This Little Prayer of Mine

In January 2010, WaterBrook Press published Anthony DeStefano's third book, This Little Prayer of Mine. Anthony DeStefano has a unique approach to the promotion of Christian beliefs in secular society. His first two books, A Travel Guide to Heaven and Ten Prayers God Always Says Yes To are imaginative and colorful road maps to religious topics that are often discussed yet vaguely understood. Although he uses the Bible as a guide, DeStefano interprets heaven and prayer through the lens of his own creative vision and heartfelt convictions. Unlike a religious authority haranguing from a pulpit, DeStafano is a regular husband, father and businessman who also happens to be a modern Christian mystic. He is the CEO of a Catholic not-for-profit organization and has received numerous awards from international religious organizations, including the "Defender of Israel" medal from the Jerusalem Center for Peace Studies in 2003.

This Little Prayer of Mine is a children's book aimed at facilitating the practice of prayer in the home from a tender age. Parents and small children can be inspired by the simple and positive message contained within 33 pages delightfully illustrated by Mark Elliott. Upon receiving my hand autographed copy in the mail, I read This Little Prayer of Mine to my 1 year old and 3 year old sons. Like many parents of toddlers, my husband and I read to our boys each night before bed. Recently we have introduced books about God, the Bible, Jesus and prayer into the usual circuit. Religious instruction at such a young age is a delicate subject in many families, especially in modern society. Many families have mixed religious backgrounds and may not attend any place of worship regularly. Parents are often concerned about introducing metaphysical concepts to little children.

How can we expect our children to understand communication with the Divine, a spiritual realm or an afterlife when our own beliefs on these subjects exist in such a nebulous territory? My own opinion closely mirrors this quote from Bernice A. King, the daughter of Martin Luther King Jr. and Coretta Scott King: "Every day we must live in a close, trusting relationship with God, always looking to Him for comfort and direction through prayer. This Little Prayer of Mine is the springboard for helping children to establish that type of lifelong relationship with our heavenly Father." Throughout my journey in this life, I have always had the comfort of faith in God and the confidence and ability to pray to Him. Like anyone, I cannot claim to follow a perfect spiritual path. We should beware of any human claiming total mastery or perfection. Nonetheless, the lessons I learned as a toddler about taking my cares to God in prayer have remained with me to this day. We all have our trials to endure and we know that our children will suffer as well. Suffering is part of human existence. Teaching our children to pray is among our most noble and essential tasks as parents; Anthony DeStefano offers this accessible and enjoyable tool to get us there.

For me, the defining characteristic of this children's guide to prayer is its emphasis on honest communication with the Creator rather than ritualistic phrases or repetitive requests. From this book, children will learn that prayer is about sharing thoughts and feelings with God, not just asking for things they may want. Most importantly, there is no need to hide fear, sadness, regret or confusion from God. This Little Prayer of Mine teaches that God loves us as we are, children and adults alike. DeStafano seems to understand that God loves the whole person, not just the idealized version of who we are supposed to be as believers. This is an advanced concept, but one that can be modeled from early childhood. I want my children to share their deepest dreams and desires with God to nurture confidence in their own abilities. It is also crucial for me that my sons learn to accept themselves in the truest sense, and I believe that open communication with God is a cornerstone to healthy self-esteem. If there is one phrase I would like them to remember, it is this one: "But when I trust in you, my God, and in your plan for me, I know there's nothing in the world that I can't do or be."

Happy Marriage Recipes and Tips to Help You Save Your Marriage and Stay Married to the One You Love

I'm sure when you went into your marriage you never thought that one day you'd be looking around for happy marriage recipes to help you save your marriage? Nonetheless, here you are, years later, wanting desperately to find a way to save your marriage and stay married to the spouse that you still love.

There's no point beating about the bush on this! If you don't solve this problem your marriage is doomed. Divorce is a fairly easy process these days, especially if neither one of you oppose it or has an axe to grind. Yes it's more times than not a traumatic process, but it's fairly easier to obtain a divorce. So let's get to work before you find yourself divorced and facing life without the spouse you still love.

Your first happy marriage recipe is to understand that you will get nowhere without good solid and honest communication between you and your spouse. To save your marriage you must be able to talk openly to your spouse and they must be able to do the same with you.

If one or both of you feel that the other doesn't allow them to speak, then there will be an inevitable break in the ties of the marriage. What this means is that your spouse must feel that you will not only give them the space to talk about whatever they need to, but you will also LISTEN!

There is no point in your spouse talking to you if you don't listen and take note of what they are saying. To save your marriage, you must make your spouse feel as though they can come to you with anything and you will listen.

Now of course, it doesn't mean that you have to agree with everything your spouse thinks, it just means you have to listen and offer a safe and loving ear.

Another happy marriage recipe that so many people over look, is that they don't spend enough quality time together. Remember when you were dating? You fell in love because you spent time together doing things together that you both enjoyed. To save your marriage, you must start spending fun times together.

Too often career choices and a growing family take over the space that you once had just for the two of you, if you truly want to save your marriage, then carve regular quality time for the two of you to do things together and let nothing (unless it is a genuine emergency) take that time.

The bottom line of finding happy marriage recipes that will help you save your marriage, means that the two of you have to be on the same page, at the same time. Do you have to agree on everything? No! But you do have to want the same things and you do have to find a way to get those things from within the marriage or there really is no point.

If Iran Gets a Nuclear Weapon Will the World Have to Get Used to It?

Nuclear proliferation is a real problem in the present period and it is getting more serious all the time. Today we have both North Korea and Iran moving forward with regards to their nuclear weapons programs. This is serious business, and we need more than merely a global discussion on this, we need to put an end to rogue nation nuclear weapon proliferation.

Not long ago, I was discussing this topic with Jesse Giraldo, a researcher on post-cold war US-Russian relation, and I asked him; what are your thoughts on Joe Biden's comment that "the world is going to have to get used to Iran being a nuclear power." You see, that statement does rather upset Israel, and makes the US sound like it is not going to do anything about it. This concerns not only our allies in the Jewish state but other allies including many Arab states in the Middle East as well.

And if Iran gets nuclear weapons, and considering their history of sponsoring proxy terrorist organizations such as Hamas and Hezbollah for instance a mushroom cloud over Tel Aviv in the next decade or more is possible. Too, since Hezbollah and Hamas are essentially reloading rockets currently, this is a problem as tensions increase.

Syria is suspicious, and they too have a hand in allowing terrorist organizations to head quarter in their nation, and yet, the US is trying to woo them with trade, under-cutting the Iran-Syria war pact, money and economic trade does seem to be a big deal to Middle Eastern nations. I suppose this economic trade could supplant Iranian trade, as Iran's economy is in the tank and civil unrest could spark again, election time. Here is what Giraldo had to say about that;

Joe Biden is quite right, as long as Iran sticks to the official tag line that the purpose of its nuclear power acquisition is for energy we don't have much of a reason to investigate the issue beyond diplomatic channels. I understand Israel's frustration but unless they can prove Iran's intentions to be otherwise I doubt America will take any actions beyond its current efforts. I suppose a mushroom cloud over Tel-Aviv is possible but I find it to be incredibly unlikely.

Jesse Giraldo also stated; I don't think Hamas and Hezbollah stand to benefit much by dropping a nuclear warhead on Israel. In addition to turning their own home into a radioactive wasteland for years the chances of them actually retaking the country back (their stated purpose and MO) would be near impossible as the U.S would immediately intervene and crush any resistance that threatens their strategically valuable and trusted ally in the Middle East. Call me crazy but I don't see AIPAC sitting silent quietly should a nuclear warhead drop on Israel.

Well, I doubt anyone would call him crazy for that understatement of the century now would they - indeed, all good points, as history unfolds and the plot thickens, aren't you all glad we live in interesting times? Well, I guess it depends how close you live to those most interesting areas doesn't it? Think on this.

Debt Statute of Limitations - What Bill Collectors Don't Want You to Know About SOL

The Debt Statute of Limitations (SOL) may be your way to debt relief. If you could read minds and read the minds of bill collectors, you'd quickly find out three things.

Number one, they are hoping and praying you don't know your legal rights granted to you by the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act.

Number two; they are hoping and praying you don't know the rights afforded to you by your local and state laws by way of the debt statute of limitations.

And finally, number three, in their eyes, ignorance is bliss and they are going to blitz you with every violation of the aforementioned laws until you cave in or have a nervous breakdown.

What is The Fair debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA)? - It is a law that enacted by our legislators to protect citizens from the brazen harassment and haranguing of high-octane debt collection agencies. Prior to this act, debt collectors could harass debtors without impunity. They could call all hours of the day and night. Come by your house. Threaten you. Inform your employer, family and friends about your delinquent debts and otherwise make your life miserable.

Once the Fair debt Collection Practices Act was enacted and the word began to filter down, things slowly began to change. Consumers started suing overzealous debt collectors and winning. But even so, debt collection companies realized that the average citizen still isn't aware of their rights and so they continue violating provisions of the Fair debt Collection Practices Act.

If you are in debt and have been contacted by a debt collector, you need to put the brakes on and read the act and find out what your rights are.

After the FDCPA was enacted, individual states started crafting their own laws regarding debt. One of the provisions each state affords its citizens is a debt statute of limitations. In a nutshell this law means that virtually every debt has an expiration date. Meaning that once it reaches that date, it is NO LONGER enforceable. No matter what a debt collector tells you or threatens you with; that debt can't be enforced! They cannot sue you.

The exceptions are Federal Student Loans, certain back taxes and in some states delinquent child support may not have an expiration date. To be certain do your homework and research.

You need to get this fact drilled into your mine; just because a debtor has the Fair debt Collection Practices Act and a debt statue of limitations on their side, that doesn't mean debt collectors are going to automatically cease in their attempts to hound you and harass you. That's why it is critically important that you first learn your rights under the FDCPA.

Secondly, go find out your states debt statute of limitations. Some states such as Pennsylvania have a four-year statute, whereas New Hampshire has a three-year statute and Missouri has a ten-year statute.

It is crucially important that you do not pay toward a debt that is past the debt statute of limitations. The moment you do, you essentially reaffirm that debt and the clock restarts from that moment on. For example, lets say that you have a student loan debt that has reached the debt statute of limitations and there's nothing any debt collector can do about it. But you go and make a partial payment.

At that moment, its just like you signed for that delinquent loan all over again. If you want to pay such a loan, wait until you have all the monies in your hand and then negotiate a settlement and get in writing. Otherwise, don't do anything. If it's past the SOL, just let it roll off into the ocean of forgetfulness.

Emotional Cheating - Yes Your Marriage is at Risk If You're Emotionally Cheating

Many people wonder if emotional cheating is as serious as physically cheating on their spouse. Well the truth is that if you are engaging in behavior with someone else, that you cannot share with your spouse then there is a problem and that problem can quickly escalate and become a major deal breaker in your marriage.

Let's be clear what we mean about emotional cheating and then explain why this kind of cheating can be such a threat to your marriage.

Emotional cheating is where you develop a friendship with someone outside of your marriage. Classical it is a work mate who you find yourself looking forward to seeing when you get to work. Perhaps you've started taking your lunch together? Offering lifts to and from work? Sitting in the park talking about your feelings and your marriage, about your work and the stresses and strains of life? You can open up and talk to your 'friend' but you can't do the same with your spouse. And you definitely can't tell your spouse about your friend! This is emotional cheating and though it may look innocent and you may even be able to convince yourself that nothing is going on, you'd be wrong.

What generally happens is that an emotional commitment grows between you and your 'friend' and before you know it, that commitment has become physical and a full blown affair has begun.

What you need to understand is that any time you have a 'friend' that you cannot tell your spouse about, then that is wrong. If you can't share your day with your spouse without missing out great chunks of that day, then something is wrong.

No one ever sets out to emotionally cheat on their spouse. Usually there's a need to talk and connect with someone because that need is not being met in your marriage.

Sit down today with your spouse and talk honestly about what has been going on and why you think it has been going on. Your spouse might be angry and even feel betrayed that you have discussed intimate and personal issues about your marriage and your lives with someone else, but it is better that you face this head on right now before you cross over into a physical relationship.

You and your spouse need to find help to repair whatever is wrong in your marriage. You need to take the steps to reconnect with each other, so that both your emotional needs are being met where they should be: within the marriage.

Emotional cheating is often the beginning of a full on affair! If you have an affair think about the damage that that will do to your marriage? Are you ready to lose the spouse you love?

Missouri Inmate Search

Under Missouri law, a felon must be at least 17 years old or a "certified adult" by the Circuit Court and have a sentence of at last one year to be entered in one of the Missouri Department of Corrections facilities.

It is important to take note that the website does not have any information on offenders who have already been released. Under certain safety and confidentiality reasons, information about certain offenders are not available for public viewing. The website only offers general information on inmates according to the Missouri Sunshine Law.

To do a Missouri inmate search in the MODOC website, you will need to either enter the inmate's DOC ID (Department of Corrections Identification) or his or her first and last name. You must put the inmate's complete first and last name to get satisfactory results. You are not allowed do "wildcard" searching.

Since only general information is given by the website, if you want to know more about the inmate, you need to request this information or address any questions about an inmate to the institutional caseworker or the parole and probation field officer.

If you are unhappy about the limited information from your Missouri inmate search on the site, do not expect that to get more out of any other free inmate search website. Your best bet would be subscribing to a paid website that will allow you access to its database. For a certain amount, you will be able to get additional information on inmates, not only in Missouri but also in other states. The information you get is not limited to prison information but you can also get other records such as marriage records, court records, arrest records, and much more.

Using the License Suspension Hearing to Win Your DWI Case

An often overlooked part of DWI defense is the administrative license revocation (ALR) hearing. While many times the outcome is a foregone conclusion as the burden for the Department of Public Safety (DPS) is so low, the hearing affords the experienced DWI practitioner the means to build a solid defense to the criminal charge.

In Texas, an individual arrested for driving while intoxicated has 15 days to request an ALR hearing to contest their license suspension, or face a suspension of between three and six months for a first offense or up to two years for a subsequent offense.

Too many attorneys show up at the ALR hearing without having done anything to prepare other than look over the documents filed by the arresting officer. Those attorneys are missing a golden opportunity to help their clients. The ALR process allows an experienced DWI attorney to cross-examine the witnesses the state will call at the DWI trial without those witnesses undergoing a proper woodshedding from the prosecutor.

The attorneys for the DPS do not have the time to go over every detail of a stop with the arresting officer due to time constraints in the ALR process. More importantly to the experienced DWI attorney, since the burden of proof is lower than in a criminal proceeding, and because the elements that the DPS must prove differ from the elements of driving while intoxicated, witness preparation by the DPS attorney is minimal at best.

The ALR process allows the experienced DWI attorney to subpoena the arresting officer and other officers who participated in the stop, detention or arrest of the motorist. Through the rules governing the ALR process, a defense attorney is able to obtain documents the arresting officer filed with the DPS, such as his sworn report as well as the statutory warning issued to the motorist and the notice of license suspension.

In the event a breath or blood test was performed, the experienced DWI attorney may also subpoena the breath test operator, the technical supervisor (the state's expert on the Intoxilyzer) or the technician who interpreted the blood test result.

Since these individuals will be testifying under oath at the ALR hearing, this is the opportunity for the experienced DWI attorney to pin down each witness's story in order to provide impeachment material for use at the criminal proceeding. Questions about the driving facts can narrow the reasonable suspicion cited by the officer as the reason for the encounter. Questions about the officer's observations can be used to erode that officer's probable cause for arresting the motorist and requesting a breath or blood specimen. Questions about the field sobriety tests administered in the field, or at the station, can be used to exclude any evidence of those tests from admission into evidence at trial. Questions to the state's expert regarding a breath or blood test at the ALR hearing can provide ammunition to use to limit the impact of a breath or blood test at trial.

The ALR hearing provides the experienced DWI attorney with the opportunity to depose all of the witnesses who are going to testify against his client at trial. The transcript of the hearing allows the defense attorney to prepare the case accordingly and to highlight the weaknesses of the state's case. The transcript also provides the experienced DWI attorney with a weapon to attack the integrity and credibility of the state's witnesses. Should the officer give an answer on the stand at trial that differs from the answer he gave under oath at the ALR hearing, the experienced DWI attorney can pull out the transcript and impeach the officer in front of the jury.

Finally, the transcript of the ALR hearing also allows the experienced DWI practitioner to show the prosecutor the weaknesses in the state's case. On a borderline case, a good ALR transcript can be the difference between a dismissal and a trial.

Remember, if you've been arrested for DWI in Texas, you have only 15 days to request an ALR hearing to contest your license suspension. Do not waste your opportunity to gather evidence that could lead to a dismissal or acquittal. Contact Houston DWI Attorney Paul B. Kennedy for more information and a free consultation.