Once while traveling rural Alabama some years past I decided to visit a local church for the mid-week Wednesday night service. I can't remember the name of the little town I was in but I will never forget that church and what happened there. It was a true experience but to this day I still think that what I found there is what church is all about.

I almost stopped first at a larger church only a block from away from the little church I visited. The large brick church had a parking lot fairly full of cars and several people were going in as I drove by. I can't say what made me keep driving but only a block away was a little white church with two people sitting on the front steps. As I slowed down to look at the church the two people waved to me and smiled. They beckoned for me to come in. I did.

When I entered that church there were only four people already there and no more came in throughout the entire service. I made the fifth person but then I noticed beyond a doubt that there was a sixth presence there also, it was the Lord. One way I knew he was there was because of Christ's own promise…For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them. Matthew 18:20. The other way seems much more subjective but to me was no less reliable. I could feel the presence of the Lord there; in fact it was so powerful I was nearly overwhelmed.

The power and sweetness of the Spirit I found in that little church was for me one of my greatest experiences and it became a litmus test for me later in life. I have been to few churches since then where the Spirit of God has moved so mightily.

I've attended churches where thousands of voices rang out in song and flag dancers whirled around the room. Soloists with clarion voices and perfect pitch sang special music and the preaching was polished to the nines. But often I went away un-inspired and very sure that God was not as pleased with all the fanfare as the people who attended were.

The late Vance Havner was a grand old-time evangelist who preached around the country until his late seventies. He pulled no punches and spoke as a prophet to those who had ears to hear. He said that today's church offered people an experience but only delivered a performance. In my experiences in the church I have tested Havner's statement and rarely have I found it to be faulty.

Entertainment is a multi-billion dollar business in America today. It is like a fix or an aphrodisiac to almost all Americans. Witness the tens of thousands of contestants who show up city by city to audition for things like American Idol. Everyone must either be sucking the spectaculars into their senses or helping to produce them in some way. In the secular world this could all be understood by just considering the source but when it leaks or in some cases pours into the church, it should raise some serious questions.

The idea of Christian Rap music, dancers and performers in church services, touring gospel choirs, and a myriad of other Hollywood style fluff is proof that there is more of the world in the church than there is church in the world. Some contemporary theology might find a way to justify all this but the bible does not. If the church needs to borrow a vehicle to present the gospel to the world then the power of the gospel is not supplemented but it is supplanted. Adding the flash of the worldly to the gospel weakens it and is probably displeasing to God after all…for that which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God. Luke 16:15

Jesus said that if we lifted him up and simply proclaimed his gospel it would bring out the sheep. If we have to make it entertaining and gild it in gold and adorn it with buttons and bows then it is most likely not the gospel of Christ in its purest form. Jesus said he was the Rock and the whole world was sinking sand so why then would we present him with a media that will be blown away just like the sinking sands in a flood?

When we borrow from the world to present his gospel we insult its power to stand by itself and do exactly what Jesus said it would do. It is still the old time gospel that saves men and nothing more. Yes, it can be adorned with every kind of flashy presentation available today but it is most likely to be buried by it instead. The Holy Spirit convicts men of sin and leads them to the door of grace he does not entertain their senses and lead them to the back door of the church with praises for the presentation. And if the presence of God in a church is any test at all, then it may be that in many cases he doesn't even show up in such places.

It is best said by the use of an old analogy I heard about an old man who tried to worship in the big church but was constantly turned away. He was abjectly poor and that was seen in his shabby appearance. All who entered the church were well dressed and their culturally based congregation looked sharp each person reflecting the same level of success as their peers in that neighborhood. The services were filled with praises sang from the projected songs from the computer displayed song sheet replete with moving images of ocean waves and mighty waterfalls against golden sunsets. Theatre productions, dancers, professionally trained and well rehearsed musicians played in symphonic perfection the contemporary songs of the day. But for the old gentlemen there was no entrance. He simply looked bad and was so shabby he was repeatedly turned away at the doors.

One Sunday morning after being turned away yet once more he went behind the church and sat under a tree and wept. As he was sobbing Jesus Christ appeared to him and with a gentle voice said…" why are you crying so sadly my son." He said, "Because I have been trying to get into that church for a long time just to worship you my Lord but they will never let me in." Jesus replied, "Don't be too sad my son, I have been trying to get in that church also, and they have not let me in either."

Article written by Rev Michael Bresciani
Rev Bresciani is the author of two Christian books. He has many articles both online and in print. Please visit www.americanprophet.org

Learning the guitar may be one of the best things you ever take the time to do. You can choose to play either the acoustic or electric guitar. There are various different methods you could choose to help you learn how to play, but one of the most effective and convenient ways is to complete lessons online. There are a few places in particular that you’ll want to check out if you’re looking to find the best online guitar lessons.

One of the best places you can head to online is Guitar Tricks. Guitar Tricks is one of the most popular choices for learning guitar online. They have a lot to offer including 24 free sample guitar lessons to get you started. They make it easy to get started and also offer refresher courses for more experienced guitarists who may have just taken a break for a while and want to get back into things.

They have a long listing of different songs for you to check out and this way you can learn all your favorite medleys. One of their best features is how they color-code their songs in terms of difficulty so you can start off by learning the easier songs and work your way onto the most difficult ones as you progress. Another site worth checking out where you can find some of the best online guitar lessons is Guitar Noise. Featured here are hundreds of free lessons, offered in a very clear way which keeps it from getting confusing and overwhelming to the newcomer.

They will teach you step by step to become a master guitarist. Free Guitar Videos is a company worth checking out if you find the videos easier to use for learning how to play guitar. They offer online video lessons which make it easy to follow the experts and make sure that you’re getting the hang of things. Their free guitar lesson of the week is always interesting, and these are free streaming videos so you can watch them right away and not have to worry about download wait time.

They focus the majority of their training around videos to make it easier for aspiring guitarists and in fact they’re recognized as being the world’s biggest producer of free online guitar lesson videos. Learning online offers some significant advantages to learning via other methods such as with a private tutor or music class. It’s a lot easier to work online when learning a new skill like this, because you can work at your own pace and do it when you have the time for it. This is much better than struggling to work your schedule around your lessons.

This article is for worship leaders. And as such, I believe it needs to focus on leadership skills. It is my intent to do this from a Biblical perspective. The only prerequisite for leadership is you must have somebody follow you. I can be just one person or thousands. The definition is still the same - A leader must have someone following them.

Understand That You are a Spiritual Leader

But there is more to leadership than having people follow you. In the Body of Christ you are a not just a leader. You are a Spiritual Leader. Your leadership skills must be in alignment with spiritual ideals.

Spiritual Leader Defined…

A Leader is someone who is called by God with God given capacities and God given responsibility to serve a specific group of God's people directing them in God's purpose for that group to bring glory to God.

Now that is a powerful! Go back and read that again. As a matter of fact go ahead and memorize that statement. It is the basis for the rest of this article. It is an important statement that will help you understand your place as a worship leader.

Now what I want to do is break that statement down. There are six important points that I will cover with you. Let's begin with the first point…

God's Calling

1 Samuel 3: 8-17 And the LORD called Samuel again the third time. And he arose and went to Eli, and said, Here am I; for thou didst call me. And Eli perceived that the LORD had called the child. Therefore Eli said unto Samuel, Go, lie down: and it shall be, if he call thee, that thou shalt say, Speak, LORD; for thy servant heareth. So Samuel went and lay down in his place. And the LORD came, and stood, and called as at other times, Samuel, Samuel. Then Samuel answered, Speak; for thy servant heareth. And the LORD said to Samuel, Behold, I will do a thing in Israel, at which both the ears of every one that heareth it shall tingle. In that day I will perform against Eli all things which I have spoken concerning his house: when I begin, I will also make an end. For I have told him that I will judge his house for ever for the iniquity which he knoweth; because his sons made themselves vile, and he restrained them not. And therefore I have sworn unto the house of Eli, that the iniquity of Eli's house shall not be purged with sacrifice nor offering for ever. And Samuel lay until the morning, and opened the doors of the house of the LORD. And Samuel feared to shew Eli the vision. Then Eli called Samuel, and said, Samuel, my son. And he answered, Here am I. And he said, What is the thing that the LORD hath said unto thee? I pray thee hide it not from me: God do so to thee, and more also, if thou hide any thing from me of all the things that he said unto thee.

The ministry is a calling from God to do His work. God's works through His people. He equips them with the proper tools. Things like temperament, abilities, talents and Spiritual Gifts. I believe that every Christian has a specific call in their life to serve God in the ministry. Our focus is of course in the area of music and how that relates to the church. Along with the ability to perform music there needs to be a calling. Let me pose a question to you. Can someone with extreme musical talents not be called to lead a group of people in worship? Yes, it is possible for a talented musician or singer to not be called to become a worship leader. They could very well be called to another ministry. That is of course God's decision and each individuals responsibility to do what God call them to do.

There are two types of people in the ministry. Those that are called by God to do His work. And those who are attempting to do God's work yet are not called. Seems rather obvious. But it does happen on occasion that someone is assigned to do a task in the church without regard to any calling on that individual's life. This usually happens when "The laborer are few". It is important to note - Unless you are truly called you will be frustrated and discouraged. Your ministry will be ineffective.

How do you know you are called? That is an age-old question and it's up to you to discover whether you are called or not. Just so you know - I believe that every Christian is called to ministry in one way or another. Each person has a place in the body. There is a perfect fit for every Christian believer. God has purpose for your life. It is you job to allow God to reveal it to you.

Make sure that God has actually called you into your ministry. A good indication of your call is found in your natural inclinations, abliities and attitudes. Which leads us to the next point…

God Given Capacity

Each of us is given the ability to touch people's lives with the Gospel message. God does this through individuals like you and me. God given capacity is made up of two parts. One part is natural ability and the other part is Spiritual Gifts.

Natural Ability — the tools God uses to glorify Him

The natural ability covers the scope of our intellect and physical prowess. We may be a great mathematical thinker, superior at throwing a ball or a technically skilled musician. From the first day we are born we discover things that we are good at doing. We enjoy the success we have at doing them. And because we enjoy these activities we continue to practice, study and learn about these things. Eventually it becomes a part of our identity. Our Natural ability is the tool by which God can work through us to effect His Kingdom. As a worship leader your tool is music.

Spiritual Gifts — the method He uses to execute His purpose

The day you received Christ into you life as Savior you not only received the awesome gift of salvation, you also received Spiritual Gifts. Every Christian has at least one. The gift He gives you can be small or it can be grand, a gift none the less. Whatever the amount is unimportant, what is important is that you use your spiritual gifts to its fullest potential. Be thankful for the Spiritual Gifts you have.

Now some will debate whether music is a gift. I tend to believe that music is a tool rather than a gift. You are able to take our Spiritual Gift and apply it to music. If you are a teacher - use music to teach. If you are an evangelist - then use music the evangelize.

The best way to learn about spiritual gifts is by reading the Bible. Reading and learning should be helpful in the discovery of your spiritual gifts. First read the following bible verses:

Romans 12:4-8 1 Corinthians 12:4-11 1 Corinthians 12:27-30 Ephesians 4:7-12 1 Peter 4:7-11

Each of these verses categorizes each gift that makes up the Church body. Each one is important.

God Given Responsibility

Matthew 25:13-29 Tells is a story about a man who gave his servant each a talent according to their individual ability. Two out of the three invested their talent and it grew. The third one who happened to have the smallest portion did nothing with his talent. This did not please the man in the story. What I glean from this is that we are responsible to take what God gives us in talent and use it.

Responsibility is about stewardship. Stewardship is the effective management of the resources that God gives us. It is a matter of "taking care of business" for the Kingdom. In the kingdom of God you have no rights. That's the opposite of our society today. We are led to believe that our rights are paramount in everything. But, in reality God has given us worship leaders a responsibility. The Bible makes it clear that we are to be "Doers of the Word". Responsibility requires commitment to do what God has called you to do.

We can look at the parable of the talents and see that God requires us to be responsible steward of what He has given us. The main lesson here is that you must take what God has given you and make it profitable for Him. Otherwise there will be severe consequences. You have spiritual gifts and natural abilities. Now it's time to take those gifts and use them for God purpose. Of course, nothing is done in a vacuum. Therefore you must take responsibility for your action. Both good and bad.

To serve a specific group of people

John 13:13-15 So after he had washed their feet, and had taken his garments, and was set down again, he said unto them, Know ye what I have done to you? Ye call me Master and Lord: and ye say well; for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another's feet. For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you.

Jesus was the perfect example of a servant. He washed the feet of the disciples. This was a radical move on the part of Jesus. The lowest person on the social scale did the washing of feet. It was Jesus who came to serve us. And by His example we are to serve others.

Look around you - Who do you see? People! At least I hope that your church has some people in it. This is your specific group of people. God in His wisdom and Glory placed you in the exact spot that He chose for you to minister.

Now we can examine the people a little closer. There are big one and small ones - There are young ones and old ones - There are men and there are women. People come in all shapes and sizes.

Moses was called by God to serve a specific group of people. He took the Israelites out of Egypt and delivered them to the Promised Land. As you know there were a few snags along the way that caused these people to wander in the desert for forty years. But, these were the exact people that Moses was created to serve.

As a worship leader in your church, you have a responsibility to serve that group of people for the season of time God keeps you there. Spiritual Leaders are servants to those around them. Jesus was the perfect example of this.

Directing this group of people toward God's Purpose

Help people become effective tools for the Kingdom - do these three things…

1. Help them to Discover their place in the Body of Christ
2. Help Them Develop spiritually
3. Help them Deploy their place in the church.

Three things to remember… Discover -> Develop -> Deploy Once you know your team member's individual Spiritual Gifts it is your responsibility to help nurture those gifts. Discipleship is key in the development phase.

Nothing is worse than unrealized talent. Or talent that is wasted sitting on the shelf. Therefore it is vital that each person deploy. That is "go into all the world." You see someone with a calling on their life; you do a disservice to the church by hindering the execution of that part.

To Bring Glory to God

The ultimate Goal it to bring Glory to God. As musician it is tempting to pursue ego gratification. Your performance in judged not by how well you did - It's based on how well you related to God and His purpose. The object of your worship is God. It is our job to take our Gifts and Talents and use them to give God glory.

There are entertainers and there are worship leaders. Each one has a different objective. An entertain often times bring glory to themselves. And music is entertaining. Yet it is also a tool used by God to be used by the Church to worship Him. There is a distinct dividing line between doing something by our own strength or allowing God to do it.

You bring glory to God when you die to self and serve the people with song. You bring glory to God when the people are able to focus on their Creator and Savior. In many respects you are a tour guide. Helping people to have an intimate relationship.

This article is an excerpt for the new book by John Pape, Jr titled "Building a House of Worship" You can get a copy of this book at… www.mediatunes.com/bhow/

How to Avoid Guitar Practice Burnout
The #1 Reason Beginner Guitarists Give-Up.

This article is about how to avoid guitar practice burnout - something that happens to all of us from time to time!

Yep it's true. Many of us at one time or another has experienced those "blah" days where the last thing we want to do is pick up our guitar and practice. But don't fret! Here you'll discover valuable little tidbits to help keep you motivated with learning and practicing guitar, so let's get started…

How to Avoid Guitar Practice Burnout:

1) Enjoy the process of learning guitar.

This sounds basic, but often beginner guitarist's will focus on negative aspects about their guitar playing skill level. Instead of "beating yourself up" remember that all professional guitarists started off just like you. The truth is that learning guitar takes time, patience and practice.

As a beginner, you should not try to learn to play guitar too quickly. Why? In trying to learn guitar too quickly you'll risk increased muscle tension which can actually reduce your guitar playing ability.

So slow and steady guitar lessons will benefit you best for long-term success.

2) Use the quality guitar learning methods.

Many people find that learning to play guitar using traditional methods is too difficult, overwhelming and time consuming. And because of this difficulty, many people give up on their dreams of learning to play guitar because the guitar learning techniques were inadequate.

Luckily though, now days you can get online guitar lessons that teach a new and revolutionary way to learn guitar that produces fast and effective results. These new guitar lesson techniques make learning guitar fun and easy. So, if learning guitar using traditional guitar methods is too difficult, or causing you too much frustration, know that there are new and improved ways to learn guitar that work extremely well.

3) Learn to practice guitar at your pace.

In learning to play guitar, you'll discover that some days you're more motivated than other days.

For example, some days you'll feel like playing the guitar for hours on end, and at other times, you'll only want to practice guitar for a few minutes. This is normal and if it's one of your "off days" allow yourself to enjoy a break from a long practice section without feeling guilty.

4) Look to others for inspiration.

One of the best motivators in trying to achieve any goal, like learning guitar, is to look to other people for help and assistance. Consider joining a musicians group and online music forums where you can share tips, successes and troubles with other guitarists online.

Chances are, there will be another guitar player who has had the same problem you're facing who can give you great
advice. Learning how other people achieved their guitar playing success, and the pitfalls they incountered along the way (and how to avoid them), will help tremendously to inspire and motivate you along the way while learning guitar.

The #1 Reason Beginner Guitarists Give-Up:

The biggest reason many people new to learning guitar give-up is because they loose the JOY of learning to play guitar. Why? Many beginner guitarists are excited about their new hobby, and this excitement causes many people to rush into trying to play their first song as quickly as possible.

However by not FIRST taking the time to learn proper guitar basics, usually results in increased playing difficulties and frustration. And frustration is what eventually leads many beginners to give-up on their dreams of playing the guitar.

But don't worry! By following the tips above, you'll be well ahead of most people learning to play guitar.

Remember, to avoid practice burnout, it's critical learn to play guitar at a consistent pace, allow yourself breaks from playing guitar as needed, and keep yourself motivated by seeking out other guitarists for help and inspiration.

Article written by Annette Rowe
Annette owns Online-Guitar-Lesson-Reviews.com. Please visit her site to get free online guitar lesson resources and reviews. Sign-up for a free guitar lesson mini-course loaded with free guitar solutions.

You were planned for God's pleasure. The moment you were born into the world, God was there as an unseen witness, smiling at your birth. He wanted you alive, and your arrival gave him great pleasure. God did not need to create you, but he chose to create you for his own enjoyment. You exist for his benefit, his glory, his purpose and his delight.

Bringing enjoyment to God, living for his pleasure, is the first purpose of your life. When you fully understand this truth, you will never again have a problem with feeling insignificant. It proves your worth. If you are that important to God, and he considers you valuable enough to keep with him for eternity, what greater significance could you have?

The Bible says, "Because of his love God had already decided that through Jesus Christ he would make us his children — this was his pleasure and purpose" (Ephesians 1:5, TEV).

We often forget that God has emotions too. He feels things very deeply. The Bible tells us that God grieves, gets jealous and angry, and feels compassion, pity, sorrow and sympathy as well as happiness, gladness and satisfaction. God loves, delights, gets pleasure, rejoices, enjoys and even laughs!

Bringing pleasure to God is called worship. The Bible says, "The Lord is pleased with those who worship him and trust his love" (Psalm 147:11, CEV). Anything you do that brings pleasure to God is an act of worship. Like a diamond, worship is multifaceted. Anthropologists have noted that worship is a universal urge, hard-wired by God into the very fiber of our being — an inbuilt need to connect with God.

Worship is as natural as eating or breathing. If we fail to worship God, we always find a substitute, even if it ends up being ourselves. The reason God made us with this desire is that he desires worshipers! Jesus said, "The Father seeks worshipers" (John 4:23, paraphrased).

Depending on your church background, you probably need to expand your understanding of the real meaning of "worship." You may think of church services with singing, praying and listening to a sermon. Or you may think of ceremonies, candles and communion. Worship can include these elements, but worship is far more than these expressions. Worship is a lifestyle.

Worship is more than music. For many people, worship is just a synonym for music. They say, "At our church we have the worship first, and then the teaching." This is a big misunderstanding. Every part of a church service is an act of worship: praying, Scripture reading, singing, confession, silence, being still, listening to a sermon, taking notes, giving an offering, baptism, communion, signing a commitment card and even greeting other worshipers.

Actually, worship predates music. Adam worshiped in the Garden of Eden, but music isn't mentioned until Genesis 4:21 with the birth of Jubal. If worship were just music, then all who are nonmusical could never worship. Worship is far more than music.

Even worse, "worship" is often misused to refer to a particular style of music: "First we sang a hymn, then a praise and worship song." Or "I like the fast praise songs but enjoy the slow worship songs most." In this usage, if a song is fast or loud or uses brass instruments, it's considered "praise." But if it is slow and quiet and intimate, maybe accompanied by guitar, that's worship. This is a common misuse of the term "worship."

Worship has nothing to do with the style or volume or speed of a song. God loves all kinds of music because he invented it all — fast and slow, loud and soft, old and new.

You probably don't like it all, but God does! If it is offered to God in spirit and truth, it is an act of worship.

Christians often disagree over the style of music used in worship, passionately defending their preferred style as the most biblical or God-honoring. But there is no biblical style! There are no musical notes in the Bible; we don't even have the instruments they used in Bible times. Frankly, the music style you like best says more about you — your background and personality — than it does about God. One ethnic group's music can sound like noise to another. But God likes variety and enjoys it all.

There is no such thing as "Christian" music; there are only Christian lyrics. It is the words that make a song sacred, not the tune. There are no spiritual tunes. If I played a song for you without the words, you'd have no way of knowing if it were a "Christian" song.

Worship is not for your benefit. As a pastor, I receive notes that say, "I loved the worship today. I got a lot out of it." This is another misconception about worship. It isn't for our benefit! We worship for God's benefit. When we worship, our goal is to bring pleasure to God, not ourselves.

If you have ever said, "I didn't get anything out of worship today," you worshiped for the wrong reason. Worship isn't for you. It's for God. Of course, most "worship" services also include elements of fellowship, edification and evangelism, and there are benefits to worship, but we don't worship to please ourselves. Our motive is to bring glory and pleasure to our Creator.

Worship is not a part of your life, it is your life. It's not just for church services. The Bible tells us to "worship him continually" (Psalm 105:4, TEV). Every activity can be transformed into an act of worship when you do it for the praise, glory and pleasure of God. The Bible says, "So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God" (1 Corinthians 10:31, NIV). Martin Luther said, "A dairymaid can milk cows to the glory of God."

How is it possible to do everything to the glory of God? By doing everything as if you were doing it for Jesus and by carrying on a continual conversation with him while you do it! The Bible says, "Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men" (Colossians 3:23, NIV).

This is the secret to a lifestyle of worship — doing everything as if you were doing it for Jesus. Work becomes worship when you dedicate it to God and perform it with an awareness of his presence.

-Pastors.com®-
Article written by Rick Warren

This article is based upon the N.Y. Times bestseller, “The Purpose Driven Life,” which is available at http://www.pastors.com/pcom/specials/PDLBook.asp. ©Copyright 2003. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

We've known for quite a while how the different forms of media (radio, TV, magazines, etc) can influence our lives. They can change how we feel about ourselves and what moral or social views we may have had. They do this very powerfully in our children's hearts and minds as well.

I don't know how many TV shows or movies you sit down and watch with your children, but you will notice a common theme in these shows aimed at our kids. Among movies the theme seems to be one of independence. The child who is the main character always seems to be independent of parents. Either they have been abandoned, run-away or they have lost their parents to death. In TV shows the theme seems to be that most parents are stupid, naive or inept at raising their children. The child is usually portrayed as knowing more than the adult so they end up having to rely on themselves.

What kinds of feelings does this portray to our children?
I think it relates the exact attitudes that we are now seeing in society among mainstream kids. An attitude that they really don't need us and that they can do things better their way. An attitude that has stimulated their sense of "right" or feelings of deserving things and the outcome that results in many arguments between parents and children. That is why so many power struggles have been going on. Children are trying to be adults before they are truly ready!

I've said it before and I will stress the point again. Pay attention to what your children are viewing, watching and listening to!! Monitor your child's friendships and their social circle. Most importantly, communicate with your children. Talk to them about the "why's" and "how come's" of situations that are happening in the movies and television shows that they watch. Sometimes our children may resent us for our stance, but we need to have "tough love" and look at the whole picture on behalf of our child's best interests in the long run.

Every child needs boundaries, guidelines, rules and structure. Every child needs a parent - not a buddy who will just let them have their way. They need a parent who is wise, discerning and loving enough to incorporate structure into their lives until they are old enough to wisely monitor things themselves. That wisdom comes with practice.

Sometimes you may be the only parent who says "no." But do so knowing that your children will be emotionally, physically and spiritually richer for it. And God bless you for your courage.

Dionna Sanchez enjoys writing from her home in Idaho. She is Editor/Publisher of Emphasis On Moms…the newsletter focused on encouraging moms not just as parents, but also as women. Visit today at www.EmphasisOnMoms.com

This article provided by the Family Content Archives at: www.Family-Content.com

Portable mp3 players have caught on in a big way despite the rants and disgruntled mumblings of certain millionaire recording acts. Not only are mp3 players becoming more and more affordable, but personal mp3 players are also being enhanced with greater features and functionality. With so many mp3 players to choose from, finding the perfect one for your lifestyle can be an overwhelming task–that is until now.

The first tip in finding the perfect portable mp3 player is to decide why you want the device. Do you want just a basic cheap mp3 player to upgrade from your old walkman? Are you a music groupie who needs unlimited space to download every domestic and import mp3 released by your favorite bands? Or are you simply looking for an affordable mp3 player to listen to music while you are exercising? Whatever the answer may be, there is a portable mp3 player out there that was made specifically with you in mind.

The second tip you need to know in finding the perfect portable mp3 player is to acclimate yourself with the types of portable mp3 players available. Although this list is constantly changing, the three main types of portable personal mp3 players are hard drive based, flash based, and cd based.

Basically what this means is that portable mp3 players use different types of hardware to store and read mp3s. Hard drive based mp3 players store mp3s on an internal hard drive. Flash based mp3 players store mp3s on some variation of a flash media card. CD based mp3 players read mp3 players off of a cd containing mp3s.

If you are looking for cheap mp3 players, your best bet will be to get a cd based mp3 player. Not only is it cheaper in price than the other portable mp3 players, it is also much more affordable to purchase a twenty pack of blank cds than a flash media card.

If unlimited space is your fetish, you will need to go with a hard drive based mp3 player. Many of the hard drive based mp3 players are not only affordable, but rival home computers in terms of their hard drive storage capacity.

If you are looking for added features such as recording capabilities and advanced tools in your mp3 player, then a flash media mp3 player will best suit your needs. However, you will be trading in storage capacity for those added features.

For everyone else, your best bet will be to get a lower model hard drive based portable mp3 player such as the immensely popular and sleekly designed iPod. You really can't go wrong with an iPod.

By understanding the different types of portable mp3 players and how they will be used by you, you can easily find the perfect affordable portable mp3 player for your budget and lifestyle.

Article written by Mike Waters
Mike Waters is owner of "Waters Rock" music studio and the senior technology columnist for "Media-Tech Entertainment and You." To learn more about the best portable mp3 players on the market, check out the informative resources at http://www.best-mp3-players.info

For many years classical guitars have been used extensively for all sorts of purposes, and in the course of time, more modern form of guitars have started to appear. One of the most famous modern forms of guitars is the acoustic guitar. This descendant of the classic guitar is a non-electric guitar which is generally strung with steel strings for a brighter, louder sound.

Generally speaking, all forms of non-electric guitars are known as acoustic guitars. You may have heard people saying steel-stringed guitar, classical guitar, folk guitar or others; but they actually all mean the same.

Many famous guitarists such as rock band artists use acoustic guitars because these guitars produce a very loud sound naturally.

The Many Variants
Acoustic guitars are basically made from various types of materials. The most expensive ones come with extremely solid wood tops, sides and back. Usually these guitars are made from exclusive woods such as rosewood, maple or mahogany. The medium range ones are normally made from combined solid tops with laminated backs or sides, while the lower-end ones are made entirely of limited woods.

Normally when buying one, what we should see first is the built of the wood, which is the wood type and its construction. A good guitar must be made of dried wood. Really good guitars are made from extremely dried woods to ensure the absence of moisture which can make the whole guitar crooked in time.

Besides these, there are many acoustic guitars nowadays which are made of alternative species of woods. Many makers are producing guitars with tops made of red cedar, mahogany, or other alternative materials such as plastic or graphite.

The Many Parts
Acoustic guitars work from the good blend of many parts of the guitar, such as the bridge, the neck, the body, and the end blocks. So it is important to check these individual parts when buying one.

Take for example; the bridge. The part of the bridge which touches the strings picks up the vibrations and transmits them into the sound chamber, where they are amplified and bounced through the box-shaped struts then pushed out from the sound hole.

So, it is very important to have a very good bridge unit. Avoid buying acoustic guitars with bridges made from plastic, because they would never produce satisfying sound - and the same applies to every other part of the guitar as well. Each of them need to be made of very good material, and you must check that before buying.

Taking care of your instrument is not only the first guitar lesson - it should become a regular habit for beginners and experts alike. Apart from ensuring longer life and consistent sound quality, by this practice you also grow a sense of respect for your guitar, an affinity and a bond with the instrument. You come to "know" your guitar better. On the other hand if you tend to neglect your guitar eventually its quality of sound will suffer. The sound quality is as important as the skill of the player.

You may like to consider using a hard shell case for transporting your guitar. The hard case holds the guitar cushioned securely in place so that the instrument does not get bumps and jerks in handling. This not only protects the body of the guitar, it also keeps the guitar tuned for a longer time.

Many people use soft or cloth "gig bag" which can be zipped up. Although such bags protect the instrument from dust, they do not provide mechanical strength to protect the guitar from possible physical damage. These bags do not even protect the tuning nuts which turn during handling and the guitar gets out of tune. To avoid such problems hard shell case of proper size should be used. The hard cases are designed to take the impact while holding the guitar safely, protecting body and neck of the guitar and keeping it in tune.

Another important accessory is a guitar stand. When you are not playing the guitar you should keep it on a guitar stand. It is not a good practice to lean the guitar against the wall. This can warp the neck of the guitar in due course. The warping will increase the distance between the strings and the fingerboard. This will in turn not only affect the quality of sound, you will need to apply more force to play the instrument. Your level of performance will be affected. To avoid such problems the guitar should be placed on a stand or a level surface. It is good idea to cover the guitar when not using it. You can keep the guitar in its hard shell case when not playing it.

The strings exert considerable force on the guitar. There is enough strength designed in the guitar to withstand this force without deforming. However, if strings are tightened too much, it will give additional strain on the guitar. To prevent over-tightening and also for ease of tuning you can have a tuning device for your guitar. With the help of this device you will be able to tune the guitar quickly and accurately.

If you are very serious about protecting your guitar, you should actually tune down your guitar (loosen the strings) when you are not playing it. You can again tune-in when you decide to play next time. I know it will be a botheration to tune the guitar so many times, but it will provide greater protection.

There are some common sense practices. You need to keep your guitar clean. While you clean your instrument, you can also develop a habit of inspecting the body of your guitar and take action quickly. For example, if any of the strings start rusting they should be replaced.

The movement of the tuning nuts should be smooth. At the earliest signs of any jerky movements, the nuts should be set right by proper maintenance.

Care and maintenance of your instrument is an important guitar lesson which should be religiously followed. The better you take care of your guitar, the better output you can expect.

Article written by Sanjay Johari
Sanjay Johari regularly contributes articles to various ezines.

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