Life

Will Longer Skirts Protect Our Daughters?

Lori Harding
12 Jul 2013
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Not too long ago the headlines read “Victoria’s Secret to Target Tweens.” There has been a wave of response to this story. The majority of folks have voiced protest over the controversial direction Victoria’s Secret is taking by targeting a younger demographic. We have seen this tactic used in countless campaigns including tobacco and movies. Reel in the younger audience and they are yours for life. It is effective. It works. I do not have a bone to pick with the marketing plan. It is simple and it makes money. Maybe I am a bit naive but I really do […]

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Blind Spots

Dr. John Hawkins
11 Jul 2013
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Most people have experienced driving their cars and not seeing another car in their blind spot. The result can range from a startling surprise to a disastrous wreck. My car has a small mirror within each outside side mirror to show anyone in the blind spot. I can see the reality of what is rather than what I think the reality is. Likewise we all have blind spots about ourselves. Things we just don’t see about our character and how we interact with others. The results of these blind spots can range from surprising to downright disastrous in our relationships. […]

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401K Advice

Jeff Masters
10 Jul 2013
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According to a recent survey by the Employee Benefit Research Institute, only 13% of workers are “very confident” about having enough savings for a comfortable retirement (confidence study, EBRI March 2011). The demise of traditional pensions or other employer-sponsored retirement plans has caused workers to rely solely on their 401K to build a retirement nest egg. Labor statistics show that the average American will hold 11 jobs between the ages of 18 and 44, and many sadly fritter away their retirement savings in between jobs. According to a Hewitt Associates survey of employees who changed jobs, 46 percent cashed their […]

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Spending Quality Time with Your Kids

Madison Iszler
5 Jul 2013
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Every person knows that the actions of their parents or caretakers shaped the adult they grew into , impacting them either positively or negatively forever. Summer is a wonderful opportunity to spend time with your children – encouraging, mentoring and loving them. Are you looking for fun new ways to spend quality time with your kids? Continue reading for creative ways to share life with your children. Reading The importance of encouraging your child to read is a crucial factor in determining their success in school and beyond. Instilling a need to read, both for pleasure and educational purposes, is […]

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Summer Fitness Ideas

Mickey Cohen
3 Jul 2013
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Summertime affords lots of fun and exciting things to do outdoors, preferably in the early morning or early evening. Do so with these fun fitness ideas: Jump rope Burn approximately 11-14 calories a minute with this full body workout: singles, doubles, one-legged, high-knees, running, three-person combos (one in the middle). Running/Jogging/Walking/ Hiking The whole family can do this workout together. Depending on your size and workout intensity, your body will burn approximately 70-120 calories per mile. Find a nice beach, trail or park. Stay hydrated by drinking from your water bottle every five minutes. Bicycle Riding Burn 270-800 calories per […]

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This Thing Called Love

Caroline Navega
2 Jul 2013
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“I think that possibly, maybe, I’ve fallen for you…” As the song played in the background of the quaint Italian coffee shop, people ordered their café lattes and pastries, walking mindlessly past the young couple. To the passersby, they were two regular people having coffee — nothing noteworthy. That’s a fair judgment, though, seeing as how they felt the same way. “No one understands me quite like you do…” The song kept on, as though hand-picked for the scene, fitting perfectly as they sipped their lattes and let their eyes do all the talking. The only words that seemed to […]

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It’s Not Me It’s You

Tullian Tchividjian
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The Bible makes it clear that self-righteousness is the premier enemy of the Gospel. And there is perhaps no group of people who better embody the sin of self-righteousness in the Bible than the Pharisees. In fact, Jesus reserved his harshest criticisms for them, calling them whitewashed tombs and hypocrites. Surprisingly to some, this demonstrates that the thing that gets in the way of our love for God and a deep appreciation of his grace is not so much our unrighteous badness but our self-righteous goodness. In Surprised by Grace: God’s Relentless Pursuit of Rebels, I retell the story of […]

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Summer Priorities for Parents

Brody Howell
10 Jun 2013
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The heat is on! Which means that summer has arrived. As parents, you are now faced with the daunting task of figuring out what to do with your kids during what will seem like endless days for you and fast paced days for the kids. Now that the kids are out of school, it is no easy task trying to figure out how to fill their time and keep them busy without destroying the house, trashing the back yard and hanging the cat upside down from the tree while you are at work. Are there enough activities during the day, […]

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The Gospel > Complementarianism

Lori Harding
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If you are like me, you are probably wondering what in the world the word complementarianism means! If you looked for it in your Bible you would not find it. In fact, it is not in my dictionary or spell check. Many words we use today do not appear in the Bible and yet they do reflect truths and principles from the Bible. Male and female roles If I had to “label” my understanding of male and female as God created them I would say I am complementarian. But here is the deal. If you would have asked me about […]

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Father’s Day Gifts Your Dad Actually Wants

Rick Deal
9 Jun 2013
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Father’s Day is just around the corner, and we all struggle with trying to find the right gift for dad. The tie is too cliché, so what should you get him instead? The real challenge is finding a gift that your father will enjoy and actually use, so here we have a list of items that the patriarch of your household probably already wants. Keep in mind that no two fathers are exactly the same, so not everything on this list will be right for everyone. Read through, use your judgment and find what your dad is really is really […]

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