Way, Truth, Life Dice - A Super Bible School Activity For Memorizing John 14:6

John 14:6 is probably one of the most beloved and memorized Bible verses of all time. It says, "I am the way, the truth and the life. No man comes to the Father accept through me." Simple, but most profound. Help your kids memorize this amazing Scripture by playing this very fun Bible school activity, which I call "Way, Truth, Life Dice."

Here's what you do: This game takes some preparation, but your kids will appreciate the time you spent. First, you want to make 5 large dice. I went to my local box store and bought 5 - 7" cubes. I then went on my computer and created some nice words: way, truth and life. Place 2 of each word on each die. Therefore, each die will show 2 of each word. Next, make 12 cards. Four will say "Way", four will say "Truth" and the last 4 will say "Life". Place these in a bucket or hat. Now, have ready your list of multiple choice questions found below. Finally, before playing the Bible review game, have the children memorize John 14:6. The faster they memorize it, the better their team will do.

Here's how to play: Divide your class into 2 teams. Show the class the dice and show how each die has the words: way, truth and life on them. Have one child come up from the first team. Let him pick out a card from the bucket. This card will tell you what type of question to ask. If the child answers correctly, let him roll each of the 5 dice. He wants to roll as many of the word that he picked out of the bucket. For example, if he picked a "Way" question, he wants to roll as many "Ways" as he can. For each "Way" he rolls, he gets 100 points for his team. Finally, he can earn an extra 100 points if he can correctly recite John 14:6. Play until both teams have answered the questions. The team with the most points wins.

Way Questions

Proverbs 4:11 says this: "I guide you in the way of wisdom and lead you along straight paths." Life can be difficult sometimes. It can be easy to lose your way and get lost and forget what's really important. This verse says that God will guide you with His wisdom so you'll always know what to do and where to go.

God will guide you with His: A. seeing eye dog B. lies C. wisdom

Isaiah 30:21 says this: "Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, 'This is the way; walk in it.'" This verse shows that God will never steer you wrong. If you will only listen to Him, He will show you the right and true ways to take in your life.

God will: A. show you the right and true way B. get you lost every time C. forget to ask for directions

I Corinthians 13 is the famous chapter on love written by the apostle Paul. The Bible says in I Corinthians 12:31 that love is the most excellent way to follow. The Bible also says that God is love. So, it makes sense to always follow God who is the most excellent way.

God is: A. love B. uncaring C. not worthy of following

Proverbs 14:12 says this: "There is a way that seems right to man, but in the end it leads to death." It's important to understand that you will not always know which way to go in life. In fact, life can sometimes get very confusing. You might think you know the right way to go, but until you get God's direction, you better stay put. Not following God can lead to danger.

Not following God: A. can get you all the ice cream you want B. can lead to danger C. is the best thing to do

Truth Questions

Psalm 43:3 says this: "Oh, send out your light and your truth - let them lead me." Is there any leader in your life that you follow? Maybe it's your mom or dad or teacher. You probably follow them because you trust them to be truthful and honest. God wants you to follow His truth. You can always trust Him to lead you in the right direction.

God wants us to follow: A. His angels B. Dishonest people C. His truth

Proverbs 12:19 says this: " Truth stands the test of time; lies are soon exposed." Have you ever told a lie and were then found out? Unfortunately, most of us can say,"Yes", to this question. Here's another question. Have you ever noticed how things that are true are told over and over again through every generation whereas most lies fizzle out over time? For example, it is true that God made you, God loves you and God will always take care of all your needs. These are truths that will never go away, but will always stand the test of time.

God's truth will: A. eventually become lies B. always stand the test of time C. make me grow wings

In Isaiah 30:11, there were some stubborn people who didn't want to hear the truth of God. Instead, they were willing to hear lies! God's truth made them uncomfortable. God's truth might make you feel uncomfortable too sometimes, but I hope you'll always remember that when God speaks truth to you it's because He loves you and wants what is best for you. Never ignore God's wonderful truth.

Sometimes God's truth might make me: A. feel uncomfortable B. fall asleep C. have the hiccups

John 8:32 says this: "And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." Have you ever noticed how lies can get people's lives tangled up in a mess? God's truth does just the opposite. It frees us and allows us to live lives that are not only pleasing to God, but also pleasing to those around us.

God's truth: A. is not important to know B. locks us up in chains C. frees us to live lives pleasing to God and others.

Life Questions

Proverbs 8:35 says this: "For whoever finds me finds life and receives favor from the Lord. But whoever fails to find me harms himself, all who hate me love death." This Bible verse is very clear in describing where true life comes from. It can only come from God. And when we find God our life will be blessed.

True life only comes from: A. God B. believing in yourself C. taking your vitamins every day

In the book of Jeremiah 10:23, Jeremiah wrote this prayer: "I know, O Lord, that a man's life is not his own; it is not for man to direct his steps." Jeremiah understood that even though he could walk and talk and breathe and eat on his own, every part of his life belonged to God. And since his life belonged to God, he should let God lead his life. Without God, you wouldn't have a life.

According to Jeremiah 10:23, a man's life: A. isn't worth very much B. is not his own C. belongs to the President of the United States

John 1:4 says this: "In Him was life, and that life was the light of men." This Bible verse is talking about Jesus. Jesus is both life and light for those who believe in Him. For the Christian, our life does not end here on earth, but continues in Heaven forever and ever.

Jesus is both: A. hot and cold B. short and skinny C. life and light

John 6:35 says this: "Jesus declared, 'I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty." Have you ever been hungry and thirsty? Of course, we've all experienced growling stomachs and parched throats now and then. But did you know that this Bible verse says that if we believe in Jesus we don't ever have to be hungry or thirsty? It's not talking about real food or water. It's talking about all the things in life that really matter like love and friendship. When we believe in Jesus, our lives will never go hungry for anything we need.

This verse is talking about: A. believing in Jesus B. spaghetti and meatballs C. believing in ourselves to get what we need.

Game Tip: You will notice that some of my answers are silly. I have found this to be very effective with my kids. They are listening to the truth being told them as well as waiting for the "funny bone" line.

What Are You Doing to Reduce Staff Turnover?

In November I wrote an article entitled, "Is Staff Turnover Keeping you Poor...Costs and Affordable Solutions". The article identified eight simple tips to reduce turnover and related expenses. The tips detailed: 1. Involving staff in turnover reduction planning 2. Evaluating your hiring process 3. Addressing communication issues 4. Recognition and praise 5. Staff training and development 6. Positive relations among staff 7. Starting the campaign with successful actions 8. Tracking actions

Business and human service leaders everywhere understand the importance of reducing turnover. Clearly, turnover is an expense as well as a threat to the maintenance of quality products and services. Can we manage this problem or is it just part of the cost of doing business? Unfortunately there is very little data to substantiate what works. But experience and employee surveys tell much about the roots of job dissatisfaction. Staff retention is related to two factors:

· Wages at market rate or above. · Employers who treat their employees very well!

This article examines organizational operations in seven areas. In each area we will identify practices that speak to hiring and retaining qualified and dedicated staff. How many of these practices does your organization have in place?

1. Hiring Process · A marketing oriented statement spelling out why a candidate would want to work for you. · A hiring process that eliminates bottlenecks or proceeds so slow that candidates are lost. · Clear descriptions of the requirements of your ideal candidate. · Don't "settle" by hiring someone who doesn't really meet your needs, just to get the position filled. · Look for candidates with flexibility; today's job requirements may change. · Encourage in-house referrals; you will get them if your employees like working for you. · Have candidates observe the work environment...to see what is working and what isn't. · Give candidates the opportunity to interact with current staff and consumers of service.

2. Supervision · Hold high performance standards with a low tolerance for inadequate performance; stress continuous improvement. · Each employee should regularly receive at least one hour of private supervision. · The results of supervisory conferences should be recapped while together. Any assignments and progress against goals and objectives should be identified and memorialized. · Provide specialized training and development for supervisors. · Ensure that supervisors carry out their role in a professional manner.

Supervisors should: o Follow-up on commitments made to supervisees o Give supervisees honest, constructive feedback about their performance. o Ensure confidentiality of the supervisory relationship o Take responsibility for their own errors in judgment or behavior.

3. Respect for Staff · Listen and respond to staff suggestions; don't just tell staff what to do. · When developing new operational procedures give special weight to staff that will be heavily impacted by the change.

4. Staff Training and Development · Invest in the development and training of staff. · The development plan for each employee should consider what each staff person wants to achieve personally.

5. Diversity · Make sure your employees reflect the demographics of the community you serve. · Recognize that diversity involves more than race, culture and gender factors. · Use a professional measure to identify employee styles and temperaments. · Celebrate diversity and use it to strengthen the organization. · Help staff to understand that true cooperation and team work results when issues can be openly discussed and not seen as personal attacks.

6. Communication · Regularly survey staff to find out what they are thinking about the organization...positive and negative. · Follow-up on employee suggestions so that employees know their input is valued and used. · Hold exit interviews with all departing employees and regularly review the data that comes from these interviews. · Hold staying interviews to discover issues before turnover ramps up. · Gather employee input anonymously through surveys, focus groups, suggestion boxes. · Use technology to keep staff updated on organizational events and concerns.

7. Hardware and Equipment · Is your facility clean, safe, attractive and well-maintained? · Do all the toilets work properly? · Do vehicles operate properly and safely?

What would your score look like? Review the seven areas with other concerned staff. Pick out the areas where your retention program can be strengthened. Set a few goals for the year.

The alternative to implementing a measurable and effective staff retention program is to roll along, accepting turnover as a (rising) cost of doing business. The "do-nothing" strategy results in: · Employees leaving and taking their knowledge with them...maybe to a competitor. · Diminished workforce competency and lower client satisfaction scores. · Lower service levels and lost revenue. · A drop in employee morale resulting overburdening remaining employees with additional duties. · Increased costs for recruitment and training. Is there really a choice?

Which Modern Crib Should You Choose

Attention all expecting moms out there, there are lots of modern crib varieties on the market and you are bound to find one to match your style. Modern cribs are made to have flexibility but preserve the same whimsical look of the past. Modern cribs are versatile, attractive, can be found in several sizes and styles, while having price tags to fit any budget. The following are some options to pick from: convertible, round, portable, combo, sleigh, or standard.

So what are the primary advantages of a modern convertible crib? The ability to make use of your crib for an extended amount of time is undoubtedly the largest benefit. It can be transformed from a crib into a daybed to a normal bed and eventually even a bench. You always want to be sure that the crib is top quality. It must be durable enough to last until you transform it into a bed. Also take into consideration how difficult it is to build the crib since the reassembly needed to transform it could be a huge project. With that said, the modern convertible crib is a wonderful convenience simply because you get to use the exact same crib for several years.

An alternate version of the modern crib is the new and eye-catching round crib. Coming in wood or iron, it looks great capped with a full crib canopy as the showcase of the baby room. Remember that round sheets and mattresses are not quite as available.

A portable modern crib is great if you want to visit your friends and relatives who don't have any kids. Made of a mesh fabric, the portable modern crib simply folds into a case you could toss in the trunk of your car and bring to grandma's house. Then you and your husband can enjoy a romantic date together while your infant is nestled down in its comfortable crib. If you can prevent your portable crib from tearing it should last a long time.

The modern combo cribs come with both a crib and changing station. Changing tables are attractively mounted to the side of the crib. Compartments make it easier to store all the wipes and diapers out of sight for a tidy, organized look. Keeping the changing table right next to the crib and not having to buy a separate changing table certainly makes the modern combo crib a wonderful choice.

With wood head and foot boards, the modern sleigh crib is made with flare to look like a sleigh. Quite lovely with its curves and carvings, it may run at a higher price than your regular crib. However, the modern sleigh crib will most assuredly be a charming centerpiece for your baby's room.

Standard cribs are exactly what they claim to be, standard. Since there's no fluff, it's easy to find a bed mattress for them because they're intended for industry standard mattresses. Standard cribs accommodate your individual imagination to flourish by means of stenciling, installing a crib canopy, or perhaps an embossing of the child's name.

As a final note, drop-side cribs have actually been banned by the Consumer Product Safety Commission since June of 2011 on account of un-safe design of the drop-side railings.

Living with a Connection

Living with a connection, is about living and loving all people, living through your spirit to create a world that is not only pleasant for you, but also for all the relationships and encounters you have.

Here are some questions for you to think about/ or journal down:

When you live your life from a place of love that is deeply rooted inside you, how do you feel?

When others around you live from this place, how does it feel?

What does it look like?

What does it sound like?

What are you doing?

How often is this?

Would you like it to be more often?

What would YOU have to do, to in order for you to live your life like this every day?

How will it look like, smell like, sound like, taste like when you live through your heart, and others all around you do to? What will the connection be like?

To live through this connection that joins every human being together is a powerful and personal experience. There are a number of things that each of us must work on to be fully alive, and present in order to live from this place.

Here is a Guided process to bring you to connection:

Read or practice one spiritual exercise a day

Read some that stretches your mind

Be creative for 15 minutes every day

Be willing to give

Be willing to receive

Focus yourself in what you are doing, with every activity

Commit only to what you can follow through on and write it down

Do not worry yourself over petty and trivial things, get busy instead

Take the first step

Life can be complicated, busy, and very technical at times. We are all connecting through a global community, but none the less we must still connect with each other the best we can. It can be as small as sending someone a handwritten letter, instead of an email or babysitting someone else's kids while they have a weekend away. What ever you find suits you do it, but don't stop there, do more that what is required. Say you are sending a letter to your friend, why don't you send him/her something small to go along with it that's personal and sentimental to them. This little extra touch does make a huge difference! We need to go out more, meet new people, and connect with who they are. What their hobbies are. How they arrived at their current job. Learn what makes this person unique.

If you want more love, first you must learn to give more love.

If you want to connect with someone, first you must learn about them.

Living your life through spirit also means excepting what you can not change, and changing what you can. Lets say you turn up to a friends party in order to connect with some new people. You are extremely worried and fearful though, about what they may think of you bigger than average feet. You can't do anything about it, so why not cast that doubt aside and enjoy why you are there. The people there aren't properly concerned with your feet, they are too busy worrying about themselves! Forget it, and enjoy your human connection.

What can you do this week to connect with someone in your life?

I dare you make that connection!

8 Ways to Succeed No Matter the State of the Economy

No matter the state of the current economy, you will find certain companies continuing to rake in the big bucks and certain individuals continuing to amass their wealth.  It doesn't matter the kind of business you are in, or if you work part time or full-time. In the end, creating a successful business is built on a number of time-tested principles.

1. Stay in touch with potential clients: Someone may have once mentioned they would be looking for a writer, designer, marketing consultant etc. in the near future. Nothing might have materialized from it, but keep them on your potential clients list and send them annual or bi-annual updates. They are more likely to contact you if you remind them of your existence.

2. Continue to build on existing relationships: Never hesitate to ask a current client if they need additional work. You'll be surprised at how many do, but have just been busy or sidetracked and have never come to you with a request. If you are too shy to ask, then send them a short reminder email to say that you appreciate their services and list the additional services you/your company offers.

3. Be competitive: You don't have to go down on your price, but you can offer extras in terms of regular communication and updates, quicker turnaround time and longer revision periods.

4. Expand your services: Having a niche is great. In fact, most people who specialize in a certain area find they can earn far more money doing this. However, keep in mind that you can also expand your niche to include related services.

5. Study and learn: You always need to update your knowledge. Take online courses, join evening classes or just read as many books you can. There's always something new that can be learnt.

6. Make excellence a cornerstone in your business: How can you exceed your clients expectations? How can you better yourself and your services? Customer service is the key to keeping clients and never slack off on it.

7. Explore underused avenues: Visit job sites and see if you can bid on projects where there's less competition. You may need to conduct indepth research into this subject  matter, but the returns should far exceed the investment you make.

8. Always have a goal plan in mind: You plans should include short-mid-long term goals. Revisit your plans frequently to see if you are indeed meeting your goals and exceeding them.

The Importance of Keyword Research in an SEO Campaign

Many people pretty much all comprehend that every last enterprise certainly requires a web-site as a way to reap some benefits from the thousands and thousands of people which check the online world for products and services almost every day, but the fact remains, the simple existence of a web page is not always enough. In order to implement an individual's web-site to its 100 % potential, the site will need to be promoted.

SEO refers to search engine optimization, which is the method of enhancing ones own web site for it to rank nicely within the search engines for ones identified search terms and phrases. Taking into consideration the actuality that seo is based entirely on the key phrases you need to place emphasis on, the keyword research phase is extremely important. It involves investigating search volumes, trends, competition, geography, together with other demographics. It also requires recognizing precisely what services and products you would like to present to what kind of buyer. While it's possible to complete your initial research step inside of a day, the actual operation is never ending. This is due partly to the fact that individual's tastes change as well as what individuals are searching for. There are several free sites and also software that can help you get started out in your planning. There are lots of paid web-sites with very good tools, and even agencies that will complete this step to suit your needs. Also you can have your own search engine optimization company achieve this for you, though it's going to be a good idea to give them a long list of keywords you know you'll be concentrated on aiming for for optimization.

A broad keyword is one a large number of consumers look for, granted that they may possibly have a vague idea of what exactly they really are looking for. Broad keywords and phrases are often rather short and usually are not really distinct (e.g. "shoes or boots" or maybe "sporting events"). These kinds of key terms tend to be tough to rank #1 for due to the fact plenty of other web sites could have a page or two which will refer to shoes. However, if you're able to rate effectively for the broad key phrase, you will be obtaining a great deal of website traffic.

A specific key word can be something which has a number of adjectives or terms which will make the search quite targeted. The public performing these kinds of queries know exactly what they need (e.g. "previously owned dark colored very high heel shoes"). These key phrases are less competitive and they are easier to show up for within search engines like Google. The down-side is that they receive a good deal less sum of queries per month. In terms of traffic, you've got to have several #1 rankings regarding particular search phrases to equal one particular #1 ranked broad key phrase.

These are the basic words that are specific to just your company. They tend to be one of the most simplest strategies for getting traffic. Then again, a number of companies will launch a fresh product, using a unique name, then fail to optimize for this key word on the actual web site. Their SEO knowledgeable competition can then pick up the slack and take control of the best ranks for these phrases. For those who have a popular brand or products, make sure that you have optimized regarding these giveaway keywords.

To put the optimizing strategies which we teach to good use, it is recommended that you try to target only 2 or 3 keyword phrases for each page. Perhaps the most common blunder by quite a few Website seo newcomers is always to stuff 400-500 totally different key phrases on a single web page and wait for #1 ranks to roll in. That would have proved helpful ten years ago, however algorithms which search engines like Bing use these days tend to be more innovative and therefore are certainly not deceived from this. That is why you need to start small, and stay to the point with the keywords and phrases which you pick. New internet sites in particular may find it nearly impossible to rank very well for the majority of key-phrases upon starting up.

These key phrases will help with both on-site as well as offsite portions of your search engine optimization efforts. As soon as you decide on between 10 and fifteen key terms and phrases you are sure that you would like to focus on, one thing to edit usually are all your title tags, meta tags, and header tags.