Family Life Lines
Spring 2003

Family Living

4-H Volunteers Needed

In 4-H, the youth development program of Penn State Cooperative Extension, kids and adults spend time together, learn new skills, develop hidden talents, make new friends and have fun! The goal of 4-H is to help youth develop as individuals and as responsible and productive citizens in their communities.

Discover 4-H and…

• Share your talents.

• Meet new people, attend conferences, get training and learn new skills.

• Flexibility to fit your interests. Do you like birdwatching, cooking, gardening, or working with animals? With over 200 topics to choose from, there are many interesting projects to teach as part of 4-H.
Whether you want to be a club leader or work with kids on a short-term project, there’s a role for you in 4-H. Contact Martha Gregory, Lebanon County’s 4-H Program Coordinator, at the extension office by calling 270-4391 for more information on how you can become a 4-H volunteer.

Ten Steps to a Simpler Life

There are those who have discovered that the gift of life is realized one brief moment at a time. Slowing down and savoring life might be easier than you think. Simplify by being aware of how you spend money, time and energy. Here are ten steps to guide you to a simpler life.

1. Start the day right. Save all the frantic wasted time used in the morning to prepare for the day. Spend the night before preparing for the next day.

2. De-clutter your space. Keeping possessions working and clean takes energy. Get rid of the “stuff” that is broken or missing a part.

3. Learn to say “no.” Saying “no” keeps you from overloading your schedule with tasks and jobs.

4. Turn off the TV. Tons of research has shown how television negatively affects our lives. Instead, spend time with the family or explore other interests and hobbies.

5. Commit to number one. A clue you need time for yourself occurs when the demands of work, parenthood, or household chores get you down. Make a plan for personal time and stick to it!

6. Find a sanctuary. Escape to a place to enjoy peaceful solitude.

7. Be spontaneous. Spontaneity is essential to feeling like you are in control of your own destiny. Every once in a while, changing your routine can spark your spirits and your energy.

8. Live beneath your means. Did you know that 80 percent of America’s self-made millionaires are frugal? If you want to achieve economic independence, try buying only what you can afford, not what you think you need. See how long you can go without cashing a check, using your debit or credit card, or making a purchase. You will be amazed at how ingenious and inventive you can be.

9. Rewrite the course of your day. When the newspaper’s horoscope does not tell you what you want to hear, write your own using words that make you feel great.

10. Listen to your body. You know what your biological clock prefers. Indulge it and watch your productivity grow.

Source: Ohio State University Cooperative Extension

Food, Nutrition & Health

eMotion Pictures on Exhibit

eMotion Pictures: an Exhibition of Orthopaedics in Art was developed by the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons and has been shown at the United Nations and the National Museum of Health and Medicine. The exhibit contains work by both adults and children illustrating an aspect of their feeling toward or relationship with an orthopaedic condition. The exhibit also contains art work by orthopaedic surgeons illustrating some aspect of the orthopaedic surgeon's feeling about the patient-physician partnership or making a difference in the lives of patients, practicing the art of healing, frustration, outcomes, or compassion.

The exhibit will be shown March-April 2003 at the Penn State College of Medicine/Penn State Hershey Medical Center in conjunction with a March 27-29, 2003 Arts in Healing/Healthcare conference to take place there.

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