Being Better magazine - Winter 2014

Being

Winter 2014

Stuff that just might make your life better

Warrior on Get your

5

better

Ways to protect your computer

Stuff

Losing it!

Once and for all Time’s a wastin’

What to do today

Take this magazine with you. When you’re done, give it away.

Being

Contents

better

Being Better is created to help you achieve the life God wants for you. We hope to inspire you to seek the best life you can have, and that happens when you include God. For those who don't know how to do that or why, we hope we can help. Ultimately, we want to help you find Jesus in a way that doesn’t freak you out. God just wants to hang out with you...(yes, you) and when you let Him, your life really will be better.

“You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you, declares the LORD...” Jeremiah 29:13-14

If you want to find out more about God, you just need to start looking for Him. We’ll help.You can start at our website or one of the others listed in this issue.

Also, find a great Bible-believing church in your area and go.

Being Better is published four times a year. Subscribe for $6.99 per year or to buy in bulk quantities, go to our website.

To contact us for any reason: Being Better Magazine 2018 Ravens Court Sioux City, IA 51104 www.BeingBetterMagazine.com

Nuggets of Wisdom: Stop being right ..4 How To: Start a cozy fire ......5 Home & Family: Time’s a wastin’ ............................6 Grab your sword, time for battle ....8 Top 5: Ways to protect your computer files ..............................9 Health & Fitness: ..........................10 Recipe ........................................11 Doing it Right: Pizza Ranch ..........12 Answers ........................................13 A Better Way: To lose weight ........14

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©2014 Being Better Magazine. Please ask publisher’s permission before using content for other public purposes.

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007

by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Cover image ©Being Better Ministries, LLC.

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Being Better Magazine |Winter 2014

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The Best Stuff

Winterr this season

Best Wearable Tech

Best Monitor

Wearable technology is hot and doing it right is LG’s Lifeband Touch. It’s a complete activity tracker that knows how far you’ve walked, plus it’s a smartwatch that shows notifications from your phone and lets you control your music.

Best Sign

With Blueline Innovations PowerCost Monitor, you get real-time info on your electrical usage to track spending. Watch your cost go up or down as you turn on and off lights and appliances.

Users report up to a 20% reduction once they see how they can impact costs.

Best Movie

Unstoppable Kirk Cameron takes viewers on a personal journey to explore the big question: “Where is God when bad things happen?”

Kirk investigates the origins of good and evil and how they impact our lives and our eternities. Enjoy this journey of hope.

Best Quote

“If you don’t have a vision for the future, then your future is threatened to be a repeat of the past.”

—A.R. Bernard

Best Organizational Tool

Microsoft Office OneNote has been around for a while but maybe that’s why it’s so good. They’ve had time to perfect it. If you need to keep a lot of notes, lists, and other things organized this may be for you. Access on your computer and your phone, plus you can share files with others.

Do you have a “best” that you’d like to share? Go to our website and click Submissions.

www.beingbettermagazine.com | Winter 2014

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NUGGETS OF WISDOM

Right

Stop Being

“I love you when I forget about me.”

©Clipart.com

― Joni Mitchell

S

ylvia and Fritz were married for over 40 years.

Freda and Marc were married for over 50 years. Both couples made it to the “until death do us part”commitment they made to each other. How? You’ve seen those couples who just seem to be made for each other and everything seems perfect. This doesn’t describe these two couples. They didn’t step out of a fairy tale, but real life. Real life where there’s love, but also alcoholism, kids who make bad choices, financial struggles, boredom, lifestyle tug of wars, disagreements, mid-life crisis, illness, and death. Life.

Mark Gungor, a pastor and marriage speaker, believes that it comes down to one thing: being selfless. “There is only one reason why a marriage fails, and

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that is when one or both people become selfish."

Cheating, fighting, financial arguments...don’t they all come down to someone not getting their way, wanting the other to submit to their way?

Mark says, “Sometimes you have to give, compromise, do it yourself and hush up. If you constantly fight to win, dig your heels in to have everything exactly the way you want it, when you want it and how you want it, you will lose...”

You can choose to lose. “Lose

“Lose your selfishness, your ego, and your right to be right all the time. ”

your selfishness, your ego, and your right to be right all the time.

Ironically, losers win and winners lose in this one.

True happiness isn’t getting your way all the time. It’s also knowing that you have shown your spouse love by letting them win too.

Being Better Magazine |Winter 2014

How to start a cozy fire THE RIGHT W

AY

Let’s just get the whole danger thing out of the way. Let’s do things right so we have a nice cozy fire and not a trip to the E.R. Okay? Make sure your fireplace is functioning, that you know how to use it, and that your fire pit setup is a safe one.

Fireplace or Fire pit ©Clipart.com

Probably the biggest factor to having an enjoyable fire is using the right wood. Above all, make sure your wood is totally dry. Besides the fact that damp or wet wood doesn’t burn well you can also end up with a smokey, smelly mess. Let’s avoid that.

Stuff you need: • Newspaper or brown paper bags (don’t use coated or colored papers/inks) • Kindling (small pieces of dry wood, twigs, lath) • Dry logs (see types at right) • Long matches or lighter Build before you burn:

1. Twist and wad

Choose your wood: Best: Hardwood Hickory, Oak, Maple, Ash, Beech, Birch Birch leaves no ash Fragrant wood: Cherry, pear, pecan

Softwoods: Use for kindling (fast burning) Needle- and cone-bearing trees Spruce and pine

Wad up pages of the newspaper or brown paper bags or twist them into batons. Lay these in the bottom of your firebox.

2.Build a teepee or lattice design

Arrange the small dry twigs, small pieces of wood, or lath into a teepee or criss-cross them over the paper base.

3. Lay logs loosely Position a couple of dry logs loosely over your kindling. Make sure you can still access your paper and kindling.

4. Fire it up Use your long matches or lighter to ignite the paper. Once this is burning, it should get the kindling going which will get the logs burning.

www.beingbettermagazine.com | Winter 2014

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©Clipart.com

H O M E & F A M I LY

Time’s a

Wastin’

WA T ’ N O D

IT

“You may delay, but "me will not.”

—Benjamin Franklin

“H

ey, just in case I get hit by a bus, I need you to know _____.”

We’ve all said some version of this phrase. “Just in case I get hit by a bus, I put the rutabagas under the sink.” Of course we don’t expect it to literally happen, but this year it did.

Just before Christmas, my mother was hit by a bus and killed. In her early 70s, healthy and active, she was the last person you’d think would suddenly be gone. You think that “those things” happen to other people. I don’t know who those other people are that I imaged were set up to expect tragedy. The police show up, the person sighs and asks in their monotone voice, “What is it today?”

If you haven’t gotten the memo, “those people” are us.

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I quickly started realizing all the things I meant to ask my mom.

A couple of years ago, I talked about doing interviews with my parents so that I’d get everything down while they were still mentally sharp. It didn’t happen. Why? You guessed it— because I knew I had plenty of time.

Not. I’ve thought about those deep conversations I’d have with my loved ones if I’m ever diagnosed with a terminal illness. Terminal disease apparently is the one free pass to having truly serious conversations where we say how much we love each other, how proud we are, how screwed up we are, and whether or not someone believes in God. Well, I’ve had an epiphany. We are ALL terminal. At this very moment we are one step closer to stepping in front of our bus. So why don’t we just have those deep discussions we want to have? I have three thoughts:

Being Better Magazine |Winter 2014

Start talking ©Clipart.c

om

How to start deep conversations even if you’re chicken.

“Yesterday's the past, tomorrow's the future, but today is a gi . That's why it's called the present.”

—Bil Keane

1. Because we are chicken.

We’re afraid of how the other person will respond. Having deep conversations are usually two-sided. When we say, “I love you,” we are hoping for a positive reaction. Having someone sigh or visibly cringe would suck.

2. We think we are psychic.

We are certain our attempt at a deep discussion will go badly. I am notorious for “knowing” what someone else is thinking or how they’ll react to something. I don’t really know.

3. We are waiting. We may think it’s possible to have those deep conversations, if the circumstances are just rightMlike someone getting a terminal disease. Don’t wait—they may get hit by a bus instead.

Here are some ideas I’ve come up with for how to get past these valid [yet lame] excuses. I believe we will all be much happier if we get over ourselves and do it! Bb

Do it in flight. Our family has never been one to say, “I love you,” but, I always wanted to. When I had an early morning flight for a business trip it was still dark when I left. As I kissed my sleeping teenage kids goodbye I said, “I love you,” and headed out the door. My 16-year-old son told me later that he happy-cried for an hour.

Be casual. Say, “Hey, I just heard about this lady who got hit by a bus and I just wanted to talk to you about ____. I’d really regret it if something happened and we hadn’t had that conversation.”

If they have a deer-in-the-headlights look, or one of terror, you might need to give them a couple of days.

Know that you know. If you think their response will be bad, and it is, at least you’ll know for certain…so count it as a win. Go in only with the expectation that you will find out what their response to the subject truly is. You don’t have to give up, just plan your next attack.

www.beingbettermagazine.com | Winter 2014

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Sword Grab your

~

BATTLE it’s

time

for

I was recently reading an article that told how to read the Bible. The article was very good, but the picture that went along with it was of a 60-something woman holding her Bible to her chest and looking very peaceful. Sure, that’s appropriate but so is this one:

through this world and into heaven.

Once you know what it says, and live by it, that truth defends against all evil and you will be untouchable.

So, what are we battling? Evil. Sin. Satan wants to keep us down, say we don’t matter, or tell us we are awesome and we don’t need God. Evil whispers that we are good enough and don’t need Jesus to save us. Deep down, we know something’s wrong. That we’re not whole. That we have an emptiness.

Well, that God-sized hole can only be filled with the piece that truly fits.

The hole is in the shape of a cross and will be filled when you find Jesus.

It’s time to put on your armor, stand up to the things that keep you from God...from being whole...and march into the fight with your sword (that would be the Bible). Read the Bible… because the battle is on! Bb Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil. 14Stand your ground, putting on the belt of truth and the body armor of God’s righteousness. 15For shoes put on the peace that comes from the Good News so that you will be fully prepared...16hold up the shield of faith to stop the fiery arrows of the devil. 17Put on salvation as your helmet, and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. Ephesians 6: 11-17 11

The Bible says the word of God (the Bible) is a sword. Why? The Bible tells how your Father (God) loves you and wants to save you. It literally tells you everything you need to know to get

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To find out more about God, read the Bible, find a local, Bible-believing Christian church, and check out our website and these: www.billygraham.org, www.iamsecond.com, and www.godlife.com. To get a free Bible, see page 13.

Being Better Magazine |Winter 2014

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TOP

ways to protect your computer files

hat would you do today if you couldn’t access what’s on your computer? Does the term “flip out” come to mind? We just don’t need that in our lives. So, let’s be proactive and do a few [not hard] things to prevent that.

3. Get a surge protector

Use an online backup. It’s automatic, inexpensive, and everything is somewhere else.

Check out the Cloud. If your house burns down your backup doesn’t go with it.

4. Archive elsewhere

1. Backup your stuff

2. Always save a copy

If you are working on an important project, don’t open your only copy to make changes on. When you discover your work from two hours ago is what you really needed, you can just open your “old” version. Resave each additional version with an updated name or include the date in the title.

Photo caption

W

(AKA: ways to avoid swearing, crying, or screaming because stuff on your computer just went bye-bye.)

Always [yes, always] plug your computer into an uninterruptible power supply (UPS). These aren’t expensive and could be invaluable if there's a power surge, outage, voltage spike, or whatever. It happens more than you think and can “fry” your system.

Hard drives don’t last forever - just 3 to 5 years typically...and they aren’t that expensive. Move items that you don’t use often off your computer to another location.

Back up pictures and other items to an external hard drive or burn a copy to disc.

5. Keep your computer safe

Portable computers go missing everyday, usually being stolen from cars. Cars are a bad place for computers anyhow since fluctuations in temperature can lead to serious problems.

www.beingbettermagazine.com | Winter 2014

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H E A LT H & F I T N E S S

Laughter “Laughter is the best medicine.”

Headline Ha-Ha’s

Rx

Legislator Wants Tougher Death Penalty

Tis the season

Most health experts agree that the reason winter is “cold and flu season” is not that people are cold, but that they spend more time indoors, in closer contact with other people who can pass on their germs.

[

Rub a dub dub

According to experts, without a vaccine, the single most important thing you can do to prevent getting the flu is to wash your hands. The CDC recommends washing for a minimum of 15 seconds— but longer is better.

[

Start fighting

Eating a healthy diet may help you ward off colds and flu. Researchers have identified some foods that may provide extra defense against colds and flu: proteins, carrots, salmon, garlic, green tea, and nonfat Greek yogurt.

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Fire Officials Grilled Over Kerosene Heaters

Federal Agents Raid Gun Shop, Find Guns Stolen Painting Found By Tree

Homicide Victims Rarely Talk To Police Statistics Show That Teen Pregnancy Drops Off After Age 25 World Bank Says Poor Need More Money

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[

Woman Was Still Alive Hours Before Her Death

Brain Bender

Exercise your brain, and see if you can answer the question. Answer on page 13.

Which personal item picks up the most bacteria over a two-week period?

A] Purse B] Shoes C] Coat D] Jewelry E] Pens/Pencils

Being Better Magazine |Winter 2014

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Body of Knowledge

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©Clipart.com

Marijuana Issue Sent To Joint Committee

Food focus

©Clipart.com

just say

Cheesy facts:

Cheese

It takes 10 gallons of milk to make one pound of cheese. The United States produces more than 25% of the world's supply of cheese with Wisconsin leading the produc"on. Greeks consume 63 lbs per person per year vs Americans ea"ng 31 lbs each.

• Only one cheese maker in the U.S. makes stinky Limburger cheese.

• The world's biggest cheesecake, made in 2009, was 1' 10" high.

• The first recorded sighting of the word 'cheeseburger' was on Dec. 23, 1941 in Burbank, California.

•The word 'cheese' occurs twice in the King James Bible (2 Samuel 17 and Job 10) and ‘cheeses’ occurs once (1 Samuel 17).

Super Nachos

[

The same Iowa family that founded Maytag appliances makes the award-winning Maytag Blue Cheese.

Most cheese is produced from cow, sheep, or goat’s milk, but it can be made from most any animal’s milk. In Sweden you can get moose cheese.

Serves 6 . Calories 282 . Protein 19 g . Carbs 37 g . Fiber 6 g . Fat 6 g .

Directions:

Ingredients:

6 oz baked tortilla chips 2 c cooked shredded chicken 15 oz can black beans, rinsed and drained 1 c salsa 1 c shredded reduced-fat Mexican cheese 4 scallions, trimmed and sliced thin

Heat oven to 350°. Line bottom and sides of 9” x 13” baking dish with chips.

Sprinkle chicken and beans over chips. Spoon on salsa and top with cheese and scallions. Bake for 15 minutes or until heated through.

Serve immediately. www.beingbettermagazine.com | Winter 2014

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On thewith trail DOING IT RIGHT

Y

Years ago, Pizza Ranch wrote down their mission. Then, Pizza Ranch went nuts and actually decided to live out their mission. And each year when they reflect on how they’ve carried it out they don’t say, “Well, we achieved our goal. Good job.” They say, “Well, that’s a good start. What’s next?”

Vision Statement: “To glorify God by posi"vely impac"ng the world we live in.”

Their 170 Pizza Ranch teams reach out and respond to needs within their community. All across Pizza Ranch territory, many restaurants do Community Impact Nights to serve local charities. When crisis hits in their home towns, they are some of the first to reach out.

Last December, the town of Casselton, ND, had a train crash into a crude oil train that caused tank cars to explode. While no one was

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Photos courtesy Pizza Ranch

ou think they are just here to serve you a slice of pizza but they have ulterior motives.

They are watching.

Waiting. When you least expect it,there they are.

hurt, a crew from Arkansas, as well as law enforcement and emergency crews endured temperatures as low as -15° with wind chills of -35°.

As soon as the accident happened, the Casselton Pizza Ranch crew stepped up and opened the Pizza Ranch. On the night of the accident, they made more than 30 pizzas for the workers and volunteers helping at the site.

The new Sioux City Pizza Ranch opened its doors for business in December but before the opening, the team members spent time volunteering at Camp High Hopes in Sioux City, IA. Camp High Hopes offers therapeutic recreation programs including archery, canoeing, and nature education to enrich the lives of youth and adults

Being Better Magazine |Winter 2014

Local & Global efforts

with disabilities, chronic illnesses, and other special needs. The Pizza Ranch team spent their time cleaning utility rooms, assembling shelving units/cabinets, and then reorganizing supplies and materials. Because they are used to working at a fast pace, the group also had time to decorate a Christmas tree, wash windows, and clean bathrooms. At the end of the day the team felt blessed beyond what they gave.

Making pizza is what Pizza Ranch does every day, and while their mission is to make your visit to their Pizza Ranch locations “legendary,” they’re really out to do something truly legendary: changing the world for the better. That’s pretty awesome they want to try. Even more awesome is that they are succeeding.

Late in 2013, a tornado hit the area of Morton, IL. The local Pizza Ranch gave 10% of all sales to the local Red Cross. They also went into the devastated areas and took pizza to the volunteers and families who were dealing with loss.

Last fall, two new schools in rural Ethiopia opened and welcomed 400 children. The annual operating costs are supported by Pizza Ranch’s coffee program.

Want a Bible?

Download a Bible with a FREE Bible app at https://www.youversion.com/ To get a printed Bible, contact us at Being Better Ministries, 2018 Ravens Ct., Sioux City, IA 51104 Answers: Pg 10, Brain Bender: D

http://www.facebook.com/beingbettermag

www.beingbettermagazine.com | Winter 2014

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A Better Way

tolose

ccording to an ABC news article, A there are over 100 million people on a diet in the US. They report that dieters typically make four to five attempts per year.

doesn’t [ What work Skipping meals

Only two things kick your metabolism into fat burning mode: exercise and eating.

Diets

Changing your eating only to lose weight (thinking you’ll only have to eat “diet food” until the weight comes off).

Exercise overload

Thinking you will just exercise like crazy so you can eat whatever you want.

Translation: People keep failing at weight loss. Good to

know...now, let’s stop doing it wrong and let’s just do it right this go ‘round.

to [What understand All things are possible

You aren’t a special case. You can lose weight.

You are unique

What works for one person may not work for you. Sometimes something doesn’t work because you won’t do it. You have to find a plan that will work with your lifestyle.

Healthy is a lifestyle

Diets don’t work because people view them as temporary. Committing to being healthy means committing to lasting change.

Setbacks are okay

If you blow it now and again, you are just like the rest of the world: human. That doesn’t make you a failure. Failure is when you give up.

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Being Better Magazine |Winter 2014

weight [What works Slow and steady

Unless you get on Biggest Loser you probably aren’t going to lose a huge amount of weight fast. Be happy if the number goes down.

God’s table

You have to eat well. This is the biggest factor to success. Pretty much, if God made it, then it’s good for you: vegetables, fruits, nuts, whole grains, eggs, fish, poultry, lean meat, etc. Avoid processed foods.

Eating often

Eat three meals plus two to three snacks in between. A snack should be a protein and a vegetable or fruit.

Protein is your friend

Protein is weight loss’s ally. Eat protein each meal: chicken, cheese, nuts, egg, dairy, etc.

Portion control

Watching your portion sizes is key. Go to WebMD and find their “portion size plate” and live by them. A good trick is to put your food on a smaller plate to get used to the right portion size.

[What to avoid “Diet” foods

Many pre-packaged foods pushed as low-fat, low-calorie, low-carb or whatever are not necessarily good for you. Some are empty calories that won’t benefit you or fill you up.

Being hungry

If you are truly hungry, eat. Just have your snacks planned ahead so you make a good choice.

Banning foods

This just makes you want them more. Just try to reserve treats for once-in-a-whiles. You’ll enjoy them so much more.

can [ Who help Chris Powell

A newer plan that is very sound is Choose More, Lose More for Life. The best part is that the food you get to eat is great and the plan is not hard to stick with.

Make a lifestyle change instead of dieting.

www.beingbettermagazine.com | Winter 2014

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Q

If someone really wants help with addictions, who can help?

A Teen Challenge.

NOT JUST

S FOR TEEN

• Has nearly 200 residential Teen Challenge centers across the USA. • Provides youth, adults, and families with an effective and comprehensive Christian faith-based solution to lifecontrolling drug and alcohol problems.

Using Biblical principles makes all the difference to help people become mentally-sound, emotionally-balanced, sociallyadjusted, physically-well, and spiritually-alive.

To find out more,

read testimonials, and to find a location near you go to www.teenchallengeusa.com