Wednesday, December 30, 2009

Children and Holidays

Change the holidays and make memories not just free time. I have noticed that there are a large number of children left to roam around on the holidays without direction. Left on their own, these children often become injured and get into trouble. Bake cookies, making playdough animals, making memory books, teach them positive group games [cards, jump rope], go to the library and check out books together. Read together. Let them read to you or you read your favorites to them. Build positive memories they will never forget. Time slips bye quickly for everyone. Make the best of your holidays.
Holidays are a good time to discuss your family roots. Without a good foundation everything falls down. It is nice to go over the holiday pictures or get out old pictures and tell stories of what you did when you were little remember people in your life. Talk about your favorite aunt. Establish a sense of belonging. Telling them about their heritage will make them proud to be a member of your family! Sharing your positive past experiences as a child or young adult will help you get close to your children in a positive manner. Sharing is a way to build trust and it will pay off when they get older!

Thursday, December 10, 2009

Child Safe Play Dough and Glitter



Katheryn sent this recipe in for parents who are wondering what to do with the children on break from school due to the holidays. She stated that eatable play dough was always a big hit in her home. She also has added eatable glitter for topping. She stated that the children used their creativity and there was never concern about them putting the dough into their mouth. Give it  try...

Play Dough
INGREDIENTS:
2 c. flour
1 c. salt
4 Tbsp. Cream of Tarter
2 c. boiling water
1 Tbsp of cooking oil
3 oz. Pkg. Sugar-free fruit flavored gelatin
DIRECTIONS:
Mix dry ingredients in pan. Add the water and oil and stir over medium heat until the mixture forms a ball. Pour out onto a sheet of wax paper. Wait until it cools then play. Store in the fridge.

Salt Glitter
INGREDIENTS:
1/2-cup salt
6-7 drops food coloring
DIRECTIONS:
After you add the food coloring, check to see if it is the desired shade. If not add more salt. Cook in
the microwave 1-2 minutes. If you prefer, you can air dry the product. Store in airtight container.

Saturday, November 21, 2009

Onions and the Flu

Received this interesting tip in the E-mail. Mary sent this in about a way to fight bacteria in your home. Thought it wouldn't hurt to try and see if it works.Nice if it is true and not expensive to try! According to Mary, she heard this story from her hairdresser in AZ.

In 1919 when the flu killed 40 million people there was this Doctor that visited the many farmers to see if he could help them combat the flu. Many of the farmers and their family had contracted it and many died. The Doctor came upon this one farmer and to his surprise, everyone was very healthy. When the Doctor asked what the farmer was doing that was different the wife replied that she had placed an unpeeled onion in a dish in the rooms of the home, (probably only two rooms back then). The doctor couldn't believe it and asked if he could have one of the onions and place it under the microscope. She gave him one and when he did this, he did find the flu virus in the onion. It obviously absorbed the bacteria, therefore, keeping the family healthy.

Item 34246 - If this cure works maybe you should get these fine gardening tool sets and start growing onions! Cool gift idea available @ http://www.jams09.com/

The hairdresser said that several years ago many of her employees were coming down with the flu and so were many of her customers. The next year she placed several bowls with onions around in her shop. To her surprise, none of her staff got sick. It must work. (And no, she is not in the onion business.) The moral of the story is, buy some onions and place them in bowls around your home. If you work at a desk, place one or two in your office or under your desk or even on top somewhere. Try it and see what happens. We did it last year and we never got the flu. If this helps you and your loved ones from getting sick, all the better. If you do get the flu, it just might be a mild case. Whatever, what have you to lose? Just a few bucks on onions!

Saturday, October 31, 2009

MSG information sent in by Carol

This letter sent in is a call to action for the general public. Item 12234 - Novelty Eight Ball Phone is available at 20% off on the website: http:www.jams09.com and perfect to make that important call.


Carol sent in this E-mail about MSG written by Benny Halevy. I do not know if it is merely a publicity article for the book written, but am personally allergic to MSG and know it is tough not to eat.

The note was written on Monday, October 05, 2009
According to the article MSG, a slow poison and he sites information from a book written by John Erb, "The Slow Poisioning of America" as proof. According to Benny, the food additive MSG (Mono-Sodium Glutamate) is a slow poison. MSG hides behind 25 or more names, such as Natural Flavoring." MSG is even in your favorite coffee from Tim Horton's and Starbucks coffee shops!

Benny Writes: I wondered if there could be an actual chemical causing the massive obesity epidemic, and so did a friend of mine, John Erb. He was a research assistant at the University of Waterloo in Ontario, Canada, and spent years working for the government. He made an amazing discovery while going through scientific journals for a book he was writing called The Slow Poisoning of America. In hundreds of studies around the world, scientists were creating obese mice and rats to use in diet or diabetes test studies. No strain of rat or mice is naturally obese, so scientists have to create them. They make these creatures morbidly obese by injecting them with MSG when they are first born.The MSG triples the amount of insulin the pancreas creates, causing rats (and perhaps humans) to become obese. They even have a name for the fat rodents they create: "MSG-Treated Rats."

When I heard this, I was shocked. I went into my kitchen and checked the cupboards and the refrigerator. MSG was in everything -- the Campbell's soups, the Hostess Doritos, the Lays flavored potato chips, Top Ramen, Betty Crocker Hamburger Helper, Heinz canned gravy, Swanson frozen prepared meals, and Kraft salad dressings, especially the "healthy low-fat" ones. The items that didn't have MSG marked on the product label had something called "Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein," which is just another name for Monosodium Glutamate. It was shocking to see just how many of the foods we feed our children everyday are filled with this stuff. MSG is hidden under many different names in order to fool those who read the ingredient list, so that they don't catch on. (Other names for MSG are "Accent, "Aginomoto," "Natural Meat Tenderizer," etc.)But it didn't stop there.

When our family went out to eat, we started asking at the restaurants what menu items contained MSG. Many employees, even the managers, swore they didn't use MSG. But when we ask for the ingredient list, which they grudgingly provided, sure enough, MSG and Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein were everywhere. Burger King, McDonald's, Wendy's, Taco Bell, and every restaurant – even the sit-down eateries like TGIF, Chili's, and Applebee’s, and Denny's -- use MSG in abundance. Kentucky Fried Chicken seemed to be the WORST offender: MSG was in every chicken dish, salad dressing. And gravy. No wonder I loved to eat that coating on the skin -- their secret spice was MSG!So why is MSG in so many of the foods we eat? Is it a preservative, or a vitamin?

Not according to my friend John Erb. In his book "The Slow Poisoning of America," he said that MSG is added to food for the addictive effect it has on the human body. Even the propaganda website sponsored by the food manufacturers lobby group supporting MSG explains that the reason they add it to food is to make people eat more. A study of the elderly showed that older people eat more of the foods that it is added to. The Glutamate Association lobbying group says eating more is a benefit to the elderly, but what does it do to the rest of us? "Bet you can't eat [just] one," takes on a whole new meaning where MSG is concerned! And we wonder why the nation is overweight! MSG manufacturers themselves admit that it addicts people to their products. It makes people choose their product over others, and makes people eat more of it than they would if MSG wasn't added.Not only is MSG scientifically proven to cause obesity, it is an addictive substance. Since its introduction into the American food supply fifty years ago, MSG has been added in larger and larger doses to the re-packaged meals, soups, snacks, and fast foods we are tempted to eat everyday. The FDA has set no limits on how much of it can be added to food. They claim it's safe to eat in any amount. But how can they claim it's safe when there are hundreds of scientific studies with titles like these: "The monosodium glutamate (MSG) obese rat as a model for the study of exercise in obesity." Gobatto CA, Mello MA, Souza CT, Ribeiro IA. Res Commun Mol Pathol Pharmacol. 2002. "Adrenalectomy abolishes the food-induced hypothalamic serotonin release in both normal and monosodium glutamate-obese rats." Guimaraes RB, Telles MM, Coelho VB, Mori C, Nascimento CM, Ribeiro. Brain Res Bull. 2002 Aug.'Obesity induced by neonatal monosodium glutamate treatment in spontaneously hypertensive rats: An animal model of multiple risk factors." Iwase M, Yamamoto M, Iino K, Ichikawa K, Shinohara N, Yoshinari Fujishima. Hypertens Res. 1998 Mar. "Hypothalamic lesion induced by injection of monosodium glutamate in suckling period and subsequent development of obesity." Tanaka K, Shimada M, Nakao K Kusunoki. Exp Neurol. Oct 1978. No, the date of that last study was not a typo; it was published in 1978. Both the "medical research community" and "food manufacturers" have known about the side effects of MSG for decades. Many more of the studies mentioned in John Erb's book link MSG to diabetes, migraines and headaches, autism, ADHD, and even Alzheimer's. So what can we do to stop the food manufactures from dumping this fattening and addictive MSG into our food supply and causing the obesity epidemic we now see?

Several months ago, John Erb took his book and his concerns to one of the highest government health officials in Canada. While he was sitting in the government office, the official told him, "Sure, I know how bad MSG is. I wouldn't touch the stuff." But this top-level government official refuses to tell the public what he knows. The big media doesn't want to tell the public either, fearing issues with their advertisers. It seems that the fallout on the fast food industry may hurt their profit margin. The food producers and restaurants have been addicting us to their products for years, and now we are paying the price for it. Our children should not be cursed with obesity caused by an addictive food additive. But what can I do about it? I'm just one voice! What can I do to stop the poisoning of our children, while our governments are insuring financial protection for the industry that is poisoning us?This message is going out to everyone I know in an attempt to tell you the truth that the corporate-owned politicians and media won't tell you. The best way you can help save yourself and your children is to forward this article to everyone. With any luck, it will circle the globe before politicians can pass the legislation protecting those who are poisoning us. The food industry can learned a lot from the tobacco industry. Imagine if big tobacco had a bill like this in place before someone blew the whistle on nicotine?

If you are one of the few who can still believe that MSG is good for us and you don't believe what John Erb has to say, see for yourself. Go to the National Library of Medicine at www.pubmed.com. Type in the words "MSG Obese" and read a few of the 115 medical studies that appear. We the public do not want to be rats in one giant experiment, and we do not approve of food that makes us into a nation of obese, lethargic, addicted sheep, feeding the food industry's bottom line while waiting for the heart transplant, the diabetic-induced amputation, blindness, or other obesity-induced, life-threatening disorders.With your help we can put an end to this poison. Do your part in sending this message out by word of mouth, e-mail, or by distribution of this printout to your friends all over the world and stop this "Slow Poisoning of Mankind" by the packaged food industry. It is our responsibility to get the word out and blow the whistle on MSG.
Benny Halevy

Monday, October 26, 2009

In honor of women's history month & in memory of Erma Bombeck, writer.

If I Had My Life to Live Over

By: Erma Bombeck

· I would have gone to bed when I was sick instead of pretending the earth would go into a holding pattern if I weren't there for the day.

· I would have burned the pink candle sculpted like a rose before it melted in storage.

· I would have talked less and listened more.

· I would have invited friends over to dinner even if the carpet was stained, or the sofa faded.

· I would have eaten the popcorn in the 'good' living room and worried much less about the dirt when someone wanted to light a fire in the fireplace.

· I would have taken the time to listen to my grandfather ramble about his youth.

· I would have shared more of the responsibility carried by my husband.

· I would never have insisted the car windows be rolled up on a summer day because my hair had just been teased and sprayed.

· I would have sat on the lawn with my grass stains.

· I would have cried and laughed less while watching television and more while watching life.

· I would never have bought anything just because it was practical, wouldn't show soil, or was guaranteed to last a lifetime.

· Instead of wishing away nine months of pregnancy, I'd have cherished every moment and realized that the wonderment growing inside me was the only chance in life to assist God in a miracle.

· When my kids kissed me impetuously, I would never have said, 'Later, now go get washed up for dinner.' There would have been more 'I love yours' More 'I'm sorry.”

· But mostly, given another shot at life, I would seize every minute, look at it and really see it? Live it and never give it back. Stop sweating the small stuff! Don't worry about who doesn't like you, who has more, or who's doing what. Cherish the relationships we have, with those who do love us.


Item 12233 Novelty Phone available at http://www.jams09.com/

Monday, October 19, 2009

A Common Sense Approach to Virus Infections



Received an E-mail from an unknown doctor passing on this common sense advice regarding the dreaded H1N1 virus that actually applies to most virus infections so I am adding it to my blog. If anyone has another suggestion, feel free to comment. ‘First everyone needs to remember there are only two points of entry [1] the mouth and [2] the nose. So, while you are still healthy and not showing any symptoms of H1N1 infection, some very simple steps, not fully highlighted in most official communications, can be practiced to follow a common sense methods of prevention:
1. Frequent hand washing (well highlighted in all official communications).
2. Keep your Hands-off-your-face. Resist all temptations to touch any part of face (unless you want to eat, bathe or slap).
3. Gargle twice a day with warm salt water (use Listerine if you don't trust salt). *H1N1 takes 2-3 days after initial infection in the throat/ nasal cavity to proliferate and show characteristic symptoms. Simple gargling prevents proliferation. In a way, gargling with salt water has the same effect on a healthy individual that Tami flu has on an infected one. Don't underestimate this simple, inexpensive and powerful preventative method.
4. Clean your nostrils at least once every day with warm salt water. *Not everybody may be good at Yoga asana to clean nasal cavities, but *blowing the nose hard once a day and swabbing both nostrils with cotton buds dipped in warm salt water is very effective in bringing down viral population.
5. Boost your natural immunity with foods that are rich in Vitamin C and other citrus fruits. If you have to supplement with Vitamin C tablets, make sure that it also has Zinc to boost absorption.
6. Drink as much of warm liquids (tea, coffee, etc) as you can. *Drinking warm liquids has the same effect as gargling, but in the reverse direction. They wash off proliferating viruses from the throat into the stomach where they cannot survive, proliferate or do any harm.
I suggest you pass this on to your entire E-list. You never know 20 who might pay attention to it - and STAY ALIVE because of it.’

Sunday, October 11, 2009

100 Years From Now


There is a poem that is hanging on most caseworkers cubicles or counselors offices that sums up how caseworkers feel about children and families. It is a part of the Kessinger Collection and was written by a child named Ryan. You can get more children's writing and sayings contacting http://lynnkessinger.com/ called 100 Years From Now.

The poem essentially states that a person can be rich, can have a big car, a large home, lots of servants and all of the things that money can buy, but in 100 years what that rich person does now will not matter to the world. Ryan tells it like it is, the only thing that will matter 100 years from now is how we treat our children and others children. The children are the future of the human race.

Wednesday, October 7, 2009

Exploring “Normal Development”

Every State has a Department of Education where folks can go to and get a Chart of “Normal Development.” Most charts are essentially the same. They are broken down into age groups and explore educational goals for learning. There are also some important emotional and social skills associated with the educational system required of students that are also discussed. By getting this listing, a parent can make an educated guess as to the progress their child is making toward what is considered “Normal Development.” Needless to say, sometimes the skills a child learns at school is not followed up on at home because the structure they are provided at school is also not consistent with the home atmosphere. As a teacher, I cannot tell you how many times a parent would come into the parent-teacher conference and beg me to tell their son or daughter to behave at home. Parenting skill training is available through various social service agencies and can assist in the development of parental skill building necessary to help a child grow cognitively, emotionally and socially fit. Some of the classes can be obtained for no or low cost. Most of society would prefer that a parent admit when they need help and seek it instead of having a horrific accident occur to the child before they admit they needed help! If raised properly, a child’s social skills by the time he or she is at age six include: the ability to choose their own friends, play simple table games, become involved in group activity, help others make decisions by offering on-topic suggestions including helping others make team assignments, and practice fair play. The parent who is unaware may believe, because their child of six has all this ability, that child can be left alone to fend for themselves. They hand them a key for the pool, a baseball or basketball and head for the T.V. Many children left on their own, called "latch key kids", have gotten into trouble or killed due to lack of supervision. It is not uncommon for children to drown unsupervised. It is also not uncommon for a child to be killed by someone backing out of their driveway. These accidents are easily avoidable with adult supervision.

Monday, October 5, 2009

Toddlers safety



By the time baby is one year old or when he/she starts walking, parents need to be on the alert to be sure exploration is safe. Once baby moves things around, pull themselves up, and manipulate simple mechanisms, they could easily open a door, pull out plugs, and pick up telephones, open and close bottle lids then drink nauseous things. Dangerous items are easy to see if you lie on the floor and look. But don’t forget to move mop buckets, paint cans and other toxic items out of baby’s reach. As baby continues to grow and explore, they touch everything, bang, shaking and tear things. They need watching or your curtains will come tumbling down. Babies enjoy walking, climbing, scribbling, pulling and dumping things and a sand box is great fun when supervised. Parents need to stay alert and provide safe toys for baby to explore and learn with. Create an area for baby in each room where he/she can find a variety of soft different textured toys, bottles with lids safe to take off, plastic containers with safe food to enjoy, a ball that baby can toss, and a heavy cardboard book to turn pages. Baby needs to be monitored 24/7 and when parents need a rest be sure a baby sitter or day care worker is watching baby stay. Parents in a panic Click Here! 

Thursday, October 1, 2009

Baby Safety 4-6 months


Babies continue to explore and grow during the first 6 months. Baby needs to be placed in a safe area to roll at about 4 months of age. Teeth start popping out now as well. Baby needs understanding when he/she is miserable. Cool damp cloth, teething rings, or numbing agents available over-the-counter can assist in stopping the pain. Baby needs a soft landing when he/she falls backward when at 5 months, they start to sit up then fall down. Baby loves to toss toys by age 6 months and needs things that will not be damaged when tossed. Preferably an area safe to toss items in as well so he/she will not damage anything of value and cause unhappiness. A playpen filled with soft toys is a good example. Parents need to upgrade their child proofing because baby is cruising, creeping, and crawling to explore by 6 months of age. Baby opens cabinets close to the floor, reaches up to grab things, and he/she might easily pull down dangerous items on top of themselves or crawl into things if not supervised. Babies enjoy looking at themselves in the mirror at this age too. Baby babbles, transfers objects from hand to hand, and puts everything into their mouth. Anything small needs to be moved out of reach. Baby needs to be given safe finger foods to consume and watched to be sure they safely chew their food and do not choke.

Tuesday, September 29, 2009

Raising a Newborn


As a parent, one of the first responsibilities is to keep your children safe. Everyday of your child’s life will be full of growing, changing and learning. Protection starts before they are born. Once they have arrived in the world, newborns need to be placed in a safe environment, fed, turned frequently, kept warm, and observed to be certain that they are adequately eating, sleeping and breathing. Newborns are totally dependent upon adults for their survival. Newborns should be interacted with and stimulated to grow up strong. Newborns need to be supported when lifted because their head is not fully formed. Newborns begin to explore the crib, gain control of their arm and leg movements, and learn how their fingers work during the first three months of their life. Their bottle should be fed in your arms to provide them proper nutrition, Bottles propped up on objects can cause damage to the teeth and middle ear due to improper drainage. Babies need an interactive parent who talks to them, laughs, sings and hugs them while they eat and explore everything with their eyes.

Sunday, September 27, 2009

The Flour Sack sent in by Colleen

IN THAT LONG AGO TIME WHEN THINGS WERE SAVED, WHEN ROADS WERE GRAVELED AND BARRELS WERE STAVED,  WHEN WORN-OUT CLOTHING WAS USED AS RAGS,
AND THERE WERE NO PLASTIC WRAP OR BAGS, AND THE WELL AND THE PUMP WERE WAY OUT BACK, A VERSATILE ITEM, WAS THE FLOUR SACK.

PILLSBURY'S BEST, MOTHER'S, AND GOLD MEDAL, TOO. STAMPED THEIR NAMES PROUDLY IN PURPLE AND BLUE.THE STRING SEWN ON TOP WAS PULLED AND KEPT; THE FLOUR EMPTIED AND SPILLS WERE SWEPT. THE BAG WAS FOLDED AND STORED IN A SACK THAT DURABLE, PRACTICAL FLOUR SACK.

THE SACK COULD BE FILLED WITH FEATHERS AND DOWN, FOR A PILLOW, OR T'WOULD MAKE A NICE SLEEPING GOWN. IT COULD CARRY A BOOK AND BE A SCHOOL BAG,
OR BECOME A MAIL SACK SLUNG OVER A NAG. IT MADE A VERY CONVENIENT PACK,
THAT ADAPTABLE, COTTON FLOUR SACK.

BLEACHED AND SEWN, IT WAS DUTIFULLY WORN AS BIBS, DIAPERS, OR KERCHIEF ADORNED. IT WAS MADE INTO SKIRTS, BLOUSES AND SLIPS. AND MOM BRAIDED RUGS FROM ONE HUNDRED STRIPS. SHE MADE RUFFLED CURTAINS FOR THE HOUSE OR SHACK, FROM THAT HUMBLE BUT TREASURED FLOUR SACK!

AS A STRAINER FOR MILK OR APPLE JUICE, TO WAVE MEN IN, IT WAS A VERY GOOD USE, AS A SLING FOR A SPRAINED WRIST OR A BREAK, TO HELP MOTHER ROLL UP A JELLY CAKE, AS A WINDOW SHADE OR TO STUFF A CRACK, WE USED A STURDY, COMMON FLOUR SACK!

AS DISH TOWELS, EMBROIDERED OR NOT, THEY COVERED UP DOUGH, HELPED PASS PANS SO HOT, TIED UP DISHES FOR NEIGHBORS IN NEED, AND FOR MEN OUT IN THE FIELD TO SEED. THEY DRIED DISHES FROM PAN, NOT RACK THAT ABSORBENT, HANDY FLOUR SACK!

WE POLISHED AND CLEANED STOVE AND TABLE, SCOURED AND SCRUBBED FROM CELLAR TO GABLE, WE DUSTED THE BUREAU AND OAK BED POST, MADE COSTUMES FOR OCTOBER (A SCARY GHOST) AND A PARACHUTE FOR A CAT NAMED JACK.
FROM THAT LOWLY, USEFUL OLD FLOUR SACK!

Irish View of Worry

In life, there are only two things to worry about—
Either you are well or you are sick.
If you are well, there is nothing to worry about,
But if you are sick, there are two things to worry about—
Either you will get well or you will die.
If you get well, there is nothing to worry about,              
 But if you die, there are only two things to worry about—
Either you will go to heaven or hell
.If you go to heaven, there is nothing to worry about.   
   And if you go to hell, you’ll be so busy shaking hands
 with all your friends you won’t have time to worry

Sunday, September 20, 2009

My Role as a Citizen of Earth











As the member of the earthly family, I am a part of the community
and dependent on Earth for survival, I have a big task. I will seek 
guidance from my family and keep our guiding principles. 
Happiness is something I will decide on ahead of time. I will
walk with dignity, honor and humility. I will maintain the knowledge 
of my culture, remember the ceremonies, and sing the songs 
handed  down from generations so that I may pass these on to 
future generations. I will think  about what kind of person I want
to be and start developing myself now  to become this person. 
Happiness does not depend on the  little things that happen. 
Happiness depends on what I think about my life and situation. 
I cannot live my life as a "victim" in denial and isolation. I will not
resort to be a "Critic" and live my life in anger. I refuse to be a
"bystander" watching my life slips away while I survive with 
bargaining and live in depression. I will choose to be the 
"Navigator" at the helm of my ship and accept what life gives me.
In my mind, I have already decided to have happiness and plan 
to educate myself so I will remain  positive, develop a good
sense of humor and learn to laugh with others everyday. My 
grandma used to tell me that every day she lived  was a  "Gift" 
and she intended to make the best use of it. I will follow her path
and remember life is a gift and as long as my eyes open I will 
focus on each new day unfolding as if it were the first time I ever 
saw it, or the last thing I will ever see. I will remember all of the 
happy memories I can share with family members for 
generations to come when I live another day.  I choose to do all 
these things myself; because no one else can do them for me it 
is a decision I make every morning when I wake up. I will never 
forget to pray for guidance asking my Creator to make me open 
to whatever nature teaches. I will become a great asset to my 
family, my community, my Earth and myself. 



Friday, September 18, 2009

Raising Children



Children need to play, have fun and grow up in a safe place they can trust. They also need guidance to grow strong and wise. Parents need to prepare their youth for life. The most important thing anyone can give a child is time. Positive time helps children learn about order, acceptance & understand their importance. Just knowing someone will listen to them is important. Instill in them a spiritual belief and teach children to pray. They need to learn the importance of respect, and have the feeling of belonging to something bigger than themselves. In today's world it is easy for children to go astray, so parents need to work to provide positive alternatives for them, teach them family heritage, encourage education, encourage sports, offer encouragement & guidance; but mostly serve as a strong role model of what they can become as a responsible adult.  

Thursday, September 17, 2009

Tuesday, September 15, 2009

Role of the Mother


The cycle of life for the woman begins as the baby, girl, woman, wife, mother and grandmother. Woman has been blessed by nature to reproduce life, the most sacred of all things. Because of this gift, all men should treat women with dignity and respect. With the gift of reproduction, the Creator gave women the responsibility for bringing up and protecting the new life they bring into the world. Life is sacred, the woman is the foundation of the family and she needs help to create a home atmosphere of respect, security and harmony. A mother knows that she is the one  who must model compassion, love and understanding for her family to succeed. Her job is one of endless toil from morning to night. Mothers need to pray everyday for guidance and assistance to to walk with dignity and spirituality in order to nurture her family providing food, learning, comfort and love so her husband and children can fulfill the purpose of their lives. She must walk her road with honor and dedication, so that her family and others can see that it can be done & will follow. A mother’s work is truly never done as she is the cog in each family members wheels. 

Sunday, September 13, 2009

Role of the Father



The cycle of life for a man begins as the baby, boy, man, husband, father and ends as a grandfather. As a man, a father knows that there is no gain without learning. He sets the path of his family and helps to mold the families cultural, spiritual & historical life. A father understands that without purpose & strong roots his family will fail. He is at the helm of the family ship and needs to see to it that the family succeeds by providing traditional & spiritual values that have guided his past generations. A father needs to walk with dignity & spirituality in order to fulfill the teachings & purpose of the lives that the Creator has made him responsible for. If his family is going to flourish, father needs to set his eyes on the ways that are important. He must commit to walk the way of his family culture & “be the best that he can be.” Each day, he must pray for strength & guidance to strengthen his family unit & community. A father is the holder of the family faith, the head of the house, and keeper of the family traditions. He must walk the road with honor & dedication, so that his family and others can see that it can be done & will follow him.

Saturday, September 12, 2009

Primitive Man


Since the beginning of time, man has searched for the meaning of his/her existence. Man not unlike animal joined groups learned to communicate, satisfied their basic needs, and then begin to ponder about the meaning of things; just like you and me. They wondered about their little ones and began to form traditions for their group. They enjoyed the daylight, the warmth, and personalized the sun that provided them light. They bow down before the Sun God and made offerings. Eventually, they learned to make fire to “light their way through the darkness” and develop behavioral patterns for their families. Light still remains part of most religious ceremonies and family celebrations. The idea of Man “Coming forth from the Darkness into the Light” symbolizes Prophecy, Revelation, and the “Wisdom of the Ages.”

Friday, September 11, 2009

Contributing to the World Community

Community is a part of our family. It provides a sense of belonging, a place for socializing, somewhere to immerse in culture, language, religion & meet with friends & extended family members. Elders teach children to honor themselves & other in the community. Honoring himself or herself honors everyone. Children need to learn to give back to the community by donating time & talents whenever possible. By cultivating friendships with other men, women & children each person shows mutual support & strength for the community as a whole. Every community decision affects generations now & in the future. It is important children realize each man, woman, & child’s actions will improve or destroy our common inherited communities. Teaching children to care about the community helps them stay free of alcohol, drugs and depression. One day with education, our communities will forever be free of violence. Children modeling good behavior will teach their young & when others see that it can be done, they will follow and eventually our Earthly residence will be a safe community treated with respect by everyone.

Thursday, September 10, 2009

The Family Unit

Family is a place where learning begins. Children mimic adult behavior. Knowing this, each adult should realize the importance of acting responsibly in order to build & nurture a strong & balanced family unit. If families are successful, their members will be surrounded with strong moral fiber & have positive mental health for generations to come. Each family member is accountable to restore the strength of the family unit everyday. Members need to work together to nurture their family's spiritual, cultural, mental & physical well being. By demonstrating trust, respect, honor, discipline & being consistent in their actions & words. parents build a strong foundation for the family as a whole. Strong families understand the important role grandparents & community members play in the development of the family. Each individual needs to be reminded that their actions have direct impact on the family unit. Working together is fundamental to healthy development of a strong family life and a grand adventure in their lifetime.

Teaching Respect for the Earth


The Earth is a living entity. Earth is the source of all life, & part of every family. We must learn to model after the Earth, man’s greatest teacher. If we learn to listen, observe & respect the Earth, we will live in harmony together. The Earth will recycle the things we consume & make them available to our children. All of us must learn how to care for the Earth so it will be there for the future generations of plants and creatures: two-legged, four- legged, winged ones or human beings. The Earth does not belong to us individually, but we belong to the Earth. The natural law is the ultimate authority & we must learn to treat Earth with the honor & respect it deserves as it is interconnected with all things. Earth will only ensure that the land, water, and air will be intact for my children and for my children's children-the unborn if we protect it. We need to pay respect to the Earth as part of our family & community; our life depends upon it.