Welcome to "Straight From the Heart!"

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Straight From the Heart
www.MichaelTPowers.com

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Thanks!
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Just wanted to remind everyone again that we finally have an official website up for Straight From the Heart! Please take a moment to visit it, sign the guestbook, and let us know what you think!

Straight From the Heart
www.MichaelTPowers.com
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Back to the Basics

By Jenny Wanderscheid


With all the action and excitement of working from home, it is so easy for me to get caught up in the business, the site design, the business end of things, that sometime I lose focus of what my life is all about.

Being married with three small children, plus running a home business to boot, it's easy to get too busy with daily activities and by the time I know it, my day is done. Sometime I sit back and think, "Wow, where did my day go?"

I am trying hard to be different. I actually have a strategy! Sometimes, when life begins to overwhelm me, I need to sit back, relax, take time for myself, my husband and my kids, and set my priorities straight.

Here is a few family time/stress breakers to help you cope through your busy week!

1. Every day, as many times as you can, tell your husband and children that you love them. And mean it! Take the time to stop what you are doing, touch their arm, or give them a big hug and tell them that they are important and that you love them.

2. Make time for yourself. This gets tricky, I know, believe me, I know! Even if it's five minutes on the front steps listening to cars go by, or sneaking in a luxurious hot bath, you need to take time for you. The better shape you are in mentally and physically, the better your life, relationships and attitude will be.

4. Laugh. Laugh loud. Laugh often. It's a medical fact that laughter is good for you. It increases blood flow and oxygen in your body. It produces chemicals in your brain to relax you. My favorite way to laugh? Spend 15 minutes in my 6 year old's bedroom. Hide and seek, wrestling, anything. He always makes me smile.

5. Take a nap. Okay, so you don't have time for a nap? Take a cold, wet washcloth, and five minutes with your feet up and a cool drink of water or the beverage of your choice. Just a few minutes of rest can be incredibly rejuvenating.

While these tips aren't exactly new strategies, they work for me and my family! Remember, share, love, and laugh. Follow those rules, and things will fall into place!!

Until next time,
Laughter and Light,

Jenny Wanderscheid
jenny@childfun.com

Send Jenny an email and let her know what you thought of her contribution today!
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A little bit about Jenny:
Jenny Wanderscheid is the 29 year old marketing guru and corporate CEO of ChildFun.com, but she prefers to call herself a stay at home wife and mother. She and her husband Rick are raising their three children with laughter and love in Southern Minnesota.

Check out Jenny's wonderful site:

Who says parenting can't be fun?
http://www.childfun.com

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REQUESTS:


From: dayspring-jb@webtv.net (Joanne Bigelow)


Please would you all pray for my sister's father-in-law, David Shields? This morning at 4:00 AM he had a heart attack and is currently in the local hospital here. I'm told it doesn't look good. This is his first heart attack and he is only in his early 50's. He and his wife, Janet,
are sweet, sweet people and love the Lord Jesus. Thanks to all of you.
God bless you!!
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From: Stndupdble@aol.com

Hi Michael,

Please forward this continued prayer request to your readers. We had previously been praying for my nephew Rudy re his drug addiction (heroin). He was in a rehab. (again), and walked out of the court ordered rehab for his third, fourth (? I am losing count) time recently. These past couple of weeks we have not known where Rudy was, but knew he was somewhere in his home town. He always returns there . . . and eventually gets caught and locked back up in jail (again). That is exactly what happened. He was picked up this past week, is now in jail again (small town jail) and yesterday he went before the Judge. Please pray for my nephew and family. We truly believe that the Lord has His Hands in this and is in complete control. In His timing. The Glory to God! God bless all of you and thank you for your prayers!! And thank you to all of you who sent encouraging words of comfort directly to me via my e-mail address. God Bless!!!

stndupdble@aol.com

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Thought For The Day:

"What is a cynic? The man who knows the price of everything and the value of nothing."
(Oscar Wilde)

Verse for the Day:

"The mind of sinful man is death, but the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace."
Romans 8:6

Kid's Thought For The Day:

"Big fish eat little fish."

Parent's Thought For The Day

"A cavity is a tiny hole in your child's tooth that takes many, many dollars to fill."
(Bill Dodds)

Coach's Thought For The Day

"They never gave us credit for anything. All of their quotes in the newspapers started with the word 'I.' You don't hear that word on our team
(Ray Miller, former major league baseball coach)

Deep Thought For The Day:

"Vegetarian: Native American word for lousy hunter."



Video Imagery (Michael's Video Production Business.)

"I thought of you first after my family sat down to watch the video we gave them. They loved it, to say the least! Within thirty seconds my mom was crying and my dad did too. They said it was the best Christmas gift we could have given them!! You did such a beautiful job! They were so surprised and so touched---they really, really, really loved it. Thanks for helping to make it so special to us all. My mom mentioned how the songs were perfect for the video too! Thanks again!"

Kelli (RKaGe@aol.com) College Station, TX

Let me make you a video from your pictures or home movies!
Check out the web page for Michael's video production business!
Video Imagery
http://members.aol.com/Videoimg/index.html

Do you feel as if life has no meaning for you?
The Four Spiritual Laws
http://www.ccci.org/laws/index.html


Writer's guidelines for Straight From the Heart can be found here:

Writer's Guidelines
http://storiesfrommyheart.com/writer_s_guidelines/

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