Warrior

“I’m not saying you have to become this Ubermilitant Intersex Warrior. I’m just telling you to be careful of letting other people define who-and what-you are-are.” (I.W. Gregorio)

The term hermaphrodite derives from Hermaphroditus, the Greek mythological child of Hermes and Aphrodite. Born a handsome boy, he was transformed into an androgynous being by union with the nymph Salmacis. Hermaphroditism refers to an organism that produces both eggs and sperm. It does not occur in humans.

Hermaphrodites are common among plants and invertebrates such as earthworms, snails, slugs, and barnacles. Hermaphrodites are actually known as an intersex person.  Intersex is a general term used for a variety of conditions in which a person is born with a reproductive or sexual anatomy that doesn’t fit the typical definitions of female or male.

Sometimes an intersex person is assigned a female or male sex at birth through surgery if external genitals are not obviously male or female. Intersex babies are always assigned a legal sex. Sometimes when they grow up their gender doesn’t match the sex selected for them. Being intersex is a naturally occurring variation in humans, and isn’t a medical problem.

It’s also more common than most people realize. It’s hard to know exactly how many people are born intersex. Experts estimate that between .05 percent and 1.7 percent of the population is born with intersex traits. The upper estimate is similar to the percentage of the population born with red hair.

There are many different intersex variations. Some intersex people have internal sex organs, such as a person with both ovarian and testicular tissues. Other intersex people have a combination of chromosomes that is different than XY (male) and XX (female), like XXY. And some people are born with what looks like totally male or totally female genitals, but their internal organs or hormones released during puberty don’t match.

Intersex traits are not always visible at birth. For some people, their traits do not show up until puberty or later. Some adults learn that they are intersex when they try to have children and find out that they can’t, while others may never find out. Some intersex people have chromosomal variations that are never physically apparent. Being intersex is different from a person’s gender identity. Intersex relates to biological sexual characteristics, not sexual orientation. An intersex person can identify as straight, gay, lesbian, or bisexual. That person can also identify as male, female, both or neither.

“Doctors and scientists, being part of that two-sex culture, have done everything they can to try to force people who are in-between into one of the two clear types. Intersex people themselves have also generally wanted to fit into one of the two clear categories. Most are not interested in being in a 'third' type.” (Alice Dreger) [i]

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[i] Sources used:

·        “Fun Hermaphrodite Facts” by Intersex Initiative

·        “Top 10 hermaphrodite facts and famous hermaphrodites” By Chris Wilson

·        “What does being intersex mean? 5 things to know” By Crystal Bonvillian

·        “What's intersex?” by Planned Parenthood

 

Already

“Almost a quarter of married couples already sleep in different beds.” (Amy Lewis)

 Whether you are married or not, a relationship shouldn’t have to include sleeping on the couch, ear plugs, sleeping pills or a glass of wine before bed. But when that relationship includes a snoring partner, you’ll do anything to in effort to get a good night’s sleep. A sleep divorce is the idea that as a couple you spend your waking hours doing whatever it is you normally do then come bedtime you kiss goodnight and go to separate bedrooms.

According to a survey from Slumber Cloud, 12 percent of American couples have filed for a sleep divorce, and 30 percent have discussed it. According to a survey from Slumber Cloud, 12 percent of American couples have filed for a sleep divorce, and 30 percent have discussed it.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends most adults get at least seven hours of sleep per night, and missing out can drive a wedge between you and your partner as well as impact your health. A 2016 study found that sleep issues and relationship problems tend to occur simultaneously, and another 2013 study adds that when one partner gets a poor night’s sleep due to the other’s nighttime disturbances it results in conflict the next day.

As a couple, if you enjoy sleeping together and can do so without one party disrupting the other's sleep, then that is a great outcome. However, it doesn't mean that your relationship is better than a couple who sleeps separately. Hundreds of thousands of couples are heading to separate rooms each night and enjoying a full life, and great relationships, because they get a good night's sleep each night. Below are reasons why a sleep divorce could be just what the doctor ordered:

Sleep problems are affecting your (or your partner’s) health. Interrupted sleep can have serious effects on your health. For example, if you’re battling a serious illness, good sleep can make all the difference. In these cases, your health (or your partner’s) takes priority. Remember to revisit the issue of sleeping together when you’re well again.

Sleep problems are hurting your relationship. When one or both partners aren’t sleeping well, their relationship tends to suffer. The tension can be particularly high when one partner is causing the other’s sleep difficulties, like because of loud snoring. A vicious cycle can ensue in which worse relationship quality leads to further sleep problems, more problems in your relationship, and so forth. The concern about loss of intimacy through not sharing a bed may be dwarfed by the obvious problems the sleep difficulties are causing. In these situations, sleeping separately can actually increase relationship satisfaction.

You or your partner needs to sleep through the night for safety reasons. Consistently interrupted sleep can lead to excessive daytime sleepiness, which is a serious safety concern during activities like driving. In these cases, the partners might arrange “sleep separations” on critical nights. For example, a couple with a baby in which the mother is a commercial pilot might decide that the father will be on baby duty the nights before his wife has to fly; she’ll sleep in the downstairs bedroom with a white noise machine so she’s not woken up when their baby cries. They may switch places when she has a day off and he’ll be driving long distance the next day.

You’re on very different schedules. Couples who go to bed hours apart often wake each other up. For example, one partner might go to bed at 9:00 pm and get up at 5:00 am; her partner will disturb her sleep when he comes to bed at 1:00 am, and she’ll disturb his when she gets up at 5:00 am.

Your relationship is strong enough to handle it. If you and your partner generally enjoy each other’s company and are satisfied with your relationship, there’s a better chance that you can maintain closeness and sexual intimacy even if you sleep apart. You can apply your shared problem solving abilities to navigate the “break-up,” and even use it to build, rather than weaken, your relationship. Of course, in some cases a sleep divorce might indicate a deeper problem in the relationship, such as drifting apart or unexpressed resentment. Before opting for a sleep divorce, have an honest discussion with your partner about whether there are any issues that you need to address—possibly with the help of a couples therapist.

“It might be an idea to do sleep ‘date nights’ at weekends, so you still get to fall asleep with your partner on the odd occasion.” (Amy Lewis)[i]

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[i] Sources used:

·        “5 Signs You’re Headed Towards Sleep Divorce” by Advent

·        “The 3 Key Signs You Need A Sleep Divorce – And How to Get It Right” by Amy Lewis

·        “5 Signs a 'Sleep Divorce' Might Be Right for You” BY Seth J. Gillihan

 

·        “Here's How a "Sleep Divorce" Can Improve Your Relationship”

·        By Lizz Schumer

 

 

The Secret

“Now I see the secret of making the best person: it is to grow in the open air and to eat and sleep with the earth.”  (Walt Whitman)

You’re walking barefoot on the beach one warm summer afternoon in June. You feel the warmth of the sun on your skin, and hear the rhythm of the crashing waves. You smell the ocean wind as it brushes against you. Notice your feet. Do you feel a tingly sensation in your feet or legs as a warmth rises up your body? Perhaps you’ve noticed a similar feeling while walking barefoot on the grass. In those moments, you are grounded.

Being grounded (earthing) can mean being fully present in your body and/or feeling connected to the earth. Many of us have experienced the fleeting understanding of being grounded, or a feeling of being “at home.” Grounding is a therapeutic technique that involves doing activities that “ground” or electrically reconnect you to the earth. Below are five benefits of grounding:

Anti-Aging and Anti-Inflammation Inflammation is one thing that literally all chronic diseases have in common. It's imperative that you know the causes of inflammation in order to properly treat these conditions. When you break things down to a scientific level, considering the fact that everything is vibrating with energy, one of the biggest contributors to chronic inflammation may actually be a lack of electrons - meaning too many positively charged ions and not enough negatively charged ions. Connecting directly to the earth is one of the best things that you can do to slow down the aging process because it can lessen inflammation and associated free radical damage.

Boosts Healing and Immunity While you might not think about it on a regular basis, the earth is actually a massive electrical object, and your body is a conductor of electricity. When you are connected directly to the earth's electric field through direct contact with our skin, the earth's negatively-charged electrons flow through us and our electric charge goes from positive to negative. Negative electrons (those flowing from the earth) are known as healing electrons while positively-charged electrons are those that contribute to disharmony and disease. Negatively charged electrons, or "ions", can boost the body's resiliency and vitality, and can help increase our immunity and rate of cellular repair.

Improves Body Awareness The bottoms of your feet are loaded with nerve endings. Yet because you insulate our feet in thick rubber shoe soles, you miss out on a lot of sensation. Walking outside and experiencing the various textures of the earth such as grass, dirt, or small pebbles can help stimulate the nerves. This brings awareness out of your thoughts and more into your body.

Grounding can help relieve energy blockages by putting pressure on reflexology points found throughout your feet. You can instantly ground yourself by standing barefoot on the earth and can get even more negative ions by standing next to a flowing body of natural water such as a waterfall, river, or the ocean. However you manage to fit grounding into your lifestyle is up to you. Just make sure you don't miss out on all of the incredible benefits this simple action can have on your overall health.

Improves Sleep People who ground themselves on a regular basis report an improvement in their quality of sleep, resulting in feeling more rested and energized in the morning. You can even find grounding technology used in bed sheets, blankets, and mats so that you can get the benefits of grounding while you sleep. This largely has to do with the lessening of cortisol in the body.

Stress Reducing Have you ever spent a few hours at the computer and felt drained of all energy with an increase in irritability? For many of us, it is a common - maybe even daily - occurrence, especially for those of us working with computers for 8+ hours per day. Positively charged Electromagnetic Fields (EMF's) have been shown to elevate cortisol levels, one of the most powerful stress hormones in the body. The good news is grounding tends to lower it. It may be pretty much impossible to avoid electronics in this day and age, but getting outside and taking those shoes off even if for a few minutes can help you feel calmer, balanced, and far less stressed.

 “Illnesses do not come upon us out of the blue. They are developed from small daily sins against Nature. When enough sins have accumulated, illnesses will suddenly appear.” (Hippocrates) [i]

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[i] Sources used:

·        “9 Powerful Grounding Techniques to Achieve Instant Calm and Regain Your Center “by Scott Jeffrey

·        “Are You Grounded? 5 Benefits of Earthing You Need To Experience” by Alex Malinsky

·        “Grounding: Exploring Earthing Science and the Benefits Behind It” by Eleesha Lockett

 

This post was suggested by my friend and blog member, Tom Critser.

 

HAPPY THANKSGIVING 2019

Count

“Don’t Count the days. Make the days count.” (Muhammad Ali)

Getting to the office early and leaving late possibly shows one’s job dedication. A 4-day work week in the United States is usually defined as a schedule where ten hours of work must occur during the day. Then, in exchange for the two extra hours above the regular full-time shift, the employee receives an extra day off each week. It creates a 4-on and 3-off schedule, allowing for a three-day weekend of a split schedule where you may only need to work two consecutive days before receiving time off.

This means there is no change to the number of hours the worker clocks each week, no change to his salary, and no change to the number of employees needed by the company to achieve optimum productivity. This approach to business is increasing in popularity within some industries in the U.S. because of its cost-reducing benefits.

During the early days of the Great Depression, economic experts believed that we would reach a point in time by 2030 when the average work schedule for an employee would be only 15 hours per week. The idea of earning full-time income while putting in a couple of days of work was an inviting a dream for people to think about while they were struggling financially in the 1930s.

The Advantages of a 4 Day Work Week

A 4-day work week can lead to higher levels of innovation. When you either reduce the number of hours that people work or give then an alternative 40-hour schedule, then you are encouraging them to develop new time-saving methods. That helps each worker to begin looking for new, better productivity procedures and best practices which continue the surge in productivity. If you don’t account for salaries, a work-sharing program like this can lead to a lower unemployment rate because there are open hours that can be filled by another worker. There is also the option to have multiple workers to fill a standard one-person slot.

Higher levels of employee satisfaction occur with a shorter week. Even if the employee transitions to a 4-day, 40-hour work schedule, there are higher levels of satisfaction for the worker because they have more balance to their lives. When you add in the lower stress levels that occur as well, more happiness occurs with the professional relationship. When employees are happy, then they engage better with their work.

Not only does this result in higher levels of motivation and creativity, but it also improves the quality of their work. This advantage can also lead to closer co-worker relationships, add loyalty to the worker-employer connection, and help families to establish roots in their communities through volunteerism because there is more availability. Having three days off each week instead of two can be an invigorating experience.

It could reduce family expenses. If companies were to compress their 40-hour schedule into one that covers 32 hours without a change in pay, then families would see a reduction in their daycare expenses. There would be more time to spend with their kids, attend school events, or coach youth sports. When the United Kingdom looked at the reason when people were not seeking a job even though they were at the prime labor age, two million people said that childcare responsibilities were holding them back.

Out of that figure, 89% of the potential workers were women. Moving to a 4-day work week would promote a higher level of workplace equality. They would have more opportunities to balance their personal and professional needs. Even companies can benefit because there would be more expertise available and shifts could move to create all-week coverage for customers to enjoy.

It helps the financial picture for families and organizations. When you are only going to work four days out of the week instead of five, then that is one less day that you need to commute to work. Workers get to avoid the extra expenses of getting into the office, adding a little more to their salary. The environment gets a boost because there are fewer vehicles on the road creating potential greenhouse gases. If you reduce your availability by a day each week as an organization, then there is an immediate reduction in your overhead costs. You can reduce your utilities and office maintenance fees by up to 20% since you are shut down for an extra day. Your electrical costs can experience an even greater reduction.

More people feel like they can balance their lives with this schedule. For two months in 2018, an organization in New Zealand conducted a formal experiment. The management firm decided that they would reduce their work week from 40 hours to 32 hours for every employee without reducing their salary. Then they brought on a pair of researchers to record the results of the effort. 1 in 4 employees felt like they could successfully balance their work and personal lives with the 4-day work week. Stress levels decreased by almost 10%, while the overall work satisfaction rates rose by 5% without a change in job performance.

Teams become closer because of the 4-day work week. Because there is less stress in the workplace, teams tend to work better together when they have a 4-day work week available. You have less time to waste on disputes, which means the goals of everyone tend to stay focused on the task that needs to be finished. That’s not to say that conflict completely disappears in this environment, but there is a greater emphasis on problem solving with this schedule than there is with the traditional 8/40 work week that you can find in the United States.

There are higher productivity levels with a 4-day work schedule. The productivity of workers during a compressed schedule tends to increase because employees feel responsible for the work that needs to be done from the lost day. This advantage is especially true for workers over the age of 40, who have productivity peaks at 25-30 hours per week. That is why some employers can reduce their work hours instead of forcing workers to go to a 4-day, 40-hour schedule instead. There are fewer time-wasting opportunities that occur in the workplace as well, which adds another level of production to consider in some industries as well.

Time usage is more efficient when working a 4-day work week. When there are fewer hours to fill at work, then there is less time spent on inefficient tasks that may not lead to any professional development. There are fewer meetings, social conversations, and other methods of time wasting where production may not occur. Workers even take fewer breaks or use their personal devices to be on social media or play games. Because there is an extra day to enjoy off, the lower levels of stress allow people to stay focused on each task they must complete.

The Disadvantages of a 4 Day Work Week

It could reduce the amount of money that a worker earns. Amazon attempted to run a 4-day work week for selected employees, but it also came with a 25% reduction of their regular salary because 10 hours were cut from their schedule. Since that could affect their benefits status or financial health, the plan was not as beneficial as the company hoped it would be.

There were also more schedule gaps and missed deadlines with this idea, which hurt the company’s bottom line. Government offices in Utah had to switch back to a standard schedule after just 3 years because the lack of availability was too difficult on the public. Life doesn’t stop because a three-day weekend occurs on a Monday or a Friday, so there is an expectation of a response from customers. Companies that move to a full system of coverage lose the financial benefit of shutting down for a while as well.

Some businesses might suffer from the implementation of a 4-day work week. There are some businesses that operate in a space outside of the standard working schedule, such as real estate professionals, who would struggle to earn a living if they were forced to shift the number of hours that they work each day. This issue could impact the freelancers. Some industries benefit more when there are people in the office than they do when workers are out in the field or at home.

Some industries cannot participate in a 4-day work week. There are some industries which must maintain a 24-hour presence in their community to ensure that they meet their quotas. This disadvantage can make it impractical to establish a 4-day work week. Some jobs just take time to complete, and there is nothing that can be done to change that fact. When France moved to the shorter work schedules, they discovered that workers were still putting in the same amount of time professionally each week. The only difference was that their employer was now responsible for paying the extra time as overtime wages. Although the overtime helps to give the wages of a worker a boost without changing their overall schedule, that’s another expense that the company must pay. If you have too many of your people earning a mandated raise from a 4-day work week piece of legislation, then there may not be enough funds available to stay in business.

The 4-day work week doesn’t help exempt employees in the United States. If you work in an exempt position, then there are no overtime hours for you to enjoy. You’ll earn comp time for the extra hours that you’re on the job. If you move to an alternative schedule, then there might be internal pressure to respond to messages or call into a meeting as a way to stay ahead of the work. Anyone who is a salaried employee will need to look at the alternative schedule to see if it would adversely impact your team.

There are risks to consider for the employer and employee. If you decide to move to a 40-hour work week that covers four days instead of five, then the risks of financial harm and productivity loss are minimal. This problem occurs when there is a desire to cut the number of hours that each employee works from 40 to 32 each week. There is a costly risk to consider because the employees involved in this transition might not be able to meet their overall work requirements.

When Sweden conducted a 24-month trial that cut 10 hours out of the standard work week for an employee while continuing with a five-day structure, there were higher levels of worker satisfaction – but lower productivity levels. That means the structure was ultimately too costly to continue.

This alternative schedule can provide child care difficulties. If you are working a 4-day, 10-hour schedule to put in a 40-hour full-time work week, then trying to find child care as a parent can be exceptionally challenging. Many facilities do not offer help for the extra two hours because the goal is to cover the standard school schedule in each community. There might only be 1-2 providers that open at 6 AM and then stay open until 8 PM to accommodate your shift in schedule. Although it does feel like there is a higher level of work satisfaction and time to relax when you work a four-day schedule, many workers who are putting in 10 hours per day see a significant drop in their productivity levels at the end of each day.

“We only work four days a week. We only work three weeks out of the month, and we get four months off for the summer. So there’s plenty of time for me to spend with the kids.” (Patricia Heaton)[i]

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[i] Sources used:

·        “14 Pros and Cons of the 4 Day Work Week” By Natalie Regoli

·        “Advantages & Disadvantages of a 4-Day Work Week” By: Emily Watson

·        “Impacts of the 4-Day Work Week “by Norbert Erts

 

Fulfillment

Carry each other’s burdens and so you will fulfill the law of Christ. (Galatians 6:2, CEB)

Have you ever felt that your shoulders were too weak to bear someone else’s burdens? This is one reason God has made the church a family that you might bear each other’s burdens. God often uses our shoulders to lift someone else’s burden. We can all selfish by nature, and it’s easy to become focused only on our own needs.

But extending yourself to lift another’s burden will often lighten your own. There are always people around us who are hurting. Sometimes you see their needs, and sometimes the needs are so personal you never even know about them. But whether a person’s need is known or unknown, everyone has burdens. God gives a church the privilege of ministering to each other.

“Sometimes you don't realize the weight of a burden you've been carrying until you feel the weight of its release.” (Anonymous)

 

The word “burden” in the above verse comes from the Greek word baros. It refers to a weight that is heavy or crushing. The word baros could refer to either a physical or a spiritual problem. This type of pressing burden could be a habitual sin that has plagued you and weighed you down year after year. God may use you to bring real relief and freedom into someone’s situation. Perhaps just providing a listening ear is all that is needed to help that person get through his or her dilemma. Below are ways you can help lift another person’s burden:

Give Grace You may not know the full story of what someone is going through. You can often set opinions based on a snapshot from social media (or some other limited frame of reference). Why not instead simply assume there is more to the situation than you know?

Offer Prayer Prayer is not the least you can do. It is the greatest you can do. When was the last time you prayed for a person you we’re burdened for? Genuinely spend time interceding on their behalf. You may not know the full scope of what they are going through, but the Lord does. Ask the Lord to uphold and help them and to give you opportunity to be a minister of His grace to them.

Reach Out Send a note of encouragement perhaps a letter, e-mail, or a phone call. Rather than talking about someone to others, talk to them about your care and prayer. Ask how you can best pray. Share a word of encouragement. Be a minister of grace with your words to them. Here are some ideas to reach out.

·        Writing encouraging notes is a vital habit for anyone in ministry. It doesn’t need to be a long epistle. Just a few sentences that tell someone you love and appreciate them will uplift their spirit. Writing encouraging notes is a vital habit for anyone in ministry.

·        Practice saying an encouraging word to several people each day. Even a simple comment like, “You are a blessing to me” will encourage and strengthen a heart.

·        Train yourself to pay attention to the small things that others enjoy. Bringing a Sunday school student his favorite candy bar or slipping a restaurant gift card to a young couple are simple gifts that express affirmation and care.

·        Hospitality builds relationships, and relationships bear burdens. Opening your home to others is a form of opening your heart. It says, “I care about you, and I want to be personally involved in encouraging you.”

·        Maybe someone has a burden that you can help with. Could you babysit one afternoon for an overwhelmed mom? Could you mow the lawn for a widow? Could you help an unemployed dad get a job at your company? There’s nothing to lift another’s burden like helping to carry it.

 “Our job is to love people [even] when it hurts, when it's awkward, [and] when it's uncool and embarrassing. Our job is to stand together to carry the burdens of one another, and to meet each other in our questions.” (Jamie Tworkowski) [i]

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[i] Sources used:

·        “5 Ways to Lift the Burdens of Others” By Dr. Paul Chappell

·        “6 Ways to Lift Another’s Load” by Paul Chappell

·        “When to Help Bear Someone Else’s Burden” by Rick Renner

 

Happy

“Nap time is happy hour.” (Anonymous)

As a nation, the U.S. appears to be more sleep deprived. It may be our busy lifestyle that keeps us from napping. Naps do not make up for inadequate or poor quality nighttime sleep. History’s famous nappers include Winston Churchill, John F. Kennedy, Ronald Reagan, Napoleon, Albert Einstein, Thomas Edison, and George W. Bush.  Daytime napping isn’t a lazy habit or just for children or the elderly. It is a great energizer for adults in the mid-afternoon.

More than 85% of mammalian species are polyphasic sleepers, meaning that they sleep for short periods throughout the day. Humans are part of the minority of monophasic sleepers, meaning that our days are divided into two distinct periods, one for sleep and one for wakefulness. It is not clear that this is the natural sleep pattern of humans. Young children and elderly persons nap. Napping is a very important aspect of many cultures. Naps can be divided into three distinct kinds:

·        Planned napping involves taking a nap before you actually get sleepy. You may use this technique when you know that you will be up later than your normal bed time or as a mechanism to ward off getting tired earlier.

·        Emergency napping occurs when you are suddenly very tired and cannot continue with the activity you were originally engaged in. This type of nap can be used to combat drowsy driving or fatigue while using heavy and dangerous machinery.

·        Habitual napping is practiced when a person takes a nap at the same time each day. Young children may fall asleep at about the same time each afternoon or an adult might take a short nap after lunch each day.

A short nap is usually recommended (20-30 minutes) for short-term alertness. This type of nap provides significant benefit for improved alertness and performance without leaving you feeling groggy or interfering with nighttime sleep. Naps can restore alertness, enhance performance, and reduce mistakes and accidents. A study at NASA on sleepy military pilots and astronauts found that a 40-minute nap improved performance by 34% and alertness 100%.

 Your sleep environment can greatly impact your ability to fall asleep. Make sure that you have a restful place to lie down and that the temperature in the room is comfortable. Try to limit the amount of noise heard and the extent of the light filtering in. If you take a nap too late in the day, it might affect your nighttime sleep patterns and make it difficult to fall asleep at your regular bedtime. If you try to take it too early in the day, your body may not be ready for more sleep.

Napping isn't always the best option for everyone. Naps can leave people with sleep inertia, especially when they last more than 10-20 minutes. Sleep inertia is defined as the feeling of grogginess and disorientation that can come with awakening from a deep sleep, which usually only lasts for a few minutes to a half-hour.

Napping can also have a negative effect on other sleeping periods. A long nap or a nap taken too late in the day may adversely affect the length and quality of nighttime sleep. If you have trouble sleeping at night, a nap will only amplify problems. One study has indicated that napping is associated with increased risk of heart failure in people already at risk.

“Taking naps sounds so childish. I prefer to call them horizontal life pauses.” (Anonymous)[i]

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[i] Sources used:

·        “Health Benefits of Napping” Reviewed by Nayana Ambardekar

·        “Napping” by National Sleep Foundation

 

Little Things

“Doing little things with a strong desire to please God makes them really great.” (Saint Francis de Sales)

²³ So no matter what your task is, work hard. Always do your best as the Lord’s servant, not as [men], ²⁴ because you know your reward is the Lord’s inheritance. You serve the Lord, the Anointed One, and ²⁵ anyone who does wrong will be paid his due because He doesn’t play favorites. (Colossians 3:23-25, VOICE)

What great things does God need you to put yourself into doing for Him? He does not place a limitation on what you can achieve.

Though beauty may be in the eye of the beholder, greatness is in the heart of the doer.

What is God’s purpose and will for your life? Are you being obedient to His commands?

God knows how to take a bad situation, and turn it into something good. What you think of yourself during these challenging times (self esteem) is not as important as how God perceives you (God esteem).

Be aware of how God moves in the midnight hour (when circumstances seem the darkest and worst). Praise Him at these times for all He is accomplishing in your life (and the lives of those around you).

And that’s not all. We also celebrate in seasons of suffering because we know that when we suffer we develop endurance, which shapes our characters. When our characters are refined, we learn what it means to hope and anticipate God’s goodness. (Romans 5:3-4, VOICE)

To live on the level God desires for you, think, feel, and behave as though you are already there. Dream big, and have faith God will work it out.

Faith makes us sure of what we hope for and gives us proof of what we cannot see. (Hebrews 11:1, CEV)

 

Look for God’s breakthrough in your challenges. It’s there if you look for it. You are not a prisoner to your circumstances.   The morning is bringing your solution.

His anger lasts for a little while, but then his kindness brings life. The night may be filled with tears, but in the morning we can sing for joy. (Psalm 30:5, ERV)

 “To show great love for God and our neighbor we need not do great things. It is how much love we put in the doing that makes our offering something beautiful for God.” (Mother Teresa) [i]

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[i] Inspired by the sermon “Do Great Things, “Sunday November 17, 2019, Pastor Keenan Smith (of Crosby Church in Crosby, TX), CenterPoint Gahanna Church Gahanna, OH.

Self-Cleaning

“This is a self-cleaning kitchen. Clean up after yourself.” (Anonymous)

While the word "bleach" entered the English language around the year 1050, bleach containing sodium hypochlorite was first manufactured in the U.S. in 1913, for use as an institutional disinfectant and a water treatment. Before that, chemicals such as borax, ammonia and lye were the most common bleaches in the U.S., and bleaches made using chlorine were generally too expensive to manufacture until the 20^th century.

Clorox Chemical, later called the Clorox Company, first gave samples of bleach to consumers for household use in 1922. Since chlorine bleach was faster and more effective than the bleaches people had been using, it quickly became the most popular household bleach (chlorine bleach).

Household bleaches are a part of everyday life and are in nearly every American home usually in more than one form. There are two main classes of household bleach: chlorine bleach and non-chlorine bleach. You can use bleach to remove stains on clothing, to whiten your laundry, or disinfect surfaces in the kitchen and bathroom.

People use chlorine in swimming pools to keep the water clean and raise the pH, and in much smaller concentrations to help keep municipal water supplies free of harmful organisms. Companies sometimes add chlorine bleach to industrial wastewater to reduce odor, and chlorine is used by the glass, chemical, pharmaceutical, textile, agriculture, paint, and paper industries. With its many uses, bleach is a very familiar product to most people. Did you know these other interesting facts (and cleaning ideas) about bleach?

Bleach can be used in the kitchen. Many of you don’t like using bleach in the kitchen. When used properly, this chemical can safely sanitize kitchen surfaces. Just know that most surfaces need to either air-dry or be wiped with water after using bleach on them.

Bleach can help cut flowers last longer. Got some fresh flowers? If they didn’t come with one of those preservative packets, you can make your own. Fill a vase with 1/4 teaspoon of bleach and a quart of water before you add your flowers in. The bleach keeps harmful bacteria from growing in the water.

Bleach disinfects drinking water… After a natural disaster. (Do not start using bleach on a daily basis in your water supply.) You can add 1/8 teaspoon of regular, unscented, liquid household bleach for each gallon of water. Mix it up and let it stand for 30 minutes before you drink it.

Bleach doesn’t mix. It may seem like the perfect ingredient to concoct a super-powered kitchen cleaner, but you should never, ever mix household bleach with other kitchen cleaners especially ones that contain ammonia or acid. Doing so can release toxic fumes that could lead to coughing, nausea, chest pain, and more. You can find ammonia in some glass and window cleaners, paints, and urine (so be careful using bleach on toilet bowls, diaper pails, or pet messes). As a general rule, just don’t ever mix bleach with anything except water.

Bleach expires. As with most cleaning products on the market, the active ingredient in bleach breaks down little by little over time (how quickly this happens depends on many factors including your storage conditions or if you leave the cap off for extended periods of time). This is actually good news for the environment: Given enough time, bleach eventually becomes a mix of mostly salt and water with the remainder of the solution easily broken down in regular sewage treatment facilities.

Brighten stained storage containers. Plastic storage containers can get stained and dingy after holding things like tomato sauce. To lighten the stains, let a mixture of bleach and water (read the package labeling for the proper amounts) sit in the containers for at least 15 minutes, then rinse out and wash as usual.

Clean kitchen floors. To clean laminate floors, mix a solution of 1/2 cup bleach to one gallon water and use it to mop the floors. Let the solution sit for at least five minutes then go over them with clean water and let them dry.

Clean kitchen linens. Laundry is a traditional use for bleach, and here it comes in handy for kitchen towels, oven mitts, aprons, throw rugs, and more. Just launder as usual, but add an extra capful (or whatever the package instructions suggest) of bleach.

Clean plastic furniture. If your molded plastic kitchen chairs are starting to look gross, clean them with bleach: A diluted mixture of bleach and water (following packaging instructions) should remove debris. Then give them a rinse and let them air-dry.

Disinfect garbage disposals. To disinfect your garbage disposal, pour 3/4 cup of bleach down the drain with water while you’re running the garbage disposal.

Disinfect trash containers. Even with effective garbage bags and consistent trash-emptying, your trash can is going to get cruddy after a while. To disinfect it, wipe the insides with a bleach solution, then allow it to dry outside.

Porcelain sinks. If your sink needs brightening, consider filling it with warm water and adding bleach; let it sit for at least 15 minutes, and then drain and rinse it.

Sanitize plastic cutting boards. If you’ve been using your plastic cutting boards for meat, wash and then sanitize them with a diluted bleach mixture (following package instructions; typically up to two teaspoons of bleach per gallon of water) to remove any lingering bacteria.

Sanitize sponges. While it’s best to replace your sponge often, you can de-germ in between changes by soaking it for a few minutes in a solution of 3/4 cup bleach to 1 gallon water, letting it dry before using it.

 “You know you're an adult when you get excited about a new cleaning sponge at the kitchen sink.” (coolfunnyquotes.com)[i]

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[i] Sources used:

·        “10 Surprising Ways You Should Be Using Bleach in the Kitchen” by Ayn-Monique Klahre

·        “5 Things to Know About Bleach in the Kitchen” by Ayn-Monique Klahre

·        “How Bleach Works” by Melissa Sandoval