KrispyKlear™ Concepts

The KrispyKlear™ concept plainly defined is: The straightest line between a skill desired and a skill acquired. Be it a new language, a dance, a sport, how to make the best pizza or any other skill.

The brand’s main strategy consists in simplifying a subject-matter to its core by using contemporary fun language to associate familiar notions with any desired skill.

The concept can be clearly observed in its first product: KrispyKlear™ Spanish (Give your Spanish a Latin Flavor).

The entire product outlines as following:

· Learn To Trill Like A Latino Hearth-throb (The Spanish R 101) –Part 1 & Part 2
· If You Like Piña Coladas (The Spanish Ñ)
· The World Is Not Round; It’s Flat. (Spanish Vowels) –Part 1 & Part 2
· Tongue Spa (Relaxing your letters)
· Bye Bye Mr. Roboto (Just Go With The Flow) –Part 1 & Part 2
· 100 Short Common Phrases in Spanish –Part 1 & Part 2
· La Villa Maravilla (The Spanish Double L)

The product does not advertize as “Spanish Lessons” but rather as a tool to help people acquire a Hispanic pronunciation. It especially aims towards English-speaking individuals. This secondary premise aids the brand’s main strategy (simplifying a subject-matter to its core by using contemporary fun language to associate familiar notions with any desired skill). In order for KrispyKlear™ to deliver more accurate results, it offers semi-customized products.

Not just a Spanish speaking tool, but a Spanish speaking tool that aims especially towards English-speaking or Chinese-speaking, or French-speaking individuals. The same is true when it comes to any other subject-matter. In sports, for instance, it’s not just a tool to learn how to play professional baseball; it’s a tool for left-handed or right-handed players.

These are just some of the “Twads” (Twitter Ads –in the form of regular tweets-) related to KrispyKlear™ Spanish.

· Put a little EXTRA into something ORDINARY. KrispyKlear™ Spanish
· 1st you speak another man’s language then you can understand his experience. KrispyKlear™ Spanish

· Brad Pitt will win an Oscar with the help of KrispyKlear™ Spanish
· Can you say: “Rumba, Salsa y Merengue” and sound like you can dance it? KrispyKlear™ Spanish

· What does hot weather, hot peppers & “sangre caliente” have in common? KrispyKlear™ Spanish
· Zero sophistication, no complications; just KrispyKlear™ Spanish.
· Learn to THINK in Spanish for better pronunciation. KrispyKlear™ Spanish
· “Te Quiero” when pronounced well, sounds like music to the heart. KrispyKlear™ Spanish
· I am not a Latina yet my Spanish is KrispyKlear™; yours can be too. KrispyKlear™ Spanish · English should sound like English & Spanish should sound like Spanish. KrispyKlear™ Spanish

· Kids who speak a second language are more self-confident. KrispyKlear™ Spanish

· Why do Hispanic characters in movies often have an English accent? KrispyKlear™ Spanish. · @tonyrobbins I can motivate you to get rid of rigid English accent & pronounce KrispyKlear™ Spanish☺
· @Oprah, one more reason to be grateful is that I can teach you to say GRACIAS in KrispyKlear™ Spanish ☺
· @AplusK I can teach you to say “you got punk’d” in KrispyKlear™ Spanish -seriously- ☺
· @ParisHilton I can teach you to say ♪CALIENTE♫ in KrispyKlear™ Spanish, now “that’s hot”! ☺
· @rachael_ray I can teach you how to pronounce the Spanish R in less than 30 minutes with KrispyKlear™ Spanish
· @TheEllenShow Ellen, try saying “♪RUMBA Y MERENGUE♫” on your show in KrispyKlear™ Spanish; that’ll be hilarious ☺
KrispyKlear™ Spanish is a great sample of this vibrant concept. But the potential is basically unlimited:

KrispyKlear™ English with Southern Flavor
KrispyKlear™ English with British Flavor
KrispyKlear™ English with New Yorker flavor
KrispyKlear™ English with Aussie flavor
KrispyKlear™ English if Spanish is your native language.

KrispyKlear™ French
KrispyKlear™ German
KrispyKlear™ Japanese
KrispyKlear™ Chinese

KrispyKlear™ Samba
KrispyKlear™ Rumba\
KrispyKlear™ Salsa
KrispyKlear™ Merengue
KrispyKlear™ Ballroom dancing
KrispyKlear™ Tap Dancing
KrispyKlear™ Ballet
KrispyKlear™ Moon-Walking
KrispyKlear™ Break-dancing
KrispyKlear™ Hip-hop

KrispyKlear™ Piano
KrispyKlear™ Guitar
KrispyKlear™ Violin
KrispyKlear™ Cello

KrispyKlear™ Singing
- Opera
- Country
- Hip Hop
- Rap

KrispyKlear™ Reading
KrispyKlear™ Math
KrispyKlear™ Chemistry
KrispyKlear™ Physics
KrispyKlear™ Calculus
KrispyKlear™ Algebra
KrispyKlear™ Science
KrispyKlear™ Forensics
KrispyKlear™ Biology

KrispyKlear™ Soccer
KrispyKlear™ Basketball
KrispyKlear™ Football
KrispyKlear™ Baseball
KrispyKlear™ Boxing
KrispyKlear™ Tennis
KrispyKlear™ Golf
KrispyKlear™ Skating
KrispyKlear™ Swimming
KrispyKlear™ Poker
KrispyKlear™ Domino

KrispyKlear™ Miscellaneous

KrispyKlear™ Glamorous Make-Up (for each skin type)
KrispyKlear™ Emergency situations
KrispyKlear™ Modeling 101
KrispyKlear™ Wall Street 101
Others…

Anything that anyone wishes to learn is easier to learn via the KrispyKlear™ system. People will soon be asking: when is KrispyKlear™ going to come up with ________ tutorials?

Celebrities can be featured in the lessons although not necessarily impart them. For instance, when it comes to sports, superstars like Kobe Bryan, LeBron James or David Beckam can introduce experts that have been key figures in their lives, instead of actually teaching the sports, since stars would tend to reserve their best secrets.

KrispyKlear™ is where the “beans are spilled” when it comes to revealing the nitty-gritty of all things learnable. The goal is for customers to experience a feeling of “closure” as they get to the bottom of anything they ever wanted to learn. They should not wonder if there’s a follow up product; there shouldn’t be. That way, when they need to learn something else, they will not doubt to look for the KrispyKlear™ brand instead of any other one.

The products can be found in the form of downloadable podcasts, CDs, DVDs, books and/or read-along booklets/downloadable eBooks.

The Quintessentially
Universal Brand

Our interactive world today offers a great opportunity to peek into the minds of potential customers. Not only do we have a clear idea of what they’re talking about as well as their shopping preferences, but we also get to know what they’re inquiring about thanks to the most popular browsers, and sites such as: About.com, Answers.com or Yahoo! Answers among others.

While the Information Age has brought us a wealth of free resources, with vast amounts of information to anyone who can access it, it has ironically also created an increasing demand for ONE SPECIFIC TOOL that offers reliable, accurate and, why not, customized information.

As long as there is new technology, new interests or new strategies, as long as people are alive, growing and expanding, there’ll always be a great demand to learn new skills.

An ever exploring, ever expanding world with billions of people eager to communicate better with each other, and handle the latest cutting-edge technology, obviously places KrispyKlear™ as the 21st century quintessential Universal brand. Predictably, it would soon become a modern-day necessity to people all over the globe, according to how faithful it remains to its straight-line formula.

On the other hand, the KrispyKlear™ concept is simple and self-explanatory, making it an easy product to place (on purpose or unintentionally) in videos, movies, sitcoms, stand-up comedies, talk-shows or even news broadcasts. The brand’s name goes beyond just being a common phrase to become an iconic axiom.

juliesuniquecreativity@yahoo.com

Redemption: The Most Complete and Amazing Gift of All

All of life’s laws are visible manifestations of spiritual universal principles. From the law of sowing and reaping to the law of gravity, even to the basic laws that govern auto-mechanics, aerodynamics, a computer chip or the fuel that makes the economic system flow; they all have their origin in the spiritual realm and ultimately in God.

The gift of Redemption is no exception when it comes to manifesting in a visible, earthly form. One of the most basic ways we can observe the principle of Redemption is in the form of a ransom that is paid to “redeem” a person or a possession.

But I believe there is a higher form of modeling what Jesus did for us on the cross, and we can do this with our own lives. As Jesus carried our sins and burdens so we didn’t have to carry them ever again, we can prevent others from having to learn certain life-lessons the hard way. We all have a unique and special calling; the journeys that we travel on the way to our destinies and even the lives we live after we get there can be such, that we redeem others from having to go through those same difficulties.

When someone can look at your life and extract from it valuable lessons that save them from the heartaches you had to endure, then the journey, as well as, the sacrifice was worth it.

We can save our children from a lot, if they can learn from our past mistakes and missed-marks. But as it is with the Greatest Redemption of all we cannot force anyone to accept the gift; sometimes others will sadly choose to travel a broken road, just to learn lessons they could have easily learned through some one else’s experience, thus, saving themselves a lot of time and unnecessary pain.

Just like some who came before us set an example of excellence and endured affliction, difficulties and trials to give us a smoother path, we also can leave an example of overcoming obstacles and hurdles in life so those coming behind, can find a straight bridge to cross.

What a wonderful privilege that in our own limited human realm we can participate with our precious Lord in the most amazing event this Universe has ever witnessed!

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*Image borrowed from www.catholicbishops.ie/.../easter2007/

I am a Xelebrity; Yupie!

I have a very good case, and probably so do you, but we will get to that in a minute. First I need to state the obvious and that is, we are living in the age of self-publishing, self-promotion and self-made individuals; an age where thanks to places like My Space, YouTube, Facebook and other similar venues, all of us now have huge platforms from which to share with the world our unique point of view.

Every once in a while I cannot help but ask myself how much money would it cost me, if I had to pay to be able to upload videos to a venue where the world can have access to them, better yet to have my own channel from which to broadcast myself; or to have a column or forum where I can interact with the world and expect reciprocity. Nowadays, I have the option to self-publish my books, my music, my productions or anything I want, and make them all available to the whole world.

I would say that in the last, perhaps, three years I have put together a very "impressive" resume of accomplishments all thanks to tools and resources that cost a few individuals billions of dollars so that I could use for free:

• First of all, if you Google my name Julie Duncan-Archibold (NOT Archibald or Archbold) you will get enough relevant links to give you a full scope.


• I have published not one, not two but three books that can be purchased at lulu.com. The first one, however, The Brainstormer; Think, Imagine, Create can also be purchased at Amazon.com and other online bookstores. The second book is great material for a reality TV show; I even wrote an article on it. For the third book, I bought a Press Release package from which anyone can download a FREE 33-page excerpt.
  First Book:
  Second Book
  Third Book


• I have written over a dozen articles for ezinearticles.com


• There is merchandise attached to my first 2 books: mugs, T-shirts, tote bags…well, you get the idea @ Cafepress.com (info available in FREE 33-page excerpt)


• I am on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Blogger and own several Yahoo! accounts.


• Was named woman of the month for July 2006 by 4RealWomenInternational.org


• I was interviewed on Blog Talk Radio in June of 2009


• I even made a recording in the category of The Spoken Word entitled Fall Asleep With Happy Thoughts that can be found at Songcast.com, Amazon.com, Napster.com, emusic.com, among others.


• A couple days ago Richard Branson launched a marketing campaign for people to contact him via Twitter through PerfectBusiness to pitch business ideas in 111 characters or less. I’m assuming that someone must have liked my idea since more or less in an hour’s time PerfectBusiness was following me (on Twitter).


• 2 days ago, -from the time I wrote this- Tony Robbins (yes, that Tony Robbins with the big smile) sent me a DM via Twitter (hey, this has to count for something)


• Last night I found this link YouTube - videogirl72's Channel - Mixx I am not even sure what it’s all about but it is featuring my Channel. Yep, I almost forgot to mention I have my own channel -on YouTube- and right now it’s presenting my latest project: JESUS IN POP, soon to be made into the most successful musical production of all times.

Now please don’t get me wrong, it’s not about self-promotion today; I am trying to make a point here (besides taking advantage of the fact that I got your full attention and indulge in some shameless plugs) but let’s move on…

In spite of what I have done, you haven’t seen me on Oprah or The View or CNN or on E! News, or on Barbara Walter’s Most Fascinating People, or any other place you would expect to find a big time celebrity. There is a reason for this and it is highly ironical. The great resources that are free for me are also free for millions of other everyday people just like me. Therefore, in a paradoxical way, the very tools that made me a celebrity have made me more of an average person. In other words, if Kathy Griffin is on the “D” list, then the average celebrity like me is on the “X” list. We are the unknown (X) celebrities; more like Xelebrities.

But before the rest of you fellow Xelebrities start having a self-worth crisis, let me fill you in on one of the biggest aha moments you’ve ever experienced until now. We are the real celebrities. OK I’ll let you digest that for a second. Now, let me say it again in a different way: we are the big prize, the coveted trophy, the force to reckon with. All the razzle dazzle is just to lure us in, to impress us, to capture our attention.

All businesses are after Xelebrities! They are after our information, our credit cards, our money. They don’t need to find out anything about A-listers, they already know all that needs to be known about them. Celebrities are just the bait to get to the big fishes: you and me. On New Years Eve when you can go out (or stay in) anywhere you want to, you know what lots of Celebrities are doing? Working! On an average show they need to go through maybe five changes of clothing to make the show even more alluring to Xelebrities. Celebrities work for us, they give us want we want to see. You and I are the kings of the world and don’t even know it.

That is even truer today than ever before. We are armed with digi-cameras, phone-cameras, Blackberries (and Twitter). Every Xelebrity has a blog and we are always ready to shoot. Just a couple seconds after the credits begin to roll and without ever leaving the movie theater, we can create the next blockbuster or bum movie with just one tweet!

Do you think anybody is becoming more sensitive to the fact that Celebrities complain of lack of privacy for them and their families? Publications along with the Paparazzi obey only one boss: The Xelebrity. Whatever the boss demands, the boss gets.

We got the power! There is nothing we cannot do in this day an age. We can get exactly the kind of world we always wanted; we can create the Society that will best serve us and our children, the power is in our hands; let's use it wisely.

So don’t worry about the fact that Celebrities are getting all the air time or the free merchandise. We still decide what’s cool and what’s not. Never mind the fact that they all look glamorous walking down the red carpet and designers are all asking them to wear their stuff, it’s all to entertain us, we still get the best seats in the house.

Now lift your head up high, grab your TwitterBerry and repeat with me: I am a Xelebrity, yupie!

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I aM a XeLeBrItY merchandise available HeRe

*Photograph from stock.xchng

7 Powerful Lessons I Learned From The Movie The Incredibles

1. When we don’t take the time to treat others with dignity and respect, we help bring out the worst in them. Buddy simply wanted to hang out with his hero Mr. Incredible. He had always admired him and one day he came up with this brilliant idea: “I can become incridiBoy his sidekick, like Batman and Robin.” It sounded great, but it almost caused him his own life and as a result, a thief got away. Therefore, Mr. Incredible gave Buddy the cold shoulder as he basically told him to stay away since he works alone. Because of the nature of his work, Mr. Incredible was really better off working without a kid at his side, but there was probably a much better way of stating this than to crush a little boy’s self-worth and dignity. We should never compromise our convictions or settle for less than we think we should, just because we want to be liked by everyone; but we can learn how to say no in a respectful way, even if not everyone likes it. Especially when it comes to children who are still forming ideas and concepts about what the world is like, we need to be extremely careful not to become a wrong piece of the puzzle they are putting together that will ultimately paint a negative picture of what the world is all about. Just like the popular 6-degrees-of-separation theory unites us all somehow, I believe in likewise manner it is possible that all that we have helped create even when it seems like it is completely detached from us, will some how come back to affect us one way or another, whether for good or for bad.



2. Trying to hide your singularities can lead to self-hatred. Unfortunately, we live in a world that is constantly trying to make us conform to one “ideal”, to make us look less like ourselves and more like everyone else. A society that has set out to kill the superheroes in us that we can become more manageable. This is the world The Incredibles found themselves living in; a world that had grown intolerant to greatness, excellence and uniqueness and was now catering to “average”, “normal” and “ordinary”. And as human beings with innate survival instincts who became aware that something was out to kill the essence of who they are, they started to hide. Mr. Incredible along with his sweetheart Elastigirl, decided to go incognito. But the more they tried to conform, the more miserable they became. Very soon they could hardly have a conversation, especially about the subject, without it escalating into an argument. Dad was so frustrated and unmotivated with his life that he just let himself go. His “regular” job that required none of his special skills, was consuming him little by little. He and his old colleague were constantly intercepting police calls looking for ways to do what they were born to do: use their gifts to serve humanity. But at every step of the way they were cautioned, by the people who loved them, that this activity was dangerous and they should basically be satisfied with being just one more number on a list, one more head in the crowd and just leave those old dreams of grandeur behind. Then came the children and these, very soon, understood exactly what was expected of them: comply, conform and act like everyone else; don’t call attention to yourself it’s dangerous, don’t scare others by being exactly who you are, because they won’t get it, they’ll try to kill it, become someone the world can understand and be comfortable with, here’s the format… So from very young we learn to disguise our superpowers; we hide the fact that we are exceptional and start trying to imitate others. We learn to talk, walk, act and look like the people around us, while they could well be trying to be like us in some way. The worst part of this ridiculous ordeal is the more we try and try in vain to conform, the more disgusted we become with our singularities and ultimately with the person we really are. This becomes very obvious in Violet, the Incredible teenage girl who possesses the ability of becoming invisible and also to create a force-shield. But what she really wishes she could do, is just disappear, or build a fortress to help her escape from a world that would surely consider her a freak.



3. Anti-heroes are usually just people trying to usurp other people’s power. Yes, Buddy suffered a traumatic experience when he was young. His hero, the person he looked up to and admired, let him down, caused him to doubt himself, to feel little and insignificant. Or did he? You see, that is the way Buddy chose to interpret the event. Mr. Incredible, never meant to do any of this, he actually saved his life that night. All the superhero did was brush him off the wrong way. But Buddy decided to nurture those wounds, to rehearse those feelings over and over in his head and this lead him to use his brilliance, not to uplift other youngsters, not to bless the world using the combined resources of what he was born with plus what life had dealt him; No, he chose to channel all his energy towards evil and destruction. They say success is the best revenge, yet if your aim is revenge it will lead you to anything but success. What a waste of talent, to use our energy pursuing the wrong things. Instead of climbing up and out of ugly circumstances, we sink lower and lower if we choose to be envious and jealous of other people’s success. When we seek to destroy, rather than to build a great life, the results are always less than rewarding. Buddy chose to bring down superheroes rather than to use his own powers for good. He allowed someone else to tell him he had no powers, therefore, he pledged to strip others of theirs.



4. Many times what we perceive as a handicap can be our greatest strength. The moment The Incredibles decided to put their abilities to good use, they were empowered. They were no longer afraid, no longer timid, they were set free. Sometimes it is necessary to face head-on, the very thing that is trying to kill you to become liberated and allow your “powers” to flow freely. If you are not blessing the world, if you are hiding somewhere trying to be “ordinary”, without even noticing it, you’ll start to shrink little by little. But as you decide that it is time to do what you were born to do, you immediately start to grow and become more powerful. Have you ever noticed the way some people who once felt threatened and even ostracized because of things like gender, race or social status; once they decide to use opposition as a fuel, actually end up excelling? It has happened time and time again that the supposed disadvantage actually becomes the mechanism that propels them to become winners. And there are countless cases of people who have blessed the world tremendously in diverse fields who have actually claimed that if it were not for their physical handicap, most likely they would have settled for “normal” and “ordinary” but the handicap gave them no other option, since “normal” was not an alternative for them. Whatever it is that you do or posses that sets you apart even if in the past you thought of it as being odd; just give it another look, you could be sitting on the key to a brilliant destiny.



5. When you learn to love yourself, you will have better relationships. Once you have learned to love yourself in a healthy way, once you have learned to forgive yourself of your shortcomings and to acknowledge your own strengths, once your soul has felt its true worth, you become free. You are free to express love, compassion and tolerance towards others; almost compulsively you now have the need to share that experience with another human being and actually with all of God’s creation. The Incredibles experienced this once they decided to be what they were always meant to be. It started when dad was tricked into putting on his superhero’s suit once again. He immediately had that surge of energy that only comes about when you are wlaking in the path of your purpose. At home the fighting stopped and the loving came back. You can only give what you yourself posses. And once mom and dad were comfortable in their own suits, then the kids were liberated to feel the same. Violet realized she could do more than a disappearing act and she was finally confident enough to talk to the cute guy she liked at school and he immediately noticed the difference in her. Love and confidence are of such nature that they are impossible to keep to yourself; they will always overflow eventually.



6. Accepting your uniqueness tells others it’s okay for them to accept theirs. It is interesting that the members of the family who were more eager to conceal their powers, were Mom and Violet. Mom was always worried about jeopardizing the family’s safety while Violet, above all, feared she would be considered “different”, and “not-like-other-girls”. Sadly enough, even in a world that is apparently promoting more women than ever before, when you get down to it, many women still chose to play it safe and to be liked, over being bold and aggressive. If they are too smart, they may try to play it down and we are usually trying to modify or completely change the way we look to comply with Society’s so-called ideal. But I can imagine what an impression it made on Violet’s mind to see her mom comfortable and in full command of her own superpowers. It gave her the courage to do the same; although it took a while to let them flow, which is quite natural. It can take us a while to release what we have tried to hold back for so long; but once we get the handle of it, we will often be surprised as we realize what we have been capable of doing all along.



7. God did not create even one “ordinary” child. I find it very funny that Mr. & Mrs. Incredible just assumed that little Jack-Jack had no superpowers, and that he was just an “ordinary” child simply because the time had not arrived for him to display what his special abilities were. It is often the case that some people even those close to you may undermine your true value because you haven’t done anything that in their estimation is to be considered outstanding. And when they see you in a difficult situation they may worry sick wondering how in the world you are going to make it, being that you cannot help yourself. But Edna, the eccentric designer, did not share their beliefs; instead she logically concluded that there’s a very slim chance, if any at all, that two extraordinary people are going to produce anything other than extraordinary kids; so she went ahead and made him a suit anyway. Sometimes it takes someone from the outside to see the greatness in us that has been sadly taken for granted by those that are too close. If you are a child of a Great and Awesome God, why would you ever conclude that His purpose for your life is just for you to barely get ahead without anything particularly special? I am not suggesting that all of us will become famous celebrities. Maybe this is the greatest misconception in this regard and the reason why many people are willing to sell themselves cheap and be exploited for fifteen minutes of questionable fame, just because they think there is nothing special about them. What a tragedy! Perhaps there is one thing about them that is considered so awful and shameful which could be precisely the key to their life’s purpose. Lastly, just keep in mind that superheroes usually discover their powers under severe pressure just like it happened with Jack-Jack. While you are cozy in your comfort zone watching life go by, your superpowers may very well lie dormant and comfortable as well. But just like a rusty, ugly, dull piece of coal becomes a priceless diamond through fire and awful pressure, we usually see our superpowers surface during tough times. So no matter what you’ve been through, are going through or what “handicap” you may think you have, it can all serve to awaken the superhero in you; now that’s incredible!

*Image is property of Pixar Animation Studios. All Rights Reserved

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This article was inspired by the book Healthy, Wealthy and Happy; Now And Forever. Available at Lulu.com. For a FREE 33-page excerpt CLICK HERE

I had a strange epiphany watching the MJ memorial on July 7. I realized that God does not belong to a denomination or even a Religion; God is there for the people of the world. And He is constantly reaching out to us in a billion different ways even through pop culture or pop music. It inspired me to make a playlist on youtube using different videos uploaded from different users. The playlist is entitled JESUS IN POP. To watch it just CLICK HERE and then click on the first video listed under JESUS IN POP (42)

The Bohemian’s Lord’s Prayer

Dear Dad,

Who moves in the high places of the earth,
whose headquarters are in the center of the Universe
and yet you chose to abide in the core of my being.
How Awesome and Great and Real you are!

Establish your way of doing things in our world and in my life,
just as Heaven operates in perfect order and harmony.

Take care of all our earthly needs even before we become aware of them.
Appoint to each of us our daily portion according to your abundant riches.

Help us to be openly loving, tolerant and easy to forgive others,
as we remember countless wickedness you have secretly forgiven us.

And guide our steps away from deceitful uneven ground
that can make us slip and fall. Rescue us from danger, terror and destruction.
You are the only one who can,
since you are the One with infinite power,
who have received all Honor and Glory.
The Universal kingdom is yours forever and ever.
So be it.

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If you’re not the church-going type, then you’re gonna love JESUS IN POP… or at least find it interesting; Lots of great pop music with an even greater message; then you can share it with someone else.

The Bohemian’s 23d Psalm

1. The Lord is in charge of my life, therefore, I don't have to worry; I can go on living, knowing that He will pick up the check. He will never embarrass me, leave me hanging or let me down.

2. He gives me the assurance and confidence that I am sowing in fertile ground, not wasting my time in a dry, rocky land. He walks with me beside still waters to calm me down and causes my spirit to rest.

3. He daily renews the images of my soul for my benefit. Instead of allowing me to get stuck with one good experience for days, weeks, months or years, He renews His mercies and reveals Himself in new and awesome ways to amaze me daily. He gently leads me to higher ground as His ways become more desirable even more attainable and enjoyable. I often look back and cannot believe how far we've come, how high we've soared. It is my delight and for my good, but for His name's sake.

4. I am confident, based on where we have been, and how close we have become, that wherever He takes me I can endure, as long as He stays right beside me. I am no longer afraid of the enemy or his empty threats and bluffs. God is my comfort, my shield and my guide; He is my cloud by day and my column of fire by night.

5. Even when it is not visible to me as yet (in the physical) you have prepared my portion; you have already set the table for me; you have placed every instrument where it's supposed to be. All has been strategically arranged for practical use. It is all waiting for me to sit down, pick up the utensils and eat, causing the portion to become a part of me. Yet my enemies cannot partake; they can only stand and watch me be replenished. You have anointed my head, my thoughts, my vision, my hands, my lips, my feet, my body and my soul. I no longer struggle to make progress with machinery that gets stuck for lack of oil. Now I move with ease and advance at will. Thank you Lord! I now operate in a place that is watered with glory. My thoughts are pink; no longer gray. My spirit is constantly dancing with joy; I savor every moment with you. Your ways of higher living give me overwhelming happiness, love and peace. Nothing is better than living like this. It just keeps overflowing.

6. This kind of anointed atmosphere will surely be with me wherever I go always. I will walk down the streets and people will have to look, because there is a bounce in my steps, a sparkle in my eyes, a flow in my words and a clarity in my head that flows in my talking, writing and inundates everything I do. It results in people wanting to bless me to try and get into the stream of blessings. With your strength and help, I will never depart from you. You will pull me back to you as soon as it looks like I am going astray. There is now a link between us that will not allow me to survive without your blessing, without your light shining over me. We will be together forever! Amen.

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If you’re not the church-going type, then you’re gonna love JESUS IN POP… or at least find it interesting. There are lots of great pop music with an even greater message;

then you can share it with someone else.

Think Yourself Into Being Skinny

And by this I don’t necessarily mean to stop eating and just think (although that would work too); I mean you need to change your mental diet. Yeah, you read that right; change the food you’ve been feeding your mind all these years.

What is the mental image you have of yourself? Do you see yourself as being “fat”? “thin”? “healthy”? After I had my baby boy via c-section I had to wait at least 8 weeks to start working out (although I finally started several weeks after that) and it was not going as fast as I would have wanted. Still, whenever I went to the stores I would refuse to go to the bigger-clothes sections, I would automatically try on the small sizes (even when they could not fit), because that is the way I kept seeing myself; as a thin person. It wasn’t that I was reciting affirmations in my mind or doing this as a manner of positive thinking, I simply never lost the mental image I had of myself as a thin person.

Interestingly enough, when I stopped worrying about when the clothes would fit again, and without falling into the temptation of buying lager sizes, I eventually “slipped back" into my old clothes and old size again. You see, your outside world is always going to adjust and do whatever it has to, even laying hold of resources you’re not aware you have, in order to match your internal image. And that internal image is created by the things you feed your mind with. We are what we eat, right? Believe it or not, this statement applies more to what you feed your mind with, than it has ever applied to the foods you physically eat.

Always remember these two statements: “we become on the outside what we already are on the inside” and “we remain on the outside what we have accepted and embraced on the inside.”

This principle also applies to one’s financial status. For some of us, however, even when it is natural to have a healthy physical internal image, when it comes to money matters, the self-image is not as healthy. Some people always see themselves as being broke; never having enough to make ends meet. In their mental picture, they and money are always in opposite quadrants. For this type of person it doesn’t matter what kind of income they have, they will always find themselves having “no money” because the two pictures will match eventually.

But here’s the thing, in the most basic form, fortunes consist of pennies, lose change, and single dollar bills that compound upon each other until they become hundreds of dollars that, in relatively short time, become a thousand, then thousands and eventually grow exponentially. I heard a preacher said once that the hardest level when learning to count is from 1 to 10. It is also the most important of all levels, because after you get it right, it will always be a matter of counting from 1 to 10 in different levels.

When you are dealing with numbers in any form whether in academics or with money, getting the lower levels going, is the most important and many times the most difficult. The bigger the amounts become (especially in money) the more and faster they can multiply. That is why in the parable of the talents, the servant that was given two talents was able to produce two more, whereas the one with five, was able to produce five more. The more you have, the more you can produce; but it starts with gathering the pennies and single bills to produce an amount that is later able to yield a bigger return.

It may sound a bit simplistic, but gathering (saving and investing) as oppose to scattering (spending and paying out) is the most basic form of accumulating a fortune. The bottom-line being, it takes a mental shift, a new way of seeing yourself in order to create change. So how do you see yourself? as being poor (broke) or rich (effective money manager)? “poor people” never have any money; “rich people” always do.

Being happy could even be the most simple equation of all. If your mental picture is of someone who expects to always get something from others, then you are setting yourself up for misery, frustration and sadness. You have set yourself up as a victim; a victim of others and of circumstances.

But if you make up your mind to always be of usefulness and service to someone else, that proactive attitude along with the satisfaction of being of value to the world around you, produces an incredibly empowering feeling. When you have placed yourself in this position, it is less likely that you will end up depressed and unhappy.

Besides this fact, many times happiness is a matter of “feeding” your mind the right images. Here’s a revolutionary concept: “You don’t have to think about everything that sneaks into your mind.” The same way you have the option not to eat any and everything that is placed before you, you can also resist the temptation to nibble and ultimately feed on what “falls into your mind” many times even without your consent or awareness. Get yourself into the empowering seat and only concentrate on healthy, profitable and positive mental images.

Whatever the case may be, whether you are on a quest to get in shape, or increase your bottom line or improve your emotional state, the power is in your hands, actually in your mind. If you feed your mind with the right stuff, you will always get back the corresponding results.

So look into the mirror, lift your head up high, square your shoulders, suck in your stomach and get on your way to good health. Put back the lose change and single bills into the bank and create a brighter financial future; then put a big smile on your face as well as your heart and take the world by storm; the sky’s the limit.

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Photo by Marcos Santos