Students Of Success

The Storyteller
New Book Offers Supernatural Tales Involving Everyday People

Martha Whittington invites readers to take a break from the doldrums of daily
routine and delve into a world where ordinary lives are blindsided by the bizarre.
The Storyteller: Volume I (now available through AuthorHouse) provides a feast of
paranormal delights that satisfy the imagination.
Comprised of six intriguing tales, The Storyteller delves into the lives of a colorful
variety of people who suddenly find themselves in unsettling situations. In “The
Fennigan Case,” two news reporters step across the threshold of a creepy house and
into another dimension. “A Unique Team” follows another investigative journalist as
he plunges into international intrigue. Readers explore the mind of a psychic
teenager in “The Hidden Knowledge” and meet a wicked woman who holds an entire
town hostage with her dark magic in “The Witch”. Two brothers endure tragedy in a
remote corner of the world in “Sand,” and a couple experiences any parent’s worst
nightmare in “The Gifted Child”.
Throughout The Storyteller, Whittington weaves a macabre tapestry of drama,
suspense and fast-paced action. From the dangers of the Egyptian desert to the
cold streets of New York, she takes readers on a thrilling journey along the knife-
edge between this world and the unknown. A captivating read for fans of the
disturbingly weird. The Storyteller delivers thrills and chills at each turn of the page.

For further review on this book, please go to: http://storytellersbookclub.com or e-
mail us at: thestorytellers2121@yahoo.com

Born and raised in Monterrey, Mexico, Whittington set out to see the world when she
was 21. She holds a Degree in Communications and a Master’s in Public Relations,
and she speaks fluent Spanish, English, German and French. Whittington comes
from a family of published authors. At a young age, she wrote short stories that won
awards in international contests. She currently lives in Houston, where she
continues to nurture her passion for writing.

Today when we want to try out a skin care product, we
immediately think of ‘which one will I buy’. It wasn’t that long
ago when the only option available was to make your own skin
care treatments. Of course there are many excellent commercial
skin care products who have thousands of adoring customers. If
you wanted something different, something more holistic or even
organic, there are companies who produce these items as well.
What if you wanted to go an even more all natural route and
create your own skin care regimen at home?

Well, obviously, to do that you would need to manufacture all
the skin care products yourself. A typical skin care regimen
consists of first exfoliating your skin, followed by a nice
cleanser. Next, applying a toner helps really condition and
clean the skin. Lastly, a good moisturizer helps leave the skin
smooth and silky. So, knowing that, all one needs to do is find
recipes for each of these steps in the process. Note: If you
prefer an organic option, make sure all the produce in the
following recipes is organic.

Home Made Lemon Exfoliator: Take one lemon and cut in
half and juice it. Save the lemon halves to rub on your elbows,
knees and bottoms of your heels (anywhere you have thick skin).
Combine the lemon juice with 1/2 to 2/3 cups of granulated
sugar. Take this mixture and rub it all over your body while
standing in the tub or shower. Once you have completely rubbed
the paste all over your skin (take care on your face and avoid
using it near your eyes), rinse your body.

Home Made Facial Cleanser: Take 1 cup of roll oats or
oatmeal and add it to a blender. Process it for a few seconds to
soften the flakes. Do not process it to a powder. In a bowl, add
the processed oats and 1 tablespoon of granulated salt or sugar.
To this mixture, add 1/4 cup of farina. To use it, splash your
face with lukewarm water. With your wet fingers, take the
mixture from the bowl and rub it on your skin. Take care not to
stretch the skin and remember to be gentle. Rinse with splashes
of lukewarm water. Do not use every day.

Home Made Apple Toner: This is a very simple toner
recipe. Take 1 apple. You may want to experiment with different
varieties till you find the one that suits you best. Start with
perhaps a green apple, like a Granny Smith. Remove the core and
skin of the apple. Place the apple, chopped into quarters, into
a blender with 1 to 2 tablespoons of honey. Puree the mixture.
Gently spread the mixture all over your face and let it rest for
12 to 15 mins. Rinse it off with lukewarm water and gently pat
your skin dry.

Home Made Moisturizing Cream: Take a ripe avocado and
slice it in two lengthwise. Remove the pit and discard. Take
only half the avocado and place in a glass bowl. To that, add 1
to 1.5 tablespoons of wheat germ oil. Mix this well. Apply it to
your skin and let it set for 15 to 20 mins. Rinse it off with
lukewarm water.

Forget the pharmacy, you can make your own skin care regimen
with house hold items you may already have in your kitchen. If
you have problems with your skin such as sensitivity or allergic
reactions, make sure to test the recipes using a small area
first before applying to the rest of your skin. If you truly
have a serious skin condition you may need to consult with your
local or online dermatologist for advice and treatment.

For most of us owning a home is an agenda that tops our list of “things to do before I retire.” But the unfortunate part is that in most cases all this remains a mere fantasy, which dies an unfortunate death the moment it meets the reality of monetary considerations.

Don’t let your dream home remain a mere air castle for you. You can now translate your dream home into a concrete reality by availing a mortgage. As a first time buyer there are bound to be a lot of doubts in your mind. This piece of writing hopes to address some of those queries.

The first thing for you to do before taking the plunge into the property market is to ask yourself these questions: how much can I afford? What kind of a home do I want to live in and finally how much of a mortgage do I need to borrow?

There are various elements that ascertain the amount of mortgage you can borrow. Your credit history and the deposit that you can make towards your mortgage are some of the key elements. The bottom line is that higher is your deposit on the mortgage, more will be the mortgage options you will have at your disposal.

The key to a good property hunt is research. Get on the Internet and you are sure to find out for how much was a property similar to the one you want to buy sold at. This will give you a fair estimate about the asking price of the property before you go knocking on the estate agent’s door.

Before you sign a contract with your estate agent, you must ensure that s/he is registered with National Association of Estate Agents (NAEA). Such a move will allow you to take your complaints to a third party for redress, should such a situation arise.

Also, before you actually make up your mind, be sure to visit the property a couple of times and at different times of the day. Also try and find out about the typical monthly bills of amenities like water, gas and council tax. This will help you to realistically gauge the actual cost of living in the home. Don’t forget to make leeway for additional costs like solicitor’s fees, conveyance fees and other taxes.

A great way of getting the mortgage of your choice is to request for multiple mortgage quotes online. This will give you a fair idea about how much you can avail. Follow all the aforementioned tips and in no time at all you will become the proud owner of a new home.

Webmaster
http://www.seek.uk.com

1 Samuel 16:7

“…The Lord does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”

While I was recently on a technology imposed computer vacation, I evaluated many things about myself. I truly think this is important for every Christian to do often. The world has a tendency to affect every portion of our thoughts and actions if we don’t keep them in check and in line with what the Lord wants for us. One of the things I evaluated was my own character. What exactly is character? Character is defined basically as a destinguishing mark or impression. So if you apply that to yourself, what kind of mark do you leave behind? That my friend is your character.

The greatest understanding of character comes from the bible. The first occurrence I found was in Genesis. The first two humans on earth had only one promise to keep and they messed it up. Not only did they mess up, they lied about it and then blamed each other. Although they failed, Adam and Eve spent the rest of their lives trying to make it up. Character is cumulative. You aren’t born with character, you die with it, it’s something you create over a lifetime of difficult circumstances. All people fall short of the Glory of God and sin. Can you admit that sin? Are you able to accept responsibility for the mistakes that you make or do you place the blame on others? All of these things matter to God; He made that very clear in Genesis and through out the bible.

Our characters as Christians are constantly tested. When Moses led God’s people out of Egypt the Israelites were constantly tested in order to shape their character. The Desert of Sin was an immense and hostile environment. There was no water and no food, and very little faith in the people even though they had witnessed such greatness as the parting of the Red Sea. They told Moses he should have let them suffer in Egypt rather than die slowly in the desert. As always, God provided for their needs in spite of their doubts and grumblings. If you can’t recognize yourself in the Israelites you aren’t looking very deep. How many times does God save us just for us to turn around and complain again?

It is in the testing that our true characters are defined. In 2 Chronicles, Hezekiah was a man that did “what was good and right and faithful before the Lord” during his lifetime he was struck ill and nearly died. This wasn’t punishment, but testing. Sometimes in order for us to see the flaws in our own character, the Lord has to humble even his most faithful servants.

I didn’t really come to any conclusions about my character except to understand that I am still building it. Every day I live is another opportunity to turn to the Lord with complete faith and trust, even when I don’t understand what’s going on. One thing I do know is that when my casket is closed, my character will remain on earth as a testimony to my life, whether good or bad. Then, when I face my Lord at the judgment seat I will not be able to prepare a defense against the people that have hurt me or the injustices that I endured but I will be accountable for every way in which I reacted to them. That’s definitely something to think about.

God Bless and Happy Character Building!

Romans 5:3

We also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.

© 2005 SecretAngels.Org

All works submitted under this copyright may be freely distributed to honor and glorify God.

Secret Angels is a non-denominational, private foundation, who’s mission is to uplift all women. Through counseling, mentoring and resources this organization hopes to help women become the wives and mothers that this society is so greatly in need of. Their goal is to provide positive mentoring environments and support networks as well as offering many different types of resources and assistance to aid each individual overcome the burdens and strife of modern day life. Secret Angels believes that through their efforts, women will be better able to raise strong, responsible, self-supporting families and positively effect society with greater self-esteem, confidence and faith in God.