YOU: FIRST PRIORITY

There once was a wealthy man who asked a great wise man, "What good thing must I do to get eternal life?" The wise man replied, "obey the rules." The wealthy man answered a bit confused, "which one?" The wise man replied, "All of them. Then when you have done that, give up all your worldly riches and follow me." The wealthy man walked away sad, because he would not give up his wealth for eternal life.

You see, we live a world filled with good intentions, great material wealth and endless possibilities for physical pleasures. But we tend to get so caught up in what we "have" in the "here-and-now" that we forget about the future and where we may end up. Your actions today effect you and those you come in contact with as well as those who you do not. In other words, everything you do in this life-matters. 

Your choice of lifestyle directly effects others. It is all relative. We are all connected. No one person can do everything by him or herself. It takes more. This means focusing your strengths and abilities on your first priority-YOU. 

Let's break down the story a little further. I will try to keep it simple and not get preachy. 

 The wealthy man asked, "what GOOD THING must  I DO to get ETERNAL LIFE? That's deep! And only opens us up to ask more wow questions like...

A. Am I good ENOUGH?

B. Can I save MYSELF?

C. Where do I GO WHEN I DIE?

D. What do I still LACK?

 

The simplest way to summarize answers to these questions without getting too deep is: a person who had treasures in life may find it that much harder to "let go" because they won't see it as storing up their treasures in the afterlife. They may see it as just giving it all away and not getting much in return except an occasional pat on the back and a temporary sense of gratitude. But it's more than that. All that you have in this life is given to you temporarily-including your body. What is it exactly that you are holding onto?

It takes all of us, working together, sharing all the strengths and talents that we have, collectively, to make our one and only life abundant and more fulfilling for everyone. So the answer to question A is: A true and rewarding life is not about RELIGION, it is about RELATIONSHIP. It is not about MONEY, it is about ACTION. It is not about talking about how much you care, it is about sharing LOVE as much as you can, when you can. That is what makes you good enough.

When you implement all or part of Answer "A" you automatically jump start Answer "B". By building your relationships, taking positive action to share goodwill with others, you become more than just a FAN, you become a LEADER. It's one thing to sit in the stands and watch life happen. It's an entirely different experience and outcome when you jump in and actually take part in making life happen. 

In other words, you can't save yourself. It's going to take someone else coming along and choosing to help you in your time of need. You may have heard this said before, there are three kinds of people in this world, those who wonder what happened, those who watch what happened and those who make things happen. Which one are you?

Now for the tougher answer to "C." Where will you go? Well believe it or not, that is entirely up to you. For every person that lives, there is an opinion or a idea of what happens in the afterlife. Ancient civilizations to modern societies have agreed to disagree on every level of intellect that we simply just don't know what "really" happens when we die.

The three most commonly accepted answers are: 1. Nothingness (limbo) 2. Hell 3. Heaven. As for me, I choose Heaven. This leads to answer "D." We all lack something in our lives. For some, it is a person to love or be loved by. For others, it may be finding a spiritual center or a solid faith base that brings peace, wisdom and nourishment to your mind, body and soul. I personally believe that the one true Son of the Creator did really exist and He really did walk the earth, overcome death, was resurrected and now saves a place in Heaven for me and all those who choose to believe as I do. This is my perspective. Ultimately, you decide.

Investment Tips from Virgin Atlantic

Richard Branson's 5 rules of investment

• By Jack Preston -
• May 09, 2013

• 

As those of you who followed last week’s Pitch to Rich competition will know, Richard Branson isn’t afraid to invest in start-ups. In fact the Virgin Founder has made a string of investments in tech start-ups over the past couple years, but what does he look for when deciding where to place his funding?

In a recent entrepreneur.com blog Branson shed some light on his investment criteria, providing five rules which he adheres to when assessing an investment opportunity.

Check them out and let us know what you think, what do you think is important to look for in a start-up?
1. Does your company offer a smart, simple solution that improves customers' lives?
If I understand a startup's product or service on first glance, then customers will too - and if it solves a problem that needs fixing, there's a good chance that some will buy it.
That's why I invested in Square two years ago. It's a company that was started by the Twitter co-founder Jack Dorsey when he was trying to help his friend, a glass-blower who wanted to sell his work but didn't have a credit card machine. Square's system allows entrepreneurs to accept credit card payments via smartphone. The company says it now handles about $12 billion in transactions annually, and in 2012, it announced a deal with Starbucks, so that customers can pay for their coffees and other items using the Square Wallet app.
2. Is your company's use of technology disruptive?
There are many companies that dress up their products by putting lights and screens on them, but don't exactly make a difference to anyone's everyday life. Such products may attract attention, but unless the technology adds easy functionality, the customers won't be back a second time.
Hailo, the yellow taxi cab app, is a great example of a disruptive technology, since it's so more efficient and responsive than our current options: trying to wave down a passing cab or placing a call to the cab company. We chose to invest in this company because it lets passengers hail free taxis on nearby blocks with their smartphones. It helps cabbies too, since they spend about 40 percent of their time driving around looking for passengers.

3. Does your company offer customers greater choice and better access?
However small a company, its founders should try to expand people's opportunities and choices.
The online coding tool Codecademy is giving anyone with an Internet connection the chance to learn basic programming skills for free. With its easy-to-use interface and lessons drawn from real-world examples, Codecademy is outshining the competition.
I decided to invest in Codecademy because many people need and will benefit from access to such skills, especially women who hesitate to enter such a male-dominated field -- one in which most students tend to be men as well. Already, over 35 percent of Codecademy's users are women.
4. Does your company's product or service encourage customers to share their work or experiences?
The development of Web-based applications has enabled collaboration on a scale that was unimaginable 30 years ago. In almost every industry, more sharing is helpful and useful: between friends and family members; between colleagues, and sometimes between customers.
The best way to encourage sharing is make it fun, which is why businesses like Pinterest have found such success. This beautiful platform is all about inspiration and discovery, providing people with a quick, easy, entertaining way to share photos. It has rapidly become a household name -- and inspired us to invest in their company.
5. Does your company care enough about people and the planet to use business as a force for good?
Every company can make a difference. New businesses can tackle local problems, growing businesses can tackle national problems, big businesses can tackle global problems. One example that stands out is Twitter, which activists have used to evade authoritarian leaders' controls on communication -- it has helped to topple governments. I use Twitter to generate awareness for causes that are meaningful to me and others, like ending the war on drugs, and this is why I've invested in this company.
Similarly, we've funded Tumblr, which is one of the most popular Web destinations in the United States, and it also gives people a digital platform where they can express themselves.
These are just a few of the promising startups that have helped me to learn more about the challenges and opportunities faced by tech companies today. Those that provide services that help entire communities may have built long-lasting businesses that will be influential for years to come.

By Jack Preston. Content Executive. Tweets at @JackPressedOn

Live A Life That Matters

Live A Life That Matters

Ready or not, someday it will all come to an end.  There will be no more sunrises, no minutes, hours or days.  All the things you collected whether treasures or baubles, will pass to someone else.  Your wealth, fame and temporal power will shrivel to irrelevance.  It will not matter what you owned or what you were owed.  Your grudges, resentments, frustrations, and jealousies will finally disappear.  So, too, your hopes, ambitions, plans, and to-do lists will expire.

The wins and losses that once seemed so important will fade away.  It won’t matter where you came from, or on what side of the tracks you lived, at the end.  It won’t matter whether you were beautiful or brilliant, even your gender and skin color will be irrelevant. 

So what will matter?  How will the value of your days be measured?  What will matter is not what you bought, but what you built; not what you got, but what you gave.   What will matter is not your success, but your significance.  What will matter is not what you learned, but what you taught.  What will matter is every act of integrity, compassion, or sacrifice that enriched, empowered or encouraged others to emulate your example.  What will matter is not your competence, but your character.  What will matter is not how many people you knew, but how many people will feel a lasting loss, when you’re gone. 

What will matter is not your memories, but the memories that live in those who loved you.  What will matter is how long you will be remembered, by whom and for what.  Living a life that matters doesn’t happen by accident.  It’s not a matter of circumstances but of choice.   When you receive something so beautiful as this, you must not hesitate to share it with your friends.

                                                                                             Author Unknown

As children bring their broken toys
With tears for us to mend,
I brought my broken dreams to God
Because He was my friend.

But then instead of leaving Him
In peace to work alone,
I hung around and tried to help
With ways that were my own.

At last I snatched them back and cried,
“How could you be so slow”
“My child,” He said, “What could I do?
You never did let go.”

- written by Robert J. Burdette

Read more at Poem : Broken Dreams

RESOLUTION

Mitch Harrison, CCRC

Let's do some evaluation: on this site in many others, you will hear reference for healthy disposition to positive attitude and moral character. So, let's check in. How have you been? How has your attitude been? What are you doing with your life? Where are you at right now in your life? Do you know what direction you are headed? If you answered no or negatively to any of these questions, well then ask yourself, what are you waiting for? Are you kidding yourself? In other words, are you aspiring for unrealistic expectations of self and others? We also talk about this on this site; setting small goals with realistic expectations that lead to making larger more prominent decisions that will effect you for the long haul.

Principle and habits go hand in hand. Our habits will always overcome our will power. Why? Because that is how the human mind is designed, unfortunately. So we must make our habits fall in line with our will power so that our habits are productive and constructive. Good habits will fuel change in our hearts, giving strength to our will power. Real change comes through. By developing and strengthening good habits, you will have spiritual renewal. Be quick to offer your talents and skills to things to will uplift, break bad patterns and transform your mind, body and soul. This is the first part of Complete Resolution: Spiritual Renewal.

This is where we answer the question: why? What's the motivation for "doing good?" After all, it's a broken, flawed world full of death and hate and destruction. But what if just for a moment, it wasn't? What if we all, at an individual level, CHOSE one day to say, no more? I talk about on this site about the Ripple Effect. I change and be to myself and others and then those around me do the same and then those around them do the same and before you know it, you have whole communities, towns, cities, countries, nations, practicing "good" habits, lending their talents and abilities to the betterment of self and others. Some say when you understand the "why" and if the "why" is big enough, the "how" doesn't matter. I say, it's IN the how that makes all the difference and creates a permanent imprint on you and everyone you come in contact with.

The next part of making a complete internal/external resolution is Structural renewal. You are surrounded by people who see what you do and how you act and react to things in your life. You may have friends, family, neighbors, coworkers, colleagues, classmates, etc. that deal with you on a daily basis one on one. Then there are those who see what you do and don't even know you ie the strangers you pass in public everyday. This is your structure. You directly influence your structure by exuding a positive attitude and practicing clean, healthy habits. This is where you answer the questions "what" and "when".

That last part of complete internal/external resolution is Systematic renewal. This is the part that is hardest for most people because we are drenched and soaked in temptations from a 360 degree radius! But we MUST have a clean new system, it answers the hardest question: how? The answer is CHOICE. You must choose to change. You have to want to change. No one, no god, no faith, no belief or lack thereof, will make a choice for you. You have to choose that you want to change from the inside out. When you do, the system works in your benefit to bring the most abundance life has to offer you. Take the time to put the "system" in place and the structure will surround and strengthen the spirit.  

They all work together like clock work. For more information and discussion on this complex topic, feel free to email me at : DETHOMAS2012@GMAIL.COM or leave a comment below for others to share their thoughts and ideas. 

 

Say No to Yes!

Let's face it. Some of us are always in a hurry. Rushing to work, school or even to play. We rush to get a great deal or sale before the so-called savings are gone, we hurry to get to someone or something or do something before it's too late. All I have to say is, where's the fire? I understand as humans we are limited, constricted and quite simply, in a cold war with time. But there is something to be said about just taking it slowly, learning to work with time instead of against time. Let it work for us instead of us working against it. It may be as simple as saying, no, at times we would normally say yes. Let's take a closer look at how this interesting flip on the theory unfolds for our benefit. -DeMaster A. Thomas

The Cost and Craziness of Culture

The Vision for Life: Living with Peace

Making and Keeping Priorities

The Priority and Reward of Rest (Quiet Time)

"Yes and "No" mean something. When you say it, stand by it. It only has as much strength as you give it. Let what you say be simple and clear and it will leave little room for confusion. K.I.S.S.-Keep It Sweet and Simple and mean it. Anything more is doing too much and invites room for misunderstanding.

Say NO to the urgent and YES to important. There is truth to the saying, "the early bird gets the worm." Here's an experiment for you, take a day, maybe once a week, where you get up in the morning before sunrise, take a few moments to be quiet and just do some deep breathing and meditation. 

This is just a simple exercise to literally clear the mind of all the gunk and start fresh. This is the brain's way of saying "NO" to the noise of everyday hustle and bustle and "YES" to the peace and quiet of the soul. Once your mind is clear, your are more attentive, focused and you free your mind to say "NO" to things take your attention away from what's really important and "YES" to the mission that lies ahead. This can be done for just about anything; school, work and daily activities. 

Another popular saying is, life is but a stage and we are all but actors. This too is true. Especially when it comes to truly doing and being at your best. You see, Life doesn't sign autographs. Because to Life, you are the star! To be at your best, you have to say "NO" to the things that will bring you down and tear you apart and "YES" to the priorities that make the most of your time. You would be surprised if you take a moment to really do inventory on your life at how much you have around you that can kill, steal and destroy your momentum, motivation, excitement and enthusiasm. This is the hardest of them all, because we are human. Temptation is a human's worst enemy. It kills more lives than any known or unknown disease since the beginning of humankind. Saying "NO" to temptation will prevent unhealthy things in life from overtaking you and robbing you from living a full and abundant life. In your faith and your walk in Life, you will never be tempted beyond your ability or given too much of anything you can't handle. This is simply a matter of believing in yourself and knowing that no matter how much you "think" you can't. YOU CAN! So, say "NO" to temptation and "YES" to success and it will give the strength you need to endure and overcome.

 

THE POWER OF PRAYER

Before we get started, let's break this down: what does "power" mean: it means the ability to act on the effect a charged energy and control it. "Prayer" means: a deliberate communication with a spiritual entity or deity. Put to all together and you have the ability to control your communication with your deity. This is a privilege, not a right. In our history, during the time B.C., we developed our own ways of communicating that proved to be inefficient, selfish, filtered and tainted.Today, nearly 2030 years later, A.D., we are still doing the same thing! So, how do we know if we are speaking respectfully to the Utmost Elder? This is not our parents or boss at work, this is The Parent and The Boss of Everything! But don't get nervous and say, forget it, I'm just going to do my own thing. It's easier than you think. Let's take a look.

  First-pray with a "child-like" faith - ASK. Remove your adult filters and just ask! Do you remember when you were a kid and went to ask for something? You had a heart filled with an idea and expectation of receiving, then you asked and believed you would get an answer. It may not have been the answer you were looking for, but you knew if you asked, you would get a response. If what you ask for is in line with what you need, you will get it right at the time you need it. Hard to believe, but so true it's scary and so simple, a child can do it :-)

 Second-pray with confidence and belief. Before you ask in prayer, ask yourself the same thing-do I need what I am asking for? Is it in line with the good will and betterment of self and others? How will what I ask for be applied and when? If you can answer this for yourself, then you can ask in prayer and it will be done for you.

Third-pray with humility and trust. This is the head spiritual energy and deity that is beyond your physical, material world. Remember who you are speaking to and welcome warm receive with open arms. Be humble and trust you will be heard. This is open conversation, but it is respectful conversation as well. Act in accordance with confession and thanks.


This is the full body of prayer. Grace will bathe you, you will be sufficient in all things at all times and you will be good in every plan you execute. Now be careful how you apply this. We live in a world where there is excess, too much of one thing goes to one person and we possess the power to spread happiness to others in need. When this "pay it forward" motion is continued, every person is reached and everyone receives the answer to their prayer in one way, shape, form or fashion or another. If a person asks for food, do you give them a rock? No, I hope that you would feed them. What you give to others as they ask of you is exactly what you will get in answer to your prayers. Okay, this is a little confusing, let me rephrase this. Prayers are answered through the actions of one person to another. Both parties have power: the power to ask, believe and trust and the power to fulfill, honor and uplift.

 So what happens next? You pray, the Holy Spirit delivers, you get a reply, open the "spiritual" envelope and hope for the best. An answer to our prayer is the most frustrating part of the process, because we are humans with child-like hearts and when we don't get the answer we expected, we are hurt, sometimes angry and feel let down. The only answers to prayer are:
1. YES-go and do good with what you have been granted.
2. NO-because it is not right for you and this is to protect you.
3. GO SLOW-this will be granted and given to you, in time, be patient and prepare, it is coming.
4. GROW-there is more you need to learn before what you seek can be given to you.
5. GO-prayer granted, you're welcome.

Power is the most amazing ability a human has. Prayer is the greatest form of other-world communication known to human kind. Put them together and you have the ability to actually "talk" to the Son of the Creator! And that is nothing short of a miracle. No matter your faith or background, culture or belief, this is an open line and all are welcome. So go ahead, give it a try and let Him know what's on your heart today. 

Until next time, I am DeMaster Thomas and this - is Real Living

The Faith of a Child

twas' 11 days before Christmas, around 9:38
when 20 beautiful children stormed through heaven's gate.
their smiles were contagious, their laughter filled the air
they could hardly believe all the beauty they saw there.
they were filled with such joy, they didn't know what to say.
they remembered nothing of what had happened earlier that day.
"where are we?" asked a little girl, as quiet as a mouse.
"this is heaven." declared a small boy. "we're spending Christmas at God's house."
when what to their wondering eyes did appear,
but Jesus, their savior, the children gathered near.
He looked at them and smiled, and they smiled just the same.
then He opened His arms and He called them by name.
and in that moment was joy, that only heaven can bring
those children all flew into the arms of their King
and as they lingered in the warmth of His embrace,
one small girl turned and looked at Jesus' face.
and as if He could read all the questions she had
He gently whispered to her, "I'll take care of mom and dad."
then He looked down on earth, the world far below
He saw all of the hurt, the sorrow, and woe
then He closed His eyes and He outstretched His hand,
"Let My power and presence re-enter this land!"
"may this country be delivered from the hands of fools"
"I'm taking back my nation. I'm taking back my schools!"
then He and the children stood up without a sound.
"come now my children, let me show you around."
excitement filled the space, some skipped and some ran.
all displaying enthusiasm that only a small child can.
and I heard Him proclaim as He walked out of sight,
"in the midst of this darkness, I AM STILL THE LIGHT."

Let's Stay Together: 
5 Simple Steps to Healthy Marriage

Inspired by Kevin Odor of CCRC

"Love and marriage, love and marriage, go together like a horse and carriage..." ah, the hopeful sounds of Frank Sinatra echo the heartbeat of budding lovers everywhere who want to "tie the knot". For some, it's a around the finger and for others it's around the neck. But no matter how you look at it, Old Blue Eyes hit it right on the head! Love is patient, love is kind, it does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking. It is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongdoing. Love does not delight in evil, but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails.

Now that we know the true and accurate definition of love and not what modern society and social media tell us, we know that is it is the goal of the heart to leave our homes and cling to another in hopes that we may be one in love and be fruitful. A man must love his wife as he loves himself and a wife must respect her husband as she respects herself. We have heard this over and over again in every culture around the world. Treat them like you want to be treated...what goes around comes around...be good to them and they will be good to you...and so on.

But what makes a marriage last beyond the infatuation stage, the "honeymoon period"? How do we look back years later and look over at that person and say, from the core of our heart, I love this man or I love this woman...how can we say, for example, 30 years later, we are happily married despite an immoral and broken world that no longer believes or markets healthy marriage, but promotes destruction, selfishness, and lust? Well, it's simpler than you may think.

First: Never give up! Commit to your commitment: There will be many obstacles, challenges, ups and downs throughout the journey together, but as long as there is no irreparable damage caused by abuse or indiscretion, and you truly still fully commit to fulfilling the wants and desires you share with your spouse, remember the vow you took before God and man to stand by your word and do everything you can to keep your promises to each other. Love always perseveres.

Second: Avoid the pit-falls from saying, "we are just too different." It was the similarities that attracted you to each other in the first place and the differences that kept it so interesting and challenging along the way. You are not always going to agree on everything. This is good. At times, one will have a perspective the other does not; the outcome will benefit greatly from the meeting of the minds. You are one heart, but you still have a unique quality and contribution to the marriage. It's like sugar and spice, salt and pepper, hand in glove, you get the point. 

Third: Commit to acceptance. Accept one another for who they are, not for who you want them to be. Change in a person comes with time and experience. If it is positive change, embrace it. If it is negative change, work together to overcome it. This brings fulfillment to the marriage. 

Fourth:  Never say, "you don't make me happy." It is NOT the other person's responsibility to make YOU happy. You are responsible for your own happiness. The fruit for a healthy heart is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. It is up to you to feed your heart healthy influences just as you feed your body healthy food. Both will reflect a healthy mind and spirit. This is your commitment to growing. Do not accuse in anger, but speak truth in love, this will grow up in the marriage and make you stronger. A 3 strand braid is the strongest there is.

Fifth: Do not see other people. Inviting another person into your marriage bed will destroy it. Your bed can't hold the weight of an extra body. Neither can your heart. Filling your eyes with lust will only lead you to step out on your marriage, which goes against rule #1 above. Causing lust and adultery in your marriage will destroy it to the point of no repair. If you apply love abundantly to a healthy marriage, it will flourish and grow. If you sour and spike your marriage with affairs, promiscuity and adulterous behavior, it will rot the marriage from the core and it will wither and die like rotten fruit fallen from the vine. 

Guard Your Heart

 You have heard this time and time again, we must protect our minds, our bodies and most importantly, our hearts from the things in the world that want to kill it. We must make a commitment to guarding, above all else, our hearts, after all, it is source of life. If we look for good in ourselves and each other, we will find it, But if we seek out to purposely hurt each other, we are capable of executing it.  Be a good heart. A heart of change. Love can turn a heart of stone into a heart of peace. As one in marriage, you are a new heart, undivided with a new spirit of love to bond you.

 

Until next time, I am DeMaster Thomas and this -- is Real Living.

 

"Hush Little Baby, Don't Say A Word..."

Ah the beautiful peace of ... sleep. CBS News reported April 2012 that 41 million American workers don't get enough sleep, CDC says. When was the last time you spent 24 hours doing-nothing! I mean a full day where you didn't produce anything?! What if I told you that not only is rest your God-given right as a human, it's a mandatory commandment? 

That's right. TO REST IS A COMMANDMENT. "Where," you might say..."I don't remember anything in the Bible that says, I have to stop running myself into the ground...I can go all day and all night and do whatever I want...life is short, I'll play hard and sleep when I'm dead."

Well with that attitude, you most certainly will. Not that rest is a laughing matter. "There's about 41 million workers who aren't getting the recommended amount of sleep," study author Dr. Sara Luckhaupt, a medical officer in the division of surveillance, hazard evaluations and field studies at the CDC's National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health in Washington, D.C, told HealthDay. "Not surprisingly, workers who work the night shift are more likely to not get enough sleep," she said, adding people who work more than one job or more than 40 hours a week are also likely to get too little sleep. 

^{Exodus 20: 8-11
8} Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.

⁹ Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work:
¹⁰ But the seventh day is the sabbath of the Lord thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates:
¹¹ For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the Lord blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it. Hebrews 4:9 backs it up by saying, There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God. Okay, okay, not to be preachy, but it's nice to know that taking time off from everything is not considered being 'lazy'. It's actually exactly how you're supposed to spend your down time.

Now of course, not to mention the many known health reasons for rest, there are spiritual and emotional reasons to rest as well. It is a time to reflect, clear the mind, exhale, and in return, your focus, energy and stamina will be replenished. Not to mention you will feel emotionally stronger, spiritually sound and finally, your mind, body and spirit are all at peace at the same time.

History teaches us that Sunday became the day of rest because it was recognized as the day the Lord rested as well as the day that Jesus rose from the dead. Before then, it was actually Saturday! Okay so that's probably what you would consider useless knowledge you can use to annoy your friends. The point is, After work and play, there is rest.

Dr. Michael J. Breus, a sleep expert and clinical psychologist, told WebMD that if you fall asleep in less than 10 minutes, you're probably sleep deprived. Another sign that may ring familiar to some: "If you hit the snooze button more than twice you are probably sleep-deprived," Breus said.
What should the nation's sleepy workforce do to stop the trends?
Luckhaupt told WebMD that employers should take steps to make sure their workers are getting enough sleep, such as by tweaking night shift schedules or imposing limits on consecutive shifts. Employers should also have wellness initiatives that encourage workers to go to sleep at the same time every night and create a relaxing bedroom environment. That also means avoiding reading or television in bed and turning off that smartphone.

Revelations 1:10, Galatians 2:16 & 4:10, 2 Corinthians 3:6-17 and Psalm all support the fact that rest = blessing! That's right. If you give your body the rest it needs, it will reward you by being the tool you need to function in the world. Let's face it folks, it's the only body we're going to get on this lovely trip through life so let's do our best to take care it and in return, it will take care of us!

"Getting the right amount of sleep can boost a person's health. A study earlier this year found people who don't get sufficient sleep significantly raise their risks for diabetes and obesity. Love it or hate it, with an ever-increasing number of studies finding a direct connection between sleep deprivation and weight gain, it's difficult to deny the cause-and-effect relationship. People who get at least seven hours of sleep per night tend to have less body fat than people who don't. There are, of course, other factors involved in determining who becomes overweight and who doesn't, like food intake, exercise and genes. But sleep is a more integral of the process than most people realize. In a study involving 9,000 people between 1982 and 1984 (NHANES I), researchers found that people who averaged six hours of sleep per night were 27 percent more likely to be overweight than their seven-to-nine hour counterparts; and those averaging five hours of sleep per night were 73 percent more likely to be overweight.

So there you have it. The mind, body and soul can only benefit from good ol' fashioned R & R done the right way. And when you are well rested, you can wake up and bring in the new day recharged, refreshed and ready to take on what ever new challenges or tasks you have for the day. Sabbath  rest means to work hard and rest easy. Are you being a blessing for you? Are you using your one and only life to serve a higher purpose? If you answered yes, then you owe it to yourself and the those who depend on you to : RECOVER, RENEW, RESTORE AND REFUEL. If you need a little help finding the sweet spot in your hectic schedule to rest, be sure to take a look at "Making and Keeping Priorities" posted 10/28/12 on this site. If you want more reading for daily study, you can look at Mark 2:27, Matthew 11:28 & 12:10. Now go out there well rested and embrace your life! 

Until next time, I'm DeMaster Thomas and this - is Real Living.