Tuesday, October 30, 2007

Sweet Deals: Halloween Specials

These merchants have lots of fun Halloween ideas and some are even on sale.
Just Because Baskets

Personal Creations
Look to Lillian Vernon for all your spookylicious favorites for Halloween! From must-have costumes for the whole family to personalizable treat baskets and frighteningly festive fall decor
Save on all your spookylicious favorites for Halloween with $4.99 flat rate shipping using media code 587860100

The Popcorn FactoryOriental Trading Company, Inc.Monthly Special: 50% off iPulse Stereo with any purchase: expires 9/30/07

The Power of Gratitude

Gratitude can transform common days into thanksgivings,
turn routine jobs into joy,
and change ordinary opportunities into blessings.

William Arthur Ward
Over time, many marriages lose that romantic spark. In Expressing Gratitude and Appreciation you can read:
The importance of gratitude cannot be overstated. A marriage that is full of gratitude is also full of romance. A marriage devoid of gratitude soon loses its flame.
The same article also includes several ideas for expressing gratitude.

Gratitude is most important in any relationship. That goes doubly so for a marriage. Thanksgiving is a great time to express gratitude for your sweetheart. Back in 2004 I wrote the 25 Days of Thanksgiving. The idea is to write the things you are thankful for and then share them with each other on Thanksgiving day.

Another way to express gratitude is Sweetie Appreciation Week. Declare a week to show how much you appreciate your sweetie and do something special everyday. the article will give some ideas.

Other ways of expressing gratitude:

Friday, October 26, 2007

Holiday Gift Buying that Makes a Difference


The holiday buying season is coming up. We all want to give gifts with meaning. This year, consider a gift that is not only very nice, but also benefits those less fortunate. As I mention in my other blog, there are some companies dedicated to helping people rather than exploiting them. One of these is called My Princess Pearls. Not only do they pay a decent wage, they also collect donations to be sent to help the families further.

From their website:

The Mission of My Princess Pearls is to improve the living conditions in third world countries while helping women accessorize their wardrobes with Genuine Handmade Jewelry at amazingly affordable prices.

Our genuine pearl jewelry comes directly from Asian women who have been trained in the jewelry making process by our source . Now, previous non-income earners are able to sustain their families. By offering unique financial opportunities to Independent Distributors worldwide, we continue our goal of improving the standard of living across the globe.

Tuesday, October 23, 2007

Making it real


spin it
Originally uploaded by antpix
What is real? Ponder that for just a moment. As you ponder that, consider that with optical illusions and the works of Escher, what your eyes see your brain knows cannot be. Some illusions make us see motion in a still image. While others present straight lines that look bent, dots that flash on or off or even a picture of Jesus where this isn't one. The question then is: Can I trust my own eyes?

People are equipped with 5 senses: sight, smell, touch, hearing and taste. These 5 senses, combined with memory, form our perception of reality. Almost all we know and perceive as real comes to us through some combination of the senses. The human brain processes the sum total of what the senses perceive along with what is remembered to decide what is real and what is not.

We know that, unless you live a Hogwarts, pictures on paper do not move. Our hands touch the paper, our eyes see the paper, you can smell or even taste the paper, we remember paper. We know it is paper. Only our eyes see the illusion. Weighing the evidence of all the senses against the conflicting evidence of just the eyes, we come to the conclusion that our eyes may have been deceived.

By applying the same idea to romance, love can be made real. The trick is to involve as many of the senses as possible in combination with memory. One sense can be easily dismissed. The greater the number of senses involved, the greater the perception that it is real.

Saying "I love you" involves only hearing. A written note that says "I love you" involves both sight to read the message and touch to hold it. Thus, a written note seems more real, seems more sincere. Adding a small chocolate or other treat adds both smell and taste making the message even more real. The simple act of writing "I love you" on a card and attaching a candy will reinforce the spoken "I love you" and make it real.

Keep in mind that the brain combines the senses to form perception. If you say "I love you" with a scowl on your face, the brain will be confused and decide either the spoken word or the scowl is an illusion. Talk is cheap so the scowl is given more reality. Smile as you say "I love you" so all the senses are getting the same message.

Thursday, October 18, 2007

Saying I love you in different languages


Love is all you need
Originally uploaded by a_cherished_memory
I love you
I love you
I love you

Phrases oft repeated, often lose their punch. I love you is one of the most common phrases your spouse will hear. If not, it should be. But after years of hearing it, it becomes common.

Take that old, worn out "I love you" and give it new life. Make if new by speaking it in a new language. There is a website with lots of translations: http://www.omniglot.com/language/phrases/iloveyou.htm

Here a just a few:
  • Hawaiian : Aloha Au Ia ʻOe, Aloha No Au Ia ʻOe
  • Latin : te amo
  • French: Je t'aime
  • Scots : Ah loove ye

Wednesday, October 17, 2007

Quote


hellooo...
Originally uploaded by nascity
Let no one ever come to you without leaving better and happier
-- Mother Teresa

Monday, October 08, 2007

Bible Verses for Couples: 1 Corinthians 13:4-7


I Believe...
Originally uploaded by Ange's photos
Love is patient; love is kind; love is not envious or boastful or arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice in wrong doing, but rejoices in the truth. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

- 1 Corinthians 13:4-7

I normally read the King James version of the Bible, but sometimes it is helpful to read other versions. Replacing the word charity with the word love makes one reconsider the scripture. Charity, being the pure love of Christ, is what I think of for the world at large. Love is what I tell my wife everyday. When I tell my wife I love her, is this what I mean by love?

When I say I love you it means:
* I will be patient with you
* I will be kind to you
* I will not be envious but will rejoice with you
* I will not be arrogant but will be humble
* I will not be rude but will speak and act with kindness
* I will not insist upon having my own way but will seek our mutual happiness
* I will not be irritable or resentful but instead forgiving and good natured.
* I will stand by you.

Three little word: I love you. How do you know I love you, by how I treat you.

Wednesday, October 03, 2007

How to make a man happy

To make a man happy, fill his hands with work, his heart with affection, his mind with purpose, his memory with useful knowledge, his future with hope, and his stomach with food. -- Frederick e. Crane

Marriage wisdom from kids


Kissing Kids
Originally uploaded by friend_cuttack
HOW DO YOU KNOW WHO YOU SHOULD MARRY?

You got to find somebody who likes the same stuff. Like, if you like sports, she should like it that you like sports, and she should keep the chips and dip coming. -- Alan, age 10

No person really decides before they grow up who they're going to marry. God decides it all way before, and you get to find out later who you're stuck with. -- Kristen, age 10

WHAT IS THE RIGHT AGE TO GET MARRIED?
Twenty-three is the best age because you know the person FOREVER by then. -- Camille, age 10

HOW CAN A STRANGER TELL IF TWO PEOPLE ARE MARRIED?
You might have to guess, based on whether they seem to be yelling at the same kids. -- Derrick, age 8

WHAT DO YOU THINK YOUR MOM AND DAD HAVE IN COMMON?
Both don't want any more kids. -- Lori, age 8

WHAT DO MOST PEOPLE DO ON A DATE?
Dates are for having fun, and people should use them to get to know each other. Even boys have something to say if you listen long enough. -- Lynnette, age 8

On the first date, they just tell each other lies and that Usually gets them interested enough to go for a second date. -- Martin, age 10

WHAT WOULD YOU DO ON A FIRST DATE THAT WAS TURNING SOUR?
I'd run home and play dead. The next day I would call all the newspapers and make sure they wrote about me in all the dead columns. -- Craig, age 9

WHEN IS IT OKAY TO KISS SOMEONE?
When they're rich. -- Pam, age 7

The law says you have to be eighteen, so I wouldn't want to mess with that. - - Curt, age 7

The rule goes like this: If you kiss someone, then you should marry them and have kids with them. It's the right thing to do. - - Howard, age 8

IS IT BETTER TO BE SINGLE OR MARRIED?
It's better for girls to be single but not for boys. Boys need someone to clean up after them. -- Anita, age 9

HOW WOULD THE WORLD BE DIFFERENT IF PEOPLE DIDN'T GET MARRIED?
There sure would be a lot of kids to explain, wouldn't there? -- Kelvin, age 8

HOW WOULD YOU MAKE A MARRIAGE WORK?
Tell your wife that she looks pretty, even if she looks like a dump truck. - anonymous

Monday, October 01, 2007

Make a Jigsaw Puzzle

For a fun surprise, try making your own jigsaw puzzle and sending it to your sweetie. It is easy to do. Simple go to the website, Flash-Gear, upload your image and select the size puzzle pieces. The puzzle is created with the code to either embed it in a web page or to just send the URL.

Here is one of my dog.