The LuxMob Info Tags

If you have home improvement in mind, hiring a contractor makes more sense than doing it yourself. Firstly, a contractor can work with greater expertise and put his experience to best use. Secondly, contractors work within fixed time and budget, which may otherwise exceed expectations. No wonder, many homeowners are opting for contractors to fulfill their home renovation needs!

You can either hire a general contractor or avail services of a specialized contractor such as flooring contractor, roofing contractor and plumbing contractor. While the services of general contractor are more economical and organized (if you don’t like hassles of handling too many people), services of specialized contractor hold the finesse of experienced hand. All depends on your requirements and the kind of work you are looking at.

Another aspect that you must consider while hiring a contractor for home improvement is whether or not the contractor belongs to your local area. If the contractor is located too far from the construction site, the project will suffer lack of personal attention. Moreover, the local contractor is well aware of the trends of the local market and challenges posed by the local conditions such as weather, economic, social and cultural.

A Wise Preacher

Because the preacher was wise, he taught the people knowledge; yea,
he gave good heed, and sought out, and set “in order” many proverbs. Eccles. 12:9

Let all things be done decently and “in order”. 1 Cor. 14:40

When passages are explained or even quoted “in order”,
as per our understanding (in our own language),
their original intent cannot be missed.

(example to follow)

~ To the Suffering Church ~

Turn Down the Oven

1 Corinthians 12:18, 22-26

Just because one’s comely parts have ‘no need’ does not mean those, whose service seems less comely, do not have purpose, too. In fact, when one’s gift shines above another, that was God’s doing, not ours.

Those members of the body, which seem to be more feeble, are NECESSARY … not only for reasons yet to be understood, but because, also, God hath tempered the body!

When Jesus warned that forbidding others ‘trying to grow in service for Him’ would cause suffering (Matthew 19:14), fruit inspections were not a given option.

When one member suffers, the oven temperature goes up; wherein, all members are made to suffer … because the degree of being tempered has to make up for another’s lack in being able to fulfill what God has called them to do.

God tempered the body so there would be no schism, but that members would finally realize ‘having the same care, one for another,’ is not negotiable. We’re to have the same care for the custodian as the preacher, the same respect for the follower as the leader, the same love for the sinner as our most cherished friend.

Therefore, those members of the body whose service we think to be less honourable ~ upon these we bestow more abundant honour. And, once we do so, we will begin to discover one shouldn’t have thought more highly of themselves than they ought (Romans 12:3). But also, ministries will begin to flourish wherein all members will rejoice!

~ * ~

Is not this the fast that I have chosen?
to loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens,
and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke?

Isaiah 58:6

Until then, we mourn for The Suffering Church.

© 2005 by Joyce C. Lock
http://our.homewithgod.com/heavenlyinspirations/
This writing may be used in its entirety, with credits in tact,
for non-profit ministering purposes.

About the Author

Joyce C. Lock is a published author, poet, and columnist. In addition, she founded and maintains the email ministries “Heavenly Inspirations” http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HeavenlyInspirations/ and “Share a Smile” http://groups.yahoo.com/group/smilesharing/. Joyce’s writings encourage us in our relationship with God and each other.

Occasionally, a property owner will have a bad tenant that slips through the rental application cracks and makes their life a living nightmare. If one owns property and hasn’t yet encountered this unique breed of individual; they will. In the following five situations, a brief explanation is listed on how to properly handle some of the toughest moments of one’s rental property adventure.

Property owner and landlord are interchangeable terms throughout this article

1.) Domestic Disputes between tenants - When one has tenants that are renting a property together and continually getting into domestic disputes, the property owner must make sure that they stay neutral to the disputing. If the disputing gets bad enough, one of the tenants may request the locks be changed or the other tenant’s name removed from the lease; don’t do it. The most one can do in these situations is ask for proof of a restraining order from the requesting tenant. If proof is shown, the property owner must then get the written consent of the other tenant to have the locks changed or name removed from the lease.

2.) Departing Roommates - Sometimes when there are multiple roommates occupying a property, one of the tenants will move out in the middle of the lease. Often time, this tenant will instantly want their security deposit back, but don’t give it to them. They are not due the deposit until 30 days after their current lease expires. If someone new is moving in, the old tenant can request (to the new tenant) that the new tenant pay them their deposit. If this happens, the landlord should make the departing tenant fill out a Deposit Assignment and Lease Agreement form.

3.) Tenant Breaks the Lease - This is sure to happen eventually to any owner who owns more than a few properties. When a tenant breaks their lease and leaves early, the landlord needs to immediately get the property ready to be re-rented and begin trying to re-rent it. When and if the property owner and former tenant go to court, the landlord must be able to prove that they made a reasonable effort to re-rent the property, or else they loose the right to recoup the rest of the funds owed to them under the lease. Also, specific to each state and local community, there are certain situations, such as, military transfer or loss of job that can deem a tenant “not responsible” for the remaining rent under the lease.

4.) Bankruptcy - This is the absolute worst-case scenario for a property owner. If one is in the process of evicting a tenant and the tenant files for bankruptcy, the landlord must immediately halt their eviction process. A “stay” is issued when the federal bankruptcy action is filed, meaning that the state cannot continue with the eviction process until the bankruptcy is settled. To proceed with the eviction, the landlord will have to file pleadings with the federal bankruptcy court requesting a “Relief from Stay.”

5.) Illegal Holdovers - Holdover tenants are those tenants that do not move out by the end of their lease (without the permission or an extension of the lease from the landlord). In most areas, the landlord can begin the eviction process immediately, however one must be certain that at no time do they receive additional rent from the holdover tenants, or they are entering themselves into a month-to-month lease.

With the five situations above highlighting some of the worst tenant-scenarios that a property owner may face, it should be noted there are many more good tenants than bad. Unfortunately, it often takes only one bad tenant to completely ruin the experience for the small-time real estate investor, thus propelling them to leave the game and give up before they even got started.

The author is the founder and owner of both ManageYourRentals.com and LandLordDocuments

What has networking got to do with joint ventures? “PLENTY” is the short answer to this question.

Networking is a very important element of joint venture marketing because the more you network, the more you meet potential partners and build relationships that lead to profitable joint ventures.

Your network of business associates, vendors, family and friends, plays a big part when it comes to implementing your joint venture marketing strategy. This is because the most successful partnerships are with people you know, like and trust, and vice versa.

Of course, many profitable joint ventures have taken place between partners that have not known each other for long, but any “cold” contact you meet would need time to evaluate your character and your business, before committing to a partnership with you. Sometimes this could take a few weeks, and other times it may take up to a year.

Before joining organizations or associations in your markets, do your homework to identify which ones are most likely to produce results aligned with your business goals.
Make sure you keep in close contact with those in your network. Send thank you cards, meet for lunch, make brief phone calls, remember birthdays, and ask them to subscribe to your newsletter.

Here are ten places to start with, on your networking journey to lucrative joint venture partnerships:

1. Live Seminars and Conferences

2. Breakfast Meeting Groups

3. Trade Shows and Exhibitions

4. Membership Associations

5. Introductions made through your business associates and vendors

6. Online discussion groups and forums within your industry

7. Live Training Courses

8. On Your Travels e.g. on the airplane or train

9. Interactive TeleSeminars and TeleBootcamps

10. Other Networking Events e.g. at business parties

The size and quality of your network determines your income. The more valuable contacts you have in your network, the more lucrative your joint venture projects would be. Build a profitable network, and increasing your net worth would be easier than you think.

Copyright © 2005 by Habiba Abubakar and Emprez. All rights reserved.

Note: You are welcome to republish this article as long as the resource box at the end is included unaltered.

Habiba Abubakar, a.k.a. The Profit Diva, specializes in helping small business owners who are struggling to increase their client base and are tired of earning mediocre profits. The tips in this article have been excerpted from her home-study program, “Joint Venture Profits For Small Business Owners.”

To learn more about this step-by-step program, and to sign up for your FREE copy of her revealing Mini eCourse, “The Easiest Way To Skyrocket Your Profits In 90 Days Or Less,” visit http://www.profitdiva.com

There are options including auto loans for bad credit for individuals who need them. When you walk into a dealership to purchase a car, you may get the feeling that they are doing a service to you by even giving you the opportunity to get a loan through them. The fact is, you can and should qualify for finance if you can meet a certain criteria. And, you don’t have to obtain it through the car dealership either. For those who need help obtaining auto loans for bad credit, here are some of the things you can do to find solutions to your problem.

Get The Scoop

Your first reaction to needing a car is to head out to the dealership and start looking. It takes only seconds for a salesman to be on to you, probing you with questions about what you want, how much you can afford and what your credit is like. Here’s the bottom line. You should never start looking for a car in an auto dealership. As mentioned, these individuals are looking to make a quick dollar and will have you feeling as if you don’t qualify for anything but what they can offer. This is in fact false. More than likely, you’ll find options much better than theirs if you take the time to look for them.

Money, Here?

Instead of heading to the lot to get your financing, it makes sense to go to the people that specialize in financing options, doesn’t it? That isn’t the small little office at the dealership where you are likely to spend time waiting for them to tell you that they can give you a loan for virtually half of your paycheck. Instead, check out some other options.

You may think that you can be guaranteed to find some better rates at your bank. While they may do better than the car dealership, they too will often charge you more than you should be charged. Instead, consider the opportunity of getting the money that you need through the web. Online, you can find a number of financial institutions that specialize in lending money to those who don’t always have the best credit in the world. You will see that they can often beat the prices that you’ll get elsewhere by quite a margin.

For people who need some extra help, these internet institutions can be a saving grace. But, don’t think that just the first one you stumble upon is the only one out there. You still have options to consider. Start by getting quotes and looking for the best rate. This is easy when you do it through the web. You can easily go from one lender to the next to check out their rates. But, you may not qualify for the lowest rate that they advertise. Often, a poor score on the credit report will increase your rates. So, request quotes from several lenders to see which is the very best for you.

Getting the car that you need just shouldn’t be this hard!

Susan Dean is the webmaster and publisher of
http://www.discount-bad-credit-loans.com/
Visit her web site for all types of discounted bad credit loans.

The Use Of Color. Color can capture and hold your attention almost more than anything else in your landscape. It also gives landscapes definition and interest and adds another dimension to the landscape. By knowing a few facts about how the human eye relates to color, you can make it work to your advantage in your landscape. A color wheel is helpful to understand the relationship between colors.

1. Red, red-orange and yellow are considered to be warm colors.
2. Green, blue, blue-green, blue-violet, and violet are considered to be cool colors.
3. To the eye, warm colors tend to advance and cool colors tend to recede. If planted side by side at a distance, the warm colors will appear closer and the cool colors further away. You can use these effects to create spatial illusions. Planting cool colored flowers at the rear of your garden will make the yard seem larger, warm colors will make the yard seem smaller.
4. Spot plantings can have similar effects seeming to deepen a part of the yard or bring it closer.
5. Cool colored plants are good for close-up viewing, warm colors are good for dramatic displays.
6. Cool colors can easily be overwhelmed by warm colors.

There are different ways that color can be worked into the landscape. Some of the most common color schemes are as follows:

• Monochromatic: Using flowers of various tints and shades of one color.
• Analogous: Using colors that are closely related to one another on the color wheel.
• Complementary colors: Combine colors that are opposite one another on the color wheel. These can be powerful combinations ? bold, that some people may find vibrant, however, others may feel that these colors clash.

If you want to try and blend strong colors, arrange them so that they intermingle, rather than being clearly defined. You can tone down colors by including silvery leaf or white flower plants. If you mix bright reds with bright yellows, try leading up to the mixture with plants of similar but less intense colors.

• Polychromatic: This includes a mixture of all colors. These combinations often produce a carnival type atmosphere. These are often the result of random plantings. Although it sounds foreboding, these can produce pleasing combinations.

Before planting, take note of your background and surroundings:

• Anything you plant will blend in or stand out against the surrounding vegetation, scenery and buildings.
• Note the colors of your existing house and landscape. Almost any color will look good with white, cream or gray, but it is harder to choose plants that go well with more vivid colors.
• Use colored foliage carefully. Although the plants will have color all season, plants with gold, blue, purple or silver-gray leaves are uncommon in nature and can look like they are out of place.
• Vividly colored plants (purples, reds) may look fake in a rural or informal setting.
• A single plant of a different color may stand out from its surroundings - watch the effect; it may look like a focal point or like something that is out of place. To blend in the plant, try adding different plants of the same color in the area to repeat a theme.
• Variegated plants have leaves that are stripped, rimmed or spotted, generally with white. These plants are either loved or hated. They may have a subtle effect in your landscaping, but because of the foliage it may also look like you have a “sick” plant in your landscape.

Be willing to experiment with color, especially when using annuals. A great way to try mixing colors is by mixing up your plants in container plantings. Containers can be easily moved around and adjusted so you can see the effect that your colors have in your landscape.

Color in a landscape will be the first thing that catches your eye and can also stand out like a sore thumb. By taking some time planning your gardens, your landscape can be the envy of the neighborhood.

Donna Evans is a freelance writer, website designer and landscape designer. She is co-owner of Gizmo Creations LLC, a landscape and website design firm, http://www.gizmocreations.com, located in Merrifield, Minnesota.

In my years as a psychologist, I have come to believe that most people seeking psychotherapy are unhappy. This is not only due to earlier hurts and traumas, as well as present frustrations and problems, but because they cannot access earlier happy moments often enough. The unfortunate result is not being able to experience enough positive states of well-being. It is these unique states of well being that I have come to label THE ENCHANTED SELF.

Many scientists of human behavior recognize that we do not yet, and perhaps never can, fully understand human nature. I have become more and more convinced that we do not. What interests me, is that we do not fully understand some people, who have apparently fortunate lives but experience little joy, while others, apparently less fortunate, experience great joy. Perhaps we have tried too hard to understand pathology in our science of psychology, and have not tried hard enough to recognize and understand what I call ego-states, or happiness.

When I first began to analyze the data from the women I interviewed, I kept trying to understand how their enchanted adult lives evolved from the childhoods they talked about. I found that although there seemed to be some clear connections, many others were not clear at all.

The capacities of these women to reclaim positive aspects of their childhood, while discarding the dysfunction that was often also present, was astounding to me. It seemed as if a magic wand had been tapped on the women’s heads in their adult lives.

For example, when Edith talked about her childhood, she at first remembered only its dysfunctional aspects: the fighting between her parents and their constant criticality. I suggested that we go back and look again at her childhood to identify times when, in spite of the pain of family life, she felt excited about her own life and about herself. With this encouragement, she could separate out positive memories of herself from dysfunctional family experiences. She started remembering some wonderful times: delightful family picnics, fishing with her grandfather, and more.

An activity you can do to start on the positive road of Enchantment:

What are some golden moments in your childhood when you felt particularly happy? These moments can be from any age, from your earliest memories through early adulthood. When you find a golden memory, enjoy it. See yourself at that age and experiment with letting different senses reconnect to that happy time. Can you remember the way your body felt? Can you remember what activity you were engaged in? Were there any aromas? What was the weather like? How did things look around you? What did your

mood feel like? Take time to really enjoy this happy memory of yourself.

I wish you a joyful journey. I hope that your life feels whole and that you find your past, whether beautiful or painful, a repertoire of talents and capabilities is that are uniquely yours. I hope that your talents, capacities and potential will give you a sense of well being as they thrust you into the world in meaningful ways.

About The Author

Dr. Barbara Becker Holstein , originator of THE ENCHANTED SELF®, a method of bringing delight and meaning into everyday living, invites you to view her new line of ENCHANTED WOMAN products, downloadable e-books, and free gifts at http://www.enchantedself.com. Chat with others in Dr. Holstein’s e-group, http://groups.yahoo.com/group/encself/join, and sign up for her free e-group at www.enchantedself.com. Order her book, THE ENCHANTED SELF: A Positive Therapy, or the CD-rom or tape version and her book RECIPES FOR ENCHANTMENT: The Secret Ingredient is YOU!, or the ED-rom version, at her website.

enchantedself@verizon.net

You have the ability to create your own mind-set. Whether your attitude is positive or negative, is up to you. The ability to change your environment, circle of friends, and attitude, is within your control.

Just like a computer absorbs raw data, so does your mind. Within your mind a culture, within itself, has grown. Many people feel like they have no control of their own mind, because this culture has become negative. The negativity is a result of past experiences, being in a negative environment, or being under the influence of unconstructive ideas.

Similar to a computer virus, you have to identify it quickly, to avoid letting it spread within your mind. You can also pass this virus of negative thinking to people around you. As a result you are spreading negative energy around, like “weeds in a field.”

Much like a farmer, you cultivate too. The energy in your mind is the crop, and it is up to you, whether it is weeds or wheat. If you have a farm and let a field take care of itself; you will be lucky to have any kind of a crop, from it. This is the same with the energy within your mind.

You have to option to pick quality seeds: Information, in the form of books, eBooks, DVD’s, CD’s, lectures, courses, workshops, and seminars. This is learning, for the sake of self-improvement, and it results in a positive mind-set.

However, your work is not finished, because you must still reinforce the lessons, and keep everything in a focused order. This might be compared to fertilizing, watering, and “weeding the mind.” You have to work at it continually or the weeds will grow back. This, my friend, is meditation, and one of the reasons why we meditate, in the first place.

Meditation is controlled focus on an object, thought, or task without judgment. This process makes it possible to look at all situations objectively. You can find solutions, turn negative situations into positive learning experiences, and create your own positive mindset. As a result of this you will make new friends, reach goals, handle problems easily, and develop an indomitable spirit.

Remember the last time you made an accomplishment. That feeling, and that ability, are within all of us. It is a formula for success, but you have to take action. Action is something that the vast majority of people will never take. Learn to separate yourself from “the pack,” through education, meditation, and action.

Paul Jerard is a co-owner and the director of Yoga teacher training at: Aura Wellness Center, in North Providence, RI. He has been a certified Master Yoga teacher since 1995. He is a master instructor of martial arts, with multiple Black Belts, four martial arts teaching credentials, and was recently inducted into the USA Martial Arts Hall of Fame. He teaches Yoga, martial arts, and fitness to children, adults, and seniors in the greater Providence area. Recently he wrote: Is Running a Yoga Business Right for You? For Yoga students, who may be considering a new career as a Yoga teacher. http://www.yoga-teacher-training.org/index.html

“How come you charge so much?” Kinda feels like a kick to the stomach, huh? This is a classic “objection” during a sales conversation with a prospective customer, and it’s no fun at all.

Customer objections can be painful and intimidating to deal with. And it doesn’t have to be about price. It could be about anything: “Do you really know what you are doing?” “Does this thing really work?” “How do I know you’ll follow through?”

Wish you never had to hear them again? You don’t.

Sacred spiritual traditions, like the High Holy Days and the month-long fasting of Ramadan, are meant to not only leave you empty, but to drain you of all of your certainty. In the center of deep spiritual practice, you are left with many sincere questions in your heart.

Who am I? What is the silent, longing call that I hear in the middle of the night? Where do I really owe my allegiance? What is my heart crying out for? Profound questions that, when approached sincerely, can transform your life. When the time comes for these questions, you have to let go of your beliefs. If you don’t, they become your prison.

The asking of these questions, dropping all of your defenses about what is right or wrong, what you want or don’t want, is the doorway to freedom. You are no longer trying to force an outcome, but merely seeking the truth.
How you ask the questions in your heart is critical. Are you a journalist, sniffing for scandal, sure you will find the dirt? Or are you a true seeker, allowing yourself to love the questions, because you love the truth more than anything?

A customer only raises objections when they feel at risk. At risk of losing money. At risk of losing time. At risk of looking foolish. At risk of any number of things.

Instead of answers, bring sincere, delighted questions to your prospect, devoid of any attachment to what the answers might be. Be curious and in love to learn more about what they are facing, their hopes and fears and desires in their situation. If you do this, they will feel seen. They will safe.

And they will never object. If they are the very best kind of prospects, they will have questions of their own. That’s what you want, someone who cares enough to question you, so the two of you can form a true collaboration, whether you are selling a simple product that brings more enjoyment to their life, or if you are providing complicated, custom services that transform huge organizations.

Questions: After connection, it’s the second step in a successful sales conversation.

What questions are you asking, and what’s the most important one? Practical steps below in Keys to the Questioning

Keys to Questions

• When you start out a conversation with a prospect, start by asking lots of questions. You want to find out all about their situation. If you help people in pain to feel better, then ask all the questions you can: has this happened before? How did it happen? Have you had it a long time? What’s the pain like? How do you normally deal with the pain.

And, go beyond treating them like a problem. Find the place in your heart that cares about them, and ask larger questions: Tell me about how this pain is affecting your life, your work, your relationships.

• When do you stop asking questions? When you can fully see the future they want, and you can see how what you do can get them there, or how what you do is not right for them at all.

• At this point of clarity, you need to ask the most important question: the pivot question. Some people think that the pivot question shifts the focus from the prospect to you and your business. Not true. The pivot question shifts the focus from the present situation your prospect is facing, to the future where this problem is resolved.

“I can sure see how troubling this pain has been for you- it sounds miserable! (pivot ->) What brought you to talk to me about this? How did you see what I do fitting in with what you want to do about your pain?”

The pivot is an important step, because it elicits an invitation from your prospect that gives you permission to talk about how your business works, and how you can help them. Without that invitation and permission, you are trespassing. With the invitation, you are collaborating.

• They will naturally have questions, too, because they will want to see the same future you are seeing. In general, they will want to be clear on exactly what it looks like to work with you, how much it costs, what exactly their commitment is, and how long it takes.

Questions are second nature to your heart, and the key to a successful sale.

Mark Silver is the author of Unveiling the Heart of Your Business: How money, marketing and sales can deepen your heart, heal the world, and still add to your bottom line. He has helped hundreds of people in small business succeed without losing their heart, through integrating1500 years of spiritual tradition with down-to-earth business practices. Get his free workbook, Getting to the Core of Your Business, online: http://www.heartofbusiness.com