Bill Tinsley 1:04 a.m. CT Feb. 25, 2017

God created the Sabbath to remind humans of the need for rest and reflection.(Photo: freeimages)

I bought my first computer in 1982, a Commodore 64. It used a 340k floppy disc and operated with machine language. After typing in the machine code, the little floppy started to whirr ... and whirr ... and whirr a little more. It whirred so long that I could get a cup of coffee or make a sandwich. When it finally loaded the program it worked great. With each program, I started the process all over again, something they called booting up.

I think the term came from the farm. You didnt want to track that barnyard stuff into the house, so when you went inside, you took your boots off. And, when you wanted to go to work. You put your boots back on. So, for the little PC, we put our boots on, or booted up the program if we wanted to go to work or play.

I graduated from the Commodore to an IBM compatible Compaq that ran MS-DOS. The screen lit up with an eerie green glow and pulled its data from a hard drive.

It took a long time for me to convert to Microsoft Windows, but I finally made the leap. Today I use a DELL laptop and sometimes throw up my hands in exasperation when the Windows 10 operating system demands an update.

I usually leave it in sleep mode so it wakes right up and we get going whenever I want. I get my cup of coffee before I turn it on. I like leaving my boots on with my laptop. But sooner or later, it slows down. It begins to creep along. The mouse drags or freezes in place and I am stuck. It has too much going on in its PC memory, too many programs trying to run at once. Too much barnyard stuff tracked in and making it stink. There is nothing to do but reboot it. So, I turn it off and let it reload the operating system. After the reboot, we are good to go and back up to speed.

We are a lot like my computer. We fly from one task to another, filling our lives with frenzied activity, trying to constantly multi-task between family, business, community and personal obligations. We freeze up. We are no longer efficient. We do nothing well. Sometimes we need to reboot.

This is why God gave us the Sabbath. It is the fourth of the 10Big Ones. And, as Jesus pointed out, it was given to us by God because we need it. Man was not made for the Sabbath, Jesus said. The Sabbath was made for man.

If we want to live full, meaningful, productive and effective lives, we need time for worship and rest. We need to reboot physically, emotionally and spiritually. We are made in such a way that we have to power down if we want to power up. This means turning off the TV, disconnecting from social media and taking a deep breath. We need to listen the laughter of children, to birds singing, the wind in the trees, waves lapping on the shore and listening to God. Meditations in the Psalms and the Sermon on the Mount help me most.

We need to take the Apostle Pauls advice: Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things Philippians 4:8.

Bill Tinsley reflects on current events and life experience from a faith perspective. Visit http://www.tinsleycenter.com. Email bill@tinsleycenter.com.

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Meditation and reflection reboot our hectic lives - Times Record News

Students have an inviting place to meditate and reflect with the opening of the Interfaith Prayer and Meditation Room in its temporary location, room 76 of McVey Hall. The permanent location will be found in the new UK Student Center next fall.

According to Lexington Police Public Information Officer Brenna Angel, there will not be roadblocks in Lexington this weekend.

The University of Kentucky Board of Trustees met with diverse members from the campus community last October to discuss an idea that developed into the secluded meditation room.

The room allows privacy for individuals who want to follow their religious practices, reflect in silence or meditate. It has already been enjoyed by several since its opening earlier this month.

Meditation is a daily practice for computer science freshman Luke Miles.

Its convenient because I dont have to do the 15-minute bike ride home, Miles said. When you are feeling distracted, it helps bring focus for whatever you do next.

The room is open Monday through Friday from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Guidelines posted by the entrance are meant to ensure that all individuals feel comfortable in the space. Furnished with pillows and warm lighting, the space brings relaxation the moment you enter.

Our shared values of integrity, mutual respect and human dignity, and diversity and inclusion take a step forward with this initiative," UK interim vice president for institutional diversity Terry Allen said in a recent press release. "We owe a special thanks to the students that challenge this institution to become better."

Con Mi Madre (With My Mother), a new program for Latina girls and their mothers, aims to change that statistic by strengthening relationships between Latina children and their parents and teaching them that college is an option.

Diversity can be found throughout the campus ranging from students of all faiths and beliefs, as well as faculty members who also welcome the addition.

I think it is a wonderful opportunity for people to have a quiet space, graduate admissions officer Maureen Barker said. Im delighted that its here.

Students of the Islam faith have found the room to be exceptionally welcoming to their practice of prayer five times daily.

I feel like its not only a personal convenience for the students, but I also feel like it will make the students feel more included on campus, journalism freshman Mohammad Ahmad said. This is a good example of UKs efforts to promote diversity.

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UK opens Interfaith Prayer and Meditation Room - Kykernel.com (subscription)

February 24, 2017 6:55 PM By Stephanie Stahl

by Stephanie Stahl

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) New life is being breathed into the ancient practice of mediation.

Meditation is a good way to help people relax and focus, and doctors say it can be a helpful stress buster.

Now, instead of meditating on your own, there are special classes just for that.

Health and fitness blogger Bianca Jade is stressed out about everyday life

Theres so many stressors. We spend more time commuting. We have a higher cost of living, she said.

The quest for more calmness brought Bianca to Inscape, a meditation studio

A recorded audio track guides the class. A leader is in the room if youre unsure what to do, but to keep the mood, theres no talking.

So this way you become a participant. Its neutral and you have no other place to go but within you, because theres no other outside distractions, explained Khajak Keledjin, the studios founder.

He turned to meditation to cope with the stress of his multi-million dollar clothing company.

I want to create an environment in a studio where people come in and have balanced calm, Keledjin said.

How much time you need to decompress is up to you. Classes range from about 20 minutes to an hour and a half.

Ive learned to take a minute, take a breath, and really think about the things I need to let go of, said Bianca.

Inscape, which is based in New York City, also has an app, so you can practice mindfulness at home.

Here in the Philadelphia area, there are also a variety of different kinds of meditation studios.

Stephanie Stahl, CBS 3 and The CW Philly 57s Emmy Award-winning medical specialist, is featured daily on Eyewitness News. As one of the television industrys most respected medical reporters, Stahl has been recognized by community and he...

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New York Studio Breathing New Life Into Meditation CBS Philly - CBS Local

Ekadasa Rudrabhishekam performed at Rama Paduka Ashram Jamshedpur February 24, 2017 , by Desk 12

Jamshedpur, Feb. 24: On the auspicious occasion of Mahashivratri, Ekadasa Rudrabhishekam was performed on Friday evening at Sri Rama Paduka Ashram located near BSNL Office, Farm Area, Kadma.

As Pradosh kaal also falls on the same day as Maha Shivaratri (which has special significance for Lord Shiva) from 4.30 pm to 6.00 pm, the Rudrabhishek commenced during that time at the temple. Hundreds of devotees witnessed the pujas and were blessed by the local ved pandits.

After the Rudrabhishek, Ashtottar for Lord Shiva was chanted by the pandits and Maha Arati was shown to him and other presiding deities at the temple. Later on, prashad was distributed to the devotees present.

V Natarajan, President, S Sriram, Secretary, S Dandapani, Treasurer and other managing committee members were also present and participated in the pujas.

Last updated:Friday, February 24, 2017

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Ekadasa Rudrabhishekam performed at Rama Paduka Ashram - Avenue Mail

Lori's H2O Skills Loris H2O Skills is a professional learn to swim program for children ages 3 months through adults established in 2006 by Lori Weber. In 2015, we will open a 4200 square foot state of the art swim and party facility. What sets us apart from the competition is our commitment to provide the highest quality swim lesson. Loris H2O Skills will be one of kind in Milford and will provide a clean, kid-friendly atmosphere. We will offer personal touch, such as swim certificates with ribbons, themed Birthday Parties, towel service, makeup swim lessons and our Mascot Petey the Shark.

We will also provide the following services:

Warm 90 degree, salt water filtration system with a 90 degree Desert Air ventilation system Swim Lessons Private Classes for all ages, levels and special needs (one on one 15 minute or 30 minute lessons) Small Ratio Group Classes (3 to 1 lessons for our swim level program Rainbow, White, Red, Blue or 5 to 1 lessons for our Rubber Duckies, parent participation class) Water Therapy for Adults (Shallow Water Low Impact Exercise Classes) Birthday Parties Rental Options Special Events Gift Shop Underwater Portraits

View All Swim Jobs

Loris H2O Skills, located at 5610 Wolfpen Pleasant Hill Road, in Milford, is looking for professional Swim Teachers and Water Aerobics Instructors.

If you have a swimming background, love children, adults and kids with special needs, and have a positive personality with lots of patience, then we want you!

We require at least 1 year of teaching experience and prefer a Water Safety Instructor Certification. The certification can be obtained after employment.

All of our Swim Teachers are paid a competitive hourly wage. If interested, please call 513-515-8468 for an interview today! Evenings and Weekends are a must!

Lori Weber

5610 Wolfpen Pleasant Hill Road Milford, OH 45150

phone: 513-515-8468 fax: 513-515-8468

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Swimming Instructors and Water Aerobics Instructors - SwimSwam

Written by PETA | February 23, 2017

If you live in Canada, you know about Pizza Pizza, but do you know about the new Pizza Pizza vegan cheese? The popular chain has added plant-basedcheese to its menu, courtesy of Violifefoods. Think its too good to be true? Check out this page and click the Whats in It? tab. Then select Cheeses. Read it and weep with joy! Then find a location and taste it for yourself.

People are literally freaking out over the new vegan offering and with good reasonjust look at these gorgeous pies:

The ways that cows are exploited for their milk would make anyone turn away in disgust. Mothers calves are taken away from them, often within a day of birth. They are immediately hooked up to milking machines two or more times a day. Artificial insemination, milking regimens, and sometimes drugs are used to force them to produce even more milkthe average cow today produces more than four times as much milk as cows did in 1950.

Thats not all. A cows natural lifespan is about 20 years, but cows used by the dairy industry are typically killed after about five years because their bodies wear out from constantly being pregnant or lactating. A dairy-industry study found that by the time when theyre killed, nearly 50 percent of cows are lame because of standing on concrete flooring and filth in intensive confinement.

As more people learn about the horrors of the dairy industry, were seeing more cruelty-free options become available. Pizza Pizza joins a slew of other companies that are introducing nondairy foods. Coffeemate recently announced that its offering vegan creamers, and both Ben & Jerrys and Breyers released new dairy-free ice cream flavors. Were thrilled!

Want to learn more? Here are the five most common misconceptions about the dairy industry.

If youre not Canadian, check out this list of 42 pizza restaurants that have vegan options.

Also, you can sign up for our popular PETA Living E-News to have compassionate content delivered to your inbox once a week.

All fields in bold are mandatory.

By submitting this form, you are agreeing to our collection, storage, use, and disclosure of your personal info in accordance with our privacy policy as well as to receiving e-mails from us.

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Pizza Pizza Added Vegan Cheese to Its Menu, and People Are Freaking Out - PETA (blog) (press release)

Id been vegan for six and a half years when it happened. It was entirely unexpected, and it left me feeling completely drained and questioning my lifestyle choices. Sadly, Im writing this essay to confess that I finally had to listen to my body.

Many people were urging me to give my body what it needed, and initially I resisted. I can be quite stubborn, and I told myself that if I pretended it wasnt happening, it would go away. But it didnt, and thats because I was ignoring the obvious signals that my body sent.

At this point, I had so little energy that all I wanted to do was go back to bed and pull the covers up to my chin and sleep it off, away from everyone and everything. I was palealmost greyand I knew that the decision I was dreading was going to have to be made.

Let me tell you, when I made that choice, I didnt feel good about it. I felt the weight of that guilt and worried about the knock-on effects it might have. But I did it. Slowly, I dialled the number and I called in sick. And I took the vitamin C and zinc tablets that my friends were urging. And then I had a massive vegan lunch, kept myself hydrated, and took some rest. And after a couple of days, the flu symptoms went away, the colour came back to my cheeks, and I got my usual energy back.

I cant do much about my lifestyle choices: I work with people, and sometimes people get sick and cough in my general direction (Id like to think its not an intentional attempt to infect me but rather carelessness and bad manners, but who knows?). Most of the time, my immune system is strong enough to resist, but even the strongest people get the sniffles sometimes. Yep, vegans too! And its no reason not to be vegan, despite what plant-based YouTubers who expect that eating fruits and vegetables will make them invincible say.

If youre vegan, and you get sick, listen to your body: get some rest; see a doctor if needs be. Eat more fruit and veg; in fact, eat more in general. But if you think that listening to your body means participating in harming animals, then youre mistaken. All of the major dietetic associations agree that well-planned all-plant diets are appropriate for all people in all stages of life.

Vegans arent invincible. Sometimes well get sick. And eventuallywell, I dont have to spell it out for you. But thats not because were vegan; its because were alive, and illness is, sadly, a part of life.

Truth be told, Im stronger, fitter, and less prone to illness than I was when I was nonvegan. But even if that werent the case, Id still be vegan, because instead of listening to my body I prefer to listen to my conscience. And my conscience tells me that using animals when I dont need to is morally wrong.

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How I Got Ill on a Vegan Diet and Why I Ended Up Listening to My Body - Ecorazzi

Viva Las VegansThursday, February 23 5:40pmBy Diana Edelman

Torta Cubana at Panchos Vegan Tacos. Photo courtesy of Panchos

Folks in Centennial Hills now have a vegan reason to celebrate: There are not onebut two notable vegan and vegan-friendly options over on the west side. Chef Kenny Chye of Chinatowns Veggie House fame, who recently opened the Valleys first-ever entirely plant-based fast food spot/drive-thru, Vege-Way (6410 N. Durango Dr.,vegewaylv.com) has opened its second outpost. The all-vegan joint offers cheeseburgers, fish tacos, popcorn chicken and more. Theres even honest-to-goodness milkshakes that leave you questioning just how dairy-free they are. (Trust us, they are.) Because they get their vegan ice cream across the way from the also newly opened second location of Perfect Scoop (6446 N. Durango Dr., perfectscooplv.com), which has a pretty healthy selection of vegan ice cream. Centennial Hills, you have arrived.

Craving Indian food? Urban Turban (39000 Paradise Rd., urbanturbanusa.com) recently revamped its entire plant-based menu, thanks to its new chef, Tarun Kapoor, a master chef from the five-star world. He has created some of the best vegan Indian eats in town, and the restaurant now has 16 (yup, 16!) vegan options. You cant go wrong with the lentil soup, but get a little creative with your apps and main courses and check out the Pani Puri (a crispy flour-filled pastry with potatoes with mint and herb-spiced water you pour over), the Vegetable Korma (fresh veggies in a coconut milk curry) or the Yellow Tadka Dhal, a stew of yellow lentils and Indian spices. End your indulgence with a dark chocolate samosa. Stay tuned this is only the start of the vegan scene at Urban Turban.

Taco shops are a dime a dozen in town, sure. But an entirely vegan taco joint? Say hello to Panchos Vegan Tacos (4865 S. Pecos Rd., panchovegano.com), the only entirely vegan Mexican restaurant in the Valley. Just how much vegan Mexican exists at Panchos? Were talking street tacos with a choice of meat. Fried rolled potato tacos. Quesadillas. Burritos smothered in melted cheese. Tamales stuffed with jalapenos and cheese or meat. Traditional Mexican soups like fideo. Huaraches. Desserts. Horchata. And so much more. Dont be fooledeven if the menu says beef, cheese, sour cream, etc., it is all vegan and animal-free.

Bingeing on Healthy Eats, Indian Gets a Makeover and Vegan Tacos

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Bingeing on Healthy Eats, Indian Gets a Makeover and Vegan Tacos - Vegas Seven

Written by PETA | February 22, 2017

Starbucks has been making great strides in offering vegan foods lately, adding almond milk to its roster of plant-based milks. (It already offered soy and coconut milk.)

And now this: Picture a cupof steel-cut oats, quinoa, and chia seeds that have been soaked in coconut milk and topped with almond slices and shaved coconut. The popular coffee chain has introduced these Overnight Grains in 600 New York locations, and if youre near one, we encourage you to try this vegan goodness immediately. If Starbucks first prepared vegan food item is a hit, it could become available across the entire U.S.

Starbucks is aware of the growing number of plant-based eaters and offered this fascinating statistic when it began to carry almond milk: More than half (58%) of all U.S. adults consume non-dairy milk, and almondmilk is the most popular option with 60% of the non-dairy market.

As the cruel treatment of cows used in the dairy industry becomes common knowledge, the market will increasingly feel the effects of consumers compassionate choices. And consumers choices definitely make a difference.

Just recently, The Daily Meal website named PETA President Ingrid Newkirk one of Americas 50 Most Powerful People in Food for influencing consumers food choices and prompting more companies to offer vegan options. To give just one example, Olive Garden has made its marinara sauce vegan and also veganized its minestrone soup. Sign our current action alert asking Einstein Bros. Bagels to carry dairy-free cream cheese! Then check out our popular guide to vegan cheese and these dairy-free yogurts.

To learn more, check out these 18 images that the dairy industry doesnt want you to see.

Want more vegan Starbucks? See our guide to ordering vegan at Starbucks.

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Good Morning! Starbucks Unveils First Prepared Vegan Breakfast Item - PETA (blog) (press release)

Customize & buy the Tasty Cookbook here: http://bzfd.it/2fpfeu5

Here is what you'll need!

1 tablespoon vegetable shortening

1. In a small mixing bowl, combine chocolate chips, mint extract, and vegetable shortening, and microwave for 1 minute. Stir often and make sure the chocolate doesn't burn.

2. Dip cracker in chocolate mixture.

3. Place chocolate covered crackers on parchment-lined baking sheet.

4. Refrigerate or freeze until hard.

1 cup sea salt/maldon salt

1. Line a 9-inch baking tray with parchment paper and grease thoroughly.

2. Set aside a metal whisk and one tablespoon of baking soda.

3. In a large saucepan (the bigger, the better, as this will more than triple in size) over medium-high heat, combine sugar, corn syrup, and water.

4. Stir to incorporate, then leave to boil. Insert candy thermometer and continue to heat without stirring until the mixture reaches 300F/150C.

5. Remove from heat, and working quickly, add the baking soda and quickly whisk into the sugar syrup (whisking for no more than five seconds to prevent deflating the toffee). The mixture will begin to expand. Quickly pour it into the prepared pan and leave to set. Do not move it for 1-2 hours.

6. Once the toffee has cooled and set, remove from pan. Using a blunt object, shatter the toffee into bite-size pieces.

7. Melt chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl for 75-90 seconds. Make sure to stop and stir after every 30 seconds.

8. Dip the toffee pieces in chocolate and place on a lined baking tray. Finish with a sprinkle of sea salt and place in the refrigerator to cool for 15 minutes.

1. Chop up some bananas and freeze in container for at least two hours.

2. Blend until the bananas smooth.

3. Add some Oreos and blend again.

4. Pour into a container and freeze until solid.

CHOCOLATE- STUFFED STRAWBERRIES

1. Line a 9-inch baking tray with parchment paper.

2. Set aside melted dark chocolate and white chocolate.

3. Chop the top half of the strawberries off.

4. Carve the inside of the strawberry hollow.

5. Place strawberries in empty egg carton.

6. Fill the strawberries with melted chocolate and cover them with the top half again.

7. Chill for five minutes.

8. Dip in white chocolate and place in baking tray.

9. Chill for another five minutes.

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4 Vegan Dessert Recipes - Santa Maria Times (subscription)