Pancreatic Cancer - Living From Diagnosis to Death - The Diary of a Cancer Patient's Daughter

One of the hardest things to do in life is to live once you've been told you are going to die. It's as if life speeds up after you receive knowledge that your days are ticking away on a finite clock that you have no control over. One important thing that I learned while experiencing the devastating affects of Pancreatic Cancer with my mother as she fought this distressing disease is that it is crucial to focus on the time that you have rather than on the time you don't have. To me this article is a condensed version of the Diary of Cancer Patient's Daughter as I explain what living with Pancreatic Cancer is like from diagnosis to death as I framed the picture of my mother's experience in my mind.

I hope and pray that you receive something out of these words birthed out of pain that will bring you peace and help you or your loved one with a Cancer diagnosis live a little longer and happier in spite of the sad reality you are facing. There are 7 D's in this Cancer Diary that can help you manage the physical and mental aspects of this awful disease. Remember that what you don't do in the Cancer Crisis is just as important as what you do.

Entry # 1: The Diagnosis:
My mother Joyce was 66 years old when she was diagnosed with Pancreatic Cancer during the summer of 2008. Though all Cancer is bad, Pancreatic Cancer is considered one of the worst because it is the most difficult to diagnose. The reason is that the symptoms mirror digestive problems as the disease hides in the depths of the digestive system. My mother had chronic pain in her stomach and though she went to the emergency room several times receiving numerous tests and ultra sounds the doctors kept telling her nothing was wrong with her and sent her home every time. Initially they thought it was a problem with her gal bladder which is a common misdiagnosis in the case of Pancreatic Cancer.

Her Father Boyce whom she was named after died of Pancreatic Cancer 20 years earlier but the chance that she could have that very same thing never occurred to her or anyone else in our family. If Cancer runs in your family, especially Pancreatic Cancer I would advise you to have regular screenings for this disease as early diagnosis is a key to survival. One of the most deadly things about Pancreatic Cancer is that because it is so hard to diagnose most patients don't receive their diagnosis until they are already in Stage 4 of the Cancer when there is practically no hope.

The symptoms of Pancreatic Cancer include: abdominal pain and pressure, jaundice, nausea, loss of appetite, depression, weight loss and weakness. My mother had all sypmtoms except for jaundice. Just because a person is missing a common symptom doesn't mean they don't have Pancreatic Cancer. The most common procedures used to diagnosis this brutal disease are: Ultrasonography, CT Scanning, Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancretography, Endoscopic Ultrasound, MRI, and Cholangiogram Percutaneous Transhepatic. I'm pretty sure my mother had all of these tests done and it can be very draining to endure such experiences, however it is vital in obtaining a diagnosis. The results of her diagnosis showed that there was a tumor on her pancreas blocking the flow of bile from her liver, as well as, the flow of enzymes from her pancreas. In her case the tumor was wrapped around a blood vessel and surgery to remove the tumor was not really an option. Very few surgeons in the country would have been able to successfully perform the surgery and her chances of survival would have been slim to none. Even if she had of had the surgery her quality of life following it was questionable. This surgery is commonly known as the Whipple Operation and removes a large part of the pancreas, the duodenum and a portion of the bile duct

What do you do in this situation? You make the choice to live the best life in the time that you have which is undetermined and different for everyone. Suck every drop of joy out of life you can as quickly as possible. If we could turn back the clock and do it all over again the one thing we would do differently is have annual screenings for the disease conducted because had we done that my mother might still be alive today. What you do in time can determine the time you have on this earth.

Many people allow the hands of time to cover their eyes to what they don't want to see. Open your eyes today and if you have not been diagnosed with this disease begin to use preventative measures such as a healthy diet, exercise and regular checkups with your doctor.

Entry # 2: Denial:
We were in such disbelief after receiving the diagnosis we failed to take immediate action locked in the paralysis of our new found reality. One thing Cancer does not give you is time . That big devil called denial must be dealt with. I can still hear my mother saying, "I can't have this...not me!" You must come to grips with what you have in order to get a grip on the situation. Sometimes I think of Cancer being more of an accident of health rather than a mistake of nature. All you can do with a mistake is wish that it never happened but accidents can be prevented. Maybe this is a little optimistic since Cancer tends to creep in like an unexpected thief to steal your most prized possessions. Even so, optimism is always stronger than pessimism and it merely means that our powerful spirits encased in a fragile frame of flesh chooses to live.

Even people with diseases such as drug addiction and alcoholism must come out of denial before they recover. I know Cancer survivors and they are the same people that came out of denial and dealt with the disease. You will never take action in regards to something you don't believe.

Entry # 3: Drugs:
We live in a pill popping nation where there is a drug for every situation. One of the main problems with drugs is that they mask symptoms but fail to provide a cure. Drugs do their best to cover up the Cancer until the victim is covered with earth in a coffin. I keep hearing rumors that there is a cure for Cancer but the medical and funeral industries are making too much money off of the disease to release the cure. I don't know if that is true but it sure makes sense.

Though drugs were diagnosed to help my mother one of the first things we did which is extremely important for Pancreatic Cancer patients was to have a stint put in. Stints were inserted into the tubes leading from her liver and pancreas to help them function and this helped her to live a better life. In some cases, depending on the size of the tumor, it is very difficult to insert stints but there are several alternative methods and procedures to accomplish the same effect. If you have a good doctor he will inform you of all options. If you have a doctor that doesn't tell you all the options; get another doctor.

My experience with a mother with Pancreatic Cancer perfected a hatred in me for Morphine which is the pain medication my mother was put on. Since the pain caused by the Cancer is so intense our options were limited and we wanted my mother to be able to live out her days as pain free as possible as I think anyone would. The Morphine altered her mind, changed her personality and caused aggression and paranoia. The effects of the Morphine put the family in pain while relieving my mother's pain.

At times it was as if she was out of her mind and it nearly drove us out of ours. She no longer trusted the people that loved her and many times would forget what she was saying in the middle of a sentence. The family told her many things over and over again and she wouldn't do them and always forgot what we told her. To me Morphine kills a person before they die. It kills their ability to convey the essence of who they truly are. There are alternatives for pain relief drugs but I don't know how much better they are since we only dealt with Morphine.

It amazes me how Patrick Swayze filmed a television series with Pancreatic Cancer refusing to take pain medications so he could concentrate on and accomplish his work. I remember hearing him speak about preparing hours in advance of his shoots to be mentally and physically prepared to accomplish every task in pain. I think drugs such as Morphine make a person die faster because it arrests their mind. In the movie the Matrix if you've ever seen it, Neo is doing the jump program with Morpheus and falls. When he comes out of it he is bleeding and makes a statement to the fact that he thought it wasn't real and Morpheus tells him that the mind makes it real and that the body cannot live without the mind. If you are mentally incapacitated, how can you make a conscious decision to fight for your life?

A glimmer of hope came to us while dealing with the madness of the Morphine which is an alternative pain treatment that Cancer patients can receive that deals with injecting alcohol around certain nerves to block the feelings of pain. My mother had this procedure done but said that it didn't work. To this day I don't know if the treatment really didn't work or if by the time she had it she was already addicted to the Morphine and the pain she felt were the pangs of withdraw.

Unfortunately Morphine was only one wave in the ocean of drugs we had to deal with. There were digestive enzymes that had to be taken prior to eating, beta blockers, heart medication, anxiety medication, insulin for the diabetes caused by the shut down of the pancreas, medication for indigestion, vitamins, blood thinners for blood clots and so many medications we had to make an Excel spreadsheet just to keep track of them.

One of the effects of the disease that had to be dealt with was extreme swelling of the abdomen and feet to the point where diuretics were prescribed, fluid draw procedures had to be performed by using a needle to draw the fluid from the abdomen and as for the feet; only house shoes could be worn. I found out that the swelling was caused by the Cancer mainly due to the body's reaction to the tumor and to the lack of protein in the blood disabling the bloods ability to hold fluid.

The things that a person goes through with Cancer are almost endless. Every part of the body is affected; especially the mind, the will and the emotions. Based upon the experience I encountered with my mother a couple of other crises we had to press through was the C Diph infection causing chronic diarrhea causing contact isolation that is almost like quarantine to be implemented. My mother could barely eat and we had to put on hospital gowns and gloves to be in the room with her or even come in contact with her.

An episode we faced with internal bleeding caused by the rupturing of blood vessels was very traumatic and hospitalized my mother after she passed out from weakness with her eyes rolling back in her head due to the extreme blood loss. Blood was in her bowels and blood transfusions had to be issued in order to get her blood count back up to normal which is usually 14 and hers was almost half that. Had we not sought medical attention for her at that time she could have died. So that you can recognize this, the symptoms are usually extreme weakness and black loose bowels. I experienced the same thing when I was four years old and diagnosed with acute hemorrhagic pancreatitis.

We tried chemotherapy which is extremely hard on the body killing the good cells along with the bad. Chemotherapy is like infusing your body with a poison in order to get rid of another poison. For some people it works but sadly to say in the cases of Pancreatic Cancer it is rarely effective. I am not a doctor and therefore give no medical recommendations as to how to treat Cancer of the Pancreas but in my own personal opinion and experience through observance I would say if possible find a better way.

There are alternative treatments, natural remedies and experimental treatments. A Cancer patient can seek studies that are being conducted for the type of Cancer they have and in many cases when they become a part of the study they can receive free or very low cost experimental treatments. One day one of these experimental treatments might be the answer. My mother used an experimental chemotherapy that was available but it was too hard on her heart. One of her smaller tumors did disappear but that wasn't enough.

Chemotherapy can carry such side effects as nausea, vomiting and decreased white blood cell counts. Historically Chemotherapy has not been effective in the treatment of Pancreatic Cancer, but there are more up to date treatments that use a FDA approved agent called gemcitabine which has helped to shrink some tumors for Carcinoma of the pancreas.

At one point we went to see a naturalpathic doctor specializing in alternative Cancer treatments that knew of a treatment that had proved to be effective for Pancreatic Cancer. The name of the treatment is Intravenous - Lipoic Acid/Low-Dose Naltrexone Protocol. There are various articles and information on this treatment for you to research and intellegently consider.

Our problem with the treatment was that one of the drugs prescribed for it that could only be filled at a compound pharmacy blocks the affects of opiates and since my mother was on Morphine for pain a known opiate she plunged into a chronic pain episode that caused her to lose coherency from the pain and go to the emergency room where the only thing they could do to relieve her pain was to give her a drug strong enough to sedate her and completely knock her out. It was a tremendous setback in her treatment. The opiate blocking drug was supposed to be a very low dosage that should not have negatively affected her so if this particular treatment is chosen I would do extensive research and make ample preparations before trying it.

When you are personally dealing with Cancer or know someone close to you that is you will find out quickly that everyone has a product to sell you that they claim has cured someone from Cancer. Maybe they have and maybe they haven't. Again I remember watching an interview with Barbara Walters and Patrick Swayze when he said something to the effect of, "If you had a miracle cure for Cancer you would be rich and everyone would know you so just shut up." We tried several products and ordered everything we thought could make a difference or be a cure. I'm going to share with you two things that you can buy on your own that we didn't get a chance to try because we found out about them too late. I don't know it they work, but its worth a try as anything is when you are dying.

You can search YouTube and find videos on the banking soda Cancer treatment and you can search the internet to find articles that specifically discuss the use of asparagus to treat Cancer.

There is so much more I could say about different treatments and drugs but instead of going on and on about this subject I will instead give you a few helpful hints.

Helpful Hint #1: If you are strong enough to do it aerobic exercise helps Chemotherapy patients by ridding the toxins in their system from Chemotherapy through sweat. I read an article once about a lady with Cancer that felt to sick to do aerobics when her coworkers kept inviting her to class because they didn't know she had Cancer. She started the classes eventually and felt sick at first and then started feeling better. She sweated the toxins out and one year later was teaching the class Cancer Free.

Helpful Hint #2: When a Cancer patient's veins are to the point where it is extremely difficult to draw blood or administer IV medication a Central Line which is a port for IV and medication inserted into the jugular vein by ultrasound can be good. I witnessed the pain of my mother as she was poked multiple times with attempts to draw blood and insert IV's. Save yourself this pain with a Central Line.

Helpful Hint #3: Keep a positive attitude and laugh as often as possible. The Bible says that laughter doeth the heart good like a medicine. Sometimes simple laughter will do more for a Cancer patient than any drug. Laughter heals and it makes a person's time on this earth more enjoyable. Talk about funny memories from the past with family and friends and laugh, laugh, laugh! You deserve it! Mental support is important. Encourage, speak positive things and most of all be there for the person that you know that has Cancer. Cancer and all the things a person goes through with it are scary. I coached my mom and encouraged her and told her she could make it when she didn't think she could. Encouragement in love can add time to a Cancer patient's life.

Ask lots of questions and gain as much knowledge as possible. If a drug or treatment you or a Cancer patient you know is on doesn't seem right; talk to the doctor about it because there is always an alternative.

Entry # 4: Disappointment:
Normally in life there are disappointments. When you already have a disappointing disease disappointment can be magnified. What do you do when the Chemo doesn't work? How do you react when the miracle cure you found out about doesn't cure? How do you deal with setbacks that surface along the way? What you do is keep going, keep trying and don't give up. It is important to express disappointment and acknowledge it as long as it doesn't take you captive.

Just having the disease is disappointing not to mention all of the obstacles encountered while dealing with the disease. Disappointment is not only experienced by the Cancer victim but by the family and friends that love that person so much.

I was working on my MBA when my mother was diagnosed with Cancer. Since she was already in Stage 4 of Cancer when she was diagnosed we found out shortly after the diagnosis that the Cancer had spread to her lungs and other areas of her body. I can remember the day I found out about that. I started crying at work and couldn't stop and had to leave the office. I know what it feels like to try and hold tears in and there is nothing you can do to keep them held in your eyes. I know what it is to cry until your stomach jerks in and out and snot comes out of your nose and you feel like throwing up. My mother was my best friend and because of that I am well acquainted with disappointment.

I always wondered how the people with these miracle stories that publish these books about overcoming Cancer did it. Their methods worked for them with no doubt but my mother was in such a bad state she couldn't even do most of the things these books said to do and that was so disappointing. I wished I could speak with these people personally just to ask them...HOW? How did you do it?

One of the greatest challenges faced was that my mother was a Minister and Pastor and she had a lot of people praying for her as she even believed for her own healing. God is a healer but He doesn't always heal and there is always a question of why for those that are not healed. Dottie Olsteen the wife of the late Pastor John Olsteen of Lakewood Church in Houston, Texas now pastured by Joel Olsteen at one time had terminal Liver Cancer. Dottie gathered together the healing scriptures from the Bible and began to speak them over herself three times a day like a medicine prescription and was totally and completely healed.

Why her and not my mother? I don't know. Maybe God was ready for my mom to come home with Him. All I can tell you is that disappoint can and will come in many forms. The best cure for disappointment is to overcome with an attitude of thankfulness accepting that you don't know the reason for all things but you do know that there is a reason and a purpose for all things. Stay positive while keeping your mind and spirit open to whatever might happen. Disappointment comes when something other than what you expect or anticipate happens. With Cancer you have to be prepared for the success or failure of anything and everything. Be encouraged; you are stronger than disappointment. Don't let it catch you off guard but be prepared for it. Know that for every disappointment there is a triumph on the other side.

Entry # 5: Diet:
Anyone with Cancer should reconstruct their diet to contain the food that fight against and even cures Cancer. Eat and drink substances that are non-acidic, alkaline and highly concentrated with antioxidants. Research to find Cancer healing foods.

One of the most important things to do is to drink a lot of water. Water is the source of life and the human body is mostly composed of water. There is an author that wrote a book called, "You Aren't Sick You're Just Thirsty" talking about the importance of water and its affects on the body.

Diet is rough with Pancreatic Cancer because you can know all the right things to eat and not be able to consume them. The affects of the disease on the digestive system makes it very hard to eat and drink. The patient may lose their appetite and even if they do have an appetite once they eat it can make them feel sick. Pancreatic Cancer sabotages the digestive system.

One thing that helped us was some information we found on dill pickles that assists in the digestion of food. In many instances when someone with Pancreatic Cancer or other digestive problems eats a dill pickle with each mean it helps to counteract the digestive problems so they can eat in comfort and keep the food down for nutrition to the body.

There are also drugs available to enhance the appetite but if dill pickles can also be eaten with every meal that should help greatly as well. Since Pancreatic Cancer patients have difficulties in eating and tend to lose a lot of weight dietary supplements such as protein shakes are suggested which are ingested easier with the use of a straw. Peanut butter can be added to the shakes to increase the calorie content and nutritional value of the shake. Another suggestion is to eat very small meals all throughout the day. The Cancer patient may not feel like eating but in order to live they must FORCE themselves to eat. Lack of food and liquid can kill quicker.

Vitamin D fights Cancer and freshly juiced vegetable juices containing the juice from green leafy vegetables can be extremely helpful especially when drank right after juicing when vitamin content and living substance is at a high level. The external diet is also important which consists of Epson salt baths that help to heal and release toxins from the body.

We all know the saying, "You are what you eat." Eat what is alive and it will help you stay alive. The first 3 letters of the word diet is the word die. Don't let what you are eating kill you. Since Cancer patients many times have to give up foods they love in order to live it is great if the family can conform to their diet in support of their dietary efforts. Some foods make Cancer grow like simple sugars. Cut the sugar out of your diet and use Stevia to sweeten foods. Stevia is a naturally sweet leaf that is available in powder and liquid form to sweeten foods and use in recipes. I am a big Bible reader so I love that Stevia is a leaf because the Bible says that the leaves shall be used for the healing of the nations.

Entry #6: Death:
Even when you know someone is going to die nothing really prepares you for the affects, effects and real life reactions to that death. Everyone's experience is different and I will share my personal experience with you hoping it will help you in some way. I can remember my mom looking at me one night and saying to me, "I'm dying!" I didn't know what to say back because even though I knew she had Cancer and death seemed inevitable I refused to accept the fact the she was actually going to die.

We took her to the hospital on a Thursday and the very next day they wanted to send her to hospice. Hospice is a great and awful place all at the same time. Great due to the care and support and painless exit for the patient from this world they provide. Awful because you know that it is the last place you will be with the one you love. Hospice facilities are very comfortable and they give you a chance to say goodbye even if you don't want to. No one does. Please know that you aren't the only one going through this; neither are you the only one that has ever gone through this.

Counselors are provided, as well as, chaplains for spiritual support and prayer. You will receive a booklet explaining the death process which helps you know when death is near. During this process give the Cancer patient a lot of love, comfort and support and make sure you get ample food and rest. Speak to your loved one while they are responsive and even after they are in a drug induced comma because they can still hear you. Be sure not to be selfish and release them to pass on so they won't linger in suffering. That is all I will say about the hospice experience as you will learn more as you are actually in it. This is the time to meet with the funeral home and make preparations for the funeral and burial. You won't want to do this but it is necessary and will help smooth out the process. Overall, hospice is a place to say your final goodbyes.

Entry # 7: Debt:
My dad only had enough life insurance to cover my mom's funeral and this is not recommended. The moment a Cancer diagnosis is in place get as much checkup free insurance as you can get. For some reason the bill collectors don't understand the word death and you can be stuck with bills that increase your sorrow. You will need a living will for your patient and you also need a power of attorney to deal with their accounts way before a death experience is upon you.

Also make sure a will is in place so you don't have to deal with probate. Some accounts are easily closed after death simply by submitting a copy of the death certificate to the creditor and it is important to see if insurance is in place to pay off accounts upon death.

I have shared my heart, soul and intimate personal experience with you in this article and I want to share something else that can benefit you greatly which is a way to pay off your mortgage in one third to one half the time allowing you to own your home outright and become debt free.

It should not take a crisis such as Cancer for us to become mortgage and debt free but if something such as Cancer arises I know that being mortgage and debt free can be one less worry. My dad would have more freedom and options today had his house been paid off when my mother passed. There are still medical bills to deal with and even some prescriptions that cost $800 for a 10 days supply after our prescription benefits ran out.

Please fell free to contact me anytime for any information or support I can offer you in what you are going through. If you want to learn how you can pay off you mortgage quickly and be mortgage free then visit my website by clicking on this link: Become Mortgage/Debt Free!. I wish you all the best and I encourage you to be stronger than you've ever been. You will feel the pain of your loss for awhile and it will be absolutely unbelievable for a very long time but you will get through it. Remember the good times, look at pictures of life and hear the voice of your loved one live on in your mind and spirit forever. Peace.

Deneene A. Collins, (832) 630-9806 - Personal Cell

Deneene is an aspiring author of many inspirational books designed to help people overcome and succeed in life.

Does Your Church Have a Clergy Sabbatical Policy?

A growing number of congregations recognize that something must be done to keep their pastors healthy and effective. Clergy 'burnout' has become rampant.

What steps should you take if your church does not have a clergy sabbatical policy?

Step 1--Learn about sabbaticals

For the past ten years, Alban Institute has published the two most commonly used introductions to the clergy sabbatical:

Clergy Renewal: The Alban Guide To Sabbatical Planning by A. Richard Bullock and Richard J. Brueshoff
Why You Should Give Your Pastor A Sabbatical by Roy M. Oswald
Most local churches in the United States are affiliated with a larger church body. The value of the clergy sabbatical for clergy renewal is so widely accepted that virtually every Christian denomination offers guidelines and sample policy statements for congregations to adapt to their local situation. It makes sense to seek guidance from those who ordain, roster or supervise your pastor. Do not overlook the most obvious resources available to help you learn about sabbaticals.
Also, contact neighboring churches that already have a clergy sabbatical policy. All you have to do is "ask"--in all probability, you will find others who are eager to share their experiences and their recommendations as you develop a clergy sabbatical policy for your church.

Step 2--Approve a sabbatical policy

Once you know something about sabbaticals, you can begin the process of doing what is necessary to facilitate a sabbatical for the clergy who serve your parish.

This step requires familiarity with how your church governs itself. What documents must be drafted and approved? Who must be involved in order to gain approval and support for the implementation of your clergy sabbatical policy? Obviously, this varies from church to church.

A Sample Clergy Sabbatical Policy

(BLANK) Church acknowledges that a sabbatical will enable the person(s) serving in the position(s) of (BLANK) to be renewed through an extended study leave.

Therefore, (BLANK) Church recommends that person(s) in the position(s) of (BLANK) be granted a compensated sabbatical of at least (BLANK) months after (BLANK) years of service to our church.

The (BLANK) (committee/board/team) will be responsible to facilitate a successful sabbatical-- reviewing the sabbatical plan, mediating any concerns of the church or clergyperson, and coordinating pastoral services during the interim absence of the person taking the sabbatical.

The sabbatical plan must be submitted at least (BLANK) months in advance of the proposed study leave that is approved by (BLANK) (governing board).

Step 3--Implement the policy

For a clergy sabbatical policy to succeed, it is extremely important to clarify and communicate expectations and to ensure that practice aligns with policy. This can be accomplished in several ways including the use of board minutes, constitution and bylaws, employment agreements, employment manuals, annual employment performance review proceedings and newsletter articles.

For the sake of all concerned--the congregation, the governing board(s), and the church employees--make sure that you communicate repeatedly the rationale for the sabbatical policy.

After the sabbatical, keep a few things in mind:

Find ways to affirm what happened during the interim of the sabbatical, both in the congregation and for the person on sabbatical
Celebrate the homecoming and the reunion of the congregation and the clergy who have been apart from each other
Most churches like a commitment from their pastor that he/she will remain at the church at least a year after the sabbatical
If your church does not have a clergy sabbatical policy, now is a good time to develop one. The key ingredient here is someone who cares deeply about the health and effectiveness of your pastor. The motivated person, then, needs only help the governing board and your pastor to follow the three steps outlined: (1) Learn about Sabbaticals, (2) Approve the Sabbatical Policy, and (3) Implement the Policy.
Dr. Dell Shiell and Diane Shiell, a husband-wife team, co-founded St. Hans Ministry Exchange, Inc. in 1991 to promote home and ministry exchanges. They also co-authored a book, Fair Exchange: A Ministry Exchange Between the USA and Norway.

Serving Lutheran churches for 32 years, Diane and Dell advocate both creative stewardship and entrepreneurial stewardship for Christian ministry support.

To make your clergy sabbatical affordable, they recommend ChristianHomeExchange.com, an online home exchange listing directory for Christians--both clergy and laity.

To make any ministry project "affordable," check out Fundraising With Homes, a fundraising program to complement your church's capital campaign and the planned giving effort for your church endowment.

The Lost Message of Pentecost

When it comes to Pentecost, what exactly do we celebrate? We are told that the celebration is all about commemorating the descent of the holy spirit upon the Apostles. That event was recorded with a number of details in the book of Acts. But is Pentecost of even greater importance and significance than the birth of Christ?

There are a number of popular celebrations on the Church calendar. The biggest and most popular is Christmas. People understand they are celebrating the birth of Christ. But when it comes to Pentecost, there are many who wonder what it is really all about.

What is the real significance of what occurred to those twelve apostles? Is it possible that it was the greatest event to date in the history of mankind? Has the great message of Pentecost been lost?

Ever since the book of Genesis, when man first came on the scene, having body, soul and spirit, there have been a number of events that have affected all of mankind. Through the centuries there have been hurricanes, tornadoes, earthquakes and volcanoes. But what happened in the Garden when Adam sinned was the worst disaster for human beings that has ever happened.

Even though there were only two people immediately affected, the consequences would be felt by billions and billions; the consequences would affect every single human being ever born, with the exception of Jesus Christ.

It is because of not understanding what happened when Adam sinned that results in not understanding what happened on the original day of Pentecost. Adam was told that if he ate of the tree in the midst of the garden he would surely die. If you are familiar with the record then you know that both Adam and Eve ate of that fruit.

Yet, if you continue reading in the Bible, they both lived for many, many years. But God had said, "In the day you eat, you will die," meaning that very day. By taking a closer look one can see that Adam and Eve were formed made and created with two life forms: soul and spirit.

The absence of life is indicated by the word, "death." What died that day for Adam and Eve was the spirit life that God intended for all human beings to have. It is very significant to note that it was the spirit life that enabled them to have a close personal relationship with God.

When they lost spirit life, they still had body and soul life. But they had lost their connection with the Creator. And, this loss was passed on to all men and women. This was a cataclysmic event, with devastating consequences on all of mankind.

Since very few understand what happened back in the Garden of Eden with Adam and Eve, they fail to see its connection to Pentecost. But it was after the fall of mankind that God set in motion a plan to redeem mankind. Because of Adam's sin, human beings were now incomplete; they were lacking the spirit of God.

During the process of God's plan, you can read about how God gave certain individuals His spirit on a temporary basis. But it was not available to any and all human beings. It took the completed work of Jesus Christ, the savior of mankind, to fulfill all that was necessary.

On that first day of Pentecost, Peter delivered quite a sermon. It contained a number of references to God's gift of holy spirit. He concluded his message by exhorting those listening to change their minds, get baptized, and told them that they too would receive the gift holy spirit. About 5,000 accepted the invitation.

Jesus taught his followers on many occasions about the coming of holy spirit. It was a major topic at the last Supper. And after he was resurrected, the first time he got together with his disciples he talks to them about receiving the holy spirit.

On the day of the ascension, right before he left, the very last thing he talked about was about receiving the holy spirit.

If you look closely at Peter's message on the day of Pentecost, it is filled with information about the spirit of God.

The lost message of Pentecost is the beginning of holy spirit for all of mankind. That was the day when God officially made His holy spirit available to anyone and everyone. The reason God wants everyone to have His spirit is so that He can have a close personal relationship just like He had with Adam and Eve in the Garden before the fall.

And while Adam and Eve could and did, lose the spirit of God, this time around, God made it permanent. He has given us all eternal life which means you cannot lose it.

What a great day in the history of mankind Pentecost was! God has opened the door for anyone and everyone to receive His gift of holy spirit. No wonder Peter later referred to that day as, "the beginning." Now it is up to us to learn how to utilize and operate this gift of holy spirit that God has freely given us.

Michael A. Verdicchio offers a FREE LIFETIME MEMBERSHIP to, "Enriching Your Life Now!" as well as a FREE NEWSLETTER at http://www.ConfidenceAndJoy.com He also offers a FREE series of articles on success at http://www.ReducingStressAtWork.com. Michael is a husband, father, minister, author, and broadcaster. He has also been the voice on numerous projects and productions including Mike's Pep Talks!

Basic Facts About Pottery Barn Outlet

Pottery Barn is one of the most successful names in the home furnishing manufacturing industry. In fact, many homeowners today, as in the recent years, choose this brand's furniture pieces over other brands. Its products appeal tremendously to people because of their classy and casual yet distinct designs. The brand also made to many home and lifestyle magazines because of the way that people look at its products. But with the enormous popularity of the products, they are not that affordable to some people. There are those who have to save big time just to be able to afford them. But thanks to the establishment of every Pottery Barn Outlet, these sought- after products are becoming more achievable for more and more homeowners.

What is Pottery Barn Outlet?

It is a store that specializes in offering discounted products. Shoppers can buy authentic products in these stores with 20- 40% discounts. Though n outlet usually does not offer exactly the same things found in ordinary stores, shoppers remain to have a wide array of choices. The discounted prices of items in these stores are due to their condition-either unsold old models, returned items, or those with minor manufacturing discrepancies. During clearance sales, some items can cost 50 percent cheaper than in regular stores; and these offer enormous savings to every furniture- buying shopper.

What You Can Find?

Contrary to the common conception about furniture outlet stores, an outlet is a clean and comfortable place to shop. It does not have the very narrow aisles, overstocked racks and organized furniture pieces lying around like in other outlets. The products are also commendable since aside from having great quality, some blemishes, if there are any, are hardly noticeable. Shoppers have a vast range of choices, depending on their preferences. You will sure to find a furniture that will match your home and your personality. Also, you do not have to worry of being scammed and end up getting low- quality replicas, because these stores are run by the company itself.

Pottery Barn History

The company established in Lower Manhattan in the year 1949 by Paul Secon and started selling furniture pieces to the locals. From there, it has grown into a popular shop for exquisitely- designed furniture pieces. Paul's brother, Morris, helped greatly in the operation of the company. The company was bought from GAP, Inc, and became a wholly subsidiary of Williams- Sonoma, Inc. Today, it is known to sell the best furniture pieces that fit the needs of modern time; including its flagship "Manhattan Collection" line which are manufactured by Lane in Toledo, Ohio.

In 2000, the company went online and established its online store and online outlet. It was also the time when the company opened its Pottery Barn Kids, followed of course, by the establishment of the kids outlet in different locations in the United States. These outlets sell discounted furniture pieces especially made for children and infants.

Locations

Currently, Pottery Barn Outlet Stores are seen in 10 different states in the US and in the internet; while Pottery Barn Kids Outlet Stores are located in eight various locations. A Pottery Barn Online Outlet is open for people who live outside the US or those that live far from a Pottery Barn Outlet. You can visit the Pottery Barn website to know the exact locations of its outlet stores. So if you are on the look- out for stylish and high quality furniture pieces in discounted prices, Visit a Pottery Barn Outlet Store today.

Shopping in a Pottery Barn Outlet offers you more savings through great deals and amazing bargains.

Learn more about this outlet and other outlet stores at http://hugeoutletstores.com/

Tracy Morgan's Life

Born Tracy Jamal Morgan, he was born on November 10, 2010. He is a stand-up comedian, a writer, producer and an actor. Tracy Morgan is best known in the 7 seasons cast member of the 'Saturday Night Live'. He is currently best known in the 30 Rock, an NBC series, by the name Tracy Jordan. He was born and raised in Bronx, New York as the second born of a family of five. He grew up along rapper Jay Z in Marcy Projects in Bedford. His talent was discovered in 1984 after attending a De Witt Clinton High School as he did stand-up comedy in Apollo.

Before embarking on comedy, Tracy Morgan worked as a painter in New York for L&L Painting and Rose Company. His career began in Martin where he played the role of Hustle Man. He features in the Chris Rock film - Head of State - in the year 2003 as a man watching TV who was always wondering why they are not watching the Martin. He also was a regular cast in 'Uptown Comedy Club', which aired from 1992 through to 1998. He also featured in the HBO show, the Snaps.

Other than his career, Tracy Morgan has an exceptional personal life. He claims to have some tattoos on his body and includes a peace sign, happy/sad face, his wife and his three sons. He married his high school sweetheart in the year 1985 and has three kids. 23 years down the line, Sabrina, his wife, filed for divorce. This was due to his alcoholism and a rumored affair with a Miami female DJ. Before this time, they were separated for 8 years.

He was diagnosed in 1996 to have diabetes, something that he never took seriously. He finally decided to comply after a fever of 104-degrees on a set in '30 Rock'. His most life troubles have been incorporated in the '30 Rock' TV series.

For more information, visit tracy-morgan.org. They are one of the top Tracy Morgan fan sites! The site features all the background information on Tracy Morgan you could want, so stop by today!

Easiest Guitar Basics - How to Get Your Guitar in Tune Using a Guitar Tuner

One of the easiest guitar basics you need to know and one of the most important things that you can do before you begin practicing or playing is to tune your guitar. Now as a beginner guitarist, that's not always as easy as it sounds.

First of all if you are just beginning guitar you likely won't have the confidence to know when you are in tune. There is a solution that's inexpensive, accurate and easy.

An electronic guitar tuner.

A guitar tuner is usually a small battery operated device. You can purchase these at your local music store or online for about $20.00 and up. Even the least expensive tuner is absolutely the easiest guitar solution you'll find to get your guitar in tune.

There are three basic styles of tuners:

o Clip On -- These tuners clip on to the head of the guitar and will either read the vibrations as you play each string individually through the clip or "hear" the pitch on the mic setting.

o Normal -- These are just the standard, regular shaped tuners. They have a built in mic for tuning an acoustic guitar or an input jack for plugging in your electric or acoustic electric guitar. If the tuner also has an output jack you can plug another cable in and continue on to the amp. This will save you plugging and unplugging the tuner.

o Pedal -- The guitar tuners that look like a guitar pedal are designed to sit on the floor with your other effects pedals. The more expensive pedal style tuners also act as an AC power supply for your other pedals so that you can eliminate batteries or a separate AC adapter for each pedal.

Also, there are two versions of guitar tuners.

The Standard "Guitar Tuner"

o The first type of tuner is referred to simply as a "Guitar Tuner" and is calibrated for each of the six guitar strings based on the standard tuning for a guitar which is; E, B, G, D, A, E. beginning from the thinnest string.

The 1st string is "E" which is the thinnest string. This string is physically on the bottom (on a standard guitar) however it is called the TOP string because it is the highest sounding string pitch wise.

The 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th strings get gradually thicker until you finally get to the thickest string which is the 6th.

This means the 1st string is tuned to "E", the 2nd is "B", the 3rd is "G", the 4th is "D", the 5th is "A" and the 6th is "E".

The "Chromatic Tuner"

o The other type of tuner is called a "Chromatic Tuner." The chromatic tuner recognizes all of the notes including sharps and flats. In other words if you wanted to tune your guitar to what is called a "flat" tuning this is easier with a chromatic tuner than a standard guitar tuner.

Every string in a "flat" tuning is tuned one semi-tone lower. This means that "E" is tuned to "Eb" (E flat). "B" is tuned to "Bb" (B flat) and so on.

There are other variations on tuning as well. Probably the 2nd most popular tuning, after the "flat" tuning, is the "drop D" tuning.

You will not be using these "alternate" tunings in the beginning, but eventually you are likely to use them.

Tuning Suggestions

A few suggestions I have for tuning with any guitar tuner are:

o If you are tuning an acoustic guitar have the tuner close to the guitar. If there is no where to set the tuner, lay the guitar flat on your lap and set the tuner on top of the guitar. This keeps the tuner from sliding off your leg if there is no where else to set it. It also allows for a good clear reading. If you are tuning an electric guitar and are plugged into the tuner this doesn't apply.

o The second suggestion is to play the string and let it ring. This will allow the tuner to get a good reading. Then stop the string and play the string again.

o Also, and this is crucial, if you are tuning the "B" string be sure the tuner says "B". There are 2 things to look for;

1. that the tuner's needle or LED's are pointing to the center or "0" and

2. that it is the correct note being tuned.

Online Guitar Tuners

Another place that you can get a guitar tuner is online. Some of them work from the website and others you can download to your computer.

These tuners generally work easily and accurately on your computer.

If you have a laptop it is very simple since laptops have a built in mic. If you have a desktop computer, you will need to have a mic plugged into your computer or an input jack that you can plug your guitar into.

For more information on where and how to get the tuner that you can download to your computer please visit http://www.easiestwayguitar.com/blog You'll also find more of the easiest guitar basics and other helpful information such as the link for the the free e-book, "Guitar -- How to Get Started" and the "Getting Started Mini Course -- 7 Useful Tips for Beginners" available at http://www.easiestwayguitar.com as well. Brian Hawthorn began playing the guitar in the mid 60's and is a professional musician, guitar teacher, author and consultant.

3 Up And Coming Male Country Singers You Need To Listen To And Why

There's no doubt that Country Music seems to be in the era of the hot female artist. The likes of Taylor Swift, Sugarland, Carrie Underwood, and Miranda Lambert have all but dominated the scene these past couple of years. But don't count out the male country singers just yet - there are some bright stars on the horizon.

#1 Jerrod Niemann

Jerrod is hot - an amazingly talented performer with a sexy voice! Not your typical country artist, Jerrod injects unconventional elements into his albums which he describes as "deliciously diverse."

Jerrod's most popular tunes are "Lover, Lover," "Long, Hard Road," and the humorous "I'll Pray for You."

#2 Luke Bryan

Luke may not be truly new to country music, having released his debut single in 2007, but it's obviously his time to shine. Winner of the 2010 ACM Top New Artist award, as well as the Breakthrough Video of the Year for his "I Do" video, it seems Luke's charms can no longer be resisted.

The soft, natural twang of Luke's speaking voice tells you he's from the deep South. The straight-from-the-heart lyrics of his songs tell you he writes about who he is and what he's lived. About this Luke says, "I know what it feels like to hurt, to fall in love, to have your heart broken, and to miss someone."

Some favorite Luke Bryan songs are "Rain Is a Good Thing", "Do I", and "Someone Else Calling You Baby"

#3 Eric Church

Eric started out at the age of 4 singing "Elvira" on a restaurant table top for change. Boy has he grown! This sexy singer has the look of the boy you sneak in the back door when mom isn't looking.

While Big Sexy, one of the South's top young Country DJ's, says Eric's "Carolina" is the best country song he has ever heard, some of our favorites are "Smoke a Little Smoke," "Love Your Love the Most," and "Guys Like Me."

Oh and there one more you may not have heard of... me! I am singer-songwriter Corey Koehler. You can get two of my best songs for free by visiting CoreyKoehlerMusic.com now!