Activated Carbon/Charcoal Air Filters: How Long Do They Really Last?

That's a great question. A lot of air purifiers/air cleaners have activated carbon filters to help remove chemicals, odors, smoke, etc, and sometimes it's hard to tell if it's still working or not or exactly when you need to change them. The manufacturers usually give a suggested time frame for changing the filters, but then state that how long an activated carbon filter lasts really depends on the amount of pollutants in the area, which is a little confusing.

A good rule of thumb is to change out all filters, HEPA and activated carbon/charcoal filters once per year, especially if you're really sensitive to indoor air pollution. If you're extremely sensitive, don't take a chance-change your filters any time symptoms even begin to reappear.

For the rest of us that may not be able to tell if we're really sensitive or not, but still want a better idea of how long our activated carbon/charcoal filters last and really when to change them, there is a way to 'test' it-by how well it is still removing odors and smells.

Military grade carbon in gas masks, and in good carbon/charcoal air purifier filters work by absorbing or attracting airborne chemical residues in the air. And since odors and smells also come from airborne chemical molecules and residues, if an activated carbon/charcoal filter in your air purifier is still working well, it should be able to mostly or completely remove an odor or smell in a matter of minutes, right?

So, one way to 'test' your activated carbon/charcoal air filter is to put your air purifier either in the kitchen after you've finished cooking, making coffee, or spray a little air freshener or cologne into the air around you, then turn the air purifier on high for 15 minutes or so. If the smell goes away completely or is very noticeably reduced, the activated carbon/charcoal filter is probably still doing its job trapping the airborne chemical molecules responsible for the smell.

You can test the filter again later and if it takes longer to get rid of the odors, that tells you that the carbon is 'filling' up and the air is needing to circulate through the air purifier a few more times to become clean. True military grade carbon or charcoal filters (as in Austin Air purifiers) will do a better job and last longer, but once you begin to notice that odors aren't going away like they used to, that carbon filter is probably 'full' and needs to be changed to make sure you and your family are still breathing clean air.

It is very important, however, if you're using an air cleaner for severe health issues, chemical sensitivities, or in an industrial application where hazardous airborne chemicals are present, to replace the carbon filters or at least install fresh bulk carbon on schedule or a little before to ensure than the air cleaner isn't circulating more pollutants than normal because the carbon filter is saturated and just blowing polluted air through the unit.

There are also various electronic and saturation / color change type chemical and VOC detectors and for any industrial applications where dangerous vapors or gases are present, we highly recommend using those with your air cleaner to let you know when the filter has stopped removing the pollutants, or if the air cleaner isn't sufficiently removing them.

7 Thai Phrases You Should Learn to Impress a Thai Girl

So, you've decided to take my advise and find a Thai girlfriend. Great! That is the first step to a very happy life for you. So the first thing is to go out and find a girl. My past articles have given some great advise on how to do that and there will be plenty more advise in the future. But once you do find that special Thai girl, you will want to impress her by knowing a few words / phrases that will come in handy when impressing your new Thai beauty.

Today, I'll go over 7 Thai words / phrases that you should know when dating or trying to date a girl either online or when traveling to Thailand. Keep in mind that these are rough English pronunciations to the actual Thai words. The good news is that most Thai girls can read at least a little English and will be able to understand these English written Thai words and phrases if you are chatting online using IM or on Thai dating websites. Let's get started!

1. The first thing you should learn is to tell your Thai girl that she looks beautiful. This can be said as the following: Sway mak. The word "sway" means beautiful and "mak" translates into very. Alternately, you can say: "Narak mak" which translates to "very cute".

2. Next, you should know what she might reply to you when you tell here she is beautiful. She may just say "hob khun ka" which is Thai for "thank you". Or she may be sassy and say "pak waan" which means "sweet mouth". This is a cute and flirty way of a Thai girl that means she does not fully believe your sweet words to her.

3. If you are just meeting your Thai lady, you may want to ask her if she already has a boyfriend or kick, To do this, say: "Khun me faen mai?" This literally translates to: "you have boyfriend?"

4. When you are starting to get serious with your Thai girlfriend, it may be time to start calling her by the name that Thai ladies love. The word is "tirak". When you call her this, she's literally melt with happiness. But just be sure that you mean it first!

5. If you are talking to a girl and it's late, you might want to tell her "sweet dreams". To do this you can say: "Faan dee". She'll really like that and go to sleep thinking of you. Trust me.

6. Lastly, and perhaps most importantly is the first night you go on a date. If you are in Thailand, make sure to go to a nice romantic restaurant and bring a bottle of wine. Raise you glass and say "chon gaow". If you are drinking from a bottle, say "chon cuord". "Gaow" means glass and "cuord" means bottle.

7. The final phrase you will want to learn when dating a Thai girl is the big "L" word. To say I love you, simply say "Pom rak khun". I'll leave the rest up to you!

Airport Parking and Vehicle Servicing

Parking your car at any airport can be a stressful time and even more so at Heathrow Airport the UK's busiest airport. If you are going on holiday or away on business and are flying from Heathrow Airport, you need a company who will take the stress, worry and hassle away by offering an excellent, professional and personal unique service combining airport parking & providing your car with a part or full service while you are away.

People incur numerous problems when parking their car at an airport including: Booking a local parking facility prior to their trip away not to mention the high costs involved especially in peak season, making your way to the terminal can be a task in itself. Waiting for the for the shuttle at both the beginning and the end of your trip and last but not least returning to your car after your holiday to find it is covered in dirt and dust or worse still does not even start.

Call a company who take clients directly to the terminal building before taking the clients vehicle to their fully equipped car servicing and storage facility located only minutes from London's Heathrow Airport. Search Google for a Company who will then proceed to carry out all the necessary repairs, maintenance or car servicing required by you. You should rest assured that your car is in good hands and securely stored at their secure concessions. All vehicles should be returned to clients in a pristine and excellent working order including a safe journey home. This takes all the hassle out of parking at the airport. Find a Company who offer a complete professional service dedicated to your individual needs and offer a complete range of services to all major makes and models of car.

These unique meet and greet services offer free collection and delivery while you have peace of mind that your car will be delivered personally to you so you do not have to worry about it getting scratched, damaged, dirty or unable to start so you can enjoy your holiday. If you wish to take advantage of this unique service and have you car serviced while you are away,

There Are So Many Ways to Make Money From Home - How Do I Find the Right One For Me?

You have found so many ways to make money from home. How do you find the right one for you? If you've been looking for a way to make money from home, you're probably inundated with tons of sales offers, e-mails, phone calls, etc. There are so many options! How do you know what will work and what will not? What is the right thing to do? You can quickly become overwhelmed and then you will not know which direction to turn or what to do. You can experience "information overload" The best way to get over this is to decide what you want from an online business. Look for something that will fit your lifestyle, your goals, and your schedule.

See if you can come up with a list of things that you want in an online business. Write it down. As you look at different offers, you can then evaluate them by the list you have made and you will be able to eliminate all the offers that do not fit your requirements. To help you get started, here are the things that I looked for when I went through this process.

1. I did not want a get rich quick scheme. I'd seen hundreds of them on the Internet. I wanted a good solid business that I could run from home and make a good living with. I did not expect to get a check in the mail next week for a million dollars after just putting my e-mail address on someone's list. I knew I had to put in some work and some effort. I wanted to earn the money. I was not looking for a lottery ticket. Get rich quick schemes never work.

2. I did not want Multi Level Marketing business. I hate having to sell to friends and family. I did not want to make sales because a friend was tying to help me out because of our relationship. This is no way to run a business. I wanted something I could market on the Internet to people who were looking for whatever I was selling. This is the way a real business works.

3. No personal selling. I'm not a great salesman. I did not want to have to continuously sell people on my product or spend a lot of time on the phone. I wanted people to already be sold. I wanted people to just come to me and say, yes, I want it.

4. I needed a great support system. I was a total newbie when it came to Internet marketing. I knew how to send and e-mail and surf the web, but that was it. I needed help getting an online business up and running and help with marketing online. I wanted to know that there was a real live person I could call for help and advice if I needed it.

5. Great business system. I knew a lot about business, because I've been running businesses for over 30 years, so I know what makes a viable business. I knew what components I was looking for, what would make it a complete system. I wanted a proven system that others had used and been successful with. I was looking for a system that I could just step into and follow and find a winning business plan. When you have a great business system to follow, your chances for success skyrocket. Look at franchises like Starbucks, McDonalds, Subway, they have the business plan all figured out. If you follow their lead, you have a money making machine.

6. Multiple streams of income and back end sales. Any business that has many ways to make money within the same system is going to be that much more profitable. Once you have a customer, if you can turn them into a repeat customer, your business is going to be that much more profitable. You will not have to constantly be looking for new customers. Your old customers will come back and pay you over and over. That is one of the secrets of a successful business.

7. I love helping people. It brings great satisfaction. I'd like to use the knowledge I've acquired over the years to help others. There have been people who have helped me along the way and I've like to pass that along by helping others.

8. I wanted a great product, one that was unique, that people could not buy at the corner store. I wanted a product that I felt would help other people. I did not want to feel like I was ripping anyone off. I wanted to know that people who purchased my product could be preferred by it. It could make their lives better. That was important to me.

9. My family. The most important thing I was looking for was something that would work for my family. I'm a mother of 6 children and I home school. I still have 3 children living at home and one left in home school. But even having one in home school takes a lot of time. I have a home and a husband and I wanted to have the time I needed to be a good wife and mother. This is my top priority. I needed a business I could run that would not take over my life. That would not require all my time and attention. I wanted something that I could work on for a few hours a day, at my convenience, then not worry about the rest of the time.

It took months of research looking at all the ways to make money from home to find the right one for me. I finally found the right one that fit all my requirements. It is the perfect business for me and for my family. I work a few hours every morning, and then I'm free to be a mom the rest of the day. I never have to worry about my business on weekends or holidays. I can go on vacation without a second thought about my business. It keeps on going when I'm away. It is amazing! And it works!

Money is just a tool. Money is not my end goal in life. Money is a means to an end. If you are sick of worrying about money, living paycheck to paycheck, wondering how you are going to pay the bills, then change things! Do it! If you are ready to have a better life for you and for your family, do something about it! I did it and so can you.

How to Make Email Marketing Works for Your Business

Topic 1 ~ Your Email Subject Lines ~

How To Write A Good E-mail Subject Lines That Works?

Here are the 5 tips:

1. Ask a question. One of the best ways to get a reader's attention is to ask a question. But like a trial lawyer questioning a witness on the stand, make sure it 'll get you the response you're looking for. "What's the best way to grow your business?" is a great subject line for business owners. After all, what business owner would not want to grow his or her business? Or let's say you run a health club. An e-mail with the subject line, "How can you lose 5 pounds in one month?" would certainly be compelling. It's important your question to be relevant to your audience.

2. Be a tease. A clever subject line can be enticing. When it's done right, reader curiosity is piqued. They want to know more - and they'll open your e-mail. Writing a teaser-style subject line requires some creativity, and your content needs to deliver. A company that sells high-definition TVs could use the subject line, "You're not going to believe your eyes" as a teaser to introduce a new addition to their product line.

3. Tell it like it is. Often, what works best is to say exactly what you want your reader to know. Examples of this straightforward approach are, "Sale on all sweaters this weekend," "Master jazz pianist plays live this Friday" and "The seven secrets of a profitable business." This just-the-facts approach works especially well when you can appeal directly to your audience's interests. It's also the best approach to use when you send a newsletter.

4. Remember "WIIFM". When a person gets your e-mail, the first thing they consider is "what's in it for me?" They have a decision to make. Do they open your e-mail, leave it for later or delete it? If there is not something about the subject line that lets them know why it's worth their precious time to see what's inside, then the choice will be clear. Keep WIIFM in mind when creating every aspect of your e-mails, including the offer, content, images - and most definitely the subject line. It's all about them. They know that; just make sure you know it, too.

5. Get personal. The more you can make each contact feel you're speaking directly to them, the more effective your communication will be. Whatever style of subject line you use, you can make it personal by using the word "you." Professional copywriters know the secret of using this powerful little word. Just look at the advertisements, mail and e-mail you receive. A few examples are, "Find the right swimsuit for you," "You can save 50 percent on travel," and "You're look phenomenal in a custom-tailored suit." "You" is ideal, but "your" works too.

6. Not sure which approach is right for you? Try them all, and then show a friend or colleague to get their feedback. Pick the one you believe will be most effective for your audience. Whichever approach you choose, it's always worth spending the time and effort to write a great subject line. Because if your readers do not open your e-mail, they'll never have the chance to read the important message you've created for them inside.

Topic 2 ~ Increase Click-Through Rate (CTR) ~

How to Increases Click-Through Rate (CTR)?

Here are some guidelines:

1. Include a feature, a benefit, and an advantage in the opening. This needs to be used in a subtle way, but in the opening you're really doing a small marketing job for this issue of your email newsletter. Highlight an article or two that are important, explain what you're providing the readers that they will not get elsewhere, and tell them what the benefit will be. A great example is something like "Nokia and Sprint announced second quarter earnings today. Learn what our Wireless Week experts say about the results, and what effect you can expect them to have on the industry at large."

2. Put the email newsletter in the context of your readers' day. This goes hand in hand with the last point. Your readers are busy, and if you can make a compelling case for why they should stop what they are doing and take a few minutes now to read your email newsletter, you'll get them in. We recommend editors reference important events, upcoming trade shows, or other things that say to the reader "You will find it worthwhile to stop and read this email newsletter now, because the information in it will help you stay on top of your business."

3. Keep it fresh. Do not craft a "perfect paragraph" and use it issue after issue after issue. One of the keys to success is to keep the copy fresh and highlight items in that issue of the email newsletter. If you use the same generic language repeatedly, people will stop reading it and it'll be a waste of your time.

4. Keep it short. This is critical. We recommend no more than two to three sentences - just enough to get them interested and pull them in to read the rest of your email newsletter.

Try it out and see the results! This is just one of the simple things you can do to engage your reader and optimize your CTR.

Topic 3 ~ Killer Email Sales Letter ~

How to Write Killer Email Sales Letter That Get Results?

Here are what we've found works best. Use these tips correctly and your results will skyrocket.

1. Your email "from" sender line should be your brand name or company name and stay consistent. Use your own personal name only if that is your brand image.

2. Send emails only when you have something to say that will benefit the reader. No fluff. No filler. You must be relevant. If you can not be, do not send an email until you have something beneficial to say.

3. Start your emails with the specific benefit the reader can get from your message. You have no more than 3 seconds to pass the crucial "what's in it for me?" test.

4. The copywriting tone and language should be personal and conversational, instead of stuffy and "corporate".

5. Make a specific offer to the reader and, if possible, include a short deadline by which he must respond to get it.

6. Use as much copy as is needed to fully pile on all the benefits the reader will get by ordering, answer objections, create urgency, and close the sale.

7. Test your subject lines and offers on small segments of your list before you send the email to your entire list.

8. Include "Email this to a friend" service in all your communications for pass along and viral marketing.

Topic 4 ~ Good Call-to-Action ~

Get More Clicks With a Good Call-to-Action!

The call-to-action is a determining factor of your click-through rate. It is an important component of your email copy because it answers three important questions for the recipient. They are:

1. What you want them to do

2. Why they should do it, and

3. How to take that next step.

Whatever action you want your recipients to take, you can make it happen more often with a good call-to-action. First, decide what you want them to do:

1. Buy something

2. Sign up for a service

3. Fill out a form

4. Read an article or get more information

5. Visit your website or store

6. Make an appointment

Etc ...

Then, make sure you incorporate these 6 characteristics to get the results you're looking for. Make your call-to action:

1. Visible - People read, react, make decisions and take action differently. Some make decisions right away ("You had me at hello.") And some need more details ("I'm from Missouri."). Place call-to-action links in the beginning, middle and end of the email so that recipients can click whenever they are ready.

2. Clear - Stick to simple words, short phrases, bulleted benefits and paragraphs of 1-3 short sentences. Include appropriate graphics and cut the clutter by making effective use of white space.

3. Compelling - Use action-oriented verbs and phrases: "buy now," "call today," "save" and so on.

4. Rewarding - Offer an incentive or reward for action. For example, "Act now and also receives ...," or "the First 100 responders will be entered into a raffle to win ..." The giveaway, or prize, you choose should be closely related to your product or service. That way, you will be targeting customers who are interested in what you have to offer, not just the latest gadget.

5. Urgent - The longer an email sits in an inbox, the less likely it is to be acted on. Create a sense of urgency to get a more immediate response. Try limiting the offer to a specific time period, to the "first 50 customers," "while supplies last," etc.

6. Direct - Your call-to-action links should go to the appropriate page on your website with more details on the specific product or service you're promoting. If you do not have a website, the call-to-action might be store locations to visit or a number to call for an appointment.

Keep in mind that, in addition to repeating your call-to-action, you can vary your call-to-action to appeal to different types of buyers (and to fit your sales cycle). For example: "Click here to buy now" will naturally work better with loyal customers. The softer, "Click here to learn more" may be better for newer prospects.

Topic 5 ~ Avoid Common Pitfalls ~

Read Your Email Message Backwards to Avoid Common Pitfalls

Here are some common problems to look out for:

1. Misspelled words - It's a good idea to spell-check a document, but it's not enough. A spell checker will not catch every error.

2. Wrong word used - This is why a spell checker is not enough. A spell checker will only flag words it does not recognize. It can not tell if a legitimate word is used incorrectly. Some words commonly confused: accept, except; your, you're; then, than; there, their, they're; cite, site, sight; lay, lie; loose, loosen, lose. Also, look out for missing "r" in the word "your." It's easy to overlook a sentence such as "Visit our Web site now to receive you free copy."

3. Grammar error - Again, if you know you're not a good writer, have someone else look your writing for grammatical errors. Mistakes make you look bad.

4. Punctuation error - This is another area where you'll benefit from a review by someone who knows their stuff. If you're determined to do it yourself, purchase a good grammar or style book. One of the most common punctuation problems: Too many stupid commas!

5. Vague or confusing statement - Make sure every sentence is crystal-clear. You do not want your promotional message to raise more questions than it answers.

6. Ilogical statement - Read over what you have written slowly. At the end of each paragraph, ask yourself: "Did that make sense?" Rewrite so that it does.

Topic 6 ~ Frequency of Sending Emails ~

How Often (Frequency) Should You Send Email?

There's no quick answer to the frequency question. It depends on the goals for your email and the type of content you send. Some rough guidelines:

1. Mail at least once a month. Mail less often than this, and you risk being forgotten by recipients. Monthly is the bare minimum if you want to keep your brand or company name top of mind (a common email goal).

2. Let content be your guide. Look at what you provide readers and you'll get a feel for proper frequency. Analyze how often the information changes and how quickly readers must receive it to act on it.

3. Work within your resources. A daily email requires many more resources than a monthly. Better a well-done monthly email than shoddy weekly or daily. It's recommended to start with a monthly. Once that's going smoothly, they can think about moving to weekly. You need to walk before you can run!

4. Watch for trends. Declining response, open, and click-through rates can be signs of list fatigue. Although some decrease is normal, watch carefully and cut back frequency if you see a problem. Do not assume if the unsubscribe rate is stable you're OK. Many people prefer to forward email directly to their delete folder rather than unsubscribe.

Topic 7 ~ Understanding Spam Filters ~

Understanding Spam Filters to Avoid Your Emails Get Junked!

If you send email campaigns long enough, you will inevitably run into spam filter issues. On average, you can expect 10-20% of your emails to just get lost in cyberspace, mostly due to overzealous spam filters. Unfortunately, there is no quick fix. If you want to avoid getting your emails junked by spam filters, you have to understand how they work.

Generally speaking, spam filters look at a long list of criteria to judge whether or not your email is junk. For example, they might look for spammy phrases like "CLICK HERE!" Egypt "FREE! BUY NOW!". They'll assign points each time they see one of those phrases. Certain criteria get more points than others. Here's a sample of criteria from Spam Assassin, one of the most popular spam filters out there:

o Talks about lots of money (.93 points)

o Describes some sort of breach (.32 points)

o Looks like mortgage pitch (.297 points)

o Contains urgent matter (.288 points)

o Money back guarantee (2.051 points)

o Why Pay More? (1.249 points)

It's easy to use "spammy" keywords in your email without even knowing it. Here are some common ways marketers unwittingly trigger spam filters with their campaigns:

1. Using spammy phrases, like "Click here!" Egypt "Once in a lifetime opportunity!" too many times in your email. Sometimes, you can not avoid phrases like "FREE SHIPPING!" but use them sparingly, and do not do anything else risky.

2. Going crazy with exclamation points !!!!!!

3. USING ALL CAPS, WHICH IS LIKE YELLING IN EMAIL

4. Coloring their fonts bright red, or green

5. Coding sloppy HTML (such as converting a Microsoft Word file to HTML)

6. Creating an HTML email that's nothing but one big image, with no text (since spam filters can not read images, they assume you're a spammer that's trying to trick 'em)

7. Using the word "Test" in the subject line (agencies run into this all the time, when sending drafts to clients for approval)

Topic 8 ~ Why Email Marketing Does not Work? ~

If Your Email Marketing Does not Work, Think Again Why?

Before you arrive at the faulty conclusion that email marketing does not work, let's look at this from a different perspective for a moment that would make your emails ineffective.

First there's what you are writing in the body of the email. If this is your first attempt to get in touch with a prospect, what are you putting in the email? A dissertation? If it's longer than one or two paragraphs, it's too long. Look at your emails like an initial cold call. You need to laser in and deliver a compelling opening statement that's going to grab their interest and stimulate a conversation. Because there's no one to cut you off in an email or stop you from persistent pontification, people have a tendency to ramble on and on in an email, giving the prospect the life story of the product or service they want them to consider. Keep it short and focus on the one or two benefits, opening up the opportunity to have a dialogue. That's it.

Second, are you sending attachments in the first email? No attachments! It's hard enough sending an unsolicited email to a prospect. Now you're adding more barriers and increasing the opportunities of your email winding up in their spam box or junk email folder. Some people have filters on their email that if an attachment is sent it automatically gets deleted. No attachment until that information in the attachment is solicited by the person.

Third, html or text? Once again, with all the email filters people use today, you will increase your odds by sending a text message only rather than trying to get fancy with formatting, graphics and pictures. The prospect really does not care about how beautiful your email looks; they care about the core message. Beside, they will never even get a chance to see your beautiful masterpiece in an html email if it's winding up in the trash.

Finally, you are using way too many spam words. As mentioned, the largest enemy to email marketing or selling via email is the additional security that companies and individuals have on their network or computer. As such, the specific words you are using in the body of the email can be the culprit who is sending your email directly into the trash or spam box. In other words, you are using words that are often identified is spam and in turn, you email is getting flagged and deleted. Not even eye contact! The prospect is not getting a chance to, at the very least, see your email let alone read it and have a chance to respond accordingly.

Ending ~ Please Forward ~

Discover Three Keys To Unleash Your Innate Power

Everyone, who comes to me for mental / emotional healing, is seeking to step into their DESTINY-not just for their own fulfillment, but for the future of our world.

Do you desire to step into your DESTINY?

However, when thinking about what it might take to get there, do you feel overwhelmed by your day-to-day responsibilities, limitations, lack of connections, or weighed down by your 'To-Do' list?

For centuries many philosophers have intensively researched human capacity, they each added to the discovery that each of us has 5 "Quantum Powers" that are dormant inside us, just waiting to be unleashed, that can allow you to overcome these perceivable limits and step into the larger destiny the Universe has for you.

In my 50+ years of studying philosophy from Thales of Miletus (c. 624 BCE - c. 546 BCE) (pre-Soctratic) Greek philosopher who is often considered the first philosopher and the father of Western philosophy to modern-day philosophers, I am sharing their discoveries, and how you can access your innate powers.

There are 3 keys to unlocking Your Quantum Powers. Overcome Your Limitations. Accelerate Your Evolution. You will have Greater Impact in your life and on the world.

While these powers do not include the ability to grow wings to fly, turn invisible, walk through walls, or leak tall buildings, they allow you to ...

• Quickly increase your skill-building
• Profoundly improve your health
• Expand time in your day
• Reduce stress
• Expand your creativity and success
• Attract more money and support the projects that are important to you

These "Quantum Powers" are primarily undiscovered in the majority of people, but some of the most successful people in history have used them to somehow seemingly impossible things. Think of first inventors, people's lives that seem to flow through calm or choppy waters.

After mastering these Quantum Powers myself and provoking their effectiveness with hundreds of people the past 30+ years, I am confident you too will be glad you discovered the 3 keys to unlocking Your Quantum Powers.

This moment is the first moment of the rest of your life ; it is time to step into your DESTINY-not just for your own fulfillment, but, your family, friends and for the future of our world.

These are the 5 Quantum Powers I will explore with you to discover what you need to shift:

• Expand time so you can do more in less time than ever before without adding stress to your life
• Experience "sustained fire" to keep you operating at your highest energy level through even the longest, most challenging days
• Partner with the energy of the Universe to more easily accomplish your goals and fulfill your dreams
• Expand and express your creativity without sacrificing your daily responsibilities
• Attract the money, people and resources you need to move your projects forward and achieve the level of success you're driving for and deserve.

Allow me to assist you to overcome your limitations and step into a life of true power, connection and fulfillment.

I will assist you to take the steps you need to take to claim your happiness, success, fulfillment, and empowerment? You can take advantage of the opportunity to create a new reality for your life?

You may need to ask for assistance to clear out the self-doubt, fear, guilt, shame or unworthiness.

Here's to living your empowered life NOW.

There is no justification about asking for assistance to create happiness and success. If you have read the books, taken workshops, had psychic readings, taken prescriptions and OTC drugs and still struggle; you may have mental / emotional blocks preventing you from moving into your happiness and desires.

This is an investment in your Self, your happiness, your success, your fulfillment, and your empowerment. Following these principals will change your life forever. My desire is two-fold to assist you to experience it for yourself as soon as possible and to see the joy, happiness and success you create. Remember only you can create your happiness and professional success.

It is your DESTINY ... You can do it! Call me if you need assistance to overcome any blocks or sabotaging behaviors!

For your convenience, I offer a 20-minute FREE no-obligation phone conversation to answer your questions and discuss how you can discover and create personal and professional success. http://drdorothy.net And you will receive value in the 20-minute conversation.

Understanding the Bible, Book Summary

Chapter 1: The Purpose of the Bible

The author laments that people normally ask varying questions and employ diverse strategies to read the Bible. Others, he asserts, give up Bible reading altogether or never start reading because they cannot see the relevance of accounts of people in the distant part for them today. However, Christians believe that although the Bible has a wide variety of human authors, there is a single unifying theme for a divine Author. It is perhaps most succinctly presented by Paul to Timothy in I Tim. 3:15-17. The apostle brings together the origin and object of Scripture. The writer investigates the nature of the Bible's usefulness and analysis three words used Paul - salvation, Christ and faith.

Stott presents the central idea that the supreme purpose of the Bible is to instruct its readers for salvation, implying that Scripture has a practical purpose which is moral than intellectual. Since this is neither scientific nor literary, the Bible could be rightly seen as a book neither of literature nor of philosophy, but of salvation. He notes that salvation, in addition to forgiveness of sins, includes the entire sweep of God's purpose to redeem and restore mankind and indeed all creation. The main thrust is God's love for the rebels who deserve nothing but judgment.

God's plan, originating in His grace, Stott emphasizes, took shape before time began. He made a covenant of grace with Abraham, promising through his prosperity to bless all the families of the earth. The rest of the Old Testament tabulates His gracious dealings with Abraham's posterity, the Israelites. Although they rejected His Word, He never casts them out. In the New Testament, the apostles emphasize that forgiveness is possible only through Christ's sin-bearing death, and a new birth leading to a new life only through the Spirit of Christ. The New Testament authors insist that though people have already in one sense been saved, in another sense their salvation still lies in the future. Conceived in a past eternity, achieved at a point in time and historically worked in human experience, it will reach its consummation in the eternity of the future.

Stott's hypothetical argument is that if salvation is available through Christ and if Scripture concerns salvation, then scripture is full of Christ. Christ's assertion was that in each of the three divisions of the Old Testament, the Law (the Pentateuch/First five books of the Bible), the prophets [history books or former prophets (Joshua, Judges, Samuel and Kings) and latter prophets (major-Isaiah to Daniel- and minor prophets- Hosea to Malachi)] and the Psalms (writings), there were things concerning Him and all these things must be fulfilled. Discovering Christ in the New Testament is not strange. The gospels, acts, epistles and revelation vividly portray Him. In the latter for instance, He appears as a glorified man, a lamb, majestic rider on a white horse and a Heavenly Bridegroom. The survey of the two testaments demonstrates that we must turn to the Bible if we want to know about Christ and His salvation. The writer puts faith in its right perspective after lamenting its misuse.

Chapter 2: The Land of the Bible

Stott observes that some knowledge of the historical and geographical setting of God's people is absolutely necessary to put the study in perspective. The reason for the recording of God's dealing with Israel in general and individuals in particular is to teach us (Rom. 15:4; I Cor. 10:11). Scripture refuses to conceal the faults of great characters in the Old and New Testaments.

The writer dismisses the claim that Jerusalem was the centre of the earth as a sheer geographical nonsense even though Christians would defend it theologically. However, Christians believe in the providence of God whose choice of Palestine cannot be an accident. An obvious feature is that it acts as a kind of bridge between Europe, Asia and Africa. Strategically, therefore, God set Jerusalem in the centre of the nations (Ez.5:5).

When God told Moses that He'd bring the Israelites out of Egypt into Canaan, He described it as good and spacious. Joshua and Caleb, unlike the other spies, confirm that the land was exceedingly good. Several popular expressions were used to refer to the whole country from north to south. The commonest simply is from Dan to Beersheba. Stott suggests that perhaps a simpler way to remember Palestine is to visualize four strips of the country between the sea and the desert - the coastland, the central highlands, the Jordan valley and the eastern tableland.

Stott affirms that God's revelation as the 'Shepherd of Israel' was natural because of the intimate relationship which grew over the years between the Palestinian shepherds and the sheep since the latter were kept more for wool than for mutton. Jesus further developed the metaphor, calling himself the Good Shepherd. Though many Israelite farmers kept livestock, even more cultivated the soil. The three main products of Palestine (grain, new wine and oil) are normally grouped together in many biblical passages (Deut. 7:13; Joel 2:19). The writer notes the tremendous importance of the early (autumn) rain and the latter (spring) rain to harvest. Without them the corn would remain thin and desiccated. God Himself linked the rain and the harvest together and promised them to His obedient people. Three annual festivals had an agricultural as well as a religious significance. In them they worshiped the God of nature and the God of grace as the one God, Lord of the earth and of Israel. They are the Feast of the Passover, the Feast of the First fruits/Harvest and the Feast of Booths/Tabernacles/Ingathering. The observance of these was obligatory. They commemorated the signal mercies of the covenant God of Israel who first redeemed His people from their Egyptian bondage and gave them the Law at Sinai and then provided for them during their wanderings in the wilderness. From another standpoint, they are all harvest festivals marking respectively the beginning of the barley harvest, the end of the grain harvest and the end of the fruit harvest. Stott's use of three maps showing the Fertile Crescent, the historical and natural regions of Palestine clearly puts the study in perspective.

Chapter 3: The Story of the Bible - Old Testament

Stott observes that Christianity is essentially a historical religion and that God's revelation is an unfolding historical situation, through Israel and Jesus Christ. The writer forcefully argues that biblical historians quickly sank in the quicksand of subjectivity since they were writing 'sacred' history, the story of God's dealings with a particular people for a particular purpose. They were selective in their choice of materials and in the eyes of the secular historian, unbalanced in their presentation of it. Other regions were only included if they impinge on the fortunes of relatively unknown Israel and Judah. Great heroes were either scarcely mentioned or introduced obliquely. Christians believe that Christ's advent is the watershed of history, dividing time into BC and AD and the Bible into the Old and New Testaments.

The order of the thirty nine books is dictated neither by the date of their composition, nor the date of the subject matter but their literary genre. Broadly speaking, the three types of literature in the Old Testament are history, poetry and prophecy. The historical books (Pentateuch) and then twelve more tell a continuous story. After these come five books of Hebrew poetry or wisdom (from Job to Song of Solomon) and finally the seventeen prophetical books [five major prophets (Isaiah to Daniel) and twelve 'minor' prophets (Hosea to Malachi)]. Stott describes the creation, observing that God was not a national mascot. He observes that several forms of pre-Adamic 'homicid' seem to have existed previously for thousands of years and believes Adam was the first 'homo divinus'. The writer highlights the call of Abraham, the groan of the Israelites under Pharaoh and their eventual release. Subjectively dismissing the Red Sea crossed by the Israelites as probably some shallow water, he observes that the miracle lay in the fact that God sent it as the moment Moses stretched his hand. At Sinai, God gave Israel three precious gifts - a renewed covenant, a moral law and atoning sacrifices.

The Israelites wandered in the wilderness and none of the adult generation which brought a negative report - except Joshua and Caleb - entered the promised land. God appointed Joshua to succeed Moses. Israel's history was a cycle of backsliding, oppression and deliverance. God raised judges who combined several functions. The greatest was Samuel who remonstrated with the Israelites and warned them that future kings would be oppressive. They did not listen and Saul became the first king, ending the theocratic state ruled by God directly. David was designated heir to the throne of the disobedient Saul. As king, David unified Israel and devoted himself to God. His son Solomon, who succeeded him, did not love God with all his heart. The kingdom was divided into the northern kingdom of Israel and the southern kingdom of Judah after his reign.

Stott highlights the Babylonian captivity which lasted for fifty years. The hardest trial was religious for the Israelites felt spiritually lost in their separation from temple and sacrifice. Ezekiel was among them as a guide. Israel had to wait for another four hundred years before the Messiah was born. Throughout the uneasy period of Maccabean rule, important movements were developing in the Jewish community which later hardened into the various religious parties of our Lord's day.

The writer, in addition to end notes, arranges dates in chronological order at the end of the discourse.

Chapter 4: The Story of the Bible - New Testament

Stott observes that it is an account of the words and deed of Jesus of Nazareth. The gospels, strictly speaking, are testimony and not biography, bearing witness to Christ and the good news of salvation. He highlights five reasons why the gospels would be approached with confidence and not with suspicion. Four evangelists were Christians, honest men to whom truth matters. They give evidence of their impartiality. Thirdly, they claim either to be themselves eye-witnesses of Jesus or to report the experience of eye witnesses. Jesus seems to have taught like a Jewish rabbi. Lastly, if God said and did something absolutely unique and decisive through Jesus, it is inconceivable that he would have allowed it to be lost in the mists of antiquity. The gospels tell the same story, yet differently. The first three are usually known as Synoptic Gospels because their stories run parallel and present a synoptic - that is, similar- account of Jesus' life. Every reader of John's gospel is immediately struck by the differences between it and the synoptic gospels in subject matter, theological emphasis, literary styles and vocabulary. Commenting on the birth and youth of Jesus, each evangelist begins his story at a different place. Mark plunges almost immediately into Jesus' public ministry, heralded as it was by John the Baptist. John goes to the other extreme and reaches back into a past eternity to the pre-incarnate existence of Christ. He was brought up in Nazareth in Galilee. The only incident from His boyhood recorded in the Gospels took place when he reached the age of twelve and was taken up to Jerusalem for the Passover. He eventually noted that His duty is to spend time in the Father's house. Growing in wisdom and stature in favour with God and man, the evangelists did not give a strictly chronological account of the Lord's public ministry which appears to last approximately for three years. The writer refers to the first year as the year of obscurity, the second year of popularity and the third the year of adversity.

Stott traces Jesus' final hours of liberty which he spent privately with the twelve disciples in a furnished room. In the garden of Gethsemane, He prayed with an agony of desire that He might be spared having to drink 'this cup'. Crucifixion was a horrible form of execution. How Jesus viewed and endured his ordeal is shown by the seven words which He spoke from the cross. Finally, He commended His Spirit to the Father, indicating that His death was a voluntary, self-determined act. The writer traces the story of the resurrection on Easter Day. The Lord eventually began to appear to people. These appearances continued for forty days. The last one took place on the Mount of Olives. After promising them power to be His witnesses once the Holy Spirit had come upon them, and having blessed them, He was taken up into Heaven.

The writer vividly highlights the dawn of the infant church. Waiting for the promise, the Holy Spirit came and filled them all. Stott affirms that Pentecost must also be understood as a fundamentally missionary event when three thousand people were converted, baptized and added to the church that day. Unable to crush it by external pressure (persecution), the devil tried to undermine it from within. The writer also comments on Paul's missionary journeys, his arrest and journey to Rome and the deeds of the apostles after the book of Acts. The map of Paul's missionary journey and significant dates to remember at the end of the chapter further illuminates the discussion.

Chapter 5: The Message of the Bible

Stott re-echoes that the message of the Bible concerns salvation through Christ. He expresses the Bible's own claims that it contains neither a ragbag of miscellaneous contradictions, nor a gradual evolution of human ideas but a progressive revelation of truth by God. The author concedes that there are several differences between the Old and New Testament revelations. The revelation was given at different times, to different people and in different modes. This notwithstanding, God is the ultimate author of both testaments. The Bible is essentially a revelation of God. There are two basic truths about God to consider which Scripture emphasizes. The first is that He is a living and sovereign God and the second is that He is consistent and does not change like shifting shadows. He is constantly contrasted with the dead idols of heathenism. Stott further observes that the principal way in which the living God has expressed Himself is in grace. The God of the Bible is the God of all grace (1 Pet. 5:10). Grace is God's free unmerited people. God's grace is covenant grace. The writer further investigates what may be described as three stages in the outpouring of God's covenant, expressed in the three dynamic words - redemption, adoption and glorification.

Redemption was originally not a theological but a commercial word. To redeem, Stott confirms, is to purchase someone's freedom, to recover by payment of a price something which had been lost. New Testament authors draw an analogy between the Passover, which initiated Israel's redemption from Egypt, and the death of Christ which has secured our redemption from sin. The New Testament fulfillment is dramatic. John showed in his gospel that by one reckoning Jesus was shedding His blood on the cross at the precise time when the Passover lambs were being killed. Christ, the Lamb of God, offered Himself as our Passover sacrifice. Now He is seated at God's right hand, resting from His finished work of redemption and crowned with glory and honour. He has won an eternal redemption for us.

Redemption from sin by Christ's blood is to be redeemed from slavery and adopted into sonship. It is because we are sons that God sent the Spirit of His Son into our hearts (Gal. 4:6). To be a son is to be an heir. Suffering is the pledge of glory. This leads to the third stage in God's unfolding plan of salvation, which is glorification.

The New Testament is full of Christian hope. It reminds us that in spite of what we are presently enjoying, there is still far more to come. Paul referred to it as the hope of glory which has several meanings outlined by Stott. Firstly, the return of Christ (Matt. 24:27); secondly, the resurrection in which our incorruptible body will be a body of glory like Christ's (Phil.3:21; I Cor.15:35-37). Thirdly, the judgment. We shall be judged according to our works (Matt. 16:27; Rev. 20:11-15). Fourthly, the new universe will make everything new.

Stott brilliantly compares Genesis and Revelation. He observes that the Bible begins with creation of the universe and ends with the recreation of the universe. It begins with the fall of man and concludes in a garden with Paradise regained. God's kingdom will be ultimately consummated. All creation is subject to Him. His redeemed, adopted and glorified will share His reign for ever (Rev. 22:5).

Chapter 6: The Authority of the Bible

Stott attributes the confusion of the contemporary church to the lack of an agreed authority and argues that it will never recover its moral or mission unless it first recovers the source of its authority. Christians normally use three interrelated but distinct words in connection with the special nature of Scripture - revelation, inspiration and authority. Inspiration indicates the chief mode God has chosen to reveal Himself - in nature, Christ and by speaking to particular people. Authority is the power or weight which Scripture possesses because of what it is, namely a divine revelation given by divine inspiration. It carries God's authority.

The writer identifies three disclaimers which may anticipate objections and disarm possible criticism. Firstly, the process of inspiration was not mechanical since God did not treat the human authors as tape recorders or dictating machines but as living and responsible beings. His second is that every word is true in its context and Job is cited as a classic example when he noted that he spoke of things he did not understand. The 'anthropomorphic' descriptions of God, representing Him in human form and referring to His eyes, ears, outstretched arm, mighty hand, fingers, mouth, breath and nostrils. We do not interpret these literally simply because God is a Spirit and therefore has no body. His third disclaimer concerns the nature of the inspired text of Scripture, which alone can be regarded as God's written word. This is the original Hebrew or Greek as it came from the author's hand. He argues that no special inspiration/authority is claimed for any particular translation as a translation. He dismisses the absence of the actual autograph presumably as God's deliberate providence probably to prevent us giving superstitious response to pieces of paper.

Stott further treats the grounds Christians base assurance that the Bible is God's written word, originating with God and authoritative for men. Firstly, the historic Christian churches have consistently maintained and defended the divine origin of Scripture. Secondly, the prophets introduced their oracles with formulae like 'Thus says the Lord' or 'The Word of the Lord came to me saying...' The third is supplied by the readers of Scripture. Fourthly, the authority of Scripture is believed because of what Jesus said. He gave His reverent assent to the authority of the Old Testament Scripture for He submitted to its authority in His personal conduct, the fulfillment of His mission and in His controversies. He endorsed the New Testament differently. This is evident in His appointment of His apostles. Secondly, they had an eye-witness experience of Christ. Thirdly, they had an extraordinary inspiration of the Holy Ghost. Lastly, according to Stott, they were empowered to work miracles. Our impression of the uniqueness of the apostles is confirmed in two ways. Firstly, they themselves knew it and so exhibit in the New Testament their self-conscious apostolic authority. Secondly, the early church recognized it, dismissing both the 'kenosis' and 'accommodation' theories.

Stott concludes by providing reasonable justification for submitting to the authority of Scripture. Firstly, it is a Christian thing to do. Secondly, to submit is not to pretend that there are no problems. However, problems do not overthrow our belief. Thirdly, it confirms the Lordship of Christ. It is reasonable to bow to the authority of Scripture because, according to Stott, we bow to the authority of Christ.

Chapter 7: The Literature of the Bible

Stott firmly asserts the infallibility of God's Word and observes that He has given us three teachers to instruct and guide us. These include the enlightenment of the Holy Spirit, the Christian's disciplined study and the teaching of the Church. Our foremost teacher is the Holy Spirit Himself and Stott believes He enlightens four groups of people - these are the regenerate/born again (John 3:3), the humble (Matt. 1:25-26), the obedient (John 7:17) and the communicative. He notes that if the Holy Spirit is our first and foremost teacher, there is a sense in which we ourselves must also teach ourselves, implying that we are expected to responsibly use our reason. The spiritual person, unlike the natural, has the mind of Christ. Paul's conviction leads him to appeal to his readers' reason. Stott argues that we cannot deny the place of the church in God's plan to give His people a right understanding of His Word. The pastoral ministry is a teaching ministry. Luke gives a striking example of the role of the teacher (Acts 8:26-39). Although it is true that no human teacher is infallible, Stott vehemently argues that God has appointed teachers in His church for a purpose. It is our Christian duty to treat them with respect and to feed on God's Word when faithfully exposed, cautiously examining the Scriptures to verity the truth of the teachings received (Acts 17:11). The writer believes that it is by receiving the illumination of the Spirit, reasoning and listening to the teaching of others in the Church that we grow in our understanding of Scripture.

Stott presents three principles which, he believes, will guide us in our interpretation of Scripture. These sound principles of interpretation include the natural, original and general sense. He refers to the natural sense as the principle of simplicity. One of our basic Christian convictions is that God is light. He chose human language as the vehicle of His self-revelation. He used the language of men in speaking to men. Since it is ordinary because human, we must study it like every other book, paying attention to the rules of vocabulary, grammar and syntax. Stott believes that no serious bible reader can escape the discipline of linguistic study. He recommends knowledge of the original languages (Hebrew and Greek), acquisition of an 'accurate' modern English version and an analytical concordance. Stott refers to the original sense as the principle of history since God chose to reveal Himself in a precise historical context. Questions that should be asked when the reading the Bible include, what did the author intend to convey by this? What is he actually asserting? What will his original hearers have understood him to have meant? This enquiry is commonly referred to as the 'grammatico-historical method' of interpretation. The writer critically considers the situation, style and language of writing. The third principle of interpretation is referred to as assortment of contributors. Divinely speaking, the entire Bible emanates from one mind. It therefore possesses an organic unity. Implicitly, we must approach Scripture with the confidence that God has spoken and has not contradicted Himself in so doing. Scripture, therefore, must be interpreted as one harmonious whole. These three principles, Stott believes, arise partly from the nature of God and Scripture as a plain historical, consistent communication from God to men. The solemn responsibility to make our treatment of Scripture coincide with our view of it is apparent.

Chapter 8: The Use of the Bible

Stott's discussion on the use of the Bible to punctuate his text is deliberate. He observes that the conviction that our God is living and vocal, rather than dead and dumb, is basic to our Christian faith. He explains the sound reasons for accepting the Bible's authority and sound principles to guide us in its interpretation. He identifies two possible attitudes to God's Word. These are to either receive or reject it. Jesus similarly warned His contemporaries about their response to His teaching. Those who build on a rock and will ultimately survive the storms of adversity and judgement are those who demonstrate His teachings.

Stott outlines basic principles of Christian living, stressing the importance of quality time in meditating on God's Word. The practice of daily quiet time, Bible reading and prayer, he reiterates, is an inviolable tradition which has certainly stood the test of time and brought immeasurable benefits to countless generations of Christians. Christian meditation and prayer, however brief, at the beginning of each day prepare us to bear the day's responsibilities and face its temptations. Stott emphasized the importance of personal, family and group Bible studies, and above all the public exposition of Scripture in Church. He observes that very often the pew blames the pulpit when the former actually determines the kind of pulpit ministry it wants. Congregations, he argues, have far more responsibility than they commonly recognize for this kind of ministry they receive. He recommends that they should encourage their minister to expound Scripture. They should come to church in a receptive and expectant mood. They must come with their Bibles earnestly eager to hear what the Lord says through the lessons and sermon.

Stott lists five facets of the life-cycle of the doer of the Word. The first is worship which is impossible without a knowledge of the truth. Since it is a response to the truth of God, it is only God's Word (His self-revelation) which evokes the worship of God. In all public worship, there should be Scripture reading and an exhortation/instruction based on it (Neh. 8:8; I Tim. 4:13). The Bible's place in private and public worship is indispensable. The second is repentance. God's Word tells us what we are as well as what He is, discloses to us our sin and calls us to confess and forsake it (Jer. 7:3). The third is faith which is an integral part of the Christian life. The fourth mark is obedience. Yet obedience involves submission (John 14:15) and this, Stott argues, appears to be out of fashion today. The fifth mark is witness. Stott impresses that truth cannot be concealed or monopolized.

The Bible then has an essential place in the life of a Christian simply because God's revelation leads to worship, His warnings to repentance, His promises to faith, His commands to obedience and His truth to witness. God's Word is indispensable to us, irrespective of the medium through which we receive it. Indeed, Stott realistically observes that it is through His Word alone that the human being becomes equipped for every good work (2 Tim. 3:17).

Divorce Bank Account Blues - What Happens to Your Mortgage Debt During a Divorce

Debt, Credit, and Bankruptcy

We have referred to property as either marine or separate. The same classifications apply to debt. In general, both you and your spouse are liable for any debts incurred during the marriage - it does not matter who really spent the money. When the property is divided up during the divorce, the person who receives the asset usually also obtains the responsibility for any loans against it.

It's in both of your best interests to pay off as many debts as possible before or at the time of the final decision. To do so, use whatever liquid assets you have - bank accounts, money market funds, stocks, bonds, or cash values ​​from life insurance. It may make sense to sell assets to accumulate some extra cash. The most easily sold assets include extra cars, vacation homes, and excess furniture. (Do not expect to get much for used furniture without it has value as an antique or collector's piece.)

If you can not pay off the debts, then the decree must state who will pay which debt and within what period of time. There are generally four types of debt to consider: secured debt, unsecured debt, tax debt, and divorce expense debt.

Secured debt includes the mortgage on the house or other real estate, and loans on cars, trucks, and other vehicles. It should be made very clear in the separation agreement who will pay which debt. If one spouse fails to make a payment on a debt that is secured by an asset, the creditor can pursue the other spouse.

Unsecured debt includes credit cards, personal bank loans, lines of credit, and loans from parents and friends. These debts may be divided equitably. The court also considers who is better able to pay the debt.

For unsecured debt, any separation agreement needs to include a hold-harmless clause. This will indemnify the nonpaying spouse, which means that the paying spouse gives nonpaying spouse the right to collect not only all missed payments, but also damages, interest, and attorney's fees if payments are not made. Without a hold-harmless clause, the nonpaying spouse has the right to collect only the missed payments.

Often, the legal decision and the financial exit are very different things. This is a lesson Paul learned the hard way. Tracy and Paul were married eight years, during which time Tracy ran her credit cards to the limit with her compulsive spending. The court held Tracy sole responsible for paying the $ 12,000 in credit card debt. After the divorce, however, Tracy did not change her ways and was unable to pay off her debt. The credit card companies came after Paul, who ended up paying them off.

In a case like this, one solution would have been to pay off the credit cards with assets at the time of divorce or for Paul to have received more property to offset this possibility.

Tax Debt

Just because the dispute settlement is final does not mean you are exempt from possible future tax debt. For three years after the divorce, the IRS can perform a random audit of your last joint tax return. In addition, the IRS can question a joint return - if it has good cause to do so - for seven years. It can also audit a return whenever it believes fraud is involved.

To avoid surprises, the divorce agreement should spell out what happens if any additional interest, penalties, or taxes are found, as well as where the money comes from to pay for defending an audit. We know of countless horror stories where the unsuspecting spouse (usually the ex-wife) is all of a sudden obligatory for a huge tax bill and does not have a clue how it happened.

Divorce Expense Debt

Although it is not always clear who is liable for debts incurred during the separation, typically these debts are the responsibility of the person who incurred them. An exception would be if one spouse runs up debts he or she is unable to pay to buy food, clothing, shelter, or medical care for the kids. The other spouse is probably obligated to pay those expenses.

You will accrue other costs during the dispute process, including court filing fees, appraisals, mediation, and attorneys. Other less obvious expenses are accounting, financial planning, and counseling. The separation agreement needs language that states who is responsible for these expenses.

Divorce expenses may accrue after the decree, such as attorney fees for doing QDROs, title transfers, and tax preparation for the final joint tax return, mediation fees, and long-term divorce counseling for the parents or the kids. Who pays? You do, unless it is spelled out clearly so there are no doubts at a later date.

Dividing Marital Property and Debts

Many people try to divide each asset as they discuss it - your half of the house is $ 4,000, my half of the house is $ 4,000. Since you will rarely divide the house like this, this may not be the most useful way to go about it. It may be more practical to list each asset as a whole item under the name of the person who will keep it.

For example, in the wife's column, list the marital equity in the house if she is thinking of continuing to live there. List the entire value of the husband's retirement in his column, if that is your initial inclining. An advantage to this method is that it allows you to see the balance, or lack of it, of your initial plan as you develop it. If you want to know dollar values, you may need a third party, such as an appraiser, to help you determine them.

This is the time to have a real heart-to-heart discussion with your about-to-be-ex about the range of his or her sense of fairness. Ask:

• Is the only possibility for a 50-50 division of things by value? By number?
• Are you more interested in cash than in things?
• Will you take less than 50 percent if your share is all cash?
• Are you more interested in future security than in present assets?
• Are you willing to wait for a buyout of your share, such as house selling or retirement, and are you looking for more than 50 percent to compensate you for waiting?
• Are you interested in a "lopsided" agreement (more to one of us than the other) to compensate for the larger earnings made by you or your spouse?
• Do you want to be "made whole" - meaning ending up where you were at the beginning of the relationship?
• Do you need to be compensated "off the top" for some contribution you made to the acquisition of property?
• Is there a possibility that any assets or investments are hidden?

If you both can agree on a generic plan that meets each of your ideas of fairness, you will find you have an agreement that practically wrists itself. The bonus is that you save on lawyer's fees.

As you allocate the debts, decide first whether they are marital, separate, or a mix. Then agree who will pay off the balance of each. Remember that the problem of unsecured debts may be handled more easily as if it were a monthly credit card payment than a division of your property.

Think about the long-term effect of the division of assets and debts you are considering. For example, suppose you get all assets that appreciate slowly or depreciate, and which take money to maintain (home, car, furniture). Then suppose your spouse takes all assets that increase in value or produce income (stock, retirement accounts, rental home). Guaranteed, in a few years after the divorce, what in the short term appeared to be "fair" or "equal" will look quite different. Your spouse's net worth will far exceed yours - and the gap will just continue to widen.

The word bankrupt strikes fear in the hearts of many people - especially those going through divorce. You may be trying to decide whether it is better to ask for alimony or a property settlement note and are addressed in indecision. Perhaps your spouse has threatened either to leave the country if anyway is required or to file bankrupt if money is owed or a property settlement note is due. Let's look at some of the rules of bankruptcy as they apply in divorce situations.

Two types of bankruptcy are available: Type One allows you to develop a payoff plan over a three-year period and Type Two allows you to liquidate all of your assets and use the proceeds to pay off debts, erasing debts that can not be paid in full .

Type One bankruptcy may reserve the assets and allow the debtor to pay off all the secured debt, as well as a portion of the unsecured debt, and discharge the rest of the unsecured debt. The debtor needs to make payments under a plan that is approved by the bankruptcy court.

Type Two bankruptcy forgives all unsecured debts and requires the forfeiture of all assets over a certain minimum protected amounts. Creditors have the right to repossess their fair share of the assets. The net proceeds from the sale of assets are divided pro rata among the creditors.

Here are some things to remember:

• If a spouse files bankruptcy before, during, or after dispute, the creditors will seek out the other spouse for payment - no matter what was agreed to in the separation agreement.
• While you are still married, you can file for bankruptcy jointly. This will eliminate all separate debts of the husband, separate debts of the wife, and all jointly incurred domestic debts.

Caution - promissory notes or property settlement notes, especially unsecured notes, are almost always wound out in bankruptcy. Some secured notes, depending on the property that secures them, can also be discharged. Here's what happened to Cheryl: Sam and Cheryl divided all their assets. To achieve a 50-50 division, Sam still owed Cheryl $ 82,000. He signed a property settlement note to pay Cheryl the $ 82,000 over a ten-year period at 7 percent interest. After the divorce, Sam filed for bankruptcy and listed the property settlement note as one of his debts. Cheryl never received a penny of the money that was due her.

Note: Certain debts can not be discharged in bankruptcy. These include child support, maintenance, some student loans, and recent taxes.

A Delectable Treat With Bundt Cakes

If you have the intention to make this birthday special, then Bundt Cakes can be the right choice for the celebration. The cakes are finely made so that you can really get the pleasure of the scrumptious taste of the item. One bite and you would just fall in love with the cake. The creamy delicacies can make other occasions special as well. You can even have a wonderful wedding and anniversary with Bundt Cakes. Popularly known as desert cakes, they can be happily served at the end of the meals. The sweet delight is wonderfully overstated with several sweetening ingredients to give your tongue a real treat with the cake.

Falling in Love with the Cake

Bundt Cakes are baked in Bundt pans and this fact makes the cake special and different from the rest. The baking process is exceptional and it is done with care to help the cake acquire the real taste. The crazy taste of the cake will attract you most towards the stuff. One bite and you would just sway in celebration sojourn. The cake is best to look at. The colorful appearance of the cake is a real attraction to watch. When displayed, you can feel the sensation happening. The 'creamy munch' entices you to serve yourself with another!

The Creamy Taste

Bundt Cakes come with stupendous creamy fills. If you want to make the cake at home then you have to keep notice of the fact that the ingredients are well mixed. Things are blended in the right way so that you can derive the most pleasurable taste at the end. You can even order cakes online. Once you place the order, the item would be served at your doorstep right away. When grouping the ingredients, or blending the flavors, you have to do things right to safeguard the good taste of the pie.

The Things Required While Making the Cake

Once you have a party at home or at office, and you feel that making such bulk cakes at home is not done, you can at once order cakes online. This is sure to put an end to your hassles. However, for smaller get-together you can decide to make the cake at home. For the purpose you can start collecting a list of required ingredients. You should have granulated sugar, brown sugar, cocoa powder, flour, melted, chocolate, eggs, chocolate baking bar, melted butter, vanilla extract, thick whipping cream, a pinch of salt and vegetable oil. Mind it, an omission in any one of the ingredients can spoil the taste of the Bundt Cakes.

Making of the Cake can be Made Easy

The recipes for Bundt Cakes have grown quite popular down the years. The cake is baked in intricate pans. The baking process is special. They add a good taste to the item. Once you have prepared the cake you can store it for long. The ingredients are just perfect for long time restoration. The pan should be perfectly greased or else the cake can stick to the pan. Place the cake just at the middle of the pan.

Inspirational Bible Verses - How Not to Come Up Empty

A crisis may have prompted you to pick up a Bible, hoping to find quick words of comfort or guidance for the moment. If you have never spent time before reading through God's word, chances are that you came up empty. The Bible is quite rich however with inspirational Bible versa to guide us through every circumference we face. Script covers topics as diverse as finances, fear, sorrow, parenting, purity, relationships, and our responsibilities to God and man. Here are a few dos and a do not to unlocking the treasure found in Scripture so you are better positioned in the future.

1. Do not berely use the Bible as you would the yellow pages. Searching the concordance or the Internet to find a verse that speaks to your need will be of little help if you do not read beyond that specific verse to understand the context within which it was used. Promises will be of little comfort if you do not know God's character. Several promises are conditional and may not apply in your case.

2. Do spend time reading the Bible on a daily basis, not just when you are in a crunch. When I committed my life to Christ, I was in a church that encrypted daily personal Bible study. The more I read through the Bible that previously sat untouched on my bookshelf for years, the more I developed an understanding of and a hunger for God's word. Passages and versions that I had heard or read in Sunday School or church years before now came alive. I got to meet and know Christ through the Scriptures.

3. Do pray before you read the Bible. Ask God to help you to understand the Scriptures and to open your eyes so you can see wonderful things in His word. We need the Holy Spirit to help us to understand and receive the things of God (1 Corinthians 2: 14-16). While you are reading, ask Him to teach you and help you apply the lessons to your life.

4. Do start with the Gospel of John then complete the rest of the New Testament books and then move on to the Old Testament. On my first attempt to read through the Bible I started with Genesis. When I got to Leviticus I lost the struggle. Someone shared this tip with me and my second and subsequent attempts to read through the Bible were successful.

5. Do try reading different translations for passes that are difficult to understand. My favorite translation is the New King James Version (NKJV) as it is a literal translation and it combines the beautiful poetry of the King James Version (KJV) with modern English. For a serious study of the Bible stick with the literal translations. Others include the English Standard Version (ESV) and the New American Standard (NASB).

6. Do memorize and meditate on Scripture. This will help to renew your mind (Romans 12: 1-2) as you start to see the world from God's perspective and develop an eternal mindset. The Holy Spirit will also bring a verse to your memory just when you need it most (John 14:26).

The Bible has been called God's love letter to us. Reading through you will experience Christ and His love. If you start out without a personal relationship with Him, you will develop one as you will soon see your need for Him. God's amazing love for us will be made evident through the pages of Scripture. As you spend time in God's word, you will be changed. As a result, you will avoid many of those obstacles and pitfalls that would have consequences of your sin. In the next storm, you will know that the one who tells you to not fear is with you and will help you (Isaiah 41:10). You will know that He loves you more than you can imagine. You will know that He is sovereign. You will know that He is capable and faithful. Inspirational Bible verses will then be more meaningful to you. Get to know the God of the Bible and make it a habit to spend time in the Word so that you will know these truths before you are faced with the circumstance.

Tips For Driving A Rental Car In The Rain

Although the rest of the country may be dry in winter, we all know when it rains it pours in the Western and Northern Cape. We also know that driving in the rain can be dangerous and quite disastrous. Moreover, we understand that driving an unfamiliar rental car is not just infuriating, but perilous as well. However, if you were to drive in such inclement weather conditions, here are a few tips to help you prevent accidents caused by rainy climate. Who knows? You might even save yourself from having to pay car hire damages.

The road is slippery:

Without a doubt, the roadway you'll be driving on will be slippery, and the biggest issue with driving in the storm: is traction. Traction mostly occurs when the pavement is wet and develops a firm slick surface which causes tyres to lose grip, making it difficult to stop quickly. Should your rental car slip or hydroplane, it is advisable that you avoid abruptly stepping on the brakes as this can spin your car. Instead, firmly grip your steering wheel and slow down.

By all means, avoid using cruise control.

Don't drive through puddles:

It's storming, so chances of coming across a huge puddle in the roadway are high. You might have an impulse to drive through it. Please, resist that urge. The danger here: that water could be hiding a gigantic pothole. Even more hazardous: water splashing up into the car's engine compartment could damage the electrical system. You don't want to damage a hired car, right? Right.

Your headlights must be on:

Turning your lights on will not only assist you see the road clearer, but it will also help other drivers see you. But, you must try to avoid turning on the high beams as they can actually obscure your vision further. If you're driving a car equipped with fog lights, try to flip them on. The low light from these headlamps may help upsurge your visibility in the rain.

Keep at a distance:

When it's raining it takes longer to have control over the car. You won't be able to stop, brake or turn as quickly. The other vehicles on the road won't as well. So driving slower and keeping a distance between you and other drivers is crucial.

If you can, keep your tyres and steering ranged with the car driving in front of you. Why? Because, the car in front of you is shifting and pushing water away, clearing the roadway, while, it creates a better driving surface for you.

Avoid driving next to big cars:

Trucks and buses make big water splashes that can hit your windshield and briefly block your sight.

Driving on a muddy road:

Now, you've ventured from the wet tarred roads of the city, into the mud-coated country roads. In this case, two things may happen: you might get through it without an incident, or you may get stuck.

One thing is guaranteed though, you will skid. But, don't hit the brakes. Be aware of where your front wheels are pointing. Drive slowly. Driving slowly will decelerate your vehicle, and ensure you gain traction. Once you're in control of the rental car again, keep going.

What if you get stuck? Keep a steady pressure on the gas pedal. Press your accelerator. Doing so will create a light wheel spin, which will whirl the mud from the tread, giving the tyres a grip again. If that doesn't work, turn the steering wheel back and forth. Moving the wheels, may allow the tread a chance to gain enough grasp to keep your car moving.

Should your car be unable to move forward, try to throw the transmission into reverse. Chances are: you might return to a dry roadway. Slowly ease onto the accelerator, and hopefully, out of the mud. Once you're out - before resuming to normal speed, give the tyres a chance to kick the sludge out of the tread.

Clean the rental car:

You don't want to pay for car rental damages! So clean the car, because mud holds moisture against metal, which leads to rust and corrosion. Dried mud on a drive shaft, may throw it out of alignment and cause damage.

Things to Be Considered While a Choosing Payday Loan

A payday loan is a short term loan that is often used to cover up unexpected expenses and it is paid into your bank account directly. In order to apply for this type of fund, it is vital that you should fill up the application form properly and that you should fill up a few other forms as well. If you follow this type of online application procedure, it is vital that you only have to spend a few minutes for this purpose. Once it is approved, there is possibility that the total amount of money will be deposited directly into your bank account. For this type of application process, all you have to do is to write your bank account number as well as Social Security Number on the application form. Here are a few things that you should consider before you apply for this type of fund as quickly as possible.

The first step that you should follow is to contact at least four or five lenders and that you should ask them to provide price estimates as quickly as possible. It is vital to remember that they all may provide different types of price quotes and it is important that you should choose someone who offers a price rate that suits your requirement. Plus, you may ask him if you have to pay anything extra at any point of time.

When you look out for this type of fund, the thing that you should follow is to gather knowledge about its repayments terms. Repayment is the exact time that is allowed to the borrowers to repay the loan successfully. It is vital that you should be able to repay it within the prescribed period of time and it is also important to note that you may also have to face a penalty if you can not repay it within that period of time.

However, there are a few lenders who allow you to extend that period of time up to six months. Therefore, the next step that you should follow is to ask about the necessary action that he should adopt if you do not have an adequate amount of money to repay it within the stipulated period of time. All you have to do is to apply for an extension at least two days before your scheduled date of loan repayment. It is vital that he should give you this kind of facility. He may ask you to pay the interest rate within the stipulated period time and he may also encourage you to repay the rest of the amount as quickly as possible.

Your next step is to find out the details of repayment terms as much as you can. All you have to do is to ask him about the exact date within which you have to pay off this kind of fund as soon as possible. It is important to remember that you will not be charged a penalty if you pack back this kind of fund prior to the specified period of time.

It is vital that you should find out the details of customer support that is offered by him. It is advisable that you should choose someone that provides excellent customer service and that listens to your problem whenever you approach it at any point of time.

The final step that you should follow is to contact your local business bureau as quickly as possible and that you should find out if there is any kind of complaint being launched against him at any point of time. Plus, you should also check out if there is any sort of negative review or comment being written by the customer on any social networking site at any point of time.

Promotional Products Startup Guide For New Companies

If you have either bought or are starting a new business from the ground up, one of your most immediate needs is to establish your brand in the market place as soon as possible. Certainly one of the best and most cost effective ways to accomplish this is with the help of promotional products. However, I am not writing this article to convince you of the importance of using promotional products but rather to help you with the process of implementing this type of marketing approach. In this article, I will be discussing a kind of mental checklist that will be necessary to help make this process go much more smoothly for you. Keep in mind that I will be providing you a general rather than a comprehensive guide to the ordering process as with more than 850,000 promotional products and growing in our industry I could not in this small article cover all the necessary guidelines for ordering each product. Nevertheless, I will address some of the key considerations that will help you in the selection and ordering process for most promotional products.

One of the first areas in this process you must address is to come up with a budget. Your thinking here should be first to come up with a total budget and then to break that total budget into segments which should include a price range for each promotional product you want to order. Don't forget to compensate for costs other than the actual product in your budget such as shipping, taxes, and any fulfillment costs that might be incurred in delivering or packaging the promotional item. As part of this budgetary process you will want to decide on how many different types of promotional items you will want to purchase. Once you have decided on how many promotional products you will be using in your marketing effort, you will need to figure out how many of each individual item you will want to order. This really then becomes more of a mathematical function of how many promotional items you will be ordering and how much you have budgeted for the entire promotional product program.

With the financial aspect of the promotional product program figured out your thought process should move to the marketing aspects so you can then zero in on the precise products that will accomplish your branding mission. This is where you need to begin to ask yourself some important questions. It is through the questioning process that you will define your entire approach to getting the appropriate and most effective promotional product and still stay within your budget. Questions such as: who will you be targeting with these promotional products? What is the message and impression you want the product to convey to the person receiving it? Where will the promotional product be given out? Although I can think of many more questions that I as a professional would ask to better define your goals lets limit it to these three very important questions for now. Let's briefly discuss the first question: who will the products be given to? Actually this question can best be answered by asking and answering a series of other questions like: will the products be given to current customers or prospects? Will the products be given to men, women or children? What position does the recipient hold in an organization? These are just a few questions you will need to ask yourself in defining your target and thus determining an appropriate and effective promotional product. With regards to the second major question I presented concerning the message and impression you want to convey to your customer, you will need to examine why you are giving the promotional product out in the first place. Do you want to give the promotional product out to create awareness of a new product or service your company is introducing? Perhaps, you want to use it to directly boost sales and give it as a gift with purchase which we call a premium in the industry. There are many ways to help your business grow with the help of promotional products, in fact, to many to mention here in this article. But the way to find out how you can best use them is by questioning and understanding your own company's needs. Finally, the last major question involves the logistics and the distribution of the promotional products. For example, where will the promotional products be given out? Will your sales people be giving out the promotional product during sales calls or maybe at a tradeshow? Maybe your company will be hosting a seminar and hand some products out there. Still another possibility would involve mailing out products to customers such as gifts acknowledging their support and creating good will and loyalty to your company and brand. However you choose to get the product to your marketing target distribution and logistics should be an important consideration in your decision to purchase certain promotional products.

Having touched on the marketing aspect of choosing to promote your brand with promotional products, it is now time to turn your attention to what essentially is the nuts and bolts part of the actual ordering process. This part of your marketing efforts involves specific choices that you will have to make regarding each product most of which have their own unique characteristics. Once you actually decide on a promotional product, things like size, color, specific features, and options available for that product should be thought out. You will then need to decide how you want to customize the product. Things like the number of ink colors you will want to imprint on an item, how many sides on a product will be imprinted and in the case of an embroidered product the size and location of the embroidery will come into play. Finally,you will need to make sure that you have your artwork done by a graphics professional who can put it in the proper format to submit for actual production. Although there are many products and possibilities for the creative and effective use of promotional products, with a little thought on your part the basic guidelines I have outlined in this article will provide you with a good starting agenda. Of course, a top professional promotional product supplier with extensive experience and the technology necessary can help and fill in the important missing gaps and take you the rest of the way to successfully completing your marketing mission.

The True Meaning of the Word Freedom

Freedom is a very powerful word. Webster's dictionary defines freedom in many different ways, but this is the one that really stuck out to me. Freedom is the state of being free - liberated from slavery, restraint or the power of another. When I read this definition, the Bible verse Acts 12:7 ran through my mind- And, behold, the angel of the Lord came upon him, and a light shined in the prison: and he smote Peter on the side, and raised him up, saying, Arise up quickly. And his chains fell off from his hands. Can you imagine the delight in Peter's heart as those chains released his hands and he was no longer in captivity?

You too have the opportunity to escape captivity and live in freedom for the rest of your life. Can you imagine actually being free financially, spiritually, socially, emotionally and physically? For most people that seems completely unrealistic, but I'm here to tell you it can be your reality. Remember, inside the word impossible is possible. It is possible for you to have freedom in every area of your life!

In the United States, we observe Independence Day on the fourth of July. There are fireworks exploding in the air across America in celebration of our freedom, which was made possible by the signing of the Declaration of Independence in 1776. When that document was signed, it was "declared" that America was free. Let me ask you a question. When will you declare your independence? When will you declare your freedom? Before you can achieve it, you must believe it so say it out loud now... I DECLARE THAT I AM FREE IN EVERY AREA OF MY LIFE! THE SHACKLES ARE GONE! I AM FREE!

After you declare that you are free, you need to understand exactly what freedom is to you. If you don't know what it is, then how are you going to achieve it? What is freedom to you? I'm going to break down each letter of the word F-R-E-E-D-O-M, and I want you to visualize what it really means to you.

The first letter in the word freedom is 'F', which stands for focus. Are you focused on being free in every area of your life? If not, then you need to shift your focus and become focused on your freedom. Most people don't become truly free in their lives, because they are comfortable or simply aren't courageous enough to stretch themselves beyond their current life boundaries. Take advantage of getting uncomfortable and stretching yourself, because to be free you have to do things differently than most people.

Just imagine standing inside of an average size circle every single day. Your current job, friends, habits and overall way of life are also in the circle. Can you feel it getting tight? Don't you have the urge to step outside the circle? Now, imagine extending your foot, stepping outside of the circle and feeling an ultimate sense of relief. You have room to move and make decisions that you couldn't make inside that circle. Sadly, you will never get to leave that circle because it's the limit that you've placed on your life unless you make the decision get focused on your freedom and stretch yourself outside of your comfort zone.

Whatever you focus on everyday will determine whether or not you achieve freedom in your life. One of the main objectives that you should focus on is taking advantage of every single minute in your day. If you are scheduled and plan your day, then you are forging forward towards freedom. On the other hand, if you lay in bed at night, reflect back on your day and have no idea what you did all day long, then you are allowing time to take advantage of you. I often hear people say, "I have no idea where the time went." It's one of those moments when I have to bite my tongue, because I want to tell that person that they are wasting their time instead of investing it.

Time is our biggest form of currency so we must spend it wisely. If you focus on freedom and invest your time wisely, then you are one day closer to being free instead of remaining entrapped. While working with one of my coaching students, I asked her to show me her planner. I wanted to know where she was investing her time, because she was stuck in a rut. Surprisingly, she had every single minute of her day scheduled. This woman knew where she was every minute of the day and led an extremely busy lifestyle. However, I looked closer at the actual activity and saw the issue. I explained to her that just because she was active didn't mean that she was productive. She filled her day with meaningless tasks that created activity instead of accomplishment. Just because your calendar is full doesn't mean that you are investing your time wisely. I encourage you to sit down and take a good look at where you're spending your time and how some of those insignificant, waste of time activities are pushing you further away from your freedom.

Another determining factor in whether or not you become free is what you actually look at on a daily basis. I love to take photos with other champions at events and have built a Why wall in my office in South Florida. This wall is filled with not only pictures but also letters, art, cards and many more positive, inspirational things that I have received from people all over the world. In my home office or as I prefer to call it my "construction zone", I have pictures of my own dreams and goals. I focus on these things every day as I sit in my construction zone and build my business. No matter the obstacle that I encounter, I'm constantly reminded of my Why in life, because I see it in front of me.

What are you looking at? If your answer to that question is "nothing", then that's exactly what you are doing to achieve freedom in your life...NOTHING. In my favorite book, The Bible, it states that a man without a vision will perish. Another way of saying it is that a person without focus in pursuit of his dream will fail. I cringe when see someone reading those garbage books and magazines that highlight all the gloom and doom in the world. Can you really expect to achieve freedom in your life if you are focusing your mind and eyes on that trash? I challenge you to throw out the garbage and start reading positive, inspirational material. You can also take it a step further and hang some pictures of your dreams and goals in your construction zone. You won't believe how quickly your results will skyrocket when your focus is shifted!

If you're saying, "That sounds easy. All I have to do is organize my planner and hang a few pictures then I will be focused on achieving freedom in my life." YOU ARE WRONG! It's not a one step process. It's daily focus in every area of your life. When I say that you have to be focused, I don't mean that you just simply think about freedom sometime during the day. You need to be focused like a sniper with a laser pointed at his target...laser-focused! If you let anything or anyone distract you, then your target (freedom) will no longer be in sight.