INPUT ARTICLE: Article: Cooking corn off-the-cob (whether it's from a can or cut from the cob itself) is easy with a microwave. Start by draining the corn of any excess liquid — you want your finished product to be soft, delicious corn kernels, not corn soup. See below for instructions.   Canned corn: Open the can with a can opener until the lid is connected by just a small piece of metal. Tip the can into the sink, keeping the lid on, and let the excess liquid drain. Remove the lid and pour the corn into a strainer, then rinse with water and allow to drain.  Refrigerated corn: Draining is less of an issue here because there will usually be less excess moisture. Toss the corn lightly in a strainer or use a slotted spoon to drain the corn. Season your corn now for a delicious taste as soon as it comes out of the microwave! Salt and pepper give the sweet corn kernels an excellent savory dimension, while butter keeps them moist and gives a smooth texture. You may use as much salt, pepper, and butter as you wish. If you're unsure, adding about one tablespoon of butter for every 12-ounce can of corn (the equivalent of about 1.5 cups of loose corn) and salt and pepper to taste should give great results. Making sure that your corn is in a microwave-safe container, transfer it to the microwave and cook it on "HIGH" or your preferred setting for about three minutes. Stop the microwave and stir every minute or so to ensure the butter and seasonings are combining well. Don't use an airtight cover or lid — you want to keep the moisture in, but if steam builds up in an airtight container, it can cause an explosion. Leave the lid oven a crack to allow excess steam to escape. Carefully remove the corn from the microwave, take the lid off, and check to see that the corn has heated evenly. If so, stir the mixture and serve immediately. If not, feel free to return it to the microwave for a minute or two. If you are cooking a large amount of corn (more than a can or two), be ready to microwave for a little extra time. In general, the more food you microwave at once, the longer it will take to cook.

SUMMARY: Drain the corn. Add salt, pepper, and butter. Cover and cook for approximately four minutes. Remove from microwave, stir, and serve.


INPUT ARTICLE: Article: You may have learned a lot during your fast, but there may yet be other lessons you can take away from your fast that you can only discover after it ends. Ask God to guide you as you reflect and as you move forward so that you can make the most of your fasting experience.  If you committed to a partial fast, media fast, or habit fast, focus on your successes rather than you failures. Many people falter on these fasts at some point, especially if they are unaccustomed to fasting. Instead of deeming the experience to be a failure due to your weak points, focus on the lessons learned and spiritual strength gained during your strong points. Express gratitude. Above all else, reflect an move forward in a spirit of thanksgiving. Give thanks to God for the completion of a successful fast and for any spiritual direction you received during your time of fasting. If you only fasted for 24 hours, you can return to a normal eating schedule the following day. Similarly, if you only fasted from a certain type of food or from a single meal, you can safely reintroduce the food or meal into your diet without taking extra precautions. If you fasted from all food and liquid aside from water, you should gradually reintroduce food to your diet with solid fruit.  Watermelon and other fruits that have a high water content are best. You can also drink fruit juices to re-accustom your body to food matter other than plain water. If you continued drinking fruit and vegetable juices during your fast, gradually break your fast with a slow, steady intake of vegetables.  On the first day, eat nothing more than a raw salad. For the second day, add a baked or boiled potato to your diet. Do not use butter or seasoning. During the third day, add a steamed vegetable to your diet. Again, do not use butter or seasoning. From the fourth day onward, you can reintroduce your normal diet in a way that feels convenient and comfortable for your body. As you return to regular eating, consume several small snacks or meals for the first few days instead of immediately jumping to large meals.

SUMMARY: Reflect on the experience and ask God for guidance. Return to eating as normal after a brief fast. Break a water fast with fruit. Slowly introduce vegetables when breaking a liquid fast. Eat snacks to return to regular eating.


INPUT ARTICLE: Article: A header is a solid section of wood that is installed over a doorway on a load-bearing wall in order to redistribute the weight and compensate for the studs that were removed to widen the opening to install the doorway. Use a stud finder to see if the space above your door is a solid header.  Look for a solid section of wood that would indicate a header was installed and the wall is load-bearing. If the space above a doorway on the wall is hollow, then it’s likely not a load-bearing wall. Check the beneath the wall to see if it’s stacked on another wall. Go to the first floor, basement, pilings, or crawlspace and look to see if there are piers or girders underneath the wall that would indicate that it is a load-bearing wall. If there is, then it is likely a load-bearing wall.  If the wall you plan to knock down is on the second floor, check to see if there’s a wall in the exact same place on the floor below it. Piers or girders look like solid metal beams and are used to support structures. If you see them below your wall, then it means the wall also supports the weight of the building. If you see pylons, which look like large posts, beneath your wall, it means your wall is load-bearing. Be careful crawling beneath the structure to inspect the walls. If the wall runs through the center of the building and is beneath the trusses or frame of the structure, then it may be a load-bearing wall. Just because the wall runs parallel to the framing above it doesn’t necessarily mean that it’s load-bearing, but it is a sign that it could be and it needs to be confirmed before you try to knock it down. If you see ceiling or floor joists at the edges of the wall, then it’s definitely a load-bearing wall. If you have the original blueprints of the building, there should be a key that includes markings to indicate which walls are load-bearing. Look for an “S” which means “Structural” near walls, joists, and other features on the blueprint. Look for the wall you plan to knock down and determine whether it’s structural or not.  Read the blueprints closely to look for indicators that a wall is load-bearing. Use the key to identify structural features. The best way to determine that a wall isn’t load-bearing is to hire a structural engineer to come out and inspect it. They’ll be able to analyze the structure and confirm whether or not it’s safe for you to knock down the wall.  Look online for structural engineers or engineering firms you can pay to inspect your wall. Hiring a structural engineer can cost between $300-$500.

SUMMARY:
Identify load-bearing walls by solid headers above the doorways. Note that stacked walls are structural and shouldn't be removed. See if the wall runs parallel to the frame for signs that it’s load-bearing. Review the blueprints to confirm if the wall is structural. Have the wall inspected by a structural engineer to be sure.