Closer To Heaven
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Author: Winston Craig, MPH, PhD, RD. Prudent sunshine exposure is a great source of vitamin D. Few foods have it and most people don’t get enough sun to make it. Skin cells can manufacture vitamin D when exposed to adequate sunlight
Read more at the source: Vitamin D Sources & Health Benefits
Article excerpt posted on en.intercer.net from Vegetarian Nutrition.
Author: Winston Craig, MPH, PhD, RD. Proponents of the Atkins diet promote the use of pills, along with the diet, for effective weight loss. The recommended supplements include coenzyme Q10 (100 mg/d), carnitine (1500 mg/d), and chromium (1000 mcg/d). There is no reliable science to support the use of any of these supplements to help people burn fat and lose weight.
Read more at the source: Nutrition, Obesity and Weight-Loss Diets
Article excerpt posted on en.intercer.net from Vegetarian Nutrition.
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| Photo: Tom Denham |
Trends in hiring and hourly wages indicate mixed news about the U.S. economy and the possibility of inflation. The U.S. Department of Labor report for May 2006 indicates that the economy is cooling. While unemployment fell from 4.7 percent in April to 4.6 in May, wages stalled and job growth has slowed.
Rising energy prices, lower auto sales, a softening housing market and less manufacturing during May means a loss of momentum for the U.S. economy. While 75,000 jobs were added by employers, this is the lowest number since last fall after several hurricanes devastated the Southern coast of the United States. After a 10-cent gain in April, hourly wages in May only rose one cent. The average hourly rate now stands at $16.62. However, the number of worked hours fell slightly during May.
Airlines, automakers, hotels, and retailers were among those eliminating jobs, with a flattened rate of hiring by the construction industry—a source of about 300,000 jobs each of the previous two years. The education, health care and business services sectors added some jobs.
Not all of it is bad news—the unemployment rate is the lowest it has been since 2001. Since the department began collecting data in 1973, the jobless rate among Hispanics and Latinos is at the all-time low of five percent.
It remains to be seen whether or not the Federal Reserve will raise short-term interest rates in an effort to dampen inflation. If this delicate balance cannot be achieved, the U.S. might experience a slow growth-high inflation economy similar to what took place during the 1970s. At this point, many different analysts believe that during the third quarter of 2006 the economy growth will be about 2.5 percent as compared to 5.3 percent registered during the first quarter.
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Center for Metropolitan Ministries. Copyright © 2006 by GraceNotes. All rights reserved. Use of this material is subject to usage guidelines.
Read more at the source: Job Growth Slows
Article excerpt posted on en.intercer.net from City Lights.
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| Photo: Melissa Lien |
St. Louis is an urban renewal case study in progress. Known as the “Gateway to the West,” St Louis anchors the eastern side of the state of Missouri. Symbolized by the 630-foot-tall Gateway Arch, the city was a center of manufacturing thanks to its location on the Mississippi River.
However, during the latter half of the 20th Century, the city went into a decline, losing more than half of its residents. When the new millennium dawned, the St. Louis population had just a little more than 348,000 as compared with more than 856,800 citizens in 1950. Factories closed, and deteriorating buildings soon dotted the once thriving downtown.
In the past five years, the population has inched up to 352,600. Changes are taking place. While on a visit last summer, I talked with the owner of a small restaurant as I enjoyed freshly prepared food. She talked with pride about her family’s new business venture and shared her enthusiasm for their new (and affordable!) condo just a few blocks away. They were among the first wave of urban pioneers, those who were committed to renewing the vitality of St. Louis.
Her sunny outlook about the future was based on a number of factors such as a new downtown stadium, refurbishment of historic buildings such as the old Post Office building, and restoration strategies that have worked in other cities, including extensive use of federal and state tax credits for rehabilitation of older buildings.
Downtown Renewal
An article in the May 11 issue of USA Today profiled the remarkable restoration taking place in St. Louis. After 50 years of migration to the suburbs and a population exodus due to racial tensions, more young professionals have started moving downtown. According to the article, W. Thomas Reeves, executive director of Downtown Now, “More than $3.5 billion has been poured into the area.” By 2008, nearly 8,000 apartments and condos will be built, along with an increase in new hotels, office towers, restaurants, and services. Several neighborhoods are starting renewal projects, with one being renamed as part of the effort to reverse its reputation as a gritty, violent part of town. Even the international airport has started a $1 billion expansion.
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Center for Metropolitan Ministries. Copyright © 2006 by GraceNotes. All rights reserved. Use of this material is subject to usage guidelines.
Read more at the source: St. Louis Blooms
Article excerpt posted on en.intercer.net from City Lights.
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| Photo: Timothy Smith |
There is no doubt that the Bible talks about prosperity. God wants to prosper His people. Notice what David wrote: “Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers. But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers” (Psalm 1:1-3).
According to this a person who is “planted” in the Lord’s ways will prosper. The word literally means to “push forward.” We talk about those who “get ahead” in life. In reality those who truly “get ahead” are those who have learned who to hang around, what advice to follow and where to “plant” oneself.
This verse talks of “movement” in life. Those who start walking with the wicked will eventually begin to settle in with them. Their movement leads to standing around sinners and sitting with mockers. This leads nowhere.
A friend of mine talks about being careful who we hang with and where we hang out. He says that if we frequent the barbershop we will eventually get a hair cut. He isn’t against barbers. He says this to remind us that no matter how wise or strong we may think we are…if we hang out with the wrong people it will affect us.
Planted trees
On the other hand, those who find pleasure in God’s ways and concentrate on them will be like a tree planted by an ever flowing source of refreshment. They will be fruitful in life and never dry up. They will prosper.
Paul talks about the fruit of the Holy Spirit who is sent from God (outside) to dwell in us (inside). The Holy Spirit produces love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, gentleness, goodness and self-control inside all of us. I’d say that is being fruitful! And, having the Holy Spirit live inside us enables us to withstand anything that life can throw at us. No matter how tough things get, no matter how barren life seems, we need never dry up and die (wither). Rather our lives will make a difference. We will prosper (push forward).
The prosperity God wants us to have, may or may not have anything to do with money, success or fame. But, it will have everything to do with being a loving, consistent man or woman. And that is worth more than gold.
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By Chad McComas. 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: Real Prosperity
Article excerpt posted on en.intercer.net from Bible Says.
Intercer is a website with biblical materials in Romanian, English, Hungarian and other languages. We want to bring the light from God's Word to peoples homes. Intercer provides quality Christian resources...[Read More]
