Christ Chapel of Laguna Beach Orange County California Gay

The Five Finger Prayer

1. Your thumb is nearest you. So begin your prayers by praying for those
closest to you. They are the easiest to remember. To pray for our loved ones
is, as C. S. Lewis once said, a "sweet duty."

2. The next finger is the pointing finger. Pray for those who teach, instruct
and heal. This includes teachers, doctors, and ministers. They need support
and wisdom in pointing others in the right direction. Keep them in your
prayers.

3. The next finger is the tallest finger. It reminds us of our leaders. Pray
for the president, leaders in business and industry, and administrators.
These people shape our nation and guide public opinion. They need God's
guidance.

4. The fourth finger is our ring finger. Surprising to many is the fact that
this is our weakest finger, as any piano teacher will testify. It should
remind us to pray for those who are weak, in trouble or in pain. They need
your prayers day and night. You cannot pray too much for them.

5. And lastly comes our little finger - the smallest finger of all which is
where we should place ourselves in relation to God and others. As the Bible
says, "The least shall be the greatest among you." Your pinkie should remind
you to pray for yourself. By the time you have prayed for the other four
groups, your own needs will be put into proper perspective and you will be
able to pray for yourself more effectively.

CHRISTIAN WAYS TO REDUCE STRESS
An Angel says, 'Never borrow from the future. If you worry about what may happen tomorrow and it doesn't happen, you have worried in vain. Even if it does happen, you have to worry twice.'

1. Pray
2. Go to bed on time.
3. Get up on time so you can start the day unrushed.
4. Say No to projects that won't fit into your time schedule, or that will compromise your mental health.
5. Delegate tasks to capable others.
6. Simplify and unclutter your life.
7. Less is more. (Although one is often not enough, two are often too many.)
8. Allow extra time to do things and to get to places.
9. Pace yourself. Spread out big changes and difficult projects over time; don't lump the hard things all together.
10. Take one day at a time.
11. Separate worries from concerns. If a situation is a concern, find out what God would have you do and let go of the anxiety. If you can't do anything about a situation, forget it.
13. Have backups; an extra car key in your wallet, an extra house key buried in the garden, extra stamps, etc.
14. K.M.S. (Keep Mouth Shut). This single piece of advice can prevent an enormous ! amount o f trouble.
15. Do something for the Kid in You everyday.
16. Carry a Bible with you to read while waiting in line.
17. Get enough rest.
18. Eat right.
19. Get organized so everything has its place.
20. Listen to a tape while driving that can help improve your quality of life.
21. Write down thoughts and inspirations.
22. Every day, find time to be alone.
23. Having problems? Talk to God on the spot. Try to nip small problems in the bud. Don't wait until it's time to go to bed to try and pray.
24. Make friends with Godly people.
25. Keep a folder of favorite scriptures on hand.
26. Remember that the shortest bridge between despair and hope is often a good 'Thank you Jesus.'
27. Laugh.
28. Laugh some more!
29. Take your work seriously, but not yourself at all.
30. Develop a forgiving attitude (most people are doing the best they can).
31. Be kind to unkind people (they probably need it the most).
32. Sit on your ego.
33. Talk less; listen more.
34. Slow down.
35. Remind yourself that you are not the general manager of the ! universe
36 . Every night before bed, think of one thing you're grateful for that you've never been grateful for before.

GOD HAS A WAY OF TURNING THINGS AROUND FOR YOU. 'If God is for us, who can be against us?' (Romans 8:31)

Are You Facing a Battle?

There once was a woman who woke up one morning,
looked in the mirror, and noticed she had only three hairs on her head.

"Well," she said, "I think I'll braid my hair today."
So she did and she had a wonderful day.

The next day she woke up, looked in the mirror and saw that she had only two hairs on her head.

"H-M-M," she said,
"I think I'll part my hair down the middle today"
So she did and she had a grand day.

The next day she woke up, looked in the mirror and noticed that she had only one hair on her head.

"Well," she said, "today I'm going to wear my hair in a pony tail."
So she did and she had a fun day.

Attitude is everything.

The next day she woke up, looked in the mirror and noticed that there wasn't a single hair on her head.

"YEAH!" she exclaimed, "I don't have to fix my hair today!"

Be kinder than necessary, for everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle.

Live simply,
Love generously,
Care deeply,
Speak kindly.......
Leave the rest to God

Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass...

It's about learning to dance in the rain!