Promises: Made and Kept but No One Said It Would be Easy "Live in My sunshine and My Love. Know your lives are full of glad promise." -GOD There are times when I want to feel sorry for myself. I know when that happens it's because I'm filled to the brim and overflowing with "Avis" and not God, the... ( added 21 days 23 hours ago.)

October 15th - Pregnancy and Infant Loss Remembrance Day October is Awareness Month. To name a few, Domestic Violence, and Breast and Prostate Cancer are observed during the month of October. The majority of you may wonder what is significant about October 15th. You can easily figure out October 15... ( added 24 days 1 hour ago.)

Chocolate 101 What a beautiful crisp sunny fall day we are blessed to enjoy in the South Carolina Upstate. Fall is my favorite time of year. The SC Upstate boasts of excellent institutions of higher learning such as Furman and Clemson Universities and the... ( added 29 days 23 hours ago.)

Through the Valley into Victory Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. - Psalm 23:4 When we are annoyed and aggravated because things are not going as we thought, we... ( added 45 days 22 hours ago.)

This is Life through the Eyes of a Child Lately, I have come across many sad reminders of what happens when we become adults. I wanted to use "old" instead of adults but it is a relative term that can cause some people to feel uncomfortable. Becoming an adult can be subjective, too and... ( added 67 days 19 hours ago.)

Need to Say, "Baby, I'm Sorry, Really Sorry?" Here's How! Saying "I'm Sorry" are two words that must not only be verbal but nonverbal, too. It is a given that we will do and say things without intending to hurt our loved ones. When this happens in a marital relationship, saying "I'm sorry" may not be... ( added 79 days 14 hours ago.)

Celine Dion is Pregnant Again For all you Celine Dion fans, she and hubby Rene are expecting their second child. After numerous visits to a fertility specialist in New York City, the one who helped them conceive with their first child, the announcement of her pregnancy was... ( added 80 days 12 hours ago.)

Craigslist: A Target for Scammers - A Habit for Bargain Hunters A nonprofit organization always want to find good bargains and cheap buys. If the truth were known, we'd like everything donated and not buy a thing so we can use our funds on programs and our participants. Even as an individual, I'll checkout... ( added 81 days 10 hours ago.)

Say "I Love You" Without Actually Saying, "I Love You" We should give the object of our affection what they need to receive from us the way they wish to receive it. The best way to do this is to ask their preferences. In honoring their preferences, we must not fail to be ourselves and show our... ( added 83 days 13 hours ago.)

11 Powerful Sales Tips for People without Sales Experience You are forced to change careers because of the economy. The only positions you can find are commission-only sales jobs and they offer benefits. You have no experience in sales and never considered yourself to be a salesperson; but you must work... ( added 84 days 20 hours ago.)

Battle of the Toothbrushes: Reach vs Colgate Total As long as we brush our teeth, dental healthcare professionals should be satisfied, right? Not just dental professionals but our family, friends, coworkers and anyone close enough to get a whiff as we inhale and exhale. We can brush our teeth... ( added 85 days 17 hours ago.)

With "Leverage" TNT Proves They Know Drama I have a bundle package with the cable company to get better rates for high speed Internet and telephone service. Television is included in the bundle so I get more channels. I despise having to pay for television but it costs less to have it as a... ( added 89 days 12 hours ago.)

31 Meditations in Seeking God's Righteousness My siblings and I were taught to pray at an early age. Prayer came in many forms in our home. We prayed before meals, leaving for school, at school, church and at bedtime. I learned early on that prayer was simply a talk with God. This practice... ( added 91 days 6 hours ago.)

Coping with Divorce: Welcome the Dawn Inspiration comes in various forms. It can come from a person, place or thing. Resolving to keep an open mind, entertaining "what if's, why not's " and possibilities, continues to enhance my personal enjoyment through this journey call life. ... ( added 101 days 9 hours ago.)

What Do You Do When You Don't Know What to Do? I'm unsure of the exact phrasing of a quote I read recently but I will give it a try. The quote went something like this; "It is funny how the one who can stop our tears is usually the one who is responsible for our tears." I have an important... ( added 101 days 17 hours ago.)

Michael Vick Gets Conditional Reinstatement into the NFL Michael Vick has reasons to celebrate today thanks to the National Football League. The NFL reinstated Vick in the NFL on a conditional basis. He must prove himself and stay out of trouble. Vick is a 29 year-old gifted athlete. He's also blessed.... ( added 102 days 15 hours ago.)

3 Things to Help: It's Only a Test Adjust your thinking if you are having doubt. Change your mindset. Do not give up. Discard negative thoughts about the struggles you have had over the past few months. It's only a test. It is not a season you are going through but a test. There is... ( added 105 days 20 hours ago.)

Two Little Words a Non-Profit Loves to Say: "Thank you!" I've always preferred to live my life in the background. My family was happy to receive a current photograph of me. It took nearly four years to finally sit for a complimentary photo at Cox Photography Studio. I did it for pregnant teens. I... ( added 116 days 18 hours ago.)

Too Much Soda Pop Weakens Tooth Enamel We all know too much sugar can cause caries which require dental fillings. In conversations with people in America and other countries, not once has anyone said to me they like going to the dentist! But, our oral habits prove otherwise. Things... ( added 119 days 23 hours ago.)

Don't Worry - Be Happy Bobby McFerron was onto something back in the 80s with his, "Don't Worry, Be Happy" hit. It became the first a cappella song to hit number one on the Billboards Top 100 chart and stayed there for two weeks. Guilt, regret, and worry are... ( added 124 days 16 hours ago.)

Regret: A Paradigm Paralysis You're at the market. Not because of the economy but because it's how you shop, you cruise the perimeter of the store knowing the dangers lurking in each aisle. There's candy, cookies, tasty and sugar laden fruit juices, brownie mixes, chips and... ( added 125 days 21 hours ago.)

If It Weren't for Guilt Would You Ever Take a Trip? As a parent, friend, employee, employer, woman, or human being, how many guilt trips do you think you take in a given week? Would one a day be accurate or much too low? Ann-Mary, a friend and former co-worker from the days when I sold proprietary... ( added 127 days 20 hours ago.)

Gov. Sanford's Tidal Wave of Admissions: Irreconcilable Differences? Mark Sanford's subsequent behavior and admissions since coming out about his extramarital affair have been bizarre. The media printed word for intimate word, the contents of an email sent to his mistress. Reading those words, one would believe he... ( added 128 days 20 hours ago.)

Freedom! Independence! Liberty! That's America! Freedom, independence, liberty refer to an absence of undue restrictions and an opportunity to exercise one's rights and powers. Freedom emphasizes the opportunity given for the exercise of one's rights, powers, desires, or the like: freedom of... ( added 129 days 19 hours ago.)

McMahan, Fawcett, Jackson, Mays and Still: It's So Hard to Say Goodbye Four well-known television personalities passed away within a few days of each other. Condolences and prayers go out to their families. Family members, friends and fans are dealing with the loss of Ed McMahan, Farrah Fawcett, Michael Jackson and... ( added 130 days 19 hours ago.)