Alien Children in Our Midst

By Saundra L. Washington Some families because of the demands made upon them by being the head of households, some because of the price that hard times entails, others caught up in the conflict of these times are being torn asunder. The result is that often and for their protection, children, are forced from all that they know and love, and taken away to live in out of home placements. These children are under tremendous distress and despair and these two forces take there toil on the very entity of their souls. Foster children are engaged in an invisible war just trying to survive, trying to live in an adult world that has abused and hurt them very badly. Whether the child came from the most dilapidate ghetto or the most well kept neighbor, none of them are immune from the horror and terror imposed on them by being removed, and often suddenly, from all that they knew. These experiences have a way of negatively changing childrens outlook on life. For many, life has become dull and meaningless. They suffer from spiritual inertia. I have witnessed children who were paralyzed by destroyed beliefs and shackled by the strong chains of discouragement. Manipulated by the system, bad news, bad relationships, bad experiences, and bad everything; the tension builds up and becomes too great. They become like a rubber band that has been stretched and stretched until it can no longer yield its flexibility. And unless, caring foster parents intervene, they will snap under the load. Foster children are overwhelmed by external problems, difficulties, and grief. Not only are they assaulted externally, but many of our children have fears within. They have not only lost confidence in their families, lost confidence in this world, lost confidence in the system, but far too many have lost confidence in themselves. They hold themselves responsible, are worried, confused and frustrated. A cloud of anxiety floats around in their mental sky. Is it any wonder that many of them grow up maladjusted, become gang members, or exhibit other anti-social behaviors? Many foster children, in their effort to avoid their new reality and to cope with their despair, have built up walls; psychological walls, the invisible walls they create to protect themselves and separate themselves from that which is too painful. I am reminded of Psalm 137 which describes a time of exile for the Hebrew people held prisoners far from home. Judah had been invaded by the superpower Babylon. They had been crushed under siege and their beloved Jerusalem had been destroyed. The surviving Judean people had been taken by force to the homeland of the victorious Babylonian army. In Babylon, the children of Israel were forced to sing hymns and religious songs in their strange language. But overcome by their losses, they asked, How shall we sing the Lords song in a foreign land? The same can be said for foster children. Foster children are a band of exiles; like the children of Israel, they are forced from everything they were familiar with and placed in an environment that is as strange as a foreign land. They sleep in strange beds, live in a strange house with people they do not know. With so much of what was once known being supplanted by the unknown, foster children, in a very real sense, find themselves aliens in a strange land and overcome by their losses, wonder how they can sing in a foreign land. Foster children are far from home, their very lives at risk with no clear end in sight. They wait and watch not knowing what to hope for or whether they should even hope at all.
Anthony Storr in The World of Children wrote, How ignominious it is to be a child; to be so small that you can be picked up, and moved about at the whim of others, to be fed or not to be fed, to be cleaned or to be left dirty, made happy or left to cry. It is surely so ultimate an indignity that it is not surprising that some of us [foster children] never fully recover from it. Foster Parents DO make a difference! You have an open invitation to visit us at AMEN Ministries: Your Soul's Service Station for reviewing spiritual services being offered, obtain spiritual refreshing, soul edification, and to get that all important daily dose of humor. Blessings to all! Saundra Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Saundra_L._Washington http://EzineArticles.com/?Alien-Children-in-Our-Midst&id=290497 cash advance lender login in
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Tips for Gardening

By Kadence Buchanan Gardening can be a great pastime that can really pay off. Imagine the looks on your guests' faces when they realize that the meal that they are eating came directly from your own backyard garden! To that end, we've created this article to help you learn more about ways to get your garden growing to its full potential. - When watering your garden, it's best to do it early in the morning or in the early evening. More of the water is absorbed due to the fact that evaporation isn't as prevalent when the sun isn't shining with its full intensity. - Are bugs a problem with your garden? Few people realize that there are plants that you can grow that will help you to ward off pesky insects. If ants are attacking your garden, try planting mint, tansy, or pennyroyal nearby. These herbs have chemical defenses that cause the ants to stay away. If slugs are chowing down on your garden, plant either prostrate rosemary or wormwood nearby. - Proper soil is key to keeping your garden growing properly. To that end, you need to ensure that your garden has the proper levels of three key nutrients: nitrogen, phosphorous, and potassium. Nitrogen helps the plants to grow their leaves and stems properly and too little can result in small plants while too much may lead to plants with huge stems and leaves but a lack of flowers or fruit. Phosphorous is a key nutrient when it comes to growth of the roots in plants. It is also useful in helping bulbs to flower. Potassium, the last key element in good soil, is responsible for the overall health of the plant. It is useful in the immune function of the plants and also the general growth. - If weeds are a problem for your garden, there is a solution that requires little work on your part. Using a substance known as a pre-emergent herbicide' can be a godsend to those who wish to keep their garden weed free. This type of herbicide affects only plants that are beginning to germinate, so all plants that are already at least 3 inches tall will not be affected by the herbicide. Basically, you need to weed the garden as best you can, and then apply the herbicide to ensure that no new weeds will grow. This is the easiest method for maintaining a weed-free garden with little work. Kadence Buchanan writes articles on many topics including
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How to Find a Good Lawyer?

By Christoph Puetz Finding a good lawyer is like finding a good car mechanic. Everyone has heard about good lawyers that fight for your best interest without ripping you off financially. But almost nobody seems to have found this "one" good lawyer. What is wrong with that picture? How do you find a good lawyer?
Whenever you deal with lawyers, it leaves a bitter taste in your mouth. Either the results the lawyer was fighting for just do not match up to your expectations (or his promises), or if they do you can expect the lawyer's bill to reflect that result significantly (often equalizing the "extra" the lawyer got for you out of a situation). As with so many things in life, if you can get a referral from a friend or family member who has got some experience with a specific lawyer you will be better of. Working with a lawyer that was referred to you, gives you some insider knowledge about that specific lawyer. A referral creates trust that otherwise has to be build first. A referral will help you to cut down on the uncertainty if you are going with the right lawyer. Of course, one referral might not be enough and you should do additional research to find the best lawyer for your case. Ask a lawyer for referrals or public cases he has won so that you can get the additional information. Lawyers who spend money on TV advertising are usually NOT what you are looking for. If a lawyer advertises on TV he or she is targeting broad masses. That usually means he or she puts quantity over quality. For you as the client this means less service and maybe (!) average results. A lawyer should be dedicated to your case and not just put another number onto your file forgetting you the moment you turn your back to him when leaving the room. About the Author: Christoph Puetz owns a small Internet Business. He is a well respected author with books published in the United States and Europe. Christoph operates a website about finding a good lawyer at =>http://www.findgoodlawyers.com Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Christoph_Puetz http://EzineArticles.com/?How-to-Find-a-Good-Lawyer?&id=379747 no credit check loan
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Fitness Sabotage! Are You A Victim?

By Diana Chaloux So you've set your fitness goals, you are finally ready to commit to the lifestyle changes necessary to improve your health and fitness levels. You are committed to eating healthy and exercising consistently! You are so excited about your new goals and the lifestyle that you can envision for yourself! Naturally you want to share your aspirations with the people you love and care about the most. So you go to your family and friends. You are bubbling over as you tell them how excited you are to get your health and fitness on track! Then it happens. You get that skeptical look which says, "I'll believe it when I see it", or you hear a comment such as, "Why do you want to do that," or "I've heard you say that before". Can you picture it? Have you been there? Isn't it amazing how that look or comment can feel like someone just punched you in the gut! Your excitement begins to drain. You lose your enthusiasm and even feel embarrassment for sharing your ideas. Self doubt comes creeping in, "maybe they are right, maybe I have said it before, maybe it is silly to think I can change." Stop right there! Don't let those doubts creep in! If you have experienced this type of negativity from someone close to you, someone who's opinion matters to you... you have been a victim of Fitness Sabotage! Why does it seem like the people closest to us try to sabotage our fitness goals? As soon as they find out you are trying to eat healthy, they taunt you with poor food choices. It feels like they want you to fail. It feels like they are intentionally trying to hurt you. So how do you deal with it? First, realize that you are in charge of you! You are responsible for your choices and decisions when it comes to food, exercise and the habits that you want to create in your life. Even if you have been a "victim" (I use that term very lightly) of fitness sabotage you must recognize that this is not an excuse to abandon your fitness goals! Second, realize that if your saboteur cares about you, they arent intentionally trying to bring you down. Its likely they are oblivious that they are hurting and not helping you. Perhaps they are afraid. If you make these changes, maybe they will have to make changes as well, or if you succeed they will have to recognize their own need to make better choices. You see, if someone is a fitness saboteur it is probably not about you, it's about them. My final piece of advice is to talk to them. Let them know how important these goals are to you, and let them know you need their support. You aren't going to judge them for the choices they make, or try to force them to change, so make sure they know that. Ask them if they will be willing to support and encourage you as you make behavioral changes which will improve the quality and quantity of your life! Diana Chaloux is the co-founder and owner of Destined 2 Be Fit (http://www.destined2befit.com). Diana is also a certified personal trainer through ACE, AFAA and FPI, a certified Fitness Coach through Wellcoaches, Lifestyle Management Nutrition Specialist, NPC National Level Figure Competitor (http://www.dianachaloux.com) and Fitness Model. Diana also has her own personal training studio located in San Antonio, Texas allowing her to work with clients and members both online and in person! For more information on how you can work with Diana visit one of her websites or write to her at contact@d2bfit.com Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Diana_Chaloux http://EzineArticles.com/?Fitness-Sabotage!-Are-You-A-Victim?&id=455849 personal bad credit loans
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