BOOKSIGNING AT THE HOUSE OF HAIR CUT-A-THON June 8!

SATURDAY JUNE 8 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

The House of Hair's 8th annual CUT-A-THON & FUN FAIR will take place on 437 Broad Street, Meriden, CT  06450.  It will help to support Girls Incorporated of Meriden, and Blue Star Equiculture (draft horse sanctuary and organic farm).  Haircuts are $16, Hair Tinsel $3, Hair Feather $10.

There will be drinks, food, DJ, Drawings, Face Painting, Sand Art, Carriage Rides, and various local vendors!  There will be raffle prizes as well.

I will be selling my book, I WILL STAND, for a discounted rate of $10 (including sales tax) and doing a booksigning.  My daughter Rebecca will also be selling her beautifully created greeting cards, all handcrafted, most at the incredible prices of about $2 to $3 each.

For more information, contact Jennifer at The House of Hair at 203-235-3166.  www.thehouseofhairct.com.

DON'T MISS OUT ON THIS EXCITING EVENT!!!

UPCOMING BOOK SIGNING EVENTS!

Meriden Public Library 11:00 a.m.-12:00 noon Saturday 5/18/13
East Hartford Public Library 3:30 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. Tuesday 5/21/13
Portland Public Library 7 p.m. - 8 p.m. Thursday 6/13/13

Shop Rite in Southington 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday 6/15/13
 

I hope you can make it!  This book is great for the whole family.  It is especially helpful in starting discussions about various topics that make up good and godly character.  It is filled with Scripture, as well as loving encouragement, wisdom and advice that I have gained over the years.  I am confident it will be a personal blessing to you and your family as you make a commitment to do what is right!

Good Attitudes in the Workplace

Ecclesiastes 9:10: "Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest."

Romans 12:11: "Not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord;"

My book, I Will Stand, is a great book for showing a very COMMON SENSE approach to Christianity.  It's where the rubber meets the road when it comes to your faith, and putting feet to your faith in your daily walk.

This morning I had a conversation with someone who was struggling with her job.  It was very stressful, and things were not fair.  She knows life isn't fair, but she had some legitimate concerns over how the boss treats the employees, and how negative the working conditions are at times.  Here are some words of wisdom when you and coworkers are frustrated and really steamed about being treated unfairly.

First of all, vent with someone you know, love, and trust, like a parent or best friend.  Get some things off your chest.  I have written things down on a piece of paper in script form for my boss, and then after a few days went back to it and was able to draw some positives out of it, find some good constructive criticism, and then discard the rest.  Then I was ready to meet with my boss.

After you have vented, make a list of things that you could actually suggest to your boss that might help the situation.  Make sure you have at least one suggestion of what could fix the matter for every complaint you have.  Present them respectfully with the hopes of being heard, understood, and action taken if possible.  Realize that it might not be possible for your requests to be met, or an alternative solution might need to be reached, but at least you gave your input and contributed to the success of the business by having the courage to speak up on behalf of everyone, or yourself, whatever the case may be.

If your boss cannot make things better for you, determine if they are significant or not.  Is it worth getting upset over?  Is it a matter serious enough to you that you would quit your job if they cannot accommodate you?  If so, then quietly start looking for another job that will suit your needs better.  Do not backbite your employer while you are working there.  That shows low class, will discourage and frustrate the other employees, and feed their resentment as well.  Remember...your boss is paying you, so you work for them, and they deserve your loyalty and respect while working there, even if just for the position they hold and not for their integrity and personal character.

While you are at work, whether deciding to stay and make the best of it, or starting to keep your eyes open for another job, do your best, work hard, and maintain a great attitude!  Be on time, and be reliable.  Let it be said of you that you rarely call out sick.  Be someone they would be sorry to lose!  Be a positive person, so that when you come to work, no matter how bad the shift is going to be, the others will be happy knowing that at least they get to work with you!  Maintain a sense of humor!  When I worked in PACU, there were some really funny nurses who knew the secret to good morale - keeping it light with some comedy from time to time.  Not to be obnoxious or loud in front of the patients or customers, but being kind, respectful, polite, a team player, and cracking a little joke from time to time.  It got us through some very stressful times!  You can do that as well.  Be enjoyable!  Make chaos into a good time.  Don't take yourself or the stressors too seriously.  Work through it instead.

Lastly, LEARN from the tough situations and tough people you are working with.  One day you may be interviewing for a really good job, and they may ask you if you have ever experienced challenging customers, coworkers, or job conditions.  How did you handle it?  I've been asked that at an interview, and I wasn't prepared for that question.  I was fortunately able to think of an example, and how I handled it.  You want to look back and know that you handled it well, with poise and grace.  Believe me - it comes back to you!  Don't burn any bridges.  You may need a written recommendation from that same boss you can't stand right now.  If you showed respect, courtesy, and a hard day's work everyday, showed up on time and with a smile on your face, they'll likely write a review that you can feel good about, and may land you that dream job.

God bless you as you strive to be a CHAMPION OF CHARACTER!  Remember that it is Christ we are ultimately working for and trying to please.  When we do that, all of our human interactions will all fall into place.  Ephesians 6:6: "Not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but as the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart."

The HEART of the matter

Micah 6:8: "He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?"

I spoke with someone today who was going through very stressful times.  I asked this gentleman if he had prayed, or if he ever goes to church.  He said that he doesn't, and the reason why is because he is so sick and tired of all the fighting that goes on among religious people.  He gave some examples, that really went along with republicans and conservatives more so than Christians themselves.  However, he also gave instances of church committees and leaders who fight and argue after church, more craziness and stress than this man needed in his already hectic, stress-laden life.

I also recalled my Sunday School lesson I just gave to my class on Sunday.  We are studying the crucifixion, and one of the ironic things we learned about it was the people who hated Jesus were religious people.  They resented the little children who adored Jesus.  They murmured after the people waved palm branches at Jesus, crying, "Hosanna!"  They tried him at night when his beloved followers weren't around to defend him. What was their ultimate motivation for killing Jesus?  Hate.  What did they hate Him?  They were jealous.  They were supposed to be men of God, but they were men of themselves and their own selfish pride, wanting the power over the people, and the adoration as holy men, when in fact they were like nicely painted grave stones with dead men's bones inside.

Religious wars have been responsible for attacks across the globe and even in America.  Do you think it is religion that Jesus gave His life for?  No.  He gave His life for the souls of you and I.  Please don't get distracted by the mess man has made with "religion."  Read the Word of God, which is sacred Scripture, for yourself, and develop a personal relationship with God Almighty, so powerful He spoke the world into existence, and yet so intimate that He hears your whispered prayer.  He will speak to you in a still, small voice, so you have to quiet your life down enough so you can hear Him.  He's not going to shout over your video games, TV shows, music, business, jobs, phone calls, emails, facebook.  Shhhhhh....listen.  Read the Bible and meditate on it in quietness.  Sometimes I try to multitask and listen to the Christian radio station while I read my Bible.  How silly is that?

Remember that the HEART of the matter is each individual person, and showing love to them, and loving them enough to be truthful with them.  I recently spoke about my book at a library, and a friend of mine was there, and when I asked her if I sounded as nervous as I felt, she said, "Sorry, but yes!"  She chuckled, and I felt a little zap.  Where was my encouragement?  Where was my praise for at least having the courage to get up there?  No, she loved me enough to be honest.  I started tearing it apart in my mind, and thought of some things I could have done better.  Next time I'll be ready! 

As frustrated as we may get at the sin all around us, and as shocked as we may be when we hear people twisting the truth into horrible lies that to our dismay and utter disbelief, people are actually buying into, we have to remember that people will know we are Jesus' disciples by our love.

John 13:35: "By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another."

Before you give up on God because you are so distracted with how lousy a job Christians are doing at representing Christ, please meet Him personally. 

Radio Interview about I Will Stand book

WIHS Journal interview, 

aired on May 1-2, 2013

with Paul Kretschmer on 104.9 FM radio.

LINK TO RADIO INTERVIEW:  
https://docs.google.com/file/d/0By3GBdqZscVYOUY1eDJHR1RJWEk/edit?pli=1

Please listen to part 1 and part 2 of my interview with Paul Kretschmer about my book, I Will Stand.  Please contact me if you are interested in a book or a book signing event.  You can also contact Tate Publishing directly for a book, or for more information; see link below.

 http://www.tatepublishing.com/bookstore/book.php?w=9781622954759

REFORM OR TRANSFORM?

Romans 12:1-2: "I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God."

Young person, here is what God's wants from you:

• a living sacrifice.  What does that mean?  It means while you are alive, you should be vibrant, doing the work of the Lord, sacrificing your time, your talent, and your treasure for Him.  Eternal life starts now, not after you're dead!
• a holy life.  Being holy means set apart for His service.  Don't be like the world.  There is nothing less attractive than someone who is straddling a fence.  Be decisive, and proud of Who you serve!  You're on the winning team!  Don't act like the world, and then expect people to listen to you and respect you when you try to tell them about God's love and provision for them.  They'll doubt your loyalties.
• acceptable unto God.  You will be accepted and acceptable to God when you do this.
• reasonable service - it's just reasonable, this is not too much to ask.  We all have the capability of doing what God expects when we are born again.
• Be not conformed to this world. Again, you will lose your edge if you dabble in sin.  Keep it pure!  You will look in the mirror and respect yourself, and others will look up to you as well.  Be confident in who you are in Christ!  That is a very attractive quality!
• We can't do this on our own.  We can't be reformed, but we must be transformed.  How?  By the renewing of our minds.  Read the Word of God, and your faith will increase, and your mind will renew as you look in the mirror of God's Word, the Holy Spirit reveals your sin to you, and you confess it.  Jesus will shape you into a perfect vessel, and you will feel complete, content, and full of joy!  Then God can use you to your fullest capacity, and give you the desires of your heart!
• that good, acceptable and perfect will of God - that is the safest place for you to be.  The world can crumble around you, but you stay in the perfect will of God, and He will protect you and go through all those trials with you.  Don't despair - you are not alone when you draw near to God.  He will draw near to you. 

"Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord and He shall lift you up."  James 4:10.  Come to Him with a humble heart, and pray and ask God to work a mighty work in your life.  That is my prayer for you today!