MY FRIDAY STORY

Get Real and Fearless
By Ton Pascal 
Because we are bombarded daily with conflicting news about the World's social-politicalposition our personal needs and situations become more and more confused and difficult to assert and downright painful to bear. We must Get Real and Fearless when Positive Affirmations, Meditation or Relaxation isn't not enoughto keep us in the right path.
After my article, "Fearless in Difficult Times" was published, I received a load of very interesting emails. Besides the thank you notes and congratulations, I noticed that more often people asked for direct personal guidance as if they were still unsure that meditation and relaxation were not enough to get through this difficult period in our society.
Millions of jobs have been lost not just in the U.S A. but world over. Thousands of corporations closed their doors. General business is doing poorly. This has been going on for almost two years. But the good news we hear now, and thank God for it, is the slump is almost over!!!!!
Then we get this interesting example of economic news from this pool by the Bureau of Labor and Statistics, BLS: "Non-farm payroll employment continued to decline in July (-247,000), and the unemployment rate was little changed at 9.4 percent, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. The average monthly job loss for May through July (-331,000) was about half the average decline for November through April (-645,000). In July, job losses continued in many of the major industry sectors."
Is it declining (the rate) or is unemployment rising? You would need a master's degree in social-political-financial-economics to make sense of it all and I don't have one.
But the government takes a very close look at the unemployment rate to evaluate the economy's growth, or in this case decline. From my side I don't find it encouraging, the fact that the numbers of unemployed people more than doubled from 4.6% in December 2007 when the recession started, to 9.4% in July 2009, was 9.8% in December of 2010. No degree needed here.
Where do I stand in the middle of all this, you ask, not wanting to look back at your losses trying to keep a positive outlook? How do I stand now in the way of achieving my goals and dreams? Is your next question?
Life is a lesson, I tell you. Of course you don't see me, since I am coming to your help in this article as a friendly ghost.
You blink, go blank, think to yourself,'like when my father said "a spanking is good for you?" no thanks.'
Take this roadblock as a test, I insist.
This is what I often refer to as 'taking up challenges' and transforming them into positive opportunities. My point being that I believe we are spiritual beings going thru this learning process as human beings living a physical temporary life, I tell you.
Where is that passion you used to have for . baseball, painting, writing, sailing, traveling?
You are too old? How about teaching? Volunteering? Take your pick.
You have the answer, don't ask me.
Isn't that great?
Yes it is, I tell you. Outside situations or people are more complex, which you must accept and work as they are. But 'you' you know, and you are readily available. And because this 'you' you can work on.
Did I miss a catch somewhere along these lines, you think to yourself, looking sideways making sure nobody is watching your reactions or actually seeing that you reading a self-help article.
Even if you don't accept entirely my principle, I continue, I hope you do take this sound advice:
· -A) Stop making excuses, telling yourself lies and take a hard look at the role you have in your present situation.
This is the first step to conquer your fears and regain control of your life.
· -B) You must be realistically honest and see things as they really are.
· -C)Accept responsibility for your role in life, no matter what situation you are in.
Skip these three steps and you'll be back to the same roadblock and questions as before.
You are the one and only who can achieve your goals and live the much-deserved life of your dreams.
And you are also the one and only who stands in its way.
Go on, you are on your own now. No one can help you here with this task.
Start digging.
There are all these old beliefs you have to give up and changes you must make to achieve your goals and live the life you dreamed about.
Once you dig up the truth about the role you had in all of the big decisions in your life's journey you very likely will need a chair in case you are not sitting or lying down.
A pattern will emerge and, surprise, surprise, it is YOU who has been keeping yourself down all this time and it might scare the . the daylights out of you. And it is very scary, I assure you.No one likes to look into their inner dark closet and expose their own skeletons and shortcomings.
How do you go about it? And with what are you going to replace all these changes and beliefs?
This is a major housecleaning. Do you think there is a specialized maid service that can help you here?
Your mind might wonder about the thousands of self-help books, TV psychic darlings and personalities. Which one do you go for?
Again as a friendly ghost, I tell you: None of the above!
It is all about you.
You have the power. You control and direct the necessary energy needed.
The short and the long of it: you create your own reality!
Do this simple exercise. Write down the questions about yourself you're most afraid to hear the answers to. Once you have honest and trustingly faced yourself, you will feel that a huge weight has been lifted off your shoulders. Don't fear the vulnerability you just uncovered. Denial is no place to hide. You are now a real spiritual human being and anything is possible.
Here are a few affirmations I suggest you use daily on your fearless road to success:
· I am a good man/woman.
· I deserve love, happiness, health and wealth.
· I am grateful for my life.
· I accept only what is good and positive.
· I am grateful for myself and my situation.
· I am now ready to receive all the love and wealth from the vast supply of the universe.
Every night before you go to sleep, visualize your next day and surround yourself with people you love and people who love you. Create positive situations, deals, and encounters with people who will positively influence your work. Positive affirmations and visualization open your mind to receive positive energy.
Have a great journey!

The bible and the cellphone..






                 VS
 
Ever wonder what would happen if we treated our Bible like we treat our cell phone? 

What if we carried it around in our purses or pockets? 


 What if we flipped through it several time a day? 

 What if we turned back to go get it if we forgot it? 

 What if we used it to receive messages from the text? 

 What if we treated it like we couldn't live without it? 

 What if we gave it to Kids as gifts? 

 What if we used it when we traveled? 

 What if we used it in case of emergency? 

 This is something to make you go....hmm...where is my Bible? 

Oh, and one more thing.

Unlike our cell  phone, we don't have to worry about our Bible being
Disconnected because Jesus already paid the  bill.

Makes you stop and think 'where are my priorities? And no dropped calls! 

When Jesus died for us, he was thinking of you!
If you are one of the 7% who will stand up for  
Him, forward this.

93% of the people won't forward it.

LIVERMORE'S centennial light facts

 

FACTS

  • Age: 110 years and counting (as of June 2011)
  • Installed: First installed at the fire department hose cart house on L Street in 1901. Shortly after it moved to the main firehouse on Second. In 1903 it was moved to the new Station 1 on First and McLeod, and survived the renovation of the Firehouse in 1937, when it was off for about a week. During it's first 75 years it was connected directly to the 110 Volt city power, (subject to the power outages) , and not to the back-up generator for fear of a power surge. In 1976 it was moved with a full police and fire truck escort, under the watch of Captain Kirby Slate, to its present site in 1976 at Fire Station 6, 4550 East Ave., Livermore, California. It was then hooked to a seperate power source at 120V according to Frank Maul, Retired City Electrician, with no interuptions since.
  • Proof of Longevity: From local newspaper records; also GE engineers researched it. Was donated to the Fire Department in 1901 by Dennis Bernal who owned the Livermore Power and Light Co.
  • Vital Statistics: The improved incandescent lamp, invented by Adolphe A. Chaillet, was made by the Shelby Electric Company. It is a handblown bulb with carbon filament. Wattage- Began at 60 watts, currently shines at 4 watts. Left burning continuously in firehouse as a nightlight over the fire trucks. For some research test results on another Shelby bulb at Annapolis follow this link.
  • Recognition: Declared the oldest known working lightbulb by Guinness Book of World Records. Ripley's Believe-It-or-Not in 1972 researched it and declared it the oldest. Charles Kurault of the TV program "On the Road with Charles Kurault" visited the bulb in the 1970s and included it in his book as well. Declarations from the President of the U.S., Congress, Senate, State Senate and Assembly, and Shelby Ohio.In 2007 it was again recognized in Guiness, and Ripleys books.
  • Closest Competitors: The Second longest bulb was listed in the 1970 Guinness Book under the heading Most Durable says that "on 21 Sept 1908 a stagehand named Barry Burke at the Byers Opera House, Fort Worth, Texas screwed in a new light bulb and that it was still burning". The building was renamed the Palace Theatre, and the light was known as the Palace Bulb ever since. It now resides in the Stockyards Museum, and will have been burning for 100 years Sept of 2008. A website is in the works.
    The Third, a bulb in a New York City hardware store, Gasnick Supplies, had been working since 1912, but it is unknown if it still works today.
    The Fourth is known as "the bulb" which like ours, burns in a firehouse in the town of Mangum, Oklahoma. It has been in operation since around 1926, has no special power conversions, and is turned on and off with normal use.
    The Fifth was a bulb in a washroom at the Martin & Newby Electrical Shop in Ipswich, England was dated from 1930 and burned out in January 2001.
    For more info on these follow this link to Roadside America, or Wikipedia.
  • Future Plans: The City of Livermore and the Livermore-Pleasanton Fire Department intend to keep the bulb burning as long as it will. They have no plans at present what to do with the bulb if or when it does burn out. Ripley's has requested it for their museum.
  • Visiting: You can visit the bulb depending on the availability of the Firemen on hand. Go to the rear of the station and ring the bell. If they are in someone will answer the door. Otherwise you can see the bulb if you look through the window up on the top of the wall to your left. To contact them directly you may call the LPFD at (925) 454-2361.
  • Celebration: We commemorated its centennial on Friday, June 8, 2001 at the fire station. Please see the celebration gallery for all the pictures.
    Plans are now in the works for the 110th birthday party on June 18, 2011.
For more information about the bulb, contact the Lightbulb Centennial Chairman Lynn Owens at (925) 447-9477, Webmaster Steve Bunn at (510) 538-8207, or email Bulb@lpfire.org

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