Shower Enclosures and Bathroom Accessories for Complete Decor

Great looking bathrooms owe their looks to the different accessories installed to compliment the basic items. Basic items in this case include the taps, showers, toilet seats, sinks and tubs which are a necessity for a wash room to exist. When you accessorize the rooms, you add touch ups or extras here and there. This will give your room an identity which will depend on your decor and materials used.

Customized Shower Enclosures
The most beautiful homes have an identity. The enclosure you choose for your bathroom makes a big difference in the overall look of your room. The type of finishing you choose for your shower enclosure blends with the walls and tiles of your room to give an impression. Elegant rooms will have a touch of class in the glass cubicles used. Glass is generally considered a boost to the home decor because it expands the size of the room and the reflections give a good impression especially with nicely colored tiles. In general, your home decor should flow with the type of additions you choose to use in the washrooms to complete the beauty of your home even in the most private rooms.

Complete elegance with Bathroom Accessories
Additions like door knobs, towel, curtain rails, taps, furniture, mirrors, radiators, doors and pipes are a boost to the final look of bathrooms. If you love bright looking bathrooms, consider having lime colored tiles with matching color of the towels and complement these with silver towel rails and taps. The effect will be magical and sparkling. Furniture additions like seats and mirrors should do the trick together with toothpaste and toothbrush holders. You will also be creative to have a unique soap dish holder in place.

If you choose to have hooks in place of rails for your towel, make use of nicely polished material that could be in chrome, brass, silver, golden or wood. The towel rails today come in different shapes for small and big towel sizes. You can add luxury to your bathroom with heated rails to give ensure you have a warm towel cuddle after showers. These can be straight or arranged in unique structures that suit your status. Classy people have a designer range of radiators for their towel storage.

The kinds of taps you choose speak volumes about your style and taste. Today you have many tap options and you can be creative and purchase shower jets or rain bars in place of traditional taps. Technology crazy people have an option of sensor taps which are automatic and simply out of this world. To ensure regular water flow, shower pumps are great items you cannot leave out.

These additions vary and could include:

• Towel rails
• Taps
• Cabinets
• Vanity Units
• Storage facilities
• Worktops
• Sinks
• Basins and Tubs
• Mirrors which include the LED lighting in them
• Heaters and Boilers
• Radiators among others

Kudos shower enclosures are the best choice for a modern day bathroom with a touch of class and elegance and Smedbo bathroom accessories are simply out of this world.

LED Lights Mine Green Gold

Light emitting diode (LED) fixtures are quickly becoming legendary in both durability and energy efficiency. Despite their higher initial price, over their lifetime, LED lights are less expensive to use than traditionally incandescent light bulbs or more recent compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs).

Because LEDs are solid state, they have no internal filament wire that can eventually burn out or break down. LEDs also operate using a scant 10-20 percent of the energy needed for an incandescent bulb to function at an equal level of brightness.

It is also a fact that approximately 90% of the energy an incandescent light bulb uses goes into producing heat instead of light, which can actually force an air conditioning system to use excess electricity to maintain its set room temperature.

In contrast, a single LED can operate for tens of thousands of hours without being hot to the touch, thereby outperforming the durability of traditional light bulbs by twenty to one or more. Light emitting diode bulbs can operate continually without any dangerous heat output, which not only could singe fingers, but can avoid potential fires as well.

LEDs also have solid state circuitry, which provides for an infinitely greater option of shapes and colors making them much more versatile than either CFLs or incandescent bulbs.

One LED can outlast several equivalent CFLs as well. It is also important to note that unlike CFLs, LEDs don't contain the toxic element mercury. No environmentally responsible consumer can toss a used CFL into the garbage. These spent lamps must be recycled by hazardous material specialists; and any broken CFL must be cleaned up carefully to avoid releasing mercury into our soil, water tables or even exposing this contaminant to human skin.

Although LEDs have a higher initial price, the fact is that consumers will definitely come out way ahead by using them. In the past, some LED bulbs have lasted from 25,000-50,000 hours without failing.

And now the very latest technology has produced an LED direct replacement light bulb that will not shatter or flicker and has the potential to last even longer than 50,000 hours. This product has also been passed by Underwriters Laboratories, which gives it access to any facility requiring lights with a UL listing.

LED lights remain the superior choice for lighting our homes and businesses in a way that conserves energy while being earth friendly. It genuinely pays to go green with light emitting diodes!

William F. Johnson resides in St. Helens, Oregon. He enjoys chess, books and is an avid movie collector with over 700 titles in his personal library. He is also a member of the Elks Lodge and has written a pair of short stories that have been published on the Internet.

http://light-emitting-diode-site.com

Lighting A Room Perfectly Adds Extra Impact

We all love to decorate our homes in some fashionable way, moving furniture here and there until we get it just in the right place. On top of this though, we often like to decorate the walls too with a beautiful work of art or some lovely photograph of a loved one. Getting the illumination right though is a whole new ball game and this can make or break the whole effect. Indeed, picture lighting is very important since it leads the eye to just where the artwork is. For those who want something a little extra, led picture lights are just the thing and fit just about anywhere.

A lot has been said about getting the room lit just right. Some decorators charge inordinate amounts of money just to advice people on what will look good where but the easiest thing in the world to do is to try it out before opting to put it in permanently. Artwork can be hung just about anywhere but having the electrical outlets nearby often causes some problems.

For example, corridors or stairs which have a line of photographs of the family or pieces of art perhaps from the same artist are notoriously difficult to illuminate. One could opt for ceiling fixtures with halogen lamps that are directional but these will throw a shadow when someone stops to admire the piece. It is better to get a fitting that hooks on directly to the frame so that it throws illumination only where it is intended.

For those who do not want to have expensive electrical work done, there is a range of battery operated fittings which can be attached to the frame. Because they have no dangling cords either, this gives a much cleaner look and will make the whole thing look like it was professionally done.

Moving the photographs or art around to different points in the room or house is also another way to figure out if the 'balance' looks right. Brightly colored pieces will stand out while those in more muted shades will fade into the background a little so getting this balance correct is important if the room is to look good.

Also, just having a photograph dotted here and there also looks a little strange so try grouping them along a wall or up the stairs for added impact. It is not always necessary to have them all in the same frames but finding a similar color will surely make the look more cohesive. This is also a great way to show family history to anyone who is interested.

Finally, as already said, the way a room is illuminated will really show if the householder has any artistic flair or not. Try looking in some rather up market decorating magazines if ideas are needed. It is not necessary to copy exactly what someone else has done, rather, pick out the parts that are liked and fit them into the home that way. The trick is finding a style that fits the home, the family and any artwork which is treasured.

Stewart Wrighter is an entrepreneur who runs a large group of websites that specialize in high end items such as led picture lights. He offers a large selection of picture lighting on his website.

Nazareth, Where Christianity Was Born

In recounting the roots of Christianity--the belief in Jesus Christ as the Son of the living God--many titles have been given him; among them is Jesus of Nazareth.

Nazareth was the city from which Jesus traveled to the Jordan River to be baptized by John. Situated in Lower Galilee, it occupies a natural amphitheater-like setting on the southern slope of Mount Jebel es-Sikh. The ancient section of town features stone homes layered in hanging tiers. The terraces are carved from limestone. It is an attractive town where olive and fig trees flourish and the white facades of buildings shine in the sun. A natural spring runs down the mountainside providing water to the residents of Nazareth.

The Gospel according to the Evangelist Matthew recounts the genealogy of Jesus the Christ. Here Jesus is referred to as the Son of David, the Son of Abraham. Fourteen generations of this family would precede the birth of the historical Jesus of Nazareth whom Christians refer to as the Messiah, Savior, "The Light of the World." Although census registry obligations led Joseph and Mary to Bethlehem where Jesus was born, Nazareth was the place where Joseph and Mary lived; and where Jesus grew up. He would work his first miracle of changing water into wine for a young couple's marriage feast at a village of Cana, four miles Northeast of Nazareth.

At the time Joseph, Mary and Jesus returned to Nazareth, it was a mere hamlet. Today, Nazareth is a bustling city. Besides the industry and new construction, it is also the commercial and cultural center for Israel's Arab community. Arabic is first language of most residents. Actually, Christians are the minority today in Nazareth. However, Arabs and Israelis use the town's name itself to designate Christianity as a faith. The legacy of the Christ lives on in the region where Jesus was often referred to as "the Nazarene."

At the time of Jesus, the town of Nazareth consisted of homes,oil and wine presses, fields and farms. Based on information from archeological digs, a replica of the town was recreated using the same techniques and materials used 2,000 years ago. Seeing the recreated village, visitors can gain a better understanding of daily life at the time of Christ. And seeing the setting as it was in the time of Christ helps bring relevance to the teachings, parables, and images Jesus used when preaching. One can also gain an appreciation of Jewish culture of that period as there is also a re-created synagogue as it may have appeared in the Galilean village.

Modern-day tourists visiting the region around Nazareth, can walk the "Jesus Trail". The trail traces routes Jesus most likely took while in the Galilee Region traveling from Nazareth to Zippori, Kana, and down to the Sea of Galilee. The trail today passes through olive groves, many ruins, historic structures, and ancient springs. The places Jesus spent time in included Bethany, near Jerusalem on the slope of the Mount of Olives, home to his friends, Mary, Martha, and Lazarus. He traveled to Jericho where he restored sight to Bartimaeus. Jesus pronounced his "woe" warnings while visiting Korazin. It is recorded he traveled through Tiberius on the Western shore of the Sea of Galilee; and to Nain, a village where he restored life to a widow's son. Many tours today feature readings from Scripture tying the events of his travels to these places. Jesus of Nazareth preached wherever he went.

The Nazarene began his preaching following his departure from Nazareth; he began living in the region of Capernaum (Kfar Nahum). Near the Sea of Galilee, Jesus spoke these words which were meant to fulfill the words of the prophet Isiah: "Land of Zebulon and land of Nephathalim, by the way to the sea, beyond the Jordan River, Galilee of the Gentiles; The people who sat in darkness have seen a great light; and upon those who sat in the region and shadow of death, a light has arisen." (Matthew 4:12-17). The light to which both Isaiah and Jesus referred is believed to be Jesus Himself, the Messiah who was sent to earth to preach salvation. He spoke these words often: "Repent, for the kingdom of God is at hand". He went all around Galilee teaching and preaching the Gospel of love of God, love of neighbor all with the goal in mind of everyone achieving eternal life. As he traveled, He worked miracles of healing, and his fame reached into places like Syria. Large crowds began to follow this intriguing preacher from the town of Nazareth.

The Horns of Hattin, a rocky hill near the Sea of Galilee, is believed to be the place where Jesus gave The Sermon on the Mount. This stirring message known as The Beatitudes, or Blesseds, outlined clear-cut rules and promises for those willing to live as followers of Christ and spread his message. The rewards would not be realized in this world, but in the next. The kingdom at hand of which Jesus of Nazareth spoke was indeed a reference to everlasting life in Heaven. The basic teaching of Christianity remains: what one does in this world will matter very much in the next life--the heavenly realm of which Jesus spoke when he lived in Nazareth.

The newly released Story of Jesus book by Carl Michaelis paints a vivid picture of the people surrounding Jesus and the way of life of the community of his followers. Although fictional, Carl Michaelis did his best to keep his story of Jesus historically accurate as well as engaging and thrilling.

Check out this webpage - The Story of Jesus to find out more.

Go Green With Energy Efficient Patio Deck Lights and Save Money and Energy

There are many different types of energy efficient patio deck railing lights available today. In times of economic turmoil and utility costs that are resulting in many people losing their electricity, it is important to learn as much as you possibly can when it comes to energy efficient means of lighting.

This is especially true if you are seeking to light up your patio area, or the outside living area of your home. In this guide, I will share with you a couple of choices that you have when it comes to energy efficient patio deck railing lights.

The first choice that you have when it comes to energy efficient lighting for the outdoor deck area is the ever-popular solar lighting fixtures. You can purchase fixtures that are mounted in three to four inch to three to four foot intervals along the patio deck railing on top of the railing. You can also purchase the same type of lighting that is attached underneath the railing as well.

In addition to this, you can purchase solar lighting that is attached to hanging rods all along the length of the patio deck railing to light up the area. The sun provides the light that is reflected in the night hours, so you do not have to worry about the expense associated with utility costs.

The second choice that you have as far as energy efficient lighting is concerned for railings on a deck is LED rope lighting. This is a useful type of lighting that provides a large amount of lighting for cents on the dollar monthly! You can wrap the rope lights around the deck rails, or simply run them along the deck rails.

The choice is yours! Rope lighting typically comes encased in a weatherproof plastic that preserves the bulbs from weatherization. In addition to this, LED lighting has been determined to be highly versatile and durable. This means that you literally get more "bang for your buck" when it comes to efficiency!

The next choice that you have when it comes to energy efficient patio deck lighting is a combination between solar lighting and LED rope lighting - it is called solar LED rope lights! These lights work by the sun's energy that is stored during the day, and provides the ultimate amount of efficiency because there is no cost associated in running these types of patio lights! As you can see, you have many choices in energy efficient patio deck railing lights.

Daryl Plaza is a regular contributor to http://www.signatureoutdoorlighting.com/outdoor-patio-lighting.html SignatureOutdoorLighting.com website with resources and information for all your http://blog.worldvillage.com/recreation/outdoor_patio_lighting_what_choices_do_you_have_to_lighten_up_your_backyard.html patio deck lighting needs

Dilemmas of a Homosexual

Before my eyes ever saw this world, a very determined mother proclaimed during her entire pregnancy, that she would not have a boy. My arrival was her bitter disappointment. After being abused for eighteen months, I was adopted into a conservative Adventist home. As I grew, so did my new parent's concern. I liked beauty pageants, dressing up, and wanting to play with dolls, rather than trucks and other boy toys. They sought help from various sources during my developmental years, but they found none. I loved Jesus, went to church, church schools, sang in church choirs and even read the Bible to patients in the Adventist nursing home, but the nagging desires for male companionship and attention haunted me from my earliest memories.

By the time I was eighteen, the church had not provided any answers or support for me. So I turned toward the welcoming arms of the gay community. No rules. No guidelines. Just jump in and start playing. The play caught up with me and I was twice hospitalized for Hepatitis. More years passed and it seemed I might as well have been playing with dynamite. Each time I would test for AIDS, I would pray to God to please give me an HIV-negative result. I promised God I would change. He spared my life numerous times, but I kept returning to the sex and drugs. In my early twenties I had been approached by SDAKinship-a support ministry for homosexual Adventists, and attended a meeting. The idea that God didn't know much about homosexuals and therefore did not give much guidance on the topic seemed preposterous. Kinship seemingly took this into their own hands. Our Heavenly Father, who knows the beginning to the end, needed to say more about homosexual sex? This ministry didn't engage me and I moved on.

As the lone survivor of all my friends, I began to wonder if the whole AIDS survival was punishment for my lifestyle. Loneliness, pain and grieving many precious losses consumed my world. I would remember that my dad had told me again and again how God had told him He had a very special plan for me when they adopted me.

One day God called me and finally got through. In an intense search on the web for a thread of hope, I was drawn to a web site of a Christian lady. The web owner, has spent more than ten years of her life researching homosexuality and Christianity, reaching out to gay Christians. I read everything on the site and found no license to indulge in gay sex, but most amazingly, I found that God loves me in spite of my same-sex attraction. It all made sense. I fell to my knees and sought God's forgiveness. After years of disillusion and confusion, I was overcome once again with His love and was convicted to return to His church.

My beliefs are founded in God's Holy Word. The Bible is the final authority on all human relationships. God ordained and sanctioned one kind of union on earth - that of love and marriage between a man and a woman. The Bible makes clear that homosexual sex is sin, (Romans 1:26-27) and willfully continuing in sin leads to eternal death. In this light I believe no homosexually oriented person who continues practicing gay sex should be given any church office. It's not biblically sound.

The only perfect people in the world were Adam and Eve. Our human race has degenerated after many generations of sin, and various traits and behavioral inclinations were passed on through heredity and prenatal environments. Thus it is possible for a person to be born homosexual. And it most certainly feels that way to me. Nevertheless, a lifestyle that includes gay sex is chosen. My orientation does not have to dictate my actions because Christ gives me the power of choice and that is what decides my destiny. (Galatians 5:16-25)

God could easily make gay people straight if He so chose. But it seems that is not the way He usually works. Even those who have claimed forgiveness and earnestly prayed for right desires, have married and stayed married, find that they are still attracted by the same sex - just like those of us who are single and same-sex attracted. God has not promised to take away our sinful natures before He comes. That would explain why He does not miraculously take our homosexual orientation away, as many of us would like. But I know He loves me and that in His love, He calls me to deny self and follow Him. (Luke 9:23-24)

I believe God died for ALL sinners - the adulterer, the thief, the fornicator, the proud, the gossiper, as well as the homosexual. (1 Corinthians 6:9-10) And I believe that it is very possible that those who demonstrate hatred towards the homosexual are in as much discord with God as the homosexual they hate. Had I had this clarity in the church as a child, I might never have followed the desire to explore my feelings that led to sin. But the church was and remains very hush hush on this topic, and souls continue to flounder and be lost to the devastation of rejection and sometimes suicide.

More than thirty-seven years of living a promiscuous gay lifestyle lapsed before I would come to know that God doesn't see my orientation as a sin. How was it possible that the simplest of truths regarding God's love could be overlooked for one particular sin for so many years?

Within a few weeks after finding the GLAdventist site and speaking with Inge Anderson, I met with my pastor. It was awkward to have such a conversation when he did not understand homosexuality. But I persisted. While he is a God-loving man, he was skeptical and unprepared for dealing with a homosexual in his congregation. I hoped I might be welcomed home as the homosexual prodigal son, but I felt guarded against. A successive visit would provide mutual clarification. We prayed together and I declared my love for God and desire to do His will. I was rebaptized, and my pastor and I continue to grow in our communication.

What was missing in the Adventist church when I was eighteen is still missing today. Of all the sins lit up in neon, the homosexuality one is still flashing. I seek what all sinners seek - understanding, loving and prayerful brothers and sisters who will help one another recognize that the safe haven is in the arms of Jesus and in the church. There are no answers in the gay community - only false hope and deception.

I felt a wave of warmth come over me when I discovered that a conference on "Marriage, Homosexuality and the Church" will be held at Andrews University in October. I am grateful to see attention being drawn to a topic that has weighed heavily on so many men and women who love Christ. I see this long overdue conference as answer to a multitude of prayers. God's direction to love the sinner to Him has been ignored for too long. Self-proclaimed Christians standing on street corners with "God Hates Fags" signs are not drawing sinners to our Savior. It's time for our church to wake up.

Terminology has been a source of confusion for many. While conservative Christians may use the same terminology as the rest of the world, frequently their definitions are not the same. This has resulted in misunderstanding and miscommunication. So let's look at some terminology:

• Gay - Same-sex attraction (SSA)
• Openly gay - Same-sex attraction and affirming gay sex.
• Homosexual - Same-sex attracted (SSA) Gay and Homosexual do not automatically indicate engaging in sexual activity.
• SSA Christian - Same-sex Attracted Christian (SSA Christian)
• Gay Lifestyle - for most this translates into casual same sex, yet not to all, so clarification is needed when using this term.

To many Christians, homosexual automatically refers to someone who is having sex with the same gender. In society at large, homosexual simply refers to being attracted to the same sex very much like heterosexual refers to being attracted to the opposite sex. Being gay means the same. Among Christians, same-sex attraction (ssa) is often used instead of homosexual or gay. If a person is "openly gay," this more likely implies sexual activity, whether with one partner or many. Many gay Christians are celibate or heterosexually married, faithful to their spouses. The gay lifestyle more often than not, refers to frequenting gay night clubs and establishments, living in trendy gay neighborhoods, and usually participating in casual sex. However there are some monogamous couples who may be referred to as living the gay lifestyle.

Church leadership needs to clarify that temptations come from every conceivable angle for every kind of sin. But the sin is not in the temptation.

To gain an overview of how same-sex-attracted Christians see themselves and their relationship with Christ, it would help to have a moderated panel of same-sex-attracted individuals - a broad cross section. Perhaps a Christian same-sex couple, a heterosexual couple made up of a heterosexual and a same-sex attracted individual. Or one or two Christian, same-sex attracted celibate individuals, and representatives from "change" ministries, and SDAKinship. Our church leaders/members could agree upon a set of questions to ask such a panel.

• When did you know you were SSA (same-sex attracted)?
• Did you choose to be SSA?
• What can we as pastors or as a church family do to help you?
• Do you believe that same-sex attraction is a sin?
• Do you think gay sex is a sin?
• Do you think God sanctions same-sex unions?
• What is your feeling about SSA individuals holding church office?
• Do you pray for God to make you straight?
• Do you believe he will make you straight?
• What rights do you, as a SSA individual, believe God offers you?

For those who claim to be "ex-gay," these questions might be revealing:
• Do you believe you are now heterosexual?
• Do you ever experience temptations to fantasize about sex with someone of your own sex?
• When you see a couple walking towards you, do you tend to focus on the man or the woman?
• If you were to have a sexual fall, would it be with a man or a woman?

There is no need to change theology or revise church doctrine. That is not the wedge between the church and the sinner. It is the lack of an outpouring of God's love regardless of what the sin may be - love every sinner thirsts for.

Many Same-sex-attracted Christians believe exactly what the Bible teaches about sex - that God sanctifies unions for one man and one woman. Due to sin and the passing down of various sinful inclinations, they feel strongly attracted to the same sex. The sin is in giving in to the feelings and fantasizing or engaging in sexual behavior with someone of the same sex. By God's grace, abiding in Him will give us victory over sinful inclinations. Thus, same-sex attracted people may live lives of chastity as single people or married to someone of the opposite sex. From some of my GLAdventist friends, I have learned that it is not necessary to be attracted to everyone of the opposite sex in order to benefit from marriage. It is only necessary to be attracted to one person of the opposite sex, and I have seen evidence of God working such miracles. However it should not be seen as mandatory or even the primary goal.

My life today is changed. I begin and end each day talking to Jesus. It is God's grace combined with my choosing that sees me through each day's experiences. I'm still tempted. I'm still attracted to men, but I choose day to day, moment by moment, sometimes even second by second to abide in Christ and turn my will over to Him, and I ask for His will to replace mine. He provides the strength combined with our human effort.

As difficult and unwelcome as the topic of homosexuality may be to some Adventists today, the Apostle James advises us to confess our sins to one another so that we may be healed. The church is a hospital for sinners.

I pray for God's blessing on this conference - that it may be more than a corporate huddle to protect the interests of the church. I pray that it may result in a greater love for God's homosexually oriented children. I believe that if the church seeks to represent Christ to the sinner, He will take care of its corporate interests. If it does not represent Christ, nothing else much matters.

(As first published by Adventist Today, http://www.atoday.com/dilemmas-homosexual )
Wayne Blakely

By Wayne Blakely

Wayne Blakely http://www.knowhislove.com same-sex attracted Christian Living in accordance with God's Word, instead of self indulgence.

Christmas LED Lights Will Help Save Energy and Look Fantastic This Season

Now that the summer is over, the holidays are coming faster than ever. School has started, Halloween is almost here and then Christmas holidays will soon be around the corner. Decorating for Christmas can be an amazing experience and can even help bring families together. Spending a day decorating the Christmas tree with the family can help bond parents and their children. Some people decorate more for the artistic creativity rather than for any bonding experience. There are a fantastic variety of holiday decorations for anyone's taste. Using Christmas LED lights is a fantastic way to save energy and money during this otherwise case-strapped season.

One of the most popular decorations for Christmas is to hang a wreath on the front door. Wreaths are also popular for other seasons and holidays, such as hanging a wreath of dried leaves and bare branches on the door for autumn. Decorating the outside of the house is an amazing idea to attract attention to your house and to bring the joy of the Christmas season to the front garden. Using energy saving decorations, such as Christmas LED lights, is a perfect way to add a touch of holiday spirit to the outdoors and indoors.

Some holiday decorators prefer synthetic trees over natural because the pine needles don't end up all over the floor. Other people will only decorate using natural pine trees for their homes. There are those who decorate every room for Christmas and others who just decorate the living room or kitchen. Individuals who are into the holiday spirit without all of the lore will find that decorating with simple coloured balls, snowflake decorations, and Christmas LED lights will be pleasantly sufficient.

Unfortunately, many people go into debt over Christmas. Decorating for Christmas should never put one in the position of going into debt. Obviously, decorating on a budget is a fantastic idea. Decorating with candles, old ornaments that are repainted and making use of everyday baskets and bowls that you already have are easy and fun ways to make your house gorgeous on a budget.

Roxy is a passionate home enthusiast who loves to enjoy the outdoors and the relaxing mood of her water features & pumps. Roxy works for UK water features, who specialise in finding the best christmas fairy lights as well as solar powered christmas lights and LED christmas tree lights in the UK. For more information, please view our christmas trees.