HAPPY NEW YEAR

Let us make New Year resolutions and keep them; Let us promise each other to stay together with love, friendship and happiness, in all the times of laughter or tears. Happy New Year to all my besties!

With messages like these, you can wish your loved ones, a Happy New Year and also show them your love, and tell them how much they mean to you. What can be a better start of the year than this. So write your own New Year messages this year and convey your wishes to all the important people of your life. 


And yes, a very Happy New Year to all!

LIVING OUT OF THE WRONG BAG

"Make sure you understand what the Master wants." Ephesians 5:17

Have you ever mistakenly picked somebody's luggage off a conveyer belt at the airport and taken it home?  Two seconds after opening it up you discovered - you cannot live out of somebody's bag!  You cannot wear their clothes or fit into their shoes.  So why do we try to?  Parents!  Dad says, "Son, your granddad was a farmer, I am a farmer, and someday you will inherit the farm."  Teachers!  A teacher warns a young girl who wants to be a stay-at-home mom, "Do not squander your life.  With your gifts you could make it to the top."  Church leaders!  "Jesus was a missionary.  Do you want to please Him?  Spend your life on foreign soil."  Sound counsel or poor advice?  That depends on what God packed in your bag.  What if God made the farmer's son with a passion for literature or medicine?  Or gave that girl a love for kids and homemaking?  If foreign cultures frustrate you while predictability invigorates you, what are the chances you would be a happy missionary?  "All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be" Psalms 139:16.  God gives us eyes for organization, ears for music, hearts that beat for justice, minds that understand physics, hands that love care giving, legs that run and win races.  Secular thinking does not buy this.  It sees no author behind the book and no purpose behind or beyond life.  It says, "You can be anything you want to be."  Wrong!  Do not make their mistake.  Do not live carelessly or unthinkingly.  "Make sure you understand what the Master wants."

BECOMING THE RIGHT CANDIDATE FOR PROMOTION

What is Promotion?

A promotion refers to the advancement of an employee's rank or position in a hierarchical structure.

It usually includes:

• New job title
• Greater number of responsibilities and
• Pay increase.

It may also include an expansion of benefits and managerial authority over other employees.

Job promotions are usually based on performance and tenure.

Effect of Promotions

A promotion is viewed as desirable by employees because of the impact it has on:

• Remuneration
• Authority
• Responsibility, and
• The ability to influence broader organizational decision making.

A promotion raises the status of the employee who receives it which is a visible sign of esteem from the employer.

Are there techniques and strategies to being promoted?

• Concentrate on just doing the best you possibly can in your current position: Excellent performance reviews are critical to get you a promotion.  Also important are punctuality and willingness to go the extra mile when the job demands needs it.
• Make sure people know you are doing a great job: You don't want to toot your own horn too much, but you can't always expect your merits to speak for them. Keep in good contact with your supervisor, and make sure he or she knows what you've been up to.
• Be known: In an ideal world, promotions would be based solely on merit. We don't live in an ideal world, though, so: use and develop your people skills, speak up at meetings, initiate conversations in the break room and at lunch time and participate in group conversations between coworkers in order to get noticed. Always be mindful of the relevance and appropriateness of your input.
• Make sure the right people know you want a promotion: Don't be afraid to tell your supervisor about your career goals--most good supervisors will ask you about them and try to be helpful.
• Seek out new skills: If you become the best customer service person of all time, you are well on your way... to remaining a highly regarded customer service representative for the rest of your career. It is not enough to be great at your job; you also have to develop marketable skills that prepare you for more responsibility. Develop yourself  (additional qualifications), learn other skills by attending training, seminars, conferences etc and learn a second/third language.
• Groom a successor: Some people are afraid that their direct reports may take their job if they do this, but as long as you are a great employee and continue to develop your skills, the only way you will lose your current assignment is by getting promoted. Training another employee (or several others) shows that you have management skills and that you care about helping others grow.
• Assume a leadership stance: This means taking full responsibility for your autonomy on the job in order to set an example for your co-workers. Your supervisors will notice that your actions encourage those around you to work harder and more efficiently and, as a result, you could be presented with opportunities for climbing up the ladder.
• Contribute useful ideas: Before scheduled meetings, research the issues to be addressed and determine how you can provide input. To move up the ladder, you must be able to prove your value as an employee, by making suggestions that improve the company's fortune.
• Work hard: There is no substitute for effort. It will take some personal sacrifice to move up the corporate ladder, such as coming in early, working overtime, taking on extra responsibilities and being accountable for difficult tasks.
• Diversify your position: Identify areas in your workplace where your strengths could be useful and think of ways in which you could expand your job description to encompass those areas. Present your ideas to your supervisor and volunteer to adapt your current functions to the broader scope.
• Network among industry professionals: Do this by attending industry seminars, trade shows and networking clubs. As your reputation grows, so will your chances at climbing the ladder. Moreover, forging associations with a positive outlook with those in your industry, will assist you to learn the industry’s best practices.
• Focus On The Bottom Line: Profit orientation is the key to your future. Intense bottom-line focus is the key to growth, success, and rapid promotion. The very best people in every organization are thinking constantly about what they can do to increase the profitability of their companies. The greater impact your work has on the company’s bottom line, the more you will be recognized and rewarded.

“Men who accomplish great things in the industrial world are those who have faith in the money producing power of their ideas.” (Charles Fillmore)

Conclusion

Henry L. Doherty

Plenty of men can do good work for a spurt and with immediate promotion in mind, but for promotion you want a man in whom good work has become a habit.

DISCOVER WHAT IS INSIDE YOU

"Let us just go ahead and be what we were made to be." Romans 12:6


Forty years ago The Golden Buddha was discovered in the city of Bangkok, Thailand.  For years a huge, ugly, concrete Buddha sat in the middle of town.  Visitors put empty soda cans and other trash on it.  Then one day a priest decided to take the old statue to his temple.  In the moving process it cracked.  As the pieces crumbled the priest noticed something underneath the concrete shell.  He gathered some helpers.  They pulled the shell away and inside they found the world's largest chunk of sculptured gold, standing 8 feet high.  For years it had been there - but no one knew it.  


And you are a lot like that statue.  Your real value is inside, if you do only stop and take inventory of it.  You cannot consistently perform in a manner that is inconsistent with the way you see yourself.  You will perform at a level that reflects your perspective of yourself.  If you think you are average, you will perform in an average way.  Once in a while you may have a really great day and perform higher.  You might even think, "That was awesome, I really outdid myself!"  


However, unless you discover your God-given gifts, value and potential, you will retreat to your old level of living because you think: "That is not the real me."  What a loss.  Paul writes, "Since we find ourselves fashioned into all these excellently formed and marvelously functioning parts in Christ's body, let us just go ahead and be what we were made to be, without enviously or pridefully comparing ourselves with each other, or trying to be something we are not." Romans 12:6                                  

THE MOST INCREDIBLE BOOK EVER WRITTEN

“The Word of the Lord will live forever.”  1 Peter 1:25

William Gladstone, Prime Minister of England, stated: “I have known 95 great men in my time.  And of these, 87 were followers of the Bible.”  President John Quincy Adams declared: “The Bible is the book above all others, to read at all ages, and in all conditions of human life.”  Suppose a museum of art commissions a painting to be painted by 40 different artists.  They work in their respective studios knowing nothing of each other’s efforts.  Yet when all these many canvasses are assembled on one wall they create the perfect landscape.  What are the odds?  Or suppose 40 architects set out to design one building.  Some know what others are doing – others are unaware anyone else is doing anything at all.  When they gather to compile notes, the result is a magnificent blueprint.  Could it happen?  It did with the Bible.  No publisher commissioned it.  No Committee outlined it.  No earthly editor oversaw it.  Though separated by 16 centuries, and penned by an unlikely assortment of kings, soldiers, shepherds, farmers and fishermen, from Moses in the Arabian Desert to John on the windswept island of Patmos – one theme threads the Bible together.  That theme is salvation through Jesus Christ.  Your Bible is the most incredible book ever written.  Every passing day validates Peter’s prophecy: “The Word of the Lord will live forever.”  The question is: does it live in your heart?  Does it determine your conduct?  Does it set your priorities?  Do you hunger for it?  Can you say “Oh how I love your law!  I meditate on it all day long.” Psalm 119:97.

Your Bible is the most widely published and translated book in history – available in over 2000 different dialects.  Why? Because it works!  Apply its principles to any part of your life and see what happens.

• Apply it to your finances.  Manage your money the way the Bible says: tithe, save, provide for your family, and give to the needy.  Test God’s Word and prosper.
• Test God’s Word on your job.  Follow the Bible’s code of work conduct.  Be honest.  Be on time.  Be efficient.  You may get a promotion.
• Test the Bible on your relationships.  Forgive your enemies.  Refuse to gossip.  Do all you can to be at peace with all.  Be quick to listen and slow to speak.
• But most of all, apply the Bible to your soul.  “There is nothing like the written Word of God for showing you the way to salvation.”  2 Timothy 3:15.

PERSONAL HYGIENE

Personal Hygiene is the basic concept of cleaning, grooming and caring for our bodies.

One of the most effective ways we have to protect ourselves and others from illness is good personal hygiene.

This means washing our hands (especially), but also our bodies.

It means  being careful not to cough or sneeze on others; cleaning things that you touch if you are unwell; putting items such as tissues (that are covered in germs) into the dustbin; and using protection like gloves when you might be at risk of an infection.

Some personal hygiene tips for women

• Menstruation: Wash your body, including your genital area in the same way you always do. Change your tampons and sanitary towels regularly, at least four to five times a day. Always wash your hands before and after handling a tampon or pad.
• Cystitis: is an infection of the bladder. This is common in sexually active young women. Urinating after sexual intercourse can help flush out any bacteria that may be in the urethra and bladder.
• Thrush: Some soaps and detergents can irritate the skin of the private parts and make thrush infections more likely. Some people find they often get thrush when they use antibiotics. Use mild soap and unscented toilet paper. Avoid tight , synthetic underwear. Try cotton underwear and change them regularly.

Some personal hygiene tips for men

• Men generally have more body hair than women; this body hair traps bacteria, dirt and odors. In fact, it is the bacteria built up on the skin and within hair follicles that smell, and not the sweat.
• Sweat does not have an odor. A man’s natural sweat helps to release a chemical only found in men that actually triggers sexual arousal in women. The foul odor of bacteria masks the scent of this natural chemical.
• Most men have a bad habit of soaking themselves in hot water and barely toweling off before dressing. Instead, you should rinse yourself in cold or tepid water and dry your body completely, especially under your arms and around your groin where moisture is a foregone conclusion.

Personal Hygiene tips for children

• As a parent, you can motivate your child to take a bath by making bath time fun by including bath toys, fun-shaped soaps and bubble bath.
• While bathing your child, you can inspect him for any injuries, sores or rashes.
• Show your child how to clean himself by washing his entire body, including his face, armpits, feet, hands and genital area.
• Schedule bath time at the same time every day so it becomes part of your child's routine and not an activity that is experienced as an interruption of playtime.
• Your child should brush his teeth twice a day --- once in the morning and then before going to bed.
• Good oral hygiene can keep cavities at bay, and by assisting your child in brushing his teeth, he will learn how to do it himself.
• To encourage good oral hygiene, have your child pick his own toothbrush in the store. You can find soft toothbrushes with cartoon characters on them right in your neighborhood supermarket.  Age-appropriate toothpastes in various child-friendly flavors can also help make tooth brushing an enjoyable experience.
• Get your child used to going to the dentist at an early age so that regular checkups become routine.
• Encouraging your child to wash his hands before eating, after using the restroom, after playing or petting animals, is essential.
• Place a stool in front of your sink to give your child easy access to soap and water.
• Provide paper towels to dry hands after washing them.
• Reward your child for practicing good hygiene. It will motivate him to continue.
• Your child's hair should be washed once or twice a week.  You can purchase tear-free shampoos to make the process somewhat easier.  After washing your child's hair, you should comb through your child's hair. Good hair care will make early detection of head lice easier, so you can treat it accordingly.

Spread the word, not the germs

SECRETS OF FAMILY SUCCESS

    1. A Firm Foundation

• Preparing for a successful marriage can be likened to constructing a building.
• Constructing a building requires careful preparation, so also is preparing for a successful marriage.
• A marriage must have a strong foundation if it is to last and be satisfying.
• Just like a solid structure needs a firm foundation, a strong family also needs a firm foundation.
• Have a realistic view of both the blessings and the cost of being married.

    2. The Right Priorities

• In a successful marriage, each spouse puts the other’s needs ahead of self, possessions, jobs, friends and other relatives.
• Husband and wife spend plenty of time with each other and the children. This may sound difficult for bankers but doable.
• Both are willing to make sacrifices for the interest of the family. 

    3. Commitment

• Successful couples view their marriage as a permanent union.
• When problems arise, they strive to solve it rather than using it as an excuse to abandon the marriage.
• A sense of commitment makes the couple to feel secure and trust that the other will continue to honor the union.
• It is motivated by sincere, heartfelt love and is a reflection of respect and honor for each other and for God. So never undermine your sacred marital relationship by flirting; have eyes only for your mate. 

    4. Teamwork

• Two are better than one, if one of them should fall, the other one can raise his partner up.
• Both husband and wife should view their marriage in terms of ‘ours’ and ‘we’ rather than ‘mine’ and ‘me’.
• When there is teamwork, husband and wife are no longer single at heart but married to be an entity.
• When disagreements occur, you work out practical solutions instead of wasting time and emotional energy blaming and accusing.

     5. Respect

• Both troubled and successful families have disagreements but successful families discuss matters without resorting to insults and other forms of abusive speech.
• Ask yourself – when I speak to my spouse or children, do I resort to using insulting words such as “stupid,” “idiot,” or something similar?
• Family members treat one another as they themselves would like to be treated.

    6. Forgiveness

• Successful couples learn from the past but they do not keep track of old grievances and then use these to make sweeping assertions (like, you are always…, you never listen…).
• Keep past grievances out of any present disagreements you may have with your spouse.
• Settle any misunderstanding you have before going to bed.  Do not carry it over till the next day.
• When couples disagree, each one needs to be swift about hearing, slow about speaking and slow about wrath.  After listening carefully, they might see the need to apologize.  Saying with sincerity, “sorry for hurting you” takes humility and courage.

Important Points to Note

For a Successful Marriage

• Make time for your marriage and your mate.
• Promote warmth, love, and affection.
• Be trustworthy and committed.
• Be kind and respectful.
• Share the workload at home.
• Contribute to mutually satisfying conversations.
• Share humor and relaxation.
• Keep working at strengthening your marriage.

When You Need to Discuss a Problem

• Schedule a time when neither of you is tired.
• Avoid criticizing; be positive toward each other.
• Avoid interrupting; take turns listening and talking.
• Acknowledge your spouse’s feelings.
• Express empathy for each other, even when you disagree.
• Be reasonable and flexible.
• Humbly apologize when you are mistaken.
• Express appreciation and affection.
• Turning off the TV allows more time for communication.