A BLESSING TO THE WORLD.

You, gentle reader, are a blessing to the world. Did you know that? I'll venture a bet that you don't often walk around with the knowledge that you are, by virtue of just being here on the planet, a blessing to the world. You are a blessing because you have the power within you to change the energy of the planet for the better! Like a pebble that gets tossed into a pool of water, creating a rippling effect, with your every word, action or deed, you also create an energetic ripple that becomes part of the collective energy of the planet. Remember that even though we have been taught that we are disconnected from one another, alone and separate, the truth is that we are all one big energetic family so to speak. What I do and say about you will affect you, one way or the other. If I act towards you or speak about you in a negative way, that sends out negative energy and actually hurts us both. If I act kindly towards you or speak about you in a positive way, that sends out a positive vibration that will help us both. All of my actions will cause a reaction. That is the Universal Law of Cause and Effect in action. Universal Laws do not change. 

You are a blessing simply by acting kind, by offering someone patience, by  allowing someone to finish what they are trying to say before jumping in with what you have to say. You are a blessing when you accept people as they are and let go of the need to change them into the way you see them as needing to be. Or when you give to a stranger. You are a blessing when you forgive others and finally let go of resentment. You are faced with decisions every step of the way. Do you choose words that bless others? Do you choose words that bless yourself? Your very power lies in your everyday choice to be the blessing to this world that you were meant to be.  Mother Theresa said, "Not everyone will go on to accomplish great things, but anyone can do small things with great love." Therein lies your power.  

This You-Tube video called "The Gentle Art of Blessing" is a beautiful reminder of our ability to make the world a better place simply by blessing ourselves and others. Please enjoy it and share it with your people.  And may you be blessed today and always. 

WHERE BPA LURKS 

By now, most people are aware of the danger of BPA a.k.a. bisphenol-A. An organic compound used to make polycarbonate plastic and epoxy resin, BPA is part of the foundation (like a building block) of many plastic bottles and containers, as well as in the lining of canned goods. Known to be estrogenic since the 1930's there has been a great deal of studies and research into the safety of BPA and it's resultant leaching into food and water. You may have noticed that many water bottles and containers have started to carry the label of BPA- free. Here is another case where, only after the word about the harmful effects of BPA reached the general population who started demanding BPA-free plastic, the corporation began to supply the demand.  Safety will often take a back seat to profit in the corporate world. 

In addition to mimicking estrogen which makes it an endocrine disrupter, other studies have linked it to being a carcinogenic as well. Several years ago the FDA finally banned BPA in baby bottles and suggested keeping BPA plastic bottles away from small children as well. My personal feeling is, adult and child alike, we are living in a toxic chemical soup these days so anytime we come up against anything that has potential to hurt us, we should do what we can to eliminate or reduce our exposure.  A small amount in a bottle, a small amount in a can, over and over, it adds up to a potential for a health hazard.   

Another place where BPA shows up is in cash register receipts!  I recently learned that extraordinarily high levels of BPA are found on nearly all thermally heated cash register receipts These are the flimsy light-weight receipts that are usually generated at  gas pumps, ATMs and banks, restaurants and fast food places, grocery stores and and supermarkets. There are very few BPA free receipts these days. Unlike the BPA in cans and plastic bottles where the BPA is bound to the container, BPA on receipts is not thus it is like a fine invisible powder that attaches to your fingers, and absorbs quickly into your skin. The levels of BPA on receipts are 1,000 times the levels found in a can of food. Most people are completely unaware of this fact.  

Suggestions to avoid this compound:  

• Look at the bottom of the plastic bottle. Numbers 1, 2, and 4 are safer bets. Avoid 7. Usually the soft plastic containers or cloudy colored containers generally do not contain BPA.
• Try switching your containers to glass or ceramic. I now wash out old glass jars and save leftovers in them instead of using plastic.
• IF you have to microwave, NEVER microwave in a plastic container.
• Avoid touching receipts. If you have to save them don't over handle them and put them in a plastic bag.  
• Wash your hands after touching a receipt and never give them to a child.

The Environmental Working Group is a trusted consumer advocacy group that works hard and diligently to present current information to the public that relates to health and the environment. The link to their website is www.EWG.org. When it comes to your health and the health of your loved ones, be informed. Knowledge is power.