Sunday, April 4, 2010

THE Sermon on the Mount

 The Sermon On The Mount MATTHEW 5-7 (King James Bible Clarified New Testament) 5:1 And seeing the multitudes, he went up into a mountain: and when he was set, his disciples came unto him: 5:2 And he opened his mouth, and taught them, saying, 5:3 Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 5:4 Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted. 5:5 Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth. 5:6 Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled. 5:7 Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy. 5:8 Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God. 5:9 Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God. 5:10 Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 5:11 Blessed are you, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. 5:12 Rejoice, and be exceedingly glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you. 5:13 You are the salt of the earth: but if the salt has lost its savour, with what shall it be salted? it is thereafter good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men. 5:14 You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hid. 5:15 Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it gives light unto all that are in the house. 5:16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven. 5:17 Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill. 5:18 For truthfully I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one small mark shall in no way pass from the law, till all be fulfilled. 5:19 Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. 5:20 For I say unto you, That unless your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven. 5:21 You have heard that it was said of them of old time, You shall not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment: 5:22 But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, You fool, shall be in danger of hell fire. 5:23 Therefore if you bring your gift to the altar, and there remember that your brother has anything against you; 5:24 Leave there your gift before the altar, and go your way; first be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift. 5:25 Agree with your adversary quickly, while you are in the way with him; lest at any time the adversary deliver you to the judge, and the judge deliver you to the officer, and you be cast into prison. 5:26 Truthfully I say unto you, You shall by no means come out from there, till you have paid the last copper coin. 5:27 You have heard that it was said by them of old time, You shall not commit adultery: 5:28 But I say unto you, That whosoever looks on a woman to lust after her has committed adultery with her already in his heart. 5:29 And if your right eye offend you, pluck it out, and cast it from you: for it is profitable for you that one of your members should perish, and not that your whole body should be cast into hell. 5:30 And if your right hand offend you, cut it off, and cast it from you: for it is profitable for you that one of your members should perish, and not that your whole body should be cast into hell. 5:31 It has been said, Whosoever shall put away his wife, let him give her a writing of divorcement: 5:32 But I say unto you, That whosoever shall put away his wife, except for the cause of fornication, causes her to commit adultery: and whosoever shall marry her that is divorced commits adultery. 5:33 Again, you have heard that it has been said by them of old time, You shall not swear falsely, but shall perform unto the Lord your oaths: 5:34 But I say unto you, Swear not at all; neither by heaven; for it is God's throne: 5:35 Nor by the earth; for it is his footstool: neither by Jerusalem; for it is the city of the great King. 5:36 Neither shall you swear by your head, because you cannot make one hair white or black. 5:37 But let your communication be, Yes, yes; No, no: for whatsoever is more than these comes of evil. 5:38 You have heard that it has been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth: 5:39 But I say unto you, That you resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite you on your right cheek, turn to him the other also. 5:40 And if any man will sue you at the law, and take away your coat, let him have your cloak also. 5:41 And whosoever shall compel you to go a mile, go with him two. 5:42 Give to him that asks you, and from him that would borrow of you turn you not away. 5:43 You have heard that it has been said, You shall love your neighbor, and hate your enemy. 5:44 But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for those who despitefully use you, and persecute you; 5:45 That you may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he makes his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. 5:46 For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? do not even the publicans the same? 5:47 And if you salute your brothers only, what do you more than others? do not even the publicans so? 5:48 Be you therefore perfect, just as your Father which is in heaven is perfect. 6:1 Take heed that you do not your alms before men, to be seen of them: otherwise you have no reward of your Father which is in heaven. 6:2 Therefore when you are doing your alms, do not sound a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men. Truthfully I say unto you, They have their reward. 6:3 But when you are doing alms, let not your left hand know what your right hand does: 6:4 That your alms may be in secret: and your Father which sees in secret himself shall reward you openly. 6:5 And when you pray, you shall not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Truthfully I say unto you, They have their reward. 6:6 But you, when you pray, enter into your closet, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father which is in secret; and your Father which sees in secret shall reward you openly. 6:7 But when you pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking. 6:8 Be not you therefore like unto them: for your Father knows what things you have need of, before you ask him. 6:9 After this manner therefore pray you: Our Father which are in heaven, Hallowed be your name. 6:10 Your kingdom come, Your will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. 6:11 Give us this day our daily bread. 6:12 And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. 6:13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For yours is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen. 6:14 For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: 6:15 But if you forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses. 6:16 Moreover when you fast, be not, as the hypocrites, of a sad countenance: for they disfigure their faces, that they may appear unto men to fast. Truthfully I say unto you, They have their reward. 6:17 But you, when you fast, anoint your head, and wash your face; 6:18 That you appear not unto men to fast, but unto your Father which is in secret: and your Father, which sees in secret, shall reward you openly. 6:19 Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: 6:20 But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust corrupts, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: 6:21 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. 6:22 The light of the body is the eye: if therefore your eye be sound, your whole body shall be full of light. 6:23 But if your eye be evil, your whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in you be darkness, how great is that darkness! 6:24 No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon. 6:25 Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what you shall eat, or what you shall drink; nor yet for your body, what you shall put on. Is not the life more than food, and the body than clothing? 6:26 Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much better than they? 6:27 Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature? 6:28 And why take you thought for clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: 6:29 And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 6:30 Therefore, if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today exists, and tomorrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? 6:31 Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, How shall we be clothed? 6:32 (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knows that you have need of all these things. 6:33 But seek you first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. 6:34 Take therefore no thought for the next day: for the next day shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof. 7:1 Judge not, that you be not judged. 7:2 For with what judgment you judge, you shall be judged: and with what measure you mete out, it shall be measured back to you again. 7:3 And why do you behold the speck that is in your brother's eye, but consider not the beam that is in your own eye? 7:4 Or how will you say to your brother, Let me pull out the speck out of your eye; and, behold, a beam is in your own eye? 7:5 You hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of your own eye; and then shall you see clearly to cast out the speck out of your brother's eye. 7:6 Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and tear you. 7:7 Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and you shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: 7:8 For every one that asks receives; and he that seeks finds; and to him that knocks it shall be opened. 7:9 Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone? 7:10 Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent? 7:11 If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him? 7:12 Therefore all things whatsoever you would that men should do to you, do even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets. 7:13 Enter you in at the narrow gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leads to destruction, and many there be which go in there: 7:14 Because narrow is the gate, and constricted is the way, which leads unto life, and few there be that find it. 7:15 Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. 7:16 You shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? 7:17 Even so every good tree brings forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree brings forth evil fruit. 7:18 A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. 7:19 Every tree that does not bring forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. 7:20 Therefore by their fruits you shall know them. 7:21 Not every one that says unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that does the will of my Father which is in heaven. 7:22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in your name? and in your name have cast out devils? and in your name done many wonderful works? 7:23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, you that work iniquity. 7:24 Therefore whosoever hears these sayings of mine, and does them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: 7:25 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock. 7:26 And every one that hears these sayings of mine, and does them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand: 7:27 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall thereof. 7:28 And it came to pass, when Jesus had ended these sayings, the people were astonished at his doctrine: 7:29 For he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes. 

Posted via email from Religion

10 Great Quotes from Jesus of Nazareth


Of the more direct teachings of Jesus, most of them are contained in what is known as the sermon on the mount, which is a veritable goldmine of counter-cultural wisdom.

1. Love Your Enemies!

OK, you have to admit this is a pretty radical concept...

“You have heard the law that says, ‘Love your neighbor’ and hate your enemy. But I say, love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you! In that way, you will be acting as true children of your Father in heaven. For he gives his sunlight to both the evil and the good, and he sends rain on the just and the unjust alike. If you love only those who love you, what reward is there for that? Even corrupt tax collectors do that much. If you are kind only to your friends, how are you different from anyone else? (Matthew 5:43-47 )

2. Don't Worry About The Future

Sometimes insightful sayings seem obvious once you hear them - I think that is the case here. Live in the moment you're in!

“So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today. (Matthew 6:34)

3. How To Treat Others

“Do to others whatever you would like them to do to you. This is the essence of all that is taught in the law and the prophets. (Matthew 7:12)

4. The Most Important Commandment

“Teacher, which is the most important commandment in the law of Moses?”
Jesus replied, “‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ The entire law and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments.”(Matthew 22:36-40)

5. Spiritual Greatness

In the topsy-turvy world of the Kingdom of God it seems the usual understanding of things is reversed. Here is yet another example:

“You know that the rulers in this world lord it over their people, and officials flaunt their authority over those under them. But among you it will be different. Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first among you must be the slave of everyone else. For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many.” (Mark 10:42-45)

6. Gaining The World, Losing Your Soul

Here Jesus highlights that the eternal and spiritual dimension is more important than the temporal physical one. Those who choose to follow His teaching will make physical sacrifices for spiritual rewards.

Then, calling the crowd to join his disciples, he said, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross, and follow me. If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake and for the sake of the Good News, you will save it. And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul? Is anything worth more than your soul? If anyone is ashamed of me and my message in these adulterous and sinful days, the Son of Man will be ashamed of that person when he returns in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.” (Mark 8:34-38)

7. The Kingdom Of God Is Not Physical

Christian faith should not be militant, things like the crusades were not in line with what Jesus taught, or even the concept of christendom. He also taught that theKingdom of God was in the hearts of men.

The statement below was said in response to questioning in his trial before the roman govenor.

“My Kingdom is not an earthly kingdom. If it were, my followers would fight to keep me from being handed over to the Jewish leaders. But my Kingdom is not of this world.” (John 18:36)

8. God Loves Everyone

This very well known passage is actually a quote from Jesus.

“For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him.(John 3:16-17)

9. Ask, Seek, Knock

“And so I tell you, keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened. (Luke 11:9-10)

10. His Claim To Be God

While it seems Jesus didn't make a point of telling everyone that he was God, he did make it clear on a few recorded occasions. This quote is taken from Jesus' court trial, from which the resulting conviction of 'blasphemy' led to his crucifixion.

I include this quote, not because it's a great teaching, but because it affects how one perceives his teaching. It's hard to think of Jesus as [just] a good moral teacher when you know that he thought himself to be God. Either he is a weirdo, or he is God!

Then the high priest said to him, “I demand in the name of the living God—tell us if you are the Messiah, the Son of God.”
Jesus replied, “You have said it. And in the future you will see the Son of Man seated in the place of power at God’s right hand and coming on the clouds of heaven.” (Matthew 26:63-64)

Posted via email from Religion

Health Care Bill (10 Ways You May be Affected)

In Pictures: 8 Great Companies With Top-Notch Healthcare Benefits

Here are 10 things you need to know about how the new law may affect you:

  1. Your kids are covered.
    Starting this year, if you have an adult child who cannot get health insurance from his or her employer and is to some degree dependent on you financially, your child can stay on your insurance policy until he or she is 26 years old. Currently, many insurance companies do not allow adult children to remain on their parents’ plan once they reach 19 or leave school. (For background reading, see Health Insurance Tips For College Students.)
     
     
  2. You can’t be dropped. 
    Starting this fall, your health insurance company will no longer be allowed to "drop" you (cancel your policy) if you get sick. In 2009, "rescission" was revealed to be a relatively common cost-cutting practice by several insurance companies. The practice proved to be common enough to spur several lawsuits; for example, in 2008 and 2009, California's largest insurers were made to pay out more than $19 million in fines for droppingpolicyholders who fell ill.

  3. You can't be denied insurance.
    Starting this year your child (or children) cannot be denied coverage simply because they have a pre-existing health condition. Health insurance companies will also be barred from denying adults applying for coverage if they have a pre-existing condition, but not until 2014. (Find out what the previous rules about pre-existing conditions looked like inHealth Insurance: Paying For Pre-Existing Conditions.)

  4. You can spend what you need to.
    Prior to the new law, health insurance companies set a maximum limit on the monetary amount of benefits that a policyholder could receive. This meant that those who developed expensive or long-lasting medical conditions could run out of coverage. Starting this year, companies will be barred from instituting caps on coverage.

  5. You don't have to wait.
    If you currently have pre-existing conditions that have prevented you from being able to qualify for health insurance for at least six months you will have coverage options before 2014. Starting this fall, you will be able to purchase insurance through a state-run "high-risk pool", which will cap your personal out-of-pocket expenses for healthcare. You will not be required to pay more than $5,950 of your own money for medical expenses; families will not have to pay any more than $11,900.

  6. You must be insured.
    Under the new law starting in 2014, you will have to purchase health insurance or risk being fined. If your employer does not offer health insurance as a benefit or if you do not earn enough money to purchase a plan, you may get assistance from the government. The fines for not purchasing insurance will be levied according to a sliding scale based on income. Starting in 2014, the lowest fine would be $95 or 1% of a person's income (whichever is greater) and then increase to a high of $695 or 2.5% of an individual’s taxable income by 2016. There will be a maximum cap on fines. (You should probably be insured anyway. If your employer doesn't have a plan, find out how to get your own in Buying Private Health Insurance.)  

  7. You'll have more options.
    Starting in 2014 (when you will be required by law to have health insurance), states will operate new insurance marketplaces - called "exchanges" - that will provide you with more options for buying an individual policy if you can’t get, or afford, insurance from your workplace and you earn too much income to qualify for Medicaid. In addition, millions of low- and middle-income families (earning up to $88,200 annually) will be able to qualify for financial assistance from the federal government to purchase insurance through their state exchange. 

  8. Flexible spending accounts will become less flexible.
    Three years from now, flexible spending accounts (FSAs) will have lower contribution limits - meaning you won’t be able to have as much money deducted from your paycheck pre-tax and deposited into an FSA for medical expenses as is currently allowed. The new maximum amount allowed will be $2,500. In addition, fewer expenses will qualify for FSA spending. For example, you will no longer be able to use your FSA to help defray the cost of over-the-counter drugs. 

  9. If you earn more, you'll pay more.
    Starting in 2018, if your combined family income exceeds $250,000 you are going to be taking less money home each pay period. That’s because you will have more money deducted from your paycheck to go toward increased Medicare payroll taxes. In addition to higher payroll taxes you will also have to pay 3.8% tax on any unearned income, which is currently tax-exempt. 

  10. Medicare may cover more or less of your expenses.
    Starting this year, if Medicare is your primary form of health insurance you will no longer have to pay for preventive care such as an annual physical, screenings for treatable conditions or routine laboratory work. In addition, you will get a $250 check from the federal government to help pay for prescription drugs currently not covered as a result of the Medicare Part D "doughnut hole". 

    However, if you are a high-income individual or couple (making more than $85,000 individually or $170,000 jointly), your prescription drug subsidy will be reduced. In addition, if you are one of the more than 10 million people currently enrolled in a Medicare Advantage plan you may be facing higher premiums because your insurance company’s subsidy from the federal government is going to be dramatically reduced. 

Conclusion
Over the next few months you will most likely receive information in the mail from your health insurance company about how the newly signed law will affect your coverage. Read the correspondence carefully and don’t hesitate to ask questions about your policy; there may be new, more affordable options for you down the road.  

Posted via email from WellCare

Health Care Bill (10 Ways You May be Affected)

In Pictures: 8 Great Companies With Top-Notch Healthcare Benefits

Here are 10 things you need to know about how the new law may affect you:

  1. Your kids are covered.
    Starting this year, if you have an adult child who cannot get health insurance from his or her employer and is to some degree dependent on you financially, your child can stay on your insurance policy until he or she is 26 years old. Currently, many insurance companies do not allow adult children to remain on their parents’ plan once they reach 19 or leave school. (For background reading, see Health Insurance Tips For College Students.)
     
     
  2. You can’t be dropped. 
    Starting this fall, your health insurance company will no longer be allowed to "drop" you (cancel your policy) if you get sick. In 2009, "rescission" was revealed to be a relatively common cost-cutting practice by several insurance companies. The practice proved to be common enough to spur several lawsuits; for example, in 2008 and 2009, California's largest insurers were made to pay out more than $19 million in fines for droppingpolicyholders who fell ill.

  3. You can't be denied insurance.
    Starting this year your child (or children) cannot be denied coverage simply because they have a pre-existing health condition. Health insurance companies will also be barred from denying adults applying for coverage if they have a pre-existing condition, but not until 2014. (Find out what the previous rules about pre-existing conditions looked like inHealth Insurance: Paying For Pre-Existing Conditions.)

  4. You can spend what you need to.
    Prior to the new law, health insurance companies set a maximum limit on the monetary amount of benefits that a policyholder could receive. This meant that those who developed expensive or long-lasting medical conditions could run out of coverage. Starting this year, companies will be barred from instituting caps on coverage.

  5. You don't have to wait.
    If you currently have pre-existing conditions that have prevented you from being able to qualify for health insurance for at least six months you will have coverage options before 2014. Starting this fall, you will be able to purchase insurance through a state-run "high-risk pool", which will cap your personal out-of-pocket expenses for healthcare. You will not be required to pay more than $5,950 of your own money for medical expenses; families will not have to pay any more than $11,900.

  6. You must be insured.
    Under the new law starting in 2014, you will have to purchase health insurance or risk being fined. If your employer does not offer health insurance as a benefit or if you do not earn enough money to purchase a plan, you may get assistance from the government. The fines for not purchasing insurance will be levied according to a sliding scale based on income. Starting in 2014, the lowest fine would be $95 or 1% of a person's income (whichever is greater) and then increase to a high of $695 or 2.5% of an individual’s taxable income by 2016. There will be a maximum cap on fines. (You should probably be insured anyway. If your employer doesn't have a plan, find out how to get your own in Buying Private Health Insurance.)  

  7. You'll have more options.
    Starting in 2014 (when you will be required by law to have health insurance), states will operate new insurance marketplaces - called "exchanges" - that will provide you with more options for buying an individual policy if you can’t get, or afford, insurance from your workplace and you earn too much income to qualify for Medicaid. In addition, millions of low- and middle-income families (earning up to $88,200 annually) will be able to qualify for financial assistance from the federal government to purchase insurance through their state exchange. 

  8. Flexible spending accounts will become less flexible.
    Three years from now, flexible spending accounts (FSAs) will have lower contribution limits - meaning you won’t be able to have as much money deducted from your paycheck pre-tax and deposited into an FSA for medical expenses as is currently allowed. The new maximum amount allowed will be $2,500. In addition, fewer expenses will qualify for FSA spending. For example, you will no longer be able to use your FSA to help defray the cost of over-the-counter drugs. 

  9. If you earn more, you'll pay more.
    Starting in 2018, if your combined family income exceeds $250,000 you are going to be taking less money home each pay period. That’s because you will have more money deducted from your paycheck to go toward increased Medicare payroll taxes. In addition to higher payroll taxes you will also have to pay 3.8% tax on any unearned income, which is currently tax-exempt. 

  10. Medicare may cover more or less of your expenses.
    Starting this year, if Medicare is your primary form of health insurance you will no longer have to pay for preventive care such as an annual physical, screenings for treatable conditions or routine laboratory work. In addition, you will get a $250 check from the federal government to help pay for prescription drugs currently not covered as a result of the Medicare Part D "doughnut hole". 

    However, if you are a high-income individual or couple (making more than $85,000 individually or $170,000 jointly), your prescription drug subsidy will be reduced. In addition, if you are one of the more than 10 million people currently enrolled in a Medicare Advantage plan you may be facing higher premiums because your insurance company’s subsidy from the federal government is going to be dramatically reduced. 

Conclusion
Over the next few months you will most likely receive information in the mail from your health insurance company about how the newly signed law will affect your coverage. Read the correspondence carefully and don’t hesitate to ask questions about your policy; there may be new, more affordable options for you down the road.  

Posted via email from WellCare

Saturday, April 3, 2010

Purple Rain

Purple Rain by K. Shae   (4689 KB)
Listen on posterous

By my friend Kazzi Shae....No one sings this better...not even Prince!

Posted via email from Music Business Information

In Celebration of Eternal Life Through Jesus


Q: How can we know if there is life after death? I'd like to think there is but I don't see any scientific reason to believe in it. Once a person is dead, that's the end of everything, in my view. Or am I overlooking something? -- H.J.J. 

A: Tomorrow, millions of Christians around the world will celebrate Easter, which commemorates the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. 

When they took Him down from the cross and sealed Him in a stone tomb, Jesus was truly dead -- a fact which even His enemies did not dispute. But on the third day after His death, the tomb was empty, and the words of the angels who appeared outside that tomb ring across the centuries: "Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here; he has risen!" (Luke 24:5-6). Later He appeared to hundreds of witnesses, proving beyond all doubt that He was alive. 

And this is how we know there is life beyond the grave. Jesus Christ has torn down the wall! Death has been destroyed! He has shown us that this life is not all, but beyond us is eternity -- either in heaven with Him forever, or in that place the Bible calls hell, separated from Him forever. We were meant to live with God forever -- and because of Christ's death and resurrection for us, we know we can. 

Jesus said, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies" (John 11:25). Don't live in doubt and hopelessness any longer, but turn to Jesus Christ and put your life -- and your eternal destiny -- into His hands, both today and forever. 

Posted via email from Religion

MUSIC EXPECTATIONS

As a musician in the 21st century, you need to learn how to define your expectations. Otherwise, how will you know when you have achieved your goal, or even what to aim for? For a project, for a tour, for your career, and for your life – what are you trying to accomplish?

Most people in the music business want to “make it,” but what does that really mean? What is making it for you? What does the finish line look like? How would you recognize making it? Do you want a record deal? What does that record deal look like? Do you want to sell a million CDs? Do you want a publishing deal? What does that publishing deal look like? Do you want your music played on Grey’s Anatomy or your songbook published by Hal Leonard?

Once you know what your expectations are, then you can plan accordingly and know what to shoot for. Is success for you playing huge stadiums? That would mean you have to make a plan and probably dedicate yourself to work full-time for many years to get there.

Or, is success for you to have a steady gig on weekends? This is more achievable and something you can do on a local level and perhaps as a part-time endeavor. Is recording a CD and selling 10,000 copies your definition of success? If so, you can create a plan to achieve that perhaps on a regional level.

Or, is success for you writing songs that other people play? That would require you to network with other musicians and focus on writing, publishing, and placing your songs. Or, is success for you recording an EP and playing it for your family?

What do you want to be? What does success look like for you? Be as specific as possible when setting your expectations. Don’t be vague because it won’t lead you anywhere and just breeds sloppy thinking. First, define exactly what you want to do, and then you can break it down and make a plan to do it

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he Future of Music and Digital Content: Mobile, Social and... PAID?

<div style="width:425px" id="__ss_2590486"><strong style="display:block;margin:12px 0 4px">The Future of Music and Digital Content: Mobile, Social and... PAID?</strong></object><div style="padding:5px 0 12px">View more presentations from Gerd Leonhard.</div></div>

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15-Minute Halibut Salad

This is a great recipe to help add more omega-3 fatty acids to your meal. The halibut in this easy-to-prepare salad provides you with one-third (32%) of the daily value for this important nutrient. Combined with the salad greens, you get a wide range of nutrients that will work together synergistically towards optimal health. Enjoy!

15-Minute Halibut Salad

15-Minute Halibut Salad

Prep and Cook Time:
 15 minutes

Ingredients:
  • 4 medium cloves garlic, pressed
  • 1/2 lb mixed salad greens
  • 4 - 6 oz halibut steaks or fillets
  • 1 TBS + ¼ cup fresh lemon juice
  • salt and cracked black pepper to taste
  • 1 cup vegetable broth
  • 3 TBS fresh chopped sage (or 3 tsp dried sage)
  • *optional 3 TBS extra virgin olive oil

Directions:

  1. Press garlic and let it sit for 5 minutes to bring out its health-promoting properties.
  2. Rinse and dry salad greens by using salad spinner if possible. Place greens mixture on 4 plates.
  3. Rub halibut with 1 TBS lemon juice and season with a little salt and pepper.
  4. Heat broth and add halibut; cover and cook for 10 minutes for each inch of thickness.
  5. Remove fish from pan and place on salad greens.
  6. Discard extra broth or use for soup. In same pan add garlic, sage and ¼ cup lemon juice to hot pan and heat for about 30 seconds.
  7. If you'd like to add olive oil, do so after turning off heat. Stir mixture together for a few seconds and then drizzle over salad. Season with salt and cracked black pepper. Serves 4

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Healthy Food Tip

Can you tell me more about the simple sugars known as monosaccharides?

Monosaccharides are the simplest of the simple sugars as they contain only one unit of sugar. Unlike the other carbohydrates, they don't require further breakdown during digestion, so when you eat a food containing monosaccharides, these sugars can be released from the food relatively quickly, get absorbed up into your body from your digestive tract, and, if necessary, be used by your body almost immediately for energy. Monosaccharides also taste sweet and increase the pleasure of food in that respect. Examples of monosaccharides include glucose, fructose, and galactose.

Because it's often helpful for our bodies to have readily available energy of this kind, monosaccharide-containing foods are important in our diet. Most of the World's Healthiest Foods that we profile on our website contain monosaccharides, and none of us would be able to remain healthy were it not for these simple sugars. You will notice, however, that we don't include many foods that are primarily composed of monosaccharides. An exception here would be honey, which consists primarily of the two monosaccharides glucose and fructose. But in all of our other foods, including our many World's Healthiest fruits, you will find monosaccharides integrated into a variety of other carbs, and, of course, many other types of nutrients that are essential for our health.

Organic honey is so unique, however, in some of its health-supportive properties, and such a delicious sweetener, that we believe it rightly belongs amongst the World's Healthiest Foods. As long as organic honey is used in moderation, we don't believe its unusually high monosaccharide content poses a problem.

The balance of monosaccharides, other types of carbs, and all non-carb nutrients in food is important. If we go overboard on monosaccharides or other types of simple sugars (like the disaccharide sucrose), we can make it more difficult for our body to regulate our blood sugar, and we can also fall victim to energy swings that work against our health. The most common way to go overboard on monosaccharides is to consume large amounts of processed food sweetened with glucose or high fructose corn syrup.

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