There’s Wonder Here / Non-drug Remedies for Anxiety / Important Dates

In this moment resides Infinity.

We have all felt
a profound longing
for our Spirit to be taken
back in time,
to be lifted up.

My Dear Friends,
you can
go back in time.
You can enter your mind
through the door
of your Heart.

You can go back
to when you
were simply and memorably
Happy.

You can take yourself
back to your childhood,
and take your child,
with you.

And you can stay there.

The moments we Love are held in our Hearts forever.

You do not need
to dream
that Joy will again
one day
come your way,
that it will last,
that it will stay.

In our past
lies a key
to our Future.

For we never
leave the moments we Love.
They are held
in our Hearts
Forever.

         You can go back in time.

“She smiled and said with an ecstatic air:
“It shines like a little diamond”,
“What does?”
“This moment.
It is round,
it hangs in empty space
like a little diamond;
I am Eternal.”
– Jean-Paul Sartre, The Age of Reason

As you breathe slowly in
and breathe out,
quietly listen.
You can hear the beat
of your precious Heart.
There’s wonder here.

There is a Miracle
in the moment
you finally come to realize
you are really here,
you are alive,
you are a Miracle,
and a Child of God.

Let it bring tears
to add to your Joy.
Taste them as they fall
ever so softly from the Wellspring
of your Sacred Heart.

                They are you.

You are everyone
in your
Family of Man.
You sing in your Heart
every song
they ever did sing.
The Joy in your Heart
your child will, one day,
be remembering.
You are a precious Child
Almighty God brought into
Being.

Only this moment
is Life,
This
is the day we see,
for the next
may never be.

“You are the promise
of all the ages,
you are the Prodigal Son,
You are the vision of prophets
and sages,
you are the only one.
The gift you are,
like the very first breath of Spring.
The gift you are,
all the joy that Love can bring,
The gift you are,
all of our dreams come true.”
– John Denver

Love
is not only
a kind of energy.
It is
the most powerful force
in the Universe.
Love is the dynamic
force of Creation.
Every living thing
exists because of
Love.

You are more than many things.

Look deeply into the reflection
of your own eyes.
You will see your Mother and Father.
You will see their likeness,
that you are an image
of their Sacred Being.

Open the door of your Heart
and you will see them.
They still exist.
They are you.
And,
in a Spiritual way,
more real than real.
They still Live within
YOU.

Such is the nature
of Life and Love,
of survival,
of the will
to be.

Reproduction
bypasses the constraints
of death.
It moves Life
forward in time,
circumventing the many
avenues of death.

In the Secret Garden of your Being grow many Flowers.

Look closely
and you will see all the generations
that preceded your birth.
Every one them is alive
in this moment.
They are still alive
in YOU.

Yes,
in this moment
resides Infinity.

“With you Eternally mine,
in Love
there is no measure
of time.”
– Barry and Robin Gibb

Each person
perched upon a branch
of your Family Tree,
is present in your body.
You are the continuation
of each and every one
of these precious people.

The Reality of your being
transcends every meager attempt
you can ever make to conceptualize
your existence on Planet Earth.
There is no way to adequately describe
who you really are.

Our Sacredness
is encoded into every
fragile cell of Human Life.
It can emerge
from the wasteland of living
and become our Consciousness
in a new birth
of freedom and deliverance.

The choice
is yours.
                                
God
cannot be defined,
described.
And neither can
His deeply Loved Child:
YOU.

                    Love will last.

You are far, far more
than you can ever imagine
who you are.

The DNA possessed in the blood
of your veins,
flowing through your precious Heart
and very fragile Mind,
has traveled many millions of miles,
coursing through the veins of
many, many generations.

You are,
My Friend,
the culmination,
and the combination,
of all the Family
that came before
you.

Brian Barrett

“It seems like something out of a movie,
but there’s some scientific evidence
that we actually carry the memories
of our ancestors with us
in our genetic code.

Our DNA determines our physical appearance,
and our predispositions to various illnesses,
and plays a role in our general disposition and skill set.
All of that has been passed down to us
through countless generations.
So why not memories?

It sounds far-fetched,
but there are still vast swaths of genetic code
whose purpose is unknown.
And the evolutionary advantages
of having memories passed down –
even one as simple as “FIRE BAD”,
are overwhelmingly clear.”  read more
– Brian Barrett (Gizmodo)

And much more than this:
you are height and breadth
and the very depth
of every Dream,
every desire
and the destiny
of all those
who came before.

            Live in this rare Gift.

You are more than
many things.
You are ALL things
that Mankind and God
has ever Loved,
ever desired.

You are the precious Child
of His Holy Being.

You are to Him
everything.
Just as your precious child
is everything
to you.

Look closely and you will see all the generations that preceded your birth.

Drink in the likeness
with your eyes,
and with every sense
God pleases with you
to be,
all the beautiful people you meet.
Lest I remind,
these too are family
of the very same Tree.

Slowly and reverently,
without rushing toward the future
in your fragile mind,
come to see.

You live in this rare Gift,
this moment.
Only this actual moment is Life.
The next,
may never be.

In the Secret Garden
of your Being,
grow many Beautiful Flowers,
most of which
you have never seen.
The fragrance
of our Being
has never been Graced
by full awareness,
the beautiful colors and fragrances
of Life,
never gleaned.

For what is within,
is far beyond our meager ability
to add or detract,
to understand,
to see.

There is a Miracle in the moment.

Dear Friends,
your child
needs to hear you say:

“I wish you could know,
how much
I LOVE YOU.”

You will not have enough time
left on this Earth
to convey
what is in your Heart.

So,
get started.

And on this Sacred Day,
speak to your Father in Heaven above.
Go to Him in Prayer.
And Love and Joy will again,
one day
come your way.
And that Love
and that Joy
will last,
Forever.

May you
and your precious family
experience God’s Loving Embrace.

Merry Christmas to all!

And to all,
Goodnight.

I wish you could know how much I LOVE YOU!

“All my years to this moment
All my roads to this wall.
All my words to this silence
All my pride to this fall.
– Songs of Sapphique”
Catherine Fisher, Incarceron

From our friends at Health.com:
non-drug remedies for anxiety

There are many safe non-drug remedies for anxiety, from mind-body techniques to supplements to calming teas. Some start working right away, while others may help lessen anxiety over time.

Chamomile:    If you have a jittery moment, a cuppa chamomile tea might help calm you down. Some compounds in chamomile (Matricaria recutita) bind to the same brain receptors as drugs like Valium.

You can also take it as a supplement, typically standardized to contain 1.2% apigenin (an active ingredient), along with dried chamomile flowers. In one study at the University of Pennsylvania Medical Center, in Philadelphia, patients with generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) who took chamomile supplements for eight weeks had a significant decrease in anxiety symptoms.

L-theanine (or green tea):  Japanese Buddhist monks could meditate for hours, both alert and relaxed. One reason may have been an amino acid in their green tea called L-theanine, says Mark Blumenthal, of the American Botanical Council.

Research shows that L-theanine helps curb a rising heart rate and blood pressure, and a few small human studies have found that it reduces anxiety.

Valerian:  Some herbal supplements reduce anxiety without making you sleepy (such as L-theanine), while others are sedatives. Valerian (Valeriana officinalis) is squarely in the second category. It is a sleep aid, for insomnia. It contains sedative compounds; the German government has approved it as a treatment for sleep problems.

Valerian smells kind of nasty, so most people take it as a capsule or tincture, rather than a tea. If you want to try it, take it in the evening – not before you go to work! Valerian is often combined with other sedative herbs such as hops, chamomile, and lemon balm.

Lemon balm:  Named after the Greek word for “honey bee,” lemon balm (Melissa officinalis), has been used at least since the Middle Ages to reduce stress and anxiety, and help with sleep. In one study of healthy volunteers, those who took standardized lemon balm extracts (600 mg) were more calm and alert than those who took a placebo.

While it’s generally safe, be aware that some studies have found that taking too much can actually make you more anxious. So follow directions and start with the smallest dose. Lemon balm is sold as a tea, capsule, and tincture.

Exercise:  Exercise is safe, good for the brain, and a powerful antidote to depression and anxiety, both immediately and in the long term. “If you exercise on a regular basis, you’ll have more self-esteem and feel healthier,” says Drew Ramsey, MD, Assistant Clinical Professor of Psychiatry at New York-Presbyterian Hospital, Columbia University.

The 21-minute cure:  Twenty-one minutes: That’s about how long it takes for exercise to reliably reduce anxiety, studies show, give or take a minute. “If you’re really anxious and you hop on a treadmill, you will feel more calm after the workout,” Dr. Ramsey says.

Passionflower:  In spite of the name, this herb won’t help you in love. It’s a sedative; the German government has approved it for nervous restlessness. Some studies find that it can reduce symptoms of anxiety as effectively as prescription drugs. It’s often used for insomnia.

Like other sedatives, it can cause sleepiness and drowsiness, so don’t take it – or valerian, hops, kava, lemon balm, or other sedative herbs – when you are also taking a prescription sedative.

Be careful about using more than one sedative herb at a time, and don’t take passionflower for longer than one month at a time.

Lavender:  The intoxicating (but safe) aroma of lavender (Lavandula hybrida) may be an “emotional” anti-inflammatory. In one study, Greek dental patients were less anxious if the waiting room was scented with lavender oil. In a Florida study, students who inhaled lavender oil scent before an exam has less anxiety – although some students said it made their minds “fuzzy” during the test.

In one German study, a specially formulated lavender pill (not available in the U.S.) was shown to reduce anxiety symptoms in people with Generalized Anxiety Disorder.

Hold your breath!:  Ok, let it out now. We’re not recommending that you turn blue, but yoga breathing has been shown to be effective in lowering stress and anxiety. In his bestselling 2011 book Spontaneous Happiness, Andrew Weil, MD, introduced a classic yoga breathing technique he calls the 4-7-8 breath.

One reason it works is that you can’t breathe deeply and be anxious at the same time. To do the 4-7-8 breath, exhale completely through your mouth, then inhale through your nose for a count of four. Hold your breath for a count of seven. Now let it out slowly through your mouth for a count of eight. Repeat at least twice a day.

Eat something, quick:  “Almost universally, people get more anxious and irritable when they are hungry,” says Dr. Ramsey, coauthor of The Happiness Diet. “When you get an anxiety attack, it may mean your blood sugar is dropping. The best thing to do is to have a quick sustaining snack, like a handful of walnuts, or a piece of dark chocolate, along with a glass of water or a nice cup of hot tea.”

In the long term, diet is key to reducing anxiety, says Dr. Ramsey. His advice: Eat a whole-foods, plant-based diet with carefully selected meat and seafood, plenty of leafy greens (such as kale) to get folate, and a wide variety of phytonutrients to help reduce anxiety.

Eat omega-3s

You know fish oils are good for the heart, and perhaps they protect against depression. Add anxiety to the list. In one study, students who took 2.5 milligrams a day of mixed omega-3 fatty acids for 12 weeks had less anxiety before an exam than students taking placebo.

Experts generally recommend that you get your omega-3s from food whenever possible. Oily, cold-water fishes like salmon are the best sources of the fatty acids; a six-ounce piece of grilled wild salmon contains about 3.75 grams.

Other good choices: anchovies, sardines, and mussels.

Experts generally recommend that you get your omega-3s from food whenever possible. Oily, cold-water fishes like salmon are the best sources of the fatty acids; a six-ounce piece of grilled wild salmon contains about 3.75 grams.

read more

Important Dates 
(subject to change)

Dec. 22 (Thur, – changed from Dec. 20)  Last Day of Fall Semester

Dec. 23 – Jan. 4                      Winter Break Holiday

Jan. 5 (Thursday)                     Second Semester begins

Jan. 16 (Monday)                      Rev. Dr. Martin L. King Holiday

Jan. 20                                       Fort Worth Stock Show

Feb. 20 (Monday)                      President’s Day Holiday

Mar. 13-17                                  Spring Break Holidays

April 14  & 17 (Fri. & Mon.)      Good Friday & Easter

April 28                                     Scarborough Renaissance Festival

May 22-26                                 Adventure Trip

May 26                                      Last Day of Semester

We never leave the moments we Love.

What We Hold in Our Hearts / Habits That Are Aging You / MUSEUM of SCIENCE and HISTORY

Layered richness and truly beautiful aspects.

It is hard to imagine
a more joyful way
to inaugurate a beautiful day
than to have
great works of art
created by God
for you and me
hung on the walls
of our awareness.

Studying
the layered richness
and truly beautiful aspects
of what is in Nature,
offers not only
time well spent,
but a Spiritual Link.

For we are a part
of everything in Nature.
We are one
with what we so admire.
Yes,
we
are truly
one.

       Unbelievable beauty.

We need look
no further than
Genesis 3:19
to see just how much
we were, will be and are a part
of everything and everyone
around us:

“By the sweat of your brow
you will eat food
until you return to the ground,
for out of it you were taken;
for you are dust,
and to dust you will return.
– Genesis 3:19

 We are a part of everything.

As I observe
the unbelievable beauty
found in God’s Natural World,
I become even more
fascinated
by the way everything
is made even more beautiful
by the the harsh, defining
elements of Nature,
by Life and Living.

The effects
of time and wear speak
and tell a story.
They are as much
a part of being,
of existence,
as anything else.

Great works of art created by God.

Everything,
including you and me,
is transformed
by what we endure,
by our trials and sufferance,
and is a carrier of memory
containing a vestige of the past,
a relic of what was Life.

“I close my eyes.
Only for a moment
and the moment’s gone.
All my dreams
Pass before my eyes
with curiosity.

Dust in the wind.
All they are is
dust in the wind.

Same old song.
Just a drop of water
in an endless sea.
All we do
crumbles to the ground,
though we refuse to see.

Nothing lasts forever
but the earth and sky,
it slips away.
And all your money
won’t another minute buy.”
– Kerry Livgren

“Dare to reach out your hand into the darkness, to pull another hand into the light.”                                – Norman B. Rice

The narrative aspects
of Loving
all the Natural beauty
that surrounds us,
that dwells within us,
offers not only an awareness,
but a truly Spiritual connection.

An unexpected relationship,
a feeling of old familiarity,
breaks the long silence
of our ignorance,
as we acquire a quality of
very dynamic Human Love.
For
what makes us
truly Human,
is Love.

The connection to ALL things beautiful.

Without Love,
the Love of God
and our Love
for each other,
there is absolutely nothing left
when this Life is ended,
nothing but the destiny
of dust.

“And the dust returneth
to the earth as it was,
and the Spirit
returneth unto God
who gave it.”
– Ecclesiastes 12:7

There is indeed
a Sacred value
to sense the connection
to ALL things beautiful.
Suddenly,
we recognize
how everything is beautiful,
and how beautiful
we are.

We possess
our own Internal Light.
The Artist
who made us
has put Light
into us,
and into the Landscape
of our Being.

“Someday, perhaps.
the inner light will shine forth from us,
and then we’ll need no other light.” 
– Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

    Love’s labors are never lost.

The feeling you have
looking at His beautiful work,
is a work of art
unto itself.
This feeling
is called
Love.

Sometimes
meditative time
releases you into
another dimension of awareness –
another World.
And then Today
has
its own internal Light.

“In a profound sense
every man has two halves
to his being;
he is not one person
so much as two persons
trying to act in unison.
I believe that in the heart
of each human being
there is something which I can only describe
as a “child of darkness”
who is equal and complementary
to the more obvious
“child of Light.” 
– Laurens van der Post

We hold
in our Hearts
an expression of what lies
beyond
the boundaries of Love’s
abstractions.

Without being aware of thinking and feeling.

Love’s labors
are never lost
when we come Home
to our Heart.

“A smile
is the light in the window
of your face
that tells people
you’re at home.”
– Author Unknown

When in Love,
we think and feel
without being aware
of thinking and feeling.
We dream
and messages from our subconscious
are revealed
by our dreams.
And at these times
we glimpse the Eternal
and aspire
to see the Perfection
of our own Creation,
of who WE
truly are.

         The beauty in every day.

The Beautifully
and Perfectly Imperfect
becomes a Fire of Passion
that cannot be
extinguished.

“Your time has come
to shine.
All your dreams
are on their way.”
– Simon & Garfunkel

Life and living
are the Gifts
of Love and Loving.
And no greater Gift
can ever be given.

My Dear Friends,
the purest form
of shape and color,
is the Love you feel.
The beauty
in every day
can bring about
a dynamic shift
in your consciousness.

“People are like
stained-glass windows.
They sparkle and shine
when the sun is out,
but when the darkness sets in
their true beauty is revealed
only if there is light from within.”
– Elisabeth Kübler-Ross

Love
takes us into
the dawn
of a new day.
And that day,
My Dear Friend,
is Today.

Now
close your tired eyes
and open your precious
Heart.

Goodnight.

“In faith there is enough light for those who want to believe and enough shadows to blind those who don’t.” – Blaise Pascal

 From our friends at Health.Com:
Everyday Habits That Are Aging You
By LINDA MELONE

Are you aging faster than your years? If you don’t like what you see in the mirror, it may be time to evaluate some of your daily routines. The foods you eat and even the way you sleep can add years to your face and may shorten your lifespan.

“People think multitasking is good, but you don’t actually get anything done – you just create more stress,” says Raymond Casciari, MD, chief medical officer of St. Joseph Hospital in Orange, Calif. Several studies show that chronic stress triggers the release of free radicals, the unstable molecules that damage cells and are responsible for aging. Instead of trying to do it all, Dr. Casciari suggests concentrating on one task at a time and only moving on once you finish it.

Your sweet tooth may also be adding years to your face. “Internally, sugar molecules attach themselves to protein fibers in each of our cells,” says Susan Stuart, MD, a San Diego, Calif. board-certified dermatologist. This damaging process, known as glycation, can result in a loss of radiance, dark circles under the eyes, loss of tone, puffiness, an increase in fine lines and wrinkles and a loss of facial contours and increased pore size. Pass on the sugary treats if you want to preserve your youthful glow.

Skimping on sleep not only results in dark bags under the eyes – it has also been linked to a shorter lifespan, says Dr. Casciari, who founded a sleep laboratory at St. Joseph’s Hospital. “Sleeping within the seven-hour range is optimal,” he says. Get to bed earlier if you have the symptoms of sleep deprivation, which include a lack of daytime energy, mental sluggishness, attention problems, or weight gain, Dr. Casciari says.

Regularly gluing yourself to the TV is another. In a British Journal of Sports Medicine study of about 11,000 Australians ages 25 and older, researchers found that for every hour of television watched, adults cut their life expectancy by 22 minutes. What’s more, people who spent an average of six hours a day watching TV lived five years less than their non-viewing counterparts. “This effect is more about sitting and being inactive than the TV watching,” says Dr. Casciari. “When you sit for more than 30 minutes your body begins to deposit sugar into your cells, which makes it much more likely you’ll be overweight as well.” Whether you’re watching TV or at your desk, get up every 30 minutes to walk around, says Dr. Casciari.

People who spend most of their days parked in a chair are at increased risk for kidney disease, cardiovascular disease, and cancer, not to mention obesity. Exercising regularly helps to prevent these health issues and keeps you living longer, according to a study from the British Journal of Sports Medicine. Study participants who exercised 150 minutes or more a week lived 10 to 13 years longer than the inactive bunch.

Sleeping on your stomach or on your side with your face smashed into the pillow can create wrinkles and accelerate aging. “The connective tissue and collagen in your face becomes weaker and less supportive with age,” says James C. Marotta, MD, a board-certified facial plastic surgeon and skincare expert. “So when you sleep on the same side of your face night after night, your skin won’t smooth out or spring back as quickly as it did when you were young.” Those crease lines from your pillow can become permanent. Sleep on your back or invest in a satin pillowcase to keep skin smooth.

It’s tempting to crank up the heat indoors. But whether you light up the fireplace or turn up the thermostat, both suck moisture out of the air, says Dr. Marotta. “This can lead to dry, inflamed skin, which over time has aging effects.” Investing in a humidifier helps counteract the dry air (40 to 60% humidity is optimal) and can free your skin from itching, scratching, and flaking. Alternatively, Dr. Marotta recommends placing a wet towel over a radiator or a bowl of cold water in the room as a way to add back some of the lost moisture.

Drinking dark-colored beverages through a straw can prevent stains on your teeth, but just as squinting can eventually cause wrinkles to form around your eyes, pursing your lips can also bring about premature wrinkles around the mouth. “This also occurs when smoking cigarettes,” says Janet Prystowsky, MD, a board-certified dermatologist in New York. Pour your bottled beverages into a drinking glass to avoid puckering up.

Some fat is necessary for maintaining a youthful feeling and appearance, says Franci Cohen, a certified nutritionist and exercise physiologist from Brooklyn, NY. “Heart – healthy omega 3 fatty acids found in oily fish (such as salmon and mackerel) and certain nuts (such as walnuts and flax seeds) keep skin supple and plump, thereby preventing wrinkles, and they boost both heart and brain health as well,” she says. The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics recommends including fish in your meals at least twice a week.

“They may as well have called the sun a ball of flaming joy.”                                                – Terri Guillemets

                                     On Friday, Sept. 23, 2016

We will meet at THE MUSEUM OF SCIENCE & HISTORY
1501 Montgomery Street (817-255-9300) at 10:00 a. m.

We will have lunch at the Stars Café
prior to the Omni Movie. Our itinerary includes:

10:00 a.m. Arrive at Museum entrance
10:00 – 12:00 p.m. – Visit the Exhibits & other Museums. Self-guided tour of Fort Worth Children’s Museum, Energy Blast, Dino Labs & Dino Dig, Cattle Raisers Museum and the fabulous gift shop.
12:00 p.m. – Lunch at the Stars Café.
1:30 p.m.     Omni Movie: “National Parks Adventure” – Hey, we MUST be on time & in line at 1:15 p.m.
2:30 p.m. – Pick-up  in the Stars Café (inside the Museum)

FINANCIAL: Fee $8.50 for students which includes the Omni Movie & Access to the permanent exhibits which open at 10:00 a.m. and close at 5:00 p.m. Adults can purchase admission for the day and tickets for the Omni Movie at the Museum ticket office.

Museum Memberships (for children) are not valid for study trips. Please pay Dr. A. This is a group rate. You will need funds for LUNCH.    I worship those with EXACT change!

IMPORTANT DATES

Sept. 6                                              Tuition was Due for 2016-17
Sept. 30                                             Museum of the Americas/Weatherford
Oct 10                                               Columbus Day Holiday
Oct 28                                               Fossilmania (Glenrose)
Nov. 21-25  (Monday-Friday)          Thanksgiving / Fall Break
Dec. 1-2                                            Texas A.G.T. Conference (no school)
Dec. 20 (Tuesday)                            Last Day of Fall Semester
Dec. 21 – Jan. 4                               Winter Break Holidays

Students are NOT to leave the Museum, Cafe or Theater at any time for any reason, including the need to use the restroom or secure a ride, without the knowledge and approval of Dr. or Mrs. Anderson. Students are required to wake Dr. Anderson up & let him know when your ride has arrived and with whom you are leaving.

Please ask your child if this has been done.

A .  n . d . e . r . s . o . n

“When the Gods are angry with a man they give him what he asks for.”
                                                    – Greek Proverb

Nothing But Love / Super foods for Coping with Stress / School Starts on Tuesday Sept. 8

“Only your Heart
Knows the way,
Because
It is the Way.”
                    – Wm. C. Anderson

Dedicated to our very own Professor of Epic Literature, Latin and Greek, Mr. Lacey. Among the greatest Blessings in my life, and the lives of so many others, is knowing this gentle Heart, this Loving Soul. What an Honor to know Mr. Harry H. Lacey. Human kindness is overflowing in the life of this truly remarkable man.  Thank you for all you do.                                We Love you too.

“Ninety-nine percent
of who you are
is invisible
and untouchable.”
R. Buckminster Fuller

Yes, we are almost nonexistent.

Now combine that knowledge
With this observation from
from another of the
most powerful minds
to ever exist:
THOMAS EDISON

“Its obvious that we don’t know
one millionth of one percent
about anything.”

Unbelievable. A bird raised her young inside our cast iron Rabbit welded to the railing. “Uh, what’s up Doc?”

And it becomes apparent that we,
who are almost
nonexistent,
know next to nothing
about anything.

But we keep
wondering
about everything,
not realizing
that the things
we think about,
may not even
exist at all.
read more

It may be time,
which really doesn’t exist,
read more
to realize that we need to
truly enjoy
what little there is
to this life.

No wonder life is so short.

Our birds have been bathing, feeding and protecting us as Natural pesticides. Thank you! Please do NOT poison your precious children with pesticides. Replace these toxins with knowledge, compassion and new, happy feathered friends. They love Life too.

There is so very little
to reality,
and it is so fragile
and so filled with illusion.
Yes, it may indeed
possess the qualities
of a dream.

So, let’s either wake up or go back to sleep,
we dream either way.

But what ever you choose to do,
give thanks to your Loving Creator.

He made you out of
virtually nothing,
nothing but Love.

Which leads me to believe
that Love
is all there really is.
And if you think about it,
that is a truly powerful
and unbelievably beautiful Gift.
You are Love.
And you are deeply Loved.

Perhaps saying
“I Love you”
has a much deeper meaning
than we will ever
be able
to fully realize.

Tree House Masters move over! Dr. A through imagination (and a lazy streak) simply let this tree grow under the ham shack. He thinks it will gently lift it into the air.                                – Genius!       OK.  Just lazy.

Saying
“I Love you”,
may truly mean
“I am you.”

Yes,
we are one.

And such awareness
can open the door
to all the loving
compassion
that dwells in your
Heart.

Great truths are simple.
Perhaps, they are so simple
that we shall never
comprehend them.
After all,
they come from
God.

        Nothing but Love

“The nature of ‘reality’
is not only stranger than you imagine,
it’s stranger than you can imagine!

There is a saying that
“truth is stranger than fiction”
and this certainly applies to the nature of reality,
because in the light of increasing evidence,
what we have accepted to be the ‘truth’
about our everyday reality
is much more like the ‘fiction’
of our everyday reality.”
– Dawn Lester  read more

Our students honor the Loving memory of Anne Frank and over a million precious Jewish children lost to the evil of the holocaust. No. We shall never forget. Never. And we shall never stop Loving you.

The precious winds of time
Sometimes blow
Only one way,
Sometimes, we feel,
Not at all.

Such a gentle flowing breeze
At dawn of day,
Reminds us of our brief stay,
Whispering your name,
Beckoning you to stay
In Love
With this Precious Gift of Life
One more day.

“The greatest happiness in life is the conviction that we are loved.”     – Victor Hugo

“Kindness in words creates confidence;
kindness in thinking creates profoundness;
kindness in giving creates Love.”
– Lao Tzu

Should you pause
And close your eyes,
Your heart
May see again,
Past the darkening nights
Of transgression,
Into the Light
Of forgiveness,
Into the soft, glowing
Eternity
Of your precious Heart.

And as you feel
The passing gentle breeze,
Across the beauty
Of the morning sky,
You cannot deny,
The very Breath of God.

“Looking back,
I have this to regret,
that too often when I loved,
I did not say so.”
– David Grayson

Dr. A with Annie and Alex (a few years ago. OK. Maybe a few more than a few.)

My Dear Friends,
Reach beyond who you are.
Live in the lives of those around you.
Move your mind, body, and spirit.
Step out of your comfort zone,
Open up the vast,
Unexplored space
Inside your Heart.

It too
Has no horizon,
No boundary,
No limit.

Your Love
Is Infinite.
It flows through you
From the Infinite Love
Of God.

“We cannot really love anybody
with whom we never laugh.”
– Agnes Repplier

Highly magnified photo (80x) taken of light from a street lamp on I-20 from the back deck of the school, a distance of over four miles. Perhaps the nature of reality is stranger than we can imagine.

2015 Texas Association for the Gifted & Talented
Annual Conference 
December 2 – 4 in San Antonio

 TAGT 2015 will bring together nearly 2,000 educators
who share a passion for gifted education!
Attendees will have the chance to create vital connections,
engage in and lead important conversations,
and become empowered to continue
to make a difference in the gifted community.

This unique experience features
over 150 training sessions in 15 strands
of designated subjects.
Remember December 2-4
at the San Antonio Convention Center
and the Grand Hyatt San Antonio!

Superfoods
for Coping with Stress
– By Lindsay Funston, Health.com

When it comes to combating stress levels,
what you eat may help relieve your tension.
Some foods may help stabilize blood sugar
or your emotional response.
Here are12 foods to reach for
(GREAT for KIDS):

Green leafy vegetables

Like spinach they contain folate, which produces dopamine, a pleasure-inducing brain chemical, helping you keep calm,” says Heather Mangieri, RDN, of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. A 2012 study in the Journal of Affective Disorders of 2,800 middle-aged and elderly people and found those who consumed the most folate had a lower risk of depression. A 2013 study from the University of Otago found that college students tended to feel calmer, happier, and more energetic on days they ate more fruits and veggies.

Turkey breast

 Tryptophan in turkey is to blame for that food coma on Thanksgiving.  The amino acid, found in protein-containing foods, helps produce serotonin, “the chemical that regulates hunger and feelings of happiness and well-being,” In a 2006 study published in the Journal of Psychiatry Neuroscience, men and women who were argumentative (based on personality tests) who took tryptophan were perceived as more agreeable compared with when they didn’t take it. (Canadian Institutes of Health Research) Other foods high in tryptophan include nuts, seeds, tofu, fish, lentils, oats, beans, and eggs.

Oatmeal

According to MIT research, carbohydrates can help the brain make serotonin, the same substance regulated by antidepressants. A complex carb like oatmeal won’t contribute to your already potential spike in blood glucose.”

Yogurt

A 2013 UCLA study revealed that consuming probiotics in yogurt reduced brain activity in areas that handle emotion, including stress. You really can’t go wrong by adding more of it to your diet.

Salmon

Ratchet up anxiety hormones, such as adrenaline and cortisol. The omega-3 fatty acids in salmon help counteract the negative effects of stress hormones,” according to Lisa Cimperman, RD, of the University Hospitals Case Medical Center. In a study funded by the National Institutes of Health, Oregon State University medical students who took omega-3 supplements had a 20% reduction in anxiety. One 3-ounce serving of cooked wild salmon can have more than 2,000 milligrams of omega-3s, double the daily intake recommended by the American Heart Association for people with heart disease.

Blueberries

The antioxidants and phytonutrients found in berries help improve your body’s response to stress and fight stress-related free radicals.” Research has also shown that blueberry eaters experience a boost in natural killer cells, “a type of white blood cell that plays a vital role in immunity according to Cynthia Sass, MPH, RD, Health’s contributing nutrition editor.

Pistachios

When you have an ongoing loop of negative thoughts playing in your mind, doing something repetitive with your hands may help silence your inner monologue. Think knitting or kneading bread—or even shelling nuts like pistachios or peanuts. The rhythmic moves will help you relax. Pistachios have heart-health benefits. Eating pistachios reduce acute stress by lowering blood pressure and heart rate. They contain key phytonutrients that provide antioxidant support for cardiovascular health.

Dark chocolate

Just a bite, not a whole bar, of dark chocolate can help to regulate your stress levels. Research has shown that it can reduce your stress hormones, including cortisol. The antioxidants in cocoa trigger the walls of your blood vessels to relax, lowering blood pressure and improving circulation. Dark chocolate contains unique natural substances that create a sense of euphoria similar to the feeling of being in love!” Go for varieties that contain at least 70% cocoa.

Milk

Fortified milk is an excellent source of vitamin D, a nutrient to boost happiness. A 50-year-long study by London’s UCL Institute of Child Health found an association between reduced levels of vitamin D and an increased risk of panic and depression. People whith sufficient vitamin D levels had a reduced risk of panic disorders. Other foods high in vitamin D include salmon, egg yolks, and fortified cereal.

Seeds

Flaxseed, pumpkin seeds, and sunflower seeds are great sources of magnesium (as are leafy greens, yogurt, nuts, and fish). Loading up on the mineral helps regulate emotions. Magnesium has been shown to help alleviate depression, fatigue, and irritability.

Avocado

This superfruit helps shut down stress-eating by filling your belly and making you feel more satisfied. In a 2014 study by Loma Linda University (which we MUST note was sponsored by the Hass Avocado Board), reduced desire to eat more by 40% for the three hours.

Cashews

Researchers gave zinc supplements to people who were diagnosed with anxiety symptoms (irritability, lack of ability to concentrate) and patients saw a 31% decrease in anxiety, according to Nutrition and Metabolic Insights. Zinc affects the levels of a nerve chemical that influences mood. Other zinc-rich foods are oysters, beef, chicken, and yogurt. Cashews are also rich in omega-3s and protein, so they’re a smart snack.

read more

            Your Love Is Infinite. Your Love is Beautiful. Your Love is You.

The Gravity of our Being / The Best Fish to Eat / Live To Be 100

“My purpose in writing
Is to communicate the joy
I have experienced in living.
To share the discovery
That Life is precious
And can be fully lived
In Prayer,
In Love,
In Peace.”
– Wm. C. Anderson

“Not only is the universe
stranger than we imagine,
it is stranger than we can imagine.”
Sir Arthur Eddington
English astronomer (1882 – 1944)

The philosopher Aristotle observed,
“That people do not naturally or spontaneously
Grow up to be morally excellent or practically wise.
They become so, if at all, only as a result
Of a life long personal and community effort.”

We are together
Involved in a great mission
Of shaping
And forming the future
Through our collective efforts At guiding our children.
And, my friends,
There can be NO
Greater cause
To which we
Dedicate our lives.

As our dreams Awash upon
The shores of this
Very brief time,
We come into moments of leaving,
Still dreaming
There is time,
Time to go ashore.

Never knowing
Time does not exist,
Save to measure,
To compare, to discover
Two bodies in space,
Moving inexorably,
One around another.
Much like
The weight of our Souls,
The gravity of our Being,
Keeping us closer
To each other
For the fulfillment of
Our dreams,
Never fully knowing
The Angelic Beings
That live and breathe Within.

That Human Hearts Reach out,
One around another,
Ever circling,
Ever searching
For Beauty beyond
What we can behold.

Stranger than we can imagine.

Hearts
Reaching out,
Seeking someone
To Love,
Someone to hold,
To ever be near,
In time
No longer measured
By the hours in a day,
In a day no longer
Different than night,
In a night
No longer
In deep dismay.
.
.

For moments may be measured
By the beating of two hearts,
Circling around,
One and other.

The earth says, “Hello”. You twinkle above us. We twinkle below.

.
And One
May place a dressing
Upon the wounds
Of living,
And make another Way,
A way to be
Different,
To share in a
Grace Divine.
.
.

And we,
Through acts of Loving and Forgiving,
No longer spiral down
In the refuse of broken dreams,
And overcome
Centrifugal forces,
Pride and self,
That keep us apart
From Humanity.
Your Heart’s intuitions
Will guide you
To realize
The deepest subtleties
Of your existence
And the meaning of Life.

Love.

       Photos by NASA/JPL/Space Science Institute

                                What Are the Best Fish to Eat?

Among the safest in terms of contamination, and the highest in healthy omega-3 fat, is wild-caught Alaskan and sockeye salmon. Neither is allowed to be farmed, and are therefore always wild-caught. The risk of sockeye accumulating high amounts of mercury and other toxins is reduced because of its short life cycle, which is only about three years.

Additionally, bioaccumulation of toxins is also reduced by the fact that it doesn’t feed on other, already contaminated, fish. The two designations you want to look for on the label are: “Alaskan salmon” (or wild Alaskan salmon) and “Sockeye salmon.”  read more

The ultimate consequences of choice
may be very different
from their first appearance.

Considered by some to be the greatest philosopher of the 20th century, Ludwig Wittgenstein played a central role in analytic philosophy.

.
Ludwig Wittgenstein’s Characterization of Philosophy:
It is not a theory,
Or a doctrine,
but rather an activity.
It is an activity
Of clarification
(of thoughts),
And more so,
Cf critique
(of language).
read more

Happiness linked to longer life
by Amanda MacMillan, Health.com

Being happy doesn’t just improve the quality of your life. According to a new study, it may increase the quantity of your life as well.

Older people were up to 35% less likely to die during the five-year study if they reported feeling happy, excited, and content on a typical day. And this was true even though the researchers took factors such as chronic health problems, depression, and financial security out of the equation. read more

Live to be 100

Anyone born after the year 2000: They’ll probably live to 100, according to research from Denmark.

We could live that long, too, says Walter Bortz II, MD, a clinical associate professor of medicine at Stanford University: “What’s holding us back are bad habits.”

Focus on what you can do, like loading up on fruits and veggies (add five years), working out five days a week (add two to four years), and cutting down on stress (may add up to six years). read more

A must see:
Escherian Stairwell
(Thank you Bill Kincaid)
click here