Lemon Madeleines - a lovely tea cookie...

Lemon Madeleines

Here sits a lovely tea/dessert cookie...

it is moist, dense and yields a delightful lemon flavour too.

Lemon Madeleines (recipe courtesy- all recipes)

Ingredients:

• 4 eggs 
• 1 cup white sugar 
• 10 tablespoons unsalted butter (softened) 
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 
• 2 teaspoon baking powder 
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract 
• 1 lemon, juiced and zested 
• 2/3 cup confectioners' sugar for decoration 

How to:

1. In a large bowl blend eggs and sugar add butter and blend well.
2. On low speed, blend in flour, baking powder, lemon, vanilla. 
3. Cover bowl with towel and let sit for one hour. 
4. Preheat oven to 375 degrees and butter and flour madeleine molds. 
5. Whisk batter then spoon into molds 3/4 full. 
6. Bake 8-10 minutes. Remove from molds and cool. 
7. Dust with confectioners' sugar... and Enjoy!

"She is like the merchants' ships; she bringeth her food from afar." 

-Proverbs 31:14

Hope all of you are having a delightful day!

~Many Blessings~

A bit of Tea History...

The first tea bags were created by
Thomas Sullivan in 1904, and made of silk.

There are six varieties of tea;  white, yellow, green, oolong, black and pu-erh

The difference between Black, Green, and Oolong tea is a result of the changes that occur during processing of the tea leaves.

They are all made from the same type of tea leaves.

Black teas are fermented, left in a cool, dark, and damp place for a time, and then heated to stop the fermentation process.

Oolong teas are semi-fermented.

Green teas are heated after picking… so there is no fermenting process.

Herbal teas are not actually teas, but are concoctions of peels, flower leaves, herbs, and spices, and are caffeine free.

The caffeine content of tea is 40 mg in one cup of tea as compared to 99 mg of caffeine in a cup of coffee.

Black and Green teas contain a certain type of antioxidant called flavenoids.

Today tea is the world's second most popular beverage consumed, second only to water. It's easy to make, affordable, and offers variety in its flavors and aroma.

Americans drink approximately 50 billion cups of tea each year, 40 billion of which are served as iced tea.

So... sit down anddo enjoy your special cup of tea.

Friday Blessings!

Enjoy Life….

No matter how hard it may seem…

When life gives you a thousand reasons to cry,

show the world that you have a million reasons to 

SMILE!!!!

Whoopie Pies...

1950s~ Mother and daughter at kitchen table, preparing ingredients in mixer for baking.

Since I was a young girl whoopie pies have been

a favorite treat of mine...

moist chocolate cake sandwiched in

creamy smooth frosting is the

simple, elegant joy of this dessert.

A few days ago I was having a hankering for these

lovelies.... so I pulled out my tried and true

recipe and whipped up a few.

The perfect ending to any dinner, picnic or

brunch... your dear wee ones, family or guest

will most likely be quite happy, indeed, with these

scrumptious delights.

A Bit of "Whoopie Pie History"

Whoopie Pies..

"Whoopie pies are a classic confection consisting of rounds of moist chocolate cake sandwiching a thick layer of creamy frosting. 

The origins of the pie date to the early part of the 20th century to either coastal Maine or the rich baking tradition of the Pennsylvania Dutch."   -Cook's Country 

"While considered a New England phenomenon and a Pennsylvania Amish tradition, they are increasingly sold throughout the United States. 

According to food historians, Amish women would bake these (known as hucklebucks at the time) and put them in farmers' lunchboxes. 

When farmers would find these treats in their lunch, they would shout "Whoopie!" -Wikipedia 

The Recipe
Whoopie Pies recipe courtesy ~ Cook's Country

Cakes

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup Dutch-processed
• cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda 
• 1/2 teaspoon table salt
• 1 cup packed light brown sugar 
• 8 tablespoons unsalted butter 
• (1 stick), softened but still cool
• 1 large egg, room temperature
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup buttermilk

Filling

• 12 tablespoons unsalted butter 
• (1 1/2 sticks), softened but still cool
• 1 1/4 cups confectioners' sugar 
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract 
• 1/8 teaspoon table salt
• 2 1/2 cups Marshmallow Fluff

For the cakes:
Adjust oven racks to upper-middle and lower-middle positions and heat oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Whisk flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt in medium bowl. With electric mixer on medium speed, beat sugar and butter in large bowl until fluffy, about 4 minutes. Beat in egg until incorporated, scraping down sides of bowl as necessary, then beat in vanilla. Reduce speed to low and beat in one-third of flour mixture, then half of buttermilk. Repeat with half of remaining flour mixture, then remaining buttermilk, and finally remaining flour mixture. Using rubber spatula, give batter final stir. Using 1/3-cup measure, scoop 6 mounds of batter onto each baking sheet, spacing mounds about 3 inches apart. Bake until cakes spring back when pressed, 12 to 16 minutes, switching and rotating pans halfway through baking. Cool completely on baking sheets, at least 1 hour.

For the filling: 
With electric mixer on medium speed, beat butter and sugar together until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Beat in vanilla and salt. Beat in Fluff until incorporated, about 2 minutes. Refrigerate filling until slightly firm, about 30 minutes. (Bowl can be wrapped and refrigerated for up to 2 days.) Dollop 1/3 cup filling on center of flat side of 6 cakes. Top with flat side of remaining 6 cakes and gently press until filling spreads to edge of cake. Serve. (Whoopie pies can be refrigerated in airtight container for up to 3 days.)

~Do Enjoy~

Hope all of you are having a lovely day!!

Many Blessings!

"She is like the merchants' ships; she bringeth her food from afar."

-Proverbs 31:14

POSTED BY MRS. E AT 8:10 AM
LABELS: DESSERTS, FAMILY, FOOD, HOSPITALITY, JOY, SIMPLE THINGS

He Loves Me, He Loves Me Not.

I saw a maiden standing 'neath a tree one summer's eve,

And in her hand a flower held, And as those tiny leaves

Were plucked and cast away by her a tear bedimmed her eye;

Each leaf one tear, each tear one sigh, a sob, I knew not why.

But when I drew near to this maid, whose heart I thought would break,

I heard her speak some simple words and mine began to ache;

The pangs of disappointed love o'er her soul held full sway,

Be loves me, no, he loves me not, I heard the maiden say.

He loves me, oh, he loves me not, I heard the maiden say,

And then she threw those tiny little faded leaves away;

He loves me not he loves another more perchance than me,

But if he's happy in his love, contented I must be.

The years rolled on, but not a tear I saw in this maid's eye,

The fountain spring of love with her had long, long since run dry;

If her heart ached with pain, I'm sure that no one ever knew,

It seemed though he were false to her, to him she still was true.

In springtime when the flowers bloom, beneath the same old tree

At eventide quite often this sad maiden you can see:

The leaves from off a flower she plucks, just as in other days,

And as they flutter one by one, I hear the maiden say'.- Chorus.

He loves me, oh, he loves me not, I heard the maiden say,

And then she threw those tiny little faded leaves away;

He loves me not he loves another more perchance than me,

But if he's happy in his love, contented I must be.

Copyright, 1893, by Geo. T. Worth & Co.

Words and Music by Paul Dresser.

Thoughtful Thursday....

painting~ On the Cliff, by Charles Curran.

Thoughtful Thursday...

"Though some people may seem to be naturally gifted

at encouraging and uplifting other people,

the Bible makes it clear that we’re all to be encouragers.

According to Scripture, encouragement is to be a regular

part of our interaction with other people.

This necessarily means that we must spend time with

other people for the purpose of knowing their needs,

their struggles, and how best they may be encouraged."

~Wayne Mack

"Therefore encourage one another and build up one 

another, just as you also are doing."

- I Thessalonians 5:11

Wishing all of you a very....

"Thoughtful Thursday!"

Many Blessings!!!

Good Morning to you!

Worship notes on worship

Psalm 4:1-4

1. Hear me when I call, O God of my righteousness!

You have relieved me in my distress;

Have mercy on me, and hear my prayer.

2. How long, O you sons of men,

Will you turn my glory to shame?

How long will you love worthlessness

And seek falsehood? Selah

3. But know that the Lord has set apart for Himself him who is godly;

The Lord will hear when I call to Him.

4. Be angry, and do not sin.

Meditate within your heart on your bed, and be still.Selah

God demands us worship Him. We ought to worship God with all our heart. Even use musical instruments too. God sets apart those who are godly. godly person is someone that is Holy. A godly person wants to do all they can to serve God. We have to do all we can for the church and show our love for Jesus. Remember Jesus gave his life for the church. We are the sanctuary. Christ lives in me and we are a temple of the Holy Spirit. The Church is the people, not the building. But, we still take care of the building. godly is also being God loving, a God knowing person. They have a personal relationship with God.

LIfe without God is like an unsharpened pencil. No Point. MyBible.com

Selah means God has spoken. It is translated from the Hebrew word. David used it 71 times in Psalms. It is also used 3 times in the Book of Habakkuk. It is also used to show either a liturgico-music mark or an instruction on the text like “Stop and listen”. The Amplified Bible shows it as “Pause, and think of that”.

Sad today the world makes a mockery of godly stuff. Bring shame to things of God. Make a scorn. It is also sad that churches fight over stuff they shouldn’t. We need to watch our testimony. So people can see God in us. When you are of the world you bring shame to God.

Set apart to worship Him. He is our Savior! Give Him the honor. Give Him the Glory! He is the head of our family and the head of our table. Particular means special. (Beyond usual). Set apart based virtual. Beliefs and character. Our beliefs are not of this world, that is beyond usual.

There is NO GRAY when it comes to the Word of God.

1 Peter 2:9
But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;

Christ loved us so much that he died for us. With Christ we are set apart. Remember anyone who calls upon the name of the Lord will be saved.

A lost person cannot understand the Spiritual Word of God.If it doesn’t get to you, you may not be truly saved. Also, if you cannot see a difference between you and the world, you may need to look at your relationship with Christ. The world should see a difference in us. When we are saved, the world cannot know us, because they do not know Christ. If you are born again, the world doesn’t truly know you or understand you.

If people say they do not like being around, what you say because of God, then say to them, “Thank You!” Because the lost don’t like to be around. We make the lost uncomfortable. The world loves worthless things. We put worldly things in perspective being godly.

What matters is God understands you. It doesn’t matter if man does. Remember we answer to God, not man. I would be more worry about defending a Holy Righteous God, than offending man.

If you mock God/Jesus than you are mocking the church, Bible and what it means to be a Christian. Despite all the mocking, persecution and all, every knee will bow and confess he is Lord.

The Holy Spirit will lead you. It will guide you. It will help correct you and lead to repentance. Fear God!

Heaven is reality! Some say Heaven is just a crutch. Yes, it can be, but it is good to know that Heaven is real to lean on.

Hell fire never quinces, there is always going to be pain there. SUffering. It is a place that doesn’t know Jesus. We do not want anyone to go to this torment.

The Bible is not a fable! It is true! It is the true Word of God. The Bible is the first thing to get attacked. The Bible is pure and holy.

Lay your treasures in Heaven! We are not to love anything else before God. He must be the object of our affection. We owe everything to God. We have to love God more than our wife, our children, friends and such. God is first! We must have a personal relationship with God.

Walk away from sin, because you fear God!

by:  Courageous Christian Father

"BUT AS FOR ME AND MY HOUSE, WE WILL SERVE THE LORD." JOSHUA 24:15

Good Morning!

Infused Vitamin Water

INFUSED VITAMIN WATER

Ingredients:

• 10 large strawberries
• ½ cup of sliced watermelon
• ¼ cup of mint leaves
• 6 cups of water
• ice

Instructions:

Fill the bottom of a pitcher with the ice cubes and top it with strawberries, watermelon and mint leaves. Fill the rest of the way with filtered water and let it cool.

Source: PositiveMed

My Garden......

Poem by Reeva Steenkamp

Perfumed lilies fumigate the air

And place bees into trances,

Buzzing, buzzing all dazed in the heat

Performing their dances.

I feel faint then cool and then faint

Again… the fountains roar but now

Flow silently in ripples towards

The embankment flow.

Creeping insects devour the leaf…

Slowly, slowly, inch by inch, they near;

Only sounds that are soft are heard,

Trying to tell us – but we do not hear.

I sit and think, the willow holding me

and watch the breezes give life and take

There in my garden, I can see 

Each life is at stake.

Reeva Steenkamp

The Guardian Angel Picture Frame...

It would be ironic to read a newspaper article of a woman who sustained massive head injury when a large picture frame of a guardian angel fell on her head while asleep, wouldn't it?

That's exactly what could have happened that night if an angel had not intervened and averted a

 potentially embarrassing situation

.

When I was a little girl, we didn't really have a lot of religious books around except for the Bible and this one book that my Uncle Frank had given to us. This book had a picture in full color of a guardian angel guiding two small children along a dilapidated old bridge. The children were obviously in a very dangerous place. If you look carefully, a storm seems to be brewing in the area, and darkness is enveloping the children. And if you contemplate enough on the painting, you could "see" a lightning streak in the background and even "hear" the rumbling of thunder in the distance. As a child, I would look at that picture mesmerized for hours. Somehow I pictured myself being there with the children, and the guardian angel watching over me as well.

Looking at that picture became an obsession with me. Naturally, when I was grown and I saw a large picture frame of the guardian angel and the children at a fund-raising event at the Academy where my son was attending, sweet memories came to my mind, and I purchased it. I hung it centered on the wall by my bed. I made sure to fasten it securely so it would not fall on me.

I must not have fastened it securely because one night when I was sound asleep, it fell. When the picture frame fell, that instance, I woke up and caught it and placed it on the floor by my bed and went back to sleep.

When I woke up in the morning, I realized what had happened during the night and marveled at how an angel of the Lord protected me from possible serious injuries by waking me from a sound sleep to catch the picture frame in the nick of time. Imagine if I had a concussion and a big gash on my forehead and my head all bandaged up ~ What happened to you? people would ask. Oh, a large picture frame of a guardian angel fell on me. I would reply. Didn't the guardian angel keep it from falling on you? Hmmmm...

That would be ironic, wouldn't it?

by:  

A Little Dutch Delight...

http://www.blessed-femina.com/2009/10/little-dutch-delight.html

This delectable Dutch Cake...

is simply rich, decadent and entirely scrumptious.

What wouldn't be with loads of almond paste,

butter, sugar and delicate slices of almonds?!

One may have a hard time just having only one of these

delights.... so tips for success?...

Bring to a large feast or party~

where many others can enjoy it as well...they will be, as I am sure you will be.... very pleased indeed.

Nederlandse Boterkoek

A boterkoek is a very rich cake.

It is therefore necessary that the koek

cools completely prior to cutting and serving.

You will need:

• 2 C all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 2/3 C sugar
• 1 C butter (medium hard consistency)
• 1 tsp almond extract
• pinch salt
• 1 egg yolk
• 1/2 egg white
• slivered almonds
• 7 oz almond paste (not marzipan)

(I use the Odense brand, found in the baking aisle)

How to:
Grease a 8" round cake or pie pan and dust with flour.

Preheat oven to 350 F.

Mix flour, baking powder, salt and sugar. Cut in the butter until mixture resembles coarse oatmeal. (Make sure that the butter is neither too hard nor too soft, best is to remove from fridge 1 hour before using). Add the almond extract and egg yolk. Mix well, I use my hands to knead the dough until it is very smooth. Divide the dough into half.

Place one half of the dough into the prepared pan and press down evenly and firmly. Remove almond paste from packaging, crumble the paste evenly over the bottom layer and press down. Then cover almond paste with remaining dough, so that the paste is covered, and press down firmly. Brush the top generously with the 1/2 egg white. Use the slivered almonds and press into the dough. The Dutch traditionally would made a pretty pattern with the almonds.

Bake in 350 oven for 25-30 minutes.

DO NOT OVERBAKE!!

I cook until the edges are slightly golden brown and the top is set.

Cut into wedges or small squares.

Enjoy... Cool completely and then hide from it!! ;-)

"For thou shalt eat the labour of thine hands:

happy shalt thou be, and it shall be well with thee."

-Psalm 128:2

Many Blessings to all of you!!! 

POSTED BY MRS. E AT 6:00 AM

LABELS: DESSERTS, FOOD, FRIENDS, JOY

Forgiveness...

Forgiveness is not something we do for other people, 

we do it for ourselves. 

We let go so we can get better.  

See more at: http://alifetimeofwisdom.com/category/forgiveness/#sthash.XWWr5UOH.dpuf

A new Day, A new Beginning...

This is the beginning of a new day

This is the beginning of a new day. 

God has given me this day to use as I will.

I can waste it or use it for good.

What I do today is important, because

I’m exchanging a day of my life for it.

When tomorrow comes,

this day will be gone forever,

leaving something I have traded for it.

I want it to be gain, not loss; good, not evil;

success, not failure; in order that I

shall not regret the price I paid for it.

Author unknown - 

See more at: http://alifetimeofwisdom.com/success/this-is-the-beginning-of-a-new-day/#sthash.OLI4r2ga.dpuf

Prayer for Peace

Have a Great Day!

Step-by-step DIY Finger-Knitted Scarf

Cold, gloomy weather = the perfect time to wear a rainbow everywhere.

Because we have very cold weather outside you will definitely need an scarf this season. That is why we have this DIY project for you: finger knitted scarf. What is best about this DIY idea is that you don’t have to be an expert in knitting. In fact, you wont’ need any technical knitting skills at all. And I can assure you that the final result will look totally awesome. The only materials that you will need are: lots and lots of colorful yarn ( make sure that you don’t get lightweight or superfine yarn because it is to thin and it won’t work at this project), scissors and of course your hand. When you will be done please send us a picture with your creation because we want to see and also share your creativity. Enjoy!!

by:  Marlena diy, knitting, scarves

http://www.rookiemag.com/2013/11/marlena-scarf-diy

For this cozy, fall-themed DIY, I’m gonna show you how to make your very own faux-knitted scarf. I say “faux” because for this project, you’ll be using just your fingers to knit—no knitting needles! It’s super-simple to do, and the end result looks totally rad.

What you’ll need:

Lots of yarn. Any kind, from medium to bulky weight, will work, but yarn described as superfine or lightweight is too thin. I went for a rainbow theme with my scarf, so I used yarn in a variety of colors, plus some white for clouds.
Scissors.

How to do it:

1. The base of the scarf will be made from of long finger-knitted “ropes.” Start off with a piece of yarn that’s still attached to the skein.


2. With your palm facing you, clasp one end of the yarn between your thumb and your index finger, as shown.


3. Wrap the yarn under your middle finger, over your ring finger, and under your pinkie. Bring it back over your pinkie, under your ring finger, over your middle finger, and under your index finger. Repeat the over/under wrapping process two more times, until you have what looks like two dashed lines of yarn across your fingers, like in photo 4 above.


4. Now it’s time to start knitting! Pull each loop from the bottom row of yarn (marked with pink dots in this photo) up and over the top row of yarn and your fingertips.


5. You’ll be left with just one row of yarn along the palm side of your fingers. Push these loops down your fingers a bit (as shown).


6. Repeat steps 3 and 4. Continue repeating those two steps until you have something that looks like the photo above.


If you kind of tug on the end a bit it’ll start to look more like a rope.


7. When your finger-knitting reaches the length you want it to be, finish the end off by weaving the tail into and out of the loops on your fingers, removing the yarn from your hand, and tugging the end again it to tighten it up.


These are much shorter versions of what your finished ropes will look like. For reference, my finished ropes were about 60 inches long.


8. Pair off your ropes in whatever color combinations you like, such as red/orange, yellow/green, and blue/purple, and tie the loose ends on each side of the ropes together.


9. Using a crisscross pattern, lace each pair of ropes together with a piece of matching yarn.


Gently tug on the yarn as you go along to help close up the gap.


10. Once you’ve laced the entire thing up, tie the loose ends together and snip off the excess.


11. To make this scarf actually look like a scarf, you’ll need to lace all three of the rope pairs, just like in the previous step. If you don’t want to bother with the lacing, you can braid the ropes together instead, or even just wear them as-is! It’s up to you.

To make and attach the pompoms:

1. Wrap some more yarn around your hand (or a small piece of cardboard) multiple times to create a bundle.

2. Lay that bundle on top of a length of yarn about three times longer than the length of the bundle (see photo 2 above).

3. Triple-tie that loose length of yarn around your bundle. Tie it tight! This will create a bunch of loops on either side of the knot.


4. Mark the ends of the yarn that you used to tie your bundle with a piece of tape or a marker so that you won’t get them confused with the rest of the yarn—you’re gonna need these strings in a minute.

5. Cut all of the loops open with your scissors and give the pompom a trim! Remember: Don’t cut the yarn that you marked in step 4! But otherwise, don’t be afraid to cut off a lot—pompoms usually look more pompom-y once you’ve cut away a good portion of the yarn.


6. Weave the strings that I told you not to snip through the ends of the scarf and tie them together to secure the pompoms in place.


And there you have it! Your super-cute new rainbow scarf is perfect for wearing on gloomy late fall days, wouldn’t you say? ♦

Easy To Make Finger Knitted Scarfs – DIY
Share Because we have very cold weather outside you will definitely need an scarf this season. That is why we have this DIY project for you: finger knitted scarf. What is best about this DIY idea is that you don’t have to be an expert... 

PRAKTICIDEAS.COM

25 Quotes on Giving

www.SimpLeeSerene.com
We all know the wisest teachers say that when you give you receive. The other important factor to this is when you receive you are giving.

If someone gives you a compliment, receive it – you will give to them gratitude and acknowledgement.

If someone gives you their time and energy, receive it – you will give to them gratitude and acknowledgement.

If someone gives you their support and generosity, receive it – you will give to them gratitude and acknowledgement.

If someone gives you their financial support, receive it – you will give to them gratitude and acknowledgement.

Giving is receiving and receiving is giving.

Learn from these greats what it means to give. 

Published on December 11, 2012 by Stephanie Sarkis, Ph.D. in Here, There, and Everywhere

"It's not how much we give but how much love we put into giving.” ― Mother Teresa

“No one is useless in this world who lightens the burdens of another.” ― Charles Dickens

“We make a living by what we get. We make a life by what we give.” ― Winston S. Churchill

“Let us make one point, that we meet each other with a smile, when it is difficult to smile. Smile at each other, make time for each other in your family.” ― Mother Teresa

“Give yourself entirely to those around you. Be generous with your blessings. A kind gesture can reach a wound that only compassion can heal.” ― Steve Maraboli, Life, the Truth, and Being Free

“Happiness doesn't result from what we get, but from what we give.” ― Ben Carson

“Presents are made for the pleasure of who gives them, not the merits of who receives them.” ― Carlos Ruiz Zafón, The Shadow of the Wind

“You can give without loving, but you cannot love without giving.” ― Amy Wilson-Carmichael

“I must be willing to give whatever it takes to do good to others. This requires that I be willing to give until it hurts. Otherwise, there is no true love in me, and I bring injustice, not peace, to those around me.” ― Mother Teresa

“I slept and I dreamed that life is all joy. I woke and I saw that life is all service. I served and I saw that service is joy.” ― Kahlil Gibran

“For it is in giving that we receive.” ― St. Francis of Assisi

“As we work to create light for others, we naturally light our own way.” ― Mary Anne Radmacher

“Give freely to the world these gifts of love and compassion. Do not concern yourself with how much you receive in return, just know in your heart it will be returned.” ― Steve Maraboli, Life, the Truth, and Being Free

“Gracious acceptance is an art - an art which most never bother to cultivate. We think that we have to learn how to give, but we forget about accepting things, which can be much harder than giving.... Accepting another person's gift is allowing him to express his feelings for you.” ― Alexander McCall Smith, Love Over Scotland

“Love only grows by sharing. You can only have more for yourself by giving it away to others.” ― Brian Tracy

“Secrets. Funny how, when you're about to be given something precious, something you've wanted for a long time, you suddenly feel nervous over taking it.

Everyone wants more than anything to be allowed into someone else's most secret self. Everyone wants to allow someone into their most secret self. Everyone feels so alone inside that their deepest wish is for someone to know their secret being, because then they are alone no longer. Don't we all long for this? Yet when it's offered it's frightening, because you might not live up to the desires of the one who bestows the gift. And frightening because you know that accepting such a gift means you'll want-perhaps be expected- to offer a similar gift in return. Which means giving your *self* away. And what's more frightening than that?” ― Aidan Chambers, This is All: The Pillow Book of Cordelia Kenn

“One must be poor to know the luxury of giving.” ― George Eliot

“Generosity is not giving me that which I need that you do, but it is giving me that which you need more that I do.” ― Kahlil Gibran

“Giving yourself some loving attention is not selfish. It is sensible. If you feel loved and cherished--even if it is only by yourself--then you will have more love to give to others, too.” ― Penelope Quest, Reiki for Life: A Complete Guide to Reiki Practice

“Giving money and power to government is like giving whiskey and car keys to teenage boys.”― P. J. O'Rourke

“Kindness in words creates confidence. Kindness in thinking creates profoundness. Kindness in giving creates love.” ― Lao Tzu

“Generosity is giving more than you can, and pride is taking less than you need.” ― Khalil Gibran

“The degree of loving is measured by the degree of giving.” ― Edwin Louis Cole

“No one has ever become poor by giving.” ― Anne Frank

“By giving people the power to share, we're making the world more transparent.” ― Mark Zuckerberg

www.stephaniesarkis.com

Copyright 2012 Sarkis Media LLC

10 SIMPLE TIPS TO SUPERCHARGE YOUR BRAIN !!!

GOOD MORNING FRIENDS,

10 SIMPLE TIPS TO SUPERCHARGE YOUR BRAIN !!!

1) EAT ALMONDS
Almond is believed to improve memory. If a combination of almond oil and milk is taken together before going tobed or after getting up at morning, it strengthens our memory power. Almondmilk is prepared by crushing the almonds without the outer cover and adding water and sugar to it.

2) DRINK APPLE JUICE
Research from the University of Massachusetts Lowell (UML) indicates that apple juice increases theproduction of the essential neurotransmitte r acetylcholine in the brain, resulting in an increased memory power.

3) SLEEP WELL
Research indicates that the long-term memory is consolidated during sleep by replaying the images of the experiences of the day. These repeated playbacks program the subconscious mind to store these images and other related information.

4) ENJOY SIMPLE PLEASURES
Stress drains our brainpower. A stress-ridden mind consumes much of our memory resources to leave us with a feeble mind. Make a habit to engage yourself in few simple pleasures everyday to dissolve stress from your mind. Some of these simple pleasures are good for your mind, body and soul.
*Enjoy music you love
*Play with your children
*Hug a stranger :p
*Appreciate others
*Run few miles a day, bike or swim
*Start a blog
*Take a yoga class or Total wellness routine

5) FAST FOR A DAY
Fasting cleans and detoxifies our body. It is known fact that heavy food not only causes stress on our digestive system but also drains our brainpower. Fasting relieves toxic emotions such as anger, grief, worry, and fears – before they accumulate and cause disease. By cleansing toxic emotions, fasting strengthens metal clarity with increases memory, concentration, creativity and insight.

6) EXERCISE YOUR MIND
Just as physical exercise is essential for a strong body, mental exercise is equally essential for a sharp and agile mind. Have you noticed that children have far superior brainpower than an adult does? Children have playful minds. A playful mind exhibits superior memory power. Engage in some of the activities that require your mind to remain active and playful.
*Play scrabble or crossword puzzle
*Volunteer
*Interact with others
*Start a new hobby such as blogging, reading, painting, bird watching
*Learn new skill or a language

7) PRACTICE YOGA OR MEDITATION
Yoga or Meditation relives stress. Stress is a known memory buster. With less stress, lower blood pressure, slower respiration, slower metabolism, and released muscle tension follows. All of these factors contribute significantly towards increases in our brainpower.

 EAT A LIGHT MEAL IN THE NIGHT
A heavy meal at night causes tossing and turning and a prolonged emotional stress while at sleep. Eating a light meal with some fruits allows us to sleep well. Agood night sleep strengthens our brainpower.

9) DEVELOP IMAGINATION
Greeks mastered the principle of imagination and association to memorize everything. This technique requires one to develop a vivid and colorful imaginationthat can be linked to a known object. If you involve all your senses – touching, feeling, smelling, hearing and seeing in the imagination process, you can remember greater details of the event.

10) CONTROL YOUR TEMPER
Bleached food, excess of starch or excess of whitebread can lead to nerve grating effect. This results in a violent and some time depressive behavior. Eat fresh vegetables. Drink lots of water and meditate or practice yoga to relieve these toxic emotions of temper and violent mood swings.

Health Inspirations – Tips – Inspirational Quotes, Pictures and Motivational Thought