. (These can be purchased at Christian bookstores or online.) Family worship is also a good time to light candles and give back rubs or foot massages.

There is much truth in the statement that the families who pray together stay together. Nothing I know of bonds people together like kneeling down before God, joining hands and praying for each other and others. To keep prayer times from becoming stagnant through repetitious phrases like “bless everyone” we rotate through family prayer cards (in categories) listing names of extended family members, friends and organizations for which we can specifically pray. Once a week we repeat together the Lord’s Prayer.

By choosing to bring your family together daily to worship as did Abraham the patriarch, you can honor God’s name on this earth and prepare your heart and the hearts of your family members for an eternity of praising God in heaven. “I will praise you, O Lord, with all my heart; I will tell of all your wonders” (Psalm 9:1).

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By Brenda Dickerson. Copyright © 2006 by GraceNotes. All rights reserved. Use of this material is subject to usage guidelines. Scripture taken from the NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION ®.

Read more at the source: Family Worship Times

Article excerpt posted on en.intercer.net from Family First.

Budget Vacations

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Photo: Oliver Delgado

Want to get away and relax together but can’t afford a fancy vacation? By planning ahead and focusing on what’s most important to you about a vacation, families can enjoy quality experiences together.

The three main expenses of most vacations are travel, activities and food. Have a family meeting to pick the area that ranks highest for you. Then minimize expenses in the others.

To reduce travel costs consider destinations closer to home. If possible, stay overnight with friends or relatives. Or, if you really want a family bonding experience, try camping! You might also enjoy spending your vacation time making day trips from your own home. Check out new and interesting places to visit every day and come home to your own bed at night. Watch for coupons that give discounted prices at local attractions.

Many families like to visit museums and zoos because they are both entertaining and educational. Look for ones that operate on a “donations welcome” basis or have one day a week when entrance fees are waived or reduced. The internet is a great resource for finding this information. You can also purchase tickets in advance on-line for some activities. Then you’ll know your exact cost—no surprises.

How to Save

If you’re thinking about taking a package deal vacation, plan to go off-season when rates are substantially reduced. Consider vacationing with another family to share costs – but only if you know them well and have a strong friendship.

As for food, the least expensive way is to pack your own cooler before you leave home. If your trip is lengthy, stop at grocery stores along the way to restock your supply of fresh produce and ice. Also, look for hotels that include breakfast in their prices. At places which allow, bring a shoulder pack with favorite sandwiches and snacks and your own bottled water or fruit juice. Sometimes buying a meal for the family can cost as much as the activity you came for.

By planning ahead and making informed choices your family can enjoy a low-stress vacation doing things you really like without damaging your finances. And remember to take a few photos of your family playing and relaxing so you can reminisce together about your great vacation!

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By Brenda Dickerson. Copyright © 2006 by GraceNotes. All rights reserved. Use of this material is subject to usage guidelines.

Read more at the source: Budget Vacations

Article excerpt posted on en.intercer.net from Family First.

Ladies, Move It!

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Woman walking in the mountains
Photo: Paco Sancho

Participants at a recent International Research Conference on Food, Nutrition, and Cancer in Washington, D.C., heralded some good news in the fight against cancer.

1. Being physically active may be more important than body weight or body fat to your risk of breast cancer. Leslie Bernstein, Ph.D., professor of preventive medicine and cancer researcher at the University of Southern California, said that in a study of postmenopausal women, those who exercised nearly four hours a week saw their breast cancer risk drop more than 50 percent. Exercise offers benefits even after menopause by reducing circulating estrogen as well as body fat.

2. Failing to limit adult weight gain may account for up to one third of all breast cancers. Henry J. Thompson, Ph.D., director of the Cancer Prevention Laboratory at Colorado State University, found that weight gain of more than 11 pounds as an adult, along with getting less than 30 minutes of physical activity per day, is linked to increased risk of breast cancer.

3. Eating protective foods together seems to boost their cancer-protective effects. John W. Erdman, Jr., Ph.D., professor of nutrition at the University of Illinois, found that a diet consisting of a variety of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and beans offered the greatest anticancer effect. “Supplements,” he added, “cannot provide the synergistic action you get from whole foods.”

Environmental Nutrition

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Reprinted with permission from Vibrant Life, March/April 2005. Copyright © 2006 by GraceNotes. All rights reserved. Use of this material is subject to usage guidelines.

Read more at the source: Ladies, Move It!

Article excerpt posted on en.intercer.net from Staying young.

Sleep On It

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A queen-size bed with pillows
Photo: Lotus Head

Got a problem? Go to bed.

Researchers recruited 66 people to discover if sleep spurred creative problem solving. They taught the participants two simple rules to help them convert a string of eight numbers into a new pattern. A third rule that required additional insight and would improve performance was kept secret.

After initial training, some participants slept eight hours, while others were forced to stay awake—some during the day, some at night. Those with sufficient shut-eye proved twice as likely as those who stayed awake to figure out the third rule and solve the problem.

The age-old advice to “sleep on it” now enjoys scientific support.

Massachutes Medical Society

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Reprinted with permission from Vibrant Life, January/February 2005. Copyright © 2006 by GraceNotes. All rights reserved. Use of this material is subject to usage guidelines.

Read more at the source: Sleep On It

Article excerpt posted on en.intercer.net from Staying young.

Olive Oil and You

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Photo: Stockxchng

The magic charm of the Mediterranean draws million of visitors each year. Part of the attraction is the delicious food served in the region; breads, vegetable dishes, herbal seasonings, and pasta prepared with the greenish-gold, virgin olive oil. There is a large variety of olives, each possessing its own unique fruity flavor, which in turn produce oils with a wide range of flavors. The olive oil used here in the United States comes largely from Italy and Spain.

Southern Europeans who live in the Mediterranean have much lower rates of cardiovascular disease, cancer, and diabetes than Northern Europeans and Americans. One of the reasons for this advantage is the predominant use of olive oil in the Mediterranean diet rather than fats of animal origin. Olive oil has a composition similar to avocado oil, and is largely composed of monounsaturated fat. In addition, virgin olive oil has a high level of antioxidant phenolics that enables the consumer to enjoy lower blood cholesterol levels and a lower risk of breast and bowel cancer.

There are additional advantages from using olive oil. Blood glucose levels are better controlled and HDL cholesterol (the “good cholesterol”) levels are not decreased as with many plant oils. Some experiments suggest that extra virgin olive oil may also lower blood pressure and decrease the risk of blood clots. Renaud has reported that French patients who survived a heart attack had a reduced risk of a second heart attack when fed an olive oil-rich diet.

Oil for Breakfast

Olive oil tends to be more expensive than other vegetable oils because of the labor intensive method of harvesting the crop. Typically, farmers avoid using chemicals to assist in the harvesting process because of the need for a quality product that is environmentally acceptable to the consumer. Virgin olive oil is considered as a pure fruit juice by the southern Europeans and many farmers in Greece consume a wine glass of olive oil for breakfast.

California produces almost all of the olives that are grown in the United States, and these are used to produce canned olives. While most of the calories in an olive come from fat, four ripe olives contain only 15 calories. Green olives, which are picked in the fall before they reach maturation have less than half the calories of the black mature olives.

The increased life expectancy and low rates of chronic diseases among the southern Europeans may be due in part to their simple, physically active lifestyle, and the unique Mediterranean diet that includes a regular use of olive oil.

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By Winston J. Craig, R.D. Copyright © 2006 by GraceNotes. All rights reserved. Use of this material is subject to usage guidelines.

Read more at the source: Olive Oil and You

Article excerpt posted on en.intercer.net from Staying young.

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