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06/01/2020 08:50 AM
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What Makes Canada Unique?
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It doesn't seem to matter where you go in the world, Canadians are welcomed. We somehow have developed a reputation as being kind, safe, friendly and helpful. But, unfortunately, not many people even in Canada understand how truly blessed we are to live in this unique country.
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04/28/2020 08:46 AM
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Wonderful Quarantine Date Ideas
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The impact of the coronavirus outbreak has been a negative one on most couples around the world, and not only. In case you are passing the time with your partner, then you are probably looking for some ways to actually strengthen your bond so that you can relieve a bit of anxiety while you are at it. Therefore, here are some wonderful ideas that will surely help you make the most of your time spent at home with your loved one.
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04/09/2020 07:33 PM
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How To Enjoy Easter Celebration This Time
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What plans do you have for Easter Celebration this time? Things may not be the way you planned it for the season. But, it can't change the truth that Christ has risen and has restored all that enemy stole from you including your joy. So, no matter what happens chose to rejoice at this time. This article encourages you celebrate the resurrection of Jesus greatly this time.
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03/09/2020 01:02 PM
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Happy Everything!
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Shortly after my son moved to Medicine Hat and began working in my private practice, he encouraged me to do some downsizing at the office. I will never forget how shocked he was when he found an envelope in one of the boxes. On the front of it, I had written "Mark's First Haircut".
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01/02/2020 11:16 AM
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The First Things First to Be Done For A Glorious Year Ahead
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Glory, it's a New Year! What does this New Year have for you? To a great extent, you determine how this year will turn out for you. What you do at the beginning of the year determines what you get at the end of it. This article encourages you to do the first things first to enjoy a glorious New Year.
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01/02/2020 11:13 AM
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Proper Etiquette for Returning Christmas Gifts
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The Christmas frenzy is over, and the Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage and Yours Truly are sitting back surveying our Christmas plunder. Only a few days ago, the house was ablaze with Christmas lights, and the rafters were echoing with Christmas delight. Now, much to my delight, quietness is tiptoeing through our house. Why is it that something as wonderful as Christmas takes so long to prepare and goes by so quickly? As it stands today, there are only 360 more days until the next Christmas. I do not think I have enough time to get ready to do this all over again. However, the countdown begins. With the odd chance that something can be done, I propose that we celebrate Christmas every even year because of so many odd years in my life. In surveying my Christmas plunder, several thoughts, like sugarplums, are dancing in my head. The primary thought is simply, what am I going to do with all these gifts? I have enough gifts to last me the rest of my life if I live to be 100. Of course, if I live to be 110, I may need another gift.
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12/26/2019 12:46 PM
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Christmas Celebration-Birth of Christ Is the Answer to Your Challenge
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Hurray! It's Christmas time, the hope of glory is being celebrated. Everything is subject to Christ's authority. An understanding of this will put a smile on you. This article encourages you to see the birth of Christ as the answer to your challenge.
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12/23/2019 09:42 AM
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Is This a Christmas Present or What?
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One great blessing of Christmas is presents. Of course, at my age, I am not too interested in what I am getting but rather what I am giving. I cannot think of one thing I really would want. I got everything I need even though some of it may be old and outdated. As long as it works, I'm happy with that. Therefore, it is not what I am receiving that is important to me. I love to see the smile on the grandchildren's face as they open up a present. I am just as delighted as they are opening their gifts because I did not buy it. I paid for it, but it is the job of the Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage to do all of the shopping, gift buying, wrapping, and everything that goes with it. If it were up to me, nothing would really get done, which would be sad. As I say, I am not looking for much for Christmas this year, just to enjoy the family and celebration.
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12/23/2019 09:42 AM
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Where Does Santa Get His Naughty or Nice List?
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This week the Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage approached me with a serious question. As far as I am concerned, life is full of questions, but coming from her, I need to be very careful. I have found out that a question with her is not merely a question. It can be a whole lot more than that with multiple layers. I am still trying to figure out the dimensions of her questions. If I do not understand her question, my answer is going to get me into trouble. Believe me; I know what trouble is all about. I have several cats in the neighborhood that I feed. I am not sure where they come from, but they show up at the back porch for the free treats I put out for them. This has also attracted possums, raccoons and foxes that come for the treats I have there for them. Most of them are somewhat antsy and try to stay out of trouble as much as possible. I can certainly relate to that.
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12/05/2019 02:14 PM
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Fun Winter Family Activities To Try This Year
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Looking for some fun things to do with your loved ones while waiting for Christmas? Try these fun winter family activities!
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12/05/2019 01:02 PM
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Make Every Day a Day to Give Thanks
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Since this blog is premiering on Thanksgiving Day, I thought it might be a good time to focus on the value of giving thanks as an important part of your daily living. Although I see the importance of having specific days to honor things that have value to most people, like Thanksgiving, Mother's Day, Father's Day, Birthdays, Anniversaries etc. I believe that what you do the other 350 or so days a year are much more significant.
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12/02/2019 05:56 PM
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A New Year With New Goals
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January is usually a time for setting goals and unfortunately by February many people find that some of them have been abandoned. The gyms are not as full. The musical instrument may not be practiced as much as planned and the cute little Christmas puppy may not seem as cute when there are puddles on the floor to clean up!
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12/02/2019 05:56 PM
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Merry Christmas - Not Necessarily a Good Greeting!
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The Merriam Webster dictionary defines the word "merry" as full of gaiety and high spirits. Unfortunately, that does not describe everyone's experience on any day of the year, let alone at Christmas. There are many during the holiday season who are lonely, sad, or sick.
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12/02/2019 05:53 PM
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Do Your Christmas Traditions Work Well for You?
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Christmas is a precious time for many of us. It's about family, special relationships, home and sharing together, so clearly demonstrated by the numerous adverts that echo this message. Traditions are often a part of Christmas, but they need to evolve to ring the changes.
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11/25/2019 10:28 AM
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From One Turkey to Another
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As a child, my favorite holiday was Christmas, second only to my birthday. These holidays were important because of the gifts I received. Oh, did I look forward to those holidays and all the presents I was going to delight in. And delight, I certainly did to the extreme. Then slowly things changed. I got married and we began having children. It was then I discovered Christmas was different. I was the one paying for all the Christmas presents, not to mention the tree and the ornaments. I never realized how much Christmas cost. The older the kids got, the more expensive it was. By the time Christmas is over, I am officially broke. My New Year's resolution is usually, "I'm never going to do that again." I keep it until Thanksgiving, which throws me off my game. I soon discovered a holiday I could delight in. That holiday was Thanksgiving. At Thanksgiving, there are no presents to buy, so my checkbook remained closed for that holiday. Of course, I did get the bill for the turkey we were having but that usually came in August. Outside of that, I could enjoy Thanksgiving without it costing me.
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11/04/2019 10:18 AM
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Giving Back Because of Thanks
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When my mom died I "inherited" boxes and boxes of black and white photos. Many of them showed soldiers in uniform with their arms around her. I really don't know who these men were but remember the powerful stories that she told about how many of her friends went off to war and never returned.
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11/04/2019 10:09 AM
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The Month of October
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Have you ever wondered about the origin of certain words? This weekend I was thinking about the word "October" and decided to look it up. The Roman calendar only had ten months as January and February were not included at that time.
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05/07/2019 01:09 PM
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Heartfelt Greetings For Family Christmas Cards
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Sending and receiving greeting cards is a beautiful tradition that brings joy to both the sender and receiver. In this age of "only email communication", a physical greeting card is something to be cherished.
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04/17/2019 12:23 PM
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Easter Celebration-The Resurrection Of Jesus Christ Is For Your Victory
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Is the resurrection of Jesus Christ worth celebrating this Easter celebration? Yes, more than you can imagine. It was a spiritual victory that affects everything that happens to you as a Christian spiritually, physically, emotionally and mentally. It is your victory over all oppression of the devil. This article enlightens you more on this victory.
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01/30/2019 07:30 PM
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Space Alien Halloween Costume Ideas
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When it comes to making your own Halloween costume, there is perhaps no costume genre that has more options than an alien from outer space. Whether you want to be creepy and kooky or odd and funny, here are some space alien costume ideas that are sure to launch your next Halloween party into orbit.
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12/31/2018 11:53 AM
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Items Not on My New Year's Resolution List
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It is typical this time of year to prepare a list of resolutions for the coming year. I believe this goes all the way back to the Garden of Eden when Adam said to Eve, "I think I'll turn over a new leaf this year." And so the tradition has come down to us today. Normally, people will make a list of all the things they will give up during the ensuing year. All kinds of bad habits find their way on the list like smoking, drinking and other nefarious activities. Of course, nobody actually plans to keep his New Year resolutions but the act of writing them down on a piece of paper seems to give a sense of accomplishment to people. One of the big things on the resolution list has to do with diet and losing weight during the coming year. I have often wondered why this seems to be number one on most of those New Year resolution list. Even Yours Truly has succumbed in years past to attend this resolution on his list.
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12/21/2018 02:30 PM
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Christmas Without Christ?
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What is Christmas to you? Many people have different reasons for celebrating Christmas; including time for holiday, feasting, traveling, shopping and reunions. However, the main reason for the celebration is normally not remembered, it is now Christmas without Christ. This is very unfortunate and should be corrected in the minds and lives of Christians. This article encourages believers in Christ to focus more on Jesus during Christmas season since He is the reason for the celebration.
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12/14/2018 09:53 AM
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How to Succeed In Life and the New Year
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I have seen more than 8,000 clients over the years that I have been in Medicine Hat. The other day I was thinking about what I would tell every single one of them if I was only allowed one nugget of wisdom to share. After a few minutes of deep thought, I decided that the best advice that I could give anyone is for them to focus on the right things.
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12/03/2018 11:39 AM
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Why Christmas?
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So there are only a few sleeps to go until December 25th. Many of us have areas in our homes that are infiltrated with shiny packages holding large-screen televisions, new clothing and books that we will be giving to others. One last grocery shopping trip will secure the ingredients for the extensive menu that could feed twice as many guests as we expect.
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12/03/2018 11:39 AM
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A Movie Christmas
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With all of the available technology today, it is very easy to binge on watching Christmas movies. In fact, some channels are bragging about how many new Christmas movies that they will air this year. It doesn't take long to realize that the template for each is basically the same.
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12/03/2018 11:39 AM
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Create Christmas Spirit
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I have learned so much from my family, friends and clients over the years. Many of them have had very good reasons to feel sorry for themselves or bemoan their negative circumstances. Instead, they reached out to others who needed help.
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11/27/2018 12:58 PM
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Persistence Brings Rewards
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Sometimes it's the hardest roads that lead to the best places.Whatever dfficulties you may be facing could very well be the passage to a new and excitiing phase of life.
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11/12/2018 12:06 PM
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Manage the Expense of Christmas
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Christmas can place an inordinate amount of stress on a tightly managed household budget. A change in circumstances can throw precarious finances into crisis with some families taking up to three years to repay their Christmas spending. Here are a few tips to help you manage the expense of Christmas.
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11/09/2018 02:04 PM
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Are You Truly Free?
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The Oxford Living Dictionary defines freedom as: "The state of not being imprisoned or enslaved". As we near Remembrance Day we often think about military members who risked their own lives with threats of being imprisoned, enslaved or worse so that we could experience freedom from foreign domination or despotic governments. Most return from their tour of duty with haunting memories of what they saw and did.
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07/25/2018 08:25 AM
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Pharaoh Halloween Costume Ideas
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Even though the last pharaoh that ruled Egypt has died thousands of years ago, pharaohs and Ancient Egypt in general are still intriguing. Today, scientists are learning more about this amazing culture that existed for many years and achieved some incredible successes.
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07/22/2018 10:43 AM
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Teen Halloween Costume Ideas
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Selecting a Halloween costume is a personal choice. Age and gender are some of the main factors that will determine what type of Halloween costume is best. Different teens like different things so I've created a short list of popular Halloween costumes.
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06/07/2018 08:13 AM
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Father's Day Special: BBQ Recipes That All Dads Will Love
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Father's Day is just around the corner. Show your love for dad with these tasty BBQ recipes!
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05/28/2018 08:49 PM
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O Canada
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This year I will be celebrating Canada Day in the Maritimes. Air Canada had a wonderful Mother's Day Seat Sale and I just couldn't resist! Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island is known as the birthplace of Canada.
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05/22/2018 08:07 AM
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Dinosaur Halloween Costume Ideas
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The internet is full of good Halloween costume ideas, but some of them seem to require you to be either a seamstress or a welder in order to complete your costume. If you're looking for a do-it-yourself costume that's easy and original, you'll need to go back to the Stone Age and check out these dinosaur costume ideas.
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05/06/2018 09:47 AM
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Easter Blessings
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We are all standing on the threshold of one of the most recognized Christian celebrations of the year. For some people, Easter is merely a long weekend. Schools, on the other hand, usually plan a week-long break for the children.
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04/02/2018 12:19 PM
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The Easter Bunny That Got Away
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After any holiday the Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage and myself enjoy taking a day or two off and just relax. We like to sit around and tell stories. My wife usually starts by saying, "Hey, remember the time when... " And she goes on with a story that I had forgotten about. When she's done, we laugh together. Then it's my turn and I begin, "Hey, do you remember the time when... " And I go on and tell a story that she may have forgotten about, I really don't know. When I'm finished, we laugh together as though it was the funniest thing we've heard all day. It's just our way of relaxing and unwinding after a holiday. Holidays are very busy times for us, we like them, but they do take a little bit out of us. It seems that the older we get, the more it takes out of us. I'm not exactly sure what that means. Just don't tell me what it means! We usually go on with our stories until we're too tired to tell a story or to laugh.
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03/27/2018 08:36 AM
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I Am The Resurrection And The Life
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Do you know Jesus Christ as 'The Resurrection and The Life?' What you believe the Lord to be is what is manifested in your life. The names of Jesus explain what He can do. This article encourages you to exercise your faith in the Lord as the Resurrection and the Life.
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02/27/2018 09:30 AM
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Saint Patrick's Day Celebrations Around the World
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Over the past 200 years, Irish people have emigrated to all corners of the earth. Some left their native shores by choice but most emigrated to find work. They settled in towns and cities on the five continents, no location being too remote, too wet, too dry, too hot or too cold. It is for that reason that St Patrick's Day is celebrated on March 17th all over the world - just as the festivities wane in one city they begin in the next.
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02/09/2018 09:14 AM
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Romantic Dinner Ideas to Celebrate Valentine's Day
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Valentine's day is around the corner and it is a great way to show the one you love how you feel about them. It is the one day when you show your appreciation by showering your valentine with gifts and loving gestures. One of those gestures is the valentine's dining experience. Either you plan it together or you can surprise your valentine with a romantic dinner.
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02/07/2018 09:31 AM
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Thinkin' on Christmas Past
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It's almost over. The shopping, the wrapping, the cooking and all the other hustle and bustle of activities we do to get ready for Christmas.
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01/29/2018 08:06 AM
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Valentine Week 2018: Making It a King Size Celebration
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A rose, hugs, kisses and that sweet promise to always live together is what makes life beautiful. The whole Valentine week is filled with cheerfulness of celebrating love and that pleasant moment makes you feel so much alive and loved. Valentine's week 2018 is about to approach and it's the time to get yourself ready for bringing that magical transformation in your relationship.
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01/23/2018 11:18 AM
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Christmas Gifts and Ideas for Festive Spirits
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Christmas stress is overrated. What is Christmas really about? Share and spread love! Relax and enjoy with everyone! I am going to share some ideas and tips on how you can make this one memorable!
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01/22/2018 03:23 PM
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Keep Your Kids Safe This Holiday
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When four-year-old Jude Burlett smelled smoke coming from a Christmas tree in Ranson, West Virginia, he reported it to his father and alerted firemen. The Journal News goes on to tell how cigarette butts started four small fires, but the boy's sharp nose helped to extinguish the blaze quickly. You can prevent tree fires and other Christmas dangers as you keep your children safe this year. Simply exercise safety tips throughout your home, and keep your holiday merry.
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01/16/2018 02:52 PM
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Tips on How to Save Money During Christmas Season
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As we all know when it's Christmas time, we Filipinos tend to spend more because we receive bonuses, gifts, and other incentives. I'm not saying that it's not good to spend only when it's needed. Spend only on the money that you have but not more than what you have because you will only end up losing your money.
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01/11/2018 03:03 PM
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Tips for the Most Memorable Thanksgiving Yet
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As our family is taking a break and trekking to my hometown of Erie, Pennsylvania, I have been reflecting on how I can make the most of this Thanksgiving. Now I know that most people will ask, "What are you most thankful for?
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01/08/2018 09:35 AM
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Ever Wondered How the New Year Is Celebrated Around the World?
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Talking about New Year celebrations, people celebrate it in their own way. There are few traditions that you may find strange or weird. Here are a few most interesting New Year traditions followed in different corners of the world.
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12/29/2017 08:19 AM
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O Christmas Tree
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I happened to go into a large retail store recently and was absolutely shocked by the extremely long wall that was stocked from floor to ceiling with artificial Christmas trees. Sizes ranged from those suitable for desktops or apartments all the way up to those that were well over nine feet in height. Choices included spruce, pine, fir and even some that appeared to have freshly fallen snow on the branches.
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12/29/2017 08:19 AM
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A New Year
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I had a lot of company over the Christmas holidays. Some were here just to open gifts. Some came to share a meal and others were here for a few days.
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12/29/2017 08:18 AM
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Life Is Not A Movie
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Younger people are shocked when they find out that I was born in the era of "pre-television". I remember the first day that we got the big box that only showed one black and white event at a time with live commercials. O Canada was played at the end of the broadcasting day followed by a test pattern with a soft but steady squeal that could be observed until the following morning.
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12/29/2017 08:16 AM
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How to Remember - November 11th
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Memory is an interesting faculty of human life. Often I hear clients express concern about not being able to remember everything or recognizing that their memory isn't working as well as it had in the past. My response is to remind them that we are in an age of information and it is not even possible to remember everything.
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