Saaremaa, which is the largest among the numerous islands of Estonia, is an island of endless forests and fields and meadows, among which the 18th and 19th century cottages with thatched roofs, are scattered. In the same year 3 families with young kids, living in the same neighborhood in Tallinn, bought their Summer houses here. It was their love for the nature and the search for a place hidden away from the bustle and noise of the city, that brought them here. We had 10 kids between our families, all of us very close in age. 8 of us were girls and only 2 boys - the youngest and the eldest - being 14 years apart in age. 7 of us, girls, have the greatest age difference of 3 years... so, we all played together... until we grew up and all of us having a different direction in life, grew apart. Still, about 4 years back, there was a spontaneous reunion of the 3 families at the Midsummer celebrations in our Summer house. Since then we have decided to have a yearly reunion in one of our 3 island get-aways.

It was great to see all the people I hadn't seen since the Midsummer celebrations a year ago, when we had the big party at our place. Our numbers from 6 adults and 10 kids have gone up to 42 in total... one of us has parted too. Although everything went well and we had a good time together, I arrived back home with an aching heart. I did not expect that to happen. My heart was aching for my friends who I had grown up with. They are all doing well in their chosen careers and they have beautiful homes and healthy children... they are happily married... but there is a kind of heaviness upon their lives. It was strange for me to note that they all sported around this same sense of lack... even of hurt and pain. Isn't it interesting that we can laugh outwardly, but still ache on the inside... for something is missing... something vital to our wellbeing and complete happiness.

I have often thought about this inner sense of happiness and fulfillment and peace, that nothing and no one can take away. It is probably the greatest blessing that anyone could ask for... coming from the living connection with our Creator. I ended this midsummer night with fervent prayers... pleas to the Lord for my friends to also know their Lord and Savior. My heart was so aching for them, feeling their pain and hurt. Young Blaise Pascal, who lived in the seventeenth century, must have known what my friends felt, for he wrote: "There is a God-shaped vacuum in the heart of every person, and it can never be filled by any created thing. It can only be filled by God, made known through Jesus Christ." So true. No creation can fill this vacuum in our hearts, only the Creator Himself.

Jesus said in Matthew 11:28-30: "Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy-laden and overburdened, and I will cause you to rest. [I will ease and relieve and refresh your souls.] Take My yoke upon you and learn of Me, for I am gentle (meek) and humble (lowly) in heart, and you will find rest (relief and ease and refreshment and recreation and blessed quiet) for your souls. For My yoke is wholesome (useful, good - not harsh, hard, sharp, or pressing, but comfortable, gracious, and pleasant), and My burden is light and easy to be borne."

The Lord has told us in Psalm 139:16 that He had written down every single day of our lives, even before we were born. Jeremiah 29:11 confirms that God has a plan for each of our lives. This plan that He has written down for us is the perfect plan... a plan that is wholesome, useful, good, not harsh, hard, sharp, or pressing, but comfortable, gracious, and pleasant. When we follow His plan for our lives, growing out of the intimate relationship with Him, we find rest, relief and ease and refreshment and recreation and blessed quiet for our souls. It is the best place to be at - in the perfect will of God. This is the place where everything makes sense, a place where we truly are able to enjoy life... even among difficulties.

Jesus said in John 16:33: "In the world you have tribulation and trials and distress and frustration; but be of good cheer [take courage; be confident, certain, undaunted]! For I have overcome the world. [I have deprived it of power to harm you and have conquered it for you.]"

No matter how good things are for us, there still is no person in this world who does not have some tribulations and trials and distress and frustration in their lives. Yet, the Lord tells us to be of good cheer... to take courage... be confident... be certain... be undaunted. How could it be possible?! Only by knowing Him personally. When we know the Lord and His unbreakable love for us and His deep commitment to us, only then can we be of good cheer, courageous, confident, certain and undaunted... for we know beyond the shadow of doubt that "He [God] Himself has said, I will not in any way fail you nor give you up nor leave you without support. [I will] not, [I will] not, [I will] not in any degree leave you helpless nor forsake nor let [you] down (relax My hold on you)! [Assuredly not!]" (Hebrews 13:5)

God knows that we have difficulties in our lives. He also knows that no matter how great the distress, He can handle it. He doesn't even expect us to tackle the problems that we ourselves have created. He does not expect us to deal with small issues. He is there for us whether it is a great trial or a minor issue. He knows the way out. Knowing the Lord intimately pays great dividends in every area of our lives.

I just finished reading another Mitford novel by my favorite author Jan Karon. Almost in the end of the book, she describes such a beautiful and touching scene of salvation of one of her characters. This man had run from God for so long, having known about Him in his childhood, but had decided to make it on his own... until he just could not run any longer. I hope You don't mind me sharing the scene with You! ...

""I pulled into an Arby's parkin' lot and sat in the car and tried to pray. The only thing that came was somethin' I'd heard all those years in my grandaddy's church." Buck looked into the fire. "I said, Thy will be done."

"That's the prayer that never fails."

The clock ticked.

"He can be for your life what the foundation is for a building."

Buck met his gaze. "I want to do whatever it takes, Father."

"In the beginning, it takes only a simple prayer. Some think it's too simple, but if you pray it with your heart, it can change everything. Will you pray it with me?"

"I don't know if I can live up to...whatever."

"You can't of course. No one can be completely good. The point is to surrender it all to him, all the garbage, all the possibilities. All."

"What will happen when...I pray this prayer?"

"You mean what will happen now, tonight, in this room?"

"Yes."

"Something extraordinary could happen. Or it could be so subtle, so gradual, you'll never know the exact moment He comes in."

"Right," said Buck, whispering.

The rector held out his hand to a man he'd come to love, and they stood before the fire and bowed their heads.

"Thank You, God, for loving me..."

"Thank You, God..." Buck hesitated and went on, "for loving me."

"...and for sending Your Son to die for my sins. I sincerely repent of my sins, and receive Christ as my personal savior."

The superintendent repeated the words slowly, carefully.

"Now, as Your child," said Buck, weeping quietly, "I turn my entire life over to You."

"Amen."

"Amen."

He didn't know how long they stood before the fire, embracing as brothers - two men from Mississippi; two men who had never known the kindness of earthly fathers; two men who had determined to put their lives into the hands of yet another Father, one believing - and one hoping - that He was kindness, Itself."

...so beautiful. Ok, may be it didn't do much to You... as You haven't read the whole book... but I was deeply touched by this part. I think it is the most beautiful thing when a soul comes to the Lord, surrendering his/her life completely... for this is where real life and the enjoyment of life begins. It is so amazing - a true miracle - to see a person change so completely as this simple prayer, coming from a heart, accomplishes. This simple prayer transformed my life so powerfully, that when I returned home from my travels, my family was astonished. My mom actually surrendered her life to the Lord, some years later, because she said she wanted what I and my friends had. She said that my friends were always so full of the deep, inner joy and peace and strength... something unknown to her before. Now actually her friends are noticing the change in her. Salvation is a true miracle. It is literally a new birth... for a new creature is born when Jesus enters our hearts.

I believe we all know people who need our prayers to come to know the Lord. It takes faithful and constant prayer for the devil to let go of his prey and for a soul's eyes to be opened to the Truth. We are all called to pray - for our friends, family, workmates... so, lets pray to see the greatest miracle of all - new birth. Lets help lead the souls to their Savior, Healer, Comforter, Deliverer, Provider, Protector... Lover of their souls.

Many, many blessings to You,

Eve

Comment (2)

Isn't it easy to read those verses and think that it is for someone else! But it is for us, Christians, just as much as they are to those who do not yet know the Lord. I mean those who do not yet know the Lord, they do not know to go to the Lord for Wisdom... but we who know the Lord, we should know it real well... when we need wisdom, we should only ask for it and the Lord is more than willing to give wisdom to us. We all know James 1:5: "If any of you is deficient in wisdom, let him ask of the giving God [Who gives] to everyone liberally and ungrudgingly, without reproaching or faultfinding." ...still it seems to be so much easier to go to another person to seek for wisdom ...or to go along with what is normally done in a similar situation (by people who do not seek for God's Wisdom) ...or to do what makes most sense to do (leaning on human wisdom). Why would we want human wisdom when we could have God's Wisdom? Human wisdom does not take us too far.

I was reading today through Psalms 105-107... gosh, the main theme of those Psalms is how the Israelites messed up completely and then cried out to the Lord to save them. When they saw the mighty miracles of the Lord, they repented and turned to the Lord... but just for a little while for then they found another way to mess up and the circle started all over again - they cried to the Lord and the Lord bailed them out of their mess. Goodness, does He have patience with us!

Isn't it much better to lean on Him daily, instead of living like on a constant roller-coaster - up one day and down the next day, making one decision one day and the next day when the feelings have changed, make another decision. It is like living in a curse one day and living in a blessing the next day... when we could be living in blessings ALL the time. Proverbs 1:33 says that when we hearken to the Wisdom of the Lord, we "shall dwell securely and in confident trust and shall be quiet, without fear or dread of evil."

Psalms 105:42-45 says: "For He [earnestly] remembered His holy word and promise to Abraham His servant. And He brought forth His people with joy, and His chosen ones with gladness and singing. And gave them the lands of the nations [of Canaan], and they reaped the fruits of those peoples' labor, that they might observe His statutes and keep His laws [hearing, receiving, loving, and obeying them]." God has always wanted to bless His people. It is His heart's desire to give and to bless... but we ourselves are our own blessing blockers. When we do our own way, we block our blessings. Verse 37 tells us HOW God brought Israelites out of slavery (after they cried out to Him for help): "He brought [Israel] forth also with silver and gold, and there was not one feeble person among their tribes." ...think about it, just a moment ago, they were utterly poor and sick... but when they chose to obey God, He brought them out of slavery with silver and gold and there was not one feeble person among those millions! I mean, c'mon, this must have been quite a site... and what a miracle!

All He asks of us is to hear His wisdom, receive His wisdom, love and obey His wisdom and He will bless us. We do not need live on a constant roller-coaster, feeling insecure or being fearful about a problem in our lives. No need! God is a covenant God. He remembers His covenant with us all the time. Jesus Christ was the sacrifice. Through His blood we have a covenant with the Living and Loving God Who remembers His promises to us. Psalm 105:8 says: "He is [earnestly] mindful of His covenant and forever it is imprinted on His heart, the word which He commanded and established to a thousand generations." The problem is with us. As soon as we put our eyes on a problem or on ourselves, we get out of balance, into fear and we mess up.

Psalm 105:5 says: "[EARNESTLY] remember the marvelous deeds that He has done, His miracles and wonders, the judgments and sentences which He pronounced [upon His enemies, as in Egypt]." Joshua 1:8 tells us to keep our minds on the Word of God all the time and we will succeed. When we earnestly keep our minds and hearts in the Word of God, we won't be moved even when in a tough spot. "He keeps him in perfect and constant peace whose mind is stayed on Him."

God's Wisdom is crying out to us. We should not be moved by nor ruled by our problems. No problem is greater than God. When we seek Him and His wisdom in our situations, He will give it to us... and He will turn everything around for us. Our part is to seek for His wisdom and then to obey... He will do the rest. I would like to share with You a very touching testimony about trusting the Lord and His promises in a very adverse situation... and the perfect victory the Lord brought. God is always moved by our childlike trust in His promises. Our faith moves Him. The testimony is collected and written down by Melanie Hemry. One of my close friends has actually a very similar testimony.

Sitting down outside the courthouse, Judy wondered what she should do. Despite 2 1/2 years of prayers and forgiveness and her faith that their marriage would be restored, Steven had divorced her.

The judge slammed the stamp onto each paper in rapid succession. Judy Myers gripped the counter, feeling each stamp imprinted on her heart - castaway...rejected...worthless....

Steven stood casually beside her. Steven, her husband of 10 years. Steven, the tall, burly hero who always made her feel so beautiful. Steven, the father of her children. Steven, who had left her for another woman. Steven, who had asked these people to stamp these papers and cut her out of his life.

Judy stumbled out of the courthouse and sank onto a nearby bench. Divorced. So final. Cradling her head in her hands, Judy remembered when divorce had been an unthinkable word in their marriage. Then she had met Jesus and for some reason things began to change. Judy remembered running home to tell Steven about Him. They told each other everything in those days. Steven looked at her in an odd sort of way and said, "That's nice."

That's nice? The more she told Steven about her relationship with the Lord, the more distant he became. Until finally, 2 1/2 years ago, he'd moved out - into the arms of another woman.

During the pain-ridden days after Steven left, Judy first heard Kenneth Copeland teach on being redeemed from the curse of the law. She had hurried to her Bible and looked it up for herself. Sure enough, Deuteronomy 28:30 listed one of the curses under the law, "Thou shalt betroth a wife, and another man shall lie with her..." (The Amplified Bible). Wife or husband, infidelity was all a part of the same curse.

Then she flipped the pages of her Bible over to Galatians 3:13: "Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree...." Judy's heart leapt within her. Christ had redeemed her from a broken marriage! She decided then and there to believe the Word and not her circumstances.

Three times in 2 1/2 years since he'd first moved out, Steven had returned home. But even then, though they lived under the same roof, he and Judy remained poles apart. He never gave up the other woman, and Judy never gave up the Word. They had nowhere to compromise.

"Steven went for weeks without even talking to the children," Judy remembers. "The Lord gave me Mark 11:23-24 to stand on, about speaking to the mountain to be removed and be cast into the sea. Then He showed me verses 25-26, 'And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have aught against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses. But if ye do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses.' "

Judy had a lot to forgive and she knew it wouldn't be easy. But she had to do it. Her entire stand of faith hinged on her willingness to forgive - not just Steven, but the other woman as well.

"It was tough," Judy recalls. "She would call and harass me, saying that Steven didn't love me and that I was a bad wife to him. The Lord kept reminding me of 1 Corinthians 13:8, 'Love never fails...' (The Amplified Bible).

"Finally, I talked her into meeting me in person. When she stepped out of her car, I just walked over and put my arms around her. I explained that I didn't have anything against her, but I knew Steven would come back to me. I couldn't afford to be bitter and I had to walk in love."

Sitting now outside the courthouse, Judy wondered what she should do. Despite 2 1/2 years of prayers and forgiveness and her faith that their marriage would be restored, Steven had divorced her. Should she give up that faith now? Was the divorce court's pronouncement the final decree?

That night, Judy turned her Bible to the now familiar passage in Malachi 2:14: "Yet you ask, Why does He reject it? Because the Lord was witness [to the covenant made at your marriage] between you and the wife of your youth, against whom you have dealt treacherously and to whom you were faithless. Yet she is your companion and the wife of your covenant..." (The Amplified Bible). Judy rolled the last few words of that passage over and over again in her mind. Yet she is your companion and the wife of your covenant. Divorced or not, Judy knew God still recognized her as Steven's wife.

"I realized God would not override a person's will or manipulate him," Judy explains, "so I was careful not to pray that way. I prayed against the god of this world who had blinded Steven's eyes. I asked the Father to speak to his heart."

In the meantime, one of the most difficult things for Judy was watching their children, Kirstin and Kyle, suffer from the lack of their father's attention. She began to pray Malachi 4:6 over the situation, "And he will restore the hearts of the fathers to their children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the land with a curse" (New American Standard).

The hardest day for Judy in each passing year was their anniversary - Valentine's Day. Steven had always gotten her wonderful cards, and each year he'd told her that their marriage was so special the whole world celebrated with them. Now she spent those once-precious Valentine's Days alone.

In May 1981, four years after Steven moved out, he phoned with the news she'd prayed for so long. "Hi," he said, "I got saved last night." He spoke the words matter-of-factly. There was no fanfare. No fireworks. But Judy knew those words would eventually change everything.

Once Steven accepted the Lord, the relationship he was in didn't work anymore. Soon, he moved out of the woman's house and into his own apartment. Gradually, he began spending more time with Judy and the children, but he made it clear that he still maintained his friendship with the other woman.

"I wanted to challenge him on his relationship with her," Judy admits, "but the Lord reminded me that He allows the wheat and tares to grow together until it's time for Him to separate them."

By now, Judy had spent many hours a day studying the Word. She was growing rapidly in the Lord. "I wanted Steven to be the spiritual leader," she explains. "So I prayed, telling the Lord that I didn't want to be the head of our household. Afterward, every time I saw Steven, he had grasped some new revelation that had taken me years to learn. His growth in the Lord was fast and solid."

Before long, Steven began attending church with Judy and their children. He developed the habit of staying over for Sunday lunch and spending the afternoon with them. Sunday night they drove separate cars to church. Afterward, Steven always kissed Judy goodnight before sending her home.

As weeks stretched into months, Judy fought impatience. When is the breakthrough going to come? she wondered. Then one afternoon, as Judy listened to Kenneth Copeland tapes and painted her garage, she heard the answer. Without warning, the Holy Spirit spoke four words that took her breath away: It's not many days.

"I constantly had to resist the urge to take things into my own hands," Judy admits. "So instead of getting excited and overeager, I told myself that with God a day is as a thousand years. I turned off my emotions and simply painted the garage."

Eight days later, Steven phoned. He wanted to see Judy - alone. When he arrived, he was choked with emotion. "Judy," he said, "I've been such a jerk."

"God has forgiven you, and I've forgiven you," Judy answered.

Finally, as though from a far distance, Judy heard the words she'd waited four long years to hear. "I love you, and I'd like to spend the rest of my life with you."

"I had to be careful," Judy explains. "I knew that love wasn't enough. Steven had to know it was God's will for me to be his wife. I had to be certain that during the next storm he'd stand on the Word instead of his emotions."

"Besides love," Judy asked, "why else?"

"You're a wonderful mother," Steven said.

"Why else?"

"Well, I wasn't going to say this, because it isn't romantic, but...I spent the weekend in a tent praying and listening to God, and I know it's His will for you to be my wife!"

"Yes!" Judy screamed and tumbled into his lap.

On October 23, 1982, Steven and Judy were remarried.

"The Lord healed our marriage," Judy says, "but there was one detail that still bothered me. I felt cheated out of our special anniversary date. When I prayed about it, the Lord reminded me of Joel 2:25, 'And I will restore to you the years that the locust hath eaten, the cankerworm, and the caterpillar, and the palmerworm....' "

A few years later, on Valentine's Day - their original anniversary - Steven handed Judy a card. When she opened it, her gaze fell to the words he'd written there. Reading them she felt as though warm oil was pouring over her, healing every emotional scar that remained from the separation and divorce. The card simply said, "On this day in 1970, God gave me His best."

Today, the Myers celebrate their anniversary once again on a day so special the whole world celebrates with them. Both What does Judy have to say now to others who are navigating rough marital waters? "If you want to weather the storms of life without being completely destroyed, you must build your life on the Word of God. I learned that early from Brother Copeland.

"He was teaching from Luke 6:46-49, where Jesus told the story about the person who hears and obeys the Word. Jesus said that person is like a man who, building a house, dug deep and laid his foundation on a rock. When the flood arose and the torrent broke against his house, it could not be destroyed because of its secure foundation. But the person who merely hears the Word and does not put it into practice is like the man who built his house on the sand. When the storm arose against his house, it collapsed immediately."

"I didn't know the Word when the storm struck my marriage. Our relationship wasn't based on godly principles, but on infatuation, so when I started basing my role of wife on the Word it was like building a house during a hurricane. Still, I laid hold of Jesus' promise and believed the storm could not prevail if I acted on the Word. Jesus said, '...In the world you have tribulation...but...take courage...for I have overcome the world. [I have deprived it of power to harm, have conquered it for you]' (John 16:33, The Amplified Bible). It's not easy to build a house while the wind is blowing and floodwaters are rising, but it's possible through faith in God's Word.

"The Word works. It is the Manufacturer's Handbook containing prescribed repair and preventive maintenance for successful living. It will work for whoever puts it to work."

It certainly worked for the Myers. In their lives it proved to be powerful enough to overturn divorce. In their lives the Word became the final decree.

I hope You enjoyed the testimony as much as I did! It doesn't matter what is the need in Your life, God is well able to fulfill it. He is moved by our faith in His promises. Many, many blessings to You all,

I almost forgot that Father's Day is just in a few days time. I almost forgot because we in Estonia do not celebrate Father's Day in Summer. For some reason we have adopted the international Mother's Day... but have chosen to celebrate the Father's Day in Autumn. Don't ask me why! But still, I have just the right dessert for YOUR Dad!>BR>

Snowball Soup For Fathers

It really looks like a snowball soup... and it tastes absolutely wonderful... and it does not have loads of calories. I prepare it for my dad every single Father's Day for it is his absolute favorite dessert. My grandmother used to make it for my dad when he was just a little boy and he has continued to enjoy this sweet soup as his favorite dessert all those years. So, if my dad loves it... may be Your dad will love it too :-) It is very simple to prepare... and as I said tastes divine!

You will need:

1 Liter of milk (organic if possible)

4 omega-3 eggs

1/2 cup of organic sugar... if it is completely unrefined, You will need 1 cup of sugar

1 teaspoonful of potato flour (potato starch)

vanillin

Whip the 4 egg whites, adding 2 tablespoonfuls of organic sugar. Whip until hard. Whip separately the egg yolks, the rest of the sugar and potato flour. Warm (to almost boil) the milk in a large pot. Start taking with a tablespoon from the whipped egg whites "snowballs" and putting them into the hot milk. Let them warm in the milk for about 5-10 seconds on both sides, then lift them with a skimmer on a tray. Continue until all the "snowballs" have been heated in the hot milk. Then add the egg yolks into the milk and heat. Stir continuously until the milk and eggs have thickened. Do not boil. Remove the pot from the stove and let it all cool down. Serve the sweet dish in a large bowl, letting the snowballs float on the top. It is an especially lovely dessert during a hot day.

Although as I said, it does not contain many calories... and all of them are good calories... still, You might want to burn some fat after all the celebrations. I would like to share with You some really great exercise tips by my dear friend and top body-builder Thomas Ehle. What I love about Thomas is the fact that he builds his muscles naturally, without using any synthetic supplements and muscle builders. So, here are Thomas' suggestions of how to burn fat:

Fat Burning Exercises by a Top Bodybuilder:

These exercises should be done daily at a fairly low level of intensity.

Why are certain exercises fat-burning?

The body uses different energy resources for different physical intensity levels.

* A 100 m sprint for example uses mainly body stored creatine and glycogen for energy fuel.

* An 800 m run uses primarily glycogen for energy.

* Any exercise that takes longer than 20 minutes and does not totally exhaust you uses stored body fat for energy consumption. The key is to keep the work-out at a low to medium level of intensity.

Best exercises are walking, jogging, cycling, skating, dancing, swimming, stationary bike, stair-master, tread mill etc. even gardening and table tennis can be excellent fat burning exercises.

Walking

Walking is a fundamental movement of man. Regular walking work-outs are an excellent low impact way to maintain health and train your entire body. It is practiced by people, who rehabilitate from an injury as well as by triathletes that prepare for a race.

Walking for fat-burning tones and trains the entire body and should be done for a minimum of 30 minutes every day (unless you do other fat-burning exercises - but even then you can add a 20 to 30 minute walk at the end of your work out to cool down).

A typical all walking work-out starts with 5 to 10 minutes, easy walk at a natural pace. After 10 minutes all the muscles should be properly warmed up and you can walk faster. Continue the brisk speed for the next 10 to 15 minutes. The last 10 minutes you can slow down a little to cool down.

A 30 minute walk should look like this:

* 10 minutes moderate pace (warm-up)

* 10 to 15 minutes fast pace

* 10 minutes moderate pace (cool down)

A 45 minute walk work out should look like this:

* 15 minutes moderate pace (warm-up)

* 15 minutes fast pace

* 15 minutes moderate pace (cool down)

A 60 minute walk work out should look like this:

* 15 minutes moderate pace (warm-up)

* 30 minutes fast pace

* 15 minutes moderate pace (cool down)

If Walking is your primary fat-burning exercise, walk between 5 to 7 days a week.

Jogging

Jogging for fat-burning should be done almost at the same speed as a fast walk. The focus should not be on the distance one jogs but on the continuous movement and the increase in heart rate.

While walking exercises primarily the hips, lower back and thighs, jogging trains also the shins and calves and stresses the muscles from a different angle.

An excellent 30 minute work out would look like this:

* 10 minutes walk

* 10 minutes easy jog

* 10 minutes walk

A 45 minute work out should be made up like this:

* 15 minutes walking

* 15 minutes easy jogging

* 15 minutes walking

A 60 minute work out is best like this:

* 15 minutes walking

* 30 minutes jogging

* 15 minutes walking

Jogging work outs should be done 3 to 6 times a week (unless you do other fat burning exercises).

Swimming

Swimming is an excellent exercise that should be done by everyone on a regular basis. It trains your whole body, toning the muscles, increasing your oxygen intake capacity and your cardiovascular endurance as well as burns fat.

As a fat burning exercise swimming should be supplementary but not primary. That is to say, that 1 or 2 swimming work outs per week as an alternative to walking, jogging or stationary fat burning exercise machines in the gym.

Your aim should be to be able to swim continuously for a period of at least 20 minutes in order to ensure that your body burns fat for energy. A work out should be split up in a warm up, an exercise and a cool down period in order to allow blood to properly travel from your trunk into your limbs. If you are able to swim several styles such as crawl, breaststroke and backstroke, swim the easiest first for your warm up period of 10 minutes, then do 10 minutes of the harder style and finish the work out again with the easiest form to swim for you.

Given breaststroke being easier than crawl for you, a 45 minute work out should look like this:

* 10 minutes breaststroke (warm up)

* 20 minutes crawl

* 10 minutes breaststroke (cool down)

Boxing & Kickboxing

Boxing & Kickboxing training is excellent exercise not only for the martial artist but for everyone. That is why it is no surprise that world class athletes from various fields include Boxing & Kickboxing training drills in their training regime to further enhance their performance.

The Benefits of Boxing & Kickboxing Training:

Enhanced Agility/Mobility

Increases in Speed

Improvements in Endurance

Development of Explosiveness

Improved Reflexes

Development of Coordination

Fat-burning

Muscle-building

Physical Toughening

Mental Toughening

A typical Boxing or Kickboxing Work-out for non-professional training contains the following:

* All body joint rotation exercise

* Dynamic stretching

* Basic Kick technique (including knee strikes) practice

* Basic Punch technique (including elbow strikes) practice

* Punch/Kick and other combination practice

* Light sparring drills

* Bodyweight exercises (such as squats, push-ups etc.)

* Static stretching

One work-out lasts between 60 to 90 minutes.

Visit Thomas Ehle's Getting in Good Shape website at: http://www.GettingInGoodShape.com/english/index.php

ONE Group News

I have great news - we are going to have a whole lot of new certified organic products launched in July. We have not been told which products they are yet, so they are going to be a surprise to us too! I am really excited. Hey, new certified organic goodies... what can be better :-) Do check back to my website to learn about all the new products.

As ONE Group has kept its prices on the same level for several years now, it is time to take a step and rise the prices. The prices of certified organic raw materials have risen quite a bit during this time, so we are going to have to slightly rise the product prices. Though, You can still order with the present prices until the 21st of June. Shop for certified organic personal care products here: http://thespiritoflife.mionegroup.com It is normally a 3 day delivery anywhere in the world... so, You can still get some certified organic men's range goodies for Your dad!

I wish You all a wonderful upcoming Midsummer celebrations (its a real big deal here)... with Love,

Eve

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A few days ago I read from my wonderful friend Mary Lou's blog (A Heart At Peace) about an incident in a golf club. Every Tuesday at her golf club it is ‘Ladies League’. Last week after finishing her eighteen holes, she was in the clubhouse eating dinner with her foursome. These were merely acquaintances of hers that she happened to golf with on this particular Tuesday. They were having a friendly conversation and were talking about various subjects while eating their dinner when one of the ladies at her table said, “It doesn’t matter who you pray to or what religion you are. It’s all the same God anyway.”

Mary Lou, knowing it was not true, said so. She explained that all gods cannot be the same god. There is one true God and others are created by people. As the ladies did not want to argue about the matter, they changed the subject. Later Mary Lou felt regret that she did not explain more clearly... though this incident made her really think and question, "Why do people want to conform and want everyone to believe in the same god? Is it because they want one religion that unifies us all?"

I never thought about those questions... but really, why do people want to believe that no matter what god people pray to - Allah or Buddha or Jehovah - they are all the same God? And then again how could people really know what is the one and only true religion? Who can they truly believe in? Whose religion can they trust?

I am exchanging emails with one of my elderly relatives who is a well known novelist here. She is asking about my faith. She says that she has never believed in any other god than nature. But she wants to believe. She actually said that she would like me to convince her that my God is the one and only God. Although I do not think that I need to PROVE someone that God is real and that there truly is ONLY one God... as He proves Himself by Himself... but I knew my relative wanted to hear about my experiences, so I shared with her. It did made me think WHY do I believe in MY God? What is the difference between my faith and the faith of other religions? ...not that I doubted my faith for a second... but I didn't really know how to "PROVE" someone that God is real... and alive and kicking!

While writing to her, I realized that all that I was sharing with her were my daily encounters with my God... how He warned me of something negative... how He gave me a great idea for business... how He gave me wisdom of how to help someone... how He supernaturally has protected my family... how He showed me a way to deal with a difficult situation... how He healed me... Then it hit me, it is the most practical faith! God is with me every second of every day, leading me, guiding me, giving me wisdom, strengthening me, protecting me, comforting me, encouraging me, filling me with peace and joy, helping me to act in kindness when humanly I would want to cut someone's head off, providing to me... The list is endless! Can any other god do the same? Has any other god protected his followers? Has any other god provided to his followers? Does any other god comfort his followers when they feel down? ...I've never heard of any of such instances... rather what I have heard is that in order to even pray to other gods, their followers have to go to a temple or some other institution and follow a strict ritual... or they have a man-made idol to whom they pray... or they pray into a thin air to someone they have no idea what he is like or what to expect of him... or her!

I guess in a way we ourselves are the proofs that God is real for when we share about Him, we become alive! I do! I become alive when I share about Him... the ONE Who loves me more than anyone else ever could. I am thrilled that He is with me every second of every day. I am so deeply grateful that when some situation is so hard it wants to crush me, He is right there for me, strengthening me. When I think about it, it is so amazing that although I cannot run into God's loving arms, feeling His arms physically around me, I feel His comfort and strengthening and encouragement right within me... and it makes everything allright. Although we do get right into His presence so powerfully that we feel His anointing all over... and that is the most awesome place to be. When I am so in His presence and could be asking Him for stuff... I am quiet for there truly is nothing that I would want more than to be so in His presence. His presence completely fulfills every need and every desire. It is so awesome. He can in an instant wipe off all tiredness or sadness or worry or whatever might be bothering me. I do not need to GO somewhere to be with my God. He is right here with me, being to me whatever I need Him to be for me at any given time.

I mean, hey, it is so exciting! Oh, yes, and then there are rules. May be it is the rules that people do not want and therefore create for themselves a uni-god and uni-religion that allows everything... whatever feels good is good... and then they practice with drugs and multiple partners and whatever their souls desire, thinking that this is freedom... while still being completely unfulfilled and dissatisfied on the inside... for their hearts are still aching for the One true God who loves them more than anyone ever could. Yeah, I believe every single heart longs for the Love of the One True God. I believe that every person longs for rules and structure in their lives. It is actually just the opposite, the rules provide true freedom... freedom to be who we truly are... and not the lack of them. I mean even in kids' lives. Kids always test every person - will this person let them do whatever feels good at that moment... or will this person set certain rules of what is good and what is not good. In the end they will respect and listen to the one who sets rules for them... feeling much more safe and secure with that person. I guess kids know instinctively that the one who sets certain rules for them, loves them... and the one who allows everything does not really care or love them.

It is the same with God. He sets certain rules for us because He loves us. The Bible says that this world belongs to the evil one. So, God warns us of the curse that is active everywhere... except where the rules of God are followed. Curse has no power when God's rules are followed. It is like curse is everywhere but we as believers create that special spot within the curse infested world that is ruled by God's Laws and is like the garden of Eden. God's Laws create a garden of Eden for us - a place that is free from all evil. God's Laws keep us from the curse. God's Laws bring the blessings of God into our lives... which makes sense as where God is, there are also His blessings. Even blessings move along with us. Wherever we go, blessings go :-) ...hey, it IS exciting, isn't it! Wow!

I think one of the most exciting and most powerful testimonies of faith in the Bible is in the book of Daniel where 3 men stood up for their faith in the face of adversity and thus changed the religion of the whole nation! The Babylonian king Nebuchanezzar besieged Jerusalem, because the Jewish king had started to worship other gods and had turned away from the Living God. Therefore "the Lord gave Jehoiakim king of Judah into his hand." (Daniel 1:2) Nebuchanezzar gave a command to "the master of eunuchs, to bring in some of the children of Israel, both of the royal family and of the nobility - youths without blemish, well-favored in appearance and skillful in all wisdom, discernment, and understanding, apt in leaning knowledge, competent to stand and serve in the king's palace." (D.1:3,4) So, among them 3 young men - Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were brought to Babylon where they were taught local literature and language.

Then "Nebuchadnezzar the king [caused to be] made an image of gold. He set it up on the plain of Dura in the province of Babylon." (D.3:1) Now the king commanded every person to fall down and worship the image, warning: "And whoever does not fall down and worship shall that very hour be cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace." Those 3 young Jewish men did not obey the command of the king as they had their own command from the King of Kings: "You shall have no other gods before Me or besides Me." (Deut 5:7) "You shall not go after other gods, any of the gods of the peoples who are round about you." (Deut 6:14 )

Those 3 young men had rules from their God and they did not even consider breaking them. They were not about to be moved by anyone else or bullied into doing something that was wrong for them. This angered Nebuchadnezzar so greatly that instead of just heating up the fiery furnace, he heated it up 7 times hotter than normally. Still, the answer of the 3 young men to the king was: "Nebuchadnezzar, it is not necessary for us to answer you on this point. If our God Whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, He will deliver us out of your hand, O king. But if not, let it be known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the golden image which you have set up!" Those 3 young men knew their God and they were confident in His protection... though even if God did not choose to do what they expected, still their decision was clear, they would not serve any other god. I mean up to this point, it could be any other religion too. People stand up to their beliefs even unto death... especially Moslems... so, this really is not such a huge deal... but what comes next IS a huge deal!

"And he commanded the strongest men in his army to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego and to cast them into the burning fiery furnace. Then these [three] men were bound in their cloaks, their tunics or undergarments, their turbans, and their other clothing, and they were cast into the midst of the burning fiery furnace. Therefore because the king's commandment was urgent and the furnace exceedingly hot, the flame and sparks from the fire killed those men who handled Shardach, Meshach, and Abednego. And these three men fell down bound into the burning fiery furnace. Then Nebuchadnezzar the king [saw and] was astounded, and he jumped up and said to his counselors, Did we not cast three men bound into the midst of the fire? They answered, True, O king. He answered, Behold, I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire, and they are not hurt! And the form of the fourth is like a son of the gods! Then Nebuhadnezzar came near to the mouth of the burning fiery furnace and said, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, you servants of the Most High God, come out and come here. Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego came out from the midst of the fire. And the satraps, the deputies, the governors, and the king's counselors gathered around together and saw those men - that the fire had no power upon their bodies, nor was the hair of their head singed; neither were their garments scorched or changed in color or condition, nor had even the smell of smoke clung to them. Then Nebuchadnezzar said, Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, Who has sent His angel and delivered His servants who believed in, trusted in, and relied on Him! And they set aside the king's command and yielded their bodies rather than serve or worship any god except their own God." (D.3:20-28)

What a testimony! There are other real-life testimonies of Christians who were on "lists of hit men" to be murdered... but who just could not be killed! THAT is something that other gods cannot do. ONLY our God can protect believers' lives so completely that within a fire even a smell of smoke did not hang on to the clothes of the young men. I mean those 3 young men stood up for their faith and the result was that the whole nation turned to God. In verse 29 Nebuchadnezzar gives a command:

"Therefore I make a decree that any people, nation, and language that speaks anything amiss against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego shall be cut in pieces and their houses be made dunghill, for there is no other God who can deliver in this way! Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in the province of Babylon." ...God not only saved His faithful believers, He also promoted them and prospered them! Wow! I am excited! No other god can do that! God does prove Himself... though He does it though our lives. The more we know Him, the more He can move through our lives and in our lives, revealing Himself as God to the world whom He wants to save!

"For God so greatly loved and dearly prized the world that He [even] gave up His only begotten (unique) Son, so that whoever believes in (trusts in, clings to, relies on) Him shall not perish (come to destruction, be lost but have eternal (everlasting) life." (Matthew 3:16) ... God so loves every person that He does not want them to be lost... He does want to use our lives to prove Himself as a true and loving and saving and forgiving God. I think it is the most exciting thing to see someone come "back home" ...come to God and get their lives transformed... wow! Our faith and trust in Him reveal His Love and His goodness to the dieing world.

My friend Mary Lou said a sentence that inspired me so profoundly: "Don't surrender the truth of our God and the Bible for the sake of peace with others." ...trying to be like the world does not save the world...

Many, many blessings to You all,