Living Life with Enthusiasm!

Hello! Glad you dropped by!! A Little info about myself ... I write Christian articles, work at home articles and Food Allergy and Colitis articles. :-) I now have a food allergy and colitis forum! http://www.foodallergyandcolitis.com/forum

In addition to writing Christian articles and work at home articles, I have an online soy candles business that I enjoy.
http://AHAsoycandles.com
"Areomatic Healthy Aura" soy candles. With over 192 unique scents, these candles are priced reasonably and will never leave soot on your walls...you know that black oily stuff you have seen, especially if you burn a lot of candles like I do. I won't burn paraffin wax candles anymore because of the mess and being so unhealthy for your lungs. They also have a Bible verse on each label of the AHA Soy Candles.

More on my interest of the internet! I've been on the net for almost nine years and have spent quite a bit of time here. I've published a newsletter (with over 5000 subscribers)called "Lost in Cyber Space!" And I manage a couple of enthusiastic (meaning of rhapsody) Christian related websites too! Plus a work at home website for information on work at home opportunities and tips to succeed doing so! Most recently I've added my food allergy and colitis website filled with valuable information and a forum.
http://christianarticles.christianrhapsody.com
http://foodallergyandcolitis.com
http://christianrhapsody.com
http://workathome.christianrhapsody.com

Need free articles for your website or newsletter? Keep checking back, as I add to them! :)

Below are recent Christian articles, work at home articles and my newest food allergy article I have published. As always these articles may be reprinted freely as long all links remain active...Thank you!

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Mini Skirts to Church?

Have you noticed that many of the new churches today allow their congregation to wear pretty much what ever they want to church? Even some of the pastors wear Hawaiian shirts instead of suits and ties. Some members might arrive wearing jeans with holes in them and flip-flops. Others might be sporting t-shirts with that have controversial statements on them. Would Jesus approve?

I used to attend this church back in my hometown that had an unspoken dress code that didn’t allow the women to wear any long pants to church. Only dresses and skirts that fell far below the knee. The men only wore dress pants and shirts, or suits with a tie. I really liked this church, but I was finding that trying to get ready to go was really tough for me because somehow I could never put together the right clothes! I normally never wore dresses that length so my selection was difficult at times unfortunately, even though I did specifically buy the clothes just to wear to church. Okay I’m not a fashion model or anything, but I just wanted to fit in!

I admit, maybe it seems like not dressing up might somehow be disrespecting the Church and maybe even God himself. I have thought about that, but I really think that there has to be a happy medium somewhere. If you’re going to attend a church, it seems right or should I say “proper” to dress in a way that would be pleasing to Jesus. Imagine him sitting in a pew next to you. Wouldn’t that really bring the “appropriate attire” issue into perspective? But my theory is as long as you dress respectfully and you are there to learn the good word of God, then it’s what is in your heart that really matters.


Verona Raymond
“Living Life with God’s Purpose in Mind”

Verona maintains Christian websites filled with uplifting Christian articles and information.This article may be reprinted freely as long as all links remain active.
http://christianarticles.christianrhapsody.com

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Prayer is the Best Thing!

Prayer definitely works and is still working today as it did thousands of years ago. There are many that have experienced its power.

Just when you wonder when are things going to get better...prayer gets answered! And most of the time it will be better results than what you imagined! A powerful true experience of what prayer can do for those who have faith in it and in God.

I was really getting to the point of utter frustration involving the numerous business ventures I had invested in over the last few years.

One of my ventures was my own business as a real estate photographer and was just starting to market my service. Then the realtor companies were stating that real estate is booming and houses were selling without pictures and they were right, it was the beginning of a real estate boom…not what I wanted to hear!

After many attempts at trying to get this business going with little success, I just broke down and prayed out loud to God telling him that evidently this isn’t the work that he had planned for me. And then I asked him to please show me what he would like for me to do.

The next day, I was remembering that I had sold a certain product line in retail quite a few years ago, and really enjoyed it. So I thought what can I lose by
just checking into it again? Then I called a friend that I hadn’t talked to for quite awhile and she was selling this line and was doing pretty well with it.

After calling her, she said that she was retiring soon, and referred me to another lady in the business. I then spoke with her, and we really hit it off over the phone. I had never met her in my life, but she seemed very nice and helpful. All of a sudden, in the middle of the phone conversation, she said that sometime in the early part of next year, she will be retiring and has quite a few representatives that she makes commissions on, working for her. She then asked me if I would be interested in taking them over at that point.

I wanted to shout out my answer, but managed to contain myself and said I was very interested. After the call had ended…I was dancing with joy! I thought this is so amazing, especially since she really didn’t even know me.

Then that wasn’t all…this next part of my experience is even more amazing! My Christian friend and her husband whom I had originally called about this business, had put their house on the market so they could retire and travel. They had it up for less than two weeks and received a cash offer for the total amount they were asking…wow! Then guess what happened next…she called me and asked if I would take over her customer base of over fifty regular customers … WOW! Anyway, I think you know my answer.

Then I thanked God for his blessing with his answer to my prayer!

So in conclusion, if you are feeling like giving up, and have been really discouraged with your work or personal life, just ask God for his help. Then pray daily and give thanks to him too, have faith, and your prayers will be answered in the way that is best for you!


Verona~
“Living Life with God’s Purpose in Mind”
Verona maintains Christian websites filled with uplifting Christian articles and information.
This article may be reprinted freely as long as all links remain active. http://christianarticles.christianrhapsody.com

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Rock & Roll In Church?

Why do some churches have old time hymns and others have several guitars, drums and other types of instruments that weren't in churches twenty plus years ago? Are we getting away from what a Christian church should be, and forming something else that maybe isn't acceptable to God today?

I know some conservative churches that never allow anything but a piano and a church organ for their music. They sing the old time hymns (from when I was a child in church), of which many are still beautiful and really nostalgic. Other churches allow most any musical instrument. Christian songs by new Christian artists of today are played and sung as well.

I've got to admit that some of the music that is popular is really beautiful, and touches my heart. One of them is "I can Only Imagine" by MercyMe. It describes what we will feel when we are standing before Jesus someday. It gives me goose bumps every time it's played! There are many more beautiful Christian songs that are out right now as well. Do you ever feel the Lord's presence within you at church when you are singing? According to the Bible, singing and praising the Lord is what he loves for us to do.

Here is a verse from the Bible that talks about David: And David and all the house of Israel played before the LORD on all manner of instruments made of fir wood, even on harps, and on psalteries, and on timbrels, and on cornets, and on cymbals. 2 Samuel 6:5

It seems like there was quite a collection of instruments! I don't recall any drums mentioned in the Bible, but cymbals were mentioned and timbrels which are similar to tambourines. Psalteries were stringed instruments that were made out of a flat wooden box. I really believe that when you are in church and praising the Lord with singing, it doesn't matter what style it is as long as you are joyful in doing so. Singing feels good and makes your heart glad that God loves us, and at the same time you are thanking God for all he has done and continues to do. Singing out loud is a perfect release! Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all the earth: make a loud noise, and rejoice, and sing praise. Psalm 98:4

Verona Raymond
“Living Life with God’s Purpose in Mind”

Verona maintains Christian websites filled with uplifting Christian articles and information.
This article may be reprinted freely as long as all links remain active.
http://christianarticles.christianrhapsody.com

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Don’t Hold a Grudge Against Me!

We all need to be cautious and not make quick judgements! The thing that really bothers me is being accused of something I didn’t do and having that person hold a grudge against me. You know the feeling…helpless! Or you might think that somebody intentionally did something to hurt you, and you want to accuse or judge them based on your feelings.

As a child, some of my friends secretly poked fun at the other kids in the neighborhood walking down the street and I told them to stop. When they finally confronted all of us, they wouldn’t believe that I wasn’t doing the same thing! Right, like they were going to believe I had nothing to do with it when the evidence was very clear!

If you feel that someone has said or done something behind your back or even to your face, it still isn’t a very good practice to treat them badly or keep ignoring them. The Bible warns that it is not right to judge people:

Therefore thou art inexcusable, O man, whosoever thou art that judgest: for wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself; for thou that judgest doest the same things. Romans 2:1

I feel God is trying to say that we shouldn’t judge others because we, in turn condemn ourselves because we are not perfect. We sometimes have done the same things…in other words I would be an utter hypocrite to judge someone!

The Bible goes on to talk about grudges:
Grudge not one against another, brethren, lest ye be condemned: behold, the judge standeth before the door. (James 5:9). For I know nothing by myself; yet am I not hereby justified: but he that judgeth me is the Lord. 1 Corinthians 4:4.

The only one who can judge us is the Lord. He knows the situation completely, inside and out! Much more thoroughly than what we are capable of seeing. So the next time somebody holds a grudge or accuses you of something, don’t take revenge or get upset. Try to forgive and pray for them, and pray for God to give you the strength to stay strong. Don’t let the situation keep bothering you to the point that you never let it go. Once you do forgive them, you’ll feel much better and you can get on with your life the way the good Lord intended.


Verona Raymond
“Living Life with God’s Purpose in Mind”

Verona maintains Christian websites filled with uplifting Christian articles and information. She currently enjoys writing her own Christian articles for publication.
This article may be reprinted freely as long as all links remain active.
http://christianarticles.christianrhapsody.com/
http://christianrhapsodyblog.blogspot.com/
http://christianrhapsody.com

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Communion is Not Just Juice and Crackers!

What is Communion?We do know that it originated from the night Jesus and his disciples were at the Last Supper, the night before Jesus is crucified:
1 Corinthians 11:23-2623For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, that the Lord Jesus the same night in which he was betrayed took bread: 24And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me. 25After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, this cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me. 26For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord's death till he come

When we are receiving the juice and crackers at church, it’s important to know what communion really is. We are remembering Jesus and giving thanks for our redemption. At the same time we are also embracing the common bond that we share with fellow believers. But the Bible also warns us of participating in communion without knowing Jesus and what this holy tradition really is about:
1 Corinthians 11:27-2927 Therefore whoever eats this bread or drinks this cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. 28 But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of the bread and drink of the cup. 29 For he who eats and drinks in an unworthy manner eats and drinks judgment to himself, not discerning the Lord’s body.

Some Churches have communion on a weekly basis and announce it at the end of the service. In their announcement, they don’t even say to the congregation “If you are a believer and have given your life to the Lord, receive your communion. “ They really need to convey this message to their congregation each time that they have communion. There might be new comers there or young children that may not understand what communion really means, that will participate.
Remember to not take the real meaning of communion lightly. Rejoice in the Lord and the precious blood he shed on the cross for our sins. And if you have Christ in your heart, then gladly participate in the wonderful holy tradition from the Last Supper called communion.
Verona Raymond“Living Life with God’s Purpose in Mind” Verona maintains Christian websites filled with uplifting Christian articles and information. This article may be reprinted freely as long as all links remain active. http://christianarticles.christianrhapsody.com ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Are you a Rhino or a Cow?


There are different types of people in the world. Thank goodness we are not all alike. That would definitely be boring. Some people are happy with a job with a good company for many years, then retiring, others don’t want to keep the same job for too long and keep looking for something better, and still others want to work for themselves.

I read a great book one time called Rhinoceros Success. Actually it was the first of a three part series of books by Scott Alexander. In the book he described people and the hunt for success in a very unique way. I’ll give you a taste of what he tried to put across in his books.

There have been a lot of books written about how to sell, how to succeed in business, and other similar titles. Many of them give complicated formulas for success. In Scott’s books, he broke it down really simple.

He said, there are two types of people in the world, rhinos and cows. There are happy and sad rhinos and there are happy and sad cows.

Let’s start with the sad rhino. You all know a sad rhino. He or she is the workaholic. They are very successful at what they do but they are miserable doing it. They have a drive to succeed and make everyone around them miserable, but succeed they do.

These are the people that yell a lot, stress out over deadlines, and think the world is coming to an end if they don’t succeed at every little thing they do and when they don’t it’s someone else’s fault for not being a sad rhino too.

They are also the people who tend to die young of a heart attack or a stroke because of the enormous pressure they put on themselves. But don’t worry. If you are a sad rhino, I have advice for you later in this article.

Now, let’s go on to the happy rhino. These people are just as driven as the sad rhino to succeed, except they enjoy every minute of it. They know success is an elusive prey, but it’s the actual hunt they love more than the success itself.

They will always succeed because they do enjoy the hunt, not just the achievement after the hunt. It’s not even about the money. They enjoy succeeding and pushing those around them to succeed. They are usually ones who will give others more than their fair share of chances to succeed.

If you are a happy rhino, I have good news and bad news for you. I’ll give you the bad news first. I don’t have any advice for you later in this article. The good news is, you don’t need my advice. You are well on your own way to success. I’ll see you there. But make sure you are really a happy rhino.

A happy rhino gets up every morning way before they need to because they look forward to every day and want to get a head start. A happy rhino doesn’t need to yell at and bully others because they will follow the happy rhinos lead out of respect and because they want to be like them. A happy rhino leads by example.

A happy rhino let’s nothing get in their way. In the wild a real rhino charges at it’s prey in a straight line. If weeds and brush scratch at them, they have a thick skin and ignore it. If they fall down, they get right back up and immediately begin charging at their prey. There are single-minded of purpose, looking straight ahead and will not lose focus on their goal.

If success in your home business is your prey and you want to be a happy rhino, you have to do the things a happy rhino does. You have to charge after your success, not just do a daily grind. You have to enthusiastically charge! You cannot let the little things equal to the brush and weeds bother you. Have a thick skin and ignore those as just distractions. If something knocks you down, you have to immediately get back up and charge after your successful home business. So, are you really a happy rhino yet?

Okay, time to move on to the happy cows. There is absolutely nothing wrong with a happy cow. Us happy rhinos need all the happy cows we can get. Everyone has their own idea of success and not everyone wants to be a rhino at all. They don’t want to go go go or drive drive drive.

A happy cow is one who is happy working for a happy rhino. They love to help their boss succeed as long as they are treated well. The happy cow won’t work for a sad rhino for too long. They just want a good life, a good family, and a good job.

Some of them can have moderately successful home businesses, working for themselves even. They won’t have the same success as the rhinos, but they are not after that, They are happy with a little less and just want to enjoy life. They do not get all of their happiness from chasing success, like the rhino does.

Now let’s talk about the sad cows. They stand around chewing their cud, not doing very much, kind of biding their time. Then they see the happy rhino drive by in their Rolls Royce and say “Look at that lucky #$%^&”!”

Then they lower their head and go right back to grazing, not doing anything to change their lot in life, accepting whatever is given to them. They grumble that anyone who is successful, the sad and happy rhinos and even the happy cows, are just lucky and they can’t seem to get a break.

Admit it. You know at least one sad cow. Do you like being around the sad cow? Are you the sad cow? If you are or have a friend who is the sad cow, I give the following advice for sad cows.

Stop thinking everyone else is just lucky. Stop blaming other people for your own mistakes and laziness. Sit down and truthfully list your bad habits. If you need a trusted friend or family member to help you, get them to help you do this.

But you have to admit these mistakes and bad habits from the heart and immediately begin to change them one by one. You’ll be amazed at how fast you will become a happier cow, then maybe even a happy rhino if you want it bad enough.

Now my advice for all you sad rhinos out there. It’s great that you are succeeding in your home or other business. But YOU ARE LOSING ALL YOUR FRIENDS AND ALIENATING ALL THOSE AROUND YOU, EVEN YOUR OWN FAMILY!

Get a clue. Succeeding in business is great. Succeeding in life is way more important though. Stop yelling. Know when enough is enough. Quit being a bully. Quit taking advantage of people. Quit taking people for granted. You think they will always be there to do your bidding and if they aren’t, well you didn’t need them anyway.

Nothing is further from the truth. The saying it’s lonely at the top was meant for sad rhinos. There will come a day when you are all alone with your success and you will find success alone is not a very good companion.

As for the happy rhinos, I only ask these things of you. Find a sad rhino and teach them to be a happy rhino. They will listen to you and you only. Take a happy cow to lunch. Try to sit a sad cow down and teach them what they are doing wrong.

I hope this article helps you find out where you are in your hunt for a successful home or other type of business and in your life. I also hope it helps you understand how to change the habits you might need to change or helps you help someone else learn about being successful.

Verona Raymond "Living Life with God’s Purpose in Mind" Verona maintains Christian websites, and work at home websites filled with expert articles and tips for home business opportunities and more. She currently enjoys writing her own articles available for publication. Healthy burning soy candles has become a recent passion and business.http://workathome.christianrhapsody.com/ http://ahasoycandles.com/http://christianarticles.christianrhapsody.com

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Work at Home Is A Reality…Don’t Give Up!
Have you considered working at home? It really has major advantages:

•You don’t need to buy expensive work clothes. They are uncomfortable and nothing at all like wearing a warm robe and slippers!
• You don’t need to pay for gas to get to work every day.
• Depending on where you live, you don’t have to scrape your windshield in the freezing cold.
• You don’t have to put up with tons of daily traffic. • You don’t have to pay for a sitter for your kids, pets, etc.
• You can take a break and work out or take a walk without punching a time clock. • You won’t have a nosey boss breathing down your neck! Sounding good so far? Isn’t working at home really what you would like to do? Or is it just a dream that might not ever happen? No…it isn’t just a dream! For example, think about celebrities or athletes that grew up very poor, and then turned their lives around. Do you think they ever had doubts? Sure they did, but they kept on working toward what they wanted and after much dedication and hard work, achieved their dream.

First of all, in order to get an online business going you will need to find your niche. Have you considered what you would enjoy doing? Take a subject or product that you have some knowledge and/or interest in. You wouldn’t want to be selling pet supplies when you can’t stand animals and have no knowledge of their care. Or your hobby is daily target practice at the neighbor’s cat! It really is difficult to sell something you know nothing about or don’t care about.

I remember sitting in a job interview where I would be a sales rep for a major cigarette company. Things were going great, the income they promised was very appealing, the signal I was getting was very positive. Then they asked me when I was able to start the job. All of a sudden it hit me…I can’t do this! All of these "don’ts" came into my head. I don’t smoke and I don’t want to sell something that I don’t agree with. So I politely told them that I had changed my mind and I couldn’t accept the position. I left the interview and actually felt great relief instead of regret…I knew it was the right thing to do! I wouldn’t have been a very effective sales person for them anyway.

Once you have figured out your niche, you may want to get a website. If you don’t know HTML, there are websites like Godaddy.com that will allow you to manage your own website without HTML knowledge, as well as numerous others. There are web designers that will also design a nice SEO website for your business; www.AffiliateWebsiteDesign.com is a great source!

Once you form your website, start marketing it each day. Try to get noticed in chat rooms, forums, and article sites. Be sure the link to your website is always included in the signature file or in your article. Very important! Don’t give up too soon if things don’t start moving along as fast as you might want them to. A "want it now" attitude has wasted a lot of my efforts simply because I just didn’t give my business enough time to develop. When I look at the past, just as I was on the brink of really making something successful, I got impatient and gave up and tried something else!

If you keep working on your business, in due time it will flourish. With brick and mortar businesses, supposedly you are doing well if you break even after the first year! I think that old analogy is outdated for online businesses though. If you allow time each day to work on marketing and stay focused on your goals, you will be successful with "working at home," and maybe sooner than you think. You won’t "get rich quick" immediately, but you will be able to earn a substantial income over time depending on how much effort you put into it. Be patient and work hard…you will get results! Verona Raymond "Living Life with God’s Purpose in Mind" Verona maintains Christian websites, and work at home websites filled with expert articles and tips for home business opportunities and more. She currently enjoys writing her own articles available for publication. http://workathome.christianrhapsody.com/ http://christianarticles.christianrhapsody.com/ http://ahasoycandles.com

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Working from home – Is it worth it?
By Verona

Home-based businesses are cropping up everywhere you look. People have decided that being their own boss is the way to go. There are thousands of advertisements, junk mail, and email saying you should start your own home business today!

But should you really start your own home business? Should you be your own boss? What are the risks to operating your own home business? What are the rewards? How many people are successful at operating their own home business? How do I get started? Should I be answering all those ads that say I am missing the opportunity of a lifetime?

These are some of the questions you may be asking yourself every time you see an ad about starting a business from home. In this article, I will try to help you answer them

Let’s start with that first question, “Should I start my own home business?” The answer to that question is different for everyone. If you hate working nine to five and hate working to make other people rich, then owning your own business might be your answer.

If you have some business skill, it helps, however, you do not need to know more than the basics about running your own business. You have to keep several things in mind. Depending on the type of home business you will be operating, do you have the room for it at your house?

Do you have a separate space where you can do your work without the normal everyday distractions of being at home. The children, your spouse, the TV, the yard that needs mowing and other things are all distractions that can cut into your workday. Also, understand you will still have to work every day. That doesn’t change just because you now have a home business.

The bottom line is you need to plan before you make the move to owning your own home business. Make sure it is what you really want and that you are ready to do what it takes to be a success.

The second question is much like the first, “Do I really want to be my own boss?” If you are self-motivated, if you are the type of person who learns fast. if you are a confident type of person, then the answer is yes. If you lack those qualities, then your answer may be no.

Again, that question is something only you can decide and it also depends on the type of business you choose to run. If it is a service oriented business you might have an easier time than with a sales-based home business if you are not the outgoing confident type of person.

Self-motivation is the one quality you can’t do without if you plan to start your own business, whether it will be a home-based business or something else. You will be the one that has to get you out of bed every day and you will be the one that has to tell you to get to work.

What are the risks to operating your own home business? They are several. You should not start your own home business right AFTER quitting your day job. Until your home business starts making money, you are likely going to have to keep your current job while building your home business.

Again, though, the risks are greater for some people than for others. What are your finances? How much is your monthly overhead? Is your income already stretched to the limits? A single person has a head start. A spouse who is not already working also has an advantage over the main breadwinner in starting a home business.

If you are currently working part-time and it costs you almost as much to go to work as you are making, then you may as well take a shot at owning your own business. It isn’t likely to be worse than continuing to pursue a dead-end job.

What are the rewards? The rewards of owning your own home business are many. If you have a family, even though you still have to work, knowing you are home and close by is a comfort to them. Not having to commute back and forth to work is another plus. The gas and vehicle maintenance you save should be considered your first profits in your new home business.

The freedom of being your own boss is another reward. Knowing that it is you who will be making the decisions, who will be responsible for it’s success, and that it is you who decides everything is reward in itself. Too many times when working for others, we see a better way to do things, but no one listens and you don’t have the power to make it happen. In your own home business, you will be making those decisions.

The money is the other reward. Why I say, “other”, is that it isn’t as important as the others. Of course you want your business to be successful and it has to make money to be a success, however, if money is your only motivation, I would still say you have less chance of succeeding then many others who are not solely money-motivated.

Choose something you truly like or love to do for your home business. Do it because it is what you want to do. Don’t choose the type of home business with the amount of income it will generate as the only or most important factor to consider.

If you choose something you love to do, it will be easier to motivate yourself and you will obviously enjoy it so much more. When you combine that with the other rewards, such as being close to your family, then the money becomes secondary. At the very same time, you will also find that is the path to making more money. Because you chose something you like to do, you worked harder at it, and now you are making more money. That is how it works.

The last question is, “How many people succeed in their own home business?” My answer is, “Exactly the same number of people who chose to do something they enjoy.”

I hope this article has helped answer some questions you may have had about starting your own home business. I enjoy what I do and really hope that if nothing else, you remember to choose something you enjoy.

Verona Raymond "Living Life with God’s Purpose in Mind" Verona maintains Christian websites, and work at home websites filled with expert articles and tips for home business opportunities and more. She currently enjoys writing her own articles available for publication. http://workathome.christianrhapsody.com/ http://christianarticles.christianrhapsody.com/ http://christianrhapsodyblog.blogspot.com/

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Restaurants and Food Allergies…a Problem?

Why don’t restaurants know what ingredients are in their food?

I have been allergic to dairy products among other things for quite a few years. So when I visit restaurants, I always politely request “no cheese, or sour cream.” The next thing you know I get an entrée with a cream sauce on it. Most food servers don’t even know that this contains dairy products!

Since the menus are never explicit about exactly what the allergen ingredients are in the entrees, I will ask the food server if a certain dish has dairy products in it if I’m not sure. Sometimes I’ll ask if it contains something else I am allergic to. They automatically look at you like you are the pickiest person on the planet! Then I have to explain that I am allergic to dairy products and other certain ingredients. They will get a concerned look, and tell me that they will talk to the chef to find out what is in the entrée I am questioning.

They usually come back to the table and explain that the chef doesn’t know what is in some of the sauces or ingredients because they are sent to them pre-packaged or bottled. So I sometimes take a chance and order an entrée thinking that it is okay. Even tarter sauce for fish sometimes is made with sour cream, even though I like it made with mayonnaise and I’ve had to stop eating it after trying it out.

One time I ordered dinner that I was allergic to unknowingly and immediately I started getting a reaction and had them take it away, I then just ate the bread that came with the meal. I was very pleased when they took my order off the bill, but it could have been avoided in the first place if they would have been more knowledgeable about the ingredients.

I really appreciate the fact that it is now mandatory that the allergen ingredients are listed on most all types of products in the grocery stores! Especially when the label plainly states that the product contains milk, instead of having to read through the long list of ingredients that often list milk as “whey” or “casein.” When you are allergic to dairy products especially, it is always wise to learn the different terms for dairy because not all products are plainly written on the food labels. Some products say “dairy free” on the front label but the ingredients label lists casein, so the labels need to be checked thoroughly.

While we are on the subject of food labels with allergen information, a thought comes into my mind (okay…I’ve been thinking about this for a long time!) Why aren’t restaurants required to list the allergen ingredients plainly on the menus next to the entrée description? Are we allergy sufferers asking too much?

I guess if I didn’t have food allergies, I wouldn’t really care whether the restaurants did or not. But if a person does ever experience what it feels like having an instant food allergy reaction or some of the “soon to follow” reactions, they would really want this information on all restaurant menus.

How extremely nice it would be to not have to bother the food server, and have a dinner where I wouldn’t have to be worrying whether or not, I am going to pass out, have difficulty breathing or worse!

Food allergies are more and more common everyday. I am for getting this valuable information on all restaurant menus! When will this happen? Soon I hope.

Verona Raymond "Living Life with God’s Purpose in Mind" Verona maintains several websites including a Food Allergy and Colitis website with a forum, plus a Christian website. Both are filled with expert articles and information. She currently enjoys writing her own articles available for publication. This article may be reprinted freely as long as all links remain active. http://foodallergyandcolitis.com http://christianarticles.christianrhapsody.com http://christianrhapsodyblog.blogspot.com/