{"text": "The Christian Life Institute offers a biblically-based way to grow forward, equipping and empowering you to live victoriously through life's challenges.\nWe draw from both Scripture and brain science, helping Christians experience spiritual and emotional wellbeing. Informed by the unique credentials of our founder, Dr. Katherine Pang, CLI cultivates a fearless resolve to surrender to Christ.\nAn invitation from our founder\nGain practical tools for spiritual and emotional wellbeing. Check out our workshops.\nExplore free media resources, including our radio ministry The LivingWay.\nYour prayers and financial support serve others. Become a contributor to access members-only content.\nSign up to receive free resources (and a free ebook!), updates, and special program information.\nCopyright © 2021 The Christian Life Institute For Functional Spiritual Wellness - All Rights Reserved.", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "☧Dedicatio Basilicæ | Sci Pauli viii Kl Mai | anno xv Ecgfridi Reg. | .... Ceolfridi Abb. ejusdem q. | q. Eccles. Deo Auctore | Conditoris Anno iiii. The two monasteries, St. Peter's at Wearmouth, and St. Paul's at Jarrow, were sister houses, and the new convent remained in the strictest connection with Benedict's earlier foundation. The number of brethren at Jarrow appears to have slightly increased after the congregation was first formed by Benedict, and twenty-two settled in Ceolfrith's new house, of whom ten were already tonsured, and the remainder were applicants for the tonsure. During the progress of the building the abbot took no small pains to instruct his brethren how to read and sing the service, in order that they might chant the psalms and say the responses and antiphons as the custom was at St. Peter's at Wearmouth. His monks studied diligently, and good progress was made. The monastery, however, was visited by the plague, which carried off all the monks who were thus able to take part in the service save the abbot himself and one lad whom he had brought up and taught, and who was not as yet in priest's orders. When the history from which this incident comes was written, the lad, grown then to manhood, and in the priesthood, was still a brother of the house, equally famous for what he wrote and what he spoke of his past life, and it is not too fanciful to believe that he was Bæda [q. v.], who tells us that Ceolfrith brought him up, and that it was by his direction that he was ordained priest (Eccl. Hist. v. 24). The abbot and the lad for one week left out the wonted antiphons, but the service seemed too mournful, and with such help as the others could give they kept the service up as it had been before the plague, though not without great labour, until the abbot had gathered fresh monks, or taught those he already had to take their part. On the death of Eosterwini, whom Benedict had admitted to a share in the abbacy of Wearmouth, that he might take his place in his absence, the monks of St. Peter's consulted Ceolfrith as to whom they should choose in his place, for, as it happened, Benedict was at Rome at the time. By Ceolfrith's advice they made Sigfrith abbot, and Benedict, on his return, approved the choice. Soon after this both Benedict and Sigfrith fell sick. Benedict therefore sent for Ceolfrith, and committed both the monasteries to his charge. Accordingly he was constituted abbot of both houses, 13 May 688. Sigfrith died on 22 Aug. and Benedict on 12 Jan. following.\nCeolfrith ruled the two monasteries with diligence. While strictly enforcing the full Benedictine rule he nevertheless won the love of his monks. He took pains with the services, and caused them to be held constantly. Nor was he neglectful of the welfare of his monasteries in other ways. He obtained a letter of privileges from Pope Sergius, which he had laid before a synod and publicly confirmed by King Aldfrith and the bishops who were present. He enriched his churches with many precious things from Rome. Among other matters of good government he especially encouraged the practice of transcription, and, having already one copy of the Scriptures of the old version, which he had brought from Rome, caused three copies of the new version to be written out; one of these he placed in each of his monasteries and kept the other to present to the Roman see. A certain splendid cosmography, which Benedict had bought at Rome, he sold to King Aldfrith for no less than eight hides of land, with which he endowed St. Paul's monastery. When Adamnan [q. v.] visited Northumbria, Ceolfrith entertained him and succeeded in convincing him that the Celtic church was in error. The result of this visit was the conversion of the northern Irish to the Roman Easter in 704 (Eccl. Documents). At the request of Naiton (Nechtan Mac Derili), king of the Picts, he wrote him a letter in 710 on the disputed questions about Easter and the tonsure. When this letter was translated to Naiton and his councillors, the king decreed that the Roman customs should thenceforth be followed by his people. Ceolfrith also, at the king's request, sent him architects to show him how to build the church he was contemplating in the Roman style. In 716 Ceolfrith, feeling that age had lessened his powers, determined to end his days at Rome. He took a solemn and affecting farewell of his monks, who were now about six hundred in number in the two monasteries, and set out on 4 June, taking with him the copy of the Scriptures he had had prepared to present to the pope. While waiting for his ship to sail, he heard of the election of his successor, Hwætberht, and confirmed it. He set sail on 4 July and landed in Gaul 12 Aug. He was honourably received by the ruler of the district, who gave him a commendatory letter to Liutprand, king of the Lombards. He arrived at Langres on 25 Sept., and died there on the same day at the age of seventy-four. On the morrow his body was buried with great honour in the church of the Twin Martyrs. He had been accompanied on his journey by eighty men from all parts, who reverenced him as a father;", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "Written by Reginald Smith, Director of Diversity CRCNA\nIn a recent book I read by best-selling author Bruce Feiler on navigating life changes, he suggested that the average adult might experience thirty-six disruptions in their lifetimes. Of the thirty-six, three to four of those disruptions would become major life altering experiences. That means every leader will undergo some kind of involuntary (or voluntary) major league curveball to either change the familiar course or rethink the meaning of their lives. Everything hinges on the choice made after the disruption.\nLeaders stand before followers when the air of a major event leaks out energy or they get stuck on a treadmill of keeping some ministry going because of fear. Jesus seems to have always pushed his disciples and people who encountered him to say yes to life because every human being is thirsty for a life worth living and to make a difference in the world.\nCheck out these examples:\nJesus attracted a pair of brothers to trade in their fishing nets for a bigger catch of men and women (Matthew 4)\nTwo of John’s disciples followed Rabbi Jesus based on the testimony of their former rabbi who loved the desert life (John 1)\nLarge crowds followed Jesus for a sermon near a mountain and heard they were “blessed” (Matthew 5)\nA paralytic man said yes to life when Jesus demolished a sinful life in exchange for a forgiven life (Luke 5)\nA demon possessed man, a sick girl, and a dead woman said yes to life by the power of God’s leader (Mark 5)\nLeaders say yes to life because Jesus has “the power to make the barren places bloom and strike water from the rock”. (Kathleen Norris) A leader’s optimism in God’s work can make a difference if people are going to say yes to new possibilities and dream new dreams.\nWatching many of his people perish under the death factory known as the Holocaust, the late Viktor Frankel heard these lyrics sung that ”whatever (the) future may hold, we still say yes to life”. Become a leader who says yes to life!", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "2021 has been an eventful year and I admit that the year has made me crabby and at times very angry at God. My mom’s cancer diagnosis felt like icing on the cake. In full transparency I am aware that all the other things that have happened pale in comparison to my mom fighting for her life. The crescendo to all of this is material and things are just things and we have some beautiful stories as a result of issues this year but mom having cancer was a different story.\nAlthough I’ve been crabby and upset (yes, I know that God loves me and pursues me in my suffering), the hardest part of all of this is how humbling it has been. I have had friends speak to how much they see God moving in my life this year, and the ways in which he must be “preparing me” for something and I don’t see it. It is all I can do to see one day in front of me at a time and be grateful that my kids are healthy and God has given us food on our table, vehicles that run (most of the time), and a roof over our head, and sunshine filled summer days. Truly, the day to day is beautiful but the big picture feels a bit daunting at times so I stay focused on the now.\nI am not out there “doing anything” to glorify God or highlight how “good” He has been in my life lately. I feel like my attitude this year would have actually had the opposite effect on people's opinion of His role in my life. Nonetheless, God is still using us in this season and isn’t that the irony? I have never felt so humbled by the fact that God still chooses to use someone like me right now. When I say someone like me, I mean, someone who has been crabby and fussy and whining and complaining and hard-hearted for a lot of this year. I told a friend that one of the hardest things about my mom’s diagnosis is that life was normal and then suddenly it wasn’t.\nIn my attempt to stay grounded in the day-to-day, I still sit with Jesus, however, before I began reading, I said, “Lord, my focus is limited, I haven’t been getting a lot out of my time with you lately, and truthfully, I am not super into doing this right now.” (Aren’t I just precious? Heck, I’m surprised the Lord didn’t just say, “Ok, I’ll just leave you alone.”) Instead God loves me, and he said, “Ok, just read. I want to show you something.” As I was reading in the new testament, I came to the story of the demoniac. Some people know this as the story of “legion” or the “mob” of demons that possessed one man and then Jesus sent them into a large group of pigs, and they ran off a cliff to their death.\nThese were my three observations after reading TWO paragraphs (He didn't mess around and listened when I said I had limited focus):\nFirst, the demons asked God not to send them back to the pit of despair. (Luke 8:31) Woah, even demons don't want to go back to hell. Must be pretty bad.\nSecond, after Jesus performed the miracle, the crowds were temporarily in awe but then “Later, a great many people from Gerasene countryside got together and asked Jesus to leave – too much change, too fast, and they were scared.” (Luke 8:37, emphasis mine)\n-->I’m sorry, what was I saying about life being normal and then suddenly it was different? God couldn’t possibly be wanting me to see those exact words in the Bible right at this moment, could he? Yeah right, truth is, He's got my number. <--\nLastly, the man who EXPERIENCED healing, the man who experienced the power of Jesus asked Jesus if he could go WITH him. (Luke 8:38) He knew what power and change Jesus could produce and he did not want to let it go. He had no idea what going with Jesus would entail but he still wanted to be with Him.\nSo what? Why do these insights matter?\nHere we are and as much as has happened this year in our lives, even before this year, at the end of the day I have EXPERIENCED the reality of Jesus too much in my life to ask Him to walk away or leave me alone. Despite my emotions and hard heart, despite my discomfort and whining, He continues to pursue me, sit with me, allow me to wrestle and continues to show me that He ultimately is taking care of us. I once again realize that God doesn’t need my production, perfect mood, or any personal effort to be glorified. He deserves all those things from me and more, but He still chooses to use the fussy and barely put together girl to show the rest of you that He is real.\nI’ve decided to begin to write more because it always helps me keep things in perspective and cultivates more gratitude in my heart. As such, please consider this my public service announcement that even though I have been crabby and visibly wrestling with God lately, He isn’t fazed. He isn’t deterred, and He still recklessly pursues my heart and proves He is good, even when I seem (cough cough) ungrateful.\nThat’s truly how much He desires to show all of us how loved we are. Amid bad attitudes and temper tantrums, He lovingly remains. Ultimately, I’d rather be WITH Jesus and experience him within difficulty than walk away from Him and fool myself into thinking life is easier without Him.\nThanks for coming along with me as I try to keep it as real as possible while also letting God do his thing in the midst of life. I intend to be authentic in this season and I don't believe I do God any favors if I try to hide or mask my true emotions. Writing is therapy for me as well as an opportunity for me to journal God's faithfulness in my life. I look forward to seeing how God shows up for all of us, in the good, the bad, and the uncomfortable.", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "John W. Ortiz, age 96, of S. Weymouth passed away peacefully on Sunday, January 24, 2021. He was a proud son of immigrant parents from Spain and Ireland. John was raised and educated in his beloved Quincy graduating from Quincy High in 1942. He served in the Army Air Corps during WWII in N. Africa and Italy.\nAfter John’s military service he continued working at South Shore National Bank, a career he started prior to his military service, while attending Northeastern University where he received his bachelor’s degree. John worked at that same bank for 47 years until his retirement in 1989.\nJohn married his beloved wife of 69 years, Marie, in 1952 and they settled in Weymouth where they started a family and have lived since. John and Marie remained active parishioners of St. Francis Xavier Church throughout their lives and put great importance on raising their children in the Catholic faith.\nIn retirement John enjoyed golfing, travelling, and keeping in touch with extended family in Spain and Ireland. Above all else John enjoyed time spent with his family.\nJohn is the beloved husband of Marie Ortiz (Corbo) of Weymouth, loving father of Anita Ortiz-Ha and her husband Han of Hanover, John Ortiz Jr. of Weymouth, Stephen Ortiz and his wife Valerie of Sterling, Michael J. Ortiz and his wife Kathleen of MD, Mary Ortiz of Washington DC, and the late Michael F., his cherished grandchildren Derek, Steven, Mary, Michael, Marie, Phillipe, Alexandre, Andrew, Isabelle, Marguerite, Sophie, William, David, Daniel, Sarah, and Caroline, and his twelve great-grandchildren. John is also survived by several nieces and nephews.\nRelatives and friends are respectfully invited to the visitation for John on Tuesday, January 26, 2021 from 5-7pm in the C. C. Shepherd Funeral Home located at 134 Pleasant St. (Columbian Sq.) Weymouth. Friends will gather for the funeral mass Wednesday morning at 10am in St. Francis Xavier Parish located at 234 Pleasant Street, Weymouth. Interment will immediately follow at Fairmount Cemetery, Weymouth. Donations in lieu of flowers may be made to the Arnold Hall Conference Center in Pembroke at www.ArnoldHall.com.", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "Mr. Thewes has earned a reputation as a fine composer, as well as an arranger of hymns. This collection includes seven of the most popular and powerful hymns for the Thanksgiving season, or general use. These are designed for use with congregational singing, and each includes an introduction, standard verse, and interlude/modulation to a final verse accompaniment. A sure winner for every organist! Titles: Now Thank We All Our God (Nun Danket) * We Gather Together (Kremser) * Come, Ye Thankful People, Come (St. George's Windsor) * For the Beauty of the Earth (Dix) * All Hail the Power of Jesus' Name (Coronation) * Onward Christian Soldiers (St. Gertrude) * Praise, My Soul, the King of Heaven (Lauda Anima).", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "Featured photo by Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images; ORG XMIT: 160600686\nI have recently begun working in the Refugee Resettlement department of Catholic Charities in Houston. As a result, I have become more familiar with the United States’ refugee intake system. The more I learn, the more I realize how many misconceptions there are about refugees in the United States, so the purpose of this post is to boil down the knowledge I’ve acquired and pass it on.\nI’m going to take common conceptions and provide the facts. I won’t try to hide that I am writing this because I believe some of the most vulnerable humans in the world deserve to be viewed fairly, but I will do my best to provide objective information without bias.\n- “Refugee” is not a broad synonym for migrant, but rather a legal status defined in Article 1(A)(2) of the 1951 UN Convention as “an individual who is outside his or her country of nationality or habitual residence who is unable or unwilling to return due to a well-founded fear of persecution based on his or her race, religion, nationality, political opinion, or membership in a particular social group” (definition from International Justice Resource Center, emphasis mine). This means a person who has left his or her home because of persecution or violence must apply for refugee status based on one of those five specific categories. An individual cannot obtain refugee status simply because he or she wants to move to a new country for economic betterment, etc.\n- We do not need to protect ourselves from a “refugee crisis” similar to what the European Union is experiencing. There are a lot of misconceptions surrounding this idea. First, “refugee crisis” is a misnomer. “Refugee” is not the right word because the people coming into Europe are asylum-seekers, which means they have not been granted refugee status before entering, and are hoping to apply for and be granted asylee status once they reach their destination. The problem is European countries are having trouble registering and processing the asylum-seekers because of the sheer number. The U.S. will not have a similar “crisis” because of geographical placement. All incoming refugees are resettled through agencies, met at the airport, and assigned case managers to help them with their transition into the country. Asylum-seekers are less common, and a different story entirely.\n- If you think we should lower our intake of refugees until we can make sure they will go through a proper vetting process, I hope you can tell me what the current process is. The current refugee screening process takes up to two years and is excruciatingly extensive. Don’t believe me? Check out this infographic from the White House. And that’s only after a refugee is set to be resettled in the U.S. After a refugee is granted refugee status in a refugee camp in the country they have fled to (their “second country”), he or she must apply to be resettled in a third country. Many do not apply because they are hoping to return to their own homeland, or because they are waiting and hoping to be reunited with loved ones. Only about 1% of legal refugees are resettled, and while a refugee can state his or her preference for a third country, ultimately, he or she cannot choose where to go. Imagine how frustrating it would be for a potential terrorist hoping to infiltrate the U.S. to wait years to have his or her application processed, only to be resettled in Australia or Sweden. As a result, the resettlement program is an unlikely avenue for terrorists.\n- American refugee resettlement programs are based on “early self-sufficiency.” Refugees are expected to have a job and be financially self-sufficient within three to six months. While funds are initially allocated to refugees through resettlement agencies, this is only to help them get on their feet so they can become full citizens of their new country, with all the rights and responsibilities that entails.\n- The Church calls for Catholics and other Christians to welcome refugees. While I realize not everyone recognizes the authority of the Catholic Church, I think it is worth noting our pope has called on the U.S. specifically to welcome refugees, and that of the refugees accepted currently, about 30% are resettled through the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, and many others through other Christian-based voluntary agencies. For biblical basis, see Matthew 25:35 (“For I was a stranger, and you took me in.”) and the Good Samaritan parable. Welcoming refugees is loving your neighbor as yourself. As Pope Francis said, “If we want security, let us give security; if we want life, let us give life; if we want opportunities, let us provide opportunities.”\nAll this barely scratches the surface of the complexities of refugee resettlement, but I hope it helps with some common misconceptions. I’m sure I’ll be making more posts on the topic, so comments and questions are always welcome. In the meantime, here’s a couple of resources. The second one is a much better fact sheet than my post, but slightly longer.\nWhat does it mean to be a refugee? – Benedetta Berti and Evelien Borgman\nFrequently Asked Questions: Ten Facts about Refugee Resettlement – Migration Policy Institute\nAbout Refugee Resettlement – United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB)", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "Shortly after my divorce, a well-intentioned Christian asked to meet with me personally. He had a heavy heart, and was very sympathetic to what my children and I were going through. He quoted a verse in the Bible found in the book of Malachi 2:16 which states that God hates divorce.\nHis insinuation was that I was disappointing God, and should have done more to save my marriage.\nChristians who use this verse to instill guilt upon divorced people are really missing the point. God does hate divorce.\nBecause God himself knows what it is like to be divorced. In Jeremiah chapter 3, God “divorced” Israel because of her continued unfaithfulness worshiping idols. He was so hurt by that unfaithfulness, as you read the passage it is much like a spouse reeling from the death of dreams and a shared future.\nRather than insinuating the “wrongness” of divorce God was declaring the incredible, excruciating pain that divorce imparts. The God of the universe was crying out that his own people whom he had shown love and patience through centuries continued to give their affections to another, and he was devastated.\nHis heart breaks when he sees us going through a breakup. Because he knows what that is like. And that’s the reason he hates divorce…He hates the consequences.\nIn the same chapter, God says, “Oh Israel, my faithless people, come home to me again for I am merciful” (Jeremiah 3:12 NLT). God seems like a heart sick husband who longs for his unfaithful wife to return, and gives her the opportunity to do so.\nWhy would he do that?\nBecause nothing keeps God from loving. Nothing.\nSo God hates the pain caused by divorce. But make no mistake…God loves divorced people.", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "We have a few schedule changes for our services this week:\nTuesday night church service (12/20) has been cancelled.\nA special Christmas service will be held this Friday night (12/23) starting at 7:00pm. This service is taking the place of our regular Sunday service which falls on Christmas day this year. So there will be no Sunday School or Church service on Sunday, 12/25.\nPlease join us Friday night if you would still like to attend a Christmas service, but also get to spend time with family on Christmas day!\nWe love you and pray God’s blessings upon you,\nYour friends in Christ\nat the Full Gospel House of Refuge", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "First published in 1732, The History of the Puritans has been a historical standard on the life and times of the Puritan fathers. In The History of the Puritans, the influence of the Puritans in England is carefully documented and traced over the course of over a hundred years, beginning with the time of Henry the VIII. Daniel Neal, a minister and historian, tracks the Puritans’ effects on politics and social change, resulting in a dynamic and contextual exploration of this time frame. This set is essential for understanding how the Puritans helped to shape England, as well as comprehending the key events and figures involved.\nThe History of the Puritans is an in-depth study of the Puritans and the history of England. The Logos edition provides instant access to the influence of the Puritans, making study easy and comparable with other resources.\nGet the complete set by ordering The History of the Puritans (5 vols.) today!\n- From the death of King Charles I to the coronation of King Charles II in Scotland\n- From the coronation of King Charles II in Scotland to the protectorship of Oliver Cromwell\n- From the beginning of the protectorship of Oliver Cromwell to his death\n- From the death of the protector to the restoration of King Charles II\n- From the restoration of King Charles II to the conference at the Savoy\n- From the Savoy conference to the Act of Uniformity\n- From the Act of Uniformity to the banishment of the Earl of Clarendon\n- From the banishment of the Earl of Clarendon to the king's declaration of indulgence in the year 1672\n- From the king's declaration of indulgence to the Popish plot\n- From the Popish plot to the death of King Charles II\n- Title: History of the Puritans; or, Protestant Nonconformists: vol. 4\n- Author: Daniel Neal\n- Series: The History of the Puritans\n- Publisher: William Baynes and Son\n- Publication Date: 1822\n- Pages: 517\nAbout Daniel Neal\nDaniel Neal, born in 1678, was a British historian and clergyman. With the publication of History of New England in 1720, he was awarded an honorary M.A. from Harvard College. Neal wrote The History of the Puritans between 1732 and 1738. He died in 1743.", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "010 On Jordan's Bank the Podcast's Cry\nHappy new year! Liturgical new year, that is... • Show notes: http://www.riteandmusical.org/2017/11/010-advent.html\nDownload this episode (mp3).\n- Coffee! Available in a coffee shop or retailer near you!\n- Advent is the first season in the liturgical year. And in this way, it is also the last season of the previous liturgical year. It's the first and the last. The Alpha and the Omega.\n- Sarum Use: Sarum Rite on Wikipedia\n- Neil Alexander. Celebrating Liturgical Time.\n- August 15 is the Feast of Saint Mary the Virgin, Mother of Our Lord Jesus Christ\n- Do you know a parish that continues with the Gloria in Advent? Let us know!\n- The tradition of having a pink candle as the third candle of the Advent wreath comes from the traditional \"lightening\" of the penitence of the day. Pink (or rose) vestments were worn in some places on the Third Sunday of Advent (Gaudete) on the Fourth Sunday in Lent (Laetare).\nIf you enjoy listening to this podcast, we encourage you to help support it. Become a Patron for $1 a month (that's about 50¢ an episode).", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "The apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation, Ohaneze Ndigbo and the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria, Abia State chapter, have urged Igbo people living in the North to stop fleeing the region because of Boko Haram, urging them to stay back and defend themselves.They spoke in reaction to the alleged selective killings of Christians, non-Muslims, and Southerners resident by the Boko Haram insurgents.Speaking with our correspondent in Umuahia, the Chairman of Ohaneze in the state, Dr. Emmanuel Okparanta, said “Ndigbo are very instrumental to the development of Nigeria, and nobody can chase us away from any part of the country because we are one Nigeria, and will continue to be one.”\nHe urged Igbo people living in the North to be vigilant and wise in the face of the worsening security situation in the region.\nThe call re-echoed a position taken by the South-East governors in a their recent meeting in Enugu.\nA source, who was at the meeting, had confided in our correspondent that though the governors encouraged the Igbo people and Christians living in the North to maintain peace with everybody in their host communities, they asked them not to fold their arms while being attacked.\nHe said, “They should not fight but if there is any attack on them by anybody whatsoever, they should strongly defend themselves because this is one Nigeria and nobody has the right to intimidate anybody.”\nAlso, the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria has asked Northern Christians not to flee but to remain steadfast in spite of the onslaught by the violent sect.\nThe Chairman of the Fellowship in Abia State, Dr. Theophilus Anyimson, said Christians should be vigilant and more serious with prayers against any form of insurgency “but while they pray, they should also open their eyes and resist any attack against them”.\n“You should take up your arms and defend yourselves; don’t wait to be butchered. As we pray, we should not fold our arms and be killed; we should do whatever we can to defend ourselves”", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "Kent William Schuette, age 52 of St. Cloud and formerly of Green Isle passed away June 1, 2022 at his St. Cloud residence. Funeral service will be 11:30 a.m. Monday, June 13th at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Green Isle with Rev. Eric Rapp officiating. A gathering of family and friends will take place one hour prior to the service time at the church. Interment will be in St. Paul’s Lutheran Cemetery.\nKent was born on May 12, 1970, the son of Howard and Sharon (Laabs) Schuette. He was baptized on June 28, 1970 by Rev. H J Malotky and confirmed on June 3, 1984 by Rev. B H Becker. Kent was a 1988 graduate of Arlington-Green Isle High School and attended St. Cloud Technical and Community College. He was a self-employed mechanic, bartender and always willing to help a friend in need. Kent especially liked riding his motorcycle.\nKent is survived by his parents, Howard & Sharon Schuette, brother-in-law, Terry Flynn, uncles and aunts, Elroy and Mae Schuette, Elmer and Yvonne Schuette, Ernie and Diane Laabs, Dave and Diana Grove, dear friend Marie Anderson, cousins and friends. Kent is preceded in death by his sister, Kara Schuette Flynn, grandparents, Clarence and Emma Schuette and Ernst and Dorothy Laabs.", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "Wayne Alan Moody, 58, of Staley died Sunday, October 16, 2016 at his home.\nMr. Moody was born in Chatham County on January 27, 1958 the son of Samuel Matthew and Mary Ruth Poe Moody. Wayne was formerly employed with Cook Out Restaurant in maintenance. He loved playing golf, working in his garden, cooking and grilling, and loved to hangout in his building. Also he enjoyed shopping at the Liberty Food Lion Store. He was preceded in death by his parents, brothers; Sam Moody, Jr., Paul and Toby Moody.\nHe is survived by his wife of 22 years, Shannon Adkins Moody, daughters; Zandra N. McCrimmon and husband, Aaron \"SpongeBob\" of Ramseur and Ginger M. Carswell and husband, Shawn of Trinity, sons; Dwayne A. Moody and wife, Jenna of Bear Creek and Trevor G. Moody of the home, sister; Brenda Griffin of Tramway, brothers; Ted Moody of Lincolnton, Terry Moody of Goldston, Donnie Moody of Siler City and Lonnie Moody of Liberty, grandchildren; Ty Moody, Cheyenne Bell and Makayla Wilson.\nThe family will receive friends Tuesday, October 18, 2016 from 6:30 to 8:30 PM at Smith & Buckner Funeral Home, 230 North Second Avenue, Siler City, NC. The funeral will be Wednesday, October 19, 2016 at 3:00 PM at Sandy Branch Baptist Church,715 Sandy Branch Church Road, Bear Creek with Pastor Cecil Tucker officiating.Burial will follow in the church cemetery.\nOn line Condolences may be made at www.pughfuneralhome.com", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "Jun 7, 2009 - 07:20 pm .- The Envoy Institute of Belmont Abbey College will host a three-day apologetics conference this July to address atheism and the “culture of doubt.”\nJun 7, 2009 - 02:19 pm .- “No matter how much I gave away, it was never enough.” With these words, Kelsey Wicks, 26, described her calling to religious life. Although she had been studying at the Augustine Institute in Denver, Colorado and working as a campus minister, she always felt called to something more.\nJun 7, 2009 - 01:53 pm .- Part of an incredible team of filmmakers, Charles Kinnane helps give people a glimpse into a world they may have never experienced. Through dramatic filming and powerful images, Kinnane and the “Christ-centered” team lets the dignity of the human person shine through the lepers in Africa, the homeless in New York City, and abused and disabled children in Peru.\nJun 7, 2009 - 09:57 am .- Twenty thousand people gathered in St Peter’s Square for the Angelus prayer on Sunday despite poor weather. Prior to the Marian prayer, Pope Benedict told those present that “the ‘name’ of the Holy Trinity is impressed on everything that exists, because everything comes from love, reaches out for love and is moved by the spirit of love.”\nJun 7, 2009 - 05:29 am .- On Thursday, June 11 the Church will celebrate the feast day of St. Barnabas, one of the original 72 disciples who worked to convert the Gentiles.", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "Life is a woven intersection of highs, lows, joy, scuffles, vigor, surrender, and brokenness. It is in surrendering to the love of God that the Holy Spirit weaves reconciliation through our hearts and lives. This is a woven pace in the Chilkat technique made with cotton twine and leather.\nThe cross (t) brings a gospel of peace that is greater (>) than the highs (^) and lows (v) of this life. I might forget that I am completely dependent on God. But when I give in and believe that God is infect God. The battle is not about my strength or ability or valor. It is about God's Love clothing me.\nRecognition to the Tlingit village of Klukwan its Master Weavers, community members, and its Chilkat Weaving heritage. Recognition to the men and women, who learn, practice, and pass on this weaving technique. Thank you for the time spent waving together. Thank you Karlie Spud for the small Weaving Loom/coat hanger used to make this weaving. Book’s; The Chilkat Dancing Blanket by Cheryl Samuel, and Ravenstail A Beginning Project by Marcia Stier, Kay Parker, Mary Lou King and Marguerite Fiorella. The form and material are non-traditional, no native stories are represented. I wanted to practice the art form thought to me by my adopted community and celebrate their faith in God.\nThis will be given as a gift to a tribal member of the Klukwan Village.\nTo Learn more about Chilkat people visit :\nTo support the art and culture of the Klukwan community visit:\nTo support a Christian Native lead church visit:< https://klukwanchurch.wordpress.com/ >\nCurious? Interested in submitting artwork to our contest? Know someone who might be? Through April 14th, 2022, the Engage Art Contest is open to the whole world! Get your foot in the door by claiming your Artist Page now!", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "Click here to view the\npowerschool instruction manual.\nFeel free to call Deb Brucker\n785-562-2831 with any questions.\nMission Statement St. Gregory is a faith-based academic community. Our mission is to challenge all\nstudents to become productive Christian citizens. To accomplish this mission we will: Develop and enhance communication skills\nReinforce problem solving\nProvide Technology education for the 21st Century\nContinue to foster and model Christian Values\nStrengthen the bond between home, school, and community.", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "I am sure that this must have been posted before but as a refresher in the context of recent posts it may be helpful.\nIn refuting Eunomios, who claimed that the essence of God is revealed by created things, St Basil the Great writes that ‘created things manifest wisdom, art and power but not essence’. Thus the divine energy made manifest by created things is both uncreated and yet not God’s essence; and those who like Barlaam and Akindynos say that there is no difference between the divine essence and the divine energy are clearly Eunomians.\nSt Gregory Palamas Chapter 83: “Topics of Natural and Theological Science” in The Philokalia Vol 4. A few more quotes from the same source relating the distinction of essence and energies to will:\nIf the divine essence does not in any respect differ from the divine energy, then the act of generation and of procession will in no respect differ from the act of creating[,]… then neither does it differ from the divine will. Thus the Son who is begotten from the Father’s essence, is according to these people also created from the Father’s will[,]… and if the holy fathers testify that God has many energies – for… He has creative providences and goodnesses – then God also has many essences. This is a view that no member of the Christian race has ever uttered or entertained.\nIf the energies of God do not in any respect differ from the divine essence, then neither will they differ from one another. Therefore, God’s will is in no way different from His foreknowledge, and consequently either God does not foreknow all things – because He does not will all that occurs – or else He wills evil also, since He foreknows all. This means either that He does not foreknow all things which is the same as saying that He is not God, or that He is not good, which is also the same as saying He is not God. Thus God’s foreknowledge does differ from His will, and so both differ from the divine essence.\nIf the divine energies do not differ form one another, then God’s creative power is not distinct from His foreknowledge. But in that case, since God began to create at a particular moment, He also began to foreknow at a particular moment. Yet if God did not have foreknowledge of all things before the ages how could He be God? If God’s creative energy does not differ in any respect from divine foreknowledge, then created things are concurrent with God’s foreknowledge. Thus because God unoriginately has foreknowledge and what is foreknown is unoriginately foreknown, it follows that God creates unoriginiately, and therefore that created things will have been created unoriginately. But how shall He be God if His creatures are in no way subsequent to Him? If God’s creative energy in no respect differs from His foreknowledge, then the act of creating is not subject to His will, since His foreknowledge is not so subject. In that case God will create, not by an act of volition, but simply because it is His nature to create. But how will he be God if He creates without volition?\nAs St Gregory demonstrates, one gets into many difficulties holding absolute divine simplicity without distinguishing between essence and energies, or by trying to force the God of Revelation into pagan theistic models and categories, which I believe are insufficient to deal with the Trinity, the Incarnation and creation beginning by God’s volition at a particular moment from non-existence. It follows, in line with St Gregory, that only with the essence/energy distinction can one hope to be speaking of the Biblical God. Also, although not to be taken too far, we can see from our understanding of created energy that the uncreated divine energies tell against a static God but rather tell of a dynamic God. Of course God transcends human/created experience of dynamism and He is not subject to changing His mind nor to passions. These things in Scripture are not pointing to who God is but to our synergy in salvation. It tells of our freedom of will because God is unchanging in willing all men to be saved but yet few are chosen. Our choices bring different consequences, which can be described in human terms of God relenting or getting angry, but one should not ascribe these to God in a human way of changing His mind or becoming passionate.", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "Mentoring is about adjusting Core Values. Core Values are basically our default position for everything we think and do. The best place to examine one’s Core Values is discovered in those situations in which we find ourselves under extreme stress. We all want to be cut some slack when we are under stress, and we need to cut each other slack at these times. None of us is usually at our best when under extreme stress. But the fact is that when we are under extreme stress we think and respond at our Core Value levels. You see, Core Values are not a list of nice thoughts and desired behaviors we have put on paper. Core Values are the default position from which we make decisions and take actions without the need for excessive thought. Therefore, when we are under stress and have minimal time or energy to give to thought, our Core Values are revealed in what we think, say, or do; as well as what we choose not to think, say, or do.\nI can remember in my early days as a Christian being mentored by a youth director – he was working with me on my language (cursing). I felt the victory when I stopped using curse words, but my mentor asked me about what I thought, not just what I said. More work. I still remember the day when an event that would have usually resulted in a long litany of cursing actually ended without even a thought of a curse. Wow! I knew then that a change had occurred. My Core Values had been adjusted. More work. Then I remember the day when a very stressful event occurred and my thoughts were of what was best for the other person, not about me. And I felt I had taken a step into a place that was more like Christ.\nPlease understand me. I’m not saying I’m perfect. I still slip and slide at times (sin). But I struggle to be more like Christ every day in what I think, say and do. These are the Core Values of a Christian. Paul put it this way:\nPhil 3:7 But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. 8 What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith. 10 I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, 11 and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead.\nPhil 3:12 Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. 13 Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.\nPhil 3:15 All of us who are mature should take such a view of things. And if on some point you think differently, that too God will make clear to you. 16 Only let us live up to what we have already attained. (NIV)\nAs a mentor, my job is to help mentorees to adjust their Core Values to be more like Christ in every area of their lives. My focus is not on the job, it’s on the person.\nIf you focus on the job, you are a coach, not a mentor. Now, there are times when mentors have to coach, but our focus is not the job, it’s the person.\nIf you focus on knowledge, you are a teacher, not a mentor. There are times when mentors have to teach, but our focus is not gaining or giving knowledge, it’s the person.\nWhen I say our focus is on the person, I mean every aspect of a person’s life. In order to impact everything in a person’s life, we must help them adjust their Core Values to a Biblical perspective.\nLook at what Paul said to the Ephesians.\nEph 4:17 So I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord, that you must no longer live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking. 18 They are darkened in their understanding and separated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts. 19 Having lost all sensitivity, they have given themselves over to sensuality so as to indulge in every kind of impurity, with a continual lust for more.\nEph 4:20 You, however, did not come to know Christ that way. 21 Surely you heard of him and were taught in him in accordance with the truth that is in Jesus. 22 You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; 23 to be made new in the attitude of your minds; 24 and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.\nEph 4:25 Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to his neighbor, for we are all members of one body. 26 “In your anger do not sin” : Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, 27 and do not give the devil a foothold. 28 He who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with his own hands, that he may have something to share with those in need.\nEph 4:29 Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. 30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. 31 Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. 32 Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.\nEph 5:1 Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children 2 and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.\nEph 5:3 But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God’s holy people. 4 Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving. 5 For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person—such a man is an idolater—has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. 6 Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of such things God’s wrath comes on those who are disobedient. 7 Therefore do not be partners with them.\nEph 5:8 For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light 9 (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) 10 and find out what pleases the Lord. 11 Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. 12 For it is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret. 13 But everything exposed by the light becomes visible, 14 for it is light that makes everything visible. This is why it is said: “Wake up, O sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.”\nEph 5:15 Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, 16 making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. 17 Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is. 18 Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit. 19 Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, 20 always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. (NIV)\nSo, as a mentor, it’s my job to help my mentorees become more like Christ in all they do. This includes:\n- Their relationship to God\n- Their relationship to family and friends\n- Their relationship to the community at large and the church\n- Their fulfillment of God’s call in their lives\n- Their vocations (how they put food on the table)\n- Their relationship to themselves (including general knowledge, work skills, mental health, emotional health, spiritual health, and physical health)\nWe cannot achieve this level of mentorship with meetings or seminars. It requires investing in each other’s lives in such a way that we are pressed by the Holy Spirit from all directions to become more like Christ – Adjusting our Core Values to those revealed in the Word of God.\nBlessings!David Watson Irving, Texas", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "St. Barbara’s Day, December 4, is as good a day as any to give thanks for the many blessings of Saint Barbara and for the wonderful city on the California coast named for the martyred saint. I’ve been truly blessed to call Santa Barbara home for more than 30 years.\nI moved here after grad school in 1981 and wrote my first hiking book. Not surprisingly, the cover picture of “Day Hiker’s Guide to Southern California” showed a trail on Figueroa Mountain in the Santa Barbara backcountry with two hikers—John McKinney (not yet The Trailmaster) and my cute friend Callie.\nI’ve hiked all over the country since then, but there’s not place like home—especially if your home is in Santa Barbara. My home mountains, the Santa Ynez Mountains beckon with wonderful canyon trails and I try to take at least one or two of them a week at the very least. My home shores offer some wonderful beach walks, bluff-top rambles and coastal hikes.\nIt’s been a great pleasure walking about and writing about Santa Barbara coast and mountains, and taking hikes with friends and family. I particularly treasure the times my children, Sophia and Daniel, explored the local footpaths with their dad.\nBut I digress and let’s return to how Santa Barbara got its name. It seems when explorer Sebastian Vizcaino’s crewmen found their tiny ship tossed about by a nasty storm on the eve of Saint Barbara’s Day in 1602, they prayed for her to intervene and save them from a cruel death at sea. When the day dawned, and the ship found safe harbor, the grateful men named this coastal refuge for the saint.\nSaint Barbara, whose father beheaded her after she embraced Christianity in defiance of his beliefs, symbolizes courage, faith and virtue to Christians all over the world. Mission Santa Barbara was consecrated on its present site on December 4, 1786, coinciding with the feast day of the martyred Saint Barbara. She’s particularly popular to this day worldwide with artillery divisions of the military and those who work with explosives from the Greek Army to the British Royal Artillery to the U.S. Marine Corps.\nMy church, Saint Barbara Greek Orthodox Church, located in the Santa Barbara foothills on San Antonio Road, holds a special service and celebration on the saint’s name day. After the service and the luncheon I like to continue the celebration with a little hike.\nThank you Saint Barbara, for the protection against thunder and lightning you’ve offered me when I’ve been caught by storms on trails far from home, and for watching over the city I call home.", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "Seventy five Franklin area youth and more than 60 adults participated in this year’s 30-Hour Famine event, a worldwide movement to help fight global hunger, collecting a record amount of food and funds for local and global relief agencies.\nBy the final count, participants collected $2,247 for World Vision, a national relief agency that focuses on feeding the world’s poorest children. On a local level, the students raised $1,031 in donations and more than 8,000 cans of food for Franklin relief agency CareNet — all on an empty stomach.\nWorld Vision has organized the event since its beginning in 1992 and tasks young people to go without food for 30 hours while raising goods for hunger relief agencies. By going without food, the students get a taste of what many of the world’s poorest people face on a daily basis.\nFranklin participants have participated in the 30-Hour Famine since 1998. Since 2002, they have collected $51,000 for World Vision. More than 42,000 lbs. of food has been collected for CareNet since 2006.\n“It’s been great. We have gone over our goal,” said Rev. Margaret Freeman of Franklin First United Methodist. This year, organizers set a goal to raise 6,000 cans of food for CareNet.\n“I am so proud of these young people for all their hard work and for exceeding our goal. It’s great to see how they can make a difference and to raise their awareness about issues related to hunger,” said Freeman. Freeman said students get a lesson in the ways of hunger each year. “We realize how much we have and how much God calls us to help others in need,” she said.\nFamine funds contribute to World Vision’s response in areas where famine, conflict and other crises make children vulnerable to hunger and preventable disease. This year the organization will focus most of its efforts in Niger, Haiti, the Philippines, Honduras, Mali, Zambia, Tanzania, Myanmar, Ethiopia and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. This year, the event takes place in 21 countries.\nFor many Franklin youth, this year’s Famine was not their first, but proved to be just as humbling.\n“I love doing this,” said 15- year-old Raven Casada. “This is my fourth year. We always learn a lot. The fact that I have so much and many other people have so little motivates me. It’s nice to be able to donate to them.”\nCasada said that in her four years of experience with the event, she has learned that staying busy often staves off the hunger. “When you stop staying busy that’s when you start getting hungry.”\nThe task of collecting goods was no walk in the park, said organizers on Saturday. Students collected donations throughout Macon County during the famine, in neighborhoods and at grocery stores. “We go all over the place hoping to get something,” remarked volunteer Joe Doster.\nCans of food and toiletry items were dropped off at First United Methodist Church, Dryman’s Chapel United Methodist Church, Bethel United Methodist Church, Hickory Knoll United Methodist Church, Clarks Chapel United Methodist Church, Louisa Chapel United Methodist Church and Bryson City United Methodist Church.\n“I just feel like it’s a good cause,” said Kate Jones, 14, who has also participated in the Famine for four years. “We’'re helping people. It’s always this fun and I’m always this hungry, but I think each year it gets easier.”\nJones encourages youth to participate in the future. “Definitely eat before you start,” she laughed.\nWhen the Famine was over, the students got their fill of a pot luck dinner that had just about everything from burgers and hot dogs to casseroles.\nFor more information on how to get involved In the future, contact Rev. Margaret Freeman at Franklin First United Methodist Church at (828)524-3010, or visit www.30hourfamine.org or call 1-800-7- FAMINE for more information about the 30 Hour Famine.", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "The ambiguities of life, by their very nature, undermine a believer's sense of standing in the sight of God and thus their grasp on eternal life, ie., it undermines their assurance. Assurance can be further impacted by fellow believers who have left the church fellowship and now claim a superior standing in the sight of God. John, in addressing this issue, affirms the standing of his readers by pointing to the evidence of their relationship with God, their being \"sons of God\", namely, their right-living (they don't \"practice\" sin), their brotherly love and their Christ-centered faith. So, assurance again comes to the fore in this conclusion to John's letter with a series of triumphal declarations of what \"we know\" to be true.\nv13. At this point, John explains why he has written this letter; he writes to assure his readers that their eternal standing in the sight of God is secure. John has gone to some length in his letter pointing out that his readers have put their faith in Jesus Christ, the Son of God, and so their eternal standing is secure.\nv14-15. John goes on to reinforce the assurance of his readers by pointing out that God not only hears their prayers, but answerers them. In the face of life's difficulties and failures, God stands beside his children. Yet, John adds an important qualification, namely, that the prayer be \"according to his will.\" We can be sure we have what we have asked of God as long as it is \"according to his will.\" We sometimes forget that the Bible records God's promises to us and it is these promises that God will fulfill through prayer. In the next verses John looks at one such promise, the promise of forgiveness.\nv16-17. John has assured his readers of their right-standing before God, but what happens when a believer sins? Does a believer, at that point, lose their standing before God? All wrongdoing, injustice, unrighteousness, is sin, and when a believer messes up their life, they can pray about it; ask God's forgiveness. Such a prayer leads to life. John goes on to make the point that there is \"a sin that leads to death\", a sin that cannot be prayed for, a sin beyond God's forgiveness. Sadly, John doesn't tell us what this sin is and so we are left to surmise. It seems likely that this sin entails a rejection of the person of Jesus as he is revealed to us in the scriptures.\nv18-20. Assurance is again reinforced with a list of triumphal declarations of what John's readers know to be true:\nA believer, a person \"born of God\", a child of God, does not practice sin, rather they strive to do the opposite, they guard themselves, and so Satan can't undermine their standing before God. John is not suggesting that a believer doesn't sin, but rather it is not their practice to sin. A believer strives to serve Christ, not Satan, and by facing Christ they leave Satan behind.\nThe secular world might be in bed with the evil one, but a believer isn't. A believer in Christ has an eternally secure personal relationship with God. We are in with Christ, not in with Satan.\nA believer possesses divine knowledge revealed in the incarnation of Christ, of God with us in Christ Jesus. Through the life and teachings of Jesus we possess a revelation of the true God which is beyond human wit. This knowledge entails a knowing of God which is personal and intimate; it is relational. So, a person who believes in Jesus, not only enters into a personal relationship with Jesus, but also with God the Father. And it is he, God the Father, who is the true God, the source of eternal life.\nv21. John concludes with an exhortation. It seems likely that he is using the word \"idols\" euphemistically to refer to false beliefs. Expressed positively we might say \"stay true to the gospel.\"\nI want to suggest that the believers John writes this letter to are little different to most church-going Christians today. Many of us are short on assurance; we are not sure that when the roll is called up yonder we will be there. There are many reasons for this, but at the top of the list is sin.\nI don't know about you, but I have always been bothered by the constant short-fall in my Christian life, particularly the major versions. So, the question we face is whether God is willing to put aside our constant sinning, or does he take account of it and so hold us accountable?\nI want to put it to you that God does not take account of our sin if we ask him to set it aside. If you tightly hold the hand of the Master Carpenter, then you can ask for forgiveness, forgiveness for yesterday, today and tomorrow, and God will grant it - \"Jesus came into the world to save sinners.\" So, when the roll is called up yonder you will stand before the living God as white as snow - the apple of God's eye, sinless.\nNow I hear you say; \"what about the sin that leads to death\", the unforgivable sin? It's so unforgivable that John tells us that there is no point praying for it. The trouble is he doesn't tell us what it is.\nIn the medieval church they had two classes of sins, venal and mortal, little sins and big sins. The big sins were the ones that are unforgivable, although they did have their ways around it, usually some form of penance. Even in recent times a person who had committed suicide couldn't be buried in the Christian section of a graveyard because it was viewed as a mortal sin, unforgivable. What rubbish! Some people today divide sin up into intentional and unintentional, the intentional sin being the deadly sin - of course, that wipes us all out, unless we quickly say \"I didn't mean it\"!\nThere is an incident in Mark chapter 3 that actually helps us understand the unforgivable sin. In Mark we read how Israel's religious leaders not only rejected Jesus, but they claimed that his ministry was Satanic. To this Jesus says that every sin will be forgiven people, except blasphemy against the Holy Spirit. In the context this blasphemy involves rejecting Jesus and depreciating his person and work. This then is the \"sin that leads to death\", the unforgivable sin.\nWe have all done stupid things in our life and God's gracious kindness covers them all, but there is one stupid thing we must never do. All hope is lost when we turn our back on Jesus and ignore him for the rest of our life. His hand will always be outstretched toward us, but if we reject his offer of friendship then there is no hope for us. All the prayers of our family, all the lit candles in the world, will not save us from our state of loss - unforgiven\n1. Compare John's purpose for writing this letter with his purpose for writing the gospel, cf. Jn.20:31.\n2. List the truths that assure us of our right-standing before God.\n3. What is the \"sin that leads to death\"?", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "Archbishop Malcolm McMahon\nwill host an evening for men who may be wondering\nif they are called to serve as deacons\nand what the formation involves.\nWives and priests are also welcome.\n7.30–9pm Wednesday 17 February 2016\n(Refreshments available from 7pm)\nChrist the King Parish Room\n78 Queens Drive", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "I am sure that many of you are familiar with Joni Eareckson Tada and the story of the swimming accident that left her, as a 17 year old teenager, paralyzed. Joni has now spent 48 years of her life in a wheel chair totally dependent upon others to feed her, dress her, bath her, get her up in the morning, put her to bed at night. Through it all, her life has been a visible testimony of the redeeming and sustaining grace of God. From her wheel chair she has proclaimed the truths of God’s Word to thousands, she has proclaimed that God’s grace is indeed sufficient, for the hour, the day, the year, and for 48 years. Much like Betsy Ten Boom, Joni has found that there is no pit so deep that He is not deeper still.\nWhile attending a conference in Southern California a couple of years ago, I had the opportunity to hear Joni speak as one of the keynote speakers. Though brutally honest about her struggles over the years and the tole that being quadriplegic takes on her body, it was Jesus to whom she pointed, it was Jesus that she praised for His daily sustaining grace.\nRecently, I opened a Christian magazine that displayed a picture of Joni along with the following caption, that I was reminded of the truth of her statement. “Jesus did not come to make me happy and healthy and my life free of trouble. He came to make me more like Him.” Those words seem almost foreign in a day and age that proclaims if one will hook their wagon to Jesus’ star they will be healthy, wealthy, and happy. Many have been seduced by that gospel and as a result have become disillusioned and have walked away from the faith. How about you? What are your expectations of Jesus? When we understand that God’s goal for you and me is to transform us into the image of His Son, we can then accept the valleys of life as readily as we accept the mountain tops, knowing that God, in His sovereignty allows the ups and downs of life that we might become more like Him. He is in the process of shaping us at every turn and through every situation that we might face from day to day.", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "Revelation 14:8 -\nBabylon is Fallen\nRevelation 14:8 gives the second angel's message that Babylon is fallen. It is given immediately following the first angel's message of Revelation 14.\n\"And there followed another angel, saying, Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication.\" (Rev 14:8)\n\"Followed\" is from the Greek word \"akoloutheo\" (Strong's #190). It is described as:\n1) to follow one who precedes, join him as his attendant, accompany him\n2) to join one as a disciple, become or be his disciple\n2a) side with his party\nIt means \"to follow\" as in \"to accompany\" rather than to follow in time as in one event following another. In all of its uses (if you were to read the 91 verses using it), to render it something like \"later\" would not make sense. The messages are given right together, accompanying each other. The message of the first angel does not lose its significance to be replaced by the second. Think of the second and third messages. Once Babylon is fallen it is time to get out (even better to get out before). It would not make sense to give the message that Babylon is fallen and then wait any amount of time before saying \"get out.\" Think of this two-part message: \"the house is on fire. Get out, now!\" The messages go together.\nThe word \"another\" could be \"second\" in this case. In the next verse, we see yet another angel but it is designated as \"the third angel\" so the angel of Revelation 14:8 must be the second in the series and that of verse 6, the first.\nThe word \"made\" indicates that there will be a degree of coercion and force involved on the part of Babylon to gain acceptance of its way by everyone if possible. For most people there will be no force required - their compliance will be effected by deception as suggested by Rev 13:14.\n\"All nations\" indicates the world-wide extent of the control and influence Babylon will have. It did not have that at anytime in the past such as the time of the ancient city of Babylon, the time of the Roman Empire etc.\n\"Wine\" can be understood to represent doctrine or spiritual belief whether good or bad. Jesus may have been using it this way in this passage:\n\"And no man putteth new wine into old bottles; else the new wine will burst the bottles, and be spilled, and the bottles shall perish. But new wine must be put into new bottles; and both are preserved. No man also having drunk old wine straightway desireth new: for he saith, The old is better.\" (Luke 5:37-39)\nThe idea is that new truth (as He was trying to present to them) may not agree with a person's existing system of beliefs. Indeed, they need to become \"new wineskins,\" (new, converted vessels) able to hold new truth.\nIt could also be related to the grape harvest of the lost that we will look at later in this chapter. Babylon, a false religious system in opposition to God, will deceive many people to believe her false doctrines and join her in an illicit relationship:\n\"With whom the kings of the earth have committed fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth have been made drunk with the wine of her fornication.\" (Rev 17:2)\nFornication represents an adulterous relationship which the harlot of Babylon is engaged in - more in chapter 17.\nThis system will employ much deception to get people to accept her false beliefs.\n\"Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.\" (2 Thess 2:9-10)\nBabylon has long been recognized to have formed in the early centuries AD as false worship came into the church and men began to seek power and authority for themselves. That many people came to recognize the Roman Catholic church as Babylon is shown by many historical writings. A quick, 5-minute video that documents this shows that many who once so regarded the papacy have changed their views in recent times. Thus, many denominations are now associated with Babylon and, indeed, we are fast approaching the point where virtually \"all the world wondered after the beast.\" (Rev 13:3).\nThe message of Revelation 14:8 is to be followed by a very dire warning involving\nfire and brimstone (Part 4).", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "Dating a practical catholic guide by 78% of girls and 83% of boys have been on a date with if we are to arrive at a catholic understanding of dating, however . Moms and dads do not desire to draw their youngsters away from a single institution making them start in another be versatile when agreeing to offers during this time of the year or you may locate your home still out there, appear spring adult education. Browse profiles & photos of catholic single women try catholic dating from matchcom join matchcom, the leader in online dating with more dates, more relationships and more marriages than any other dating site. Where single middle east christians meet middeeastchristianscom is a friendly christian online meeting place for single middle east christians irrespective church denomination.\nThe history of the church is full of many female / women catholic saints, who received recognition for great deeds or meritorious conduct catholic online singles . 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Discover a beautiful, personal way to engage with scripture through the catholic journaling bible the first of its kind for catholic women, this journaling bible is the perfect companion as you dive deeper into the word of god. The catholic girl’s survival guide for the single years is a delightful, easy read, full of insight and advice from someone who speaks from experience stimpson’s advice is practical, relevant and encouraging her writing style humorous and down to earth her scope broad, covering major questions with which single women wrestle. A blog for catholic men that seeks to encourage virtue, the pursuit of holiness and the art of true masculinity the catholic gentleman | a blog for catholic men that seeks to encourage virtue, the pursuit of holiness and the art of true masculinity. Emily stimpson chapman is a freelance catholic writer based in pittsburgh, pa, and the creator of the catholic table, a blog about food, friendship, and hospitalityher books include the catholic table: finding joy where food and faith meet (emmaus road, 2016), these beautiful bones: an everyday theology of the body (emmaus road, 2013) and the catholic girl’s survival guide for the single .\nSending your kid to catholic school is the easiest way to guarantee your kid will not be catholic who needs a doctor, when your catholic priest can check your prostate for free rain rain go away catholic school girls wants to play. Carrying the light of faith for 120 years we are excited about your interest in pomona catholic it is our goal to provide you with full insight to the endless opportunities that are available when you become a member of our pc family. 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Catholic matescom is for single catholic men and women to find love online we feature only real catholic singles who are interested in finding their soul mate no fake profiles, no spam, just real life catholic guys and girls looking for dates 100% free catholic personals site that allows you many great free features to use.\nThe women who have been created as female patron saints are recognised for their virtue and the contribution they have made to the christian religion many of the great female patron saints lost their lives in their service to the church and died for their faith and beliefs. Single catholic women - meet local singles with your interests online start dating right now, we offer online dating service with webcam, instant messages. Catholic dating: want to meet catholic girls, catholic women, or catholic men for genuine relationships and catholic friendships this is the catholic online dating site for you. The an outreach of women of grace which seeks to identify, educate, develop, and train catholic women to be active leaders and mentors of the day in accord with their state in life, infusing institutions, organizations and governmental agencies with catholic moral and social teachings so as to bring about the culture of life.", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "The mission of Orthodox Christian Fellowship (OCF) is to support fellowships on college campuses, whose members experience and witness to the through community life, prayer, service to others and study of the Faith (Acts 2:42). Furthermore, OCF will work to nurture and strengthen love for Jesus Christ and His Church in its fullness at this most critical juncture of human life through:\nCommunication between OCF's and with the larger Orthodox community\nDevelopment of resources for local OCF's\nNational endeavors such as College Conference, Real Break, website and a national newsletter\nTo be the presence of the Orthodox Church on the North American college campus.\nAndrew the General & Martyr & his 2,593 soldiers; Holy Martyrs Timothy, Agapius and Thecla; Theophanes the New Wonderworker of Macedonia; Afterfeast of the Dormition of our Most Holy Lady the Theotokos and Ever Virgin Mary; Eutychianos and Strategios the Martyrs", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "Amid the bubbling, glittering rush of excitement that accompanies Christmas, a considerable number of people feel themselves outside the whirl of merriment. Whether anyone is to blame or not, many hearts are weighed down with sadness at the time when joy is most widely emphasized. If Charlie Brown were to raise his questions today, he would find himself in very good company.\nThe reasons vary. Some are going through their first Christmas without some loved one, in whose absence the festivities can easily become painful reminders of how things were when that person was there. Others find themselves left alone, with no family or friends to share any sort of celebration with them. Still others may feel unable to rejoice in the face of physical or mental illness, the suffering of someone close to them, material hardship, family conflicts, anxiety over a troubled past or an uncertain future—any of the things that can cripple the heart and impede even peace, to say nothing of joy, from rising inside.\nThese are the souls for whom there is no room in the inn—no room in the comfortable space where everyone streams to congregate, no way into the realm of merry cheer that our culture has established.\nIt is these souls who are especially invited into the stable.\nAll through Advent, we’ve been hearing the promises of the Old Testament writers: “The wilderness and the parched land will exult, the desert will rejoice and bloom” (Isaiah 35:1), and a few verses later, “Say to the fearful of heart: Be strong, do not fear! Here is your God, He comes with vindication; with divine recompense He comes to save you.” The promised Lord is coming for the parched land, the withered, afflicted places, the fearful of heart who wait in darkness for a rescuer.\nNow He is here—and He did not come so that halls could be decked, feasts consumed, lights set to twinkling, or even hymns sung, appropriate as all that may be. He came to become one with His broken, tormented creatures. He came to enter into the entirety of human life, “like us in all things but sin,” to deliver us from sin, from death, and from all the disorders in the world. He came to descend into all of our darkest, most hopeless places, that He might be with us there, our light and strength and life.\nUltimately, He came to raise up our lost humanity to a new life in which every wound, even the deepest, will be healed for good and no evil or pain will ever trouble us again. His Nativity doesn’t bring that about all at once, but it is the beginning of that transformation. It is His promise to us that God’s saving work has begun, that deliverance has arrived, that our God is here among us from now on. We are never alone. He is Emmanuel, “God with us”—He knows and understands everything we experience, and He cares more than we can ever know. His presence in flesh reveals that to us.\nIf you, then, are one of those who feel only emptiness amid the gaiety of the season, know that the Newborn King, Whose coming we celebrate, is here especially for you. Be strong, do not fear. Here is your God. With divine recompense He comes to save you. You may not be able to feel particularly cheerful, but you can make the choice to believe in His love for you and to accept the gift He offers you of Himself.\nRest in quiet before the Lord in the manger. Lay at His feet all that’s weighing on your heart, as the Magi laid before Him the precious and bitter myrrh. And know that if you have to follow Him from here up the road to Calvary, He will also lead you on beyond the crucifixion to an Easter you can’t even imagine now, one beside which “the sufferings of the present are as nothing” (Romans 8:18). The joy of Christmas is a promise, a bright forerunning glimpse, of that future glory, offered to us to lift up our weary hearts.\nI leave you with these excerpts from the great hymn “O Holy Night”:\nA thrill of hope the weary world rejoices,\nFor yonder breaks a new and glorious morn . . .\nThe King of Kings lay in a lowly manger,\nIn all our trials born to be our friend.\nHe knows our need,\nTo our weakness is no stranger.\nRelated posts: Glory of a Winter Night", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "Podcast: Play in new window | Download\nThe apostle John, in his account of the life of Jesus, made an interesting statement:\n“And there are also many other things which Jesus did, the which, if they should be written every one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that should be written. Amen.” (John 21:25)\nSo here we are, making another attempt to write about a person who is beyond description, and about His accomplishments all of which no individual can fathom! The best we can do is to bear witness and attempt to tell others what He means to us and what He has done for us personally. There was once a blind man who at first was not sure of the identity of Jesus. He could be certain however of one thing: before he met Jesus he was blind — afterward he could see! (John 9:25). So whether we can tell it perfectly or not, we are compelled to describe Him and His work in our lives as best as we can!\nLikewise there have been many attempts to explain the change that takes place in the life of an individual who trusts in Jesus as their Savior and Lord. There are also many efforts to understand what happens when believers struggle against their past lives for longer than is to be expected. In fact, we have many lines in the New Testament that deal with problems in the life of the believing community. So for myself, I see this as a worthwhile endeavor.\nA better understanding of the Bible, the historical background and the way people thought in those days can help us to more fully understand the teachings of Christ and His apostles. It is the Holy Spirit most of all Who illuminates our understanding of the Scriptures, but even He prompts us to probe deeper for a mature understanding of these events. The fact that the Bible incorporates so much history in its message to us should also indicate that these facts are there for a good reason.\nIn Acts chapter 17, we find a group of lazy Jews who rejected the Gospel of Jesus Christ as explained by Paul without even considering the Scriptures on the matter. They immediately opposed him and his associates, forcing them to go to another city. In the synagogue at Berea the people were not so lazy and quick to form an opinion against the Lord.\nLuke tells us in Acts 17:11-12 that:\n“These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so. Therefore many of them believed; also of honorable women which were Greeks, and of men, not a few.”\nSo while I believe in the simplicity of the Gospel to transform the lives of people of all ages, walks of life and levels of education, it is a noble thing indeed to search out the depths of His wisdom, to grow in the grace and the knowledge of Jesus our Lord. This wisdom with not only equip us to better serve Him, but to help us encourage those who still struggle in their walk with Him.\nOur day is a day of quick fixes and clichés. Paul foresaw a time when many would flock to those who tell them what they want to hear. (2 Timothy 4:3-4). Our political leaders know that is the way to gain power, and too often our church leaders do as well. Paul pleaded with the church in Ephesis to examine his life and teachings, not on the basis of how good they made them feel, but on the basis of how honest and truthful they were. (Acts 20:18-27).\nHe also urged the young Timothy towards diligence and accurate handing of the Word of Truth. (2 Timothy 2:15). In 2 Timothy 3:12-17 his charge to the young minister could encourage us equally today.\n“But evil men and impostors will proceed from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived. You, however, continue in the things you have learned and become convinced of, knowing from whom you have learned them, and that from childhood you have known the sacred writings which are able to give you the wisdom that leads to salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.\nAll Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.” (NASU)\nToday we must keep in mind that our New Testament was just at that time being written. The inspired scriptures that Timothy knew from childhood, which can give wisdom that leads to salvation and equipment for every good work were the Hebrew Scriptures. Christians refer to them as the Old Testament, in reference to the Old Covenant. The New Testament is so titled to emphasize the reality of the New Covenant established by Christ.\nWhy do you suppose that Paul placed such a high value to knowing the contents of the Old Testament and the teachings of the Old Covenant? Here is a question that is answered in many and often disparate ways. First let me say that I do not believe anyone is more excited and committed to the New Covenant than I am. My very existence is wholly dependent upon the grace of Christ as revealed therein. I do believe that our zeal for the New Covenant has led to some confusion on this question. Only recently I have found the need to take a closer look at these issues.\nTo fully understand the reason for Paul’s words both here and elsewhere will take some time and effort. I would prefer a quick and easy answer myself. To do that I would have to either erase or ignore large portions of Paul’s letters to his fellow Christians. No, all of his statements must be considered if we are to grasp the weight of his instructions and the depth of the convictions standing behind them. Above all we should heed his direct instructions to Timothy as applicable to all would-be leaders in the church. We all need to know what God has said to the people of ancient times and how His words to them could help us please Him today.\nThe New Testament itself cannot be fully understood without the background of the events and prophecies of the Old Testament that came before. Consider another statement that Paul made concerning the Hebrew scriptures. After quoting from the Old Testament, he says:\n“For whatever was written in earlier times was written for our instruction, so that through perseverance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.” (Romans 15:4)NASU\nFor hundreds of years, believers have known the truth of this statement. Not in theory, but in practice. Some of the words were difficult to understand, yet they were revered and trusted just the same. Many could not explain the finer points relating to the old and new covenants, the law and grace, Israel and the Church. But somehow they lived and died unto the glory of God and left us a marvelous legacy of faith through their love for Christ and His Written Word.\nFrom time to time the Old Testament has been misunderstood and misapplied by Christians with disastrous results. Jesus proved that even the Israelites of His day had done so. Paul, a former Pharisee who met the risen Christ developed a keen sense in this area. After having been steeped in legalism for many years, he was liberated by the life of Christ in a very dramatic way. This might explain why he was more sensitive to the problem than his fellow apostles in Jerusalem.\nWhen Christians were tempted to revert to trusting their own good works, Paul responded with strong and intense words. In the past, his status as a law-abiding Pharisee was no comfort to his soul. In fact his hate-filled heart brought him in direct conflict with the very God he sought to please. That heart was softened by the love, mercy and grace of God in Christ, making him a champion of the Good News of Jesus Christ and one of His greatest missionaries. It would be difficult to find a person whose life was more impacted by a revelation of the glory and grace of Jesus Christ!\nPaul could communicate to gentiles the same message that Jesus brought to the Jews, in an extremely efficient way. No one could be justified before God by their own good works. Only by trusting in the righteous, holy sacrifice of Christ can our sins be forgiven and removed. By His grace we are saved and have peace with God!\nThe Battlefield of the mind\nSatan can afflict the Christian in two basic ways. One is to appeal to the desires of our flesh. The other is to deceive us into thinking that the Cross of Christ is insufficient to fully redeem us. Then we might foolishly try to earn favor with God by performing some form of ritual or service, when that favor has already been offered in Christ.\nSome of these ideas come from our church traditions, and so we rail against their customs and teachings. Lately I have come to realize that the problem goes much deeper than that. Even the least religiously minded operate on false assumptions about God and our situation with Him. The concept of right and wrong is built into our very nature. When we do the right thing we instinctively feel good about ourselves. When we participate in evil we sense the reality of our guilt. In the first instance we are tempted to a level of self-righteousness and become judgmental of others. In the second we might try to ignore our guilt or cover it ourselves like our ancient ancestors Adam and Eve, who thought fig leaves would cover their shame.\nThe world is full of attempts to balance our sins and errors with positive actions. Both spiritual and natural death is always the result.\nEven in the Old Covenant there were those who understood the problem. Hebrews chapter eleven lists a huge number of individuals, both men and women whose trust and confidence in their Lord and Savior brought them salvation and peace with God. Jesus, Paul, Peter, James and others called us back to that kind of faith, and showed us that the Old Covenant system of animal sacrifices only pointed to the full and final sacrifice of Jesus, the perfect, spotless Lamb of God offered for us.\n“O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out!\nFor who has known the mind of the Lord? or who has been his counselor? Or who has first given to him, and it shall be recompensed unto him again?\nFor of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen.”\nThere are groups of Christians who are fascinated with Jewish traditions and their significance. Some even observe the Sabbath Day and avoid non- kosher foods. I have no quarrel with them, unless they begin teaching that these practices are their means for right standing with God. At the same time a number of Christian groups have developed another standard that is nowhere found in the teachings of Christ or His apostles. They might even have a life style that is more profitable than my own. However, if they teach that all Christians are bound by their standard, and that theirs is the only way to heaven, I will declare this to be heresy, and an affront to the Finished Work of Christ on the Cross!\nBut who am I to judge? Well, only one who also has the Spirit and Word of God, and charged by Him to preach the word, be instant in season and out of season, reproving, rebuking and exhorting with all long suffering and teaching. (2 Timothy 4:2).\nThe Curse of the Law\nPaul’s negative comments on God’s covenant with Israel under Moses is not at all in conflict with his exhortations to study the Old Testament. He carefully presented the fact that the New Covenant had come and that the Old was fulfilled in Christ. His harsh and bold statements were necessary to move people from the Old to the New.\n“So then, the Law is holy, and the commandment is holy and righteous and good. 13 Therefore did that which is good become a cause of death for me? May it never be! Rather it was sin, in order that it might be shown to be sin by effecting my death through that which is good, that through the commandment sin might become utterly sinful. For we know that the Law is spiritual; but I am of flesh, sold into bondage to sin.” (Romans 7:12-14 NASB)\nHis argument was to convince us that the problem is not with the law, or even religion. The problem is in us. It is in the weakness of our fallen nature. It is in our determination to justify ourselves and our actions. When ever we attempt to establish our own righteousness, we show our ignorance of the righteousness of God. Those who surrender to Christ have submitted to the righteousness of God so His righteousness can be fulfilled in them! (Romans 10:3-4, 8:4).\nIt is truly a wonderful day for those who receive Christ as their righteousness. They can have peace with God, be filled with His Spirit, which illuminates their minds to understand and obey His Word. They can love His law because He gave it out of love. Those who seek by their own ability to justify themselves by the law will find it has become a curse to them.\nOur pure, holy, and loving Savior deserves only our love, devotion, praise, honor and obedience. Instead He received hatred, spite, abuse, beatings and a humiliating death on the Cross. The very thought of this injustice sickens my heart. And yet, my greatest hope, joy and freedom is the result of His willingness to die for me, receiving my curse upon Himself.\n“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life. 17 “For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world should be saved through Him.” (John 3:16-18) NASB", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "When Israel was a youth I loved him, And out of Egypt I called My son. The more they called them, The more they went away from them; They kept sacrificing to the Baals And burning incense to idols. Yet it is I who taught Ephraim to walk, I took them in My arms; But they did not know that I healed them. I pulled them along with cords of a man, with ropes of love, And I became to them as one who lifts the yoke from their jaws; And I bent down and fed them.\nThey will not return to the land of Egypt; But Assyria—he will be their king Because they refused to return to Me. And the sword will whirl against their cities, And will destroy their oracle priests And consume them, because of their counsels. So My people are determined to turn from Me. Though they call them to the One on high, None at all exalts Him.\nHow can I give you up, Ephraim? How can I surrender you, Israel? How can I make you like Admah? How can I treat you like Zeboiim? My heart is turned over within Me, All My compassions are kindled. I will not carry out My fierce anger; I will not destroy Ephraim again. For I am God and not a man, the Holy One in your midst, And I will not come in wrath. They will walk after the Lord, He will roar like a lion; Indeed He will roar, And His sons will come trembling from the west. They will come trembling like birds from Egypt, And like doves from the land of Assyria; And I will settle them in their houses, declares the Lord.\nEphraim surrounds Me with lies And the house of Israel with deceit; Judah is still unruly against God, Even against the Holy One who is faithful.\nEphraim feeds on wind, And pursues the east wind continually; He multiplies lies and violence. Moreover, he makes a covenant with Assyria, And oil is brought to Egypt. The Lord also has a case against Judah, And will punish Jacob according to his ways; He will repay him according to his deeds. In the womb he took his brother by the heel, And in his mature strength he contended with God. Yes, he wrestled with the angel and prevailed; He wept and implored His favor. He found Him at Bethel, And there He spoke with us, And the Lord, the God of armies, The Lord is His name. So as for you, return to your God, Maintain kindness and justice, And wait for your God continually. A merchant, in whose hands are fraudulent balances, Loves to exploit. And Ephraim said, “I have certainly become rich, I have found wealth for myself; In all my labors they will find in me No wrongdoing, which would be sin.” But I have been the Lord your God since the land of Egypt; I will make you live in tents again, As in the days of the appointed festival. I have also spoken to the prophets, And I provided many visions, And through the prophets I spoke in parables. Is there injustice in Gilead? Certainly they are worthless. In Gilgal they sacrifice bulls, Yes, their altars are like stone heaps Beside the furrows of a field.\nNow Jacob fled to the land of Aram, And Israel worked for a wife, And for a wife he kept sheep. But by a prophet the Lord brought Israel up from Egypt, And by a prophet he was protected. Ephraim has provoked God to bitter anger; So his Lord will leave his guilt for bloodshed on him And bring his disgrace back to him.\nIn those days, when there was again a large crowd and they had nothing to eat, Jesus summoned His disciples and *said to them, “I feel compassion for the people because they have remained with Me for three days already and have nothing to eat. And if I send them away hungry to their homes, they will faint on the way; and some of them have come from a great distance.” And His disciples replied to Him, “Where will anyone be able to find enough bread here in this desolate place to satisfy these people?” And He was asking them, “How many loaves do you have?” And they said, “Seven.” And He *directed the people to recline on the ground; and taking the seven loaves, He gave thanks and broke them, and started giving them to His disciples to serve, and they served them to the people. They also had a few small fish; and after He had blessed them, He told the disciples to serve these as well. And they ate and were satisfied; and they picked up seven large baskets full of what was left over of the broken pieces. About four thousand men were there; and He dismissed them. And immediately He got into the boat with His disciples and came to the region of Dalmanutha.\nAnd the Pharisees came out and began to argue with Him, demanding from Him a sign from heaven, to test Him. Sighing deeply in His spirit, He *said, “Why does this generation demand a sign? Truly I say to you, no sign will be given to this generation!” And leaving them, He again embarked and went away to the other side.\nAnd the disciples had forgotten to take bread, and did not have more than one loaf in the boat with them. And He was giving orders to them, saying, “Watch out! Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, and the leaven of Herod.” And they began to discuss with one another the fact that they had no bread. And Jesus, aware of this, *said to them, “Why are you discussing the fact that you have no bread? Do you not yet comprehend or understand? Do you still have your heart hardened? Having eyes, do you not see? And having ears, do you not hear? And do you not remember, when I broke the five loaves for the five thousand, how many baskets full of broken pieces you picked up?” They *said to Him, “Twelve.” “When I broke the seven for the four thousand, how many large baskets full of broken pieces did you pick up?” And they *said to Him, “Seven.” And He was saying to them, “Do you not yet understand?”\nAnd they *came to Bethsaida. And some people *brought a man who was blind to Jesus and *begged Him to touch him. Taking the man who was blind by the hand, He brought him out of the village; and after spitting in his eyes and laying His hands on him, He asked him, “Do you see anything?” And he looked up and said, “I see people, for I see them like trees, walking around.” Then again He laid His hands on his eyes; and he looked intently and was restored, and began to see everything clearly. And He sent him to his home, saying, “Do not even enter the village.”\nJesus went out, along with His disciples, to the villages of Caesarea Philippi; and on the way He questioned His disciples, saying to them, “Who do people say that I am?” They told Him, saying, “John the Baptist; and others say Elijah; and others, one of the prophets.” And He continued questioning them: “But who do you say that I am?” Peter answered and *said to Him, “You are the Christ.” And He warned them to tell no one about Him.\nAnd He began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and the chief priests and the scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise from the dead. And He was stating the matter plainly. And Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him. But turning around and seeing His disciples, He rebuked Peter and *said, “Get behind Me, Satan; for you are not setting your mind on God’s purposes, but on man’s.”\nAnd He summoned the crowd together with His disciples, and said to them, “If anyone wants to come after Me, he must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow Me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel’s will save it. For what does it benefit a person to gain the whole world, and forfeit his soul? For what could a person give in exchange for his soul? For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will also be ashamed of him when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels.”\nThe Lord also spoke to Moses and to Aaron, saying, “Speak to the sons of Israel, and say to them, ‘When any man has a discharge from his body, his discharge is unclean. This, moreover, shall be his uncleanness in his discharge: it is his uncleanness whether his body allows its discharge to flow or whether his body obstructs its discharge. Every bed on which the man with the discharge lies becomes unclean, and everything on which he sits becomes unclean. Anyone, moreover, who touches his bed shall wash his clothes and bathe in water and be unclean until evening; and whoever sits on the thing on which the man with the discharge has been sitting, shall wash his clothes and bathe in water and be unclean until evening. Also whoever touches the man with the discharge shall wash his clothes and bathe in water and be unclean until evening. Or if the man with the discharge spits on one who is clean, he too shall wash his clothes and bathe in water and be unclean until evening. Every saddle on which the man with the discharge rides becomes unclean. Whoever then touches any of the things which were under him shall be unclean until evening, and the one who carries them shall wash his clothes and bathe in water and be unclean until evening. Likewise, whomever the man with the discharge touches without having rinsed his hands in water shall wash his clothes and bathe in water and be unclean until evening. However, an earthenware vessel which the man with the discharge touches shall be broken, and every wooden vessel shall be rinsed in water.\n‘Now when the man with the discharge becomes cleansed from his discharge, then he shall count off for himself seven days for his cleansing; he shall then wash his clothes and bathe his body in running water and will become clean. Then on the eighth day he shall take for himself two turtledoves or two young doves, and come before the Lord to the doorway of the tent of meeting and give them to the priest; and the priest shall offer them, one as a sin offering and the other as a burnt offering. So the priest shall make atonement on his behalf before the Lord because of his discharge.\n‘Now if a man has a seminal emission, he shall bathe all his body in water and be unclean until evening. As for any garment or any leather on which there is a seminal emission, it shall be washed with water and be unclean until evening. If a man sleeps with a woman so that there is a seminal emission, they shall both bathe in water and be unclean until evening.\n‘When a woman has a discharge, if her discharge in her body is blood, she shall continue in her menstrual impurity for seven days; and whoever touches her shall be unclean until evening. Everything also on which she lies during her menstrual impurity shall be unclean, and everything on which she sits shall be unclean. Anyone who touches her bed shall wash his clothes and bathe in water and be unclean until evening. Whoever touches any object on which she sits shall wash his clothes and bathe in water and be unclean until evening. Whether it be on the bed or on the thing on which she is sitting, when he touches it, he shall be unclean until evening. If a man actually sleeps with her so that her menstrual impurity is on him, he shall be unclean seven days, and every bed on which he lies shall be unclean.\n‘Now if a woman has a discharge of her blood for many days, not at the period of her menstrual impurity, or if she has a discharge beyond that period, for all the days of her impure discharge she shall continue as though in her menstrual impurity; she is unclean. Any bed on which she lies all the days of her discharge shall be to her like her bed at menstruation; and every object on which she sits shall be unclean, like her uncleanness at that time. Likewise, whoever touches them shall be unclean, and shall wash his clothes and bathe in water and be unclean until evening. When she becomes clean from her discharge, she shall count off for herself seven days; and afterward she will be clean. Then on the eighth day she shall take for herself two turtledoves or two young doves, and bring them to the priest, to the doorway of the tent of meeting. And the priest shall offer the one as a sin offering, and the other as a burnt offering. So the priest shall make atonement on her behalf before the Lord because of her impure discharge.’\n“And so you shall keep the sons of Israel separated from their uncleanness, so that they will not die in their uncleanness by their defiling My tabernacle that is among them.” This is the law for the one with a discharge, and for the man who has a seminal emission so that he is unclean by it, and for the woman who is ill because of menstrual impurity, and for the one who has a discharge, whether a male or a female, or a man who sleeps with an unclean woman.\nNow the Lord spoke to Moses after the death of the two sons of Aaron, when they had approached the presence of the Lord and died. The Lord said to Moses:\n“Tell your brother Aaron that he shall not enter at any time into the Holy Place inside the veil, before the atoning cover which is on the ark, or he will die; for I will appear in the cloud over the atoning cover. Aaron shall enter the Holy Place with this: with a bull as a sin offering and a ram as a burnt offering. He shall put on the holy linen tunic, and the linen undergarments shall be next to his body, and he shall be wrapped about the waist with the linen sash and the linen turban wound around his forehead (these are holy garments). He shall bathe his body in water and put them on. And he shall take from the congregation of the sons of Israel two male goats as a sin offering, and one ram as a burnt offering. Then Aaron shall offer the bull as the sin offering, which is for himself, so that he may make atonement for himself and for his household. He shall then take the two goats and present them before the Lord at the doorway of the tent of meeting. Aaron shall cast lots for the two goats, one lot for the Lord and the other lot for the scapegoat. Then Aaron shall offer the goat on which the lot for the Lord fell, and make it a sin offering. But the goat on which the lot for the scapegoat fell shall be presented alive before the Lord, to make atonement upon it, to send it into the wilderness as the scapegoat.\n“Then Aaron shall offer the bull of the sin offering which is for himself and make atonement for himself and for his household, and he shall slaughter the bull of the sin offering which is for himself. He shall take a firepan full of coals of fire from upon the altar before the Lord and two handfuls of finely ground sweet incense, and bring it inside the veil. He shall put the incense on the fire before the Lord, so that the cloud of incense may cover the atoning cover that is on the ark of the testimony, otherwise he will die. Moreover, he shall take some of the blood of the bull and sprinkle it with his finger on the atoning cover on the east side; also in front of the atoning cover he shall sprinkle some of the blood with his finger seven times.\n“Then he shall slaughter the goat of the sin offering, which is for the people, and bring its blood inside the veil and do with its blood as he did with the blood of the bull, and sprinkle it on the atoning cover and in front of the atoning cover. He shall make atonement for the Holy Place, because of the impurities of the sons of Israel and because of their unlawful acts regarding all their sins; and he shall do so for the tent of meeting which remains with them in the midst of their impurities. When he goes in to make atonement in the Holy Place, no one shall be in the tent of meeting until he comes out, so that he may make atonement for himself and for his household, and for all the assembly of Israel. Then he shall go out to the altar that is before the Lord and make atonement for it; he shall take some of the blood from the bull and some of the blood from the goat, and put it on the horns of the altar on all sides. With his finger he shall sprinkle some of the blood on it seven times and cleanse it, and consecrate it from the impurities of the sons of Israel.\n“When he finishes atoning for the Holy Place and the tent of meeting and the altar, he shall offer the live goat. Then Aaron shall lay both of his hands on the head of the live goat, and confess over it all the wrongdoings of the sons of Israel and all their unlawful acts regarding all their sins; and he shall place them on the head of the goat and send it away into the wilderness by the hand of a man who stands ready. Then the goat shall carry on itself all their wrongdoings to an isolated territory; he shall release the goat in the wilderness.\n“Then Aaron shall come into the tent of meeting and take off the linen garments which he put on when he went into the Holy Place, and shall leave them there. And he shall bathe his body with water in a holy place and put on his clothes, and come out and offer his burnt offering and the burnt offering of the people, and make atonement for himself and for the people. Then he shall offer up in smoke the fat of the sin offering on the altar. The one who released the goat as the scapegoat shall wash his clothes and bathe his body with water; then afterward he shall come into the camp. But the bull of the sin offering and the goat of the sin offering, whose blood was brought in to make atonement in the Holy Place, shall be taken outside the camp, and they shall burn their hides, their flesh, and their refuse in the fire. Then the one who burns them shall wash his clothes and bathe his body with water; and afterward he shall come into the camp.\n“This shall be a permanent statute for you: in the seventh month, on the tenth day of the month, you shall humble yourselves and not do any work, whether the native, or the stranger who resides among you; for it is on this day that atonement shall be made for you to cleanse you; you will be clean from all your sins before the Lord. It is to be a Sabbath of solemn rest for you, so that you may humble yourselves; it is a permanent statute. So the priest who is anointed and ordained to serve as priest in his father’s place shall make atonement: he shall put on the linen garments, the holy garments, and make atonement for the holy sanctuary, and he shall make atonement for the tent of meeting and for the altar. He shall also make atonement for the priests and for all the people of the assembly. Now you shall have this as a permanent statute, to make atonement for the sons of Israel for all their sins once every year.” And just as the Lord had commanded Moses, so he did.\nOn the eighth day, Moses called for Aaron and his sons and the elders of Israel. He said to Aaron, “Take a bull and a ram. There must be nothing wrong with them. The bull will be a sin offering, and the ram will be a burnt offering. Offer these animals to the Lord. Tell the Israelites, ‘Take a male goat for a sin offering, and take a calf and a lamb for a burnt offering. The calf and the lamb must each be one year old. There must be nothing wrong with them. Take a bull and a ram for fellowship offerings. Take these animals and a grain offering mixed with oil for an offering to the Lord. Do this because the Lord will appear to you today.’”\nSo all the people came to the Meeting Tent. They all brought the things that Moses had commanded. All the people stood before the Lord. Moses said, “You must do what the Lord commanded. Then the Glory of the Lord will appear to you.”\nThen Moses told Aaron: “Go do what the Lord commanded. Go to the altar and offer sin offerings and burnt offerings. Do what will make you and the people pure. Take the people’s sacrifices and make them pure.”\nSo Aaron went to the altar. He killed the bull for the sin offering. This sin offering was for himself. Then the sons of Aaron brought the blood to Aaron. Aaron put his finger in the blood and put it on the corners of the altar. Then he poured out the blood at the base of the altar. He took the fat, the kidneys, and the fat part of the liver from the sin offering. He burned them on the altar just as the Lord had commanded Moses. Then Aaron burned the meat and skin on a fire outside the camp.\nNext, Aaron killed the animal for the burnt offering. His sons brought the blood to him, and he sprinkled the blood around on the altar. Aaron’s sons gave the pieces and head of the burnt offering to Aaron, and he burned them on the altar. He also washed the inner parts and the legs of the burnt offering and burned them on the altar.\nThen Aaron brought the people’s offering. He killed the goat of the sin offering that was for the people. He offered the goat for sin, like the earlier sin offering. He brought the burnt offering and offered it, just as the Lord had commanded. He brought the grain offering to the altar. He took a handful of the grain and put it on the altar beside that morning’s daily sacrifice.\nAaron also killed the bull and the ram that were the fellowship offerings from the people. His sons brought the blood to him, and he sprinkled this blood around on the altar. Aaron’s sons also brought him the fat of the bull and the ram. They brought the fat tail, the fat covering the inner parts, the kidneys, and the fat part of the liver. Aaron’s sons put these fat parts on the breasts of the bull and the ram. Aaron burned them on the altar. He lifted the breasts and the gift of the right thigh to show he was offering them before the Lord, just as Moses had commanded.\nThen Aaron lifted up his hands toward the people and blessed them. After he finished offering the sin offering, the burnt offering, and the fellowship offerings, he came down from the altar.\nMoses and Aaron went into the Meeting Tent. They came out and blessed the people. Then the Glory of the Lord appeared to all the people. Fire came out from the Lord and burned the burnt offering and fat on the altar. When all the people saw this, they shouted with joy and then bowed to the ground to show their respect.\nThen Aaron’s sons Nadab and Abihu made a mistake. They took their incense dishes and put some fire and incense in them. But they did not use the fire that was on the altar—they took fire from some other place and brought it to the Lord. This was not what he had commanded. So fire came from the Lord and destroyed Nadab and Abihu, and they died there in front of the Lord.\nThen Moses said to Aaron, “The Lord says, ‘The priests who come near me must respect me. I must be holy to them and to all the people.’” So Aaron did not say anything about his sons dying.\nAaron’s uncle Uzziel had two sons. They were Mishael and Elzaphan. Moses said to these sons, “Come here and get your cousins’ bodies and carry them away from this holy place and take them outside the camp.”\nSo Mishael and Elzaphan obeyed Moses. They carried the bodies of Nadab and Abihu outside the camp. Nadab and Abihu were still wearing their special woven shirts.\nThen Moses spoke to Aaron and his other sons Eleazar and Ithamar. He said, “Don’t show any sadness! Don’t tear your clothes or mess up your hair! If you do anything to show your sadness, you will be killed, and the Lord will show his anger against everyone. But let all the other people of Israel, your relatives, cry for those the Lord destroyed with fire. But you must not even leave the entrance of the Meeting Tent. If you leave, you will die because the Lord’s anointing oil is on you.” So Aaron, Eleazar, and Ithamar obeyed Moses.\nThen the Lord said to Aaron, “You and your sons must not drink wine or beer when you come into the Meeting Tent. If you do, you will die. This law continues forever through your generations. You must be able to clearly tell the difference between what is holy and what is not holy, between what is clean and what is unclean. And you must teach the people about all the laws that the Lord gave them through Moses.”\nAaron had two sons who were still alive, Eleazar and Ithamar. Moses said to Aaron and his two sons, “When people give sacrifices as a gift to the Lord, some of the grain offering is not burned. Use that grain to make bread without yeast. You priests must eat that bread near the altar because that grain is very holy. The portion of food for you and your sons will come from the special gifts to the Lord, so you must eat that food in a holy place.\n“You, your sons, and your daughters may all eat the breast and thigh that were lifted up before the Lord as an offering. But you must eat these in a place that is clean because they come from the fellowship offerings. They are your share of those offerings that the Israelites give to God. The people must bring the gifts of fat from their animals as part of the sacrifice. They must also bring the thigh of the fellowship offering and the breast that is lifted up to show it is offered in front of the Lord. Then it will be your share of the offering. It will belong to you and your children. That part of the sacrifices will be your share forever, just as the Lord said.”\nMoses looked for the goat of the sin offering, but it was already burned up. Moses became very angry with Aaron’s other sons Eleazar and Ithamar. Moses said, “Why did you not eat the sin offering in the holy area! That meat is very holy! God gave it to you to carry away the guilt of the people—to make the people pure before the Lord. That goat’s blood was not brought into the Holy Place. So you should have eaten the meat in the holy area, just as I commanded!”\nBut Aaron said to Moses, “Look, today they brought their sin offering and burnt offering before the Lord. But you know what happened to me today! Do you think the Lord would be happy if I ate the sin offering today?”\nMay the Lord answer you on a day of trouble! May the name of the God of Jacob protect you! May He send you help from the sanctuary, And support you from Zion! May He remember all your meal offerings And accept your burnt offering! Selah\nMay He grant you your heart’s desire And fulfill your whole plan! We will sing for joy over your victory, And in the name of our God we will set up our banners. May the Lord fulfill all your desires.\nNow I know that the Lord saves His anointed; He will answer him from His holy heaven With the saving strength of His right hand. Some praise their chariots and some their horses, But we will praise the name of the Lord, our God. They have bowed down and fallen, But we have risen and stood upright. Save, Lord; May the King answer us on the day we call.\nWhen it was morning, all the chief priests and the elders of the people took counsel against Jesus to put him to death. They bound him, led him away, and handed him over to Pilate, the governor.\nThen Judas, his betrayer, seeing that Jesus had been condemned, deeply regretted what he had done. He returned the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders, saying, “I have sinned in betraying innocent blood.” They said, “What is that to us? Look to it yourself.” Flinging the money into the temple, he departed and went off and hanged himself. The chief priests gathered up the money, but said, “It is not lawful to deposit this in the temple treasury, for it is the price of blood.” After consultation, they used it to buy the potter’s field as a burial place for foreigners. That is why that field even today is called the Field of Blood. Then was fulfilled what had been said through Jeremiah the prophet, “And they took the thirty pieces of silver, the value of a man with a price on his head, a price set by some of the Israelites, and they paid it out for the potter’s field just as the Lord had commanded me.”\nNow Jesus stood before the governor, and he questioned him, “Are you the king of the Jews?” Jesus said, “You say so.” And when he was accused by the chief priests and elders, he made no answer. Then Pilate said to him, “Do you not hear how many things they are testifying against you?” But he did not answer him one word, so that the governor was greatly amazed.\nNow on the occasion of the feast the governor was accustomed to release to the crowd one prisoner whom they wished. And at that time they had a notorious prisoner called [Jesus] Barabbas. So when they had assembled, Pilate said to them, “Which one do you want me to release to you, [Jesus] Barabbas, or Jesus called Messiah?” For he knew that it was out of envy that they had handed him over. While he was still seated on the bench, his wife sent him a message, “Have nothing to do with that righteous man. I suffered much in a dream today because of him.” The chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowds to ask for Barabbas but to destroy Jesus. The governor said to them in reply, “Which of the two do you want me to release to you?” They answered, “Barabbas!” Pilate said to them, “Then what shall I do with Jesus called Messiah?” They all said, “Let him be crucified!” But he said, “Why? What evil has he done?” They only shouted the louder, “Let him be crucified!” When Pilate saw that he was not succeeding at all, but that a riot was breaking out instead, he took water and washed his hands in the sight of the crowd, saying, “I am innocent of this man’s blood. Look to it yourselves.” And the whole people said in reply, “His blood be upon us and upon our children.” Then he released Barabbas to them, but after he had Jesus scourged, he handed him over to be crucified.\nThen the soldiers of the governor took Jesus inside the praetorium and gathered the whole cohort around him. They stripped off his clothes and threw a scarlet military cloak about him. Weaving a crown out of thorns, they placed it on his head, and a reed in his right hand. And kneeling before him, they mocked him, saying, “Hail, King of the Jews!” They spat upon him and took the reed and kept striking him on the head. And when they had mocked him, they stripped him of the cloak, dressed him in his own clothes, and led him off to crucify him.\nAs they were going out, they met a Cyrenian named Simon; this man they pressed into service to carry his cross.\nAnd when they came to a place called Golgotha (which means Place of the Skull), they gave Jesus wine to drink mixed with gall. But when he had tasted it, he refused to drink. After they had crucified him, they divided his garments by casting lots; then they sat down and kept watch over him there. And they placed over his head the written charge against him: This is Jesus, the King of the Jews. Two revolutionaries were crucified with him, one on his right and the other on his left. Those passing by reviled him, shaking their heads and saying, “You who would destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, save yourself, if you are the Son of God, [and] come down from the cross!” Likewise the chief priests with the scribes and elders mocked him and said, “He saved others; he cannot save himself. So he is the king of Israel! Let him come down from the cross now, and we will believe in him. He trusted in God; let him deliver him now if he wants him. For he said, ‘I am the Son of God.’” The revolutionaries who were crucified with him also kept abusing him in the same way.\nFrom noon onward, darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon. And about three o’clock Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” which means, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” Some of the bystanders who heard it said, “This one is calling for Elijah.” Immediately one of them ran to get a sponge; he soaked it in wine, and putting it on a reed, gave it to him to drink. But the rest said, “Wait, let us see if Elijah comes to save him.” But Jesus cried out again in a loud voice, and gave up his spirit. And behold, the veil of the sanctuary was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth quaked, rocks were split, tombs were opened, and the bodies of many saints who had fallen asleep were raised. And coming forth from their tombs after his resurrection, they entered the holy city and appeared to many. The centurion and the men with him who were keeping watch over Jesus feared greatly when they saw the earthquake and all that was happening, and they said, “Truly, this was the Son of God!” There were many women there, looking on from a distance, who had followed Jesus from Galilee, ministering to him. Among them were Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of James and Joseph, and the mother of the sons of Zebedee.\nWhen it was evening, there came a rich man from Arimathea named Joseph, who was himself a disciple of Jesus. He went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus; then Pilate ordered it to be handed over. Taking the body, Joseph wrapped it [in] clean linen and laid it in his new tomb that he had hewn in the rock. Then he rolled a huge stone across the entrance to the tomb and departed. But Mary Magdalene and the other Mary remained sitting there, facing the tomb.\nThe next day, the one following the day of preparation, the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered before Pilate and said, “Sir, we remember that this impostor while still alive said, ‘After three days I will be raised up.’ Give orders, then, that the grave be secured until the third day, lest his disciples come and steal him and say to the people, ‘He has been raised from the dead.’ This last imposture would be worse than the first.” Pilate said to them, “The guard is yours; go secure it as best you can.” So they went and secured the tomb by fixing a seal to the stone and setting the guard.\nThis is what the Lord God showed me, and behold, He was forming a swarm of locusts when the spring crop began to sprout. And behold, the spring crop was after the king’s mowing. And it came about, when it had finished eating the vegetation of the land, that I said,\n“Lord God, please pardon! How can Jacob stand? For he is small.” The Lord relented of this. “It shall not be,” said the Lord.\nSo the Lord God showed me, and behold, the Lord God was calling to contend with them by fire, and it consumed the great deep and began to consume the farmland. Then I said,\n“Lord God, please stop! How can Jacob stand? For he is small.” The Lord relented of this. “This too shall not be,” said the Lord God.\nSo He showed me, and behold, the Lord was standing by a vertical wall with a plumb line in His hand. And the Lord said to me, “What do you see, Amos?” And I said, “A plumb line.” Then the Lord said,\n“Behold I am about to put a plumb line In the midst of My people Israel. I will not spare them any longer. The high places of Isaac will become deserted, And the sanctuaries of Israel will be in ruins. Then I will rise up against the house of Jeroboam with the sword.”\nThen Amaziah, the priest of Bethel, sent word to Jeroboam king of Israel, saying, “Amos has conspired against you in the midst of the house of Israel; the land is unable to endure all his words. For this is what Amos says: ‘Jeroboam will die by the sword, and Israel will certainly go from its land into exile.’” Then Amaziah said to Amos, “Go, you seer, flee to the land of Judah; and eat bread there and do your prophesying there! But do not prophesy at Bethel any longer, for it is a sanctuary of the king and a royal residence.”\nThen Amos replied to Amaziah, “I am not a prophet, nor am I the son of a prophet; for I am a herdsman and a grower of sycamore figs. But the Lord took me from following the flock, and the Lord said to me, ‘Go prophesy to My people Israel.’ So now hear the word of the Lord: you are saying, ‘You shall not prophesy against Israel nor shall you prophesy against the house of Isaac.’ Therefore, this is what the Lord says: ‘Your wife will become a prostitute in the city, your sons and your daughters will fall by the sword, your land will be parceled up by a measuring line, and you yourself will die upon unclean soil. Furthermore Israel will certainly go from its land into exile.’”\nThen the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, “On the first day of the first month you shall set up the tabernacle of the tent of meeting. You shall place the ark of the testimony there, and you shall screen off the ark with the veil. Then you shall bring in the table and arrange what belongs on it; and you shall bring in the lampstand and mount its lamps. You shall also set the gold altar of incense in front of the ark of the testimony, and set up the curtain for the doorway to the tabernacle. And you shall set the altar of burnt offering in front of the doorway of the tabernacle of the tent of meeting. Then you shall set the basin between the tent of meeting and the altar, and put water in it. You shall also set up the courtyard all around and hang up the curtain for the gate of the courtyard. Then you shall take the anointing oil and anoint the tabernacle and everything that is in it, and consecrate it and all its furnishings; and it shall be holy. You shall also anoint the altar of burnt offering and all its utensils, and consecrate the altar, and the altar shall be most holy. And you shall anoint the basin and its stand, and consecrate it. Then you shall bring Aaron and his sons to the doorway of the tent of meeting and wash them with water. And you shall put the holy garments on Aaron and anoint him and consecrate him, so that he may serve as a priest to Me. You shall also bring his sons and put tunics on them; and you shall anoint them just as you have anointed their father, so that they may serve as priests to Me; and their anointing will qualify them for a permanent priesthood throughout their generations.” So Moses did these things; according to all that the Lord had commanded him, so he did.\nNow in the first month of the second year, on the first day of the month, the tabernacle was erected. Moses erected the tabernacle and laid its bases, and set up its boards, and inserted its bars, and erected its pillars. And he spread the tent over the tabernacle and put the covering of the tent on top of it, just as the Lord had commanded Moses. Then he took the testimony and put it into the ark, and attached the poles to the ark, and put the atoning cover on top of the ark. He then brought the ark into the tabernacle, and set up a veil for the covering, and screened off the ark of the testimony, just as the Lord had commanded Moses. He also put the table in the tent of meeting on the north side of the tabernacle, outside the veil. And he set the arrangement of bread in order on it before the Lord, just as the Lord had commanded Moses. Then he placed the lampstand in the tent of meeting, opposite the table, on the south side of the tabernacle. And he lighted the lamps before the Lord, just as the Lord had commanded Moses. Then he placed the gold altar in the tent of meeting in front of the veil; and he burned fragrant incense on it, just as the Lord had commanded Moses. Then he set up the curtain for the doorway of the tabernacle. And he set the altar of burnt offering in front of the doorway of the tabernacle of the tent of meeting, and offered on it the burnt offering and the meal offering, just as the Lord had commanded Moses. He placed the basin between the tent of meeting and the altar, and put water in it for washing. From it Moses and Aaron and his sons washed their hands and their feet. When they entered the tent of meeting, and when they approached the altar, they washed, just as the Lord had commanded Moses. And he erected the courtyard all around the tabernacle and the altar, and hung up the curtain for the gate of the courtyard. So Moses finished the work.\nThen the cloud covered the tent of meeting, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle. And Moses was not able to enter the tent of meeting because the cloud had settled on it, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle. Throughout their journeys, whenever the cloud was taken up from over the tabernacle, the sons of Israel would set out; but if the cloud was not taken up, then they did not set out until the day when it was taken up. For throughout their journeys, the cloud of the Lord was on the tabernacle by day, and there was fire in it by night, in the sight of all the house of Israel.\nAt that time the disciples came to Jesus and said, “Who then is greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” And He called a child to Himself and set him among them, and said, “Truly I say to you, unless you change and become like children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven. So whoever will humble himself like this child, he is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. And whoever receives one such child in My name, receives Me; but whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to sin, it is better for him that a heavy millstone be hung around his neck, and that he be drowned in the depths of the sea.\n“Woe to the world because of its stumbling blocks! For it is inevitable that stumbling blocks come; but woe to the person through whom the stumbling block comes!\n“And if your hand or your foot is causing you to sin, cut it off and throw it away from you; it is better for you to enter life maimed or without a foot, than to have two hands or two feet and be thrown into the eternal fire. And if your eye is causing you to sin, tear it out and throw it away from you. It is better for you to enter life with one eye, than to have two eyes and be thrown into the fiery hell.\n“See that you do not look down on one of these little ones; for I say to you that their angels in heaven continually see the face of My Father who is in heaven.\n“What do you think? If any man has a hundred sheep, and one of them goes astray, will he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountains, and go and search for the one that is lost? And if it turns out that he finds it, truly I say to you, he rejoices over it more than over the ninety-nine that have not gone astray. So it is not the will of your Father who is in heaven for one of these little ones to perish.\n“Now if your brother sins, go and show him his fault in private; if he listens to you, you have gained your brother. But if he does not listen to you, take one or two more with you, so that on the testimony of two or three witnesses every matter may be confirmed. And if he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, he is to be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector. Truly I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall have been bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall have been loosed in heaven.\n“Again I say to you, that if two of you agree on earth about anything that they may ask, it shall be done for them by My Father who is in heaven. For where two or three have gathered together in My name, I am there in their midst.”\nThen Peter came up and said to Him, “Lord, how many times shall my brother sin against me and I still forgive him? Up to seven times?” Jesus *said to him, “I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy-seven times.\n“For this reason the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his slaves. And when he had begun to settle them, one who owed him ten thousand talents was brought to him. But since he did not have the means to repay, his master commanded that he be sold, along with his wife and children and all that he had, and repayment be made. So the slave fell to the ground and prostrated himself before him, saying, ‘Have patience with me and I will repay you everything.’ And the master of that slave felt compassion, and he released him and forgave him the debt. But that slave went out and found one of his fellow slaves who owed him a hundred denarii; and he seized him and began to choke him, saying, ‘Pay back what you owe!’ So his fellow slave fell to the ground and began to plead with him, saying, ‘Have patience with me and I will repay you.’ But he was unwilling, and went and threw him in prison until he would pay back what was owed. So when his fellow slaves saw what had happened, they were deeply grieved and came and reported to their master all that had happened. Then summoning him, his master *said to him, ‘You wicked slave, I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me. Should you not also have had mercy on your fellow slave, in the same way that I had mercy on you?’ And his master, moved with anger, handed him over to the torturers until he would repay all that was owed him. My heavenly Father will also do the same to you, if each of you does not forgive his brother from your heart.”\nThen the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, “Tell the sons of Israel to take a contribution for Me; from everyone whose heart moves him you shall take My contribution. This is the contribution which you are to take from them: gold, silver, and bronze, violet, purple, and scarlet material, fine linen, goat hair, rams’ skins dyed red, fine leather, acacia wood, oil for lighting, balsam oil for the anointing oil and for the fragrant incense, onyx stones and setting stones for the ephod and for the breastpiece. Have them construct a sanctuary for Me, so that I may dwell among them. According to all that I am going to show you as the pattern of the tabernacle and the pattern of all its furniture, so you shall construct it.\n“Now they shall construct an ark of acacia wood two and a half cubits long, one and a half cubits wide, and one and a half cubits high. You shall overlay it with pure gold, inside and out you shall overlay it, and you shall make a gold molding around it. You shall also cast four gold rings for it and fasten them on its four feet; two rings shall be on one side of it, and two rings on the other side of it. And you shall make poles of acacia wood and overlay them with gold. You shall put the poles into the rings on the sides of the ark, to carry the ark with them. The poles shall remain in the rings of the ark; they shall not be removed from it. You shall put into the ark the testimony which I shall give you.\n“And you shall make an atoning cover of pure gold, two and a half cubits long and one and a half cubits wide. You shall make two cherubim of gold; make them of hammered work at the two ends of the atoning cover. Make one cherub at one end and one cherub at the other end; you shall make the cherubim of one piece with the atoning cover at its two ends. And the cherubim shall have their wings spread upward, covering the atoning cover with their wings and facing one another; the faces of the cherubim are to be turned toward the atoning cover. Then you shall put the atoning cover on top of the ark, and in the ark you shall put the testimony which I will give to you. There I will meet with you; and from above the atoning cover, from between the two cherubim which are upon the ark of the testimony, I will speak to you about every commandment that I will give you for the sons of Israel.\n“You shall also make a table of acacia wood, two cubits long and one cubit wide, and one and a half cubits high. You shall overlay it with pure gold and make a gold border around it. And you shall make for it a rim of a hand width around it; and you shall make a gold border for the rim around it. You shall also make four gold rings for it and put rings on the four corners which are on its four legs. The rings shall be close to the rim, as holders for the poles to carry the table. And you shall make the poles of acacia wood and overlay them with gold, so that with them the table may be carried. You shall also make its dishes, its pans, its jars, and its libation bowls with which to pour drink offerings; you shall make them of pure gold. And you shall set the bread of the Presence on the table before Me continually.\n“Then you shall make a lampstand of pure gold. The lampstand, its base and its shaft, are to be made of hammered work; its cups, its bulbs, and its flowers shall be of one piece with it. Six branches shall go out from its sides; three branches of the lampstand from its one side and three branches of the lampstand from its other side. Three cups shall be shaped like almond blossoms on the one branch, a bulb and a flower, and three cups shaped like almond blossoms on the other branch, a bulb and a flower—the same for six branches going out from the lampstand; and on the lampstand four cups shaped like almond blossoms, its bulbs and its flowers. A bulb shall be under the first pair of branches coming out of it, and a bulb under the second pair of branches coming out of it, and a bulb under the third pair of branches coming out of it, for the six branches coming out of the lampstand. Their bulbs and their branches shall be of one piece with it; all of it shall be one piece of hammered work of pure gold. Then you shall make its lamps seven in number; and they shall mount its lamps so as to shed light on the space in front of it. Its tongs and its trays shall be of pure gold. It shall be made from a talent of pure gold, with all these utensils. See that you make them by the pattern for them, which was shown to you on the mountain.", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "It’s budget season again. Most missions leaders squirm a little at this time of year. Will there be enough money given to continue to support our people on the field? Will I have to have hard conversations with our sent ones about reducing what we give to them? How will I meet the needs of that special project?\nThe church budget is one of the best ways to reflect the values of a church. A church elder team and finance team should create a budget that reflects the values of the church. Churches have vastly different ways they approach giving to global missions. But they basically fall in the following categories:\n- Percentage or set amount of the church’s general budget to Global Missions\n- Special Offering for Global Missions\n- A combination of these budgets\n- The Overflow Budget\n1. Giving a Percentage or Set Dollar Amount of the Church Budget to Global Missions\nIn this approach, at the beginning of their budget year, the church allocates a set dollar amount or a percentage that will go towards global missions. Some churches choose to give a percentage so that the amount that goes to global can be walled off cleanly from the rest of the church’s budget.\nIt is easy for funds that are going towards global missions to be reallocated to other ministries in hard economic times or when global missions isn’t receiving the attention it deserves. When this percentage is communicated to the congregation, any increase or decrease in percentage is easily noticed. This will help create accountability and some walls for the church budget to reflect the vision of global missions.\nKeeping funding allocated towards global missions can also be accomplished by giving a set dollar amount. In setting a nice round number, the church can track a goal year over year for increasing their giving. This also provides the missions leader with a clear dollar amount that doesn’t fluctuate year over year.\nIt is critical in this method of global missions fund allocation that giving to the churches general fund is regularly mentioned, encouraged, and even inspected.\n2. Special Offering for Global Missions\nSome churches will do a special offering each year to global missions. The value of this method is that it challenges members to give over and above their tithe. This type of Global Missions giving can often generate more funding for church missions giving in churches where tithing might be weak or not a general practice. Often, this type of giving will capture a portion of givers that may not be as interested in giving to the general fund of the church, but want to give towards missions.\nA downside to this method is that it can make the global missions budget fluctuate year over year. Depending on what else is presented that year, what other priorities are in place, and what the economy looks like, the global missions fund can be hard to predict and thus the missions leader is constantly back-tracking on giving in harder economic years.\n3. A Combination of the Two\nMany churches have taken the road of employing both methods to meet the needs of global missions. Most churches in this scenario will have a set amount or percentage that comes from the general fund to global missions that covers most recurring gifts to partners. Above and beyond this, they will employ the use of special offerings for projects, and new Sent-Ones. This allows for the recurring giving amounts to be budgeted, steady, and expected, but provides the missions leader with some extra money to be used for expanding global missions.\nOverall, for most churches, this would be the recommended route to go for simplicity, sustainability, expansion and engaging all members well.\n4. The Overflow Budget\nMy church, Cornerstone Church of Ames, is taking a little spinoff of idea number three, called the “Overflow Budget.” During COVID, many churches had to rethink how they did budgeting. We didn’t know if the pandemic would last three months, a year, or if there would be economic challenges in the years to come. Like most churches, our budget was based on predictive giving models. We came up with a number that we thought our members would give that year and then we built a budget around that. The problem with this was, especially in times of economic downturn, we had proposed a budget that was assuming a future that we didn’t actually know. So in 2008 with the economic downturn, or 2020 with the pandemic, what we thought we would receive was not reflective of what was happening in our world.\nSo, what we decided to do for our 2020–21 budget was to do 90% of what we received in the prior year’s fiscal giving and set that as our budget for the coming year. Then, whatever was received above and beyond our budget is allocated towards “Overflow Funding.” While still giving a set percentage of our budget to missions, the Overflow funding gave us the opportunity to do special projects and give to new members.\nThis has given us the chance to encourage our members to give beyond the budget, because they know this money will go towards Missions-related activities. So instead of special offerings, we just encourage our people to give healthily to the church. With the Overflow giving pattern, our people know anything extra that’s given will go towards those who are unreached and in need around the world.\nWhichever method you choose, make sure that you communicate clearly with your people how your giving is allocated so they can be excited about what you are doing, together as a church for global missions.\nThis article originally appeared on The Upstream Collective and is reposted here by permission.", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "Our liturgical blended service offers a balance of traditional and contemporary music.\nAll who seek the Lord are welcome at Christ’s table to receive the gift of God’s grace!\nA Children’s Message is offered each Sunday\nCommunion is offered in individual cups each Sunday\nonline and limited in-person during the coronavirus pandemic.\nWorship recorded and streamed live. View on Facebook or YouTube.\nReservations are required. Masks must be worn regardless of vaccination status. Please reserve your space by the Wednesday before Sunday. Please arrive by 9:25am.\nFellowship/Coffee hour - immediately following worship service. Place your donut order when you make your reservation or you might miss out! Disposable cups will be provided for coffee, but you are encouraged to bring your own travel mug. You are also encouraged to bring your own chair.", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "Catholic Charities - Hope for all Seasons of Life\nCATHOLIC CHARITIES OF BUFFALO IS THE MOST COMPREHENSIVE HUMAN SERVICE PROVIDER IN WESTERN NEW YORK, REACHING ALL EIGHT COUNTIES WITH PROFESSIONALLY STAFFED LOCATIONS. FOUNDED IN 1923, CATHOLIC CHARITIES SERVES WESTERN NEW YORKERS WITHOUT REGARD TO AGE, RACE OR RELIGIOUS AFFILIATION. TODAYS CATHOLIC CHARITIES LEADS THE WAY FOR AN INTEGRATED HUMAN SERVICE DELIVERY SYSTEM.\nThe deacons of the Diocese of Buffalo have served this community for well over 30 years. Their generous mission is to bring the Word of the Gospel alive in service and in liturgy. These men are tireless warriors for the Kingdom of God and we at Catholic Charities applaud their commitment, skill and devotion to the service of Christ and His people.\nIt is for this reason that I am so grateful for the opportunity to be more closely aligned with the Diaconate Community across Western New York. Through this evolving partnership, we who serve those in need as we would serve Christ Himself can better cooperate in support of each other, and thus be more effective in our ministries in service to the Gospel. I would like to thank Deacon John Leardon, Director of Deacons for the diocese, for his continued efforts to align our missions and grow this wonderful partnership.\nCEO, Catholic Charities of Buffalo\nCentral to the ministry of the deacon is to care for those in need – physically, emotionally and of course, spiritually. The challenges of our time and in our diocese are significant and can, at times, be overwhelming. So, it is very comforting to know that we have a powerful ally in God’s vineyard with our ‘Colleagues in Christ’ at Catholic Charities. Each day, the men and women of Catholic Charities dedicate themselves to comforting, counseling and caring for those whom God sends their way. Their knowledge, expertise and compassion aligns perfectly with the mission of the deacon through his three-fold ministry of Word, Altar and Charity.\nOftentimes, people come to the deacon for guidance and assistance that sits outside his areas of expertise. Through the ConnectLine program, we have the means to connect those in need with those who can best help them. I recognize the commitment from Catholic Charities that harnessed the power of over 500 trained social service professionals and made it available in such a simple and flexible way. I am grateful for the continuing support that the Diaconate Community receives from the leadership at Catholic Charities, especially Mr. Dennis Walczyk, CEO.\nTogether we are able to blend a variety of ministries, capabilities and skills to fulfill our baptismal commitment to bring Christ and His loving mercy to His people, wherever and whenever they need us. We are pleased to be able to unite with our brothers and sisters at Catholic Charities in their mission to provide ‘hope for all seasons of life’.\nMay God bless our work together for His greater honor and glory.\nDeacon John Leardon, Director of Deacon PersonnelDiocese of Buffalo\nThe Catholic Charities of Western New York (CCWNY) ConnectLine program was created by a team from CCWNY and a small group of deacons. The purpose is to provide a fast, efficient and effective way for deacons to get assistance for people in need, that cross their path in ministry.\nPlease note that if the situation is an emergency, then ConnectLine is not the correct resource. However, if the person’s situation in not dire, and they can wait for 5 days or so, (and is a need – but NOT and emergency), then the ConnectLine team can most likely help. Once the Situation Form is received and reviewed, the triage process begins and the ConnectLine Team looks inside and outside of Catholic Charities to find the best resources to assist in the situation. The person in need will be contacted directly by Catholic Charities. You will be notified that the Situation Form has been received, but you will not know what action was taken due to privacy laws. Catholic Charities will confirm that the person in need has been contacted, but that is all. You can, of course, follow up with the person in need to ensure that they got the support they needed.\nThe login username and password for ConnectLine Assistance can be found in the Deacon Only section of the BuffaloDeacon website.", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "It will be a large, diverse, global gathering—some 825 Christian delegates from more than 300 churches—including the Anglican Church of Canada.\nMelissa Green, Nicholas Pang, and the Rev. Canon John Alfred Steele are official Canadian Anglican delegates to the tenth World Council of Churches (WCC) Assembly Oct. 30 to Nov. 8 in Busan, Republic of Korea.\nThis assembly, the WCC’s highest governing body, meets every seven years. Working under the theme “God of life, lead us to justice and peace,” the assembly aims to deepen churches’ commitment to visible unity and common witness.\nOn April 11 and 12, the three Canadian delegates participated in an ecumenical orientation in Toronto, where they learned about the assembly and the WCC, which connects Canadian Anglicans with some 500 million Christians—Orthodox, Lutheran, Reformed, and others—in more than 110 countries.\n“I’m really excited and a little scared. This is big,” said Ms. Green, program director at Sorrento Retreat and Conference Centre in Sorrento, B.C. She expects to be reading a lot about WCC work between now and the assembly.\nEach day of the Busan meeting will be grounded in common prayer and Bible study. Delegates review WCC work and have time to meet by regions and confessions. Four days feature “madang” segments for exploring more specific topics in workshops, exhibitions, and side events.\nCanon Steele, a priest in Victoria, B.C., said he is looking forward to the assembly receiving a “very exciting” theological document—The Church: Towards a Common Vision. This document reveals what WCC member churches can say together about the church. It is the first of these “convergence” documents since a 1982 agreement on baptism, Eucharist, and ministry.\nThe Busan assembly will also adopt a unity statement, a tradition at past assemblies.\nCanon Steele is the veteran of the delegation. He attended the last WCC Assembly in Porto Alegre, Brazil, and has served on the WCC’s central committee since then.\n“Unity is important because division among churches detracts from our witness,” he said.\nMs. Green and Mr. Steele were elected by the Council of General Synod and Mr. Pang, an ordinand in the Diocese of Montreal, was chosen later to fulfill balances mandated by the WCC.\nIn Busan, the Korean Christian context will be an important theme. For two days, delegates will learn more about ecumenical life in Korea, where Christians make up one quarter of the population.\nAt the ecumenical orientation in Toronto, organizers said that Korean leaders in Busan appear unphased by recent threats of violence from North Korea. Assembly work is proceeding as planned.\nIn addition to the 825 delegates, the assembly will welcome hundreds of volunteers, workshop leaders, and guests.\nArchdeacon Bruce Myers, General Synod’s coordinator for ecumenical relations, will attend as advisor to the delegation. National Indigneous Anglican Bishop Mark MacDonald will be present as consensus candidate for the WCC North American regional presidency.\nTwo Canadian Anglicans serve as WCC staff and will attend the assembly: the Rev. Canon Dr. John Gibaut, Director of Faith and Order, and Natasha Klukach, WCC program executive for Church and Ecumenical Relations / North American Regional Relations\nThe Rev. Canon Dr. Alyson Barnett-Cowan, another Canadian Anglican, will attend as the Anglican Communion’s director for Unity, Faith, and Order.\n- Visit the WCC Assembly website\n- Check out Pilgrimage to Busan, a six-unit resource for congregations\n- Watch On the Road to Busan, a video about WCC assemblies\nInterested in keeping up-to-date on news, opinion, events and resources from the Anglican Church of Canada? Sign up for our email alerts .", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "On behalf of the church community at St John’s we would like to welcome you to our website. St John’s is a friendly Christian community that seeks to enable people of all ages to meet with God through the local church.\nReverend Kirsty Screeton. Vicar of St. John’s and St. Luke’s\n16h Sunday after Trinity.\nSermon, Prayers by John S. and Home Service for the 16th Sunday after Trinity can be found on the: Services: Sermon and Prayers page of the Menu.\nDates / Notices:\nThis Weekend: Sunday 19th September – Harvest Festival & All Age Service. Please do bring items suitable to send to Heywood Food Bank.\nSaturday 25th September – Coffee Morning (if you have any items suitable for tombola, please do start bringing them to church).\nPlease note the Coffee Morning Time is 10.30am NOT 10am start.\nSunday 26th September – 3pm– Churches Together remembrance events\nThis is a service with the opportunity to come together with people across Heywood to remember the lives lost over the past 18+ months, and those who lives have changed as a result of the pandemic. Please do spread the word, and if anyone could help welcome and be around please let Kirsty know.\nFrom end of September Naomi is willing to prepare Sunday School materials and do the main story input. However, in order for the children to get the most of our Sunday schools Naomi is in need of some help. Help would involve\nSitting in on the main input\nThen supporting the older groups in their work. This will be prepared, so just turn up and get involved.\nWe are looking open to either one person helping each week, or to set up a Rota system. If you would be interested in either of these, please can you let myself or Naomi know asap.\nFor those who are wanting secondary school forms signed this year, you should have received a copy of my letter from Sunday School leaders. If you have not received one and would like a copy please do get in touch.\nBelow Septembers Monthly Reflection\nQuiz Night –St Luke’s have set the date for this year’s quiz night – 23rd October\nPlease see a link to a new monthly prayer lead from Bishop Mark Davies for the diocese. All the details are on the link – Diocese of Manchester Monthly diocesan prayer with Bishop Mark (anglican.org)\nSeptember Reflection – Saint John Bunyan\nWriting this on the 30th August, I was reminded about today’s Saints John Bunyan, a\nSpiritual Writer born in 1628 and died on this day in 1688 aged 59. For many the\nname may not mean anything on its own but if I was to tell you he is the author of\nPilgrims Progress, this may ring a bell. So, having not reflected on a Saint for a few\nmonths now – why do we remember Bunyan in the church? – Here some highlights\ntaken from the Church of England Saints on Earth book.\nJohn Bunyan was born in Elstow, near Bedford. He served an apprenticeship at his\nfather’s trade, and during the Civil War served for a time in the Parliamentary army.\nIn about 1648 he married Margaret Bentley, and as a result of her Christian witness\nhe attempted to reform his life. After several years of striving to reform and\ndespairing of his efforts he came to both a living faith and an assurance of salvation.\nHe joined the Independent congregation in Bedford and later began a preaching\nministry there. After his wife’s death, Bunyan remarried and became a popular\npreacher, speaking to larger audiences and at the same time coming into conflict\nwith the local clergy who resented uneducated and unordained preachers. After the\nRestoration of Charles the 2nd in 1660, the Church of England reasserted its\nauthority and action was taken against unlicensed preachers. Bunyan, who refused\nto stop his preaching ministry, spent most of the next twelve years in Bedford jail.\nWith little to read other than the Bible and John Foxe’s Book of Martyrs, Bunyan\nbegan to write religious tracts and pamphlets and, most importantly, his spiritual\nautobiography, Grace Abounding to the Chief of Sinners (1666).\nBunyan was released in 1672, but by 1675 he was back in prison serving a six month sentence for unlicensed preaching. It was during this time that time he\nprobably wrote a large part of his major work, The Pilgrim’s Progress, a metaphorical\ntext of the pilgrimage of a soul in search of salvation, which was published in 1678.\nThe instant popularity of Pilgrim’s Progress can be deduced from the fact that ten\neditions were printed during the remaining ten years of Bunyan’s life. It eventually\nbecame the most widely read book in the English language after the Bible and it\ngreatly influenced later English writers. Noted for its simple, biblical style, The\nPilgrim’s Progress is now generally considered one of the finest tales in all of English\nliterature – not just among spiritual writings – and has been translated into many\nSo what can we learn today from John Bunyan? I am going to hold my hands up,\nsounding very knowledgably, I think, up to now, how I felt on Saturday when I first\nlooked up the service plan for today was very different. I had heard of Pilgrims\nProgress but I have never heard of Bunyan or even read the Pilgrims Progress Tale.\nAs I dug into the history of this spiritual writer and read part of his tale (rest of the\nbook is on order) I felt upset wondering why I had not come across this man and his\nwritings before. You can tell from Bunyan’s life story that he is a man who has gone\nthrough the strains, obstacles and questions of life in search for something better.\nAnd even when he found and came to faith, these obstacles and challenges became\nharder. What he lived and experienced, what he hoped for, for himself and for others\ngoing forward, is what’s reflected in Pilgrims Progress Tale.\nWithout giving too much away, for those who, like me who are yet to discover the\nwhole story, here is a short insight. Wrote as a dream and metaphorically, there is\nthe main character called Christian, who with his companions, first Faithful then\nHopeful, journeys from the City of Destruction to the Heavenly City. They, encounter\nen route many obstacles and hazards which include the Slough of Despond, the Hill\nDifficulty, Doubting Castle, By-Path Meadow and Vanity Fair. It’s a story of a man\nwho is carrying a lot of sinful burden and it is released by finding faith and learning\nthat Jesus’ died for our sins, but the journey doesn’t stop there. With new hope,\nnewly clothed and full of God’s Spirit Christian continues the journey in the search of\nthe heavenly city. It’s a story that is so true of any faith journey, as you journey with\nChristian you can recognise the ups and down of most faith journeys, but as you\nread and apply your own similar experiences, it’s a story that becomes real.\nBunyan teaches us that journeying a faithful life is not easy but what is rewarded at\nthe end if we keep on the right path is that heavenly City, God’s eternal kingdom.\nJust like we continue to reflect on in our readings during this ordinary time, we are\nencouraged to embrace our faith journeys, to stay alive in our searching for growth\nand understanding and on our journey, we are to remain focussed on the promise\nthat all who follow Christ have – a place in the heavenly city. Cause if we have this,\nany obstacle in our way can be overcome.\nMy prayer for each of you, is that you can take something from Bunyan’s work that\nencourages you in your faith and encourages you that even when things get tough\nthere is a point to continue – God is present always, God is alive and encourages you\nto be and grown, and with God’s help anything is possible. Amen\nRev’d Kirsty can be contacted on 01706 416 279, via email ‘firstname.lastname@example.org’ or via our Contact page.\nIf you wish to book or discuss a baptism, wedding or any pastoral matter, please contact our Minister Rev Kirsty Screeton on the vicarage telephone number 01706 416279, or via our Contact page.\nIf we can be of any help during this time of uncertainty please do get in touch.\nIf you want to contact us, please click here.\nMission Purpose Statement:\nWe are called by God to know Jesus through worship and discipleship. We seek to share the love of Jesus in our local community through welcome and outreach.\nFor God loved the world so much that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not die but have eternal life. John chapter 3 verse 16.\nFor a link to a location map, please click here – the church is on the junction of Manchester Road and Middleton Road.", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "top of page\nFri, Dec 24|\nFairview Presbyterian Church\nHear the story of Jesus’ birth and the proclamation of hope to a troubled world.\nDoors open at 6:30pm. Come in from the cold and warm to the message of hope. Vaccination required.See other events\nTime & Location\nDec 24, 2021, 7:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.\nFairview Presbyterian Church, Fairview Presbyterian Church, Fir Street, Vancouver, BC, Canada\nAbout The Event\nOur Christmas Eve service at Fairview is a time for readings and carrols with a short message of the birth of Christ, God with us, and the proclamation of hope to a troubled world. Let us gather and sing together and hear the story of Jesus’ birth.\nThe service will be held in-person and online.\nbottom of page", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "The story is told of a group of soldiers who had been out in the field for a couple of weeks when their sergeant announced, “I’ve got some good news and some bad news. First of all, the good news: Today we’re going to change our underwear. Now the bad news: Smith, you change with Jones. Andrews, you change with Murphy…”\nSueanne hates for me to use that story! But it makes the point that change isn’t always a pleasant thing and we often don’t like the concept of change. And even if we may like changes in some areas of our lives, there are some other areas where change is rather frightening and intimidating.\nAnd there are some people who like change more than others. I remember when we lived in Boone and the news came that a Walmart was about to open. There were some people who thought that change was the most wonderful thing that could ever happen to Boone. There were others who thought that building a Walmart was the absolute worst thing that could possibly happen to that community. But, in the end, whether people wanted the change or not, Walmart was built. And that serves as a reminder to all of us that whether you like it or not, some change is inevitable.\nAnd that’s true in the church as well. There are some churches that are open to change, and there are other churches that are very resistant to change. How many times have you ever heard someone say, “That’s not the way we’ve always done it!” And, the truth is, some churches have been doing things exactly the same way for 70 or 80 years.\nI can understand the resistance to change because any change that involves the church is scary to some of us. We don’t like things in the church to change. In fact, we may be somewhat uncomfortable if someone changes the order of the worship service. Some churches just about fall apart when they change preachers, or when they build a new church building.\nAnd we’re especially concerned about all the changes that could come about as a result of church growth. The idea of new people and new problems is threatening to some of us.\nI heard about a preacher, Thom Rainer, who was preaching for a church that was growing. His ministry was successful. But, one Sunday, there was a woman in his congregation, a long-term member of that church, who told him that God had spoken to her, and made it very clear that he was supposed to leave the church.\nRainer’s first thought was to wonder why God had told her and not him. It seemed like direct communication would have been far more efficient.\nHis second thought was expressed in a simple one-word question, “Why?”\nShe said, “Because all of these new Christians are messing up our church.”\nAnd I think that reaction shows why we are so resistant to change. Because when you’ve got what you consider to be a good thing going, any change will be viewed as a threat. A lot of Christians have the feeling – “I think things are fine just the way they are, and I don’t want anything to change.” And the result is that we become more interested in simply maintaining the status quo, keeping things the way they’ve always been.\nAnd it’s tempting for us to do that. Because any kind of change means that somebody is going to get upset. And unfortunately, some of us are so afraid of conflict and criticism that we feel like it’s easier to do nothing at all than to risk listening to the complaints of other people. And so, we end up living our lives not with the goal of doing great things, not with a desire to pursue great dreams, but with the single-minded obsession to not make waves, not to step on toes, not to rock the boat.\nBut as much as that may be true of us, it was never true of Jesus. Much of his ministry was surrounded by controversy. Jesus was someone who did make waves, he did step on toes, and he did rock the boat.\nWe continue this morning in our study of the gospel of Mark, and as we come to chapter 2, we find a transition in Jesus’ ministry. In chapter one, Mark showed us just how popular Jesus was. In chapter 2, Mark is going to show us that Jesus was also the center of a lot of conflict.\nAnd while the crowds continued to flock to Jesus, there was a smaller, more powerful group that aligned itself against Jesus and the work he came to do. They were the religious leaders, the men who looked with suspicion at this preacher who didn’t do things the same way that all the other preachers did them.\nAnd while Jesus wasn’t someone to pick a fight, he wasn’t afraid of the people who wanted to fight with him. And so, he stood toe to toe with them, fighting for what was right, fighting for people who were lost and needed to be saved, fighting for a proper view of religion.\nAnd I think it’s important to recognize that the reason all this conflict came about was because of change. Mark stresses the point that Christ did not come to continue the status quo. He didn’t come to encourage the Jews to keep on doing things the way they had always done them. Rather, Jesus came as an agent of change, perhaps the most radical change agent the world has ever known. He swept aside everything the Jews were doing as they went through the motions of religion, and Jesus brought a new and fresh concept of religion.\nBut it wasn’t just religion that Jesus came to change. He also came to change people. Jesus’ message in the gospel of Mark is summed up with the word repentance and to do that a person must be willing to change his life. And it wasn’t just people back in the first century either. Jesus came to change you and me. He came to change our priorities. He came to change the way we look at God. He came to change the way we practice religion. He came to change the way we look at people and the way we look at the material things of the world around us. Jesus came to change things.\nIt’s not surprising that the religious leaders of Jesus’ day didn’t appreciate his emphasis on change. The scribes, the Pharisees, and the chief priests, they didn’t like change any more than we do. In fact, they were very resistant to any change. And so, it’s not surprising when we find that the religious people who didn’t want to change and Jesus Christ who insisted that things must change came into sharp conflict with each other.\nAs we read through chapter 2, I want us to honestly think about this question, “Are we prepared to accept the change that Christ calls for in our lives?” Because if our response to that question is to say, “I don’t think there’s anything that needs to be changed in my life. I don’t think there’s anything we need to change in the church.”, then we might as well go ahead and stand off to the side with the scribes and the Pharisees because that kind of answer will put us at odds with Jesus.\nIn Mark chapter 2, Jesus is still just as popular as he was back in chapter 1. You will recall from last week’s study that the people were amazed at what Jesus did, they were amazed at what he said and how he said it. And, as news about Jesus spread throughout Galilee, crowds flocked to see him.\nAnd so, in chapter 2, verse 2, Jesus was preaching and “many were gathered together, so that there was no more room, not even at the door.” In verse 13, “all the crowd was coming to him, and he was teaching them.”\nBut then Mark introduces another piece of his portrait of Jesus. Jesus starts to become the center of controversy and conflict. He makes waves. He steps on toes. He does things that “religious people” aren’t supposed to do. And when the religious professionals arrive on the scene in Mark 2:6, they aren’t as easily impressed as the crowds. They considered themselves to be more attuned to the so–called “important religious issues”.\nAnd so, between Mark 2:1 and Mark 3:6, Mark records five stories of conflict between Jesus and the Pharisees, conflict which escalates to the point that Jesus is going to become angry and the Pharisees are going to begin plotting how they can get rid of Jesus.\nBut I think the most important part of this section is found in Mark 2:21-22. In these two verses, Jesus tells us why this conflict with the religious leaders was taking place. And he tells us that it all had to do with their attitude toward change.\nThis morning, I want to look briefly at the three conflicts that lead up to that point and then we’ll spend a little bit of time looking at those two verses and making some application into our own lives.\nIn each of these three stories, Jesus is going to do something that causes the Pharisees to criticize him. Now, the specific thing that Jesus does to irritate them is different every time. But the reason for the conflict is always the same. Jesus was teaching something that was different, something that demanded the Pharisees change their way of looking at things. And it was the Pharisees’ resistance to change that led to their conflict with Jesus.\n1. Jesus heals a paralytic — conflict over forgiveness\nIn Mark 2, beginning in verse 1, Jesus is preaching in a house that is absolutely packed with people. Four men bring a paralytic to be healed and they have to let him down through the roof. We pick up in verse 5:\n“And when Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven.” Now some of the scribes were sitting there, questioning in their hearts, “Why does this man speak like that? He is blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?”\n“And immediately Jesus, perceiving in his spirit that they thus questioned within themselves, said to them, “Why do you question these things in your hearts? Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Rise, take up your bed and walk’? But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—he said to the paralytic— “I say to you, rise, pick up your bed, and go home.”\n“And he rose and immediately picked up his bed and went out before them all, so that they were all amazed and glorified God, saying, “We never saw anything like this!’” (Mark 2:5-12).\nHere’s Jesus teaching in this house in Capernaum when four men dig a hole in the roof and lower a paralyzed man into the room. Jesus was impressed by their faith, and then he said to the paralytic, “Your sins are forgiven.” But the Jewish leaders were there, and they didn’t like what Jesus said. They were outraged and accused Jesus of blasphemy. “How can you claim to forgive sins when only God can do that?” And, as we saw in our Bible class this morning, they were correct in that statement.\nBut Jesus went on to say, basically, “Anybody can claim to forgive sins, and it’s difficult for them to prove whether or not they can actually do that. So, let me show you the power that I have. And he then heals the paralyzed man so that he can walk.\nMark tells us that everyone was amazed. Well, everyone except maybe the Pharisees. They weren’t amazed, they were just upset. Jesus was obviously a blasphemer. It didn’t matter that he healed, or that he taught with authority, or even that he raised the dead. “No one can forgive sins except God alone! So, who in the world do you think you are?”\nB. Jesus eats with Levi — conflict over sinners\nVerses 13-17 tell us about the calling of Levi (or Matthew) to follow Jesus. Levi showed his appreciation by throwing a feast in Christ’s honor. And who came to this meal? He invited all of his tax collector buddies. And Jesus was suddenly surrounded by “sinners”.\nWhen the Pharisees become aware of who Jesus was eating with, they were quick to criticize him. As they practiced their religion, a good Jew would show how holy he was by cutting off any social ties with sinful people. They wouldn’t touch a sinner with disposable gloves. They couldn’t understand how anyone who claimed to be holy could associate with people like Levi and his friends.\nBut Jesus said that his way of doing things was different. “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.” (Mark 2:17). In other words, Jesus came to call sinners, and so it only makes sense that he would spend time with sinners. As Jesus put it, “Doctors spend all their time with sick people, so preachers ought to spend their time with sinners.”\nThe Pharisees must have been absolutely furious at that response.\nC. Jesus refuses to fast — conflict over tradition\nIn verses 18-20, Mark tells us about a conflict that came about over a matter of tradition. In verse 18, “Now John’s disciples and the Pharisees were fasting. And people came and said to him, ‘Why do John’s disciples and the disciples of the Pharisees fast, but your disciples do not fast?’ And Jesus said to them, ‘Can the wedding guests fast while the bridegroom is with them? As long as they have the bridegroom with them, they cannot fast. The days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast in that day.’” (Mark 2:18-20)\nThis third conflict is founded, like so many of the other conflicts we read about in the gospels, in the attitude of the Pharisees toward their traditions. Fasting wasn’t mentioned all that much in the Old Testament, but the Pharisees really stressed this practice as a means of showing other people just how holy you are. That’s why you’ve got the Pharisee in Luke 18 praying, “God I thank you that….I fast twice in the week.” (Luke 18:11-12).\nBut Jesus didn’t fast twice a week. And he didn’t teach his disciples to fast twice a week. In fact, it doesn’t look like they fasted at all. What kind of a Jewish teacher does he think he is? Every good Jew knows just how important fasting is! But Jesus explained that there was a time for fasting, but not while he was around. Jesus tried to show these people that they had to redefine their view of what it is that makes a person righteous. He was saying, “You can’t measure piety simply by the keeping of traditions or how much ‘religious stuff’ someone does.”\nThat made the Pharisees pretty angry with Jesus, and before long, they will get even angrier. Because what Jesus was teaching was flying in the face of everything they held dear in their religion. Everybody knows that all religious people fast. And all religious people are careful about who they associate with. Nobody goes around claiming to forgive sins.\nAnd that’s when Jesus told his audience a parable. It’s a parable about something that’s old and something that’s new:\n“No one sews a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old garment. If he does, the patch tears away from it, the new from the old, and a worse tear is made. And no one puts new wine into old wineskins. If he does, the wine will burst the skins — and the wine is destroyed, and so are the skins. But new wine is for fresh wineskins.” (Mark 2:21-22).\nJesus says that you would never put a new patch on an old garment. If you did that, the very next time the garment was washed, the patch would shrink (because it’s new cloth). But the garment wouldn’t shrink (because it’s old). The result is that the patch would pull away from the garment and tear it. And then you would need a new patch all over again.\nAnd then Jesus says that you would never pour new wine into old wineskins. Wineskins in that day were made by killing and skinning a goat and basically turning it inside out and removing the carcass. After curing the skin, you had a useful sack into which you could pour liquid. The liquid that was poured into new skins was new wine. As the wine fermented, it would expand and the skin would stretch.\nBut old skins wouldn’t stretch anymore. Old skins could be used for water or milk, but if you put new wine into old skins, it would cause them to stretch so far that they would burst. So, you always were careful to put new wine into new skins.\nAs he did with all his parables, Jesus used a familiar occurrence in everyday life, at least for his audience (I don’t imagine that many of you have skinned any goats lately). But he did it to teach a spiritual lesson.\nJesus’ point was that there some things that are unwilling or unable to change. They hold their shape no matter what. They would rather die than change. Other things are willing to change. They’re alive, because by their very nature, they are changeable, flexible, and growing.\nAnd anytime you have something that is changing and you bring it in contact with something that refuses to change, the inevitable result is tension.\nNow it’s obvious here in these parables that the old garment and the old wineskins represent the Pharisees. Their primary concern was to protect the status quo. They wanted everything to stay the same, they wanted to continue to see things the way they had always seen them, they wanted to continue with “religious business” as usual. They were comfortable and wanted to be left alone. They didn’t want anything new. The old was good enough for them.\nBut Jesus was the new fabric, the new wine. His message was full of change. He came to call people back to God, to convince people to repent. He taught a new message. He taught a lifestyle that emphasized the heart more than the actions. He made people uncomfortable, challenged the status quo, and demanded that people change. And everywhere Jesus went, he was looking for new wineskins that he could pour this message into.\nI think Jesus was saying through these parables that he was basically dismissing the religious leaders as the targets of his ministry. Those leaders weren’t willing to change their way of doing things. So, Jesus had to find a new audience. He would start over with new garments and new skins. His focus would be on people who were willing to change and grow.\nI understand that there is a sense in which we need to view Christianity in terms of something that doesn’t change. As Paul says in Galatians chapter 1, we are not free to change the message of the gospel, or we will find ourselves accursed. But we sometimes confuse the gospel message with our traditions, and when we do that, we want to try to define faithfulness in terms of resisting change.\nBut we need to remember that the message of the unchanging gospel constantly challenges us to grow and to expand and to change. The message of Jesus Christ will always be “new wine.” And so, we need to try to be pliable skins that are able and willing to change when that gospel is poured into us.\nI think this parable has application both to us as individuals and to the church as a whole.\nTo those who are not yet Christians, this parable is a reminder that Jesus is looking for people who are willing to change. Jesus offers forgiveness to all, but only to those who are willing to repent, those who are willing to change the direction of their lives. When Jesus said to the woman caught in adultery, “Neither do I condemn you”, he also said, “Go and sin no more.” (John 8:11). Christ came to give you something better, but to receive it you have to be willing to give up what you already have.\nEven to those of us who are Christians, the new wine of the gospel demands constant change. That means that we can never allow ourselves to think that we have already arrived spiritually. We can never get to the point where we think that we have all the answers and so we can stop asking questions. The Christian life means constant growth and constant study.\nTo the church as a whole, the new wine of the gospel means that we will continue to seek to find new ways to glorify God and reach people. We cannot keep our eyes fixed on the traditional forms of the past. We cannot assume that because something worked 50 years ago that it will always work. And we will not assume that just because we have never done something a particular way in the past that we should never do it that way in the future.\nFaithfulness means that we never confuse the message with the method. We can never change the message, but we must constantly change our methods. The gospel can never change. We don’t dare change the old, old story. But the ways that we tell that story to people and the ways we minister that story to people must change.\nI said earlier that this lesson is designed to cause us to consider the question, “Are we prepared to accept the change that Christ calls for in our lives?” The gospel is itself an invitation to change. Are we willing to be changed by the gospel? Are we willing to be molded and shaped into something that is different, and better, than what we are right now? Because Jesus came to make changes.", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "Connect Groups are what we used to call Home Groups. You might have heard them referred to as cell groups or Bible study groups in other churches.\nAt CTL we firmly believe that church is so much more than the Sunday morning meeting. Connect Groups are essential in the life of the church. We encourage everyone to join one of our Connect Groups, because these small groups are a great opportunity for people to get together during the week, to build relationships, to pray together, to support, to encourage and disciple one another. Connect Groups also offer the opportunity to dig deeper into the Bible, to ask questions and to share thoughts about the previous Sunday’s sermon.\nThere is a strong Biblical basis for our Connect Groups. In the early church, it was common for people to meet together in homes for teaching, worship, prayer and fellowship. As a church, CTL seeks to keep as close to the New Testament model of church as possible, which is why Connect Groups are so important to us.\nThe Book of Acts contains numerous references to groups of people meeting together – see, for example, Acts 2:46; 12:12; 20:8 and 20:20. There are similar references in Romans 16:4-5; 1 Corinthians 16:9; and Colossians 4:5.\nTo give you a feel of what a Connect Group looks like, this is what happens at a typical evening may be like this:\nafter the start time, the group exchanges news from the past week, over a cuppa. Then there may be an opening prayer, possibly including worship. After that, the group spends 35-40 minutes studying the Bible, asking questions, sharing thoughts, and discussing the points and questions that might have arisen from the previous week’s sermon. Then there will a time of response, and some concluding prayer- how long this lasts depends on what prayer requests people have, and is always guided by the Holy Spirit.\nOver the summer break our Connect Group programme rests. Watch this space for more details of when Connect Groups will resume in the autumn term.", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "Sunday, July 14, 2019 11:00 am University Worship Location: Duke Chapel Bruce Puckett The sermon is from the Rev. Bruce Puckett, assistant dean of Duke University Chapel. All are welcome. Parking is available in the Bryan Center garage (125 Science Drive). Please call 919-681-9488 or email firstname.lastname@example.org for more information. 07.14.19 Bulletin 07.14.19 Sermon: Rev. Bruce Puckett - \"Turn, Then, and Live\"", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "The Seventh-day Adventist Church strongly believes in religious freedom for all people. A person’s conscience should dictate his or her choice to worship, or not to worship, and not the government.\n“It is our duty to do all in our power to avert the threatened danger. We should endeavor to disarm prejudice by placing ourselves in a proper light before the people. We should bring before them the real question at issue, thus interposing the most effectual protest against measures to restrict liberty of conscience.” (Testimonies for the Church, Vol. 5, page 452)", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "Obituary of John Schwan\nFAIRPORT – Feb. 24, 2018 John Schwan (86) passed away peacefully surrounded by loving family. He was the son of the late John and Lillian (Ryan) Schwan of Thorndyke Rd., Rochester, NY. He is predeceased by his son Thomas John Schwan and his sister Mary Schwan.\nHe is survived by his loving wife, Janet (Langevin) Schwan; two brother-in-laws, Armand Langevin (Betty) and Raymond Langevin (Arlene); six children: James (former daughter-in-law, Cindy), Michael (Julie), David (MaryJane), Joanne (Thomas), Richard (Stacey), Kathy (Marty); ten grandchildren: Diane LaVon Schwan (Matthew), Thomas (Kristyl), Philip (Emily), Paul, Rebecca, Brenna, Jack, Maya, Aubrey, Macie; one great grandchild Leo Wicks.\nJohn was a graduate of Aquinas Institute and Niagara University. He also spent 18 months in Germany as a 1st Lieutenant in the Army Signal Corps. He retired from Kodak Wage and Data Administration after 30 years in the Payroll Department. John enjoyed volunteering for Meals on Wheels and Unity Hospital in Greece NY. John, and his wife Janet, also operated Children’s Corner Daycare & Nursery School.\nCalling hours will be held on Thursday March 1, 2018 from 4:00 PM – 7:00 PM at Falvo Funeral Home, 1295 Fairport Nine Mile Point Road, Webster, NY. Mass services will be held Friday March 2, 2018 at 11:00 AM at St. Louis Catholic Church, 64 South Main Street, Pittsford, NY. Interment Holy Sepulchre Cemetery.\nIn lieu of flowers donations can be made to the Advent House, 1010 Moseley Road, Fairport, NY 14450.", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "Hearing the Cry\nThis story originally appeared in our winter edition of News from HOME.\nThe City of Philadelphia is abuzz with expectation for Pope Francis’s visit this September for the World Meeting of Families, a triennial international Catholic conference on the family.\nThis dynamic pope has seized the imagination of millions around the globe — Catholic and non-Catholic alike. This is due in large part because he has spoken out so forcibly about those who are poor and suffering. “The times talk to us of so much poverty in the world and this is a scandal,” he said. “In a world where there is so much wealth, so many resources to feed everyone, it is unfathomable that there are so many hungry children, that there are so many children without an education, so many poor persons. Poverty today is a cry.”\nIn the depths of our humanity, all of us hear this cry, and it calls forth from us our truest selves. Pope Francis has given us a gift, by urging us to refocus on the truth of poverty and struggle in our world, both in its global and local forms. He is inviting us to tap the wellsprings of compassion and goodness within us, and he is urging us to re-envision our society along the lines of justice and human dignity.\nThis is a message that Philadelphia needs to hear. Our city has a poverty rate of 26 percent — the highest among the 10 largest cities nationwide. Almost one of every three children lives in poverty. Thousands experience homelessness. Food pantries and soup kitchens are strained to meet the growing needs of people facing food insecurity. As Pope Francis says, a scandal indeed.\nThe Project HOME community is positioned to play an important role in light of the Pope’s visit. Our Executive Director Sister Mary Scullion was asked by the World Meeting of Families to chair a special Committee on Hunger and Homelessness. Several of our residents and staff, along with advocates and partners, will be working to mobilize people of faith and conscience in our region to raise awareness about the issues of hunger, homelessness, and poverty in anticipation of the pope’s visit. We will create venues for the voices and stories of those who are economically struggling. We will reach out to our schools and our faith communities, to create deeper understanding of the issues and opportunities to respond.\nWe will be inviting all members of our community to envision how the pope’s visit can spark new opportunities for services and programs to those in need and new resources for effective solutions of housing, education, health care, employment, and income supports. Even for a few days, the pope’s presence here can engender deeper impulses of charity and broader support for public policies that foster true social and economic justice.\nPope Francis has said, “The measure of the greatness of a society is found in the way it treats those most in need.” He will undoubtedly reiterate that message next fall here in Philadelphia — a message that echoes deep in our own historical origins, as a community founded to be a “city of brotherly love and sisterly affection.” We hope our city, our region, and our nation will hear Pope Francis’s message, and we will respond to the invitation to true greatness — a greatness rooted in human dignity, compassion, and justice.\nWe invite our friends and supporters to join us in seizing this tremendous opportunity. We will report in future newsletters and on our website of activities and events related to the papal visit. Stayed tuned – and continue to hear that cry of our sisters and brothers who are poor and struggling.\nVisit us here for more on the Pope's visit.", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "These are Chris Aho's Sermons.Most of these are offered to the congregation I serve, Oxford Baptist Church, in Oxford, North Carolina.\nAdvent - Hope and Promise\nA sermon for Oxford Baptist Church on the Third Sunday of Advent 2020.\nMay we embody the promises and glimpses of hope, even as we away the full fulfillment of hope God promises.\nAdvent 2 - Anxiety and Hope\nA sermon for Oxford Baptist Church for the Second Sunday of Advent.\nToday we look at John and how he might show us how to meet the Lord in the wilderness that is 2020.\nIf you find my cultural references funny, here are a few squares for your bingo card:\nVideo Game, culture, Dallas Cowboys, strategy, Mike Tyson, lunch, Carolina Panthers, Margins, leadership, organization, lunch, Nintendo, punched in the mouth, \"We don't do things like that here\"\nAdvent 1 - Prophecy and Fear\nA sermon for Oxford Baptist Church on the First Sunday of Advent 2020.\nScriptures: Mark 13.24-37, Isaiah 64.1-9\nLeadership Lessons from Moses for COVID-19\nThis is a devotional offered to the deacons at their meeting on Sunday, March 15th, 2020. They met to discuss the church's actions related to the COVID-19 virus. It turns out, Moses is helpful on this one.\nA sermon for the second Sunday of Lent at Oxford Baptist Church.\nIn life, we face uncertainty all the time. How do we proceed faithfully?\nA sermon for the First Sunday of Lent at Oxford Baptist Church.", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "This past week, I came across an interesting article entitled \"How Natural Disasters Test the Faithful.\" It went on to discuss how people of faith often find their faith challenged during times of tragedy and suffering, to the point they feel God has abandoned them. As we think back sixteen years ago tomorrow and the attack on the Pentagon and World Trade Center, Americans found themselves in the throes of just such a deep emotional and spiritual crisis. Our country no longer seemed as invincible as it once had, causing many to wonder how just a handful of terrorists could successfully bring down the world's most important financial center and paralyze the richest, most powerful nation in history. During the late sixties and early seventies, I watched from a distance as those twin towers rose over the Manhattan skyline from our home in New Jersey. Less than thirty years later, these SAME two eyes watched those two buildings burn and collapse in only a matter of hours. A couple of weeks earlier, I had taken my great nephew and great niece up to see the Windows On the World Restaurant that was situated atop the North Tower. I had members of my congregation who were in those buildings at the moment of impact and who managed to get out just in the nick of time. Two days later, we held a special memorial service for the victims in my church where people had an opportunity to share their thoughts and feelings. The one question people asked the most was, \"But where is God in all of this? What can God say to comfort us amidst such a great and terrible tragedy?\"\nThe question \"Where was God?\" is one which many serious Christians have asked THEMSELVES at one time or another which is why we look at the author of Psalm 13, our Old Testament lesson, this morning. It seems he is near death although we are not given any information regarding the nature of his suffering. It begins with a fourfold lament, a series of questions in which he asks why he has been forsaken by God. It's not death or illness that he laments as his SENSE OF COMMUNION with God- \"Where is God when I cry out to him? Why won't he respond? Does God even CARE about the trials and sufferings of his creation? Is God capable of hearing such cries?\"- all THESE are implied in the psalm's opening verses. He does not want to feel separated from his God.\nIt is to also identify with JOB, a man who once railed against God for all the travail in his life, questioning why one as faithful as himself had been forced to suffer beyond all endurance. It is the same question many a parent has asked him or herself at the news that his or her child has suddenly developed cancer or a spouse is fatally struck by a drunk driver. It was a question that many Texans were asking themselves as they returned to their flooded-out homes and discovered they were not only uninhabitable but many of their most personal and priceless possessions were either missing or destroyed. Yet it DOES happen ALL THE TIME, forcing us to ask aloud, \"Why God did you let this tragedy occur? We're supposed to be your children whom you say you love. Where WERE you when we needed you most?\"\nA couple of years ago, I received the bitter news that my dear cousin Alice had passed away. Although she was in her late sixties, she wasn't even SICK and yet without warning, her heart simply failed her. Alice had always been a special member of the Wood family. To begin with, she was my grandparent's first grandchild, the daughter of my father's oldest brother George, and the first grandchild, it seems, ALWAYS has a special spot in every grandparent's heart. Another reason is that Alice was the only girl in the entire Wood family- all the rest us being boys. This meant that she could be spoiled and doted upon in ways the rest of us couldn't. Fittingly enough, the day my grandmother died that warm Sunday evening in September of 1969, it was with Alice and her family she had spent her last day on earth with.\nBut life had often been anything BUT kind to Alice. On Good Friday of 1957, she returned home from church with her mother and brother to find her father's body hanging from a pipe in the family living room- he had committed suicide after being despondent over not being able to hold a job due to a drinking problem. In 1975, only three months after my own father had died, her mother-my Aunt Kitty--succumbed to heart disease.\nThen ten years after that, her only sibling-Butch--who had been born with a defective heart, left home to buy a part for his car in N.Y. He never came back. For the next few weeks, his family went crazy wondering what had happened to him- they knew he would never just take off. In fact, his health was SO precarious, he had to carry an oxygen bottle with him wherever he went. But their desperate search ended when it was discovered that soon after leaving the auto parts store, he had suffered a fatal heart attack in a MacDonald's parking lot. However, due to incompetence on the part of the police who misplaced his identification, he lay in the county morgue unclaimed for more than a month. The morning his family finally learned of his whereabouts, he had been scheduled to be buried in a paupers' field as an unidentified person. Yet, the unkindest cut of all STILL lay ahead for Alice and her family when the following year, her second son, Joey, developed stomach cancer and after four months of agonizing pain, died in a N.J. hospital. He was only 27.\nAlice was one of the most loving, most generous, most compassionate persons I have ever known and her passing has left a huge hole in the family. What greater epitaph can there be over a person's life! Her husband Fred and four children were about as close and supportive as any family could possibly be. They never took a vacation without also taking the entire family with them and more than once I have heard persons say, \"How come I couldn't have a marriage and family like Alice and Freddy's?\" She was a deeply devout Catholic who never missed Mass under any circumstance and remained active in all areas of her church's life. Her priest, who was also close to her son Joey throughout his illness, even came to her home and offered a private Mass in Joey's honor- one of the most beautiful, meaningful experiences she had ever had. She was in tears as she described it to me.\nNot long after Joey's passing, I enjoyed a wonderful dinner at her home. After our meal, I noticed it was getting late and began preparing to leave. Alice insisted on walking me out to my car where she wanted to talk to me in private. She said, \"David, I know that you are a man of faith and that you love God. That's why I'm asking you to pray for me. I've been strong all my life- I've had to be, for the sake of my mother, my brother, and now my family with Joey's death. But David, my strength is now gone. Every night, I cry out to God and ask, \"'Why, Lord? Why did you have to take Joey? I've always loved you, served you, worshiped you, tried to be as obedient a child of yours as I possibly could be- yet my life never gets any easier.'\" Then she said, \"David, I have such anger towards God. I don't know where my faith is any longer. Yes, I still go to church but it's not so much out of devotion as it is for the sake of my family- I want THEM to go. Please pray that I recover my faith, Dave.\"\nIt was a very emotional moment and I again realized how much I loved my cousin- for her vulnerability as well as for her many strengths. I can't recall specifically what I said but I DO remember reassuring her that it was perfectly OK to be angry at God, that rather than FAITHLESSNESS, such anger reflects the very OPPOSITE- the presence of a vital and dynamic faith underneath it. You see, apathy, indifference, a complete loss of feelings- THESE are what characterize a loss of faith while anger speaks of living in relationship with the one you are angry with. Like a modern-day Job, you may feel frustrated with God; you may be annoyed by the lack of clear answers, yet the lines of communication still remain open. Pure and simple, that's all faith IS- an open signal between God and ourselves through which we express our anger and our hurt as well as our love and dependence.\nAs I drove away from her home, I prayed for her and her family wishing that I could be HALF the Christian she was. I also knew that no amount of time could ever erase the hurt of losing a loved one, ESPECIALLY a son or daughter. Yet I knew that with God's continuing faithfulness and presence in her life, she would survive and become even STRONGER for it. In time that in fact DID happen and I know she became an empathetic presence for so many OTHERS who lost a child and had had difficulty dealing with tragedies of their OWN.\nI relate this story about my cousin because in spite of her unresolved questions and troubling doubts and anger over the loss of her son, she never stopped looking to God for his strength and grace and love. Instead of feeling aggrieved over life and retreating within a prison of her own pity and private hurts, she CONTINUED to worship with God's people, CONTINUED to volunteer at church functions, and CONTINUED to be the very best friend she could be to all she met. She remained obedient to her calling as a child of God REGARDLESS of how hard it was to believe at times. Her faith and its habits were so ingrained within her that this was all she COULD do while intuitively knowing that this was the only way she would ever find healing and wholeness in her life again.\nIt is inevitable that ALL sincere persons of faith are going to confront at one time or another great and often intractable questions about God- questions of WHO God is, WHERE God is, and possibly IF God is. Even JESUS in the garden of Gethsemane, with the lengthening shadow of that cross looming ever closer, had his OWN questions and fears to contend with. As I close, I want to leave you with three essential truths which remain central to my OWN faith. The FIRST is that OUR FAITH IS ALWAYS DEEPER THAN OUR DOUBTS.\nIn my first pastorate in Pennsylvania, I had to break the news to a family who lived a few houses down from me how less than an hour before, their only son had been tragically killed when he fell into a sawdust bin at the local mill and smothered to death. It was an unfortunate accident and I can still hear his mother imploring over and over again, \"WHY, God? WHY did you let this happen? WHY did you allow my beloved son Sam to die!\" Yet, she and her husband, like MOST people who experience a terrible tragedy in life, DID eventually come to terms with his death and make peace with God. The following Sunday and then the next and every Sunday AFTERWARD, they could be found back in their church, praising and thanking God for the life of their dear son Sam and for the opportunity they'd been given to raise him as their own. But that's the way it is with FAITH- once you've been in possession of it, it gets IN you and takes HOLD of you so that it becomes IMPOSSIBLE to rid yourself of it, EVER. As one of my seminary professors used to put it, \"I could never NOT be a Christian. I've got God too much in my CELLS.\"\nThe SECOND point is that if faith is always stronger than our doubts, then in those times when we no longer think we have such faith, when it seems our confidence and ability to trust Christ's words has become weak or depleted, we can always take heart in the fact that GOD'S FAITH IN US IS ALWAYS GREATER THAN OUR OWN FAITH IN GOD. There is nothing more defeatist than to think the Christian life must be spent trying to find and hold onto God's hand with all our might lest we let go and lose him altogether when the truth is just the OPPOSITE- God's finds US and holds OUR hands and promises he will never let US go. We can be assured that even in our periods of greatest doubt, God promises to be there for us, to bear us up in the face of those doubts, and to carry us through to a living faith once again.\nAnd THIRD point I would leave you with is this, that GOD IS AS PRESENT AND ACTIVE IN THE WORLD TODAY AS HE WAS YESTERDAY AND WILL BE TOMORROW, ENDLESSLY OFFERING US HIS PERSONAL PRESENCE. God is present in and through the hearts and hands of his Church--the Body of Christ--who are PARTICULAR agents of his love during times of crisis. Fr. Michael Judge was a Catholic chaplain who was also well known throughout NYC for ministering to the homeless , the hungry, recovering alcoholics, people with AIDS, the sick, injured, and grieving, immigrants , gays and lesbians and those alienated by the Church and society. He once gave the winter coat off his back to a homeless woman in the street, later saying, \"She needed it more than me.\" When he anointed a man who was dying of AIDS, the man asked him, \"Do you think God hates me?\" Judge just picked him up, kissed him, and silently rocked him in his arms.\nUpon learning that the World Trade Center had been hit by the first of two jetliners, Father Judge rushed to the site. There, he was met by Mayor Guiliani who asked him to pray for the city and its victims. Judge prayed over some bodies lying on the streets, then entered the lobby of the World Trade Center North Tower , where an emergency command post had been organized. There he continued offering aid and prayers for the rescuers, the injured, and the dead. When the South Tower collapsed at 9:59 am, debris went flying through the North Tower lobby, killing many inside, including Judge. At the moment he was struck in the head and killed, Judge was repeatedly praying aloud, \"Jesus, please end this right now! God, please end this!\" To those firefighters and policemen who knew him, he was the living incarnation of Jesus Christ to them.\nBut God was ALSO present through those cops and fire fighters, those first-responders and volunteers who were more concerned about the health and safety of others than their OWN. God is present today through agencies like FEMA and the Red Cross which will be busy offering disaster relief for years to come, and in those many volunteers who helped to rescue persons trapped in homes and on rooftops throughout the Houston and now Florida regions. There's an old joke about a religious man on top of his roof during a great flood. A man comes by in a boat and says \"Get in, get in!\" The religious man replies, \"No I have faith in God, he will grant me a miracle.\" Later the water is up to his waist and another boat comes by. The guy steering it tells him to get in but he responds that he has faith in God and God will give him a miracle. With the water now at about chest high, another boat comes to rescue him, but he turns down that offer again because \"God will grant him a miracle.\" With the water at chin high, a helicopter throws down a ladder and they tell him to get on. Mumbling with the water in his mouth, he again turns down the request for help because he's convinced that ultimately GOD will save him. Eventually the man drowns after which he arrives at the gates of heaven. There, with broken faith, he says to Peter, \"I thought God would grand me a miracle and I have been let down.\" St. Peter chuckles and responds, \"I don't know what you're complaining about, we sent you three boats and a helicopter.\" The fact is that God works through humble, selfless, faith-filled people who become his hands and feet and voice in a terribly fragmented world.\nMany Christians mistakenly believe that everything that occurs in the world is the will of God, and that includes terrorist attacks and natural disasters. Some even go so far as to assert that such events represent God's wrath against a particular group of persons or a particular set of behaviors, such as Jerry Falwell who once attributed AIDS as God's wrath against all gay persons. Well not for a MOMENT do I believe that God either willed or condoned the attacks on the World Trade Center nor any of those natural disasters we have experienced for the past couple of weeks. Rather, scripture teaches us that the world is broken and doesn't work the way God originally intended it to, that tragedy and suffering are an essential part of the human condition. However, when such events are viewed through the eyes of FAITH, we are then able to sense how God is present EVEN DURING THE MOST TERRIBLE OF MOMENTS. We are somehow aware that his grace and forgiveness and love is abundantly available to help bring some healing to all our woundedness. We see such faith in the author of Psalm 13, how in spite of the mystery and questions he has regarding his plight, he refuses to give in to cynicism or despair. He CONTINUES to trust in God's love and rejoices in his salvation REGARDLESS of how dire his situation becomes, ultimately confessing how \"God has dealt bountifully with me.\"\nIn the same way, despite all the mystery and lack of clear answers, God exhorts US to remain faithful. We are encouraged to trust in God's presence and goodness IN SPITE OF his perceived absence for in the moment of our greatest need he is there all the same, holding us tightly with those invisible arms of support. God was present with each of those victims on 9/11 and he grieved with their families in the days that followed. Likewise, God mourns with the families of those lost in LAST WEEK'S flooding and he stands alongside the great tide of those left homeless by THIS WEEKEND'S devastation. In times such as these, there will doubtless be some frustration, anger, and resentment and much of it will be directed towards God. And though we may think that God has ABANDONED us or perhaps that our own faith has LEFT us, I can assure you that God HAS NOT and NEVER WILL abandon us- EVER, ESPECIALLY in those moments we need him most, and of THAT, we are promised. Let us pray...\nHeavenly Father, may we never fail to draw close to you when life becomes hard or even takes a tragic turn. May we always be confident in knowing that your faith and love in us far exceeds our faith and love in you, and that not even our anger or fear or extreme doubt can possibly separate us from your abiding care. In Christ's name we pray. Amen.", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "- This event has passed.\nCongo Mission Network 2019 Conference\nOctober 19, 2019 @ 9:30 am - 11:00 am\nThe Enough Project’s Advocacy Manager Ayman Nagy will be a guest speaker at Congo Mission Network, an annual conference bringing together leaders from the Presbyterian Church in the United States and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Nagy will be discussing student activism and Enough’s Conflict-Free Campus Initiative during the agenda topic ‘U.S. Partners Empowering Women & Youth for Leadership.’", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "Prayer is not an exercise; it is a way of life.\nOn the days we can’t sit and pray and read our Bibles because God has called us to action, we can still be exercising prayer.\nWe’re shooting up prayers all the time. We are in a continuous “state of prayer”.\nLike when someone is in the hospital. What do you think God expects? Do you honestly think it’s more important we have our “special” time or that we hightail it to the hospital first thing so we can get the doctor’s report.\nDo we really need to ask?\nAnd yet I’ve known people who are so caught up with their “spirituality”, they do just that.\nWhile it’s good to have a regular time with God, we have to be careful that our habit doesn’t become more habit than privilege.\nToday I’m way late for my devotions. I had to pick up my mom from the hospital, check her medication, schedule a follow-up appointment and start her dinner.\nThat was my prayer.\nHope your day is going well.\nGod bless all who read this today.", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "We have to stop asking, “What can I do?” and we have to start asking, “What can God do?”\nBe a believer.\nBe connected. Be available.\nDo life together.\nDo grow in your faith.\nDo share Jesus Christ. Don’t wait another week! Start planning and take action.\nEach of us should have general topics that we study, in Scripture, over the course of our lives to benefit our spiritual growth. I believe that God has created us for spiritual health, and that if we tend to the health of our spirit – it will naturally grow. This comes without straining for good works, but develops through a natural process. Of course, it requires effort on our part – the spending of time and energy.\nEach of us benefits from the coaching toward guided study.\nHere’s my thought:\nMake an effort to study the topics listed below by using the following methods:\nDevotional Reading – reading a passage of Scripture, prayerfully, in an uninterrupted block of time.\nMemorization – In the Scripture this practice is emphasized and often combined with meditation. This might be choosing a select verse (or even phrase) and committing it to memory and then meditating on it, by repeating it and/or applying it by thoughtful application over the course of a day or series of days.\nStudy – This may start with a word study, build toward a passage study, and develop into a theme study. This practice will produce great results! Often you may find yourself starting by writing out observations from your devotional study and memorization. This can lead toward more structured study. I would discourage you from reading commentaries. One of the worst habits Christians develop is reading the opinions of others when grappling with a Scripture. When it gets difficult keep working at it.\nHere’s a string of Scriptures to consider:\nChristianity is a verb: state of being and an action.\n2 Peter 3:9 The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.\nProverbs 24:11 Rescue those being led away to death; hold back those staggering toward slaughter. If you say, “But we knew nothing about this,” does not he who weighs the heart perceive it? Does not he who guards your life know it? Will he not repay each person according to what he has done?\nActs 26:18 I am sending you off to open the eyes of the outsiders so they can see the difference between dark and light and choose light, see the difference between Satan and God, and choose God. I’m sending you off to present my offer of sins forgiven, and a place among in the family, inviting them into the company of those who are sanctified begin real living by faith believing in me. The Message\nHebrews 11:6 without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.\nRomans 15:13 May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.\nActs 2:42-27 They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. 43 Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles. 44 All the believers were together and had everything in common. 45 Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need. 46 Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, 47 praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "“On the third day there was a wedding in Cana of Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. Now both Jesus and His disciples were invited to the wedding. And when they ran out of wine, the mother of Jesus said to Him, ‘They have no wine.’ Jesus said to her, ‘Woman, what does your concern have to do with Me? My hour has not yet come.’ His mother said to the servants, ‘Whatever He says to you, do it.’ Now there were set there six waterpots of stone, according to the manner of purification of the Jews, containing twenty or thirty gallons apiece. Jesus said to them, ‘Fill the waterpots with water.’ And they filled them up to the brim. And He said to them, ‘Draw some out now, and take it to the master of the feast.’ And they took it. When the master of the feast had tasted the water that was made wine, and did not know where it came from (but the servants who had drawn the water knew), the master of the feast called the bridegroom. And he said to him, ‘Every man at the beginning sets out the good wine, and when the guests have well drunk, then the inferior. You have kept the good wine until now!’ This beginning of signs Jesus did in Cana of Galilee, and manifested His glory; and His disciples believed in Him.”\nToday, I would like to speak to you about the passages in the Gospel of John chapter 2, verse 1 through verse 11. The event occurring on the day of the wedding feast in Cana of Galilee speaks to us about “What is the greatest obstacle to our faith in God?” To the servants who were worrying over the lack of wine at the feast, Jesus says, “Pour water into the waterpots of stone. Fill them up to the brim. Then, draw some out and take it to the congratulators.” Jesus’ mother Mary told the servants to carry out the Word of Jesus as it is regardless of what He says. The servants who had obeyed and followed this Word filled the waterpots with water and took them to the congratulators according to what Jesus has said. Then, they tasted the miracle of that water turning into wine.\nWhat Is the Greatest Obstacle in Our Life of Faith?\nDear fellow believers, do you know what this Word of God means? Through this Word, God tells us the fact that the greatest problem for believing in God and leading a life of faith is none other than one’s own fleshly thoughts. As we go about believing in and obeying God, what hinders us the most is the fleshly thoughts of ours and nothing else. God is telling us that when a person is bound by one’s own fleshly thoughts, and when a person insists on one’s own fleshly thoughts, we can neither follow nor obey the Word of God.\nWhat would have happened if the servants appearing in the above passage had been people of strong personal opinion and many fleshly thoughts? They surely would have thought, “He is joking. Even though I can fill up the waterpots with water, there is no way that I can obey the Word telling us to draw some and take it out to the people. It is because what those people want is wine, not water.” This might seem like appropriate and logical thinking. But, if they had believed in their thoughts and did not draw some water and brought it to people, they would not have been able to witness the miracle of water turning into wine. Furthermore, they would not have been able to gain such a great joy resulting from it.\nDear fellow believers, as we lead a life of faith, what is the greatest obstruction that prevents us from solving certain problems by faith? Precisely, it is our fleshly thought which sways our faith. This is a problem which just cannot be considered lightly. It is because people who have many fleshly thoughts of one’s own can neither believe in nor follow the Word of God. Jesus said, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me” (Matthew 16:24). The very first thing that we must do when we try to follow the Word of Jesus is to deny our thoughts. Therefore, when leading a life of faith, it is very important for us to throw away our own fleshly thoughts.\nWe believe that all the Word of God written in the Bible is the truth. The truth spoken by God is simple, yet it is the perfect truth. Thus, all one had to do is to just accept it as it is, but there are times when fleshly thoughts creep up and obstruct it. Fleshly thoughts come up by themselves, and thus, there is even a saying that a human being is but a thinking reed. You also have many fleshly thoughts, don’t you? Yet, when you dwell in those fleshly thoughts, the faith of believing in the Word of God will soon disappear completely and there will only remain useless thoughts. When that happens, the faith of believing in the Word of God will no longer exist. Having become unable to believe in God, you will no longer be able to follow God in the end. Also, we will feel anguish and guilt because of this result. Dear fellow believers, I hope you know that people who have many thoughts of their own can neither follow nor believe in God, and in the end, they will be unable to receive salvation from sins.\nThrow Away Your Useless Thoughts and Believe in the Written Word of the Truth, the Gospel of the Water and the Spirit\nYou tend to think of the faith in the Word of God only as something difficult, but in truth walking by the word of faith is surprisingly simple. All you have to do is to just believe in the gospel Word of the water and the Spirit written in the Bible and some other Words besides. This is the simple and clear Truth, but because of our useless thoughts, we often get confused and truly suffer through pain a lot.\nLet us consider an example. We have heard many times the passage of John 1:29 that states, “Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” Upon hearing a Word like this, those who say, “I understand. Jesus took away all the sins of the world by having taken them on by receiving the baptism from John the Baptist. It is all over. I have no sin. The Lord has taken on my sins through the baptism and vicariously died on the Cross by having them with Him once and for all. Like so, He has vicariously suffered the judgment on the Cross, so what need is there for us to be offering a sacrifice again? Hallelujah. Amen,” We have already received the remission of sins.\nBut, how are our fleshly thoughts? Unable to believe in that Word of God purely, it makes us think, “This Word must mean that He has taken away only the original sin of people. I have committed so many sins and I will go on committing sins in the future, too. So, how could He have taken away those sins as well? This passage expresses clearly that He has taken away only the original sin.” If one were to interpret the Word like that with one’s own fleshly thoughts, then even if he believes in Jesus ardently, he won’t be able to receive salvation from sins.\nFurthermore, people’s fleshly thoughts are more than just an obstacle to one’s receiving of salvation from sins. It is the same after having received salvation from sins. When there is a problem, if one were to believe, “I believe God will take care of the problem,” then by that faith, the problem would already be over. If one were to throw away one’s own fleshly thought, “Will it truly get solved?” and believe in the Word of God perfectly, then everything that the person wishes for will actually get realized.\nWhen we deliver the gospel to others by faith, it is also the same. If we calculate according to fleshly thought, “Will people come to this revival meeting, or not?” our faith will gradually disappear. Even though you had believed in the Word of God up until just a minute ago, if you are falling into your own fleshly thoughts, then those thoughts will eat away the faith of believing in the Lord and later on, you will become someone who has no single piece of faith of believing in the Word of God. In the end, the faith inside your hearts will conceal itself.\nHow Wrong Are Our Fleshly Thoughts?\nPeople can think, but you must realize that thinking becomes a great obstruction before God. In our pursuit of the Lord, fleshly thoughts only eat away one’s faith toward the Lord. If the faith, which is more precious than anything else, that is, if the priceless faith given by the Lord were to disappear completely due to your fleshly thoughts and mine, how sad would this be? You say that you believe in the righteousness of God. Yet, your thoughts that continue to perk up are eating away that faith in all. If you allow your thoughts to work with full freedom, your faith will only be reduced to just its shell. Faith will be nowhere to be found, and only your fleshly desires will remain.\nDear fellow believers, like this, fleshly thoughts are a great enemy to the spiritual faith. Our thoughts are prone to lead us to be enemies of God. They are obstacles to our unconditional faith and pitfalls in our way of following Him.\nDear fellow believers, a life of faith isn’t just going back and forth from God’s Church. True faith is coming to God’s Church, listening to the Word, emptying one’s thoughts by having faith in that Word, believing in the Lord, and following Him. However, up until now, you probably have had the faith of believing in and following the Lord only when you conclude that the Word seems to agree with your own thinking within your reasoning. If this is the case, you still haven’t been able to empty your thoughts. But, you will also realize soon that when the faith deepens a bit more, you will reach the state in which you will deny your thoughts, believe in only the Lord purely, and follow Him. You will realize that God expects precisely such a state from us.\nMany people have the faith of following the Word when it is suitable to their thoughts and not following it when it is not suitable. Despite having said that they believe in the Word, when fleshly thoughts arise in their hearts and doubts start to appear, people do not believe in it. Such people decide that although they did receive the remission of sins through Jesus, they can no longer just perfectly believe and follow the Word after having thought about it with reason. “Is this right? Is this not right? Will it be possible? Will it not be possible? I think this is like this and that is like that….” Like so, when there are so many thoughts of one’s own, in the end, nothing will get realized. Whatever that may be, even 0.1% of the possibility will disappear.\nDo you think that there is a chance for people like this to receive salvation? Well, let us think. Let’s say that you have listened to the gospel Word of the water and the Spirit. Even while listening to the Word, this thought and that occurs in your mind. With that, 30% of the faith will have been eaten away. Thinking a bit more, you are really stubborn and selfish, and you have committed many sins. With the deepening of doubt, 60% of faith will have disappeared. You think more. “As expected, because my personality is bad, I’m impossible.” Now, 90% has disappeared. And with the disappearance of the remaining 10% of faith and as you conclude that it just isn’t possible, it will come to an end. The fact is that your chance to receive salvation becomes 0%. Would there be any faith which you can rely on left? The fact of the matter is that you can no longer receive the salvation due to the fleshly thought, “I cannot receive the salvation. I will go to hell. Who would forgive me? I want to be saved from sins, but it will be impossible for me.”\nLike This, So-called Fleshly Thought Is What Gnaws Away the True Faith\nEven thought we have fleshly thoughts, genuine faith is to believe in, obey, and follow the Word of God so purely, as deemed to be a fool, instead of following those thoughts. It means that to believe like that is the true faith. As we think fleshly more and more, it drops the possibility for all things. As we continue to think, it will appear as though there are just so many things that simply cannot be done. Dear fellow believers, in believing in the Lord and following Him, the effort to try to find what suits reason and what fits thoughts aren’t necessary. The fact is that we must believe in God just simply, honestly, and purely in order to follow God.\nSpeaking frankly, I also was someone who has had great many thoughts. When I was young, I used to look at ants, squatting down as an ant crawls by and thinking all the while, “Why is that ant crawling? Which hole did it come from, and where is it going? Did it come out to look for food?” I had all sorts of thoughts as I watched ants fighting each other and moving about seeking sheltering when the rain came down. It has been the same as I looked at people. Even when I saw a man just walking by, I have had endless doubts, “Why was he born? Where is he going? Why does he go on living? What is his purpose in life?”\nBut now, I have realized it all. I have realized the fact that such thoughts aren’t much of use before God. No matter how hard a human being thinks about the purpose of life, in the end, there will be nothing. When one arrives at the thought’s end, only the conclusion that there is no need for living out life comes out. As Koreans summarize life as, ‘Birth, Aging, Sickness, Death,’ the events in life for every single person can be summed up as being born, getting old, getting sick, and dying. Like so, human thinking before God is futile and worthless.\nShall we once more ponder upon our lives right now? As we think about our lives, we will discover ourselves quickly becoming grandfathers and grandmothers, and in the end, entering a grave. As we reach the end of such thoughts, would we be alive? The fact is that we are already dead. I’m not saying that such thinking in itself is bad. It is because if we do not think, we would be the same as animals. The important thing is that although we can think, we mustn’t live out our lives getting swept away by such thoughts and living according to them.\nIt is the same thing with faith. Although we can have many thoughts as we go on following the Lord, we must never have faith in accordance with such thoughts. Then, what would be the proper way of following the Lord? What must we do to receive the salvation of the spirit? We must believe in only God. There is no other way but to believe like this. In that, there is no need for any wisdom or thoughts of ours. When thoughts deepen and grow in number, people who should be receiving salvation won’t even be able to receive it. Without faith, the spirit can never be saved. The fact is that without faith, nothing can be realized, regardless of what it may be.\nDeny Your Fleshly Thoughts and Possess Pure Faith\nThrough the Word of God, we can learn the fact that believing in the gospel of the water and the Spirit simply is the genuine faith. As we deny our thoughts and believe in and follow God, God sees such pure faiths of ours and saves souls by performing the work. As we lead a life of faith, if we try to fit all sorts of things to our thoughts and to discern what fits that reasoning, we will never be able to follow the will of the Lord. Rather, such people will always be captured in their thoughts, and thus, they will worry, feel gloomy, and feel unhappiness. The fact is that they will live out their entire life like that under the gloomy weather, unable to see the clear day. Everyday it will be gloomy, and everyday there will only be rain and thick fog. Each day will be full of worries and sadness.\nIt you had been someone with many thoughts of your own, you would not have been able to draw water and take it to the congratulators saying, “This is wine,” like the servants mentioned in today’s Scripture passage. Even though Jesus has said it and Mary has said it, you would never have been able to do so. According to your fleshly thoughts, it is just water and never wine. It is because you would have already decided in your thoughts that the water will never turn into wine.\nLike this, people who have many thoughts of their own are all bound to leave the gospel. They will depart from the Church and the Word of Truth which becomes life. People who have many thoughts of their own depart from the faith of believing in God. If this is the case, then how will they be able to believe and follow? Someone who follows human thought deriving from a brain that is not even the size of a fist more than the faith in God, can never be able to follow the Lord. The possibility of that is absolutely none. We must live out our life of faith by knowing this fact.\nIf we want to believe in and follow the Lord, the very first thing that we must do is to throw away our thoughts. Only by doing so, can we believe in the Lord and serve the Lord by faith. Only when we throw away our thoughts can we carry out the faith. Even as I speak to you, you mustn’t try to fit it together with your thoughts and reason. With this Word, I can speak to you not only today but also tomorrow. I can speak about it all week long, 365 days a year. Because this Word is the truth, I am saying that I can do so at will. However, even if I were to speak like that all through the 365 days a year, if you were to listen with the thought, “He spoke the same thing during the morning worship today, yet how come he has so much more to say?” then you will never be able to obtain salvation.\nWe follow our Lord by faith and we believe in the Lord. However, let us consider for a moment that we will be leading this sort of life of faith for the next year, 2 years, 10 years, 20 years, and so on. If there are too many fleshly thoughts, we will never be able to follow the Lord for that length of time.\nDear fellow believers, there are many famous figures among theologians. However, most of their conclusions are that one cannot believe in the Word of God. All of them only reach the conclusion of not being able to accept Jesus’ Divinity, saying, “I cannot believe in the fact that Jesus is the Son of God. I can accept Jesus who has come as a human being, but I cannot accept the fact that He is the Son of God.” Some others may say, “I can accept the Divinity of Jesus, but I cannot accept His human nature. I cannot accept Jesus who came as a human being.” Hence, they say they cannot believe in God. They are unable to follow the Lord purely. However, faith starts from denying one’s own thoughts. Faith starts from there. Faith starts from the moment when one discards one’s own thoughts and starts to believe in God.\nIn Our Life of Faith, We Must Fight against Our Fleshly Thoughts Incessantly and Go on Denying Them\nAs we have believed in the righteousness of God all this while, on how many occasions did we reckon, and on how many occasions did we doubt with numerous thoughts? Whenever that happens, we cannot but follow the righteousness of God with a genuine faith. The moment when we deny our thoughts, as if it were a lie, we will be able to realize and believe in the righteousness of God, and we will have become able to follow the Lord perfectly. Those who doubt their faith do so precisely because they haven’t been able to deny their fleshly thoughts. Once they start thinking that they can never believe in or follow the Lord, they will end up giving up on faith. Gradually, they will become more distant from the reach of salvation given by God. People who wholeheartedly love and follow the righteousness of God are those that deny their fleshly thoughts and just purely believe in the Word of God. People who think, “I am a fool,” and believe in the righteousness of God simply are the ones who follow God.\nDear fellow believers, ironically, if one were to think a lot from the outset, the person can give up such thinking. It is truly an interesting solution. Therefore, people who think just a little and have doubts about faith must think a lot more. They must think by dividing up their sleep time. One has to think for about a year on a single issue. Only then, can it be said that a lot of thinking had gone into it. Afterwards, having reached the end of thinking, one must stand on top of the fact that there can never be possibilities or hope through thinking. Only then will that person be able to deny his or her thoughts.\nIf you are someone who has to do a lot more thinking, please do not do it at the Church. Sit on the toilet seat at your house and think. When you think only a little, you start thinking even when you shouldn’t be doing so. However, people who think much actually don’t do that much thinking when I encourage them to think much. It is because they are constantly thinking. It is the same logic as a person who doesn’t usually offer prayers carrying on a long prayer that lasts for an hour when asked to lead a prayer.\nDear fellow believers, with regard to the works of the world, we must think a lot. It is because the works of the world are such that if you were to think a lot and come to a decision with prudence, you can arrive at a conclusion that is as good as you would like. I’m not saying you shouldn’t even be thinking that as well. However, in relation to believing in God, we must utterly throw away all our thoughts. Faith isn’t something that can be built within the level of our thinking. Therefore, we must renounce our thoughts. Only then, will we be able to believe in God purely.\nOur fleshly thoughts, which may be necessary in worldly works, are of no use before God. But, what are we like? We say we want to live out our faith in God, but we are prone to have faith in the Word only when it seems to be in agreement with the logic of this world. However, we abandon our faith in the Word if it doesn’t seem to be plausible. Then, how could there be faith in such hearts? There is no way. Even the remaining faith as well as the salvation will vanish. Even now, there are many people who fight against their thoughts. When that happens, instead of thinking superficially, you must think about it without sleeping for nights on end. Only then, you get to realize, “Alas, my thinking is meaningless. It only gives me a headache,” and then stand up, fluttering away all thoughts. From that moment on, you start to obey the Word of God by faith. Dear fellow believers, do you understand?\nPeople with many thoughts have their thoughts written all over their faith. They can neither find the proper way of faith nor joyfully sing songs of praise. They can neither follow nor serve the Lord. Only those who discard their fleshly thoughts and wish to follow God perfectly can truly obtain the genuine faith.\nOnly Those Who Throw Away Their Own Thoughts Can Follow the Lord\nThrough the Word of today’s Scripture passage, we must know about this part. Only those who throw away their thoughts can follow the Lord. God gives us so many promises. Through the Word He witnesses many things. However, if we do not throw away our thoughts, those Words can never come inside our hearts. It means that we cannot believe in them. Is what I say understandable? Can you realize the fact that one must deny one’s own thoughts to have genuine faith? If a person cannot deny his or her thoughts, then the person will unable to lead a Church life properly. Even in our Church, there are many who cannot come to the Church for not having been able to deny their thoughts. Such people wander around. Thus, from a certain perspective, it is no exaggeration to say that only the fools are gathered at the Church. They indeed are fools, but they are the fools of the Kingdom of God, not the fools of the world. Not only that, they are those whose level has surpassed that of this world.\nDear fellow believers, because Einstein, a worldly genius, was so smart, it is said that people at the time weren’t able to understand his hypothetical notions. Even now, Einstein’s Theory of Relativity sounds very difficult to the lame people. Even if people are aware of the theory, the fact is that they aren’t able to understand 100% of what he has said. People, whose level has surpassed that of the world, think for a long time, and as they do so, they acknowledge the fact that there is a limit to their thinking. In the end, they submit themselves to God. However, if one’s own thoughts are limited, the person won’t be able to deny those shallow thoughts, and in turn, he will be unable to follow the Lord, having fallen into obstinacy.\nYour Thoughts Become Your Greatest Enemy\nThis is also the same for me. What also becomes the greatest enemy to me is my own thought. Therefore, following the Lord is something that is so very difficult. As there is an enemy within oneself that cries out and rationalizes one’s own thoughts, how can it not be difficult? It is so difficult that one just simply can’t imagine it. Nevertheless, anyone who cannot deny one’s own thoughts that are inside his or her heart will never be able to follow the Lord. Such a person will surely be separated from the Lord. Everyone throughout the world is the same.\nOn the other hand, those who deny their thoughts, despite their lacking, get to receive protection inside the Church. Those who think much in social circumstances but deny those thoughts before God will grow to be a new green life inside the Church. It is because God works through them. You all possess such possibilities.\nDear fellow believers, there are times when someone who had been leading a life of faith will all of a sudden leave the Church. Despite having been recognized by the Church, people who are no longer here at the Church now are those who haven’t been able to deny their thoughts. They had thought that they were smarter than God. For this reason, they have left the Lord in pursuit of their thoughts. Just like Lot mentioned in the Old Testament, they had decided that their thoughts are wiser than those of Abraham and even God.\nShall we talk a bit more about Lot? Abraham and Lot, whose possessions had grown so much that they could no longer live together, decided to go about their own ways. At the time, Lot looked and saw the land of Sodom and Gomorrah. He saw that it was very good for raising stock, rich in soil as if it were the Garden of Eden. In God’s view, the land was full of evil. But he, following his own thoughts, discarded God and went to that land. In the end, when God decided to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah, Lot lost all his wealth and barely escaped with just his body. However, Lot’s wife was reluctant and looked back toward Sodom and Gomorrah. Just then, she turned into a pillar of salt and died. Lot’s story warns us in advance of how horrific the result of not having denied one’s own thoughts is.\nLot was clearly a righteous person. However, unable to neither overcome nor throw away his shallow thoughts, he went to the land of Sodom and Gomorrah, and thus, fell into a path toward destruction. On the other hand, Abraham, following the Word of God, entered the land of Canaan which is in today’s terms, Palestine. Just then, God appeared before Abraham and promised him, “For all the land which you see I give to you and your descendants forever,” (Genesis 13:15). In the end, Abraham, who had followed God, received the promised land of Canaan as an inheritance and became the ancestor of faith. We can say that this is the result of Abraham believing in and following God instead of following his thoughts.\nImagine the path Abraham had gone through. It is completely full of rocks, and as we look at its base, we can see that there isn’t much plant life. It only seems like a land where only scorpions that bite and kill human beings can live. But referring to that land, God said it to be a land that is so rich that it flows with milk and honey. Flowing with milk and honey, could the land be so dried up and arid like that? According to human thinking, the Word simply did not make sense at all. However, God said that this place was the land that flows with milk and honey and that the land of Sodom and Gomorrah was a land destined to receive the judgment. Lot, who had followed his own thoughts and went to the land of Sodom and Gomorrah, was destroyed. Abraham, who had discarded his thoughts and followed God’s Word into the land of Canaan, got to enjoy glory for all generations in the land of Canaan, which became rich according to the Word of God.\nWhen we view the land of Israel through the mass media, and when we hear the Israelites speak, we can see that the land of Canaan has truly turned into a rich land flowing with milk and honey. Often, it is said that the delta regions, that is, island-like places that have appeared with the mounting of earth after the stopping of a water flow, are the best land for farming. It is said that anything planted there will grow well because of the rich, heaped up soil carried there by the water. Right now, the land of Israel is rich like that. The land of Canaan, flowing with milk and honey as mentioned in the Bible, at the time was a barren land; but now, truly according to the Word, it has turned into a land flowing with milk and honey. Of course, the rain comes down only once or twice a year, but if one were to just plant seeds and give water to the rich soil which has been heaping up for thousands of years, the seeds, having naturally absorbed that nutrition, will all grow well.\nThis is exactly what God spoke of. Even though the rain doesn’t come down often in Israel, people gear up sprinklers, draw water, and spray it on top of the plants. For every single apple tree and for every single flower, there is a water pipe that is connected to a sprinkler system. Water is turned on and off by a timer system. Then, all the plants throughout the entire land of Israel get fed water. Everyone who has been on a pilgrimage to the Holy Land speak alike about how rich that land of Israel has become. The richness of the land of Israel right now shows us how well those who have denied their thoughts and followed God’s Word, as well as their descendants, get to live. Abraham followed God’s Word instead of his thoughts. If people want to go on following the Word like that, they must first of all deny their own thoughts.\nLike the Word mentioned in the introduction, if people want to taste the water that has turned into wine, they must first of all deny their thoughts. Even if they don’t want to deny them, they must deny them. I hope for you to know that this is the proper way. Even though they might not suit reason, people must accept it by saying, “Alas, this must be the proper way, the established way.” If you are unable to deny your thoughts, then I want you to agonize over why you can’t do so and to pray. A life of faith isn’t something that you carry out in just any sort of manner. You must learn what is following by faith, what is self-denial, and what is genuine faith. Just as the servants were able to taste a much better wine by having followed the Word spoken by Jesus as it is, we must do the same. This is exactly what today’s Scripture passage is telling us is. This is the Truth, the faith, and the belief.\nDear fellow believers, do you believe this? Like this, the Bible speaks to us about something highly precious, but most of us go on looking at the Bible too halfheartedly. Because we look at it too halfheartedly, we go on believing in God halfheartedly and also go on judging based on our thoughts, thinking that we already know, even though we don’t grasp the Word properly.\nWe Must Remove Our Thoughts Which Are Obstacles to Our Life of Faith\nDear fellow believers, God is speaking out the truly exalted Word. Like this, He is telling us what the greatest obstruction to a life of faith is. The obstruction is that we must remove ‘one’s own thoughts.’ We mustn’t put forth our thoughts before God. We must deny all our own thoughts and believe in and follow only God. Do you believe in and follow only God? I also believe in and follow Him. Such faith is the same as saying that I deny my own thoughts. It means that at least before God, I turn down my thoughts. With things of this world, the more I think, the better I can do, but before God, I am saying that I will never put on airs. Before worldly people, I profess my thoughts, but at least before God, I am saying that I will deny my own thoughts.\nDear fellow believers, we must deny our own thoughts to have genuine faith. Everyday, your face is dark due to many thoughts. You aren’t able to see the blessing that God gives to you due to many thoughts. You worry as if only the things on this earth are everything due to your countless thoughts. Do you want to live like that? If you are feeling stuffy and vexing because God’s Word does not fit reason as you think about it, then try to throw away your own thoughts at once right now, saying, “Yes, Lord, You are right.”\nCain and Abel\nWhen Cain and Abel offered sacrifice to God, Cain offered with what he had gathered from farming, but Abel offered sacrifice with a lamb he had killed. But God accepted Abel’s sacrifice and not Cain’s sacrifice. Hence, Cain started to think, “That Abel played everyday, and all he did was kill a lamb and to slap it on top of a stone. Yet, God accepted only the sacrifice of Abel. For a year I farmed diligently, washed the products of the ground clean, and placed them sincerely. Yet, He accepted none of mine. This does not suit reason. This is unfair.” Cain, who had gotten peevish, became very angry and his countenance fell. From a fleshly perspective, God may seem unfair. However, having fallen into his own thoughts, Cain did not know the will of God.\nWhen Adam and Eve, the parents of Cain and Abel, committed the sin of eating the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, God said to Adam, “Cursed is the ground for your sake; In toil you shall eat of it All the days of your life. Both thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you,” (Genesis 3:17-18). The fact is that the ground was cursed for Adam’s sake. Having given sacrifice with things of the ground which had been cursed, it is only right that God did not accept them. However, Cain was absolutely unaware of the will of God, and unwilling to know what sort of sacrifice God wanted. He offered a sacrifice just according to his own thoughts. Furthermore, when God did not accept the sacrifice he had offered according to his own thoughts, he became angry and thus, he went on to commit the sin of murder, killing his younger brother. His fleshly thoughts that do not follow God had called forth murder. Like this, one’s own fleshly thoughts that have nothing to do with God can bring about horrific results. Those who go to hell in the end for having been unable to throw away their fleshly thoughts and for having rejected the Word of God are like Cain.\nDeny Your Thoughts and Throw Away Your Thoughts! You Must Do So before God\nDear fellow believers, the gospel of the Bible is very simple. Through simple words, the Bible tells us what is to follow God, which one is the proper way, and what sort of faith is the proper faith. Just as much better wine came out when the servants threw away their own thoughts and did as they were told, the proper life of faith is achieved when we deny our own thoughts and throw them away before the Word of God. Average people put out good wine in the beginning and then put out wine of less quality than that later. But as for this house in which Jesus performed the miracle, the wine that came out later was of better quality than that which came out in the beginning. It was the result of everyone throwing away human thinking and following the Word of Jesus.\nThe Bible tells us of such truth. If so, what must our faith become in order to be proper? The fact is that we must precisely be throwing away our thoughts before God at least. That is the proper faith. Dear fellow believers, do you believe in this? Truly, we must believe in only God and follow God with the purity of a fool before God. Of course, in things of the world, we must think wisely and come up with decisions. Thinking must be used precisely in such worldly things.\nDear fellow believers, let us all become those who believe in God properly. If we just believe without fleshly thoughts, we will surely become the people of faith. If we think and consider whether or not it fits our reasoning, faith will vanish. Even if you do believe in the Word, if you have too much of your thoughts, then the faith in His Word will disappear.\nWho are the people of faith? They are none other than those who deny their thoughts. Who are the descendants of Abraham? They are those who deny one’s own thoughts; they are those who just believe in and follow God.\nDear fellow believers, do believe like this?", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "Traffic Jam (365 Days of Daring Faith – DAY 202)\nPsalm 51:10 (NLT)\nCreate in me a clean heart, O God. Renew a loyal spirit within me.\nYou know the feeling of being stuck in traffic for any length of time. It can be frustrating because you know you have to be somewhere and you’re eager to get there but something beyond your control is holding you up. This frustration comes from an overwhelming inability to be patient and let things work out in time.\nThe experience of being in a traffic jam is not too far off from the way many of us live our lives spiritually. We know we should be further down the road than we are but for some reason, we are stuck. Our maturity level is lower than we want it to be. But the good news is that God doesn’t leave us stuck in a traffic jam. If we really want it, He gives us a clean heart and a renewed spirit within.\nGod doesn’t give up on His children. He delights in restoring and renewing the lives of His children especially when we are willing to surrender to His plan and will. Scripture is full of promises that God will sustain us when necessary, uproot us when needed, and bless us unconditionally. Don’t give up when you find yourself in a traffic jam. Keep your eyes on God and let Him guide you to embrace His strength and faithfulness in your life.\n“You are either becoming more like Christ every day or you are becoming less like Him. There is no neutral position in the Lord.”\n— Stormie Omartian", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "Help Make an Impact!\nFour volunteers are needed to serve meals to-go on:\nTuesday, February 7 at the Bethel Church in Morristown\n59 Spring Street\n4:45 to 7:00 pm\nDuties include boxing dinners, greeting and handing dinners to guests. Volunteers also help store leftover food and clean up. No experience is needed, everyone is welcome!\nEmail Karen to sign-up for February 7 at email@example.com", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "Below is the poem entitled Petals in the wind which was written by poet\nsimpkins. Please feel free to comment on this poem. However, please remember, PoetrySoup is a place of encouragement and growth.\nRead Poems by\nPetals in the wind\nThe beauty of the earth is made from the greatest creator of the universe,\nTo always thank The Lord,and put him first.\nA warming of the sun that touches our soft gentle face,\nIt's all because God,made this earth an amazing special place.\nTo thank God ,no matter where or when,\nHe is always listening,He will always be your faithful friend.\nTalk to him everyday,and tell him how much you love and care for him,\nThe true signs of his love,is the petals in the wind.\nThe petals of the wind are the true signs of God's amazing love,\nTo believe in him,the king of heaven,the great one above.\nThe petals of the wind is letting us know he is always watching us,\nTo pray to him,He is the one true king,that your heart can honestly trust.", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "Mary’s greatest joy comes from the knowledge that the all-powerful God delights in her “nothingness”, because he has found in her a human space and disposition where he can make himself at home and work unhampered. In Mary, every human faculty and desire responds with perfect harmony to the desires and expectations of the Creator. This is dynamic sanctity, which overturns every convention and tradition and value-system of human society. After Mary, only those will be called “blessed” who are poor in spirit and courageous enough to allow God to be everything in them. In Mary, God has proved that such a thing is possible, and from now on every child born of woman will be judged by the standard that the very human Mary has set. Mary is said to have been “taken up into heavenly glory”, because she made herself fully malleable in God’s hands; and this being-taken-up by another, this “assumption”, swept up both her body and her soul, because she had held nothing back, because she had offered her whole being to God’s work and transforming activity. From now on, the shape of every human life will either be Marian or it will have failed in fullness of humanity.\nGod wants the whole of us, body and soul, for himself. He created our whole being and he wants our whole being back for his own delight and for our complete glorification. It is impossible to talk about Mary’s ultimate transformation in glory without, at the same time, talking about the same vocation and destiny for ourselves. Mary’s Assumption opens the way for the glorification, along with her, of every member of the human race. In isolation from us, the mystery of Mary really makes no sense. Can you imagine a church, or a world, in which, out of all human beings, only Mary has been saved? Impossible! No mother can be happy without her children! In the same way that “Christ has been raised from the dead, as the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep”, so too Mary enters into divine glory right next after Christ, even while human history still continues; but she does so only as a trailblazing anticipation of our own assumption into heavenly life and bliss. First, the Son; then, the Mother; finally, “at his coming, those who belong to Christ”, all those who have come to fullness of life in the divine Son as a result of the earthly Mother’s obedient love; “each one in proper order”, as St. Paul says.\nTintoretto, The Assumption of the Virgin , 1582-97, oil on canvas, Scuola di San Rocco, Venice. Reflection by Father Simeon.", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "66th Women’s International Convention/Crusade: Prayer & Consecration Service\nPresented by the Church of God In Christ Inc. Department of Women. 5-8 p.m. Ambassador Ballroom — third level. $25-$35. Detroit Marriott at the Renaissance Center, 400 Renaissance.cogic.org.\n12 Years a Servant: Our Pastor’s Allegiance to Faith & Kingdom Building\nCelebrating the Rev. Dr. Steve Bland Jr.’s 12th pastoral anniversary. Speaker: the Rev. W. N. Reed, senior pastor, New Mt. Moriah, Gary, IN. 10 a.m. (continues 7 p.m. Wed.: Speaker: the Rev. Tellis J. Chapman, chairman, Ministers Division National Baptist Convention-USA Inc.). Liberty Temple Baptist Church, 17188 Greenfield, Detroit. (313) 837-6331 or libertytbc.org.\nOpen Hands Prison Ministry\nSponsors: the Rev. Robert Smith Jr., senior pastor, New Bethel Baptist Missionary Church; and Elder Herbert Singleton, pastor, Bibleway COGIC. Gun Safety Presentation: Officer D. Dorsey. Message: Pastor Maurice Tatnall. 2 p.m. New Bethel Baptist Missionary Church, 8430 C.L. Franklin, Detroit. (313) 894-5788.\n66th Women’s International Convention/Crusade\nPresented by the Church of God In Christ Inc. Department of Women. 6-9 p.m. (continues 8:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. and 6-9 p.m. Tuesday-Friday). $25-$35. Cobo Convention Center, One Washington, Detroit. cogic.org.\n66th Women’s International Convention/Crusade: Pre-Convention Gospel Explosion\nPresented by the Church of God In Christ Inc. Department of Women. Featuring Lady Lisa Page Brooks; Shelby 5; Melonie Daniels Walker; Chrystal Rucker; and the Michigan/Ontario Mass Choir. 7 p.m. Adults, $20; children ages 12 and younger, $10. Cobo Conference Exhibition Center — Halls C & D. cogic.org.\nWe’ve Come This Far By Faith: Fellowship Chapel’s Jubilee Banquet Dinner Dance\n50th Church Anniversary. Live music by The 313 Band. Emcee: Fox-2’s Huel Perkins. Keynote speaker: The Honorable Congressman Elijah Cummings. 7 p.m. $150. MGM Grand Detroit, Grand Ballroom, 1777 Third. (313) 347-2820 or FellowshipChapel.org.\nAdd your event at events.detroitnews.com.", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "Mbiti, a Kenyan-born Christian religious philosopher and writer, was an ordained Anglican priest, and as of 2005, a canon\nGENEVA, Switzerland, October 8, 2019/ — The World Council\nof Churches (WCC) fellowship joined family and friends of Prof. John Samuel\nMbiti in giving thanks for his life and grieving his death on 6 October.\nMbiti, a Kenyan-born Christian religious philosopher and writer, was an ordained Anglican priest, and as of 2005, a canon. Mbiti studied in Uganda and the United States, taking his doctorate in 1963 at the University of Cambridge, UK. He taught religion and theology in Makerere University, Uganda from 1964-74. He held visiting professorships at universities across the world and published extensively on philosophy, theology and African oral traditions.\nHis book, “African Religions and Philosophy,” (1969) was the first work to challenge the assumption that traditional African religious ideas were “demonic and anti-Christian.”\nMbiti was director of the WCC’s Bossey Ecumenical Institute from 1974-80. The Bossey historian Hans-Ruedi Weber wrote that “the Institute’s most creative work during the second half of the 1970s” was a series of conferences on intercultural theology organised by Mbiti. The aim of the series, in Mbiti’s own typically modest words, was “to bring together African, Asian and other theologians for an ecumenical encounter and dialogue.”\nThe series of conferences was, in fact, impressive. The first, on “African and Asian Contributions to Contemporary Theology” gathered in Bossey more than 80 participants in June 1976. According to Weber, while pioneering for the Africa-Asia dialogue, “the meeting also became an eyeopener for theologians from Europe and the Americas.”\nThe second turned out to be the well-known one: “Confessing Christ in Different Cultures,” held in Bossey in July of the following year. The colloquium, Mbiti wrote, “brought together the largest gathering of participants ever to convene at the Ecumenical Institute, Bossey.” It was attended by 110 people from 35 countries. The third, again ahead of its ecumenical time, focused on “Indigenous Theology and the Universal Church.”\nThe reason for that series of conferences was simple for Mbiti. “Some of us are aware,” he wrote in 1977, “that there is a rapid tilting of Christianity from the northern region to the southern region,” and he goes as far as to announce in the introduction to the second conference that this tilting “is projected to begin after May 1987.”\nAs an African scholar called to lead the institute of a global ecumenical body, Mbiti pursued and even anticipated intercultural ecumenicity, equally shared by his friend Rev. Dr Philip Potter, former WCC general secretary. It is not by chance that during the conference on “Confessing Christ in Different Cultures” there were discussions on “how one may reach from a contextual to a universal confession of Christ and how such a confession can find expression in liturgy and worship…”\nWCC general secretary Rev. Dr Olav Fykse Tveit said that Mbiti’s legacy of scholarship and leadership will continue to impact the ecumenical movement.\n“He will be celebrated for many things: his scholarship, his sense of justice for indigenous people, and his foresight and analysis of the changes in global communions in which we are now living,” said Tveit. “He brought African theology into global ecumenical theology. His presence at the Arusha mission conference, despite his advanced age, is a testimony to his commitment to ecumenism.”\nThe WCC will always honour Mbiti as a trail blazer, continued Tveit. “His message in the Anthology of Theology in Africa, published in 2017, also bears testimony to his passion and visionary leadership in African theology,” he said. “He has left us with a rich legacy through his publications. May his work continue to inspire us to research and write theology that is relevant to our lived reality.”\nDistributed by APO Group on behalf\nof World Council of Churches (WCC).SOURCE\nWorld Council of Churches (WCC)", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "Welcome to the Presbyterian Church of Madison! It’s a safe place to be you and learn more about Jesus Christ. Join us in joyful worship Sundays at 10:15am in the main sanctuary at 19 Green Avenue.\nDecember 8, 2019\nPreacher: Scott Foster\nBy Scott Foster\nDecember 10th, 2019\nEvery now and then somebody writes something that just slays me, like I wish I’d written...\nDecember 4th, 2019\nI had lunch with my friend, Rev. Craig Dunn a couple weeks ago. You...\nNovember 27th, 2019\nMy phone doesn’t blow up with notifications anymore. I’m actually getting through...", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "Barnabas Fund is calling on all political parties to make specific commitments to help persecuted Christians in their election manifestos. The manifesto, which is endorsed by both church leaders and peers from across the political spectrum, calls for specific actions by the next government to tackle genocide in the Middle East.\nIt warns that without specific urgent actions there is a very real danger that that entire Christian communities will have ceased to exist in large parts of the Middle East by the time of the next UK general election in 2022. A pre-release copy of the manifesto, which contains seven specific recommendations to the next UK government, was sent to all political parties a week ago to give them opportunity to respond before their election manifestos are published. In the 2015 UK general election five parties included manifesto commitments related to religious persecution, with two specifically mentioning Christians.", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "The goal of a classical Christian education is to come alongside parents in providing students with a Biblical foundation for their lives and the tools of learning. With these tools they can potentially master any subject and glorify God with their lives.\nOur Curriculum covers the subjects you would typically expect, while the classical model provides a time-tested structure that helps children learn in ways that match the natural development of a child’s mind. Young students spend time absorbing facts in playful ways, laying the foundations for advanced studies. In the middle grades, students learn logic and reasoning. In upper grades, they begin to express themselves persuasively through speaking and writing.\nThis classical pattern is called the trivium, which is divided into three developmental stages: grammar, logic and rhetoric. As a whole, they form a three-part process for training the mind.\nThe classical approach to education was originally developed during the Middle Ages and then further refined during the Renaissance. The model has experienced a revival in recent decades among both private schools and homeschooling families. While the classical model can also be applied in a secular setting, it is especially popular with faith-based schools because it is effective in providing a rigorous education within a Christian worldview. Midland Christian School is a member of the Association of Classical and Christian Schools, Christian Schools International and the Michigan Association of Non-Public Schools.\nThe classical model provides our framework. Learn more about Our Curriculum.\nOur Favorite Links about Classical Christian Education\nWhat is Classical Christian Education? – A summary developed by the Association of Classical Christian Schools.\nClassical Conversations – A support network for Classical Christian homeschooling.\nClassical Christian Education: The Essential Guide for Parents – An excellent starting point for understanding the classical model in contrast to modern education.\nDefinitions of Terms Related to Classical Education –A resource developed by the CiRCE Institute (Consulting and Integrated Resources in Classical Education).\nThe Lost Tools of Learning by Dorothy Sayers – A frequently cited essay describing the Trivium of grammar, logic and rhetoric that helped spur the modern revival of classical education.\nClassical Education Movement on Wikipedia – An independent, crowd-sourced overview.\nWhy Christian Education? – Jim Drexler of Covenant College explains the misconceptions and necessity of Christian education.", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "Hello! I am Jake. I am currently pursuing undergraduate studies in Economics and Computer Science. I currently work part time doing software development work in Chattanooga.\nI am a Christian. I am a member of the Orthodox Presbyterian Church. With the OPC, I affirm the historic creeds of the Christian faith, such as the Apostle’s and Nicene creeds and the Westminster Standards.\nPlease note that nothing contained here represents the views of my church, school, employer, or anyone besides me. In fact, they may not even represent my own views insofar as they are written in the past.", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "Today was a holiday as Guatemalans went to the polls to vote on the situation of the Guatemalan/Belize border dispute. Our school and services were closed.\nJim took a number of teenage girls to a Christian movie.\nWould you please pray for the finances at Casa as we need a miracle?\nTruthfulness is defined as earning future trust by accurately reporting past facts. The word ‘truth’ is derived from the word ‘trust’. It permits our minds to rest on the integrity and justice of what a person says or does.\nUntruthfulness can include “little white lies”, telling a lie to protect someone, exaggerating or telling part of the truth with the intention of deceiving another person.\nThe opposite of truth is lying, deception, dishonesty, falsehoods and misrepresentations.\nThe Bible tells us that Jesus is the Way, the Truth and the Life. Truth is the nature of God and lying is the nature of Satan. John 8:44 says, “There is no truth in him(Satan). When he speaks a lie he speaks of his own, for he is a liar and the father of lies.” We know also that Satan is spoken of as the deceiver in the Word of God.\nGod requires truthfulness from His followers as we will see.", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "Why does God sometimes feel distant?\nHow can a loving God allow evil and suffering in the world? This is a sticking point for many who choose not to believe. Christians, however, choose to believe that God has a purpose in what he plans and in what he allows. There is, however, still tension in our belief and our experience, and it is acutely felt when we encounter difficult pain, or witness the abused or suffering innocent. We ask “why is God distant?”\nAs Christians, we often talk about how God is near and present. One needs to look no further than the psalms to hear about how God is an ever-present help in times of trouble. The Psalms, however, also mourn about times when God seems absent in our times of suffering (Psalm 88). Even in the New Testament, we feel this tension: Christ telling us that He is leaving to go to the Father, while also promising to be with us until the end.\nJoin the Calvary Conversations team as they explore a proper understanding of both the nearness and the distance of God?\nVisit the Calvary Conversations page to join the conversation, get on our email list and learn more.\nSign up to receive a weekly email notice for the latest episode of Calvary Conversations\nOr…join our Facebook Group", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "PowerClips is an exclusive feature which enables you to convert a selected clip from one of your sermons into an animated video creatively styled with strong, visual elements in bold typography. (Click left for an example).\nGreat Sermon! Thank you, Pastor Weaver for these messages. Thanks to those who have taken the time to put them online as well. I'm a stay-at-home daughter who has chosen to opt out of the conventional college route during my post-homeschool-graduate years, and as I go about my daily business at home and in town, I enjoy learning all that I can about the Lord, His dealings with His people, human covenantal faithfulness vs. rebellion in history and gain a vision for practical life application and shaping the future in my sphere of influence: the family. I have a heart dream of creating a comprehensive curriculum for my own (Lord willin') future children's home education, and have been in the process of collecting Scripture-centered resources that will lend toward science, history, social studies and Biblical worldview. Your sermons, beyond convicting, have been such a blessing toward shaping my own worldview by Scripture. I've had to relearn much, and the exciting vision that this new education has produced feeds my motivation in giving my children wisdom and knowledge that are founded strictly upon the Word of God and without the confusion of humanism and satanism. Thank you for ministering to my soul and mind. Thank you for changing my family! Indeed, the Lord has used your ministry to lead no\nfrom eastern Virginia\nGreat message series (1-14) Pastor Weaver, you are such a blessing in your exposition of the Word! What remarkable insight! This series of 14 messages gives excellent insight into what happened then, and what's happening now!\nMrs. Toni Cunningham (4/3/2004)\nOutstanding Teaching on Lincoln's War! All of John Weaver's teaching is superb, and this series on the war on the South is one fabulous, comprehensive, revealing history lesson after another. It is so rare nowadays to find preaching that includes covenant theology as it relates to history, economics and politics. And with this powerful type of preaching (not to mention numerous biblical and historical references) Brother Weaver reveals the unitarian and humanistic nature of abolitionism and the real reason for Lincoln's war on the states, demonstrating why our country is governed like it is today. I highly recommend this series for anyone studying this period in history. I just can't say enough great things about it!\nPastor John Weaver is a native of Georgia, and a graduate from Bob Jones University where he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Theology and attended graduate school. He has been in the Christian ministry over 40 years. During that time, he has pastored, and helped plant several churches...", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "Jun 13, 2018 @ 08:07\nThe congregation welcomes everyone to Worship at First United Church. Services are held on Sunday at 11:00 a.m. If anyone has a question or concern please leave a message on the answering machine at the Church 705-856-2926.\nLast Sunday, June 10 we joined congregations from Hornepayne & Manitouwadge at St. John’s United Church in Marathon. A special Thank-you to the choir & to Lorna C. who helped serve Communion.\nA Mini Thrift Shop will be held beginning Thursday, June 21 at 5:00 p.m.\nWatch for our God of the unexpected to surprise you this week with blessings where we thought there were only burdens.\nLatest posts by This Media Release (see all)\n- Mixed Curling Standings – December 7 - December 8, 2023\n- Les élèves de l’ÉSC Trillium soutiennent la banque alimentaire de Chapleau - December 8, 2023\n- ÉSC Trillium students support the Chapleau Food Bank - December 8, 2023", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "We are N2Purity, and we look to leave positive messages to encourage the youth choose better decisions and live a pure life. We will send you daily notifications of motivation! You'll also be able to checkout our social media pages, chat with other users, shop, and watch our videos!\nSee you inside!\nExcellent app to inspire the youth!!!!!\nOnly God Love this app, the message and the movement!", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "Our mission is to glorify God by loving others to life through the power of the gospel of Jesus Christ\nPastor Eric Lewis Sr.\nPastor Eric W. Lewis Sr. was born in Flint, Michigan in 1959 to Bishop Fred Lewis and Mother Statha Lewis. He accepted the Lord as his personal savior at the age of 16. In 1979, Pastor Lewis married Patricia Ann Shelby. God blessed this union with three beautiful children. Pastor Lewis was ordained as an elder under the leadership of Bishop Fred Lewis. He has worked faithfully with his father and has served in several areas and positions in the church including the deacon board, trustee board, president of the youth department, Co-Chairman of Headquarters District, Jurisdictional Episcopal Adjutant to the Bishop, State Finance Officer of the Southwest 4th Jurisdiction, Director of Men of Valor Seminars, and member of the executive cabinet as administrative assistant to the Bishop.\nIn January 2005, Bishop Fred Lewis consecrated and installed Pastor Eric Lewis to lead Faith Temple Church of God In Christ. Pastor Lewis' motto has been: “Why choose to lose when there is a way to win?” He is widely known and highly respected as a man of integrity, knowledge, and character. He is an extraordinary preacher, teacher, soloist, praise and worship leader, prayer warrior, counselor and mentor. His compassionate heart for people and great desire to see souls saved has made him a man among men.\nFIND YOUR FAITH\nIf you would like to pray with us and accept Christ as your Lord and Savior, please call 789-9045.\nFeel free to join us at one of our weekly services!", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "Freeman, Julia Garland, 96, of Martin; 11 a.m. at Martin Baptist Church; Whitlock Mortuary, Toccoa.\nGailey, Reba, 92, of Maysville; 11 a.m. at Mount Olive Baptist Church; Little-Ward Funeral Home, Commerce.\nHall, Florence Thornton, 84, of Elberton; 3 p.m. at Berry Funeral Home, Elberton.\nHendricks, Elizabeth L., 72, of Kinston, N.C.; 11 a.m. at Pinelawn Memorial Park, Kinston; Edwards Funeral Home, Kinston.\nHomyk, Ted Sr., 84, of Eastanollee; 10:30 a.m. at First United Methodist Church; Acree-Davis Funeral Home, Toccoa.\nMeyer, Elizabeth Rita, 26, of Augusta; 11 a.m. at St. Marys on the Hill Catholic Church; Poteet Funeral Home, Augusta.\nOrso, Cynthia Henry, 28, of Kennesaw; 11 a.m. at First United Methodist Church of Marietta; Mayes Ward-Dobbins Funeral Home, Marietta.\nPresley, W.F. ''Monk,'' 89, of Toccoa; 2 p.m. at Grace Baptist Church; Acree-Davis Funeral Home, Toccoa.\nRoberts, Jannie Lee, 62, of Bethlehem; 1 p.m. at Smith Funeral Home, Winder.\nShiflet, Paul F., 23, of Hartwell; 3 p.m. at Sardis Baptist Church; Strickland Funeral Home, Hartwell.\n© 2017. All Rights Reserved. | Contact Us", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "Twenty-one years ago on September 11, 2001, the world will forever with tremendous sadness four terrorist attacks in which 2,996 or more people died. On that fateful day countless victims died at the World Trade Center, the Pentagon, and a plane which crashed in Shanksville, PA headed for Washington DC. For those who lived at that time and remember, it is a day we will never forget.\nCountless innocent lives were lost, and heroes came forth as brave souls willing to risk and/or give their lives for those who needed help at that moment. Firefighters, police officers, first responders, and hundreds of other brave souls offered assistance on one of the darkest days in history.\nTwenty-plus years later\nOver twenty years have passed since 9/11, and when the anniversary stares us in the face once more, we cannot help but be saddened and reflect on the lives lost and the memory of that horrific day. We remember those families and love ones who lost those they held dear and continue to offer our deepest prayers and condolences on the loss of their family members and/or friends.\nWe also extend continued prayers for those who have suffered great losses since that day on September 11th through chronic health problems, emotional and psychological traumas, and other long term affects. Our deepest prayers go to them to be able to continue life’s journey and to find consolation through the caring support, love, care, and prayers of others.\nA prayer of remembrance for lives lost and those affected\nWe come to you on this anniversary of September 11, 2001, when countless lives were lost and affected forever after terrorist attacks that day.\nLord, we thank you for your consolation to all of us on the losses of that fateful day.\nWe know Lord that you understand suffering, and you suffer with us.\nYou understand pain, and you understand what it feels like to witness the tragedies of our world. We know that it pains you even more than it does us to watch humanity suffer due to the affects of sin in our world. You cry with us when the world suffers, and we thank you for your unconditional love as it never ends.\nLord, we pray for the countless men, women, and children who died as a result of that tragic day in history, and we lift our prayers for all of their souls who are now with you. We also lay before you those who died courageously to save others’ lives such as our firefighters, police, and other first responders, and many others.\nLord, please also bless and protect those who continue to struggle with chronic health issues many years later and for their families.\nOur entire world needs your love, guidance, and protection, Father. We are grateful for the ways you show us how much you love all your children.\nWe ask for the intercession of all the angels and saints on this day and always, and we ask this in the name of our Savior, Jesus Christ.", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "August 22, the Queenship of Mary.\nThe prayer of the Hail Holy Queen is one of the most beautiful prayers ever composed. It was composed by Blessed Herman Contractus of the 11th century. Considering the author, it is that much more powerful. He had a cleft palate and cerebral palsy. Blessed Herman suffered. He was raised by monks and eventually became one himself, being wheeled out on a cart. I can feel what he must have felt whenever I pray that prayer and other Marian prayers that he composed. Blessed Herman poured out so much in the Salve Regina. It is a prayer of hope*, a loving pleading.\nThe Queen is so close to us. She makes our life sweet. She brings us LIFE. Our sufferings become more bearable when we know that our Mother is mercifully looking down upon us, her children. She is a symbol of hope and at the same time our hope itself. She intercedes for us with her Son on our behalf. God Most Merciful and Compassionate, has bestowed upon us the great gift of the immaculate Virgin Mary, Mother of God.\nWhen Jesus ascended into heaven he took his place at the right hand of the father. he is with us and within us, most especially in the holy Eucharist. The Lord Jesus also took his mother up into heaven, body and soul, so that she can also be with us as our mother. He, the King of the Universe, crowned her as the Queen of the Same. Our Lady reminds us that God will raise us all from the dead at the last day and will give us all a crown of victory.\nShe is also my friend.\nHail Holy Queen, Mother of mercy, our life, our sweetness, and our hope! To you do we cry, poor banished children of Eve! To you do we send up our sighs, mourning and weeping in this vale of tears. Turn then, most gracious advocate, your eyes of mercy toward us; and, after this our exile, show us the blessed fruit of your womb, Jesus!\n* I like the definition: “confident expectation of fulfillment”\n(10th Anniversary of pilgrimage to Lourdes)", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh. -Matthew 12:34 KJV\nEveryone has found themselves in the position of saying something hurtful and wanting to take it back even before it’s left your mouth, but you can’t seem to stop yourself.\nProverbs says life and death is in the power of tongue. Those are powerful words. Is your conversation bringing destruction, or causing harm to yourself or even to those whom you love the most? James warns that no man can tame the tongue. That almost sounds hopeless. The truth is that it’s not a tongue problem at all-it’s a heart problem. If your heart is angry, angry words will spew from your mouth. If your heart has ugly feelings, those will come out, too.\nThough you cannot bridle your tongue, yield your words to the Holy Spirit and watch what happens. When you received Jesus Christ into your heart and allowed the Holy Spirit to take up residence there, your heart was changed, cleansed from the inside out. When Christ enters your heart, the Holy Spirit immediately begins producing fruit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness and self-control. (Galatians 5:22-23).\nCheck your heart before you open your mouth today to see who’s in control.\nThank God for the changed heart and new words He gives you when you turn to Him.\nAsk Him to help you look to Him before you speak, and for His words and heart to flow from your spirit.", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "60th: Norman, Mary Jane Haessly\nNorman E. “Jack” Haessly Jr. and Mary Jane (Decker) Haessly will be celebrating their 60th wedding anniversary on Aug. 31. They were married on Aug. 31, 1957 at Second Congregational Church on Ohio 26 by the Rev. Amanda Miller.\nThey have two sons, Mark (Julie) and Steven (Becki); five grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren.\nJack is the president of Haessly Hardwood Lumber Co., Mary has been the proud and supportive person to her dear family.\nA family dinner of celebration is being planned. Cards (only) would be greatly appreciated; please mail to: 389 Sheets Run Road, Marietta, Ohio, 45750.", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "If you have a story you would like to feature on our website, please contact the Communications Office.\nThe Pope's Prayer Intentions for September: Parishes\nPope Francis' Prayer Intentions for the month of September are for our Parishes:\n\"That our parishes animated by a missionary spirit may be places where faith is communicated and charity is seen.\"\nThis month in our prayer for our parishes we are reminded that we are called to not only communicate our faith through our the Word but also through our actions. Let our prayers be that our parishes not only open their doors for a place of prayer but to go out and meet the people where they are and to act in charity and love.", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "Sunday services for us are a celebration! A celebration of all that is invincible in the human spirit and worthy of our praise and gratitude.\nSince March 2020, all of our Sunday services have moved online. We gather at 10:30AM for a 30-45 minutes of music, prayer, and message. A Q&A and/or community dialog often follows the live service.\nFor Zoom links to upcoming services, just click on the date in our calendar.\nYou can also participate via Facebook Live.", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "Introduction to Community Houses of Prayer Ministry Manual\nOur Lord Jesus Christ has called us to Himself to belong to Him and to follow Him. He has rescued us from the kingdom of darkness that imprisoned us in sin’s mastery, misery and condemnation. He has brought us into His kingdom of light and life, the very ground and reason for our worship (1 Pet. 2:9f.). Through Him we are sons and daughters of the living God, servants of the Most High.\nHope. To us belongs a hope, not a “hope-so” hope of wishful thinking but a hope of confident expectation, assured conviction and vibrant certainty. Ours is not futile hype, but a fertile hope grounded in the historical work of Jesus Christ. As the writer of Hebrews puts it: “We have this as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul, a hope that enters into the inner place behind the curtain, where Jesus has gone as a forerunner on our behalf.” (Heb. 6:19-20a). This hope points to the finished, victorious, redemptive work of Jesus on our behalf that secures our salvation and secures us as heirs of eternal life. The apostle Peter exclaims the praises of such a God who graciously gives us new birth into a living hope (1 Pet. 1:3), in which our inheritance is held for us (1 Pet. 1:4) and we are held in His mighty hand for our inheritance (1 Pet. 1:5). We live out our days in anticipation of the blessed hope, the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ (Titus 2:13). Every day of our lives we live as the redeemed of the Lord, children of hope (1 Thess. 5:5), different from those of the world who have no hope (1 Thess. 4:13). As we walk by faith, God fills our lives with faith, hope and love, causing us to overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit (Rom. 15:13).\nKingdom Ambassadors. As part of this new kingdom of hope, joy and peace, we enjoy not only the blessings of heavenly citizenship, we find ourselves as subjects and servants of a new King, workers in His vineyard, soldiers of His kingdom. No longer is this world our home. Rather we are citizens of heaven, aliens and pilgrims in this world, not occupied with building our own kingdoms or enhancing our own reputations but concerned with Christ’s kingdom priorities and values, seeking first His kingdom and His righteousness. In this sojourning our Lord calls us to be ambassadors of hope, declaring to those around us without God and without hope (Eph. 2:12), the sure hope of the gospel wherein a perfect righteousness is found in Christ apart from our own efforts at obedience to God’s law (Rom 3:19-24).\nOur lives bear witness to this God of hope both in word and in deed. The character of our lives is to point others not to how great we are but to how great is our God (1 Pet. 2:11). That our behavior might not point to us or to any notion that salvation is by our good behavior, we are to give interpretation to our deeds as the Lord provides opportunity by verbal explanation for the hope we have (1 Pet. 3:15). Our lives are governed by the reality that Christ bore our sins in His body on the tree, so that we might die to sin and live for righteousness; by His wounds we are healed. We were as sheep gone astray, but now by the grace of God we have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of our souls. (1 Pet. 2:24f; cf. Is. 53:4-6). Our lives are His and we live for Him.\nThe Glory of Grace. As we look to embark upon a ministry of reaching others for Christ what bearings are we given? The land we survey gives us a panorama of grace, a grace that has swept us up in its current, a grace that oxygenates and invigorates our existence in this world, and a grace that qualifies and empowers our role as ambassadors of Christ. We enjoy the standing we do only by the grace of God. His grace sustains us each and every day, leading us away from self-focus and self-dependence to find our strength and sufficiency in Christ (Titus 2:11-14; 3:4-7). His grace has given us new hope, a new identity and a new home and His grace will lead us home.\nWith these bearings, as ones who have received every spiritual blessing in Christ because of the grace of God and who are stationed as His witnesses in this world, we turn to how we can be faithful to carry out that role. CHOP is a tool designed to equip, engage and encourage us in faithful service to our Lord as instruments of grace in His hand for the spreading of the sure hope of the gospel.\n(click here for CHOP website)", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "December 27, 2016 at 8:12 AM\nThis is Elder Call, but you already know that duhh! How was all your Christmas seasons I hope you were able to enjoy the time with your families and remember the reason for the season. Being in Jamaica for Christmas has been great and I've really seen what it means to remember our Savior during the Christmas season. He is the reason we have what we have; he is our brother, but he is also the one who saved us from falling into our sins. Jesus Christ will never abandon any of us; never leaving one behind, so why is it that so many of us want to leave him? Just like a sheep we leave the flock because we think there is something better for us away from our Shepherd. We always end up in a place unfamiliar and scary, but our Savior will always come looking for us we just have to accept his help and remember Him.\nThe week was pretty Crazy we had our Zone Christmas party and I ate so much food it was way nice! Christmas morning Elder Boyer and I opened up our presents from our families and on Christmas we Skyped with our families as well. I enjoyed this very much and love and miss them all but I'm continuing to try and serve the Lord as best as I can because that is all our Heavenly Father asks of us is to try our best! I hope everyone enjoyed your Christmas whether it had snow or was 90 degrees!! Continue to remember who you are and what you stand for and continue to live your lives to fullest.\nI love you all,", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "We all have stories to tell. The things we go through, the pain and the joy.\nAnd when God does a miracle, or when God does something good for us, don't keep quiet! Don't think it was nothing or that nobody will listen. Shout it out loud! Praise Him!\nI am so blessed today because my friend, Neil told me his life story and how God changed Him, turned him around and used him. He used to be such a bad boy =p but WOW, God is so amazing. To Neil, he probably thought he was talking way too much about himself, but God was using his testimony to encourage me.\nEspecially we, second-generation Christians. I know what it's like to grow up in a Christian home your whole life. And you know, God just continues to pour His favor on us generously. So many times we take His blessings for granted and we say we have nothing to thank Him for because we never had a truly hard life.\nAnd when you (including myself) want to share about the goodness of God to your friends , we are dumbfounded. But did you know that having His peace, His love and joy flowing in your heart everyday is a testimony. We are not afraid to die because we know where we're going. Whenever we need something or a way out, He's the one who answers our prayers.\nRemember guys, no matter how big or small your story is, it will still bring encouragement to the people around you. You never know because God is the one who will touch their hearts. We just have to be willing to share :)", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "This excellent essay is very impressive for a high school senior:\nThe Spiritual in Art: Ripping Apart the Bushel by Joshua M. Rayner\nOverall, great ideas and well-written. I was concerned at first about his representation of non-Christians as affected by the fall (\"their fallen natures pervert their perceptiveness of the art's spirituality\" and their understanding is \"warped and distorted by sin\"), whereas he was not painting Christians with the same brush. That's a very stark us-them demarcation, no notion of common grace or of the idea that people on their journey towards faith might have a little portion of the light he claimed only for Christians, and no recognition that Christians too are affected by sin in their perceptions of reality. However, later he redeemed himself by saying some more nuanced things: \"Christians do not suddenly evince pure truth from the moment of justification\" (though again he's pinpointing conversion to one moment in time, which isn't always the case) and \"Christ indwells the hearts of those whom He has called, but that is not the only place in which He is to be found.\" Opens up the possibility of his understanding common grace, though I think in the context of that quote he was talking about revelation through Creation, not through the works of non-Christians which I believe can sometimes be surprisingly deep in their manifestation of God and Truth. We are all, after all, created in the image of God. Some of us recognize that; others don't. But we can't help imaging him in some way in our art. Knowing the call can make that more intentional for Christians, but it doesn't mean that it can't ever be there for non-Christians.\nAnyway, in spite of those quibbles, Joshua's thesis is a very clear and bold articulation of the vocation of Christian artists. Well worth reading.", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "Deacon Dave Martinez will be starting a class to study the Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC). This is a great opportunity to learn more about our Catholic Faith and Church teaching on various topics, including: our Creed (Profession of Faith), the Bible, the Sacraments, the Trinity, the person of Christ, the Liturgy, our life in Christ (the dignity of the human person, freedom, sin, morality, the virtues, conscience, etc.); Christian Prayer, including a study of the Our Father.\nThe classes are just now starting and will be on Wednesdays at 7:00 p.m. in the Religious Education building. Bring your own copy of the CCC, if you have one, a bible, and any questions you have about the faith. All are welcome!", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "Lady Pastor: Jesus believes in you, even if you disbelieve\n\"Believe,\" he says. \"Believe the good news\" (Mark 1:15). \"Believe me\" (John 17:11). \"Believe in the light\" (Luke 12:36). Jesus holds our human ability to believe and trust in him in high regard. So he uses the word with regularity in the Gospels. \"Believe\" marks the next stop in our Lenten series through some of Jesus' frequently spoken one-word instructions.\nI find belief to be a fascinating subject, especially its logistics and inner workings. It was the topic of belief that was one of my primary motivations for attending seminary. I've always wanted to understand why we believe in some things and not in others. Is belief more a matter of our human will? Or of the heart? Does belief require a Holy Spirit intervention in order to take root?\nWe all opt to believe in things every day. Some we can prove with our senses; others we take on faith. We also opt not to believe in things every day. Our hearts and minds are tied together — constantly absorbing data and experiences. And all of that compiles together to form the basis on which we make decisions about what to believe and what not to believe about life, relationships, resources, people, and religion.\nWhen Jesus uses the word \"believe,\" he almost makes it sound easy (which makes me wonder if maybe it isn't so complicated after all). In Mark 5:36, Jesus is speaking to the father of a sick child. The father's name is Jairus. His little girl is very ill — nearly to the point of death. Jairus asks Jesus to come and help. On the way, a bunch of people from Jairus' house come and tell him, \"Your daughter is dead. Why bother Jesus anymore? She's gone.\"\nIn that moment, Jesus says to Jairus, \"Do not fear, just believe.\"\nWhat? How on earth is that possible? How could this father set aside all those fears that his little girl is dead and instead trust what Jesus was saying? But that's just what Jairus does! He believes. Jesus comes to his house and sees the little girl on the bed. Everyone says she has passed away. But Jesus takes her by the hand and she wakes up.\nA deepened understanding of belief was one of the factors that propelled my vocation forward. I've now attended seminary. I've served in a church. I've worked with congregations throughout Southeastern Minnesota. And here's the truth: I still don't understand how belief works. It's a mystery.\nI think my understanding of belief is best summarized by the words of a father in Mark 9:24. His son is really sick. He asks Jesus for help. Jesus says, \"Anything is possible for the one who believes\" (Mark 9:23). The dad says, \"I believe; help my unbelief\" (Mark 9:24). Then Jesus heals the man's son. Kudos, nameless father. You nailed it. Life is an ongoing wavering between these two holy states. Belief and unbelief.\nI love these verses in Mark because they form a keen summary of a life of faith. In the midst of life's ups and downs, Jesus is always there reminding us that it is safe to trust him, have faith in him, and believe in him. We are like the father in those moments saying, \"I do believe! I do have trust! I do have faith! But help me because I sometimes don't believe. I sometimes don't trust. I sometimes don't have faith.\" And then Jesus accepts us and sticks with us anyway. Because Jesus believes IN US even when we find it hard to believe in him.\nJesus understands. He has compassion. He keeps walking with us through every season. Through the seasons when belief feels like fresh air in our lungs, through the seasons when belief feels like running a marathon. Jesus remains and keeps calling to us with that gracious invitation, \"just believe.\"", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "Religious Education is a required part of the basic curriculum for all children. Our school uses the Lincolnshire Agreed Syllabus as a basis for Religious Education.\nParents have a right to withdraw their children from religious instruction and this can be arranged after satisfactory discussions with the Headteacher have taken place.\nThe school is not affiliated to any particular denomination but we do try to keep close links with the church in Moulton. In addition, we regularly invite representatives from other local churches to join us in our Collective Worship.", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "7 As John’s disciples were leaving, Jesus began to speak to the crowd about John. He said, “What did you go out into the desert to see? Tall grass waving in the wind? 8 If not, what did you go out to see? A man dressed in fine clothes? No. People who wear fine clothes are in kings’ palaces. 9 Then what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. 10 He is the one written about in Scripture. It says, “‘I will send my messenger ahead of you. He will prepare your way for you.’ (Malachi 3:1) 11 “What I’m about to tell you is true. No one more important than John the Baptist has ever been born. But the least important person in the kingdom of heaven is more important than he is. 12 Since the days of John the Baptist, the kingdom of heaven has been advancing with force. And forceful people are taking hold of it. 13 All the Prophets and the Law prophesied until John came. 14 If you are willing to accept it, John is the Elijah who was supposed to come. 15 Those who have ears should listen. 16 “What can I compare today’s people to? They are like children sitting in the market places and calling out to others. They say, 17 “‘We played the flute for you. But you didn’t dance. We sang a funeral song. But you didn’t become sad.’ 18 When John came, he didn’t eat or drink as you do. And people say, ‘He has a demon.’ 19 But when the Son of Man came, he ate and drank as you do. And people say, ‘This fellow is always eating and drinking far too much. He’s a friend of tax collectors and “sinners.”’ Those who act wisely prove that wisdom is right.”\nIn this passage Jesus gives an amazing public affirmation of John. He identifies him as one who was greater than any other prophet because he was the most immediate forerunner of the Messiah to whom all other prophets pointed. Jesus also refers to two Old Testament prophets – [Isaiah and Malachi] – and declares that John was the Elijah who was to come [see Malachi 4:4,5], and that his role was to announce the arrival of the Messiah.\nAs great as John the Baptist was, he was the least in the Kingdom of God which Jesus came to bring into being. For us it is inconceivable that we should be greater than John in this Kingdom. But it is so, because Jesus declared it to be so. What a great privilege it is to be a participant in this Kingdom, to enjoy the benefits and blessings which are guaranteed by the King Himself.\nWe honour you Sovereign King by receiving daily the blessings/benefits as part of Your Kingdom. Through the Holy Spirit, grant that we will continue to appropriate all that You have for us by faith in Jesus Christ our Lord.\nWritten by Keith Bennett", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "Pastor Terry Tatum\nThere are only 4.6 billion people with Internet access around the world and yet the question, “why am I here?,” has been searched on the web more than 5 billion times. How is that?\nTo me, that means a lot of people are asking the same question over and over. It’s the same question we’re looking at in our current sermon series, which is based on the book The Purpose Driven Life by Pastor Rick Warren.\nSimply put, we are all here to serve God. You probably already knew that, right? In some way, shape or form, we are here for God’s purpose or purposes for our lives. The Bible tells us “we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” (Ephesians 2:10).\nThat means that God didn’t just create us. He created us for a purpose (or purposes) which He “prepared in advance for us.”\nGod created you, not to just sit back and watch the show, but for a specific part in the greatest story ever told.\nOver the past few weeks we’ve learned the Bible often speaks of these purposes in our lives as “callings,” and we have looked at some of them over the last several weeks. We have learned that we are Called to Be Loved, Called to Belong, Called to Become and Called to Bless. Today we are going to look at the fifth purpose, that we are Called to Be Sent. Or as Rick Warren says, we were “Made for a Mission.”\nJesus said “… As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.” (John 20:21)\nThe word mission comes from a Latin word that means “sending.” Make no mistake about it, we have been made for a mission.\nOne of my favorite parts of the Bible makes our mission clear. Jesus said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely, I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matthew 28:18b-20).\nThis statement is so important it has been recorded five different times in Scripture. The key word in that passage is GO.\nGo and make disciples.\nThe Apostle Paul understood this when he said in Acts 20, “However, I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me — the task of testifying to the gospel of God’s grace.” (Acts 20:24)\nFinishing his “task” is the same as my task and your task to “Go and make disciples” by telling the Good News of Jesus Christ.\nJohn Wesley used to tell his ministers, “You have nothing to do but save souls.” We are all ministers of the Gospel, which means, literally, that we have nothing to do but save souls! Don’t get scared or intimidated by that. We all have a specific role to play in making sure everyone comes to Christ. Your role will uniquely fit your own talents and abilities.\nWhy are we here? We are here to serve God and complete the mission he called us to. We are Called to Be Sent. YOU were made for a mission! Here are three things we must do to fulfill our mission to bring others to Christ…\nSharing the Good News doesn’t come easy to most of us. As a matter of fact, most people don’t want to do it at all. I hear people tell me all the time, “That’s someone else’s gift.”\nI disagree. We are here to fulfill God’s mission for our lives and Jesus flat out tells us to go and make disciples. We need to pray that we’ll overcome our resistance and start sharing our faith. We need to ask God for his help in sharing the greatest news of all time.\nThe best way to do that is by capturing the heart of God. “[God] does not want anyone to be lost, but he wants all people to change their hearts and lives.” (2 Peter 3:9b) The first way we must pray in order to fulfill our mission to bring others to Christ is to pray for ourselves.\nYou see, for us Christians we already understand that God saved us, but do you really understand how? It’s because someone took the time to share the Good News with us. It may have been a Sunday school teacher, a pastor, a friend, a parent or grandparent, or someone else. We are called to go live out that example and share the good news with others.\nYou may remember this verse for Romans; “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” (Romans 10:13).\nIsn’t that great news? But how can people call on the name of the Lord if they’ve never heard the Good News? They can’t! Let me put it like this, roughly 60 million people will die in the world this year. What if 50 percent pass away and aren’t saved, is that acceptable? What if only 10 percent (6 million people) passed away and aren’t saved? Is that acceptable?\nLet me break it down even further, if 6 million people pass away this year who haven’t heard the gospel that’s more than 16,000 per day. That’s unacceptable! We must pray for believers to say yes and accept their life’s mission.\nJesus said, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.” (Matthew 9:37-38).\nPart of our calling is to pray for God to send workers to reach everyone with the Good News (even if it’s us). Every living creature deserves to hear and respond to the gospel.\nFinally we must pray for fulfillment of God’s plan of salvation. The Bible tells us that one day every knee shall bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus is Lord. This is God’s plan for the world: “Exactly as I planned, it will happen. Following my blueprints, it will take shape. This is the plan, planned for the whole earth, and this is the hand that will do it, reaching into every nation.” (Isaiah 14:24, 26)\nThrough prayer we partner with God to help his plan become reality!\nI hate to break it to you but the truth is, I’m not telling you to give money to missions or to the church … God is.\nScripture puts it this way: “We must support believers who go on trips like this so that we can work together with them in spreading the truth.” (3 John 8)\nCan that be more clear?\nWe are to give in response to what we have received. Jesus said, “Freely you have received, so freely give.” (Matthew 10:8)\nMany of you know that a minimum of 10 percent of all money given to our church is given away. We support dozens of mission projects and missionaries in several different countries and in our own community.\nDid you know that, right now, there are roughly 3,000 tribes or people groups (several thousand in each tribe) in the world today that have never heard the Gospel?\nWe realize that many of you can’t physically go and participate in many of the service opportunities we have here at Lynn Haven UMC, or maybe you just aren’t in the stage of life where you can go. My challenge to each of you is to prayerfully consider how much you can give so that we can send other Christians to do what you cannot do at this time.\nYou and I may not be able to go everywhere but we can go somewhere. And God has given us a clear plan of action to follow. Jesus said, “You will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” (Acts 1:8)\nIt starts right here in Bay County. In Luke 8 we’re told about Jesus healing a man who was tormented with demons. After he had been set free, the man wanted to travel with Jesus but the Lord said to him, “Go back home and tell people how much God has done for you.” So that man went all over town telling how much Jesus had done for him. (Luke 8:39).\nOur mission begins here, in our “Jerusalem,” with our family, friends, neighbors, and co-workers. Live a godly, peaceful life in front of them. Share the love of Christ through your actions. When the time is right, tell them what Christ has done for you.\nEven though I have made this sound easy, I know it isn’t. Sometimes the people we are closest to are the hardest to share with. A missionary friend of mine once told me “the hardest people to share the Gospel with are people who think they have already heard it.” Let that sink in for a second. Many people think they know about Jesus, but they don’t know him like you do. Commit to help them by showing your love to them, day in and day out.\nBeyond “Jerusalem,” our mission extends to “Judea and Samaria.” If our Jerusalem was Bay County, think of our neighboring areas as Judea and Samaria: Port Saint Joe, Destin, Washington County, Wewahitchka, etc. But “Judea and Samaria” doesn’t just mean different towns and communities, it means people who are different from us, people who don’t look, act, or believe like us. It means everyone.\nThis may not be the most comfortable thing for a lot of us, but it’s okay. God didn’t call us to be comfortable, he called us to be compassionate…to everyone.\nFinally, we are sent “to the ends of the earth.” These are Jesus’ final words in Mark’s gospel: “Go everywhere in the world and tell the Good News to everyone.” (Mark 16:15)\nIt’s appropriate for us to give so others can go, but that doesn’t take us off the hook. We must go!\nWhere are you being called to go?\nFor help discovering where God is calling you to be sent, text the word SENT to 850.265.5231 or visit our Missions page.", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "Good stuff, father! I can’t thank you enough for doing these little pick-me-up videos in the morning. I suspect they help you at least as much as they help us. So I thank you for sharing. You speak of saint faustina so often that you have my curiosity up now. Will dig deeper. God bless!", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "I grew up hearing a lot of teaching and preaching in church about what the gospel was. It consisted, I was told, mostly of what Jesus taught.One day when I was in college, a guest speaker came to our youth ministry class and uttered a sentence that would open an entirely new dimension to my understanding of the gospel. \"Jesus' methods,\" the speaker said, \"are just as much a part of the gospel as his message.\" Wow!\nThis book takes a simple, yet profoundly insightful, look at Jesus' methods--how he made disciples, how he equipped his disciples to carry out his mission. If we want to know how best to make disciples, doesn't it make sense to ask how the greatest disciple-maker of all time did it? That's what Coleman does in this book that has become a classic.\nMany of today's \"discipling\" methods consist primarily of guiding either individuals or groups through a curriculum. They begin with cognitive knowledge and assume that cognitive knowlege leads to behavioral change. Sometimes it works. Often it doesn't.\nThat was not Jesus' approach. Coleman identifies eight principles that Jesus embodied in his disciple-making: Selection, Association, Consecration, Impartation, Demonstration, Delegation, Supervision, and Reproduction--and devotes a chapter to each.\nA few excerpts:\n\"Most of the evangelistic efforts of the church begin with the multitudes under the assumption that the church is qualified to preserve what good is done. The result is our spectacular emphasis on numbers of converts, candidates for baptism, and more members for the church, with little or no genuine concern manifested toward the establishment of these souls in the love and power of God, let alone the preservation and continuation of the work.\"\n\"This was the essence of his training program--just letting his disciples follow him.\"\n\"Knowledge was gained by association before it was understood by explanation.\"\nIf you're wanting to get a biblical perspective on how to do evangelism or how to make disciples, apart from the Scripture on which this book is based, it would be harder to find a better starting point than this book. By Eddy Hal", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "We all inspire each other in different ways, but it's MY Mother who inspires me the most. She is the backbone of our family and the one who keeps our family together. My Mother has always taken a backseat in our family and rarely likes to be in the spotlight. It has been said that \"a mother's heart is a child's classroom.\" I am so thankful for all that my mother taught me over the years and I'm proud to be her daughter. At a young age my mother taught me the importance of having a relationship with our Heavenly Father and attending church. By the example that she set, I knew how important her membership in our church as well as her relationship with our Heavenly Father was to her. In my opinion, there isn't anything more important to teach your children than how to have a relationship with our Heavenly Father. Through her example and her determination to do whatever needed to be done to obey Heavenly Father, Mom taught me how to endure hard things well. As well as, to whom I could turn for peace and comfort throughout my life. I watched my Mother never quit, no matter what. I had a front row seat to my mother's constant devotion to and love for my Father. I remember there were many hard times when I was young, but Mom never complained. Instead, she learned to endure the hard times well. Everything in my life today came from those humble beginnings. Today I know that obedience has it's rewards. If we will follow the example of Jesus Christ, and endure hardships well, we will be blessed for our efforts. Mom also taught me something else about enduring hard things well. She never magnified the sacrifices she made or the service she offered, and rarely talked about these things or boasted. She showed me that things are not always as bad as they sometimes seem to be, and that if I endure hardship well and look up, things always have a way of working out for the best. Mom taught me how to be faithful and I try every day to emulate her example every day in the best way I know how. Not only did she teach me how to be faithful to my God, but also in word and deed. If I say I am going to do something, I try to do just that, and complete anything I start. Mom never liked a liar and she taught me never to lie. She said that \"once you tell one lie, you find yourself having to tell many more just to keep up with the first one you told. So it's best never to tell the first one so you don't get into that trap\". She taught me to keep my word. Mom taught me the difference between right and wrong and how to make the right decisions in my life. She also taught me the importance of unconditional love, which is the kind of love that has influenced my life immeasurably! Many people talk about my Dad, and how amazing he is....and he is! BUT, I'm here today as a result of my mother's faith and the things she taught me. She knew that with her efforts to teach me all the things I learned in her home that she would never have to shed a tear over a wayward daughter. No, I haven't always made the best choices in life. I've messed up from time to time, and I've done some things in the past I probably shouldn't have. But thankfully I have the blessings of the Atonement in my life, and was taught by my mother's example how to repent, how to forgive, and how to forgive myself too. One thing that is a comfort when I make mistakes, are the words of my Mother that come to me in times of need. I'm sure it took a lot of prayer on her part, as well as my Father's, to raise me. I know that Heavenly Father has heard and answered my Mother's prayers over the years for me. My life has been blessed because her prayers were indeed answered. These are just a few things I have learned from my Mother and the amazing woman that she is. She truly is a blessing in my life! I love her, and hope that she has a wonderful Mother's Day.\nThis is my Mom.\nShe ALWAYS had her hair done and never left the house without looking her best! In fact, every time she went into the hospital to give birth to one of us kids, she was up right after fixing her hair and making sure every hair was in place! The nurses thought she had someone come in to do it for her every time. My Mom has class and a sense of style, but she never tried to put up appearances. I remember a time when someone thought my Mom was \"hoity-toity' and after they got to know her they felt they had to apologize to her for ever thinking that about her. 'Hoity-toity' my mother is not! Quite the opposite! Her and I had a good laugh when she me told that story.\nMom holding her newest and youngest grandchild.\nMom, decked out as a lumberjack for Halloween.\nMom, in the background getting ready to come over to console me as I watched my husband dance with our daughter at her wedding reception.", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "Catholicism Beliefs in Faith Healers\n29 SEP 2017\nThe Catholic practice of \"faith healing,\" also referred to as \"spiritual healing,\" is based on the belief that physical ailments can be healed through prayer and blessing. The phenomenon is evident in the bible and is acknowledged by the Vatican and present in the Catechism, which states The Holy Spirit gives some of his devout followers a special ability to spread prayer in a way to produce physical healing.\n1 Faith healing in the bible\nMany who believe in faith healing point to the Bible to validate the practice. Sonja Corbitt, a reporter for Catholic Online, points out in her article, \"The Finger of God for Healing,\" that Bible stories describe Jesus curing the sick, sometimes by placing his hand on patients' bodies. In the Gospels, priests are instructed to anoint the sick and the impaired with oil. The Catholic sacrament of the anointing of the sick may also be considered a prayer for faith healing, as priests invoke both spiritual and physical wellness.\n2 Saint Peregrine\nFaith healing is also evident in the legend of Saint Peregrine, the Patron Saint of Cancer Victims, who was born in Forli, Italy in 1260. The story of Saint Peregrine states he developed cancer in one of his feet and was scheduled to have it amputated. The night before the operation, Saint Peregrine prayed to God for a miracle, and the next morning he was healed. The parable lesson states that Peregrine was rewarded for his faith with physical healing, explains Catholic Online. Peregrine's story continues with him teaching others the ways of healing through faith.\n3 Catholic v. Secular faith healing\nCorbitt later distinguishes the Catholic interpretation of faith healing from other secular faith healing practices, which she alleges to be sensational. She describes evangelists on television or in camps along the streets who use theatrical \"healing\" in order to draw donations. Catholic faith healing, however, is endorsed by the Vatican in the document \"Instruction on Prayer for Healing,\" which explicitly states sensational, theatrical spiritual healing should not take place. It discourages a crowd and states faith healing can be accomplished between two people, the sick and the healer.\n4 Medical View\nMembers of the scientific and medical communities, including the American Cancer Society, offer arguments to the Catholic belief in faith healing. The society's website acknowledges that each year a small percentage of people with cancer experience remissions of their disease that cannot be explained, but there is no scientific evidence to link the remissions to claims that faith healing occurred. Instead, the society argues when a person believes strongly that a healer can create a cure, a “placebo effect” can occur. The placebo effect can make the person feel better, but it has not been found to medically improve chance of survival.", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "Daniel celebrated his First Holy Communion on Saturday 4/25. It was a beautiful day, and the event was attended by his godparents (Uncle Joe and Aunt Mary) as well as his Aunt Ronnie and Uncle Jamie, Aunt Donna and cousin Megan. Despite being nervous, Daniel did great. The church is still standing and not one head spun around the entire time. Good job, Daniel!", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "WHAT IS YOUR MOST BEAUTIFUL DESIRE? LISTEN TO THIS MESSAGE OF GOD, PASSED ON TO GOD’S PROPHET, BENJAMIN COUSIJNSEN.\nPublished on March 13, 2014 by Heiscoming12\nPlease share and do not change © BC\nHello, very welcome! On Thursday, March 6th, 2014, Prophet Benjamin Cousijnsen received the following message from a messenger angel of God, which I’d like to share with you.\nShalom! I greet you in the wonderful name of Yeshua HaMashiach, Isa, Jesus Christ of Nazareth.\nVerily, verily, I tell you, there are so many programs, that let many wishes come true.\nBut these are the fulfilled desires, forever, what the world likes to give you! Hear attentively.\nMatthew 4, verse 8 to 11 Again, the devil took him to an exceedingly high mountain, and showed him all the kingdoms of the world, and their glory. He said to him, “I will give you all of these things, if you will fall down and worship me.” Then Jesus said to him, “Go away, satan! For it is written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and him only shall you serve.’” Then the devil left him, and behold, angels came and ministered to him.\nVerily, and also I am sent forth: the messenger angel of God.\nAnd indeed, God also sends forth His messenger angels now, then, but also today, otherwise you would have already perished for a long time.\nAlso listen to the message, entitled: ‘A warning from God to all church leaders!’ Share this with them; maybe they will change their mind then. Because many of them have come to a standstill in their thinking structure.\nVerily, the world has só much to give, and there is everything to be gained!\nAnd so you are also suddenly a world star! Many wishes come true. You just need to fall down and worship satan. And on his mountain, satan will freely give you all the kingdoms of this world with it, glorious and for free! But verily, also read the fine print in the contract of satan.\nIsaiah 14, verse 14 and 15 “I will ascend above the heights of the clouds! I will make myself like the Most High!” Yet you shall be brought down to Sheol, to the depths of the pit.\nVerily, satan will have also these wishes come true to you!\nIsaiah 14, verse 9 to 11 Read this aloud: Sheol from beneath has moved for you to meet you at your coming. It stirs up the dead for you, even all the rulers of the earth. It has raised up from their thrones all the kings of the nations. They all will answer and ask you, “Have you also become as weak as we are? Have you become like us?” Your pomp is brought down to Sheol, with the sound of your stringed instruments. Maggots are spread out under you, and worms cover you.\nThe best wish is, that you’ll be saved and receive eternal life, and have no pain or sorrow, but really are in heaven, where love and joy and peace and goodness may be your part.\nVerily, bend yourself today for He who is not going to disappoint you. That is Yeshua HaMashiach, Isa, Jesus Christ of Nazareth! And accept Him into your life, and repent.\nJohn 3, verse 16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.\nRuacha, Yeshu, Shalom!\nNote: Full text display for the deaf, hearing impaired and speakers of other languages\nUse Google Translate and bookmark it.\nDear people, spread these messages! More translators are welcome\nMore videos, in English, Spanish, Portuguese, German, Indonesian, Filipino, Swahili, Korean, Russian and Dutch, go to:", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "Setting Primary Image\nL. Lowell Ecker\nChiques Church of the Brethren Cemetery\nFind more about L. Lowell...\nGrave Site of L. Lowell\nL. Lowell Ecker is buried in the Chiques Church of the Brethren Cemetery at the location displayed on the map below. This GPS information is ONLY available at BillionGraves. Our technology can help you find the gravesite and other family members buried nearby.", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "There's little doubt that Harriet Tubman would have been pleased that every pew was filled at the Salem Chapel on Saturday.\nIt was the 30th annual Harriet Tubman Day to recognize and honour the woman who helped bring hundreds of slaves from America to freedom.\nBorn into slavery in the early 1820s, Tubman escaped the Maryland farm where she and her family were kept.\nShe travelled alone more than 100 kilometres to free state Pennsylvania, where she is famously quoted, \"When I found I had crossed that line, I looked at my hands to see if I was the same person. There was such a glory over everything; The sun came like gold through the trees, and over the fields, and I felt like I was in heaven.\"\nStill dangerous for a slave at the time, she made her way to Canada and St. Catharines where she made her home on North Street not far from the British Methodist Episcopal Church, Salem Chapel.\nWhile she lived in Niagara for less than a decade, beginning in the early 1850s, her influence was significant both for the black community and the church. So it was only fitting that when U.S. president George H. Bush declared March 10 as Harriet Tubman Day, St. Catharines city council and then-mayor Joe McCaffery also proclaimed it in the Garden City.\nRochelle Bush, trustee and historian at the church, said St. Catharines is the only place outside of the United States that the day is recognized.\nLocal politicians and members of the community brought life to the face so familiar from the photos of Tubman on display.\nKara Veld, one of the vice-principals at Harriet Tubman Public School in St. Catharines, explained what an influence her life has been for students.\n\"Harriet Tubman followed the north star to guide her way,\" said Veld. \"We also use the north star in conjunction with our core values to teach and guide students the importance of showing respect, being responsible, demonstrating kindness, being inclusive and taking accountability.\"\nNatasha Henry, president of the Ontario Black History Society, spoke of Tubman's spiritual beliefs, ones that led her to help others.\nShe quoted Tubman: \"It wasn't me. It was the lord. I always told him I trust you, I don't know where to go or what to do, but I expect you to lead me, and he always did.\"\n\"Harriet Tubman believed that God would never fail her, and her belief never wavered,\" Henry said.\nPeople commented about her courage and bravery, but she would always give credit and glory to God.\nBush, while was not part of the first tribute in 1990, said the local event has evolved from a paid dinner to a celebration where people are asked to give to Community Care.\n\"(Tubman) was selfless, and she did everything for others. It only makes sense. When we're celebrating her, we're not doing it for the church to benefit, we should be doing it for others to benefit because that's what she would have wanted.\"\n- Faith Matters: Harriet Tubman's faith shines through on screen\n- Movie review: In Harriet, Tubman gets the starry movie treatment she deserves\n- Reno work starts on historic St. Catharines church where Harriet Tubman worshipped\n- New Harriet Tubman School bursting at seams", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "52 Spirituality April 20 – May 3, 2013 Spiritual Reflections A little light in the darkness by Lynne Hartke The children filed in for the finale of our weeklong festival at A World of Music. The kids had worked hard for their individual classes of musical theatre, singing, guitar, dance and rhythm. Now it was time to sing the last song, a song about letting their light shine in darkness. Daniel sang for his mom and two aunts. Sam and Eden sang for their brother, parents and grandparents. Dominic and Javier sang for their mom and baby sister. Voices raised. Faces shining. The children held battery-operated candles and sang to a packed crowd of family and friends with cameras flashing from all corners of the sanctuary. Julie sang for only one person. Her dad. And he wasn’t even at the church. He was lying in a room across town under hospice care. Julie’s gaze and voice focused on the cell phone her mom held above the crowd, capturing her daughter’s words. Sometimes in our wanderings of faith, we step into a moment when we find ourselves rubbing shoulders with the divine. When the dust and weariness of our earthly travel falls away and we can see briefly, yet clearly, into the other side. Author Mary DeMuth calls this a thin place, “a place where heaven and the physical world collide…where eternity and the mundane meet. Thin describes the membrane between the two worlds, like a piece of vellum, where we see a holy glimpse of the eternal.” I found that thin moment, in a young girl, who when faced with the unimaginable, offered the gift of herself. Her voice, a light in the darkness. “No one, when he has lit a lamp, puts it in a secret place or under a basket, but on a lamp stand, that those who come in may see the light.” Luke 11:33 NKJV Lynne Hartke is the wife of Pastor Kevin Hartke of Trinity Christian Fellowship in Chandler, 50 S. McQueen Rd. For information about A World of Music, a children’s music festival held at the church, call 480-963-7698 or visit worldofmusicaz.com. Spiritual Reflections Share your spiritual reflections... The spiritual leaders of SanTan Sun area churches, temples, mosques and other religious and spiritual gathering places are invited to contribute their Spiritual Reflections in essay format by sending their thoughts, enlightening insights and other writings of a spiritual nature to News@SanTanSun.com. Be certain to put “Spiritual Reflections submission” in the subject line, and keep your articles around 200-300 words, or they may be edited for length. Include your first and last name, title and facility name, address, phone number and website. Spiritual Reflections are printed on a space-available basis, and submission does not guarantee print. The opinions represented in this column are those of the author and not that of the SanTan Sun News. www.SanTanSun.com Don’t miss these performers A classic music event featuring a concert pianist and a guitarist is set for 2 p.m. Sun., April 28 at Chandler Presbyterian Church, 1500 W. Germann Rd., Chandler. Klara Kukumi-Zawilak, a concert pianist, made her chamber music debut at age 8 on the stages of the Theatre of Opera and Ballet in Tirana, Albania. As she grew up, she won silver medals four years in a row at the Albanian Young Pianists Competition and second place in Los Angeles. She divides her time between teaching at Mesa Community College, performing in concerts and her family. Alexander Zawilak is on the staff of Scottsdale Community College as an adjunct guitar professor. While in high school, he played in the St. Johns University Jazz Band, and studied jazz at the Brooklyn Conservatory of Music. While in high school, he also began to explore classical music. He played cello and upright bass in the St. Francis Prep String Orchestra. The church is also having a rummage sale on Sat., April 27 to raise money to send youth to Montlure Presbyterian Church Camp this summer. Donations should be brought to the church by Wed., April 24. For more information, visit chandlerpres.org.", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "Since the Coronavirus was declared a ‘global pandemic,’ it has dominated our news channels and we’ve been witnesses to how the nations are shutting borders and taking other drastic measures to fight the outbreak and curb the number of fatalities.\nWhile health experts and governments are preparing for the worst, President David Johnson gives a word of encouragement to our students and the greater Providence community.\nHe reminds us that COVID-19 isn’t the first crisis we’ve encountered. Over the span of his lifetime, he’s experienced a number of crisis that affected things on a world scale such as the Vietnam War in the 1960s/70s, the OPEX oil crises in the 1970s, the Gulf War in the early 1990s, 9/11 in 2001 and the latest recession in 2008.\n“Crisis has a way of causing us to reflect theologically about life and about how to respond to trouble,” says Johnson.\nThe Bible is full of historical crises and how God’s people persevered. Johnson references the books of Habakkuk and Zephaniah and the pending Babylonian take over, putting God’s people into exile and captivity. In Habakkuk 3, a crisis of health, of economy and of famine are mentioned. In spite of all these things, Habbakkuk chose to rejoice and declared that God was his strength.\n“We don’t know what the future holds in the next few weeks. Things could remain the same. They could get better or they could get worse. We just don’t know,” adds Johnson about all the recent developments at Providence in response to COVID-19. “I am extremely proud of you, our Providence students, faculty and staff. You’ve done an amazing job of changing gears quickly.”\nJohnson continues to take us back to the Bible and reminds us about the prophet Zephaniah’s response to crisis, reciting the encouragement recorded in Zep 3:16-17: “Do not fear; Zion, let not your hands be weak. The Lord your God in your midst, The Mighty One, will save; He will rejoice over you with gladness, He will quiet you with His love, He will rejoice over you with singing.”\nThese are the promises of God to us.\nYou can watch the President’s full message on video below.", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "2 minute read.\nStephen, a disciple of Jesus, was the first martyr in 36 A.D. Only 29 years old when he died, Stephen is a hero of mine. Brought before the Sanhedrin, Jerusalem’s supreme rabbinic court, they accused him of speaking against the Jewish Temple. When asked the question, “Is this true?” Stephen defended his faith by recalling the lives of Abraham and Moses. He reminded the chief priest of how the people turned their back on God. Then Stephen accused them of acting just like their ancestors, lacking obedience to God.\nOf course, the council members didn’t like what Stephen said. They refused to listen to him. Instead, they murdered him, leaving their coats with a young man named Saul (Acts 7:58 GW). If you’re not aware, Saul becomes Paul after he meets Jesus on the road to Damascus, writing much of the New Testament.\n“While council members were executing Stephen, he called out, “Lord Jesus, welcome my spirit.” Then he knelt down and shouted, “Lord, don’t hold this sin against them.” After he had said this, he died.” (Acts 7:59-60 GW)\nCling to Jesus.\nFeedback is crucial if we are to grow. The Sanhedrin couldn’t hear what Stephen was saying because he offended them. If Stephen was right, then they were wrong. The Sanhedrin couldn’t accept the possibility they were at fault. Instead of dealing with their issues, they decided to get rid of the problem.\nBut you can’t get rid of Jesus. Hiding from God never works. He knows everything, good, bad, and ugly. AND Jesus loves you! Don’t run from Him; cling to God. Lay your burdens at the foot of the cross, allow God to show you the error of your ways. Understand, He wants you to find life to the fullest by letting go of the past and embracing the future God has for you.\nWe are all sinners in need of God’s grace. Admitting our faults allows us to find healing. Let God reveal the truth to you. Embrace the love He has for you today and always.\nLord, thank You for revealing the truth to us. Forgive us for our sins. Help us accept the truth in our lives; let us become new people in Christ as we submit our lives to You. May obedience to You become our top priority. IJNIP. Amen\nQuestion for reflection\nWhat truth is hard for you to accept?", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "At 14, her father left her at the Good Shepherd Magdalene Laundry in New Ross, Co Wexford. Barely a teenager, she worked for nearly five years cleaning society’s dirty laundry. She was denied her right to an education. She was punished for insolence and her hair forcibly cut.\nShe was sent at 19 to work in a Dublin hospital, also run by nuns. She fled to England. But London was not far enough away. She travelled to Boston, where she worked for most of her life. She never married.\nHaving rekindled her faith in the Catholic Church, she still demurred when the Good Shepherd congregation offered to meet her in 2010. She keenly felt the stigma attached to her past. She protected her family’s reputation at all cost.\nClick here to read the full article.", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "The New International Version (NIV) of the Bible states, in 1 Corinthians 12:12, that “just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ”. In a church or congregation of religion, many people are brought together to support the same cause, in this case the same God. Though people of the church are all different, different colors or ethnicities with different thoughts we all join together to support our Father and his son Jesus Christ in the church through praise and worship. In the scripture above, it is stated that just as one body has many parts, those parts all come together to form that one body which symbolizes the church.\nWe are all many different parts of the body of the church but together we come to unify spiritually with our beliefs. Christians become apart of the body by being baptized which shows a sign of new birth and belief. Individually, we all have our different strengths and weaknesses that make us who we are but when we come together, for the greater good, we make up the individual pieces of the body, which is created whole by our fellowship. God made us the way he intended us to be, different. If we were all the same then we would not create the body. As the limbs of the body depend on each other, Christians also depend on one another. We expect for other Christians to help us and receive help from us as we do from them. Every act of true common worship is a victory over our decisions and a celebration of the unity that which we do have in Christ. (Best, 2007)\n1 Corinthians 1:1 is our greeting from Paul, who has been called to be an apostle of Christ Jesus by God’s will. Paul speaks to the people on how he has been named an apostle and begins to speak about how it was given to him through a revelation from Christ. In order to live the way that is intended for us, we have to believe. The people listened to Paul as he spoke to them about how he has been informed about the separation between them even though everyone says to be united. How can someone say that they follow Paul or someone follows Apollos but then say that they follow Christ? To be a follower of Christ everyone must believe in him and follow him, not his apostles. Paul goes on to say that he was not crucified for the people nor is Christ divided, and also that Christ did not send him to baptize but to instead preach the gospel.\n1 Corinthians 12 introduces the topic of spiritual gifts and Paul begins to talk about how he doesn’t want the people to be misinformed of the spiritual gifts, services and work that the Spirit will bring to them. Paul understands that they have been misguided before and led astray but to not be ignorant to the spiritual gifts that their faith will bring. Paul also talks about how he doesn’t want Christians to be ignorant to other things such as God’s plan for Israel in Romans 11:25 and the second coming of Jesus and the eternal state in Thessalonians 4:13. Those that believe in Christ will receive these spiritual gifts such as the different messages of wisdom and knowledge but only if they believe.\nThe Holy Spirit is always present in all Christians and with that sprit comes these spiritual gifts. If someone is not holy or does not believe then the spiritual gifts will not be given to them. What Paul means when he says that manifestation of the spirit is given to each one for profit of all he means that the gifts will be given to benefit the entire church family instead of just benefiting one individual in the family though a certain gift may be given only to one person. All the different gifts or powers, whether they are speaking in different tongues, distinguishing between spirits, healing, knowledge or any other gifts, are from the same Spirit and he distributes them as he determines. If it were not for the ignorance of the peoples’ prior teachers they wouldn’t have to hear Paul’s cries of what having faith and belief in Christ can do for them. He understands that they have been guided wrong before but he is now here to make sure that they are misguided no longer.\nIn 2 Corinthians 8, Paul speaks about sacrificial giving. He talks about how the grace that God gave the Macedonian churches after they gave and sacrificed as much as they could, even “beyond their ability”. The people of the Macedonian churches gave themselves all to the Lord and Paul told the people that since they excel in faith, speech, knowledge and complete earnestness that they should also excel in the grace of giving. He goes on to say that he isn’t commanding anyone to do anything that they had not planned to or against their will but only giving his judgment on what he believes is best. Paul asks of the Corinthians to show Titus and others that they can sacrifice and give, just as the Lord Jesus Christ gave his riches to become poor for their sake so that those in poverty may become rich. Verse 15 shows the goal of equality as it is written:\n“The one who gathered much did not have too much, and the one who gathered little did not have too little” which I believe means that as long as you can give truly give something whether it be a lot or a little, good will come to your favor for the sacrifice. Paul asks the Corinthian people to show the men their proof of love and reasoning for their pride so that the churches may be able to see it and declare it as a sacrifice for the good.", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "Wednesday, January 23, 2008\nTwo Families, Two New Baby Girls\nI am pleased to announce the birth of two new baby girls! Jordan Michelle Nielsen, daughter of Jessie and Gena Nielsen, was born Monday morning about 8 am. She weighted 6lbs 13ozs and was 20inches long. Mom and baby and dad are doing well. They came home this afternoon.\nMadelyn Nicole Fryer, daughter of John Randal and Nikki Fryer, was born Tuesday night about 10:30 pm. She weighted 6lbs 11ozs and was 193/4inches long. They are all doing well also. They should be coming late Thursday evening or Friday morning. They are in Glenwood hospital in West Monroe.\nCongratulations to both families! We will be praying for all of you. Let us know if we can help in any way. We love you all!\nDoctrine Reading Group\nWe met for the first session Tuesday morning in two groups. The 6 am group consisted of 10 people and the 7:30 am group consisted of four. Praise the Lord! And I know that there will be 3 more people to join us next week. It was a wonderful time together. I am just amazed that there are some people who are willing to meet that early in the morning to read theology. Fantastic! May our number increase! I will be posting here some of the discussion questions and maybe some other little tidbits for our group and others to read. If you would like to join us, it is not too late, but you need to join us ASAP.\nThis week is just flying by. I can't believe it's Wednesday afternoon already. I need to prepare for tonight's bible study for our Praying Meeting. I have begun a study in Proverbs. It is going to be a wonderful study I believe. Please come and join us.\nUntil next time, may God bless you richly!\nWednesday, January 09, 2008\nTaking God Seriously\nThen the moment was over. They returned to reality, as we all must do. Immediately there was a ministry opportunity. Having come from such an experience they should have been ready for anything; but they were not.\nThey met a man who had a demon possessed son. Apparently Jesus' disciples had tried to help, but could do nothing for the young man. Jesus delivered the young man from the demons and immediately he was well.\nWhen the disciples were along with Jesus they asked Him why they could do nothing for the young man. I'm sure they tried earnestly tried, but had also earnestly failed. Jesus told them that they reason they could not help the young man was that, and I quote from \"The Message\" translation as I have been reading the bible through this time, \"Because you're not yet taking God seriously.\" They could not help the young man because they weren't taken God seriously. Now, I'm sure they thought they were taking Him seriously, but Jesus said they were not. Jesus went on to them them about faith the size of a mustard seed being enough to move mountains. I'm sure they were shocked to here they didn't even exercise the smallest amount of faith they thought they had.\nI really think that a lot of Christians don't really take God seriously. They think they do, but they do not. Therefore they can't even exercise they smallest amount of faith. I know that I have fallen into the category so many times. God help my unbelief!\nLet's begin to take God more seriously. If we see our lives, our ministries as failures, maybe, just maybe it's because we don't really take God seriously. Repent and believe today.....along with me.\nThursday, January 03, 2008\nNew Year Commitments\nThe same goes for any commitment you want to make. Make that commitment to the glory of God, not just for your good. The wonderful outworking of that commitment is that it will result in your good.\nI've already read a couple of other blogs that speaks of commitments that many make during this time of year. One blog said that we should commit ourselves to be in God's Word this year. That is a resolution that many make, but being only a resolution, most fail. Commit yourself to bringing glory to God this year by reading His Word through. There are lots of resources to help you do so.\nI've started once again to read the bible through this year. I'm going to do it on my computer this year. I use a couple of Bible software programs in my studies, one of which is Wordsearch 8. Their website is www.wordsearchbible.com. It is an excellent program. Anyway, that's the way I'm going to read through this year. I'm reading 3 chapters of the Old Testament, 1 Psalm and 2 chapters of the New Testament each day. Also, as you read, don't forget to make notes (get you a bible you can write in if you don't already do so) as you read.\nEveyrone have a great day in the Lord. I'll write more next time on commitments for this year.", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "Welcome to soulcity church, whatever your age or life story you are welcome! Let’s be honest. We don’t need another show. Most of us are looking for belonging, healing, and purpose. God is bringing hope into every street and home.\nAnd he invites us to be part of it. Now, that is good news!", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "Beloved People of God:\nExcessive economic and social disparity between individuals and peoples of the one human race is a source of scandal and militates against social justice, equity, human dignity, as well as\nsocial... peace (Vatican II, The Church in the Modern World, 29)\nPoverty and the Challenge of Faith: Solidarity\nPeople thirst after an ever more perfect reign of justice (Ibid. 27)\nPractically everywhere in the universal Church today, we are painfully conscious of\nthat thirst. And we talk much of preferential (but not exclusive) option for the poor.\nAnd we here in the Philippines?\nAlas, there is no peace in our land today, though we all long for peace. And there\nis no peace, because we have not yet attained the justice that brings about peace.\nWhere 70% of the people live below the poverty line, we see the hand of injustice. For such a tragic situation is against the\nrighteousness of God whose will is \"that all created things would be shared fairly by all mankind under the guidance of justice tempered by charity\" (Ibid. 29). It is his will that every person\n\"has the right to possess a sufficient amount of the earth's goods for himself and his family\" (Ibid.)\nPoverty and inequity are a scandal of the first order for any national community, more so for one\nthat calls itself Christian. They challenge our faith and move us to solidarity, the call of God for all of us to form one human family bound by a love that does justice.\nHence, we must ask ourselves: what\nare we doing for our own who thirst for that ever more perfect reign of justice that our faith speaks about?\nSharing in Justice\nToday we are in danger of being torn apart as a nation on a problem that springs\nprecisely from that universal \"thirst for justice\": the problem of agrarian reform--and the government's desire to meet it in a truly comprehensive manner.\nWe fight among ourselves whether the\ngovernment should issue or not a comprehensive agrarian reform law. We argue among ourselves about whether we should have land reform at all; or if we accept it on principle, how compensation should be made, what\nthe retention limits should be, whether by executive order or congressional legislation.\nThese are not problems we can easily brush aside.\nBut would they, we ask, be as insurmountable as they are now if we all\ndecided to approach them from the perspective of our faith?\nThat faith in its essence is sharing --and should impel us then to sharing. God shared himself with us fully in creation; so we must share his creation\nwith one another. Christ shared himself in becoming man for our redemption; so we must share him with others. The Spirit shares himself in his indwelling in us, so we in turn must share with one another in\nthe spirit of justice and charity.\nIf we were true Christians, if we shared willingly as Christians, would we need a decree or an executive order from government to do what we should as Christians do as a matter of\ncourse--to share: the haves with the have-nots; the landed with the landless; the privileged with the underprivileged?\nOption for the Poor and the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform\nThis year we celebrate a\nNational Eucharistic Year. The heart of the Eucharist is sharing--Christ sharing himself with us totally.\nIn this celebration God is asking us to do what we celebrate: to share to the utmost of ourselves\nwith others, especially with those with whom Christ himself identifies: the thirsty, the hungry, the naked, the homeless (Mt. 25:35-46). In the Philippines today, these are the landless, the exploited, the\ndisadvantaged, the powerless. These have the single most urgent claim on the conscience of the nation. To opt for them, to share with them is a requirement of the Kingdom of God.\nTherefore, under this\nperspective of a loving faith that does justice, we, your bishops, have no alternative as far as the question of agrarian reform is concerned:\nWe are for as comprehensive a program of agrarian reform as possible--one that will make it possible for all, the 70% who live below the poverty line especially, to have more\nin order to be more (Cf. Paul VI, Populorum Progressio, 6).\nWe believe furthermore that a genuine agrarian reform program must be realistic. No program can be successful if it transcends\nthe capabilities of government to manage and finance.\nPain and the Joy of Sharing: The Paschal Mystery\nAs Bishops we neither have the competence nor the call from God to design the specific and technical details of socio-economic programs. We can\nonly point out to the proper authorities the principles of justice operative in a given situation. Even this stand of ours will surely create dismay in some quarters who would have us do more than we can.\nthe sharing of Jesus' life with us on the cross, no sharing with others is painless. Whatever law or decree is passed in regard to the agrarian problem today, we knew it cannot please everybody.\nurge those in authority to abide by the principles of social justice and preferential option for the poor in designing a truly realistic and comprehensive agrarian reform program.\nWe plead with all landed people to\nrespond boldly and generously to the call of the gospel --to share not simply of their superfluous goods but out of their very substance (Vatican II, The Church in the Modern World, 69). Even superfluous\ngoods must be measured today not so much in relation to one's own status or accustomed way of life but in terms of the needs of others.\nWe highly commend those, who, prompted by the ideals of social justice are\ndetermined to share with others voluntarily without waiting for any legislative fiat.\nOn our part we will not seek exemption to whatever may be legislated towards a comprehensive agrarian reform program.\nmoreover that beneficiaries of agrarian reform, motivated by the common good and in the interest of law and order, should not unjustly and forcibly pre-empt claims to lands in question prior to approval of the agrarian\nreform act. The contrary would further compound injustices on all sides and forestall immediate implementation of a truly comprehensive and just agrarian reform program.\nHence we must all work together -- in a\ngenerous spirit of sharing, with all its pains and joys reflective of the Paschal Mystery of Jesus to come up with an agrarian reform program that will indeed be Christian and Filipino.\nTo our Blessed Mother, the\nMirror of Justice, we commend for her intercession and guidance our country's total effort towards quenching our thirst for an ever more perfect reign of justice.\nFor the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines:\n(Sgd.)RICARDO CARDINAL VIDAL\nArchbishop of Cebu\nJuly 14, 1987", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "Catholic Voices for Reform was formed in 2010 at the time of Pope Benedict XVI's visit to the UK in order to give information about groups speaking out about issues that concern many of the people of God.\nIt is revived today, 2013, to enable networking and we hope that it will in time make links and information available about groups and initiatives worldwide.\nTo add interest, we are using stock photographs of people in various professions, trades, states of life etc. The Catholic community of faith is far, far wider than just clergy, Religious, theologians and academics. The voices of ordinary Church members are equally as important in discerning the direction the Church takes. The Holy Spirit does not have favourites as St Peter came to learn (Acts 10: 34-35).\nBecause it is more succinct we have used \"A Catechism of Christian Doctrine\" (1971) to give some sidebar stimulus to reflection and discussion. With the aid of Roget's Thesaurus we have suggested a more modern wording, which again should provoke debate. Please join the many on-line Catholic discussion groups to share your thoughts with others.", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "Sabbath Slow-Down: a Psalm reflection for Sunday, June 29 (’14): The Redemption of a Blessed Man\nRead Psalm 1\nThis psalm is arranged in three parts: The faith of a blessed man (1-2), the results for that blessed man (3-4), and the redemption of this blessed man (5-6). For this Sabbath, the redemption of a blessed man.\nKey verses today, 5-6:\n“Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous; for Yahweh (LORD) knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish.”\nThese concluding verses make a very simple point: the results of genuine faith is vindication. No matter hell or high water, at the end of the day, being a member in the righteous community brings the gift of redemption from the wicked and from the coming judgment. Any other concern you have, though legitimate, will pass. It will end one way or the other. But without the promise of Yahweh, you will not pass out of judgment. Your life here must be geared to a future there, and these verses are the ultimate closure on that deal. Closure is comfort.\nAll around us are the wicked. This point is evident in Psalm 2, a psalm whose very content invites us to step back and see what Ralph Davis reminds is the whole picture of the universe. Whereas Psalm 1 focuses on the small day-to-day difficulties of being a man or child of faith when surrounded (as we always are) by wicked and plotting people, Psalm 2 shows the broad and big battle between wicked and plotting institutions. Thus, as we conclude Psalm 1, the redemption of God’s righteous children leaves a sweet taste on our lips when we turn the page and see how the whole world is set against us and the Anointed King. Even there, though, we will prevail.\nYahweh knows you. He knows your faith. You are his, and he is yours. Why be so frightened at those who, in verses 1-2, are able to plot and harm your body and goods yet who cannot even sustain themselves at the end of the day? They are blown away like useless pieces of food (“chaff”). They can not even stand up to a breeze, much less the Creator and Sustainer of stars. So stand firm. Do not budge. Trust. Rely upon and cherish the high worth of your God. He knows you.\nHe will redeem you. He will be present at the day of judgment for you and against those who oppose you and him. It is entirely possible Paul had these concluding verses in mind coupled with Psalm 2, when he quoted Isaiah 45 in Romans and Philippians. The themes of psalms 1 and 2 certainly match Romans, Philippians, and behind both of them, Isaiah 45.\nThe point is clear with the New Testament connection: it isn’t just those alive in the exile who would be redeemed. It isn’t just the psalmists or the Kings of Israel, either. It is us. It is all of God’s children, from 3,000 years ago to 3,000 years from now. If you wait on God’s justice and redemption, you shall have it. If he is worth the wait to you, you’ll get more than you have waited for and more.\nThe Lord knows you; he’ll redeem you. Take heart.\nSuggested Family Prayer:\n“Heavenly Father, in Jesus’ name, grant that I and my family will be ever-faithful to love you and cherish you. May our salvation and redemption on that final terrible day of judgment be a reason for joyful singing this Sabbath. May all our fears and troubles fade for this day of rest, especially as we eagerly dream of the day you visit this earth and welcome home your righteous people to whom you have given the gift of faith. Amen.”", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "The mark of the beast is a hallmark subject of the last days teaching. Whatever this mark spoken of in the book of Revelation is how do we avoid it. As we live in the European and American economic systems what are being pushed to do with our lives. Is the system keeping us from the mark or pushing us right toward it. Once we answer this question then the next one is...What are we pushing our children toward?", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "Far away, in America\nlike the desert never really\ndeserted us and promises trembled\nin groundswells of dust and ravishment –\nanger. And we’re going home.\nCovenental ardor. And we’re tethered now\nto an arkful of pebbles, and judged for hips\nand roundness of breasts, stream of saliva\nin which we never stop coming.\nTake the lid off the sky, God.\nThis is, this is, the golden land.\nSo far, in America, and where did we get\nsuch deathlessness? Trim the ends\noff of endings and infinity unfolds –\nwhat magic? What drought\nbrings this on? What daylight rips away\nthe ease of night in my eyes?\nWhat words incant themselves\nto restore it? And then, such softness –\nBlow your horn, Reaper Man.\nThe fields turn themselves.\nFar away in America\nwe dig ourselves six feet under\nsix feet of ourselves, all the way through\nuntil black night\npours in, like water,\nlike God and the land leaks\nwe’re coming home.", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "Our story begins in a modest country town in little ol’ Texas, sprinkled with several small churches, a general store, and a children’s grave.\nIn this little town lived a man named Bill. Middle-aged with a touch of pepper gray.\nHe ran a successful cattle farm and attended church every other day. In fact, the whole town did. I guess you can say church was there social network.\nGod was praised and nothing was questioned. You relied on Him for everything.\nOne day Bill experienced a stomach pain like no other. He went to his pastor asking what to do.\n“Pray to God and trust his healing.”\nBill prayed that night asking God for forgiveness and healing.\n“Please heal me Lord of this pain. I’ve been faithful to you and not turn to wordly things.”\nTo pass the time as he waited on the Lord’s healing, he turned on the TV. On the screen was a commercial of a city doctor visiting his little town.\n“Dr. Harry is visiting only today! Call this number now for a home visit. His hours are 24/7. Don’t hesitate.”\n“Hmmph.” grunted the old man. “All these city dwellers need to stay in their place and leave our God-fearing town alone! I don’t need no wordly thing, I’ve got the Lord almighty. Why don’t more people rely on Him instead?”\nLater during the night still in pain, Bill heard a knock.\nAt the door was Bill’s neighbor. “Tom? What are you doing here so late?”\n“Well Bill a cow of mine got loose. You happened to see him?”\n“I’m afraid not Tom, my stomach pain’s kept me from going outside to my own cows.”\n“You’re stomach still bothering you? Why don’t I take you to the doctor? I’m heading to city tonight. Some company would sure be nice.”\n“Afraid not Tom. I’ve prayed to God and I’m relying on Him to heal me.”\n“Well alrighty, but maybe a Tylenol will help.”\nTime passed but the pain persist. In agony, Bill pleaded with God again for healing.\n“Please God! Heal this pain of mine. I’ve read the bible more times than I can count and follow your commandments.”\nShortly after his prayer, Bill heard his truck alarm go off.\nIn agony, he grabbed his keys and ventured outside.\n“Dang kids messing with my truck! Making me get out of my house just so I can turn off this dang alarm!”\nAfter Bill returned home, he went to bed. When he woke, the pain was miraculously gone but he was not in his home anymore.\nWhat should’ve been wooden walls and framed pictures, stood a gate of massive proportions glittering with pearls and diamonds. A luminescent light enveloped the space from what seemed out of everywhere.\nA host of angels sang choirs with open arms and what stood in front of him was the Almighty Lord himself.\nAfraid and in awe, Bill asked his creator “God? What happened to me? Did I die?!”\n“I’m sorry my son. You had an appendix burst. Too much time had passed and your body was in too much agony to keep going.” sadly replied God.\n“I don’t get it God. I prayed to you for healing! I begged and pleaded. Was I not faithful to you? Did you not hear my prayers?” exclaimed Bill.\n“Don’t you see.” gently said the Lord. ” I did answer your prayers, three times in fact. I was the doctor visiting in town. I was your neighbor Tom stopping by. I was the gang of boys who set your truck off. But you ignored me every time.”\nStill puzzled Bill complained “But God, why didn’t you just heal me? Why go through all that trouble when you can do it yourself. After all, you’re God. I’m suppose to rely on you, not man.”\n“Don’t you get it!” shouted God.\n“If I waved my hand and healed everyone’s woes, what would be the point for humanity?”\n“We wouldn’t need doctors, nurses, scientists, therapists, teachers, caretakers, justice workers, and helpers! No one would give a damn! There would be no jobs or schools because I did everything for them. Humans would grow lazy and turn to evil ways for entertainment.”\nBewildered, Bill asked God “I still don’t get it. Everything I was taught was all just a lie?”\n“My son, I’m sorry they misled you. We’re all connected. Every human being needs one another. That’s how I created it. This world was not meant to be ignored.”\n“Can we go back and reteach them God? They’ll never learn or understand on their own.” asked Bill.\nGod gently took Bill’s hand and led him through the gates.\n“My son, I’ve tried countless times but they refuse to listen. Human beings are like that. They must learn on their own.”", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "Friends and family have shared their relationship to show their support.\nHow do you know Gwendolyn Campbell?\nWe are sorry for your loss.\nHelp others honor Gwendolyn's memory.\nCoping with Grief\nWe would like to offer our sincere support to anyone coping with grief. Enter\nyour email below for our complimentary daily grief messages. Messages run for up to one year and you\ncan stop at any time. Your email will not be used for any other purpose.\nFebruary 27, 1942 ~ July 21, 2023 (age 81) 81 Years Old\n6 Trees, Flowers, or Condolences have been shared with support of Gwendolyn's family - View on Tribute Wall\nGwendolyn Vilma (Cooper) Campbell was born on February 27, 1942, to Elias & Estella Cooper in Tyler, Texas. She was the third of ten children: Five boys and Five girls. The Cooper Family moved to Omaha, Nebraska when she turned two years old. She attended Long Elementary and Tech Junior High and High School. She was active in her church: New Bethel COGIC, where her father was founder and Pastor. In the church she developed her love of writing poems. She was active in the church and developed a love for working with young people. She was also a pianist, choir member and member of the Purity Class.\nShe married James Sylvester Campbell, a member of the United States Air Force; and to this union were born four daughters. Gwendolyn accepted Christ in 1975 and had an anointing to work with youth. She relocated to Lincoln, Nebraska where she was active in the Angelic Temple COGIC under the leadership of Myles an Martha Davis as the Youth Department Leader; directing and writing original plays and spoken words performed all across the country. She relocated to Texas in 1999 and joined the Faith Memorial COGIC, under the leadership of Elder Larry, Sr, and Lady Rosetta. She worked faithfully as church mother, counselor and advisor. She later joined KWAR Church (formerly Faith Memorial COGIC) under the leadership of Bishop Omar and Anita Jahwar, where she was a faithful church mother and was instrumental in the Prison Ministry and Youth Department. Mother Campbell believed in the Power of Prayer and was involved in God’s RODS (Reclaiming Our Destiny Sisters) and Women’s Ministry.\nHer belief in the Power of Prayer was evident in her “Blessed Text” Ministry and 6am prayer with her family. She continued her love of writing and published books: “Holiday Island”, “Mother’s Notes” and “Mother Gwen in the Lion’s Den”.\nOn July 21, 2023, Mama Gwen transitioned to eternity. She is preceded in death by parents Elias and Estella Cooper, brothers Reginald and Elias June and sister Estella Geraldine Moore. She is survived by her children: Deborah Campbell, Diana Campbell, Donetta Nance (Troy), Denise Campbell, sons Terry Marsaw and Willie Fleming, Jr; and grandson: Darren Campbell (Lexus); many other adopted children, grand-children, great-grandchildren; brothers, sisters, nephews, nieces and a host of family and friends who loved her very much.", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "On Apr. 14, 1903, Ascension Via Christi Hospital in Pittsburg began its healing mission as Mt. Carmel Hospital,with just 20 rooms lit by oil lamps in which to provide care.\nIn the late 1800s, coal mining camps developed throughout Crawford County as Southeast Kansas experienced a period of rapid growth. Health conditions were poor and the city hospital in Pittsburg was unable to serve the influx of residents, so local doctors consulted the Rt. Rev. John J. Hennessy, bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Wichita, for help in building a new hospital. The bishop called Mother Mary Bernard Sheridan, founder of the Sisters of St. Joseph in Wichita, for help.\nIn 1989, Charles J. Devlin, owner of the Mt. Carmel Coal Company, presented the Sisters with a monetary donation and 40-acre tract of land between Frontenac and Pittsburg upon which to build the hospital. As a gesture of appreciation, the new facility was named Mt. Carmel Hospital and was the first to be operated by the Sisters of St. Joseph of Wichita.\n“We are blessed to be part of a health organization that has provided care to our local community for 120 years,” says Drew Talbott, hospital president. “Our Mission began to provide care to the underserved and continues so today.”\nIn 1971 and after a highly successful community fundraising drive, the current hospital building was constructed to accommodate its ever-growing patient count.\nNow, 120 years later with 110 rooms and a staff of more than 450, the hospital provides specialized orthopedic, cardiology, emergency, obstetric and gynecology, surgical, pediatric, cancer care, rehabilitation, physical therapy, sleep medicine and other health services.\nIt also features a Women’s Center with a Level II nursery and central fetal monitoring system; Heart Center with a $2.6 million Cardiac Stepdown Unit, catheterization lab and pediatric echocardiogram program; Emergency departments in both Pittsburg and Fort Scott recognized as Level III trauma Centers with Level 3 geriatric care accreditations; a 40,000-square-foot Surgery Center equipped with state-of-the-art robotic-assisted technology, 3D mammography capabilities and a recently-renovated Cancer Center equipped with a $1.5 million state-of-the-art TrueBeam linear accelerator.\n“We wouldn’t be where we are today without the work of our incredible associates and medical staff,” says Talbott. “They make our Mission possible.”\nSince 1903, Ascension Via Christi in Pittsburg has been blessed to provide compassionate care, close to home and will continue to do so well into the future.\nTo learn more about Ascension Via Christi, go to ascension.org/pittsburgKS.\nAbout Ascension Via Christi\nIn Kansas, Ascension Via Christi operates seven hospitals and 75 other sites of care and employs nearly 6,400 associates. Across the state, Ascension Via Christi provided nearly $89 million in community benefit and care of persons living in poverty in fiscal year 2021. Serving Kansas for more than 135 years, Ascension is a faith-based healthcare organization committed to delivering compassionate, personalized care to all, with special attention to persons living in poverty and those most vulnerable. Ascension is the leading non-profit and Catholic health system in the U.S., operating more than 2,600 sites of care – including 145 hospitals and more than 40 senior living facilities – in 19 states and the District of Columbia. Visit www.ascension.org.", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "Spiritual Director / Zambia\nTerence Kombe serves as the Spiritual Director at CURE Zambia. He graduated from the Theological College of Central Africa and obtained a bachelor’s degree in theology with majors in pastoral care, education, and missions. Previously, he served as a pastor at Brethren in Christ BIC and as a senior pastor at Kingdom Assembly Ministries. In addition to ministry, he worked as a vice principal for a secondary teacher training college as well as a part-time lecturer at the University of Zambia.\nTerence likes the fact that his role at CURE consolidates his three majors (pastoral care, education, and missions) and provides the rare privilege of reaching out to children and others beyond the pulpit. He is married with four children (three girls and a boy) and spends time playing soccer, badminton, volleyball, and chess in order to reach out to more people.", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "Hiya UU Blog world friends!\nI am looking for an example of a \"service in a blog post\", and am wondering if anyone remembers seeing one and where it was? What I remember seeing was a prelude that was a youtube video embedded, a chalice lighting, a reading, a story, video of singing kids out, a sermon, and a prayer then closing words and music or something with those elements.\nOur nasty roads are causing the board president at the church I serve to ponder calling off services for Christmas Eve, but I'd love to offer our members and friends something for Christmas Eve, and I'd like to show the minister I serve with something before I go do it myself.\nYou are welcome to comment here if you have any ideas or email me at dre (at) wsuu (dot) org.", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "Dr. Matthew Bates is Associate Professor of Theology at Quincy University. He recalls how, having majored in physics as an undergraduate, he learned beginning Greek independently before jumping into second-year Greek in seminary. Among his several publications are The Birth of the Trinity (Oxford, 2015) and Salvation by Allegiance Alone(Baker, 2017). In this episode he reveals how Paul’s choice of verbiage in an important summary of the gospel indicates his conceptions of Christ’s nature and history, especially both his divine pre-existence and his exaltation.\nTo listen to the podcast click here.\n“Exegetically Speaking” is a weekly podcast of the friends and faculty of Wheaton College, IL and The Lanier Theological Library. Hosted by Dr. David Capes, it features language experts who discuss the importance of learning the biblical languages—Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek—and show how reading the Bible in the original languages “pays off.” Each podcast lasts between seven and eleven minutes and covers a different topic for those who want to read the Bible for all it is worth.", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "Word of God\n“But he answered, ‘It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.'” Matthew 4:4 (ESV)\nFood is required to keep us healthy and alive to see tomorrow, but the Bible is required to keep us healthy and alive to see eternal life in Heaven. The Bible is the word of life, the word of truth, the word of God and is far more important for an abundant life – on earth and in heaven – than every crumb of food that may pass through our lips. So let us live our days in hunger for the very words of our God.\nLet’s pray today for the Spirit of God to stir our yearning to digest the words of eternal life.", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "The Ear of Jesus\nNovember 20 2023\nWe are familiar with the idea that the Church has been provided with a healthy mix of gifted people who, through the Spirit, powerfully accomplish the work Christ sets out for us in His Kingdom. We understand the metaphor of the Body of Christ, with each member playing a unique role in the health of the system and all having equal value. At BetterIt Workplace Chaplains, we have come to understand that one of the parts of the body is the Ears!\nGod gifts the Church with chaplains, the Ears of Jesus. You know of these people in your own local church...\n- They listen when you share your heartfelt needs and fears.\n- They have time for you to tell your whole story.\n- They are not a friend for a season, but for a lifetime.\n- They actually follow through when you float the “let’s get together for coffee” balloon.\nWhen you meet with these members of the Body, you experience being seen, being heard and being known. You experience God’s love because the Ear of Jesus is with you, His attention is on you, He is the third person on the conversation. Praise God for his good gifts!\nHowever, beloved Church, now is the time to release these Ears of Jesus to fulfill their missional destiny! While they have served the Body well, these people were made to operate as chaplains, representing Christ to those outside the Church. They have been practicing their gift in the congregation, now they need to be mobilized into the world of business.\nBetterIt Workplace Chaplains is looking for God-made chaplains in order to place them in companies where they serve as part of the employee wellness programs. Our chaplains come from all backgrounds but have one thing in common - God made them to do this work. They have the unique gift of being able to love a large number of diverse people over a long time. They join our team and set aside a few hours a week to go into a company near their home, building relationships with the employees and supporting them.\n4 Essential Gifts\nHere are the four essential natural gifts that we have identified in God-made chaplains. We take anyone with these gifts, train them with skills, help them count the cost and mobilize them into workplaces across Canada. These four essentials are presented as a challenge for us to stretch into each day.\n1. On Mission\nYour whole being is entwined in the Love story of God for His Creation. Love is the invitation, the motive, and the message.\nYou were uniquely created to love many different people for a long time. You have a capacity to love the marginalized, the outcasts, the unloved.\nYou experience God working through you in the lives of others. People experience God’s love when you are present and attending to them.\nYou are drawn to the joys and challenges of loving people outside the church. You are responding in faith to an opportunity from God with the support of your faith community and loved ones.\nDoes your heart swell with excitement as you read these challenges? Could you be a God-made chaplain, ready to be mobilized into the workplace? Can you hear the call of your Creator? Are you the Ear of Jesus?\nIf this is you, please reach out to me, Chris Morris, here: firstname.lastname@example.org\n*This article was originally published in September 2022, and has been updated & republished with permission.\nChris Morris is the National Director for BetterIt Workplace Chaplains. Chris graduated from SFU with a BA in English Literature, and he has a Masters in Applied Theology from Regent College. After pastoring in Burnaby and then teaching overseas, Chris, his wife Lindly, and their two girls returned to the Lower Mainland to join Corporate Chaplains Canada, which is now BetterIt Workplace Chaplains! While at Regent, he first heard of workplace chaplaincy and became intrigued at showing Christ’s love for people in the middle of their own life stories at work.\nView All Blogs", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "2 Timothy 1:12\n\"Yet I am not ashamed, because I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that He is able to guard what I have entrusted to Him for that day.\" NIV\n\"Nevertheless, I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.\" KJV\nWe know that we can invest every bit of our faith in the Lord Jesus Christ because He will keep and protect all of it until we join Him in heaven. First of all, we have to realize our need to be rescued from sin. Then the building of our faith begins. It is a daily, moment by moment life of learning to trust and give more and more of ourselves to HIm. Our lives become lives of absolute dependence on Him for everything. We will never be disappointed.\nHeavenly Father, we are but humans given to doubt and fear. You have promised that whatever we turn over to You, You will take care of it for us until we get to where You are. Help us to freely depend on You for everything we need so that our faith will grow and we will know Your faithfulness in truth and splendor. In Jesus' name, Amen.\nA concise daily devotional developed to\nencourage reading and understanding of God's Word.", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "Welcome to Life Church\nA place where we Love God,\nLove People and Love Life\nHere at Life Church we do our best to facilitate an environment where the presence of the Lord can be easily found. In His presence we can learn to love ourselves and see the value that He sees in us. This is the beginning of a beautiful relationship with Jesus Christ. Our church is centered in our mission of making disciples of Jesus Christ who will Love God, Love People and Love Life. We desire to follow the mandate of Jesus Christ when He said the greatest commandment is to “love God with all your heart” and the second greatest commandment is equal to it “love your neighbor”. (Matthew 22:37-39)\n222 Mills St.\nShawano, WI 54166\nLife Church Discovery @ 7:00 pm\nLife Kids Movie Night @ 7:00 pm\nLife Church Foundations @ 10:00 am\nLife Church Celebration @ 11:00 am\nWe see Life Church as a dynamic, spirit-filled, multicultural church; strong in Apostolic doctrine, Pentecostal in experience; proclaiming the gospel of Jesus Christ with power and authority; focusing on making disciples of every member for leadership and church planting; with a vision to reach at least 20% of the population of Shawano County.\nIt is of utmost priority for Life Church to reach the community in order to show them how to love God through discipleship and sound Biblical teaching; to show the community of believers how to love people by ministering to them through the Holy Spirit; and to show them that in doing so they will learn to love life in and out of the Church.", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "The 2022 course of study for “Come, Follow Me” is the Old Testament.\nMore about studying the Old Testament\n- Sunday School general presidency suggests 3 ways to approach the Old Testament with ‘Come, Follow Me’ 2022\n- Old Testament verses used by Church leaders in 2021\n- ‘Old Testament Stories’ has rewritten stories and new artwork, just in time for ‘Come, Follow Me’ 2022\n- Listen to the Sunday School general presidency talk about ‘Come, Follow Me’ 2022 on the Church News podcast\n- 22 simple resources to help children learn the gospel in 2022\n- Clyde J. Williams: How Moses gained divine perspective of ‘things I never had supposed’", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "I am interested in sharing with your church, group, or event. I believe that the Lord has given me a heart to share His Word with this generation.\nMy heart is to share His Word, His Love, and His Grace with those who would invite me to do so. I would ask that if you have not already done so, begin praying about whether the Lord would have me come and share with your group.\nTeaching God’s Word\nI teach God’s Word at Calvary Cross Church which is in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin. We are at the crossroads of Wisconsin, an hour from Milwaukee, Madison, and Green Bay / Appleton.\nI am honored to be entrusted with God’s Word. I consistently teach and engage this generation in the application of His Word to our lives.\nSharing His Word with Other Churches\nI am honored when I am invited to share God’s Word at another church. It’s an honor to meet and minister with other pastors and their staff, treating the body of Jesus as He would.\nI am blessed to be invited into your ministry that the Lord has given to you and I honor that. When I share at a church as a visitor, I am encouraged to be able to point people back to the Lord. I love laboring alongside of others in the ministry.\nSharing at Conferences and Events\nI love to speak at conferences and events. There is such an opportunity to impact someone’s life for the Lord in a single moment. I love to take a topic or verse that may be assigned and to see what God puts on my heart for that group, for that moment.\nI can also be flexible to the Holy Spirit’s leading and just share what He gives to me for that particular event.\nThese are topics that I have been known to speak on:\n- Sexual Purity\n- God’s Grace\n- God’s Love\n- Christian Disciplines\nIn my experience, I have also spoken at Youth and Men’s Conferences in the past. I was a youth pastor in my past and the passion for impacting the youth for Christ has never left me. God has given me a heart for the youth which I am very comfortable in sharing with.\nI am very comfortable engaging most types of groups.\nWhat to expect when working with Me\n- A quick response when someone contacts me. There are exceptions, but that is a general rule.\n- A review of the details of the engagement as early as possible to pray over and to review my schedule\n- I check in for updates as the engagement gets closer. Good communication is key to successfully working together.\n- An announcement of your event on my blog and social media outlets\n- A prayerfully sought message directly prepared for your engagement and audience.\n- A custom resource page, created just for your audience. It will include any slides, resources, links, and anything else that I might feel will be helpful.\n- A follow up communication to review how things went and to talk about what God has done.\nA quick Bio about me\nI have been speaking and sharing God’s Word for 20 years. I am comfortable and have experience speaking in front of thousands, hundreds, or small groups. God has had me sharing in many different types of situations.\nI have my experience in two arenas, Ministry and Information Technology. In Ministry, I have served as a Youth Pastor and as a Senior Pastor. In Information Technology as my tent making, I lead infrastructure and security technology teams for large organizations.\nI am a:\n- Sinner – Saved by God’s amazing grace through Christ Jesus. A testament to His amazing grace and saving power.\n- Pastor – Chief servant at Calvary Cross Church of Fond du Lac, Wisconsin. The church is 1 year old and has An amazing body of believers who God has entrusted to my care.\n- Husband – Happily Married and serving my wife, who is my first ministry as was Christ’s example to us.\n- Father – I have four amazing kids who love the Lord that God has entrusted me to lead by example.\nHow to Engage Me to Share\nThank you for prayerfully considering me to speak at your church or event. To engage with me and to see if there is availability and to have me prayerfully consider your invitation, please check my availability.", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "Out of his fullness we have all received grace in place of grace already given. - John 1:16\nHi Kimberly, would you consider reviewing this song for playlist consideration? Our church just released it...https://open.spotify.com/track/0BbJLvX5T9Z37gYBU94i3c?si=MUwUpaffR3qnSM004ph-LwThank you!\nHey there you,\nYeah, you! 😁\nWelcome - we're glad you joined the Spotify Community!\nWhile you here, let's have a fun game…", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "Marriage supper of the lamb\nDiscover Pinterest’s 10 best ideas and inspiration for Marriage supper of the lamb. Get inspired and try out new things.\nIT IS TIME! THE BEST IS YET TO COME! 😍 #Revelation 19:7-9 (KJV) Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready. And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints. And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he saith unto me, These are the true sayings of God…\nMaranatha Quotes saved to Maranatha", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "Previous Challenge Entry (Level 3 - Advanced)\nTopic: The Game of Life (09/11/08)\n- TITLE: Thoughts From The Peanut Gallery\nBy Marilyn Schnepp\nLEAVE COMMENT ON ARTICLE\nSEND A PRIVATE COMMENT\nADD TO MY FAVORITES\nIf you've been around a few years like I have, I'm sure this isn't any breaking Front Page news for you; but guess what? Nowadays they're coming up with a new myth about life, referring to Life as a game. Can you believe it? A game!\nI hate to burst their bubble, but Life Is Not a game. It is a gift!\nWho in their right mind believes that God would take the time and effort to create a beautiful paradise on a small planet called Earth, and then turn that perfect work of art into a Monopoly game or Chess Board, using Man, whom He created in His own image, as pawns? For what purpose? Heavenly entertainment? Spectator sports for the Universe?\nSorry, folks, I don't buy that!\nNo dice was thrown to see how many steps Jesus had to take to struggle up that hill to Calvary. No card was drawn to see which Roman Guard would win the raffle of His clothes. Nobody threw the dice to see how many nails they needed to nail Him to the cross? And which player threw the lucky number to pierce His side?\nNo, my friend, Life is not a Monopoly, Chess or Scrabble game...God breathes the breath of Life into every man, woman and childs' nostrils and we become a living, breathing soul.\nThat is the whole reason why Jesus, the Son of God, traded Heaven for all these earthly things down here - because He loved us so much He died for us. Otherwise God would not have let Him go. No, Life is not just a game - it's a gift!\nIn the game of Chess it takes strategy; Monopoly, financial know-how; Scrabble, dictionary smarts; and Poker is just luck.. And IF there were such thing as a Game of Life - it would take only a smidgeon of faith the size of a mustard seed to win.\nIn the game of Monopoly, there is a card that says \"Go Directly To Jail. Do not Pass Go. Do not collect $200.\" However, Jesus tells us in the Holy Scriptures to \"Love me and Keep My Commandments, and You Will Inherit Eternal Life.\"....and that, my friend, is not a game - but a promise and a wonderful Gift from God.\nI rest my case.\nThe opinions expressed by authors may not necessarily reflect the opinion of FaithWriters.com.\nAccept Jesus as Your Lord and Savior Right Now - CLICK HERE\nJOIN US at FaithWriters for Free. Grow as a Writer and Spread the Gospel.", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "Friends and family have shared their relationship to show their support.\nHow do you know Doris Jean (Myers) Oliver?\nWe are sorry for your loss.\nHelp others honor Doris's memory.\nCoping with Grief\nWe would like to offer our sincere support to anyone coping with grief. Enter\nyour email below for our complimentary daily grief messages. Messages run for up to one year and you\ncan stop at any time. Your email will not be used for any other purpose.\nDoris Jean (Myers) Oliver\nSeptember 28, 1933 ~ September 30, 2023 (age 90) 90 Years Old\nDoris Jean Oliver, 90 departed this life on Saturday, September 30th, 2023, at Georgetown Community Hospital. She was the late daughter of the late Marion Warren Scott and the late Raymond Myers. Doris grew up in Paris and was a faithful worker and member of St. Paul United Methodist Church. She was also a member of Charles Young Post #165. Doris was also known for her cooking and her hospitality, it didn’t matter who called her and asked for help, she loved watching Lifetime and watching her westerns most of all. She believed in God, and she made sure that everyone knew that. She was a loving mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, great-great-grandmother, sister and aunt, family meant everything to her. She always spoke her mind, sometimes stepping on toes but we all knew that was just her and in her final days she never complained, she would always say “I’m alright.”\nShe is survived by her two sons, Raymond (Ruth Tootie) Chenault and David Oliver; fifteen grandchildren, Raymond (Kristi) Chenault Jr., Doris (Dewayne) Davis, Eric Groves, Lisa Oliver, Sylivia Oliver, Marilyn Oliver, Johnna Gaines, Marion O’Brien, Lakisha Jonuta, Jawana Smithers, Charles (Breana) Oliver, David Oliver Jr., Wesley Oliver and Eddie (Shawna) Cosby; twenty-seven great-grandchildren, Tavis Chenault, Brayden Chenault, Kamren & Ray Smoot, Deon Renfro, Tara Davis, Jayme Owens, Te’Jiah Gains, Justin Oliver, Tristin and Courtney O’Brien, Eric Groves Jr., Hunter (Ashley) Akemon, Jazlyn Wright, Janiya Levart, Justice, Sean, Sincere Smithers, Aubre, Kylee, Mya, Braxton, Riah, Sagen, Alexa and Elijah Oliver; four great-great Grandchildren Laila and Terrance Pate, Ender Akemon, Isabelle Renfro and a host of nieces, nephews and special friends.\nIn addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by three sons, Eddie, John and James Oliver; one daughter; Sylvia Groves, a grandson Brian Groves; four sisters; Gladys White, Anna Fomas, Mary Francis McKee, Flora Mae Fields; one brother, Eddie Myers.\nFuneral Services will be conducted at 12:00 PM Friday, October 6, 2023, at St. Paul United Methodist Church, 1113 High Street, Paris, KY by Rev. Connie Mitchell, Rev. Dr. Morgan Gilkey and Pastor Rosalind Bryant. Burial will be at Evergreen Memory Gardens.\nVisitation will be from 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM Friday, October 6, 2023, at the church.\nPallbearers will be David Oliver Jr., Charles Oliver, Eric Groves, Sr., James Clark, Jr., Jamaun Clark and Kamren Smoot.\nHonorary pallbearers will be Clarence Ayers, Lindrell Blackwell, James Clark, Sr., Lance Penney, Marcus Hall, Darnell Hall, Phillip Garrett, Ray Smoot, Brayden Chenault, Tavis Chenault and Deon Renfro.\nThe funeral arrangements were entrusted to the Lusk-McFarland Funeral Home, 1120 Main St., Paris, KY.", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "Humanae Vitae and US Health Policy\nThe Catholic hierarchy has also used the political clout they wield to influence US reproductive health policy by preventing access to affordable, comprehensive choices for family planning despite American women’s nearly universal use of modern contraceptives.\nThe Catholic bishops demanded a broad exemption to the contraceptive benefit requirement for any faith-based organization, such as Catholic hospitals and universities, which objected to providing contraceptives to their employees, staff and students.\nIn 2011, the Obama administration announced a plan to require that all health insurance plans sold in the United States include no-cost contraceptive coverage as part of a slate of essential women’s preventive health services that would be covered at no cost. The US Conference of Catholic Bishops, the lobbying arm of the Catholic hierarchy in the United States, was apoplectic. In an effort to allay the concerns expressed by the Catholic bishops, the Obama administration gave churches and houses of worship a narrow exemption when they announced the proposed regulation for the contraceptive benefit. Two state supreme court cases in New York and California had upheld a similar exemption. But the bishops were not satisfied. Faced with overwhelming public opinion in support of the contraceptive benefit, they changed tactics.\nIn September 2011, the USCCB announced the formation of an Ad Hoc Committee on Religious Liberty to answer several “threats” to religious liberty they perceived on the horizon, linking the contraceptive benefit to a number of other policies, including the push to recognize same-sex marriage, which the Catholic hierarchy also forbids. Under the guise of this “religious liberty” fight, the bishops claimed that the government was forcing Catholics, and Catholic institutions, to violate their consciences with the contraceptive benefit and the recognition of same-sex marriage.[i] Over the next few years, the committee became a platform for the USCCB to stake its positions on these issues, despite not having the backing of the majority of voters, Catholic or otherwise.\nThe Catholic bishops did have some allies in this fight, however. Groups associated with the Christian right, such as the National Association of Evangelicals and evangelical universities such as Colorado Christian University, took up the mantle of “religious liberty” to argue that they too should be allowed to deny contraceptive coverage, even though no Protestant faith has a ban on contraceptive use. Albert Mohler, president of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, the closest thing evangelicals have to a Vatican-like teaching authority, noted how influential Humanae Vitae had become in evangelicals’ growing hostility to contraception. He urged conservative Protestant evangelicals to reject a “contraceptive mentality” and said they should “look closely at the Catholic moral argument found in Humanae Vitae” in assessing whether contraceptive use was moral.[ii] As the Christian right became more radicalized on contraception, the Republican Party in 2011 tried, unsuccessfully, to defund the Title X family planning program, which provides family planning services to some 4 million clients annually.[iii] Ultraconservatives also sought to limit reproductive care through attempts to defund Planned Parenthood across 15 states.\nThe USCCB became a key player in the fight to roll back the contraceptive benefit. The Catholic bishops demanded a broad exemption to the contraceptive benefit requirement for any faith-based organization, such as Catholic hospitals and universities, which objected to providing contraceptives to their employees, staff and students. With Catholic hospitals alone employing more than 750,000 people, many of whom are not Catholic, such a broad exemption was clearly a ploy to impose Humanae Vitae and its ban on contraception on the population at large.[iv] Again, the Obama administration attempted to appease the Catholic bishops by proposing an accommodation that offered a workaround to allow a broader range of religiously affiliated nonprofits to bypass direct provision of the benefit with a simple declaration of their objections. Still the Catholic bishops balked.\nBishop David Zubik of Pittsburgh, under direct orders from the USCCB, led several Catholic entities to sue the federal government because the workaround was not good enough—claiming that filing a form or another declaration indicating their objection to the contraceptive coverage was a violation of their religious freedom. In short, the goal was a complete exemption for every nonprofit organization even loosely affiliated with religious bodies, imposing one set of religious views on millions of employees and essentially codifying Humanae Vitae into public law. The cases eventually were consolidated under the Zubik v. Burwell case, which made its way to the US Supreme Court in 2016.\nMeanwhile, for-profit-companies took a page from the Catholic bishops to claim that their consciences as employers would be violated if they provided birth control coverage for their employees. The owners of Hobby Lobby, a chain of craft stores, and Conestoga Wood Specialties, a cabinet manufacturer, argued in the courts that providing insurance coverage for contraception to their employees violated their beliefs that certain kinds of contraceptives were immoral. In June 2014, this argument was upheld by the US Supreme Court in the Burwell v. Hobby Lobby decision, which found that closely held private companies had a right to deny contraception to their employees.\nThe USCCB not only wielded influence in the courts, but in the private sector too. They began a crackdown on the provision of contraception by healthcare providers affiliated with the Catholic church. The Affordable Care Act (ACA) provided incentives for hospitals to buy up physicians’ practices and integrate them into healthcare systems to restrain costs. The breadth of Catholic hospitals across the country meant that many secular physicians’ practices have become integrated into Catholic healthcare systems. When these doctors’ practices are merged with Catholic hospitals, their care falls under the Ethical and Religious Directives for Catholic Health Care Services (the Directives)—a set of guidelines written and enforced by Catholic bishops that ban the provision of certain types of healthcare, including contraception. The Directives serve as a policy manual for implementing Humanae Vitae in US healthcare provision.\nAs a result of these mergers, the number of Catholic hospitals increased by 22 percent between 2001 and 2016.[v] Today, one in six hospital beds in America is Catholic-owned or -affiliated.[vi]\nIn 2018, Ascension Health, a Catholic system, announced plans to purchase Providence St. Joseph Health in a merger that would create the single largest health system in the United States, encompassing 200 hospitals in 27 states and numerous ancillary services like doctors’ offices.\nAs a result of these mergers, increasingly more Americans are denied family planning services banned by Humanae Vitae. For instance, a woman named Angela Valavanis in Evanston, Illinois, was told by her OB/GYN that she could no longer prescribe contraception after she sold her practice to Presence Health, a large regional Catholic hospital system that owns dozens of doctors’ offices. Valavanis was shocked when her doctor gave her the news that Catholic doctrine was affecting her reproductive health choices, calling the doctrine “medieval.” A short time later, her husband was denied a vasectomy by a doctor affiliated with the same system.[vii]\nWith the inauguration of President Trump, the USCCB and Catholic-owned hospitals, schools and social service agencies, found the president’s ultraconservative religious appointees to be powerful allies in implementing their agenda on religious refusals and contraception. On October 2017, the Trump administration issued an executive order that allows any employer—for-profit or nonprofit, faith-based or not—to opt out of the ACA contraceptive benefit due to religious or vaguely defined “moral” objections. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists called the rollback of a benefit that had helped an estimated 55 million women access no-cost contraceptives “damaging” to “public health and women’s health.”[viii]\nThrough court battles, executive orders and private mergers, we continue to see how the Catholic hierarchy in the United States has imposed its ban on contraception on non-Catholics and Catholics alike, despite public opinion on these issues. Humanae Vitae may be 50 years old, but its consequences seem to be more widespread and consequential than ever before.\n[i] Laurie Goodstein, “Bishops Open ‘Religious Liberty’ Drive,” New York Times, November 14, 2011.\n[ii] Albert Mohler, “Can Christians Use Birth Control?” AlbertMohler.com, May 8, 2006.\n[iii] Title X Family Planning Annual Report 2016 Summary, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, https://www.hhs.gov/opa/title-x-family-planning/fp-annual-report/fpar-2016/index.html.\n[iv] “U.S. Catholic Health Care” fact sheet, Catholic Health Association of the United States, 2018, https://www.chausa.org/docs/default-source/default-document-library/cha_2018_miniprofile7aa087f4dff26ff58685ff00005b1bf3.pdf?sfvrsn=2\n[v] Lois Uttley and Christine Khaikin, Growth of Catholic Hospital Systems, New York, MergerWatch, 2016.\n[vi] Is Your Healthcare Compromised? How the Catholic Directives Make for Unhealthy Choices. Catholics for Choice. 2017. http://issuu.com/catholicsforchoice/docs/2017_catholic_healthcare_report?e=31036955/53427854.\n[vii] Patricia Miller, “When the Catholic Church Owns Your Doctor,” Salon, May 11, 2015.\n[viii] Brianna Ehley, “Trump Rolls Back Obamacare Birth Control Mandate,” Politico, October 6, 2017.", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "About this Course\nAre you growing in your love of God? Perhaps you are Christian but don’t feel the love of God or feel loving toward God? Are there obstacles to loving God? Come and be encouraged as we explore and learn together about loving God. This Course will be taught by Bill Schreyer, elder.\nDate, Time & Location\nSundays • July 9 – July 30, 2017 • 11am • Auditorium\nNo registration is required. You are welcome to join for one Sunday or every week!", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "(2nd Week of Easter – Monday)\nA Reading from the Holy Gospel according to John 3:1-8\nThere was a Pharisee named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. He came to Jesus at night and said to him, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God, for no one can do these signs that you are doing unless God is with him.” Jesus answered and said to him, “Amen, amen, I say to you, unless one is born from above, he cannot see the Kingdom of God.” Nicodemus said to him, “How can a man once grown old be born again? Surely he cannot reenter his mother’s womb and be born again, can he?” Jesus answered, “Amen, amen, I say to you, unless one is born of water and Spirit he cannot enter the Kingdom of God. What is born of flesh is flesh and what is born of spirit is spirit. Do not be amazed that I told you, ‘You must be born from above.’ The wind blows where it wills, and you can hear the sound it makes, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes; so it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.”\n—The Gospel of the Lord.", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "Switch to calm\nA Christian Science perspective on daily life\nA friend of mine loves scary movies – that is, sometimes. She has a tactic she uses when they become too scary. She pushes the mute button, maintaining that if she can't hear the suspenseful music, the spell of fright is broken. Then she can regain her composure and get back into the movie to see what happens without being afraid.\nBut the fodder of scary movies – the fear of the unknown – is now prevalent in everyday life. In airports, in major \"target cities,\" even in our public schools, the possibility that unseen, lurking evil could strike innocent people at any moment for no apparent reason has many of us on edge. Do we have control over this sort of fear?\nRecent terrorist plots in London alert us to be unrelenting in our prayers for a truly civilized civilization, a world where reason, rather than reaction, reigns. The ability to establish calm and extinguish fear that would immobilize wise action is essential. And it is available right now to each of us.\nThe Bible feeds my prayers on this topic. It repeatedly counsels, \"Fear not.\" In fact, I've just counted well over 100 times that the Bible instructs the reader not to be afraid. It's been helpful to regard these short, explicit statements as commands, rather than recommendations. It gives me something to obey, to do. We are not helpless.\nThe most peaceful and fearless man to have ever lived, Christ Jesus, made a statement, then gave an instruction to his followers: \"Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid\" (John 14:27).\nThe \"let not\" gives us an active part in ridding ourselves of fear. It requires some discipline by implying that each of us has dominion to be used through not allowing our hearts to be troubled or afraid. We don't have to play out the fears that come our way. We can exercise spiritual authority and poise. This not only helps us. It helps everyone we encounter. We contribute to the mental atmosphere with our thoughts. As we are prayerfully proceeding in our lives, others perceive our fearlessness. Jesus told his disciples to \"freely give\" (Matt. 10:8). One of the things we might consider giving today is a steady sense of dominion over fear.\nA book I read to further understand spiritual dominion is \"Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures\" by Mary Baker Eddy, who established this newspaper in 1908. She, too, when addressing readers, attributes to them great dominion. She wrote, in what could be considered a correlative statement to the passage in John, cited above, \"Let neither fear nor doubt overshadow your clear sense and calm trust, that the recognition of life harmonious – as Life eternally is – can destroy any painful sense of, or belief in, that which Life is not\" (p. 495).\nOne time, when reading that sentence in a fairly unsettled frame of mind, I realized the author was giving me instruction and was simultaneously telling me something quite wonderful and new. By using the phrase \"your clear sense and calm trust,\" she was attributing to the reader these qualities.\nI didn't have to get this clear sense or calm trust; they are established possessions. This gave me new confidence to claim the spiritual identity that belongs to all God's children, and this conquered the fear. God made man and gave him \"dominion,\" as stated in chapter one of Genesis.\nAnd what do we do with this God-instilled calm? We live it. We can go about our lives knowing our dominion over fear because God's love is right where fear appears to be. We can expect good and encourage others to be spiritually courageous.\nNothing breaks the hold of fear like deeply settled calm based on God's goodness and presence. It is natural to feel this. We don't have to stay riveted to a mental screen of fright. We can switch to our dominion and our fearless being.", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "Deuteronomy 6-34 | May 16-22\nMoses knew he wouldn’t be around much longer, so he gathered his people to teach them. He reminded them to love the Lord their God. Moses didn’t want the people to forget all of the great things the Lord had done for them. They had been freed from slavery, saved from the Egyptians, fed manna in the wilderness, and they had seen many other miracles. Moses told the people to teach all these things to their children and never forget to love the Lord with all their hearts.\nMany of the things Moses had taught and written were quoted by Jesus Christ when He was on the earth. Some of these scriptures helped the Savior when he was being tempted by Satan. The teachings of Moses and other prophets can help and inspire us today.\nRead and Discuss\n“And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart: And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.”\n- How can we show love for God with all our souls, hearts, might, minds, and strength?\n- Why is it so important to love God?\n- How do we learn the words of God?\n- What are some things we’ve learned from Moses?\n“The words of the prophets are like manna to our souls. When we partake, we are blessed, protected, and preserved both temporally and spiritually. When we feast upon their words, we learn how to come unto Christ and live.” Carol F. McConkieGET THE FULL LESSON >\nView past lessons & resources on our website.\nLet family members decorate these inspiring quotes and then post them on your refrigerator, wall, or bulletin board.\nThese delicious treats are heart shaped to remind your family to love God with all your hearts.\nStand for the Right, Children’s Songbook page 159", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "The theme of this Year of Mercy is \"Merciful like the Father,\" and no one has shown us how to emulate the Father's Mercy better than the \"image of the invisible God\" himself, the one who identified himself to St. Faustina Kowalska as \"Mercy Incarnate.\"\nThere are many ways to live out the Year of Mercy, but I think perhaps the most fruitful is to ponder and imitate Jesus' own merciful example. The theme of this Year of Mercy is \"Merciful like the Father,\" and no one has shown us how to emulate the Father's Mercy better than the \"image of the invisible God\" himself, the one who identified himself to St. Faustina Kowalska as \"Mercy Incarnate.\"\nAll of Jesus' life is a manifestation of God's loving mercy, but when we look at the demonstrations of that merciful love in the Gospel, we see that they fall into five general categories. In Greek, the evangelists introduce them all by the same verb, splanchnizomai, which in English is normally translated as Jesus' \"heart was moved with pity.\" Since splanchna, however, means \"viscera\" or \"guts,\" a more literal translation would be that Jesus was \"sick to his stomach\" with compassion as he saw people in need.\nJesus did five different things in response to these intense cramps of compassion, things that the Church continues to do and every Christian is called to do with particular focus during this Year of Mercy.\nThe first was to teach. St. Mark tells us, \"When he saw the vast crowd, his heart was moved with pity or them, for they were like sheep without a shepherd; and he began to teach them many things\" (Mk 6:34). We need the truth! \"Teach me your ways, O Lord,\" we pray in the Psalms, \"so that I may walk in your truth\" (Ps 86). Jesus -- who identified himself as the Truth and said he had come had come to \"witness to the truth\" and to \"proclaim the Gospel to the poor\" -- hrough his preaching and teaching sought mercifully to cure us of our spiritual cluelessness. The Church has always carried out the spiritual work of mercy of \"instructing the ignorant,\" through the teaching of the magisterium, through schools, universities, catechetical programs, daily and Sunday homilies and more. This ministry of the truth is not adequately appreciated in a relativistic age, but Jesus wants us to receive the mercy of his astonishing, amazing and authoritative teaching and learn it well enough so that we can mercifully pass it on.\nThe second thing was to heal. The evangelists tell us often that Jesus' heart was moved with pity for the multitudes and he \"cured their sick\" one-by-one (Mk 14:14; Mk 9:27; Mt 20:34; Mk 1:41; Lk 7:13). He healed lepers, cripples, the blind, the deaf, hemorrhaging women, the possessed, even raising the dead. In the Parable of the Good Samaritan, the term splanchnizomai is used to describe why the Samaritan drew near the dying man. The Church continues this work of mercy, caring for the sick, founding hospitals, clinics and nursing homes, ministering to the inform with parishes and so many other ways. In this Jubilee Year, we're all called to a similar compassion, recognizing that in every ill man or woman, Jesus is saying, \"I was sick and you cared for me.\"\nThe third was to feed. \"My heart is moved with pity for the crowd,\" Jesus said at the miracle of the multiplication of the loaves and fish (Mt 15:32; Mk 8:2). God always responds to our prayer, \"Give us this day our daily bread\" and Jesus wanted us to continue that ministry of feeding, commanding us to to invite beggars, the blind, and the crippled to our dinner parties and to see him in the hungry. The Church continues that mission of mercy in soup kitchens, pantries, St. Vincent de Paul Conference work, Catholic Charities, Catholic Relief Services and more. During this Year of Mercy, Jesus is hoping that we will be sick to our stomachs that so many go to bed with empty stomachs.\nFourth, Jesus forgave. In Jesus' famous parable, the verb splanchnizomai is used to describe how the Father, \"filled with compassion,\" forgave his Prodigal Son. Filled with that compassion, Jesus forgave the paralyzed man, the sinful woman who with tears washed his feet, the tax collector Zacchaeus, the Samaritan Woman, the woman caught in adultery, St. Peter, the Good Thief and many others. The Lamb of God, who had come to take away the sins of the world, was denigrated as a \"friend of tax collectors and sinners,\" and proved his love by dying for them, begging the Father's pardon from the Cross. The Church continues this work of God's mercy, reconciling sinners through the Sacrament of Penance and Reconciliation, and helping people to learn how to forgive those who have wronged them. This work of forgiveness, receiving it from God and giving it toward others, is the most important and the foundation of all the works of mercy.\nThe last act of mercy is not as conspicuous as the others. When Jesus' heart was moved with pity for the crowds because they were \"mangled and abandoned like sheep without a shepherd,\" he told his disciples, \"The harvest is abundant but the laborers are few, so pray the Master of the Harvest to send out laborers for his harvest\" (Mt 9:36). Then Jesus immediately called from among those same praying disciples twelve whom he would send out as apostles. Praying for vocations to continue Jesus' saving mission, and then responding to Jesus when he calls us, is an essential work of mercy. God wants, and the suffering world needs, \"laborers\" of mercy, hard-workers who, sick to their stomach over the needs of others, will carry out together with Jesus his continued work of teaching, healing, feeding, forgiving, praying and calling. During this Holy Year, Jesus is calling us to see that we're the response to the prayers of the saints and sinners across the centuries until the present day.\nThis Jubilee Year is a time when Jesus wants us, with him, to observe how many are lost and instruct them how to follow Him who is the Way; to see how many are suffering physically, psychologically and spiritually and become nurses of the Divine Physician; to notice the crowds starving physically or spiritually and give them the nourishment God provides; to spot the multitudes carrying the wounds of unexpiated guilt or severed relationships and bring them to receive and extend God's mercy; and in all of this, to become laborers of mercy and to pray insistently that others join us in becoming the compassionate \"upset stomach\" of the Mystical Body of Christ.\nFather Roger J. Landry is a priest of the Diocese of Fall River, Massachusetts, who works for the Holy See’s Permanent Observer Mission to the United Nations.\nRecent articles in the Faith & Family section\nA Day of CompassionJaymie Stuart Wolfe\nWhen the child Jesus and the three kings brought ChristmasHosffman Ospino\nIn support of our priests in good standingKevin and Tricia Muldoon\nWe need an educated laityAldona Lingertat\nWhat Do We Do?Scott Hahn", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "This article has shown that the Gen 3:15 Edenic covenant began in the Garden with the woman. It was then initially fulfilled with Deborah and Jael in Judg 4 and 5. Indeed, the Jael story actualizes the Gen 3:15 promise.\nCleansing the Bible of counter-cultural female roles not only masculinizes history, it also deprives women of a broader picture of how God has and might use women and their gifts in church, home, and society.\nMost people read a translated Bible, a domesticated Bible that by means of translators’ mediation has crossed time, space, language, and culture. Bible translators strive to provide people with access to this ancient text.\nFirst Corinthians 14 contains the only passage in the Bible that at face value silences women or restricts their ministry in the churches. It is important for all who believe Scripture to understand the truth about this passage.\nThis paper argues that a close reading of Deborah's story and song reveals an ’eshet hayil, a “woman of valor” (cf. Ruth 3:11, Prov 12:4, 31:10). This is evident not only in the direct references to her, but also in the narratives regarding her associates Barak and Jael.\nThe occasion for writing the following article is this: at a recent summer convention [probably 1893] a young lady missionary had been appointed to give an account of her work at one of the public sessions. The scruples of certain of the delegates against a woman’s addressing a mixed assembly were found to be so strong, however, that the lady was withdrawn from the programme, and further public participation in the conference confined to its male constituency.", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "Faithful and TrueWhat experiences have shaped your understanding of what it means to be faithful?\nTop Christian Music Videos\nHomeless Man Under Pressure\nWatch this inspirational performance to encourage us to not forget those men, women and children living on streets. They are people too. Do you know them?", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "ASTON – While Americans were gearing up for Independence Day last week, the Sisters of St. Francis of Philadelphia quietly signed an agreement that will change the future of Neumann University, as well as enhance the lives of countless students, now and in the years to come. The Sisters of St. Francis and Neumann University signed an official purchase agreement to formalize the sale of several historic properties and contiguous land to the university.\nUnder the agreement, signed on June 30, Neumann University will acquire the Our Lady of Angels Motherhouse Convent, now owned by the Sisters of St. Francis. Both parties describe the purchase price as fair market value. The convent, built in late 1800s, is considered one of the most recognized, historic, and beloved buildings in the Aston area.\nThe transaction also includes the purchase of St. Elizabeth House, a two-story residential facility and office building, two residential homes, and nearly 63 acres of land. The land acquisition includes sacred spaces, most notably, Our Lady of Angels Cemetery and many iconic statues and symbols throughout the properties. The university has vowed to preserve these spaces, statues, and symbols in keeping with its longtime commitment to the Catholic, Franciscan intellectual tradition and Neumann’s ongoing partnership with the Sisters of St. Francis.\nThe sale positions Neumann to nearly double its campus footprint to accommodate future growth and enhance all aspects of its mission.\nThe university’s ambitious new master plan calls for the transformation of its campus over a 15-year period. Highlights of the buildout will include a welcoming entryway and lively pedestrian-only zone at the heart of campus. Plans also call for a new student center, new ice rink, an events center, and new student residences.\nAs many as 60 students are expected to move into one wing of the convent during the upcoming 2021-22 academic year, with the total reaching 120 within three years.\n“This acquisition works on so many levels,” said Neumann President Chris Domes. “This is a great win-win, and the sisters feel the same way. It positions us to strengthen the residential experience for our students and supports our desire for expanded extracurricular programs and athletics.”\n“Equally important,” Domes noted, “it preserves and extends the university’s commitment to a faith-based Catholic, Franciscan education and our ongoing partnership with the Sisters of St. Francis of Philadelphia. The motherhouse, which includes Our Lady of Angels Chapel, and the sacred spaces are integral to our mission and identity.”\nThe Sisters of St. Francis of Philadelphia is a congregation of Catholic women who commit their lives to God and in service to others. According to a press release about the sale, the Sisters see the sale as an opportunity to continue their mission to serve “the needs of others, especially the economically poor, the marginal, and the oppressed,” without the burden of maintaining properties and land.\nAt their height in 1958, the Sisters of St. Francis of Philadelphia numbered 1,600 sisters working in grade schools and high schools, hospitals and centers of nursing, and in social services. The congregation now includes about 360 sisters in 19 states, Ireland, and Africa, with a median age of 82.\nApproximately 35 sisters expect to maintain residence in the convent.\n“Though bittersweet in many ways, this transaction allows us to focus solely on our mission and ministries,” said Sr. Kathryn Dougherty, OSF, outgoing congregational minister for the Sisters of St. Francis of Philadelphia. “Frankly, we’ve reached a point at which we no longer needed, or could justify owning, these facilities and this land.”\n“Our sisters,” she added, “did not join this community because of a building or a parcel of land. They came to serve. Moving forward, we wanted to make sure that we could sustain our mission and support the ministries we have established over the years.”\nThe closing on the transaction is expected to be as soon as Aug. 30.\nAs part of the agreement, the acquisition of property will take place incrementally over time. The Sisters of St. Francis of Philadelphia will lease space in the convent for resident Sisters and offices through at least 2030. The Sisters of St. Francis will maintain ownership of Assisi House, Red Hill Farm, Clare House, and the Hermitages.\nThe Sisters of St. Francis of Philadelphia founded Neumann University, then called Our Lady of Angels College, in 1965, with a total enrollment of 115 female students. Today, Neumann educates 2,500 male and female students annually, engages over 14,900 alumni, and is one of the largest employers in Aston.\n“Neumann University is the perfect fit to carry our legacy forward,” Dougherty stated. “We are thrilled about that. It’s a true blessing.”", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "Maryland High School Soccer - Tri-State Christian can't get by DickinsonMarch 29, 2019: Elkton, MD 21921\nIn Friday's non-league battle, the visiting Dickinson Rams soccer squad scored a close 1-0 win over the Tri-State Christian Crusaders.\nThe Rams (1-0) will now prepare for their battle against Brandywine (Wilmington, DE). The Bulldogs go into the non-league battle with a 1-0 record.\nThe Crusaders (1-1) will now prepare for their battle against Granite Baptist School (Glen Burnie, MD). The go into the non-league battle with a 0-1 record. In their last battle, Granite Baptist School was nudged by Harford Christian (Darlington, MD), 1-0, in a league battle.", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "blusdrmr wrote on my BWWSOT Introduction the following: (My comments will be in Red)\nX> I guess most people have asked\"what on EARTH am I to do with all these 'tools'?\"\nB> I guess, hypocrite, you want to \"support\" all of the Diamonds that you proclaim to not want to give your money to. (sarcasm implied) Hypocrite seems to be this person’s favorite word, though I am doubtful of his knowledge of the definition. I looked up hypocrite in my handy dictionary and it means, “A person given to hypocrisy”. How wonderful, now I have to look up hypocrisy, “The professing of beliefs or virtues one does not possess.” I would be a hypocrite if I wrote all this material about BWW and was an active participant in the program. I would also be a hypocrite if I did not live by the Christian principles I write about on this site, but I do hold to them.\nX> \"Here is a creative idea: Listen to them and then post excerpts and comments!\"\nB> How about this creative idea?: Crawl back in your hole. Wonderful…I will be sure to crawl into the hole so as to not spread my negativity…the problem is that there would be too many people looking for me because they love my attitude and outlook on life.\nX> \"(Warning, ONLY do this if you are SUFFICIENTLY deprogrammed so you don't catch the dream; you know, similar to a cold, but a lot more dangerous).\"\nB> Really?!?!?!?!? That is just wonderful! Well, hypocrite, I guess you might want to find it in your re-written version of the Bible that God does NOT want us to have dreams and goals. First of all, let us look at how BWW is a cult and thus deprogramming is needed to overcome it. Look at a cult experts testimony here: http://www.freedomofmind.com/resourcecenter/groups/a/amway/\nNext, if you haven't noticed, all my biblical quotes are from the NASB, which is a very good and reliable translation. The bible is very clear: The Gospel is the dream and the goal. It is OK to succeed in life, but it is not OK to make money on other people’s losses, which Quixtar has proven to do when used in conjunction with BWW and other MO’s. Matthew 10:38, Matthew 16:24-26, and 1 Thessalonians 3:1-3 are a few of many verses about self denial, not self-fulfillment. When you walk in the glory of God, you will receive blessing, but when you walk to fulfill your hearts desires, you may fulfill your heart, but you are compromising the Gospel. This is a very difficult concept to grasp, and I apologize that I don’t have the time to fully develop it.\nOn the other hand, the BWW system has appeared to produce a who lot of people who are driven to gather money, people have been hurt, scandals have been uncovered, and all sorts of other things. Have a read through this verse: 2 Timothy 3:1-5. Sounds a lot like BWW people.\nX> \"Or, you can just look at mine!\"\nB> OH! What a great idea! We can all look at you wonderful blog of how much you hate something and how much you hate a certain group of people for succeeding in life. So, do you hate Sam Walton or Bill Gates, too? Might want to read the REAL Bible and see if that applies to your hypocritical views. If I hated these people, I certainly would not spend the time to do all this. There is nothing wrong with Bill Gates or Sam Walton. They provided a service that people bought. They may have hurt some people along the way, I do not know. BWW, however, requires to be fed by hard earned money for nothing more than a motivational business that promises everyone can make it. It uses a mind control system to keep people involved and thus sucks people dry until they have to refinance homes, lose jobs, and a whole host of other problems.\nI would like to take this time to point out a small portion of his quote, “at you wonderful blog”. On many of his other comments, this person results to attacking me over a few spelling mistakes. I don’t make a big deal about them, and I think it is wrong to do so, I just wanted to pull this one out since he is so keen to tell me that my spelling is off about 4 times or so…hypocrite? Maybe.\nX> \"My goal here is to post a tape a week. Why a week? Standing order comes once a week, so this blog will too!\"\nB> Well, at least you learned ONE thing...to have goals. Too bad those goals are to try to hurt other people and crush their dreams and goals. What a wonderful Christian you are! You make me want to vomit. You are the very type of person who made me LEAVE the church and turn away from God. THANK GOD for him leading me to this team and getting my life back in order and being able to help hold my marriage together and have three wonderful boys to spend time with. What has your negative mind gotten you? Really, hurting people? Hrmm…Crushing their dreams? Well, if your dream is to abandon your God-ordained call to work, promote a Mind Control System that sucks out 50-100 times per year than the average annual income of a Quixtar IBO, than yes, I want to ‘steal your dream’ as it were. I stand true to the call of God, to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ, however, when MLM is involved, you lose track of which gospel to share.\nThis person says that I am the type of Christian that made him leave the church. Why did you leave the church because of people? Do you not know that it is God that you are bound to? When I leave the Mind Control Cult of BWW, I am a negative low self-esteem person, but when he leaves the church, it is the people that were bad. I think this person may need to reconsider. I do not know him, but I have seen this situation many times. It goes like this: a person is living in sin, the church takes it’s responsibility and tells him about his sin (1 Corinthians 5:12), he gets mad and leaves. He wants to follow his own path. Later, this person finds a group of people that are following their own desires and tells him that he can have God and his pleasures, he takes it. This is the heart of the passage 2 Timothy 4:3-4. I CAN NOT SAY THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT HAPPENED TO HIM. It is also possible that he was simply in an unregenerate church where people talked about what honors God, but they were truly hypocrites. If that is the case, and you are reading this, I am not one such person. I do not live in unrighteous behavior to the best of my ability. I, like every other Christian, will still sin, but when I do, I deal with it appropriately.\nAgain, it is funny how he assumes that I am a negative person. This person does not even know me. It is curious for him to make such an assertion. As I mentioned earlier, I have a lot of people who enjoy my spirit and outlook. To answer your question (I will alter it to ask, “What have you done since you left Quixtar?), Ministry related, I have:\n1. Mentored 2 boys from less-than-ideal backgrounds\n2. Taught Children’s Church once a month\n3. Taught 3rd graders every week for a while\n4. Have the reputation across several churches as a great children and youth worker\n5. Have been asked several times to join committees for children’s organizations because the director of one such organization was baffled about why I have kids following me around like the pied piper\n6. Brought people back to God after they have strayed down the dark path of MLM\n7. Been asked to take over a youth group in a different church to allow the regular teachers time to study with a group of people instead of constantly outputting\n8. Counseled children’s camps and received high praises for my great attitude, fortitude, wisdom, and ability.\n9. Have coached a boys club once a week and earned the reputation as a friend to most of the kids there.\n1. Have the reputation as the most approachable person in the lab\n2. Have been given the honor of teaching a student independently\n3. Have counseled many people at work through many serious issues B> You are a hypocrite.", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "\"The finest Christian poet alive today is the Welsh poet R. S. Thomas. Our century has produced some magnificent Christian poetry, but R. S. Thomas has written the most convincing.” So commented poet Mark Jarman in a 1998 interview from the Writer’s Chronicle. We can no longer claim Thomas as a major living poet: he died on September 25 at the age of 87.\nAfter 30 years of teaching Christian ethics, I decided that I needed to express myself in something besides words. I wanted a fresh start and a fresh form, something that would go beyond nostalgia, some new symbolic form that would be congruent with my deepest convictions and aspirations. I decided to build a communion table.\nThe participants at the church retreat had been talking about their families, new grandkids, vacations and pending retirements. The facilitator had asked us to share something personal. I’d shared personal stuff in church groups before. But this time my heart sank and my shoulders slumped. I could feel a shroud of fear and disgrace coming over me. Share something personal? Why? How?\nForty years after Harvest of Shame, Edward R. Murrrow’s great documentary on the exploitation of migrant workers, the shame endures. Now overwhelmingly Spanish-speaking, the nation’s estimated 1.5 million farmworkers, are the most vulnerable laborers in the U.S.\nIn the late 1980s, Barbara Brown Zikmund lamented the failure of churches prior to the 1960s to understand and help working women, women who had first moved into the workplace during World War II. The indices of the Century during the ’40s and ’50s demonstrate how little attention mainline religion gave to women’s issues during those years.", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "« PreviousContinue »\nCanst thou thy face forever hide,\nRejoice to see me sunk so low.\nBefore my death conclude my grief; e. If thou withhold thy heav'nly light,\nI sleep in everlasting night. 5.How will the pow'rs of darkness boast,\nIf but one praying soul be lost? o But I have trusted in thy grace,\nAnd shall again behold thy face.\nThou art my hope, my joy, my rest:\nMy cheerful voice to songs of praise.\nBy Nature all Men are Sinners.\n“That all religion's vain;\n“Or minds th' affairs of men.”\nCorrupt discourse proceeds;\nLook'd down on things below,\nOr did his justice know.\nTheir practice all the same:\nThere's none who loves his Name.\n5 Their tongues are used to speak deceit,\nTheir slanders never cease;\nNor know the paths of peace.\nIn ev'ry heart are found; Nor can they bear diviner fruit,\n'Till grace refine the ground. Plymouth. PSALM 15. L. M. Leeds. Oporto. [*]\nDuties to God and Man; or, the CARISTIAN. ei WHO shall ascend thy heavenly place,\n-The man who minds religion now,\nAnd humbly walks with God below.\nSweet charity attends his door.]\nthose who curse him to his face: And does to all men still the same\nThat he would hope or wish from them, 7 Yet when his holiest works are done,\nHis soul depends on grace alone: o This is the man thy face shall see,\nAnd dwell for ever, Lord, with thee.\nGood works profit Men, not Gon.\nFor succour to thy throne I flee;\nBut have no merits there to plead;\nNor add new glories to thy Name:\nSome profit by the good we do;\nCourage in Death, and Hope of the Resurrection.\nTHEN God is nigh, my faith is strong,\n2. Though in the dust I lay my head;\nNor lose thy children in the grave.\nShake off the dust, and rise on high;\nV. 1-3.-Support and Counsel from God.\nBut my delightful lot is cast,\nWhere the true God is known.\nHe fills my daily cup;\nBut more rejoice in hope.\n5 God is my portion and my joy;\nHis counsels are my light;\nAnd gentle hints by night.\nTo his all-seeing eye;\nWhile such a Friend is nigh.\nThe Death and Resurrection of CARIST. p5 :\nESUS, whom ev'ry saint adores, o Behold, the tomb its prey restores!\nBehold, he lives again! -6 When shall my feet arise and stand\nOn heav'n's eiernal hills; o There sits the Son at God's right hand,\nAnd there the Father smiles.\nPSALM 17. S. M. Peckham. [*]\nAnd make the wicked flee;\nTo drive thy saints to thee. р\n2 Behold, the sinner dies,\nHis haughty words are vain;\nAnd all beyond is pain.\nAnd boast of all his store;\nMy soul can wish no more..\nOf my forgiving God;\nWash'd in my Saviour's blood. s 5 There's a new heaven begun,\nWhen I awake from death Drest in the likeness of thy Son,\nAnd draw immortal breath.\nL. M. Islington. [*]\nLord, 'tis enough that thou art mine: o I shall behold thy blissful face,\nAnd stand complete in righteousness. p 4 This life's a dream, an empty show; But the bright world to which I go\nHath joys substantial and sincere;\nI shall be near, and like my God!\nThe sacred pleasures of the soul.\nAnd in my Saviour's image rise. PSALM 18. L. M. First Part. Green's. (*)\nVerse 1-6, 15—18. Deliverance from Despair: or, Temptations overcone. 1\nMy, rock, my tow'r, my high defence;\nStood round me with their dismal shade,\nAnd made my sinking soul afraid. e 3 I saw the op’ning gates of hell,\nWith endless pains and sorrows there;\nWhen I could scarce believe him mine;\nThe blast of his almighty breath;", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "There’s a varied arsenal of Bible truths that I reach for on harder days. Each one of them has their place in doing battle on despairing thoughts and on the suffering in the lives of those we know and love.\nToday feels like one of those days. Sad news from friends we love and their losses and, here, another UTI after the last one had just cleared up (and I’d been doing all the things I’m meant to do including drinking cranberry juice by the litre!). Not a big thing in one sense, but in the category of ‘one thing too many’\nThe range of truths I reach for on these days includes: ‘God provides one day at a time’; ‘it’s okay to grieve’; ‘the Psalms encourage honesty with God’; ‘it’s okay to rest; you’re not indispensible’; ‘God took His own medicine and knows what suffering is like’; ‘God is present even when He seems most absent’\nSometimes the truth I reach for is ‘eternity puts suffering in perspective‘.\nSo, I’m offering the extract below from Philip Yancey not as the one knock-down thing we need to hear in suffering, as if ‘well, eternity will make things alright’ is the only thing we say to ourselves and others when another of God’s waves breaks over us. It’s not the only thing we need to hear or say. Certainly it’s not the only thing God says to us in the Bible. But it is one of the things. And a really important one.\nI think Yancey puts it well:\n“Who would complain if God allowed one hour of suffering in an entire lifetime of comfort? …[our] lifetime is a mere hour of eternity.\nIn the Christian scheme of things, this world and the time spent here are not all there is…remember: less than one-millionth of the evidence has been presented, and that is being worked out under a rebel flag. God is not deaf. God is as grieved by the world’s trauma as you are. His only son died here. But God has promised to set things right.\nLet history finish. Let the orchestra scratch out its last mournful warm-up note of discord before it bursts into the symphony.\nAs Paul said, “In my opinion whatever we may have to go through now is less than nothing compared with the magnificent future God has planned for us. The whole creation is on tiptoe to see the wonderful sight of the sons of God coming into their own…(Rom 8:18, Phillips Translation)\n(Yancey, The Gift of Pain, in ‘Be Still, My Soul’, p.29)\nI find that line about one-millionth of the evidence striking. Our perspective on God is limited and based entirely on a tiny fraction of time lived in a fallen world. Like a beached whale basing its understanding of its existence entirely on the dry shores on which it is trapped rather than on the freedom of the Pacific ocean to which it may still return. We can’t imagine a sinless suffering-free world, but one day we’ll be able to judge things from there. Don’t mishear that: the Bible never diminishes our real suffering. But God does want to give us reasons for hope.\nAs Yancey says, ‘Let history finish’.\nThat helps for today.", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "Daniel 4:33 – “Immediately the word was fulfilled against Nebuchadnezzar. He was driven from among men and ate grass like an ox, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven till his hair grew as long as eagles’ feathers, and his nails were like birds’ claws.”\nOf all the kings in Scripture, no one is as fascinating to study as much as Nebuchadnezzar. He is a living and breathing evidence of the extreme measures God takes in order to bring glory to himself and to pursue his people for their good.\nNebuchadnezzar was a pagan king who God sovereignly used to administer judgment to his people. While in exile, God pursued Nebuchadnezzar and spoke to him in dreams and visions. The pride in Nebuchadnezzar was entrenched deeply in his heart and was a vice that God was adamantly on mission to break down. After God rescued Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego from the fiery furnace that Nebuchadnezzar threw them in, it appeared briefly that Nebuchadnezzar was committed to Yahweh. At the end of chapter 3, a decree was given that forbid any person from speaking against Yahweh. Even as king of the most powerful nation, Nebuchadnezzar could declare in 4:3, “How great are his signs, how mighty his wonders! His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and his dominion endures from generation to generation.” Nebuchadnezzar was a changed king! Or was he?\nIn chapter 4, God gave the Babylonian king a dream that foretold how he would be humiliated in an absolutely incredible way. Because of Nebuchadnezzar’s pride, the dream was fulfilled. Standing on the rooftop of his palace, Nebuchadnezzar admired his work by saying, “Is not this great Babylon, which I have built by my mighty power as a royal residence and for the glory of my majesty?” It says immediately after that, while he was speaking these words, God judged Nebuchadnezzar and turned him into an animal who ate grass like an ox, had hair all over his body as long as an eagle’s feather, and had nails like birds’ claws. God disciplined Nebuchadnezzar for God’s glory and for his own good. He learned his lesson. After a while, it says that once again, he boldly admitted that God is the King of all kings who is worthy to be praised.\nTalk about extreme measures! God turned a man into an animal to convince him that he isn’t God! There is a spiraling effect that takes place when it comes to discipline. For those that love God and seek to be faithful to him, he will discipline in a greater and greater way to cause them to wake up! Though Christ was ultimately judged by God in our place, to this day, we will experience the discipline of the Lord. God cares too much for our lives and our hearts and for his glory to let us live in rebellion against him. He will discipline in order to wake us up. He will use extreme measures in order to show us what is most important. If we continue to rebel and continue to deny his sovereignty and worth in our lives, then either we are hardened against God and don’t really know him in the first place, or the power of indwelling sin in us is blinding our eyes. If we are his, he will not let us go. He will continue to pursue us, and his pursuit might be extreme! But if we are not his; if we do not believe he is Lord and we have not repented from our sin, he might abandon us to our own sin. Both measures are extreme. The judgment is just and right, and the discipline is mercy and grace.", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "Mom it has been 1 year since you left us and Dad it has been over 20 years. You were the pillars of our lives. You toiled hard and gave us the best. We remember your guiding words, your smiles, your laughs, your touch and treasure them dearly. It has been really hard but as you always told us to turn to God, we have and he has been faithful. He has given us comfort and strength. He has been our guide through it all and we thank him for blessing us with you two as our parents.\nWe know it was not goodbye since you just changed your earthly address to your permanent residency in heaven. God’s wonderful promise of eternal life fills our hearts with joy. May God bless your souls. May God bless all those who stood with us during that difficult time.\nDearly missed and remembered by your children grandchildren, relatives & friends.\n“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.”~ Matthew 5:8", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "What is God’s will for your life? The Lord has told us some amazing things: He wills our happiness. He wills our salvation. He wills eternal life for us. He wills to bring us back to the Father’s house. He wills to open the gates of paradise for us. He wills to help us get there. He gives us clear indications of how we can conduct ourselves on our way before we’re there, where there’s still suffering, pain, mistakes, failure, sin, confusion, opposition, hostility, challenges, and tests.\nJesus said, “Therefore I tell you do not be anxious about your life, what you shall eat, nor about your body, what you shall put on. For life is more than food, and the body is more than clothing” (Lk 12:22-24). Then He talks about how God cares so deeply about human life and for things of much less significance than human life. Jesus continues, “If God so clothes the grass which is alive in the field today and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, how much more will he clothe you, O men of little faith!” (Lk 12:28)\nThe Lord wants us to have faith in his care for us. He says, do not seek what you are to eat or drink—don’t make it the center of your life—nor be of anxious mind (Lk 12:29). “For all the nations of the world always seek these things; and your Father knows that you need them” (Lk 12:30). God knows what we need in this life to fulfill the purpose for which He created us and to bring us home for salvation. “Instead, seek his kingdom, and these things shall be yours as well” (Lk 12:31). There is a condition here: Put the first things first. Seek first the kingdom of God and these other things that you need for life—not just the physical needs but the spiritual needs, including everything we need to persevere on the way to salvation—will be provided by God the Father. The next passage says, “Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom” (Lk 12:32). The Lord wants to give us the kingdom. The Lord is going to give us everything we need to pass the necessary tests and trials of life.\nLet’s look at another important text from Philippians 4:4-7: “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. Let all men know your forbearance”—your trust, your patience, your faith. “The Lord is at hand”—He’s very near to us. “Have no anxiety about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which passes all understanding, will keep your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” This is a clear command: Rejoice. Have no anxiety about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your request be made known to God. The peace of God will keep you in Christ Jesus. You’ll have peace of heart and clarity of mind.\nNotice how Saint Paul says to make all your needs known to God with prayer and supplications, and how he connects this with not having any anxiety. How do we not have any anxiety? We bring our needs to the Lord. We remember that He cares about us and only lets those things happen in our lives that He has a plan to bring good out of. This is not just about big events in the world or church; this is about our own lives. It’s normal for anxiety to rise up in our hearts at different times, but the Lord gives us clear direction about what to do about it: Bring it to Him with thanksgiving.\nThis is important: We not only have needs that we bring to the Lord; we have an amazing number of things for which to be thankful. Thank You, God, for creating me. Thank You for holy baptism. Thank You for making me your son or daughter. Thank You that I belong to you—that I’m not an orphan, that I’m not lost, that You’ve found me and I belong to You. Thank You for caring for me amid the pain, challenge, test, illness, sadness, or disappointment. We have so much to be grateful for right now. We are temples of the Holy Spirit. God is dwelling in us right now. We are being changed a little bit at a time, getting ready to see the Lord face-to-face.\nFirst Thessalonians 4:3 contains another clear statement about God’s will for us:\n“This is the will of God, your sanctification.” God wills your holiness and purification. The verse continues, “Abstain from immorality.” It’s particularly talking about sexual immorality—about chastity. The battle for chastity can be a struggle, but it’s clear that in this area, God wills our holiness and chastity according to our state of life. He’s going to give us the grace to accomplish whatever He wills for us. If you’re fighting a battle with purity, don’t give up. Get the help you need. Jesus said, “If your right eye causes you to sin, pluck it out . . . if your right hand causes to sin, cut it off” (Mt 5:29-30). Jesus is not asking us to literally do those things, but He’s saying to do whatever it takes to get free from serious sin: join a twelve-step group, go to confession, get an accountability partner, stop drinking, avoid hanging out with certain people, put filters on your computer, or cancel certain channels. St. Augustine got free of serious sin through a long struggle, and he is interceding for us. This is God’s will, and we know He’s going to give us the grace for our sanctification and holiness, little by little over the course of a lifetime, in all areas of our lives.\nFinally, regardless of what we are praying about—medical treatments, how to talk to our children, fasting, almsgiving, or finances—there is something important to remember. First Thessalonians 5:16-18 says, “Rejoice always, pray constantly, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” That’s really clear! Whatever happens regarding those secondary issues we are praying about, this is what we should be doing in the meantime. This is how we keep our heads clear and our hearts at peace amid not knowing certain things right now but trusting that God will help us to know when we need to know. It’s really important that this is what we do in the meantime and that this is what we do all the time: Rejoice! How can we rejoice? We have been saved. We are loved. We are being little-by-little changed into the image of Christ. We are being made ready to see the Lord face to face! Rejoice, because we have been given the gift of eternal life!\nPaul tells us to pray always. To pray always, we must pray sometimes. If you don’t have a daily time for personal prayer and meditation on God’s Word, start making one. I sit in my home office and look at an icon of Jesus, and every day I read my Magnificat, just the readings from the daily Mass. Often, the Lord speaks to me through Sacred Scripture and simply by the fact that I am in his presence. All day, we need to remember the Lord. All day, we need to remember He’s at our side. St. Teresa of Avila said Jesus is at our side, and all we have to do is pay attention to Him.\n“Rejoice always, pray constantly, give thanks in all circumstances” (1 Thes 5:16-18). This is hard sometimes—what if you have a bad circumstance? All of us have bad circumstances from time to time—give thanks because you’re not alone; give thanks because for those who love God even as imperfectly as we all do, everything works for the good. Even the pain, the suffering, the disappointment, the injustice, the rejection, and the illness—He’s working all that for our good. He’s getting us ready for an eternal weight of glory, and that’s why Scripture says the sorrows and suffering of the present age are not worth comparing to what’s coming to us when Christ Jesus appears.\nThis is God’s will for you! You may be wondering about any number of things. You may have questions about what to do, but in the meantime, “Rejoice always, pray constantly, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you” (1 Thes 5:16-18).\nThis article is condensed from a YouTube video by Ralph Martin called What is God’s Will for You? It can be viewed here. The article originally appeared in the Renewal Ministries’ February 2023 newsletter.", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "Title New Every Morning Promise Journal\nBook Condition Used - Good\nPublisher Ellie Claire February 2011\n160936127X / 9781609361273\nSeller ID 436465\nDesigned to encourage women in their prayer lives, this Promise Journal features longer passages to inspire writing on the facing lined pages. New Every Morning will allow you to slow down, reflect, and draw closer to Him. Take time to hear His voice, sense His nearness, and know that He is intimately present with you. God's nearness is as close as a prayer. And this journal provides a lovely setting to commune with Him. Find encouraging prayers and Scriptures at the turn of each page. On the other side, lines are waiting to be filled with your prayers, praises, and answers to prayer.", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "Jesus modeled a deployed lifestyle. He left heaven—that’s really leaving home base—to live among people. He talked with, prayed for, cried with, and touched countless individuals. Jesus showed up in all kinds of places—from synagogues to water wells to private homes to fishing boats. Jesus attended weddings, funerals, dinner parties, and other gatherings of family and friends. He taught people how to become His disciples as a natural part of daily interactions with them. How can you be more like Jesus in this regard? After three decades of practicing, plus watching others do this effectively, here are some practical keys to having a more intentional gospel awareness of people around you. Do these things if you want to develop a deployed mind-set as a believer on a mission.\nBe engaged. When you are with people, are you really with them? Or, are people around you part of the wallpaper? Do you even notice them? Are you distracted by other tasks or priorities? If so, make the choice to turn off your cell phone and declutter your calendar so you can focus on genuinely connecting with people.\nOne man heard me teach on reaching friends with the gospel and was particularly intrigued by our family’s outreach through youth sports. While our children were growing up, all three played multiple sports. We were always on the way to or from some practice or game year-round. Young athletes tend to play multiple sports with the same other youngsters so we were frequently with the same parents at practices, games, team parties, and fund-raisers. We didn’t need a visitation program to spend our evenings with lost people; we were with them multiple nights every week. Over the years, we were intentional about engaging these friends with the gospel. Several of them have become Christians—by far the most rewarding part of our family’s sports lifestyle.\nInspired by our story, this fellow told me, “That really works for you. I’m also heavily involved in youth sports but don’t seem to have the same opportunities to share the gospel you do.” We talked about his situation, but I had no real solutions for him. A few weeks later, however, we happened to be at a game where our children were playing against each other. During the game, I talked with various parents/friends—catching up on their families, talking about problems at work, laughing at the funny things happening on the field, and following up on past conversations (like updates on sick parents, etc.). My friend spent the entire game on his cell phone. He made call after call, no doubt doing something more important than engaging the people watching the game. His problem was simple: he was at the game, but not really at the game. His thoughts, focus, and energy were someplace else.\nJeff Iorg, Unscripted: Sharing the Gospel as Life Happens (Ashland, OH: New Hope Publishers, 2014).\nCheck out our Bible Study on the book by Jeff Iorg, Unscripted: Sharing the Gospel as Life Happens.\nThese lessons are available on Amazon, as well as a part of Good Questions Have Groups Talking Subscription Service. Like Netflix for Bible Lessons, one low subscription gives you access to all our lessons–thousands of them. For a medium-sized church, lessons are as little as $10 per teacher per year.", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "Who has the power to change your life? Sunday February 11th\nWho has the power to change your life for the better? Who has the power to help you face the tough times of life? Today, our culture will tell us that only you have the power, and the right, to change your life. That the strength you need for the hard times is inside you. But the Gospel says something different - it says the power we all need to change our lives doesn't come from inside us - it comes from one who was himself changed, who himself suffered.\nThis Sunday, in our Morning Service we will be looking at the transfiguration of Jesus in Matthew's Gospel: Mountains, Valleys and the Transforming Power of God\nIn our Evening Service we'll be looking at 1 Peter 3 and how Jesus gives us the strength we need when we suffer.\nMore in Blog\nMarch 22, 2019A Safe Space - Sunday 24th March\nMarch 16, 2019One Good Man - Sunday March 17th\nMarch 1, 2019Coming Home... and Change of Venue! Sunday March 3rd", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "Plans of The Diligent is the third of six messages on Gods plan for financial prosperity. How to move from worry to good planning with your finance. Money coming\nto you needs to be coming into a plan. Find out how and move into God’s blessing of peace in your finances.\n- Matthew 6:25 - 31\n- Proverbs 3:9 - 10\n- Proverbs 21:5", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "France: Pax Christi France leader to present at conference on media and peace\nFrance, Pax Christi France, Catherine Billet\nOn Saturday, 25 February, Catherine Billet, a national representative of Pax Christi France, will be one of the featured speakers at the Diocesan Day of Communication in Nimes. The event is held to educate the media and on media issues, and more specifically to discuss: “Communication in the service of an authentic culture of encounters; do the media have a calling to be peace-makers?”\nTo participate and register, or for more information, contact the Diocesan Service of Communication at firstname.lastname@example.org or by calling the +33 6 07 12 28 73.", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "Next week, hundreds of current and aspiring church leaders will assemble in Birmingham, Alabama, for an exciting new event. Sponsored by Acts 29 in partnership with Beeson Divinity School and The Gospel Coalition, Engage the South is a one-day gathering that advocates for the kind of churches we need in today's American South.\nMatt Chandler, David Platt, Ray Ortlund, Kevin Smith, and Bryan Loritts will lead us in a series of sessions designed to teach, inspire, and train. There's still time for you to register.\nWe asked Loritts, who will deliver a message titled \"Churches That Plant Churches,\" about the greatest challenge facing churches in the American South today.\nYou'll understand if I'm initially hesitant to answer questions laced with superlatives like \"greatest.\" I'm no expert. However, I've grown up in the South and had the joy of serving as lead pastor of Fellowship Memphis since its inception 10 years ago. So I have a few ideas on the challenges facing the church in the South.\nNot all Southern cities have been created equally. There are actually two types of Southern cities: (1) Old South, where most of the people who live in the city are natives (Memphis is still an Old South city, but that's slowly changing in part to FedEx being a hub here); and (2) New South, where most of the people are immigrants. Cities like Atlanta, Dallas, and Charlotte come to mind when talking about New South cities.\nOne of the major differences between Old and New South cities is that one has a higher concentration of \"older brother\" religious people while the other is increasingly growing in their \"younger brother\" secular population (though still for the most part considered to be the Bible Belt). If you pastor in the South—especially an Old South city like Memphis—you have to be able to preach the gospel to the older brother of Luke 15. You're not in New York where you must contextualize the gospel primarily to the skeptic. You're in the South where churches are still welcomed in public schools and praying before games isn't a big deal in many contexts. Thanks to flannel boards, Awana programs, and sword-drill competitions, knowledgeable heads high in Bible IQ fill our seats, inches removed from cold and (in many cases) unregenerate hearts. If you don't know how to preach to the older brother, you won't be effective below the Mason-Dixon.\nI know you asked me for \"the greatest challenge,\" but as a preacher I have the right to add just one more point. I believe we have an unprecedented opportunity to reverse the trajectory of the church backward to her first-century, multi-ethnic roots. I continue to remain indebted to Dr. King and to all who marched and endured persecution so that I can sit anywhere I'd like on the bus. But the civil-rights movement was limited in that while it changed laws, it could never change hearts. The legacy of racism that has become so entrenched in our country over the past centuries, particularly in the South, wasn't eradicated with the stroke of a pen when the Civil Rights Act was signed. In place of long marches and monumental speeches we need sanctuaries and dinner tables filled with the sons and daughters of Confederate soldiers embracing and doing life with the descendants of slaves.\nThe Trayvon Martin case reminded me of this need. What if George Zimmerman and Martin had attended the same multi-ethnic church, having sat around dinner tables and done life with one another? Martin would still be alive, because instead of seeing a suspicious young black man, Zimmerman would've had a relational context to guide his actions that evening.\nMatt Smethurst serves as associate editor for The Gospel Coalition. He and his wife Maghan have two children and live in Louisville, Kentucky, where they belong to Third Avenue Baptist Church. You can follow him on Twitter.", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "Vicky Shields believes the best way to bring children up in the faith is by parents getting involved and bringing the kids along. That could explain why she applied to attend the World Meeting of Families congress this week in Philadelphia with three of her eight children: Christopher, Kathleen and James.\nThe family was not disappointed with the week’s events. The younger Shields especially enjoyed the emphasis on helping the poor, as well as the music at the congress, Vicky said.\nOn Sept. 22, the opening day of the congress, Shields listened to keynote speaker, Auxiliary Bishop Robert Barron of Los Angeles, of the famed documentary film series “Catholicism.”\n“I was thrilled to hear what [Bishop Barron] had to say,” she said. “He talked about not keeping our faith to ourselves. He encouraged me to be bolder in the secular world.”\nShields has years of experience sharing faith with kids. She trained to become a youth minister in the Diocese of Camden and first served at St. Rose of Lima Parish in Haddon Heights. Today, the Shields family belongs to the Parish of St. Gabriel the Archangel in Carneys Point where her work with children has focused on running kids’ clubs for boys and girls ranging in age from kindergarten to the pre-teen years.\nShe is also a busy homeschooling mom, with over 20 years of experience teaching at home. For Vicky, working with kids is a labor of love.\n“I have a real heart for ministry, and I love having an opportunity to share with kids,” she said.\nThe key to keeping the children and youth engaged, according to Shields, is getting them to take on greater roles as they mature.\n“The crucial part of faith formation is to invite them into leadership. It solidifies their faith,” she said.\nThe Shields will take their experiences from the World Meeting of Families back home with them to St. Gabriel’s, where two of her adult children will be teaching CCD this year. Christopher and Kathleen will help her start two new faith groups for elementary-aged children.\n“Everything I heard I will use in ministry,” Shields said. “I was taking it all in and will be able to use that with the children in the clubs. … I want to be able to instill in other children in the parish what I’ve done for my own kids.”Back to Family Profiles", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "Romans 8:1-2 - There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death.\nDear God, how I wish more Christians could exemplify the very grace that You are so full of and freely give! If they could only exemplify that grace, NO person with special needs, child or adult, would ever be excluded from any activity in any church because they would be fully embraced as You fully embrace them. You cover them with Your grace. You set them free from the law of sin and death. You do not condemn them. Thank You for Your presence, Your grace, Your love, Your righteousness, and just You. In Jesus' Name, Amen!", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "“Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary your wife into your home. For it is through the Holy Spirit that this child has been conceived in her. She will bear a son and you are to name him Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.”Matthew 1:20-21\nThis Christmas season, we remember the faithfulness of St. Joseph, the servant-leader of the Holy Family. It is his model that we emulate at COLFS, as we seek to always do the will of the Father.\nThis continues to be a challenging time because of increased expenses and diminished revenue. The pandemic has hurt our fundraising, but the need of women, preborn babies, and families in crisis for our help has increased. With all the uncertainty and weakening of support systems, women in crisis are feeling increasing pressure from Planned Parenthood and other proponents of abortion. Now, more than ever, these women need us to help them confidently choose life.\nCOLFS Medical Clinics are open full time with easy access for patients and clients. We continue to provide pregnancy tests, ultrasounds, and prenatal medical support regardless of a patient’s ability to pay. Your generosity makes all this possible.\nOur programs bring hope and healing — spiritual, emotional, and physical — to those in need. These are difficult times for many; our mission of hope is more critical than ever before.\nHelp Us Continue to Reach and Serve More Clients.\nCOLFS has made significant investments to better serve the community. We have:\n- Kept our doors open throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.\n- Expanded telehealth access for patients and clients.\n- Expanded ministry operations into the adjacent office suite in Escondido.\n- Hired a new full-time lead physician, Dr. David Medway.\n- Expanded hours in our Escondido clinic.\n- Opened our Activity Road satellite office (near Miramar Road and the I-15).\n- Continued aggressive marketing efforts to reach more pregnancy patients.\n- Expanded our Mission Medical financial assistance for families in need.\nThe Challenge: Sustaining Our Programs\nEvery pregnancy patient we serve receives life-affirming comprehensive care. We continue to save more lives and reach more mothers thanks to your support. COLFS depends on you, our partners in ministry.\nEvery family whom we help through financial assistance reflects our commitment to serve those who are disadvantaged. Our help is critical to their physical and spiritual well-being.\nMerry Christmas and Happy New Year!\nI wish you a very joyful Christmas and God’s magnificent blessings for the New Year. Join us in imitation of St. Joseph as we serve our Lord in bringing light to a world of darkness. You are bright LIGHTS in the lives of all the babies and families who will have the opportunity to celebrate LIFE this Christmas, thanks to your generosity.\nMay God bless you and your family abundantly,\nGeorge Delgado, MD\nMedical Director, COLFS\nTHANK YOU FOR YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT AND PRAYERS!\nTax Exempt Org 501(c)3 - EIN #91-2169315 FED - STATE #2365724 Charitable Organization", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "there was verse memorization, imaginative play, crafting, church, sportiness, games and teaching.\nthere was also family, friends, farewells, food and fun.\nyet another busy blessed weekend.\nSeptember 4, 2012 at 7:32 PM\nI love that yellow stripey scarf.\nI love comments!\nPost Comments (Atom)", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "In today’s world fear and worry are always being brought to forefront. You just have to turn on the news and you hear about all that is wrong in the world. It is so easy to believe that we are doomed and forget that God is in control even when we think He isn’t paying attention.\nEven 25 years ago, before converting to Catholicism, I always had a sense of God’s presence but never really understood it. I still struggle at times to grasp the fact that He really does care and He is taking care of things even when it doesn’t look like He is.\nI am participating in the CWBN blog hop and the topic is “How my faith helps me worry less.” What a tough one! I would like to say I have mastered worrying less. But I can honestly say, I haven’t. I still worry. But I find that I worry more when I refuse to give control over to God. When I play tug a war. Ok, God here it is….wait I want it back. I can do it. Really, I can. No, God I want you to take it. And so it goes back and forth. Right now, at this very moment, I am struggling with handing over something financially to God and let Him take care of it. I know I haven’t handed it over, because I am still full of worry about how to get it taken care of. In fact, there are a couple of situations in my life at this time that are a battle on my part.\nSo, I think where I am at on my journey is that I do recognize that God does not want me to spend time worrying about things. He wants me to trust Him enough to let Him take care of whatever situation I have asked Him to. But, I struggle with letting things go completely and trusting.\nThere are so many places in the bible that tell us not to worry. Here are a few:\n“Peace is what I leave with you; it is my own peace that I give you. I do not give it as the world does. Do not be worried and upset; do not be afraid.” John 14:27\n“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:6-7\n“So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” Isaiah 41:10\n. “Cast your cares on the Lord and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous fall.” Psalm 55:22\nAnytime I go through a tough time, a time requiring me to trust God and my failing to trust completely, I can look back and see how He worked it for the good.\nIn the big scheme of things I do think I worry less because of my faith. It’s always in the back of my mind in any situation that God knows what I need in order to grow and become more holy. Even if that means that something doesn’t work out the way I want it to. There is a reason to each and everything that happens. Even as recently as my job search and how badly I wanted the job I now have. I remember the night after my final interview and knowing there were two other candidates and praying that their interviews went well so that His will be done. And I meant it. Was I worried that I might not get the job. Oh yeah, I sure was. But I always knew that even if I was disappointed and didn’t get the job that it was up to God and it didn’t matter how well I did or didn’t do on the interview. I knew I had done my best but that God has a plan and I needed trust in that. Now, I have to fight the urge to ask God, “Are you sure I was the right person?” when I am feeling overwhelmed, or noticing my shortcomings and the battle heats up and I have to fight my way back to trusting in God and not worrying about the things that I really have no control over.\nMy faith helps me to remember that I am not in this alone. That the one who made me knows what is best for me. It helps me not give up when I think I am not going to make it. Holy week was a very busy week at work, being at a Catholic church and all. My assistant was on vacation. I am only a month into the job. I don’t know the parishioners well because I have only lived here since last July and I do not attend this parish. I was feeling alone and lost. It was Holy Thursday and no one had shown up to cover up everything for Good Friday. I couldn’t do it on my own. I didn’t even know where anything was. On my way to work on Friday in the car with tears in my eyes I said “God you put me here in this job, but I can’t believe you expect me to do this on my own. I need help! Please bring me the people who can help us to prepare for Good Friday.” I was at work not even an hour when I got a call from one of the parishioners asking if I had found the items he was looking for. But he then said, “I am going to take some time off work and come by see how I can help”. I got off the phone and said “Thank you, Lord” Once this gentleman showed up another parishioner showed up together we got things covered. on the way home from work I made sure to thank our Lord again for providing the help I needed. Looking at it today, I can see where God made me wait until I asked for His help. He is teaching me all the time. I need to learn to ask before I spend so much time worrying and trust that He will provide whatever help I need.\nWhile I am still working on worrying less, I know that I am turning more to God on time of need. I may be delayed in remembering that He is only waiting for me to ask and he will provide what I need but I am learning. My faith grows every day through the trials that I face. My hope is to continue to grow in that faith and to worry less. I pray that you trust God and spend no time worrying in your daily walk with our Lord. God Bless!", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "January 12, 2023 | by Admin\nHuman Relations Day is a denomination wide Special Sunday designed to celebrate and raise awareness to further the development of better human relations by involving congregations in community and youth outreach. A special offering taken the Sunday before Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday. Gifts received for the offering build King’s vision of “the beloved community” through programs such as Community Developers and United Methodist Voluntary Services and Youth Offender Rehabilitation Programs. Churches are encouraged to donate through their local churches or give online.\nClick here for a Human Relations Day FAQ.\nClick here for pastor and lay leader resources.\nIn California-Nevada, we strive to make the ideals remembered on these calendared days a life long practice. We are particularly mindful of Dr. King's life and legacy, and work to carry on this legacy through liberating justice work that recognizes all human beings as whole persons, siblings and children of God.\nThis year, step up your commitment and get involved in your community, in your conference and join in the living legacy of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "Growing a Life Of Faith Podcast featuring speaker\nYou Are Here\nThe storms of life are unavoidable, but they are not unconquerable. The word of God helps to prepare us for the difficulties of fiery trials, and develops us by stimulating growth in our faith.\nOut of Order\nWhen our lives are out of order, we create an environment of chaos. It is God's desire for us to live in harmony with His will. Unlock the power of prioritizing based on what is important to the Lord.\nSo often this world system distorts and corrupts that which is good. Love is no exception. This series is a discussion about identifying what #LoveReallyIs", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "SHREVE – Alma R. Sampson of Shreve died Friday Feb. 15, 2008 at her home.\nFuneral services will be held 1:00 P.M. Tuesday Feb. 19, 2008 in the Ripley Church of Christ 12298 County Rd. 330 Big Prairie with Rev. Jim Platner officiating. Burial will follow in Ripley cemetery. The family will receive friends at the church Monday Feb. 18, 2008 from 6-9 P.M. with an Eastern Star service beginning at 5:30 P.M. McIntire, Davis & Greene Funeral Home is handling the arrangements.\nShe was born in Cameron West Virginia the daughter of George and Mary Smutko Haws. In March of 1971 she married Walter Sampson who survives.\nAlma retired from Rubbermaid in 1983 after 31 years of service. She was a graduate of Perrysville High School, where she was a star player for the girls basketball team. She was a member of the Order of the Eastern Star in Shreve where she had served as Worthy Matron 3 times. She was a member of the Ripley Church of Christ and a member of the Women of the Word Bible study. Alma enjoyed swimming and was a member of the Wooster YMCA.\nAlong with her husband Alma is survived by 4 children: Larry (Marilyn) McElroy of Shreve, Harry (Chris) McElroy of wooster, Nancy (Gary) McComas of Wooster, and Sharon (Lester) Sigler of Big Prairie. 12 grandchildren, 21 great grandchildren and 14 great great grandchildren. a half sister Elda of Massillon. She was preceded in death by a daughter: Connie Etzwiler, 2 grandchildren, 2 brothers and 4 sisters.\nIn lieu of flowers memorial contributions may be made to Hospice and Palliative Care of Greater Wayne County 2525 Back Orrville Rd. wooster Ohio 44691 in her memory.\nHospice and Palliative Care of Greater Wayne County\n1:00 P.M. Tues. Feb. 19, 2008 @ Ripley Church of Christ\nMonday Feb. 18 from 6-9 with a Eastern Star service at 5:30", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "|New International Reader's Version (NIRV)\n||New International Version (NIV)\n29 I will make his family line continue forever. His kingdom will last as long as the heavens.\n29 I will establish his line forever, his throne as long as the heavens endure.\n|Holy Bible, New International Reader's Version® Copyright © 1995, 1996, 1998 by Biblica. All rights reserved worldwide. (New International Reader's Version Bible Online)\n||Scripture quoted by permission. Quotations designated (NIV) are from THE HOLY BIBLE: NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by Biblica. All rights reserved worldwide. (New International Version Bible Online)", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "Wednesday, January 23, 2019\nThe Feast of St. Marianne Cope\nAlso known as St. Marianne of Moloka’i, St. Marianne Cope entered religious life in Syracuse, NY, where she served as teacher and principal of several schools before establishing two hospitals in the area. When a call asking Catholic sisters to provide health care in Hawaii, specifically with the mission of caring for victims of leprosy, her community was the only one of fifty to say yes. Her sisters are still at work on the island of Moloka’i today, and just as St. Marianne told her sisters that they would not contract the disease, none ever have. Pope Benedict, at her canonization in 2005, said, “she is a shining and energetic example of the best of the tradition of Catholic nursing sisters…”.\n6:00amET: The Son Rise Morning Show with Anna Mitchell & Matt Swaim\n- Marcel LeJeune shares how to evangelize fallen away Catholics.\n- Helen Alvare (al-VAH-ray) discusses The New York Times’ editorial board’s special opinion section on “A Woman’s Rights”.\n7:00amET: Morning Glory with Deacon Harold Burke-Sivers, Gloria Purvis & Fr. Vincent DeRosa\n- Recent attacks on religious freedom\n9:00amET: Catholic Connection with Teresa Tomeo 1-877-573-7825\n- Discussion continues surrounding the Covington Catholic Student controversy.\n- Joan Lewis with Vatican news.\n11:00amET: Women of Grace with Johnnette Williams 1-833-288-EWTN (3986)\n- Johnnette has a special program for women—and all who want to know women’s spirituality better.\n1:00pmET: The Doctor Is In with Dr. Ray Guarendi\n- Dr. Ray Guarendi answers your questions about family, marriage & relationships.\n2:00pmET: Called to Communion with Dr. David Anders 1-833-288-EWTN (3986)\nEncores Tonight at 11:00pmET\n- David answers calls from non-Catholics and fallen away Catholics.\n3:00pmET: EWTN Open Line Wednesday with Fr. Mitch Pacwa 1-833-288-EWTN (3986)\nEncores Tonight at 10:00pmET\n- Fr. Mitch Pacwa takes your calls on Church Teachings.\n4:00pmET: Kresta in the Afternoon with Al Kresta 1-877-573-7825\n- George Schwartz speaks on morally responsible investing.\n6:00pmET: Catholic Answers Live 1-888-318-7884\n- Fr. Hugh Barbour – The Chaplain is In\n- Why Are You Pro-Choice? – Stephanie Gray\n8:00pm ET: EWTN Live with Fr. Mitch Pacwa on EWTN Radio & TV\n- Fr. Mitch Pacwa sits down with Major Archbishop Sviatoslav Shevchuk (s’va-TIS-lahv shev-CHUCK) the Ukrainian Catholic Church for a special interview from the 2018 Knights of Columbus Convention.\n9:00pmET: EWTN News Nightly with Lauren Ashburn on EWTN Television & Radio\n- Get the Catholic news perspective on top stories and daily reports from around the world.", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "Naija adult chat\nYou can watch the entire video in the Members area. I never fucked her before because im not into BBW's. For everyone else(Non- paying), New Preview Videos will start in Jan. @Derrick @Emma Tony @lucky dick @motiala NOOOO @GMC Bo YZ Have no clue who he is. Shorty BIg and the crew were all drunk and high and shit just went bananas. She knows how to slobber and suck on the dick just right. You all going to have to break some serious bread to Join. MEMBERS: We will still be updating our MEMBERS AREA EVERY WEEK during the holiday season with new shit you all never seen before. Samson Folarin There is anger at the Chapel of Christ the Light, Alausa, Lagos State, after the Presiding Chaplain, Venerable Femi Taiwo, was sacked by the Governing Council allegedly on the order of the state governor, Akinwunmi Ambode.Despite pleadings from church leaders and other reputable elders in the church, the government was said to have insisted that the cleric must leave the church.learnt that Taiwo still had two years to spend as the presiding chaplain when he was fired.\nThe governing council members, however, said they should forget it because whatever came from Alausa was final.\nMost of the church members are civil servants who can’t talk too much.” Our correspondent reached out to leaders of the church, including Oyadotun, who refused to comment.\nHowever, one of those that confirmed the incident begged not to be named.\nWhatever you are hearing is what members of the church believed could have happened. He said, “If you have any inquiry, direct it to the church.\nAnd there was, indeed a protest by the church but the governing council assuaged them on the sacking. But one thing I can say is that I have tried as a pastor to live above board.\nSearch for Naija adult chat:\n“The man that signed the letter is also a civil servant,” the source said.", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "SANTEE - George Benton Lewis, Jr., 79, of Santee, husband of Joan Genry Lewis, died Saturday, October 15, 2011 at his home. A graveside funeral will be 3 p.m. Tuesday at Elloree Hillcrest Cemetery, SC Hwy 6, west of Elloree with Rev. Terry Fleming officiating. The family will receive friends prior to the service at Avinger Funeral Home in Holly Hill from 1 until 2:30 p.m. Mr. Lewis was born in Lanett, Ala., a son of the late George B. Lewis and Caroline Mathews Lewis. He was a graduate of Huntington College in Montgomery, Ala., and an Air Force veteran of the Korean War. A retired insurance adjuster and a former principle at Holly Hill High School, Mr. Lewis was a member of Elloree United Methodist Church. He was an avid gardener and enjoyed playing golf when his health permitted. Surviving in addition to his wife, are a daughter, Caroline (Jacob) Shuler of Holly Hill; sons, Russell (Liz) Lewis and Ben (Kathy) Lewis, both of Holly Hill, and Michael (Jenny) Lewis of Santee; grandchildren, Hillary Shuler, Jake Shuler, Noah Lewis, Elizabeth Jane Lewis, Caroline Camille Lewis, Michael Kays, Connor Kays, Robert Lewis, Caitlynn Way, Reese Lewis, Chandler Lewis, and Cale Lewis. Memorials may be made to Elloree United Methodist Church, PO Box 681, Elloree, SC 29047.", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "In The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the Church Educational System (CES) provides a seminary for high school age youth (usually ages 14 to 18). It is typically attended daily during the school year (Monday through Friday) and provides youth with instruction in the scriptures and in gospel principles. These courses are not for credit or degree purposes, for while Latter-day Saints encourage advanced learning in every field, a theological degree is not a requirement for a call to serve or preside in the kingdom of God. Friends of other faiths are also welcome to participate in seminary classes.\nInstruction concentrates on a different volume of scripture each year, rotating between the following four courses: Old Testament, New Testament, Book of Mormon and Doctrine and Covenants and Church History. By the time a student graduates from seminary, he or she will have completed the study of all of the standard works of scripture.\nThe purpose of the Seminary and Institute of Religion program of the Church is to help youth and young adults deepen their conversion to Jesus Christ and His restored gospel, qualify for the blessings of the temple, and prepare themselves, their families, and others for eternal life with their Father in Heaven.\nChanges to the seminary credit requirements were announced in January 2023. The seminary student learning assessment will move from an individual assessment to a group review. Also, instead of reading in the assigned book of scripture for the course of study for 75 percent of semester calendar days, students will be required to read selected scriptural passages each term and then create additional personalized reading goals.\nFive prophetic emphases for seminary and institute students, influenced by the teachings of President Russell M. Nelson and other Church leaders: Know your divine identity; Draw on the power of Jesus Christ and your covenants; Let God prevail, and follow His prophet; Teach truth with love; Take charge of your testimony.\nChad H. Webb, the Church’s administrator of seminaries and institutes said to Church Educational System employees during the 2023 Seminaries and Institutes Annual Training Broadcast: “Whatever may change or might be emphasized in our efforts to effectively teach the gospel, what will never change is that we will be Christ–centered, learner–focused and scripture-based. And we will always strive to infuse our teaching and learning experiences with the inspiration and witness of the Holy Ghost.\nThe classes are free, and the Church Educational System provides manuals and student materials, except for scriptures.\nThere are three types of seminary:\n- Daily (formerly called Early-morning)\nReleased-time seminary is offered in areas where there are large populations of Latter-day Saint students and where laws to do not forbid it. Seminary classes are attended during school hours in a Church-owned building near the school. The teachers are full-time and are employed by the Church Educational System. Students do not receive any school credit for taking seminary.\nDaily (formerly called Early-morning) seminary is available in most areas that have a smaller population of Latter-day Saint youth. It is held each school day, most often before the normal school classes begin. Classes are often held in the local church building or at a member’s home, and are taught by volunteers.\nHome-study seminary is available in areas where daily or released-time seminary attendance is not possible, because it is either not offered, or because it is too far away. Youth in this type of seminary are provided with materials to help them study the scriptures daily. They then meet with a CES teacher for class once a week.\nAll youth are encouraged to complete and graduate from seminary, if the opportunity is available to them. President Boyd K. Packer said, “Parents, encourage, even insist, that your students register for seminary or institute. Presidents, bishops, youth leaders, you are responsible to encourage every youngster, without exception, to enroll. Few things you do will benefit them quite as much” (Boyd K. Packer, “Agency and Control,” Ensign, May 1983, 66).\nAfter high school, the Church offers institute of religion classes for college-age young men and women across the country (often near major colleges and universities).\nFor More Information visit the Church Educational System website", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "Formula for Success\n© August 2003 by Asher Intrater\nIn recent years many teachings on biblical success were presented in such a carnal way, that they became theological cover-ups for greed and lust. You could almost feel the anger of Yeshua (Jesus) against such teachings, as in His overturning of the tables of the moneychangers in the Temple. Yet, there is a biblical principle of prosperity that is according to the will of God.\nDaily Scripture Meditation\nThe word Torah (law) comes from the Hebrew root meaning teaching or instruction. In this context it refers to the entire word of God. We cannot succeed spiritually by just hearing a message in congregation on the weekend. A daily time in the word is the foundation for all success. Imagine God saying that if you will do this simple daily discipline, He will direct and prosper your path. I can think of no other more important habit in my life over the past 25 years than daily scripture meditation.\nSay No to Peer Pressure\nHuman society is seen by the biblical worldview as generally flowing in the wrong direction. To walk with God we must go against the stream. Most young people start to do wrong, not because they want to do wrong, but because they want to please their friends and be accepted by them. As there is peer pressure for young people, so is there a more subtle, yet still evil influence on us as we mature.\nThe problem here is that by its very nature, social influence appears to be what is socially acceptable. Therefore it seems okay. \"Everybody's doing it, so it can't be that wrong.\" If we are to succeed with God, we can't just be positive about everything. We are going to have to say, \"No.\" This negative command, not to be influenced by those around us, is repeated three times: Not to walk, not to stand, not to sit. This includes friends at work, neighbors, family members, television, entertainment, advertising, etc.\nDistancing ourselves from the wrong kinds of friends, and cultivating the right kind of friends, is part of leading a successful lifestyle. The kind of company we keep does affect our moral standards (1 Corinthians 15:33).\nThe positive command to meditate on scriptures is given only once. On a day-to-day basis we are likely to encounter three times as many negative opportunities, to which we will have to say, \"No,\" than we will have positive opportunities for godly edification. We cannot be \"friendly\" toward the social influences of this world, and still be a friend of God (1 John 2:15, James 4:4). Yeshua said that we have to deny our self-centered feelings everyday in order to follow Him (Luke 9:23). Yeshua's prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane, \"Not my will, but yours (Matthew 26:39),\" serves as the ultimate model for each of us to dedicate our lives to God on a daily basis.\nSay It and Do It\nIf we do not \"do\" the word, then our meditation is simply mystical, and we end up deceiving ourselves (James 1:22). Scripture meditation is not mystic, it is moral.\nWe are not saved by theoretical faith, but by real faith, which leads to a change in our actions. That's why there is no contradiction to saying that we are saved by our faith and judged by our works. Our works do count, and we will give an account of our deeds on the day of judgment (II Corinthians 5:10, Revelation 20:12-13).\nScripture meditation is not only an issue of the imaginations of our hearts, but also of the words of our mouths (Psalm 19:14). The word hegeh in the Hebrew means both a heart meditation and a verbal expression at the same time. Notice in the above quote from Joshua 1, that we are challenged not to let the word of God depart from our mouths. We are to speak of them wherever we go (Deuteronomy 6:7). When our \"confession\" of the word is backed up by daily Bible study and a moral change in our behavior, our words will have spiritual power of miraculous dimension. Then our words will move mountains and whatever we say will come to pass (Mark 11:22-23). We cannot live a life of spiritual victory without making sure that our speech is according to biblical standards. We must both walk the walk and talk the talk.\nAttitude Toward Authority\nThis command is part of the overall biblical attitude of submitting to authority. God is benevolent. God is ultimately in charge of all authority. He seeks to bless us through that authority. If we will have an attitude that is submissive toward authority we will more easily find God's blessing. This attitude of submission is quite opposite to the spirit of rebellion and resistance to authority that is found in the world. It is often seen to be embarrassing or weak to submit to those in authority. However, we do that, not out of weakness, but out of faith in God, who has a sovereign providence over the authority.\nIf we are to succeed we must re-order our priorities. On a day-to-day basis we make decisions according to that order of priority. Yeshua said that we should seek first the spiritual and moral values of His kingdom, and then afterwards we would be blessed in all the other things as well (Mathew 6:33). We live in a material world, created by a spiritual God. As long as our priorities reflect first the Creator, and then the creation, we will make the right decisions and be biblically successful in all that we do.", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "Okay, I’m going to try this again. I know that writing about morality puts one on very shaky ground these days. The last time I tried I was met with some….. unkind words on social media. But as we go through the life path found in 2 Peter 1 or as I like to call it, “Sanctification Street,” one must either do a spiritual broad jump over verse 5 or address morality. In my previous blog entry we looked at faith. I defined faith as believing and trusting; when we believe AND trust something or someone – we have faith. Faith just so happens to be the way to get in the Kingdom of God and onto “Sanctification Street.” Regardless of race, color, creed, socio economic status, or sin proclivity God’s grace is available. Anyone may enter into the Kingdom of God – by faith….. ANYONE! But just like orangejuice isn’t just for breakfast, faith isn’t just for salvation. Faith is the fuel for the engine that takes us up Sanctification Street. Without faith fuel we stall out! So, if you have entered into the Kingdom of God by faith…. What’s next? Well, you follow the path (Sanctification Street) found in 2 Peter 1 and pick up the next quality – MORAL EXCELLENCE.\n5 Now for this very reason also, applying all diligence, in your faith supply moral excellence, and in your moral excellence, knowledge, 6 and in your knowledge, self-control, and in your self-control, perseverance, and in your perseverance, godliness, 7 and in your godliness, brotherly kindness, and in your brotherly kindness, love. (2 Peter 1 NASB)\nJesus bought your righteousness and gave you the right to stand before a perfectly Holy (set apart from sin) and just (cannot allow sin to go unpunished) God. You received this righteousness by faith (believing and trusting). The next step is moral excellence (virtue or good character) depending on what translation you read. The Greek word rendered “moral excellence” in the New American Standard Bible means moral goodness in thought and action. In other words, we are to begin thinking and acting like a child of God. Another way of putting it is that we begin to agree with God’s view of what is best. The Bible is big enough to keep us busy for a lifetime growing in our knowledge of what God has said. Actually, growing in knowledge is the next quality on Sanctification Street after moral excellence, so let’s not jump ahead. Moral excellence is a natural next step after one enters by faith through the door of salvation – which is faith in Jesus Christ. Think about it, we don’t earn salvation, we receive it by believing Jesus paid for our salvation with His death, burial and resurrection from the dead….. and then trusting Him alone for our salvation and with our lives. This is another way of saying we are saved by “receiving Jesus as Lord and Savior.” Doesn’t it go without saying that if you have a Lord (aka master), then you do what He says? Now, Jesus isn’t a harsh task-master of a Lord. He is a loving Shepherd, willing to give His life for His sheep! So, in essence, Moral Excellence is agreeing with God about what is best for us! We believe that God is good, that God loves us, that God knows us and that God will lead us to what is best. So when God instructs, we follow….. why? Because our faith (belief and trust) leads us to do so for our own good!\nWhat is Moral Excellence?\nThere are hundreds… perhaps thousands of examples one could use to illustrate moral excellence. But how about we stick with one that has become the most controversial today – homosexuality. We’re not talking about attraction or struggling with homosexuality but whether or not the lifestyle is something a child of God is to avoid. The answer is yes. As a matter of fact we could say the same about many other lifestyles that are celebrated in today’s world which stand in contrast to the following statement: In the Kingdom of God, sex is a gift that is to be enjoyed only in the marriage covenant. In other words, sex is to be enjoyed between a husband and a wife. If you are in a sexual relationship outside of those boundaries, you are outside of God’s will. I know this isn’t easy, but it is possible. We could go into each and every argument that the world offers, but it boils down to this question: Do you believe what the Bible says on this topic? If yes – then trust it for your life (believe + trust = FAITH). If you know what Scripture teaches but willfully choose something else, I submit to you that the problem is with your faith. Somehow, someway you don’t think that what God prescribes is best FOR YOU. So, if you BELIEVE the Bible – then act like it. I chose homosexuality because it is a hot-button topic today, but I could have chosen: adultery, fornication, quick temperedness, drunkenness, addiction, dishonesty, foul language, not giving, not forgiving, not loving…. you get the point.\nThis is not hate speech. It is love speech aimed at only a specific group of people in the world… born again Christians. If you are not yet a Christian it is not my nor any other Christian’s job to police your conduct. I have no interest in making homosexuals into heterosexuals outside of the Kingdom of God. I would like to introduce any non-Christian to my Lord and Savior who loves them very much and died so that they might enter into the Kingdom of God, not by works but by faith. And if you are a Christian, then what is best for you is to agree with God – your loving Father who knows and communicates what is best for His children. Start traveling up Sanctification Street, by faith. It is what is best for you – and that is what I want!", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "The Message of the Cross\nDuring this time of year, we reflect and remember Jesus’ suffering and death. We remember His sacrifice and what God did to redeem us. Our good works will never be enough to receive salvation. Instead, our sins deserve the consequences of eternal death apart from God.\nThe message of the cross is God’s answer to sin. He demonstrated His love by sending Jesus Christ to be our substitute. Trusting Christ receives what He did on our behalf to be worthy before God and fully forgiven of our sins.\nWhat an amazing message to share with the world – and especially with Mormons!\nI recently returned home from work and spotted two Mormon missionaries knocking on the door across the street.\nI prayed that the occupants of the new renters were not home, so I could chat with them. The Lord answered my prayer. When I came out to greet the missionaries, I was pleasantly surprised to see an Elder that I met with before. Over the course of several visits, I was granted the opportunity to share the real truth of the gospel in a way he could understand. And I knew he was listening!\nHe immediately came over to greet me and tell me that he was returning home next week. He seemed eager to touch bases with me before saying goodbye.\nI quickly invited them inside and we sat down in the living room. After several minutes, the other missionary companion pointed to the cross that was hanging on my living room wall.\n“Are you a Christian?” he asked. “What church do you belong to?”\n“I belong to a church that believes in the message of the cross.”\n“We also believe in Jesus’ sacrifice and what he did for us,” the missionary expressed.\n“How we view the cross,” I explained, “really depends on what lens we use.”\nThe lens of Mormonism views the cross much differently and I was grateful for the opportunity to put on a new pair of glasses for my new young friend to see.\nThrough the lens of the Bible, believers point to the message of the cross and receive comfort with the words, “You are forgiven!”\nThrough the lens of Mormonism, they point to the cross and say, “You can be forgiven!”\nIn this month’s First Presidency message entitled “Encircled in His Gentle Arms,” he refers to an oil painting by Frans Schwartz called “The Agony in the Garden.” Mormons will routinely point to the Garden of Gethsemane as the place of Christ’s greatest suffering that is equal to the cross.\nAnd there is a reason for that.\nThe process of receiving forgiveness figuratively starts in the Garden of Gethsemane. Like Jesus, a Mormon believes they can receive comfort in their resolve to carry out the will of Heavenly Father and do all they can do to eternally progress. “We can be made spotless and pure once again. We can be redeemed by the eternal sacrifice of our beloved Savior.”\nMormons believe it’s possible to be like Christ and suffer in this life like he did in the Garden of Gethsemane – to sacrifice themselves in their obedience – and to inherit Eternal Life through their determination, resolve, and good works.\nLooking back at the Mormon missionary who was staring intently back at me, I stated to him, “The cross is not a symbol of death and defeat, but a reminder of God’s promises. Because Jesus substituted himself on the cross, I receive all the benefits of his sacrifice. Right now, I am forgiven. Right now, I am declared worthy. Right now, I am redeemed. When I look at the cross, I don’t focus on what I have to do, but what Christ has already done for me. Peace, joy, and assurance come from trusting God’s promises that my status is secure.”\nMy prayers go out to my young Elder friend. I trust the Lord’s promise that the harvest is plentiful, the Lord promises. And I pray that my Elder friend is one of those whom the Lord harvests soon.\nFor more information on how to share God’s Word with Mormon missionaries, please go to pleaseopenthedoor.com.", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "This is yet another clarion call for millennials to arise and build this country.\nWhen we were young children we referred to us future leaders but the season has now changed. We are no longer future leaders. The time is ripe for us to lead this country not merely at the forefront in politics, but with our own lives. The greatest leadership is how you will choose to steward your life.\nThe country as is lies in a sad state with an almost negligible value system. It is upon us to build a value system for this country. This is not an easy task. But, this nation is our inheritance from God, it is a land that flows with milk and honey. There are talks amongst us that this country cannot be changed but we must arise and give a different report.\nThe land that the Israelites said was full of giants and could not be subdued, was the same land Joshua and Caleb said flowed with milk and honey. Are there giants in this land? Yes! But God has given us weapons and strategies to defeat these enemies. A whole generation missed out on its inheritance because they complained and criticized the inheritance that God had prepared for them.\nThe blessing that rests on the righteous releases strength and favour to the entire city, but shouts of joy will be heard when the wicked one dies.\nMany times just like Elijah we are discouraged because we feel like we are the only ones who care. Often I have found myself wondering whether my choices affect our country. Whether my prayers as an individual make a difference in this nation. However, Daniel is a great example that one man’s prayer can change the course of a nation. Esther is an example that one woman can save a nation. Through one man Jesus Christ the light has come to the world.\nOur lives will only make a meaningful difference if we decide to live for more than ourselves. Like Esther, we must be willing to take risks for our nation. Like Daniel we must pray without ceasing for our nation. Like Joshua and Caleb we must always give a good report about our country. Like Joseph we must be faithful in all the places that God has placed us. Like Nehemiah we must build in spite of heckling voices. Like David we must choose to pursue above all else the heart of God for ourselves and for our generation. This is how we must lead this generation.\nFor if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place but you and your father’s house will perish. Who knows whether you have attained royal status for such a time as this.\nCoincidentally, as I was writing this post I came across an article that stated that this is the Jewish month of Adar where many moons ago the Jewish people celebrated the feast of Purim after averting a possible Jewish holocaust that was being orchestrated by an evil man Hamaan. When Esther realized that she had a become a queen for that very moment, it was a defining moment. We were born in this nation at such a time as this and like Esther we must choose to make bold and courageous choices for this generation.\nLeave a reply", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "Paula Beth Blanton Taylor, age 40, passed away on Wednesday, January 5, 2022, at Baptist Health in Richmond, Kentucky. Paula was born in Pineville, Kentucky to Paul and Judy Ann Lipps Blanton.\nIn addition to her parents, Paula is survived by her loving husband, Jerad Taylor; her brother, Aaron Blanton; her second parents, Scott K. and Carla Taylor; her little sis, Lauren Jones and her little bro, Cody Jones; her aunts and uncles: Janice Blevins, Margie Sandusky, Lucy Cummins, Kathy Lipps, Marsh and Geneva Blanton, Doris and Chad Blanton, and Marie Onkst; a special uncle, Greg Harrison; her papaw by marriage; Ray Harrison; her best friends, Jamie Lee and Kristy Newell; a host of cousins; her beloved dogs, Lincoln and Sebastian; and others who had the privilege to love her.\nPaula was a light to everyone who knew her. She will be remembered as someone who loved doing for others and for loving the people in her life. She enjoyed doing yardwork, trips to the beach, and family gatherings. She adored her husband and loved spending time with him, whether they were traveling or working outside together. Paula was a member of Crestview Holy Sanctuary and truly loved her church.\nVisitation will take place Tuesday, January 11, 2022, from 6pm-9pm at Crestview Holy Sanctuary. Services will be Wednesday, January 12, 2022, at 11am at Crestview Holy Sanctuary. Burial will follow after the service at Madison County Memorial Gardens. Bro. Kevin Newell, Bro. Anthony Lee, Bro. Jerry McKinley Holland, and Bro. Charlie Napier will be officiating. Pallbearers will be Aaron Blanton, Cody Jones, Patrick Lipps, Jordan Lipps, Patrick Blanton, Caleb Alexander, Shane Blanton and Kenny Sandusky. Honorary Pallbearers will be Elisha Blanton, Shawn McGuire, Achee Eads, Joel Onkst, Richard Onkst, Adam Blanton, Kevin Blanton, Tim Alexander, Jason Neal, Jim Lamb and Kevin Newell.\nServices will be lived streamed. Lakes Funeral Home is handling arrangements.\nThe family has requested that facial coverings are worn for visitation and the service.", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "God is giving you His signet ring\nGenesis 41:41-43 (MSG)\n‘So Pharaoh commissioned Joseph: “I’m putting you in charge of the entire country of Egypt.” Then Pharaoh removed his signet ring from his finger and slipped it on Joseph’s hand. He outfitted him in robes of the best linen and put a gold chain around his neck. He put the second-in-command chariot at his disposal, and as he rode people shouted “Bravo!” Joseph was in charge of the entire country of Egypt.’\nThe time came for Joseph when all he had been through and dealt with had elevated him to a place of favour with Pharaoh.\nHis faithfulness during his wilderness period finally carried Joseph into influence and this was his time to shine.\nIt was the moment that defined his life. He was given charge over all of Egypt which was represented by a single ring. This ring was powerful. It symbolised favour, kingship and authority.\nLike Joseph, God is giving you His signet ring. It is a defining moment in your life where the things that have held you back are no longer an issue anymore.\nThe ring gives you charge over all your Egypt. The dead and unfruitful places are coming to life. The things you saw in your dreams long ago are becoming a reality bringing supernatural power and influence to you.\nGod is trusting you with His signet ring to bring about freedom to a nation that is waiting for the full manifestation of the sons of God.", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "First Baptist Church Tallahassee Hires Minister of Music\nTALLAHASSEE, Florida - First Baptist Church Tallahassee (FBCTLH) in Florida has expanded its team with the addition of Greg Williams as their new Minister of Music. FBCTLH’s purpose and goal as a church is to follow Jesus by striving to honor Him in all things, loving and serving others in His name, and helping others follow Him. They are committed to ministering to people in the Tallahassee area and around the world. Greg’s gifts will help them pursue this mission and point people to the Lord through worship.\nGreg began his ministry career at FBCTLH as a young college student and is thrilled to be returning back to this community and serving in this role. He has a deep love and appreciation for the community of believers at FBCTLH and is excited to be part of what God is doing through this church.\nIn his new role as Minister of Music, Greg will serve the church by leading, coordinating, overseeing, and continuing to develop the church’s music ministry. It is Greg’s goal to connect people to God’s word and to equip believers to express their worship through music and the creative arts. He also seeks to mentor and raise up emerging worship leaders.\n\"First Baptist Tallahassee, throughout its long and storied history, has maintained an excellent, comprehensive, multi-generational music ministry and long-tenured leadership. Greg Williams will do a wonderful job for years to come guiding the ministry alongside Pastor Gary Schultz. It was a joy to partner with this fine church and see the connection made between candidate and church.\" - Executive Search Consultant, Brian Dunks\nGreg and his wife of over 20 years, Susan, are excited about their move to Tallahassee. He has always referred to her as his “partner in ministry,” so they are eager for this new ministry opportunity. Vanderbloemen is honored to have partnered with First Baptist Church Tallahassee on this search and we are thrilled for them in this new season of leadership.\nVanderbloemen serves teams with a greater purpose by aligning their people solutions for growth: hiring, compensation, succession, and culture. Through its retained executive search and consulting services, Vanderbloemen serves churches, schools, nonprofits, family offices, and Christian businesses in all parts of the United States and internationally.\nFor press inquiries or more information, contact: email@example.com or (713) 300-9665.", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "“The Adventist Development and Relief Agency is a global humanitarian organization of the Seventh-Day Adventist Church that demonstrates God’s love and compassion.”\nADRA India has been implementing humanitarian projects to help the most vulnerable in India for more than 20 years since 1987. With formal registration in 1992, it has implemented more than 140 projects worth more than 30 Million USD, and reached over 22 million people.\nThank you for visiting the ADRA India web site! Our organization is part of a global network of independent humanitarian organizations established in 1984 by the Seventh-Day Adventist Church now with presence in 125 countries. ADRA provides individual and community development and disaster relief without regard to political or religious association, age, gender, or ethnicity.In India, the gap between the rich and the poor is maybe more prevalent here than anywhere else in the world. It is true that India is a growing economic power, however we cannot hide from knowing that more than two thirds of India’s 1.2 billion people, live close-to or below the poverty line.\nOne of the latest projects ADRA India is implementing is the so-called 10 + Plan. This is a plan that gives each of the Seventh-day Adventist Church attendants the opportunity to participate in this humanitarian adventure every week by giving a donation of 10 rupees or more to support ADRA India ministry of behalf of the most vulnerable.\nThe main goal of this plan is to allow ADRA India to work closer with the Seventh-day Adventist Church constituency in such a way that each member can become acquainted with the work, activities and mission of ADRA in the country while humanitarian culture is being seeded in their heart.", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "The Not-Quite Empty Tomb\nJames Montgomery Boice\nPublisher, Alliance of Confessing Evangelicals Inc, 1716 Spruce St Philadelphia PA 19103 USA. Smashwords Edition.\nCopyright 2010, Linda M. Boice.\nRevised 2011, Alliance of Confessing Evangelicals. All rights reserved.\nAll Scripture is taken from the New International Version unless otherwise noted. Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House. All rights reserved\nMaterial from this book was excerpted from The Christ of the Empty Tomb, chapter 6, pages 75-86. P&R Publishing, 2010.\nThis article may be duplicated in its entirety and without edit, including this full disclaimer for personal, small group, non-commercial use. No more than 200 copies may be made. No electronic use beyond email is permitted. Any use other then those listed herein are forbidden without prior written permission. All rights reserved. ARJMB090.\nThe Not-Quite-Empty Tomb\nOne of the great historical evidences of the resurrection of Jesus Christ is the empty tomb. But the remarkable and quite startling fact is that when Peter and John arrived at the tomb on the first Easter morning it was not quite empty. The body of Jesus was gone, but something was still there. The graveclothes remained behind. The Bible suggests that there was something so striking about them that John saw them and immediately believed in Jesus' resurrection.\nThat is significant, for it marks the first time there was an indication of belief by one of the disciples. Ernest Renan 1 argued that faith in the resurrection was the result of rumors spread by Mary Magdalene who had suffered an hallucination, thinking she had seen Jesus. But that could not be. Mary suffered no hallucination. The last thing in the world she expected was the resurrection of her Lord. And John, at least, testified that he believed some time before Mary ever returned to the tomb and met Jesus in the garden.", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "I am indeed aging both physically and cognitively. I can only extrapolate speculatively into a foggy, uncertain future. How will my old age evolve? How should, or can, I plan for it? I expect there will be more losses, but will there be any new opportunities? What do I want to be able to look back on?\nTo me, the first task of old age is to come to terms with the fact of our mortality. Not all do. Many hide from this, putting the question off, or hiding in pleasant fantasies. Many other people in our society do address mortality in some fashion, making out wills and appointing POAs. You can read the words of the old preacher “Qoholeth” in Ecclesiastes or take a stroll through a cemetery. All around us, we see signs of our finitude. Our bodies and abilities are slowly deteriorating. In one way this is a blessing. No one can say we don’t get advance warning! “Ye know not the day or the hour,” said Jesus.\nAs for questions of life beyond death, for most people, it’s a matter of speculation. They feel that no one really knows, so we should muddle on as best we can, looking for some meaning in our offspring and finding some sense of purpose in whatever legacy we can leave to the next generation. What of the interim, if we don’t die suddenly? Shall we try to fill the time with a “bucket list” of pleasures, or hang on to family and friends even as they move elsewhere or pass away? For most of us,the “Golden Years” are ultimately a fraud. Our opportunities will dwindle as our burdens multiply. A psychiatrist that I knew used to call our Palliative Care ward “the waiting room of the Lord.”\nHow will we cope while we wait for the Lord? Will we still find hope? Will we find any meaning in life as it deteriorates into the final night? Negative perceptions can haunt us. We look back and rue our losses. We look ahead and fear yet more loss of certainty, safety, and control. We may look around us and feel shame: we’re of no use to anyone anymore, we’re just a burden to our families and to our society. We can get angry about this rotten life. Euthanasia may feel like we’re somehow taking control of death by causing our death in the timing and manner of our choosing, even though death constitutes the loss of all control.\nHowever, the resurrection of Jesus changes everything. How? Because it’s crucial to our world’s future and our own. Because it really happened on this earth, in humanity’s time and space. It has power to renew us and the world. “Because I live, you too shall live,” Christ consoles us. We are given “a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus the Messiah from the dead.” His resurrection is both the sign and means of our own coming resurrection after our death. By faith in Jesus’ resurrection, we can find hope for our own, seeing beyond the valley of the shadow of death a faint but strengthening glow on the eastern horizon. “I am with you always, to the end of the age.”\nJesus’ resurrection can be experienced not only beyond our death, but also right now in our daily trials. He walks with us unseen, but heard in the footsteps of the apostles and saints who’ve gone before us, and also of those who walk alongside us now. Let’s learn from them all. Having fellowship in Jesus’ sufferings, we’ll find compensation for our losses and support for our burdens as He walks with us. The more our life’s a downer, the more we can find refreshment in His resurrection.\nWhich bring us to another question: How shall we live our old age in light of Jesus’ own death and resurrection? Here follows advice that I’m still learning myself.\nMeditate regularly on Jesus’ resurrection, the accounts in the Gospels and other NT passages expounding its significance.\nRefresh your apologetic of the resurrection, both for yourself and others. We live in a culture where many deny or ignore Jesus’ resurrection, and that can sap our own belief and our testimony to others.\nPractice daily thanksgiving, especially when you might not feel like it. If we think about it, we can always find something for which to say, ‘Thank you.’ That becomes for us a sign of God’s unseen presence and His ongoing care for us.\n”The Golden Years”? This is a pathetic substitute for heaven, and a substitute that will sooner or later disappoint. What is our “bucket list” in light of the Resurrection? A chance to repair and deepen our relationships? A chance to re-focus on projects that will outlast us? If you’ve put your affairs in order, stretch yourself: don’t be afraid to take some new, calculated risks. We can take our years of decline as yet another of God’s gifts to us.\nTry to make new friends. Your old friends may be passing away. I think it behooves us to reach out to others who are as lonely as we are. Who knows? They might even become our friends.\nTry to make young friends. Stretch yourself to enter their world. Yes, the IT world is a vast jungle, and you’ll succeed only partly, but they’ll notice your effort and appreciate you for it. As they get to know you, they’ll value your life experience when you relate it to their own lives. Look not just for what they can give to you, but also for what you can give to them.\nTake care of yourself, even in your old age. He Who made you in His image wants you to. “But I’m of no use to God or to anyone else!” Rather than believe this thought, consider these words from a Christian poet who went blind in old age and could no longer serve his God in the same way; “They also serve who stand and wait.” Consider the resurrection of the Son of Man, and His presence with you even now. God loves you.\nRegarding Power of Attorney and Living Wills: If you move into dementia, your POA is your best human defense. Try to find someone wise who shares your values, and ideally who’s younger than you, so they won’t get disabled before you do! As a physician, I’m unimpressed with most of the Living Wills I’ve seen. Too often they’re simply an attempt to bind the future, to somehow control the fearful unknown. But your best security is in your choice of POA, someone who knows you well enough to say when asked for a decision, “Yes, I think he would want this”, or “No, he would not want that.” I have frequently found this approach fruitful in helpingfamilies to make difficult decisions for their loved ones. My very conscientious sister is my own POA. I’ve told her, “If you make a mistake, I forgive you in advance.”\nHow can I cope with my losses? Losses come with the territory. “Old age is not for sissies,” said Billy Graham, as he coped with his Parkinson’s disease. Opportunities, including social opportunities, dwindle as our physical and mental disabilities increase. However, if we address our losses with faith in God, we can continue to live with gratefulness and joy,\nDiscover silver linings in these clouds. For example, two years ago I had to give up cycling because of my deteriorating balance. Coupled with COVID-19 rules, this meant I had to give up leading my beloved nature outings. Consequently, I began hosting one on one socially-distanced, nature walks. These made for more peaceful and intimate walks with a friend.\nGraceful relinquishment: When we outlive our usefulness for a particular job or position, we shouldn’t fight it. Move aside for another of God’s servants. You’re never “useless” to God, and you can ask Him to give you something else to do. I learn that it never all depended on me. God has a silver lining.\nLook for God’s gift in little things. God is glorified in the little things of our lives if we look for them. We learn this in our old age. if I’m in Palliative Care, a word of thanks to my caregiver, a kind word to my roommate, a prayer for the institution may not seem like much, yet these little things are meaningful in the eyes of the Eternal One. We can also find new pleasures in things that previously would have been too little to bother about. For example, many years ago I spent five weeks in our local cancer hospital and was very limited in what I could do. I had lots of time just to look around from my hospital bed. My window looked out onto the dark and dingy brick wall of the next building. However, I noticed that for about five minutes each day before supper, the rays of the setting sun hit that wall, bringing out a rich variety of colour in the bricks. It was beautiful! I found myself looking forward to this treat each day.\nOur sufferings and frustrations can be used by God to refine our character, producing the virtue of humility (which is different from humiliation). The Bride is being prepared to meet the Bridegroom. Look past the refining work of pain, shame, and disability to the benefits. Chief among these is freedom from the taskmaster of pride. This reality-check prompts us to turn to God with our pleas and our hopes. The result can be a more intimate relationship with God. Old men like me are stereotypically called “crotchety” or “cantankerous”. Humility is the antidote to our futile anger. We discover that we don’t need pride to bolster our self-esteem. We’re sent the affirmation of grace from the Top. When we humbly resign control, laying it at His feet as it’s taken away from us, this is worship of the One from whom all things come. Yet, Jesus will restore our control and more in the resurrection to come: “Don’t you know that we will judge angels?” wrote St. Paul.\nAre we ruefully fixated on the past? Do “old people hate change”? Loss prompts us to look\nbackward, dwelling on the rosy bits of our past. But we can’t go back there. When we try to, it can mire us in sorrow, and turn us into obstacles for everyone else. Instead, let the past go, as we would grieve for and release a departed loved one.\nTreasure the memories as memories, and move on. Live in the present. We already know that we all will ultimately lose our valiant fight against disability and death. But because we know that Jesus is risen, we know that there is light and life on the other side. Scripture says not only that Jesus is risen, but that He ascended, was glorified at the Father’s right hand, and intercedes for us. “All authority in Heaven and Earth is given to Me.” So, He is here with us. “Lo, I am with you always, to the end of the Age. So, I can live in the present with Jesus. Let me not hide from the future either. Only God knows what the future holds for any of us, but He sent His risen Son to walk into this unknown future with us. Since the Son of Man has risen, we know He’ll be with us both now and in whatever the uncertain future may hold, right up to our last breath.\nHave I lost hope of anything good coming tomorrow? Whatever tomorrow may lack, it will never lack the Presence of the Lord Jesus, walking with us, suffering with us, and loving us. The little deaths that we experience on the way are often followed with little resurrections that we haven’t foreseen. Instead of ruing the loss of opportunities that I can no longer have, let me look for new, if humbler, opportunities resulting from the losses. Though smaller, the new ones, if embraced with humble thanks, can open me to a fuller experience of God’s grace and love. If I can’t find any new opportunities, let me remember that God loves me anyway, and desires my fellowship in His love. After my retirement He’s been giving me more of this than before. Have I lost all family and friends? This is hard. If our attempts to make new friends fail, we are driven back to our best friend, Jesus.\nIf I’ve lost my independence, let me discover the new ways God shows His love for me. This might be through my family or through the caregivers who change my diapers. This relieves me of the pride-monkey that clings to my back. Say, “Thank you”.\nDoes my life feel meaningless? Our life’s meaning is not just here on Earth but also in the heavenly places. Those who stand and wait can also serve. We don’t have to see meaning in our lives in order for meaning to be. All will be made clear in the World to come. “Then we shall know as we are known.”\nLegacy is an opportunity of old age: Yes, we have to bow out, but there’s a generation coming behind us to whom we can pass the torch. What is our testimony to them? What in our life have we learned of the Lord and life with Him that they can learn from us? If our answer is ‘nothing’, then we can make our confession of this to them: Let them learn from our mistake so that they can avoid it. Even at this last chapter of our life, we can repent and ask the Lord even now to teach us, and thereby to give us a word of encouragement for the youngsters.\nTo conclude, in light of the Resurrection of Jesus, we can pray with the Psalmist confidently; “Even when I am old and gray, do not forsake me, my God, till I declare your power to the next generation, your mighty acts to all who are to come.”", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "A post on Francis Berger's excellent blog discussed how many people have been distressed by the apparent lack of divine support in these dark times. Why are the faithful not given spiritual aid when the world is so much with us and people feel attacked by it more than ever? I completely agree with Francis's response to this question and would advise anyone who hasn't read it to do so in order to gain a better understanding of the current spiritual situation.\nI commented on his post as follows:\n\"It is just as you say. God is communicating with us and doing so all the time but he is doing so on a spiritual level, through impression and intuition. It is up to us to raise our minds up to spiritual levels and not expect to be spoon-fed like spiritual babies. We are not just required to believe nowadays but to know and this knowledge can only be acquired if we work for it by preparing our minds to respond to the Word of God spiritually which means from the soul. God wants us to come up to him and will no longer come down to us except in extreme circumstances and maybe for many of us not even then.\nThis may sound cruel but is actually a great compliment for he wouldn't do it unless he knew we were capable of it. At least we have to make a start.\"\nHere I'd like to elaborate a bit on my comment. First of all, I'd like to offer something from my own experience. Those who have read my book Meeting the Masters will know that I was spoken to by spiritual beings who described themselves as messengers from God over a period of 21 years, regularly at first but increasingly rarely as the years went by and it was assumed I had enough to be working on. Or, if I didn't, I should have. This was essentially spiritual instruction, tailored to my particular needs. But I was also told that I was additionally instructed through what was called impression and this was the preferred method because it put the ball in my court. I didn't just have to obey, relatively easy and passive, but to take the initiative and be responsible for myself. I had to attune myself to true spiritual levels and develop response to those levels to hear this impression. In this way, I could develop what one might think of as spiritual muscles.\nImagine the human being as a multi-levelled creature. The levels we are most familiar with are the physical, emotional and mental but there are instinctive and spiritual levels too, one often below the threshold of consciousness, the other usually above it. The spiritual level is the soul which is the source of our individuality and free will. There is no free will on a purely material level but we all know free will exists. Even those who deny it do not live as though it were not a real thing. Free will does exist but is exists at the spiritual level of the soul.\nNow, those people who are yearning for a sign or a communication from God are expecting it at a material level. A voice or a sign that can be perceived by the senses. Something like I experienced years ago. But this is the desire of a spiritual adolescent. Someone who may be growing in the spirit but is still interpreting it in terms of the material self. God wants us to advance into the spiritual self, the soul which exists above the strictly phenomenal level. And he knows we are now capable of this. We have developed intellectually and are ready, or some of us are, to move on to the next stage. Thus his communication to us takes place nowadays largely at the level of the soul and is not in the form of words or even visions (both sensory) but impressions which we have to first pick up on and then translate into a mental form to understand clearly. This is where our own spiritual development comes in. We have to have enough sensibility to respond to the soul and also a mind capable of interpreting it correctly. Both are important.\nThis is not to say that God never sends us more direct experiences or communications but often we find that is at the beginning of an individual's spiritual journey. It is to get him started, to show that the spiritual world does indeed exist. But it is a mistake to demand these things continuously or to expect them as a regular favour. It will keep us trapped at a low level of spiritual understanding if we do that. It might even stimulate egotistical desire which is the very thing we are aiming to grow out of. (Not desire per se which is good since without it we would have nothing to call us to God, but egotistical desire).\nWe have moved into a new world but this new world is simply a development of the old one. Nonetheless, our spiritual approach must be different to that of the past. It must be more creative, more co-active meaning we work with God. We don't just sit there passively and expect him to move us. We move ourselves but always in his direction. God will communicate with us but through the medium of our own soul. If you want to hear him, you must work hard to become aware of that soul.", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "Being that I serve in a Lutheran Church, I have had many people reach out to me inquiring about the theological basis of a repentance prayer, like the one laid out in Day 13, which states:\nDear Lord Jesus, I know that I am a sinner, and I ask for your forgiveness. I believe you died for my sins and rose from the dead. I turn from my sins and invite you to come into my heart and life. I want to trust and follow You as my Lord and Savior. In Your Name. Amen.\nAs Lutherans, we are often leery of taking credit away from God in the process of salvation, and so I wanted to post a theological response as to the basis of a prayer like this.\nThis was one of the questions I received:\nI serve in an LCMS church and there was some confusion about how to take this prayer, especially in light Luther’s explanation to the third article. Could you possible help give some insight on how you saw this being played out in a Lutheran context? I\nI will assume you are referring to Part 1 of the third article which I’ll include below.\n“I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy Christian church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.\nWhat does this mean?\nI believe that I cannot by my own reason or strength believe in Jesus Christ, my Lord, or come to Him; but the Holy Spirit has called me by the Gospel, enlightened me with His gifts, sanctified and kept me in the true faith.\nThe central thought, according to the central explanation of Luther’s Small Catechism is that “I believe…that I cannot believe.” As fallen people, we are unable to find God on our own, let alone choose to entrust our lives to Him.\nThis was reiterated in the entire reading of Day 13, and I will walk you through it.\nBeginning with the story of my speeding tickets and being unable to save myself from the verdict (and a fair verdict, I WAS guilty) …it continued with a confessional in Romans 3:10 and the understanding that we are all sinful and lost. “We are all guilty- that includes you.”\nThis is a bleak and troubling realization; a sobering one that should hit hard to both the life-long Christian and also the person who may be coming to this realization for the very first time.\nIt is the crushing blow of the Law. (1 Cor. 2:14, Gen 8:21, Romans 5:12, Eph 2:3)\nat the bottom of page 89 there is a shift in direction. “Yet no matter how serious, big or awful your sin is, God’s grace extends to cover it.” Everything after that is a deliverance of the Gospel, the good news of what Jesus did.\nThe devotional continues, “When our hearts object and say we could never be forgiven, God says, “Objection Overruled” because the blood of His Son Jesus is powerful enough, pure enough, and strong enough to cover all your sins.”\nIn the explanation of the Third Article part 1 of Luther’s Catechism (pg. 195) it is suggested that the reader read Acts 9:1-22, and that is the exact scripture that the devotional ends with, just in case a person’s role in conversion still isn’t clear.\nSo back to your question. After reading the entire devotional, we come to the challenge, or response at the end.\n“Dear Lord Jesus, I know that I am a sinner, and I ask for your forgiveness. I believe You died for my sins and rose from the dead. I turn from my sins and invite You to come into my heart and life. I want to trust and follow You as my Lord and Savior. In Your Name, Amen.”\nThe Holy Spirit calls, enlightens and sanctifies us so we can have faith.\nThe primary purpose of the prayer is an acknowledgement of that work of the Holy Spirit though the saving death and resurrection of Jesus.\nOver and over in the Psalms King David asked for God’s help on the grounds that he is innocent and righteous. He was not declaring that it is by his own merits or strength. He can only make those claims about himself based on His understanding of what God has declared over him.\nIn Day 13 the reader would have heard the Word through the Holy Spirit as they read the scripture portions for that day and, enabled by the Holy Spirit, the reader can cry out to the Lord. The declaration of repentance and the invitation of lordship over their heart comes from the understanding that this is the work of God alone, and not them.\nWith the understanding that we cannot come to faith by our own reason or strength, (1 Cor 2:14, Ephesians 2:1, and 1 Cor 12:3) we understand it even further that not only are we dead in our sins, but we actively resist the Gospel’s call to faith ((Acts 7:51, Romans 8:7, Gal 5:17).\nNot all who hear the Gospel believe in Jesus as their Lord. Many people reject the Gospel and resist the Holy Spirit. (Matt 23:37, Acts 7:51, Matt 22:1-10 or Luke 14:16-24).\nTo pray the prayer in Day 13 is going against their fleshly desire to reject the Word.\nThe description of the action on the part of the sinner, “I turn from my sins” or “invite you to come into my heart and life” does not teach salvation by works any more than Christ, Paul, or James teaches salvation by works when they stress the necessity of good works in the lives of God’s children. In dozens of places, Scriptures emphasizes that we are saved by grace through faith, and not our own works.\nBut all of the writers of Scripture agree that a living faith expresses itself through good works. Our works, motivated by Christian love, demonstrate the reality of our faith. On judgement day, Jesus will point to these works of love as evidence of our faith.\nSo as a reader prayers this prayer it is a demonstration of the work of the Holy Spirit in their lives enabling them to even pray the prayer and not their own work.\nThe emphasis is always, and will forever be on the work of Jesus alone.\nI hope this helps.\nWritten by Allison and Zach Zehnder", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "Here is a conversation on God that is an extract from the comments after a blogpost. Check the post for the complete discussion that took place over a period of two months.\nGeorge 1 October\nThe new objection relates to the “proof of God” and the “divinity of Jesus”. These are big topics. I didn’t claim to prove the existence of God from the Bible. Instead, I would say that God is the most logical explanation of the existence and complex nature of the universe, the existence and complex nature of life, and the existence of the human conscience (innate sense of right and wrong). So, I agree that the Bible “is of itself not proof of God” – there’s lots of other evidence. However, the best evidence of the nature of Jesus is the historical record in the Bible. To investigate the “divinity of Jesus” one should study the most reliable ancient text about Him. Of course, one’s conclusion will depend on whether they have an open mind or not.\nGeorge 9 October\nYou say, “I would once again say that citing the Bible as proof of god amounts to nothing more than hearsay”. I didn’t claim to prove the existence of God from the Bible. Instead, I would say that the existence of God is the most logical explanation of the existence and complex nature of the universe, the existence and complex nature of life, and the existence of the human conscience (innate sense of right and wrong). So, there’s lots of other evidence available.\nCommentator 9 October\nHi George I am curious if there is lots of other evidence that is not in the bible could you please point me in the right direction to find it?\nGeorge’s reply 19 October\nYou asked, “if there is lots of other evidence (of the existence of God) that is not in the bible could you please point me in the right direction to find it?”. The other evidence of the existence of God that I mentioned was: the existence and complex nature of the universe, the existence and complex nature of life, and the existence of the human conscience (innate sense of right and wrong). Look up any articles on the source or origin of these and see if they answer the question or not and see how many miracles they require.\nFor example, an article by Stephen Hawking on “The origin of the universe” says that the origin was due to “the spontaneous quantum creation of the universe (which) would be a bit like the formation of bubbles of steam in boiling water”. And at the more popular level the Khan Academy says, “In the beginning, as far as we know, there was nothing. Suddenly, from a single point, all the energy in the universe burst forth”. These sound like miracles to me.\nOn the other hand, an article by Dr Gregory Ganssle of Yale University provides evidence that:\n– The existence of the universe is better explained by the existence of God, and\n– The existence of objective moral values is better explained by the existence of God.\nCommentator 20 October\nDear George This evidence you speak of can be interpreted in many different ways, not just yours. But thank you for your help.\nDear George in a specific response to your source of gods proof I have to point out the following holes in logic.\n- If we see time as being linear there is no problem with the first few of Mr Ganssle’s premises but if you take into account the idea of circular time troubles pop up. (ganssle is a little goose in some German dialects 🙂). He obviously had no idea of these theories as he wrote this. But many cultures such as the ancient Mayans and Indians did. Or maybe he did understand circular time theories and choose to ignore them.\n- This is a big one but if god created the universe what created god? How could he just spring or come into existence?\n“About god, there are only three alternatives:\n1. God has always existed. and has an infinite past.\n2. God was popped into existence from nothing with absolutely no cause.\n3. God was caused to exist by something outside it.”\nBy the author’s own reasoning god, herself must have an outside cause. He must have skipped his logic class as well.\nI should really just stop here because one needn’t read any further because #2 is the end of any rational discussion. In fact, the very idea of god is infinite.\nBut since we are already here…\n- Multiverse theory or the fact that every single being on this planet has an individual experience of all things based on his or her own store consciousness. This is in itself infinite. Therefore we could be living in a universe with one two, millions of gods or actually not at all. But there is no way to tell is there?\n4. The idea of knowing good or bad does not presuppose a god. It simply means that humans can see the results of their actions and generally try to choose good actions resulting in good results.\n- The authors understanding of space-time is flawed. Just because something is outside of space and time does not mean it is outside space-time. We would need to be sure that we truly understand our space with our limited sense perceptions, for example, a bat or dolphin with sonar might understand space much differently than us. Our universe does not stop at time as the last dimension. There are other dimensions as well within our universe and without further study of all of them, this argument is mute. An understanding of the fourth dimension from the perspective of someone in the second dimension is hardly trustworthy.\n- I quote “If there is no God, there are no objective moral values.\nThere are moral values which are objective.\nTherefore, God exists.\nBefore I discuss this argument, I must make it clear that I am not claiming that one must believe in God in order to be moral. I am not claiming that statistically, those who believe in God are more moral than those who do not. I am also not claiming that our knowledge of morality depends upon God. This argument is to the effect that objective moral values themselves are foreign to a universe without God. They do not fit.” George Bush believed in god and said on camera that he spoke to god every day. He said this while he was directing the U.S. Armed Forces to bomb Iraq to smithereens. Did god tell him it was ok? Even with god, one’s objective moral values are out of the window. So why should this presuppose a god? He simply believed that it was morally permissible to bomb Iraq even though most of the world did not.\n- If the author lived in a completely racist society, unfortunately by default he would also be racist whether or not it was morally right or else the society would not be completely racist. Point made?\n- Is morality transcultural? No, how would one explain the existence of head-hunters and human offering as we know exists in our world. One famous offering was even sanctioned by god, in Genesis 22. The bible and its god was not morally sound here. Oh, but isn’t he the same god who was the standard for the objective right and wrong? oops….\n- This essay is really crap and written by someone who only sees right and wrong through a dualistic perspective of the bible and not from an objective scientific perspective, therefore it is a fail as proof that god exists.\nThanks for the comment.\n- I understand that the idea of circular time has been held by some tribes (Inca, Mayan, and Native American) and some religions (Buddhism, Hinduism and Jainism). But time as we experience it is linear because:\n– Time is irreversible – we can’t travel back in time\n– Things fall apart. Things in our universe go from a state of order to a state of (increasing) disorder, and not vice-versa. This is called the second law of thermodynamics. Entropy (or disorder) in the universe increases over time.\nAlthough there are daily, monthly and annual cycles, time is unidirectional. This is physical reality. The idea of circular time may be a perception or a belief, but it’s not a physical reality.\n- You ask “what created god”? The answer is your first option, “God has always existed. and has an infinite past”. You say, “By the author’s own reasoning god, herself must have an outside cause”. But you fail to note that the author was only addressing, things that have come into existence, not things that are eternal. God is in a different category to the universe. God is eternal and has no cause, whereas the universe has a beginning and so has a cause (which is God’s will).\n- Your idea of a Multiverse (multiple universes) is pure speculation. There is no evidence of this at all. It’s a philosophical idea that cannot be falsified.\n- You say that people mainly choose good actions because they lead to good results. If this is the case, why do we need police to maintain law and order?\n- You question the author’s understanding of space-time. We live in the 4 dimensions of 3D space plus linear time. That’s the universe we all experience and observe. We could also add an extra (spiritual) dimension that is revealed in the Bible that includes God, angels and demons. So the author understands 5 dimensions of space-time, which is more than you identify! You only allude to “other dimensions”, but don’t say what they are.\n- Your example about George Bush doesn’t address the author’s claim that, “objective moral values themselves are foreign to a universe without God. They do not fit”. Just because someone may believe in God doesn’t mean that they will always follow their God-given conscience. The Bible says that our conscience can be “seared as with a hot iron” or “corrupted” (1 Tim. 4:2; Ti. 1:15). These consciences are insensitive to sin; they do not work properly.\n- Your example of “a completely racist society” is similar to the example of George Bush, it doesn’t address the author’s claim that, “objective moral values themselves are foreign to a universe without God. They do not fit”. It’s just an example of a seared or corrupted conscience. For example, slavery was accepted in society for many years until the slave trade was abolished by the efforts of Christians such as William Wilberforce (who responded to his guilty conscience when he realized that the slave trade was an abuse of the moral truth that all races are equal).\n- You don’t believe that morality is transcultural and cite the existence of head-hunters and human sacrifices as an example. But this isn’t what the author stated, which was “there is a morality that is trans-personal, trans-cultural and trans-temporal”. He calls this objective moral truth. Is head hunting and human sacrifice still practiced? The answer is no. When it was it was a case of a seared or corrupted conscience (like Hitler). In this case the objective moral value is that it wrong to kill (murder) another person.\nOf course, there are also subjective moral truths (a sense of right and wrong) that can differ according to person, culture and time. This means that all that is accepted and all that is prohibited will not be identical in all societies.\nYou say that human sacrifice was even sanctioned by God in Genesis 22, but you only quote half the story. After Abraham passed the test of obedience, God provided an animal sacrifice instead. So God never intended for Abraham to kill his son Isaac as an offering to God.\n- You criticize Ganssle’s article because of its “dualistic perspective of the bible”. However, I don’t know in what sense you are using the idea of dualism:\n– Is it that our mind is more than just our brain? That it has a non-material, spiritual dimension that includes consciousness and that is eternal? Yes, that is what the Bible teaches.\n– Is it that there are two opposing forces of equal power called good (represented by God) and evil (represented by Satan)? This is false because God is omnipotent and Satan was created by God as an angel before he rebelled (Isa. 14:12-15; Ezek. 28:13-17).\n– Is it just opposite of the Buddhist idea that all phenomena inter-exist; nothing is separate? Unfortunately, I have not yet found a clear explanation of this Buddhist idea.\nCommentator 19 October\nAs for god, god is nothing more than an idea like enlightenment both are the goal in one way or another. Christians wish to abide with god in their afterlife. And Buddhists seek to calm and abide in meditation and the all knowing truth that unites all beings. And yes one could use the word the “Devine” equally to both. Both are hard to explain and quite difficult to grasp. But nevertheless, they are both lofty but worthwhile ideals.\nYou said “Instead, I would say that the existence of God is the most logical explanation of the existence and complex nature of the universe, the existence and complex nature of life, and the existence of the human conscience (innate sense of right and wrong). So, there’s lots of other evidence available.” Is this already your Trump card? 😉 It is very well thought out and partly plausible. What is this evidence you have spoken of I would like to learn about it? Some would say that science is coming close to explaining the wonderful complexities of life.\n“Creator – noun – a person or thing that brings something into existence”.\n“James Bond’s creator Ian Fleming”\nsynonyms: writer, author, composer, designer, deviser, maker, inventor, producer, developer; More\nused as a name for God.\nnoun: Creator; noun: the Creator\nsynonyms: God, the Lord, the Almighty, the Master of the Universe; one’s Maker\n“the Sabbath is kept to honor the Creator”\n“If” god is the creator and we are made in his image then we are creators as well his equals.\nYou have also mentioned god’s perfection in all he does. Ok so what about this. if we really were made in gods image Genesis 1:27 and yet we still are sinners, one can draw two conclusions 1. god who is perfect made a mistake or 2. god is also a sinner like us and therefore imperfect. When Christ came to fix or redeem us was god trying to fix his error? How can something so imperfect and sinful as man come from such perfection from a Christian perspective?\nGeorge’s reply 29 October\nYou say, “god is nothing more than an idea like enlightenment both are the goal in one way or another”. This is a poor summary of the God of the Bible. God is not only the end, but the beginning as well. He’s the source and ultimate cause of the universe. He also sustains the universe.\nYou doubt my statement that “Instead, I would say that the existence of God is the most logical explanation of the existence and complex nature of the universe, the existence and complex nature of life, and the existence of the human conscience (innate sense of right and wrong). So, there’s lots of other evidence available.” I will choose one part of this statement, the “complex nature of the universe”. There are two main ways to explain this observation.\n– matter/energy came from nothing.\n– matter/energy created the laws of the universe.\n– The order and complexity of the universe came from an explosion of this matter/energy and the operation of these laws. This included producing life and producing the information stored in DNA codes.\n– Hypothetical “dark matter” and “dark energy” is proposed to explain the observed behaviour of the universe (otherwise it can’t be explained by the current laws of physics).\n– An all-powerful God designed and created matter/energy, and the laws of the universe, and the order and complexity of the universe. This included producing life and producing the information stored in DNA codes.\nBoth options involve miracles. Ockham’s razor says that the simplest explanation is preferred because it involves fewer assumptions. Therefore, option 2 is preferred because it’s simpler.\nA similar argument can be made for the origin of life, the origin of gender and the origin of morals (or conscience).\nYou ask, “Is the god of Abraham alive? Can you prove it to a 5 sigma level? Could you even prove it in a court of law?”. About 2000 BC, God promised Abraham that his descendants would be a nation that would occupy Palestine. This was fulfilled about 1,000 years later during the reign of king Solomon (970-930BC). But they were driven from the land by 586BC because they were unfaithful. And Palestine was ruled by other nations up to AD 1947. In the time of Isaiah (about 700BC), God promised that after the exile the nation would be restored in Palestine. But there was no evidence of this being fulfilled until over 2,500 years after the exile. So, the history of the nation of Israel proves that “the God of Abraham is alive”. Two promises that He made were fulfilled, one after a period of about 1,000 years and the other after a period of over 2,500 years. I know of no other god or prophet doing something like this. By the way, we are dealing with history here, not statistics (5 sigma level).\nYou say, “’If’ god is the creator and we are made in his image then we are creators as well his equals”. Yes humans are creative, but we don’t have the same power as God. Can we create matter/energy (from nothing)? Can we create life from chemicals? God is in charge of the universe (Eph. 1:20-22), whereas we have much smaller responsibilities (Ps. 8:6-8). And we can’t even fulfil these (Heb. 2:8). So, we are not equal with God.\nWhen you looked at why humanity is sinful you left out the biblical explanation that Adam and Eve were created with a free will to either obey or disobey God. They were initially sinless (like God), but after they disobeyed God, they became sinful and their descendants inherited this sinfulness. So God didn’t make a mistake and God isn’t a sinner. When Christ came to fix or redeem us God was trying to fix humanity’s error (not God’s error).\nYou ask, how a perfect God could have created sinful people. God desires the love of His creation. But love cannot exist apart from free-will, which implies the choice to obey (do good) or disobey (do evil). So He created people in such a way that they had the capacity to choose to love and accept Him or to choose to hate and reject Him. So God Himself did not create sin, He only created Adam and Eve with the capacity to sin. So God allowed Adam and Eve the freedom to rebel and in so doing, pain-and-suffering entered the world.\nThe answer is that God gave humans the freedom to make choices, they are not His robots (it could be one of the ways they are made in the image and likeness of God, Gen. 1:26-27). As God knew that people would rebel against Him, He also had a plan of salvation through Jesus. Adam and Eve were not sinners until they decided to disobey God. After this time in history the universe was and is not as it was originally created by God. That’s why it’s wrong to blame God for the state of the world today. Yes, God is perfect, but the world is no longer perfect (Rom. 8:20-22). But its perfection will be restored in a coming day. In the meantime, we can be a part of this new creation by being reconciled with God (2 Cor. 5:17-21). That’s why Paul urged people to “Be reconciled to God” (2 Cor. 5:20). The message of the Bible is a marvellous exchange, “God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ” (2 Cor. 5:21). Jesus took the penalty of our sin (rebellion), so that we could receive His righteousness (be made perfect before God).\nCommentator 30 October\nNow in response to your last message, how about option 3: The universe is conscious of itself and we are the result of it. How is this for simplicity?\nHow could god make christ if they were one and the same along with the holy spirit? This is illogical but typical for all your arguments.\nGeorge’s reply 10 November\nYou give a third way to explain the complex nature of the universe as “The universe is conscious of itself and we are the result of it. How is this for simplicity?”. It seems simple, but is it reasonable? Like option 1, it doesn’t explain the cause of the universe (the universe can’t create itself). According to the Cambridge dictionary, the adjective “conscious” means to be “awake, thinking, and knowing what is happening around you”. For example, “She’s out of the operating theatre, but she’s not fully conscious yet”. So, it’s usually applied to living creatures with a mind and nervous system. The Bible describes human beings as being comprised of spirit, soul and body (1 Th. 5:23). It is the spirit which distinguishes us from animals; they do not have such an eternal spirit. As the soul is comprised of the mind, will and emotions, it’s a characteristic of living creatures. To say the universe is conscious seems to be a contradiction to me. How can non-living matter, like rocks, sand, dust and dead things, be awake, thinking and knowing what is happening around it? How can it have a mind, will and emotions? I know that some people speculate about whether the universe is conscious. Whatever they mean, it’s nothing like the dictionary definition. Instead they are making up their own definition. But I would rather trust in something that is robust and reliable instead of speculative ideas.\nCommentator 15 November\nThe next one is my favourite. “the universe cannot create itself” Finally we agree on something. This is not what I said, but since you did the same must also apply to god. How does she exist? She could not create herself either, could she?\nGeorge’s reply 19 November\nYou ask how can God exist if something can’t create itself. The answer to this question is that God is in a different category to everything else. God is eternal and so had no beginning.\nYou propose that the “universe” is equivalent to “God”. This seems like a version of pantheism to me. I can’t see how the universe can be personal, holy, righteous, just, benevolent, gracious, and merciful. God is everywhere, but He is not everything. The Bible forbids the worship of anything except God and calls it idolatry.\nCommentator 20 November\nDear George if god is all-powerful and omniscient it seems very perverse that all beings have to suffer and wait in this hell that he created for us for millennia in order to experience his so-called benevolence, grace and mercy and his second chance to fix it. I really mean this, it is sick to torture untold billions of beings here in hell if you have the power to fix it now, this is not in any way shape or form mercy no matter what the bible says. The only two conclusions that are possible is that he is sick and perverse or he cannot fix this because he did not make it in the first place.\nGeorge’s reply 28 November\nOnce again you criticize God because of the suffering in the world. I have already answered this point in detail above. God often delays judgment so that more people will repent and turn to Him. God is both merciful and just. If there was instant judgement, there would be no mercy. Your ideas of what God is like are different to the reality described in the Bible.\nDiscussion with second commentator\nGeorge’s reply to second commentator 11 October\nYou say, “there is no current scientific proof that God exists at all”. This is not surprising because science only deals with the physical world and not the spiritual world.\nGeorge’s reply to second commentator on 9 November\nYou say, “You cannot prove god”. Likewise, you cannot prove that God doesn’t exist. But we can see the evidence of God’s handiwork in the complexity and fine-tuning of nature, in the genetic language in the DNA code, in the uniformity of the laws of nature, as the ultimate source of life, as the ultimate source of gender, as the ultimate source of objective moral values, and as the ultimate source (cause) of the universe. There is no other more likely explanation of these characteristics of our world. So, it’s reasonable to believe that God exists.\nFor example, the ultimate cause of the universe can be explained as follows:\n– Whatever begins to exist requires a cause.\n– The universe (space, time, matter/energy) began to exist.\n– Therefore, the universe requires a cause.\nSo, whatever caused the universe to appear is not physical (outside space), is eternal and timeless (outside time), and is immaterial (outside matter/energy). The cause is a supernatural (because it creates nature) mind (a non-material entity that can cause a response) with immense power. The Bible says, “By faith we understand that the entire universe was formed at God’s command, that what we now see did not come from anything that can be seen” (Heb. 11:3).\nSecond commentator 10 November\nGeorge says: “You say, ‘You cannot prove god’. Likewise, you cannot prove that God doesn’t exist. But we can see the evidence of God’s handiwork in the complexity and fine-tuning of nature, in the genetic language in the DNA code, in the uniformity of the laws of nature, as the ultimate source of life, as the ultimate source of gender, as the ultimate source of objective moral values, and as the ultimate source (cause) of the universe. There is no other more likely explanation of these characteristics of our world. So, it’s reasonable to believe that God exists.”\nHere you go again George. My statement is that “you cannot prove that god exists”. This is 100% true George. You cannot. Maybe someone else will be able to one day but YOU cannot. Your answer is an example of what I mentioned above. Just because Nature and DNA are complicated in no way does that mean that god must of created them. That is just your “opinion” George which differs greatly from fact. You can say that god is one of the possible explanations in the multitude of explanations that exist. There is no proof that god created anything and that is a fact!\nGeorge says: “For example, the ultimate cause of the universe can be explained as follows:\n– Whatever begins to exist requires a cause.\n– The universe (space, time, matter/energy) began to exist.\n– Therefore, the universe requires a cause.\nSo, whatever caused the universe to appear is not physical (outside space), is eternal and timeless (outside time), and is immaterial (outside matter/energy). The cause is a supernatural (because it creates nature) mind (a non-material entity that can cause a response) with immense power.”\nYour first statement is straight out of the Buddhas teaching “Whatever begins to exist requires a cause”. If you read the two books I mentioned above you will see that scientists question if “time” exists at all. “So, whatever caused the universe to appear is not physical (outside space)” Here you go again George making a statement as if it were fact when there is no facts backing it up. There is no proof that the universe had a beginning. The big bang is a theory George. I am sure when you are trying to argue that the world was created in 6 days that you use that very fact to support your argument. One of the possibilities is that the universe is infinite and has always and will always exist. Right now there are many theories of where the universe came from and if or how it began. I am sure that if you query most scientists, the world being created in 6 days will probably not be on the top of the list.\nGeorge’s reply 26 November\nYou say, “Just because Nature and DNA are complicated in no way does that mean that god must of created them. That is just your “opinion” George which differs greatly from fact. You can say that god is one of the possible explanations in the multitude of explanations that exist. There is no proof that god created anything and that is a fact!”\nIf there are other explanations of the cause of the complex information coded in the order of the nucleotides in the DNA molecule I would like to know one. It certainly can’t come from random processes or mutations. And it needs to be more intelligent than the human brain because we don’t understand how it works. Each nucleotide includes a particular nucleobase (adenine, thymine, guanine, or cytosine). Similar to how the order of letters in the alphabet can be used to form a word, the order of nucleotides in a DNA sequence forms genes, which in the language of the cell, tells cells how to make proteins. The human genome contains about 3 billion paired nucleotides. So each cell has 6 billion nucleotides.\nGod does not force us to believe in Him. Instead, He has provided sufficient proof of His existence for us to willingly respond to Him (Ps. 19:1-4; Rom. 1:20). There is plenty of evidence that God exists (Appendix A and B). This evidence is so strong that it’s more sense to believe in God than to believe He isn’t there. It takes more faith to be an atheist than to believe that God exists.\nAppendix A: Arguments for the existence of God\nFirstly, there are general arguments for the existence of God. These arguments don’t demonstrate that Christianity, specifically, is true. They show that belief in a supreme God and Creator is more rational for a person to believe than Atheism. These arguments include the following.\nThe Kalam cosmological argument\n- All things that begin to exist have a cause of their existence.\n- The universe began to exist.\nConclusion: The Universe has a cause of its existence.\nYou might wonder, where is God in this? But when you unpack what this cause must have been like, it must be outside time and space, be immaterial, extremely powerful, and most likely be a personal being. And this is a lot like the God of the Bible.\nThe Leibnizian cosmological argument\n- Anything that exists has an explanation of its existence, either in the necessity of its own nature or in an external cause.\n- If the universe has an explanation of its existence, that explanation is God.\n- The universe exists.\nConclusion 1: the universe has an explanation of its existence.\nConclusion 2: the explanation of the existence of the universe is God (from 2, and Conclusion 1).\nThe teleological (“Fine-Tuning”) cosmological argument\n- The universe is finely tuned to make life physically possible.\n- The fine-tuning of the universe is due to either physical necessity, chance, or design.\n- It is not due to physical necessity or chance.\nConclusion: The fine tuning it is due to design. And the designer is lot like God.\nThese first three arguments reflect the thoughts of David in Psalm 19 and Paul’s words in Romans 1. “The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of His hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they reveal knowledge. They have no speech, they use no words; no sound is heard from them. Yet their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world” (Ps. 19:1-4).\n“For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—His eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse” (Rom. 1:20).\nThe moral argument\n- If God does not exist, objective moral values (right and wrong) and duties do not exist.\n- Objective moral values and duties do exist.\nConclusion: God exists.\nThis helps us see God’s moral nature. God is the foundation of moral values. Paul reflects the basic premise of the moral argument in Romans 2 when he says that the Gentiles who didn’t have the law of Moses, “are a law for themselves, even though they do not have the law. They show that the requirements of the law are written on their hearts, their consciences also bearing witness, and their thoughts sometimes accusing them and at other times even defending them” (Rom. 2:14-15). The moral law is clearly perceived by all people.\nThere is an important misconception that often gets attached to the moral argument; That a person can only do morally good things if they believe in God. The moral argument does not say that a person must believe in God to be able to do morally good deeds. Indeed the verse just quoted from Romans even says this. What the argument says is that if any act is truly good or bad, it is because God exists and is the foundation of moral goodness. A non-believer can still do good things.\nThe ontological argument\n- It is possible that a maximally great being (God) exists.\n- If it is possible that a maximally great being exists, then a maximally great being exists in some possible world.\n- If a maximally great being exists in some possible world, then it exists in every possible world.\n- If a maximally great being exists in every possible world, then it exists in the actual world.\n- If a maximally great being exists in the actual world, then a maximally great being exists.\nConclusion: a maximally great being (God) exists.\nHere, “maximally great being” means the best possible being (person) that could ever be described. This is the kind of being that has all the qualities that make a being great and excellent, and it has those qualities to the fullest possible extent. These would be qualities like moral goodness, power, knowledge, wisdom, and self-sufficiency. These are all the qualities typically associated with being God. The term “maximally great being” is used in the argument to avoid any misunderstandings that might occur because people often have their own assumptions or ideas about God based on past experiences. The term is used to avoid all that baggage people might attach to the word God.\nThis is a rather abstract argument to get your head around at first, but what it shows is that if it is even logically possible that God exists, then He exists necessarily, and it would be impossible that He doesn’t exist. In order to defeat this argument and show that God does not exist, the critic of the argument would have to show that it is logically impossible for God to exist – that there is not even the slightest possibility that He exists. The most controversial premise in this argument for philosophers who specialise in modal logic is premise 1. All the other premises (2-5) are just conclusions drawn from premise 1 and the rules of modal logic.\nThese arguments give a very strong cumulative case for the existence of God. Something that you might notice about these arguments is that there are premises in all of them that some people might not accept; either because they don’t want to accept the conclusion of the argument, or because they haven’t really heard or considered any evidence that might make them accept the premises. What we would do when sharing these arguments with people is also share the evidence that makes us believe the premises in them are true; and therefore, that the argument is true.\nAppendix B: 6 Arguments for God’s existence\n- The universe must have a cause. It was caused by a supernatural Creator.\n- Design demands a designer. The universe looks designed. It demands a supernatural intelligent Designer.\n- Life demands supernatural life-giver. Life doesn’t arrive from non-lifegiving chemicals.\n- Moral law demands a moral law-giver.\n- Free-will exists.\n- Human reasoning.\nWritten, September 2019\n“Believers revere Him as the Son of God. Skeptics dismiss Him as a legend. Artists cast Him in images that reflect their own time and place. Today, archaeologists digging in the Holy Land are helping to sift fact from fiction”. That’s the introduction to an article in National Geographic magazine (December 2017) by Kristin Romey on what archaeology reveals about the life of Jesus. Romey hoped to discover how Christians texts and traditions compare to the discoveries of archaeologists.\nCould Jesus have never existed?\nIs it possible that the story of Jesus is pure invention and He never really existed? Although this is the view of some outspoken skeptics, it’s not that of scholars such as archaeologists. Professor Eric Meyers of Duke University says, “I don’t know any mainstream scholar who doubts the historicity of Jesus. The details have been debated for centuries, but no one who is serious doubts that he’s a historical figure”. And professor Bryon McCane of Atlantic University says, “I can think of no other example who fits into their time and place so well but people say doesn’t exist”. Even scholars who disbelieve Christ’s miraculous deeds believe that Jesus did certain things in Galilee and he did certain things in Jerusalem that resulted in his execution.\nThe evidence that Jesus existed is conclusive. Ancient Roman and Jewish extra-biblical literature confirm that there is a historical basis for the existence of Jesus outside the Bible and outside early church history. These independent extra-biblical sources are consistent with the biography of Jesus given in the gospels of the Bible.\nHistorians and archaeologists agree that Jesus existed, but not all of them believe Jesus was the Son of God who died and rose from the dead. New Testament historians talk about the quest or search for the historical Jesus, which seeks to answer the question, how much of the New Testament portrait of Jesus is historically accurate and how much (if any) did the early church make up?\nJesus in Bethlehem\nExcavations at Bethlehem have so far turned up no artefacts dating to the time of Christ, nor any signs that early Christians considered the site sacred. Archaeology cannot prove or disprove that two people visited Bethlehem and gave birth to a child. But absence of evidence isn’t evidence of absence. It’s rare to have any archaeological proof of a person who lived about 2,000 years ago.\nRomey claims that Matthew and Luke provide diverging accounts of Christ’ birth with the manger and shepherds in Luke and the wise men, the massacre of children and flight to Egypt in Matthew. But this is very poor exegesis. Luke describes the birth, while Matthew describes how the birth came about (Mt. 1:18-25), the visit of the wise men (2:1-12), the escape to Egypt (2:13-18), and the return to Nazareth (2:19-23). The wise men didn’t visit Jesus on the night He was born, but some 1-2 years later when Jesus was a child in His house, and not a baby in a manger (2:11). And Herod ordered for the boys in Jerusalem who were “two years old and under” to be killed, not babies (2:16). This suggests that more than a year elapsed from Jesus’ birth to the wise men’s visit. Since Herod the Great died in 4BC, Jesus may have been born 6-5BC. Herod’s slaughter of babies is consistent with his executing his wife Mariamne I and three of his sons for perceived threats to his kingdom. So those like Romey who claim that Matthew and Luke are divergent accounts of Christ’s birth haven’t read the text very carefully.\nJesus in Galilee\nIn the first century AD Palestine was ruled by the Roman Empire. Jesus’ boyhood home, Nazareth,was just 5 km (3 miles) from Sepphoris, the Roman provincial capital. When archaeologists explored the ruins of the residential quarter of Sepphoris they found at least 30 mikvahs (Jewish ritual baths). This is the largest domestic concentration ever found by archaeologists. “Along with ceremonial stone vessels and a striking absence of pig bones (pork being shunned by kosher-keeping Jews), they offer clear evidence that even this imperial Roman city remained a very Jewish place during Jesus’ formative years”. This is consistent with the Bible which shows Jesus to be a practicing Jew.\nJesus began His ministry at Capernaum, a fishing town on the northwest shore of the Sea of Galilee (a freshwater lake). Here archaeologists have found the remains of a first-century house that was rapidly transformed into a public meeting place. It looks like a gathering place of the early church, which was later expanded into a larger house of worship.\nIn 1986 the remains of a wooden boat (the Jesus boat) that dates from the first century were found in the Sea of Galilee. Measuring 2.3 m (7.5 ft) wide and 8 m (27 ft) long, it could have accommodated 13 men. This is consistent with the Biblical accounts of the disciples fishing from a boat and sailing across the Sea of Galilee.\nAt the site of ancient Magdala on the western shore of the Sea of Galilee, archaeologists have excavated the ruins of a synagogue from the times of Jesus. This is consistent with the Bible which shows Jesus to be a practicing Jew. “The find was especially significant because it put to rest an argument made by skeptics that no synagogues existed in Galilee until decades after Jesus’ death”. “At the center of the room there was a stone (the Magdala stone) about the size of a footlocker that showed the most sacred elements of the temple in Jerusalem carved in relief. This discovery struck a death blow to the once fashionable notion that Galileans were impious hillbillies detached from Israel’s religious center”.\n“Accounts of large crowds coming to Jesus for healing are consistent with what archaeology reveals about first-century Palestine, where diseases such as leprosy and tuberculous were rife”. For example, it was found that about 70% of graves in Roman Palestine held the remains of children and adolescents. So there was a high rate of infant and child mortality at this time.\nJesus in Jerusalem\nMany archaeological discoveries have been made at Jerusalem that support the Biblical account of the life of Jesus. These include:\n– The site of the Pool of Bethesda and the Pool of Siloam.\n– An ornate burial ossuary (bone box) that may contain the bones of Caiaphas the Jewish high priest.\n– A heel bone driven through with an iron crucifixion nail found in the burial of a Jewish man named Yehohanan.\nAlso, an inscription was found in Caesarea attesting to the rule of Pontius Pilate (the Pilate stone).\nWhat did Jesus look like?\nJesus was a Palestinian Jew. Since Roman-era frescos, artists have drawn and painted images of Jesus which tend to reflect the era when they were created. When Jesus was arrested in the garden of Gethsemane before the crucifixion, Judas Iscariot had to show the soldiers who Jesus was because they could not tell him apart from his disciples (Mt. 26:48-49; Mk. 14:44-45). Richard Neave, a medical artist retired from The University of Manchester in England, specializes in recreating images of historical figures. In 2015 he used three skulls from the time of Jesus to create an image of a typical adult man who lived in the same place and at the same time as Jesus. This image had dark olive skin, short curly hair, a prominent nose, dark eyes, a beard and was about 1.55 m (5ft 1in) tall and weighed about 50 kg (110 pounds). Neave’s image is probably a lot closer to the truth than the portrayal of Jesus by the artists.\nLessons for us\nThe National Geographic article confirms that archaeological discoveries in Palestine are consistent with the New Testament and do not contradict it.\nBut the best place to search for the real Jesus is in the New Testament. Matthew, Mark, Luke, John and Acts give the best historical accounts and selective biographies of the life of Jesus Christ. As these were written within a few decades of the events they recount, they are more accurate than opinions formed by commentators about 2,000 years later.\nSo, read the New Testament to find out what Jesus did and taught and how His ministry impacted people across the Roman Empire in the first century. Since then, His ministry has impacted people across the world.\nRomey K (2017) “The search for the real Jesus”, National Geographic, 323, 6 (Dec 2017), 30-69\nWritten, February 2019\nAlso see: Extra-biblical evidence of Jesus\nWhen Megan Markle married Prince Harry, she was given the royal title (Her Royal Highness) the Duchess of Sussex. Did you know that Jesus Christ is given royal titles in the Bible like “Lord”, “King”, “Lord of lords” and “King of kings”?\nIn the New Testament, the Greek noun kurios (Strongs #2962) is translated “Lord” when it is used for deity. It is a title of God the Father (Mt. 1:20; 9:38; 11:25; Acts 17:24; Rev. 4:11) and of Jesus Christ (Lk. 2:11; Jn. 20:28; Acts 10:36; 1 Cor. 2:8; Phil. 2:11; Jas. 2:1; Rev. 19:16). And in some instances, it is uncertain as to whether God Father or God the Son is meant (Acts 9:31; 13:10-12; 20:19). Likewise, in the Bible, the title “Lord of lords” is given to God the Father (Dt. 10:17; Ps. 136:3; 1 Ti. 6:15) and to Jesus Christ (Rev. 17:14; 19:16). It refers to someone who has absolute dominion over all their realm. A supreme ruler.\nA lord is a master, or ruler who has authority, control, or power over others. They are an important person like, a boss, a chief or an owner. After the resurrection, when the apostles said “Jesus is Lord”, they meant “Jesus is God”. Thomas said, “My Lord and my God!” (Jn. 20:28). Peter said Jesus was “both Lord and Messiah” and “Lord of all” (Acts 2:36; 10:36).\nThe Roman soldiers mocked Jesus as the “king of the Jews” (Mt. 27:27-31). They didn’t realize that as the Creator, Sustainer and Savior, He was the King of the earth and the King of the universe. But are we any better? What’s our opinion of Jesus?\nToday believers have the privilege of voluntarily acknowledging that Jesus is Lord. They praise and worship God individually and corporately for what He has done for us through Jesus Christ. In particular, through Christ’s sacrificial death we can have our sins forgiven by God. There is no other way to heaven and peace with God.\nBut in the future, everyone else will be compelled to “acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord” (Phil. 2:9-11NIV). It’s much better to avoid this by accepting the good news now and believing that Jesus died for your sins and recognizing Him as Lord of your life.\nThe statement “Jesus is Lord” means that Jesus is God. Like God the Father, He owns everything. If Jesus is Lord, then He owns us; and He has the right to tell us what to do. Are we obedient to the commands given in the Bible to His church?\nErickson M J (2013) “Christian Theology”, 3rd Ed. Baker Academic, p. 631\nWritten, July 2018\nThe World Cup is being played in Russia under the FIFA Regulations and the International Football Association’s laws of the game. Disobeying the laws can result in a yellow card or a red card. So far there have been three red cards in the 2018 World Cup. The Bible contains God’s laws for humanity. It tells us about our world and shows us the best way to live. And it tells us what God has done for us.\nPaul summarized the good news in the Bible about Jesus as:\n“For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for (because of) our sins according to the Scriptures, that He was buried, that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures” (1 Cor. 15:3-4NIV). He says that Christ’s death, burial and resurrection occurred in the way they were foretold in the Old Testament. Likewise, we will see that believers are to follow the New Testament.\nIn Isaiah 52:12 – 53:12 the prophet Isaiah describes a righteous suffering servant who will bear people’s sins so they can be spiritually healed. It’s clear that the servant will die:\n“By oppression and judgment he was taken away (an unjust death).\nYet who of his generation protested?\nFor he was cut off from the land of the living (a death before reaching old age);\nfor the transgression of my people he was punished …\nthough he had done no violence,\nnor was any deceit in his mouth” (Isa. 53:8, 9b).\nIt will be an unjust death administered as punishment for an alleged crime.\nThe reason for his death is given as:\n“But he was pierced for our transgressions,\nhe was crushed for our iniquities;\nthe punishment that brought us peace was on him,\nand by his wounds we are healed (spiritually).\nWe all, like sheep, have gone astray,\neach of us has turned to our own way;\nand the Lord has laid on him\nthe iniquity of us all” (Isa. 53:5-6).\nThe servant dies so that people can receive spiritual healing and peace because he takes the punishment for their sins, iniquities and transgressions.\nThese predictions were fulfilled when Jesus was crucified. His alleged crimes were blaspheme (Mt. 26:65), subversion and opposing Caesar (Lk. 23:2). Clearly, Jesus died for (because of) our sins. And His death was confirmed by His burial.\nThe servant’s burial is described as:\n“He was assigned a grave with the wicked,\nand with the rich in his death” (Isa. 53:9a).\nThese predictions were fulfilled when Jesus was crucified together with two criminals. And He was buried in a new tomb by Joseph, “a rich man from Arimathea” (Mt. 27:57). The Jewish religious leaders planned to have Him buried as a criminal, but God over-ruled and He was buried in a tomb prepared by “a prominent member of the Council (the Jewish Sanhedrin)” (Mk. 15:43).\nIn our experience death is terminal and permanent. But the Bible says that Christ’s death was temporary. It was interrupted by His resurrection, which is the reversal of death.\nIn a song expressing his trust in God for safety when he faced death, David said:\n“Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices;\nmy body also will rest secure,\nbecause you will not abandon me to the realm of the dead,\nnor will you let your faithful one see decay” (Ps. 16:9-10).\nPeter explained that David was referring to the resurrection of Jesus:\n“Fellow Israelites, I can tell you confidently that the patriarch David died and was buried, and his tomb is here to this day. But he was a prophet and knew that God had promised him on oath that he would place one of his descendants on his throne. Seeing what was to come, he spoke of the resurrection of the Messiah, that he was not abandoned to the realm of the dead, nor did his body see decay. God has raised this Jesus to life, and we are all witnesses of it. Exalted to the right hand of God, he has received from the Father the promised Holy Spirit and has poured out what you now see and hear. For David did not ascend to heaven …” (Acts 2:29-34).\nJesus also said that Jonah’s three days in the belly of a huge fish was sign that He would be in the grave for three days (Mt. 12:40). So Jonah’s near-death experience symbolized Christ’s death and resurrection, including the time frame involved.\nThese predictions were fulfilled when Jesus was raised back to life. Paul says that people could verify this with eyewitnesses because Jesus appeared to the apostles and to more than 500 people at the same time (1 Cor. 15:5-6).\nAccording to Jesus\nJesus also said that His life was a fulfilment of the Old Testament. He told the Jewish leaders, “These are the very Scriptures (the Old Testament) that testify about me” (Jn. 5:39). Before His death He told the disciples, “It is written (in the Old Testament): ‘And he was numbered with the transgressors’; and I tell you that this must be fulfilled in me. Yes, what is written about me (in the Old Testament) is reaching its fulfillment” (Lk. 22:37). This is a quotation from Isaiah 53:12.\nAnd after His resurrection He told the two on the way to Emmaus, ‘”How foolish you are, and how slow to believe all that the prophets have spoken! Did not the Messiah have to suffer these things and then enter His glory?” And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, He explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures (the Old Testament) concerning Himself’ (Lk. 24:25-27).\nAnd He told the disciples, ‘”This is what I told you while I was still with you: Everything must be fulfilled that is written about me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms.” Then He opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures. He told them, “This is what is written (in the Old Testament): The Messiah will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, and repentance for the forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things” (Lk. 24:44-48). In this passage, “the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms” means all the old Testament as Psalms was the first book in the writings category of the Jewish Scriptures.\nThere are three aspects to the good news about Jesus: the death of Christ for our sins, His burial that confirms His death, and His resurrection that shows His victory over death and that God accepted Christ’s sacrifice for sin. We have seen that each of these happened as the Old Testament predicted. The phrase “according to the Scriptures” occurs twice in this short passage, indicating the importance of these Old Testament prophecies (1 Cor. 15:3-4). They are mentioned before the eyewitnesses (v.5-7). So what the Bible says is more important than what someone else says.\nThe Old Testament prophecies are also important because they show that Christ’s work for us was planned long ago. Likewise, God’s plan for us was recorded in the New Testament many years ago. Because we are under the new covenant instead of the law of Moses, the Scriptures that we are to follow are those written to the church (Acts to Revelation).\nThe other instance of “according to the Scriptures” in the Bible is, ‘If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing well’ (Jas. 2:8ESV). This is the fourth reason that James gives for condemning favoritism. If we really loved our neighbors as ourselves, we would treat them as we want to be treated. We learn from the parable of the Good Samaritan that our neighbor is anyone who has a need which we can help to meet (Lk. 10:29-37). And this is “according to the Scripture” because it’s a quotation from Leviticus 19:18.\nLessons for us\nWhat the Bible says is more important than the laws of football. Jesus lived, died, was buried and rose again “according to the Scriptures” or as the Bible predicted. What about us? Do we live as the Bible (God) says we should? Do we believe Jesus Christ is who the Bible says He is? Do we trust and rely on Him for our salvation? Do we recognize our sinfulness and separation from God? Have we confessed our sinfulness to God? Are we living for God or just for ourselves?\nWritten, June 2018\nThe book of Revelation was written during a time when emperor-worship unified the Roman Empire. The emperor was viewed as a divine figure, to whom temples, altars and priesthoods were dedicated. Emperors were worshipped, honored, respected and served at any cost. Because he rejected emperor worship, John was banished to the island of Patmos (Rev. 1:9-11). From Patmos John urged first century Christians to worship the true God and not the emperor, and he recorded this message in the book of Revelation.\nThe Greek verb to worship, proskuneo (Strongs #4352), occurs 60 times in the New Testament and 24 (40%) of these are in the book of Revelation. It’s the main book about worship in the New Testament. In this way, the book of Revelation is like the book of Psalms, which is the main book about worship in the Old Testament. In Revelation, worship describes homage or reverence towards God, or a person or an idol or an angel. This shows that if we don’t worship God, then we will worship someone else or something else. Who will we worship? The true God or Satan who is the power behind all false gods? This is important because it determines our eternal destiny.\nThe book of Revelation is framed with worship – it’s in the first and last chapters. After John sees a vision of the glorified Christ, he “fell at His feet as though dead” (Rev. 1:17NIV). This was an act of worship. After the final vison, John “fell down at the feet of the angel who had been showing” the visions to him (22:8). But the angel tells him to “Worship God” instead (22:9).\nIn Revelation, worshippers serve (7:15; 22:3), praise (19:5), and offer thanks (4:9; 7:12; 11:17). And they fall down (in worship) before God (4:10; 5:14; 7:11; 11:16; 19:4) and Christ (1:17; 5:8, 14).\nThe book of Revelation shows us who to worship and who not to worship.\nDon’t worship angels\nAngels are messengers from God. On two occasions when John received visions, he bowed down to the angel associated with them (19:10; 22:8). But he was told not to worship the angel. Jesus is superior to angels (Heb. 1-14). And Christians at Colossae were warned not to worship angels (Col. 2:18). So, don’t worship angels.\nIt is evident in the book of Revelation that there is a cosmic battle for our allegiance and worship. The true God and the victorious Lamb of God (Jesus Christ) continually reign and are being worshipped behind the scenes by angels and the redeemed in heaven, even during times when Satan seems to have his greatest impact. But Satan deceives the world into worshipping false gods and idols (12;9; 13:2-4; 20:2-3). 46% of the instances of The Greek verb to worship proskuneo in the book of Revelation refer to false forms of worship. In the end, Satan and his followers will be judged and cast into eternal punishment (20:1-4, 15). So, don’t worship Satan, who is an angel who rebelled against God.\nDon’t worship heroes\nRevelation describes political and religious leaders that oppose God’s people and God’s purposes (13:1-18). They are called beasts. And they deceive many people into worshipping them (13:4, 8, 12, 15; 14:9, 11; 19:20; 20:4). Paul also warned about worshipping and serving created things rather than the Creator (Rom. 1:25). We are not to worship saints, prophets, political leaders, religious leaders, or Mary, the mother of Jesus. So, don’t worship human heroes, no matter how great they are.\nDon’t worship idols\nAn idol is anything we worship instead of the true God. Anything we want more than God. Anything we rely on more than God. Anything we give a higher priority than God. And anything we look to for greater fulfillment than God. In Revelation idols are described as “the work of their hands” and “idols that cannot see or hear or walk” (9:20). In those days it referred to images and statues, which people were urged to worship. It was like when some of the Jews (Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego) told the king of Babylonia, “we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up“ (Dan. 3:18).\nIdolatry also refers to false gods such as materialism, naturalism, wealth, power, selfish ambition, self-indulgence, self-esteem (pride), recreation, and pleasure. And Paul said that it includes, “sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed” (Col. 3:5). Idols can also be “good” things that we’ve elevated in importance. For example, our children, spouse, physical attractiveness, money, job, or friendships. And technology.\nRevelation also says that worshipping idols is equivalent to worshipping demons (9:20). This means that Satan is the influence behind idolatry. So, don’t worship idols. Instead let’s turn away from idols “to serve the living and true God” (1 Th. 1:9).\nSo the book of Revelation says not to worship angels, Satan, heroes or idols. These are false (counterfeit) gods. But what does it say about worshipping the true God?\nWorship the true God\nIn Revelation we learn about what worship is like in heaven. It’s mostly corporate (the redeemed and angels), not individual. Vast numbers of people and angels worship God together (5:11-12; 19:1, 6). And it’s God-centered – directed to God and Jesus Christ. Here’s three examples of this worship.\nFirst, “You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being” (4:11). So, let’s praise and worship our God as the great Creator.\nSecond, “You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, because you were slain, and with your blood you purchased for God persons from every tribe and language and people and nation. You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God, and they will reign on the earth” (5:9-10).\nAnd at this time the angels said, “Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise” (5:12)!\nSo, let’s praise and worship Jesus as the great Redeemer/Saviour/Rescuer. His death and resurrection enabled people from around the world to have their sins forgiven so they could be reconciled with God. This is the greatest example of unconditional love.\nThird, “Great and marvelous are your deeds, Lord God Almighty. Just and true are your ways, King of the nations. Who will not fear you, Lord, and bring glory to your name? For you alone are holy. All nations will come and worship before you, for your righteous acts have been revealed” (15:3-4).\nThe context of this passage is God’s judgement of the ungodly. So, let’s praise and worship God as Judge of all. He is pure, holy and just. He’s the one who will right all the wrongs. He judges rebels and rewards His servants. And He is to be praised for His righteous judgements.\nThe book of Revelation is full of corporate praise and worship like, “Hallelujah! For our Lord God Almighty reigns. Let us rejoice and be glad and give Him glory” (19:6-7)! And, “To Him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be praise and honor and glory and power, for ever and ever” (5:13)!\nThe redeemed will worship God throughout eternity. They “are before the throne of God and serve Him day and night in His temple” (7:14). And they will worship and serve God forever (22:1-5).\nPeople were made to worship. Bob Dylan sang, “you’re gonna have to serve somebody”. We worship either the true God or we worship a counterfeit. So, let’s worship the true God and not false gods. Let’s worship Him based on the patterns of heavenly worship depicted in Revelation. He’s the great creator, the great redeemer and the great judge.\nWritten, December 2017\nI have been asked to provide evidence of the existence of God. While researching this topic, I discovered the following article by Dr Gregory E. Ganssle of the Department of Philosophy at Yale University.\nYou Cannot Prove God’s Existence\nEver since Immanuel Kant wrote his Critique of Pure Reason, it has been common for thinking people to insist that it is impossible to prove the existence of God. In fact this claim has been elevated to the level of dogma in American intellectual culture. The reason I know this is considered unquestionable dogma is the reaction I get when I call it into question. When someone says “You cannot prove the existence of God”. I want to ask “How do you know? You just met me! How do you know what I can do?”\nWhat do most people mean when they recite this claim? Most people mean that I cannot provide a philosophical argument for the existence of God which will convince all thinking people. It is impossible, so the story goes, to provide an argument which will compel assent. If my argument will not convince the most ardent atheist, I have not proven God’s existence. Since I cannot convince such an atheist to believe, my arguments do not count as proof. If they do not count as proof, what good are they?\nI agree that I cannot provide an argument that will convince all thinking people. But what does this tell me? Does this tell me anything about God? No. This tells me more about the nature of proof than it does about whether God exists. I cannot provide an argument which will convince everyone, without a possibility of doubt, that God exists. That is no problem. You see, I cannot provide an argument for any interesting philosophical conclusion which will be accepted by everyone without possibility of doubt.\nI cannot prove beyond the possibility of doubt — in a way that will convince all philosophers that the Rocky Mountains are really here as a mind-independent object. I cannot prove that the entire universe did not pop into existence five minutes ago and that all of our apparent memories are not illusions. I cannot prove that the other people you see on campus have minds. Perhaps they are very clever robots.\nThere is no interesting philosophical conclusion that can be proven beyond the possibility of doubt. So the fact that arguments for the existence of God do not produce mathematical certainty does not by itself weaken the case for God’s existence. It simply places the question of God’s existence in the same category as other questions such as that of the existence of the external, mind-independent world and the question of how we know other people have minds.\nDoes this mean that arguments for the existence of God are useless? Not at all. Sure, I cannot provide an argument which will convince all thinking people but this does not mean I don’t have good reason to believe in God. In fact some of my reasons for believing in God may be persuasive to you. Even if you aren’t persuaded to believe that God exists, my arguments may not be useless. It is reasonable to believe that the mountains are real and our memories are generally reliable and that other minds exist. It is reasonable to believe these things even though they cannot be proven. Maybe some argument for God’s existence will persuade you that belief in God is reasonable.\nSo how can we know that God exists? Instead of looking for undoubtable conclusions, we weigh evidence and consider alternatives. Which alternative best fits the evidence? We will choose one alternative or another. There is no neutral ground.\nWhere Can we Find Information about God?\nWhen you get to thinking about it, it seems that there are only two basic sources of information about God, if such a being exists. They are the following:\nWe can infer what might be true about God from what we observe in the universe. We look at the physical universe, human nature and culture and we observe things which may be clues to the existence or nature of the supernatural. God may have entered the Universe and told us true things about himself, morality, meaning and how to have a relationship with him. This is called Revelation.\nLet me explain each of these. One year my wife and I drove from Los Angeles to Rhode Island. It took a long time. The country is pretty big. From this observation it makes sense to think that if there is some person or being who is responsible for making the physical universe, this being has a lot more power than we do. Now this is a rather simplistic example. Another observation we can make is that every culture we know anything about has a deep sense that certain things are morally permissible and certain things are morally prohibited. This leads us to infer that if there is some supernatural being responsible for human nature, that being is personal. He has a moral aspect to his nature.\nThe second source of information is that God may have taken the initiative and stepped into the universe to reveal himself. He may tell us true things about his nature and purposes and about human meaning and morality.\nChristianity holds that both of these are good sources of information. We have clues to God’s existence which can be observed and God has entered the physical universe through the life and teaching of Jesus of Nazareth in History and told us about himself.\nNow in this article I am concentrating on the first source. Can we know anything about God from what we observe? Are there good reasons to believe in God based on these observations? I think there are.\nReasons to Believe in God\nI want to pick up two observations which I think give us good reason to think there is a God. First, the existence of the universe is better explained by the existence of God. Second, the existence of objective moral values is better explained by the existence of God.\nThe Existence of the Universe is Better Explained by The Existence of God.\nI will begin by laying out the argument:\n1. There are things which come into existence.\nEverything which comes into existence is caused to exist by something else. There cannot be an infinite series of past causes. Therefore, there exists a first cause which did not come into existence. In other words, the first cause always existed. Let us look at each of the steps in the argument:\nPremise 1. “There are things which come into existence.”\nMany things have come into existence. This article is coming into existence as I write it. You came into existence and so did I. This premise is not uncontroversial.\nPremise 2. “Everything which comes into existence is caused to exist by something else.”\nIt is obvious that Nothing can cause itself to come into existence. Anything that causes itself to come into existence has to exist before it exists. This is impossible. Perhaps something can come into existence from Nothing without any cause whatsoever. Can a thing just pop into existence with absolutely no cause? This also does not seem reasonable.\nI have three children. If I walk into the dining room and see a picture of Pinky and the Brain which is drawn on the wall in Permanent Magic Marker I will ask “Where did this picture come from?” My daughter Elizabeth (who is almost five) might say “It came from nothing, Dad. Nothing caused it. It just popped there. I think it is quite strange — don’t you?” Will I accept this? No! Things do not come into existence from Nothing without cause. So, we have good reason to think that premise two is true. Everything which comes into existence is caused to exist by something else.\nPremise 3. “There cannot be an infinite series of past causes.”\nIs the series of past causes infinite? Can the universe have an infinite past? The answer is that it cannot. First, there are philosophical reasons to think the past cannot be infinite. Second, there are scientific reasons which support this view.\nWhy can’t the past be infinite? The answer is that it is impossible to complete an infinite series by addition. The series of past events is complete. Think of this mathematical fact. Why is it impossible to count to infinity? It is impossible because, no matter how long you count, you will always be at a finite number. It is impossible to complete an actual infinite by successive addition.\nThe past is complete. This claim means that the entire series of past events ends now. It ends today. Tomorrow is not part of the series of past events. The series of past events does not extend into the future. It is complete at the present. If it is impossible to complete an infinite series by successive addition (as it is impossible to count to infinity) the past cannot be infinite. If the past is finite, that is, if it had a beginning, then the universe had a beginning. We have strong philosophical reason to reject the claim that the universe has always existed.\nI will not develop these. Rather, I will simply point them out.\nBig Bang theory does not prove that the universe had a beginning, but it supports this claim.\nThe second law of thermodynamics does not prove that the universe had a beginning but it also supports this claim.\nWe can see that we have good philosophical and Scientific reasons to reject the idea that the Universe has always existed.\nAbout the Universe, there are only three alternatives:\n1. The universe has always existed. It has an infinite past.\n2. The universe was popped into existence from nothing with absolutely no cause.\n3. The universe was caused to exist by something outside it.\nWe have strong reason to reject the first two alternatives.\nAlternative Three is the most reasonable. There was a first cause. This cause existed eternally. It initiated the big bang and created the universe. Now what can we know about this cause? Why think the cause is God? I will briefly sketch a few implications.\nFirst, the first cause is not a part of the space-time physical universe because it caused the space time universe to begin. Therefore it is outside of space and time. It is not physical. Second, it has a great deal of power. Third, it is a personal agent. This means it is not an inert force but it must have aspects of person hood; namely, that it wills. How do we know this? This is because it is the best answer to the question of why the Big Bang happened when it did. Why not sooner? Why not later? All of the conditions for producing the Big Bang existed from eternity. The only kind of cause we know of that can initiate an effect when all of the conditions are already present is the will of a personal agent.\nI have not argued that it is logically impossible that the universe popped into existence from nothing without cause. I have argued that it is more reasonable to hold that it has a cause and that this cause is a non-physical personal agent — God.\nSo it seems that the first argument is fairly strong. The existence of the universe is better explained by the existence of God.\nThe Existence of Objective Moral Values is Better Explained by the Existence of God.\nPeople experience a sense of morality that leads them to hold strongly that certain things are right or wrong for all people in all cultures. For example, it is wrong to torture another person just for fun. It is wrong for me today. It is wrong for a citizen of the Philippines and it was wrong for someone living in 500 BC. Our moral sense provides strong reason to believe in a personal God.\nIt will help clarify what I am saying if we put it into the form of an argument.\nIf there is no God, there are no objective moral values.\nThere are moral values which are objective.\nTherefore, God exists.\nBefore I discuss this argument, I must make it clear that I am not claiming that one must believe in God in order to be moral. I am not claiming that statistically those who believe in God are more moral than those who do not. I am also not claiming that our knowledge of morality depends upon God. This argument is to the effect that objective moral values themselves are foreign to a universe without God. They do not fit.\nDefending Premise 1. “If there is no God, there are no objective moral values.”\nI have to admit that this claim is quite controversial and many philosophers disagree with me. I think, however, that objective moral values are not sufficiently explained in a universe without God. Many have agreed with this claim. For example, Dostoevski had Ivan Karamazov claim, “If there is no God, everything is permitted.” Sartre wrote of Dostoevski’s statement, “That is the very starting point of existentialism. Indeed, everything is permissible if God does not exist, and as a result man is forlorn, because neither within him nor without does he find anything to cling to” [see his essay Existentialism]. John Mackie — probably the best philosophical atheist of the twentieth century recognizes this: “[Objective moral values] constitute so odd a cluster of qualities and relations that they are most unlikely to have arisen in the ordinary course of events, without an all-powerful god to create them. If, then, there are such intrinsically prescriptive objective values, they make the existence of a god more probable than it would have been without them [The Miracle of Theism, pp 115-116].\nMackie recognizes that these objective values do not fit in the universe if there is no God. His answer, since he rejects God, is to claim that there are no objective moral values. His book on ethics is appropriately titled Ethics: Inventing Right and Wrong. I agree with Dostoevski, Sartre and Mackie. If there is no God, there are no objective moral values.\nDefending Premise 2. “There are objective moral values.”\nWe know there are objective moral values. By this I mean that the content of morality is not determined by the individual, or by culture. Rather some things are objectively wrong. Other things are objectively obligatory. Actions such as rape, racist discrimination and torturing an innocent baby to death for no reason are really wrong. Furthermore, It is wrong for me to do these no matter when I live and no matter from what culture I come.\nNow many people believe that morality is not objective. This view comes in three basic varieties.\n1. The individual determines morality.\nIf the individual determines morality, then if I believe it is morally permissible to steal your stereo and beat up your girlfriend, it is permissible for me to do it. But it is not permissible for me to beat up your girlfriend. Therefore, the individual does not determine morality.\n2. Society determines morality.\nIf I lived in a completely racist society, would racism be right for me? Not at all. When an American university student protests against South Africa’s policy of apartheid, he is assuming that morality is not determined by society. It is transcendent of cultures. All of our greatest heroes have been men and women who have stood up to society’s wrongs and appealed to a morality that is transcendent to society in order to demand change. If society determines morality, it is always morally wrong to criticize society. There is no morality outside of society which can form the basis of a moral critique.\n3. Morality has survival value.\nSome people claim that the reason we have this moral sense is that it helped the human race survive. Those individuals with moral sense grouped together for mutual protection and these did better than those without the moral sense. This is a kind of prehistoric social contract theory of morality. The problem with this is that we do not need morality to survive today. In fact, if you and I know that morality has no objective validity and the rest of our culture still thinks it is valid, we can take advantage of this to get the most we can. There is no moral reason to refrain from rape, robbery and murder.\nThese inadequate objections show that our sense is that there is a morality that is trans-personal, trans-cultural and trans-temporal The existence of a personal God is the best explanation for this. It is not up to the individual or the culture whether it is permissible to rape simply for fun. Any individual who believes it is morally permissible to rape for fun has a false belief. Any culture whose moral guidelines include the claim that it is permissible to rape for fun has simply got it wrong.\nIf it is true that Hitler was morally wrong, it is true that there are objective moral truths which are trans-cultural. If it is true that it was wrong for Romans to leave baby girls to die on the trash heaps — simply because they were girls, then morality is not determined by culture. If it is true that Martin Luther King was a moral hero because he criticized his own culture by appealing to objective morality, then it is true that morality is not determined by culture.\nNow, It is true that Hitler was wrong. It is true that the Romans were wrong. It is true that Martin Luther King was right — heroically right. So, we know there are objective moral truths. But objective morality makes no sense in the Universe if there is no God. Objective moral values point to the existence of a moral being who created the universe. His moral character is the standard for objective right and wrong.\nI have briefly presented two arguments for the existence of God. These show that it is more reasonable to believe that God exists than that He does not exist.\nA. The Existence of the Universe is Better Explained by The Existence of God.\nB. The Existence of Objective Moral Values is Better Explained by the Existence of God.\nSo we see that some of the things we observe about the natural world ground a strong inference to the claim that God does exist. This gives us reason to consider with renewed openness the possibility that God has entered the space-time universe and revealed Himself through the person and life and death of Jesus of Nazareth.\nI have not claimed to prove with mathematical certainty that God exists. I have, however, provided good reasons to think that He does. If someone wishes to argue successfully that God does not exist, they must first, provide an answer for each of these arguments and second, they must offer arguments that God does not exist. Until they do this, we can conclude that we have good reason to claim that God does exist.\nThis article was written by Dr Gregory E. Ganssle of the Department of Philosophy at Yale University.\nPosted, November 2017\nAccording to the Macquarie dictionary a sense of humor is appreciating what’s amusing, funny or comical. A joke is an amusing or ridiculous circumstance. Laughter is usually normal and healthy, but there are times when it is not. For example, it can mask and trivialize sin (Jas. 4:9).\nOf all God’s creatures, human beings alone possess a sense of humor. As they are also made in the image and likeness of God, I suggest that God is capable of humor as well (Gen. 1:26). But of course God doesn’t share all our attributes (such as sinfulness).\nSolomon said that there is “a time to weep and a time to laugh” (Eccl. 3:4NIV). For example, we laugh at the things that children do. I wonder whether God (as our Father) laughs at some of the things that we do?\nGod created some funny creatures. For example, the distinctive call of the laughing kookaburra. And it looks like God was having fun when he designed the Australian platypus and bilby. The first English scientists to see a specimen of a duck-billed platypus thought it was a hoax because it had a bill and webbed feet like a duck, which is a bird. They thought the bill of a duck had been attached to the body of an otter, beaver or mole! The bilby is called a “rabbit-eared bandicoot” because it has ears like a rabbit. And its back legs look like those of a kangaroo, but it gallops like a horse!\nRecently I went to the zoo with a grandson. We saw lots of God’s creatures. I’m sure God had fun designing all the animals in the web of life. From bacteria to whales. Will they walk, fly or swim? Adding a long neck or stripes. Which would be companions, predators and prey? They are so diverse, but integrated.\nFunny incidents in the Bible\nThere are some funny incidents in the Bible. As “all-Scripture is God-breathed”, it means that God has caused these to be recorded (2 Tim. 3:16). At Babel the builders constructed a tower “that reaches to the heavens”. Ironically God had to “come down” to see the tower they were building (Gen. 11:4-5)! So it wasn’t very high according to God! Such delusions of grandeur would have made God laugh.\nLaban tricked Jacob into marrying Leah instead of Rachael. She was veiled during the wedding and unrecognized in the darkness of the wedding night and the Bible says, “When morning came, there was Leah!” (Gen. 29:25). What a surprise! Did Jacob drink too much wine at the wedding?\nGod used a talking donkey to warn and rebuke Balaam for planning to curse Israel (Num. 22:21-35)! And he used a fish to get Jonah to Nineveh!\nWhen the Philistines captured the Ark of the Covenant they added it to their gods by placing it in the temple beside the god Dagon. But next day Dagon was flat on the ground before the ark. So they put Dagon upright once again. But the following day the idol was flat on the ground once again with his head and hands broken off (1 Sam. 5:1-5)! It was obvious who was the stronger God.\nWhen Saul was pursuing David, he went into a cave to relieve himself. It happened that David and his followers were also in the cave and David crept up and cut off a corner of Saul’s robe (1 Sam. 24:1-4). Saul looked ridiculously vulnerable!\nAfter being told that Jesus was from Nazareth, Nathaniel says “Can anything good come from there?”. Then Jesus says that Nathaniel was without deceit! And accepts him as a disciple!\nThe disciples took a metaphor literally. When Jesus said to them, “Be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees”, they said, “It is because we didn’t bring any bread” (Mt. 16:5-12)! They were dumb!\nFunny sayings in the Old Testament\nWhen describing a stork, the book of Job says “God did not endow her with wisdom or give her a share of good sense” (Job 39:17). That’s not very flattering!\nGod used irony and sarcasm when He answered Job. Where were you when I created the earth? Surely you’re old enough to answer my questions about the creation (Job 38:4, 21)? Of course the answer is no! Job wasn’t there in the beginning, but God was.\nJehoram, was an evil king of Judah who lead the nation into idolatry. The Bible says that “He passed away, to no one’s regret”, didn’t have a funeral fire and wasn’t buried in the tombs of the kings (1 Chr. 21:19-20). That’s a colorful way of saying what people thought about Jehoram.\nSome of Solomon’s proverbs are funny:\n– “Like a gold ring in a pig’s snout is a beautiful woman who shows no discretion” (11:22)\n– “Better to live on a corner of the roof than share a house with a quarrelsome wife” (21:9). And “A quarrelsome wife is like the dripping of a leaky roof in a rainstorm” (27:15).\n– “The sluggard says, “There’s a lion outside!”” (22:13). That sounds like a good excuse to stay home!\nGod mocks idols. They had mouths, but can’t speak. Eyes, but can’t see. Ears but can’t hear. And mouths, but can’t breathe. They seem to be useless and dead! And then He adds the punch line: “Those who make them will be like them, and so will all who trust in them” (Ps. 135:15-18)! Idols are a fraud and worthless (Jer. 10:14-15). They were just a dead stone or block of wood (Isa. 44:9-20; Hab. 2:18-10).\nGod can use wordplay in serious situations. For example, the Lord showed Jeremiah the branch of an almond tree and said “I am watching” (Jer. 1:11). The Hebrew word for almond (saqed) sounds like the word for watching (soqed).\nFunny sayings in the New Testament\nJesus used some funny illustrations:\n– He said to the hypocrites, “Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye?” (Mt. 7:3). This hyperbole is hilarious!\n– After He spoke with a rich man, Jesus said, “it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God” (Mt. 19:24). This is another exaggeration.\n– He said the hypocritical Jewish religious leaders were “like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of the bones of the dead and everything unclean” (Mt.23:27).\n– He said to the hypocritical Jewish religious leaders, “You blind guides! You strain out a gnat but swallow a camel” (Mt. 23:24). They were leading people into danger like blind guides (Lk. 6:39). And by concentrating on minor matters (like gnats), they missed dealing with major matters (like camels). Jesus also used a pun here as the Aramaic word for gnat is galma and for camel is gamla.\n– He also mentions lighting a lamp and putting it under a basket, building a house on sand, and a father giving their child stones instead of bread. All of which are ridiculous.\n– And He makes a Samaritan behave better than a priest and Levite (Lk. 10:30-35).\nThe common people would have laughed at these comical images.\nJesus also used puns like saying “on this rock I will build my church” when he was speaking to Peter (whose Greek name meant detached stone) (Mt. 16:18).\nWhen describing Abraham, the writer of Hebrews says, “from this one man, and he as good as dead, came descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky” (Heb. 11:12). That’s a colourful way of saying that he was very old when Isaac was conceived.\nThere are probably lots of other incidents and sayings in the Bible that would have been shocking or amusing in the culture of the time, but are lost on us today. For example, there is wordplay in the names of people and places in the Old Testament.\nThe Bible says that God laughs when nations rebel against Him (Ps. 2:4; 59:8). He scoffs at them. God also laughs when the wicked plot against the righteous (Ps. 37:12-13). They don’t realize it’s impossible to defeat the omnipotent God. It’s ludicrous because of the great difference in power.\nWe may say that God has the last laugh. It may be delayed; and evil may appear to have prevailed. But in the end, God will be victorious.\nGod is happy and joyful\nWhen the Jews are delivered from their enemies in the future, the Bible says that God “will take great delight in you … will rejoice over you with singing” (Zeph. 3:17). This is similar to Paul saying that God is happy (“makariou” is translated as “blessed”) (1 Tim. 1:11; 6:15). This is lasting joy and not just a transient emotion.\nJesus used wordplay\nLarge crowds of people followed Jesus to hear Him speak and see Him do miracles. Obviously He was a skilled orator. And He would have seen the humor in life – that which is ludicrous or incongruous. He used exaggeration, irony, sarcasm, and satire to help communicate His message. It may have been like street theater with subtle wit and wordplay, but with a serious message.\nJesus also welcomed children and children usually see the funny side of life (Mt. 19:13-14; Mk. 10:13-16; Lk. 18:15-17).\nLessons for us\nHumor is cultural and situational and doesn’t always translate into other languages. For this reason, much of the humor in the Bible is probably lost to us today. But we have seen that there is evidence that God has a sense of humor. This is consistent with a God who is personal and who sustains the world.\nCoarse jokes are ungodly (Eph. 5:4). And some comedy relates to sinful behavior. This is not part of God’s character. It has been said that:\nGod is serious because sin is serious. God finds nothing funny about the state of the world. How could a God so holy and righteous be funny in a world where sin is still present? Jesus was a serious person because He was on a serious mission. Our eternal life was a serious issue to Him. Leaving His glory in heaven to come into the world was no fun. The death on the cross was no fun at all. He didn’t come to put people down, but to lift them up.\nThis is true, but it is clear that God is joyful and Jesus used wordplay. God is serious and He has a sense of humor. He has both attributes, not just one or the other. So, let’s have a balanced view of God.\nThe joy of the Christian life can be expressed in humor. While worldly humor glorifies sin, puts down others, ridicules righteousness, and hurts the soul – Godly humor encourages others, honors the Lord, and restores the soul. And humor helps us get through life by providing relief from the seriousness of life. So, let’s balance the seriousness and humor of life. And, like Jesus, let’s use appropriate humor to promote our communication with other people.\nAlthough we are usually unaware of it, God is capable of good humor and there is evidence of this in the Bible and in creation. And the carrying out His plan of salvation and His coming exaltation bring Him much joy. Do we share in this joy?\nWritten, June 2017", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "FOX CHASE MANOR, Pa. – The Sisters of St. Basil the Great gathered recently to celebrate the lives and labor of two members of the order: Sister Judith Piszyk and Sister Irenea Hankewych.\nThe festivities on September 25 began with divine liturgy in Holy Trinity Chapel celebrated by Metropolitan-Archbishop Borys Gudziak, along with the sisters’ chaplain, Father John Ciurpita, with Volodymyr Radko serving as deacon.\nAfterwards, the sisters gathered in the dining room for a celebratory dinner. Serving as emcee for the event was Sister Ann Laszok. Sister Monica Lesnick opened the festivities with a toast, and Provincial Superior Sister Dorothy Ann Busowski honored the jubilarians with a touching tribute that focused on the life journeys that had brought each of them to Fox Chase, a tribute that began and evolved as a description of a journey upon which each sister had embarked, a life of travel with each successive destination a station of the cross and a challenging new work environment.\n“Each whistle-stop, each destination spoke to you in a variety of ways and invitations,” Sister Dorothy Ann noted.\nSister Judith, celebrating 75 years as a member of the order of Sisters of St. Basil the Great, served in parishes in New York, Ohio, Michigan, Indiana, New Jersey, Florida, Illinois, and Pennsylvania, as well as Canada, laying a foundation in Basilian and Ukrainian Catholic spirituality whether as teacher and mentor or as someone selflessly engaging in reaching out to and serving the elderly and the immigrant.\nSister Irenea, celebrating 50 years as a member of the order, served in parishes in New York, Michigan, Ohio and Illinois (including a record-breaking 30 years in Chicago) as teacher or principal or superior, always generously sharing her gift for languages and other talents with others and inspiring, supporting and affirming their endeavors.\nThe provincial superior ended her presentation with a personal note of appreciation: “I say to both of you sisters that so many have been enriched by your presence and we are honored to share this occasion with each of you. We are happy to be in the same track with each of you for we are one in community, one in service, one in love… You are our two Chicago girls, and we love you!”\nSisters of the Order of St. Basil the Great have served in the United States since 1911. The sisters strive to be a praying, healing, life-giving presence in every community where they minister, especially in the field of education.", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "Have you ever wondered ‘why me’ when something terrible happens? Or watched an earthquake on the news and thought ‘why’? in Christianity, this is what they call the ‘problem of evil’.\nBasics of Christianity:\n- Christians believe in God, who sent his son Jesus down to earth to save the world.\n- Follow the teachings in the Holy Bible (idk who wrote it maybe Moses)\n- Jesus was born of the virgin Mary (….biology? ok…) in a town called Bethlehem, now modern day Palestine. The conception was said to be supernatural, as God impregnated Mary using the holy spirit. His earthly father was Joseph.\n- Jesus travelled around performing miracles like walking on water with his 12 disciples\n- Jesus was sentenced to death by crucifixion under Pontius Pilate. Mainly for calling himself ‘the King of the Jews’.\n- He was laid to rest in a tomb, but 3 days later he rose from the dead.\n- The cross is the symbol for Christianity as a recognition that Jesus died for our sins.\nGod is said to have many attributes, but remember these:\n- Omnipotence (all powerful)\n- Omnibenevolence (all loving)\n- Omniscience (all knowing)\n- Omnipresence (everywhere)\nEg. God cannot be both omnipotent and omnibenevolent if evil exists, as he would have the power and the love to do something about it.\nIf evil exists (this fact is up to you) then God is either:\n- Omnipotent but not omnibenevolent = has the power but doesn’t love humanity enough to change it\n- Omnibenevolent but not omnipotent = loves us but doesn’t hold the power to eradicate evil.\nIt’s named the inconsistent triad due to the three pillars. The trio cannot co-exist together, thus it stands as an arguments against the Judeo-Christian God. If evil does exist then the traditional image of God has some issues. The idea of God and evil coexisting is held as contradictory. Evil in this sense is the traditional concept of the absence of good. Of course, what evil actually IS will have an impact on whether you see it as a threat to religion or humanity.\nEvil can be divided; moral evil is connected with the acts of humans, natural evil is interlinked with the workings of the physical world. I think natural evil is a sign that we aren’t perhaps treating the world as we should (climate change). Yet moral evil is a different ball game: the acts and intensions of humans can be justified in alternative ways, making it all more difficult to find a moral criteria.\nIf this benevolent deity created all beings, and evil exists, must have he created evil too? Christians have faith in this loving creator, and prompted to seek explanations and justifications for evil and suffering. Christians came up with some answers for evil, keeping the holy image of God alive.\nThese are just a few…\n- Evil is a test of faith, God has a plan for everyone.\n- Suffering highlights what is good in the world / gives you a chance to be good.\n- It is the issue of human free will.\n- It is the devil’s work/ Satan/ Lucifer – the Archangel who was thrown out of heaven.\n- ‘The fall’ / original sin – The disobedience of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden.\n- Evil doesn’t exist, there is just a hierarchy of goods (Some real optimistic vibes).\nAn argument for the defence of God: Irenaean and Augustinian theodicy\nThe Irenaean theodicy defends the idea of an omnibenevolent (all loving) and omnipotent (all powerful) God, in a world of evil and suffering. The theodicy is named after Irenaeus, a Greek bishop, known for his role is Christian communities. He stated that God is not guilty for creating evil, but he is responsible. The world is the best of all possible worlds, allowing humans to fully flourish. Humans are not yet fully developed, and the process of suffering and free will allows humans to develop. Creation has two stages, the image of God and the likeness of God.\nWe are created in a state of ‘imperfection’ as the second stage of creation is not complete. We have been born in the image of God, yet to reach the likeness of God, we must refine ourselves and develop through suffering. This proposes that evil and suffering exists as the best way for humans to develop and learn.\nThis differs from the Augustinian theodicy. Saint Augustine of Hippo attempts to clear God of any responsibility, supporting the notion of the ‘original sin’. As I mentioned earlier, the original sin means humans have inherited a tainted nature. God created the world ex nihilo (out of nothing) but isn’t responsible, the fall of man is. In Genesis, Adam and Eve were created innocent, but became corrupt and disobeyed God’s orders using their own free will. This misuse of free will is the reason for moral evil ; moral evil comes from those of evil will. Thus the fault is all ours.\nIrenaeus: God created evil to allow humans to fully develop through suffering and evil.\nAugustine: God did not create evil, evil is the result of the original sin and the misuse of free will.\nOf course, there are many Christian theodicies for the defence of the holy deity, so it’s up to you what you fundamentally believe. For me, the problem lies in moral evil and the actions of humans. The debate of ethics and morality is complicated but nonetheless essential to topics such as this…Stay tuned!\n2 thoughts on “Christianity and The ‘Problem of Evil’”\nHere are 4 questions from one of your sentences. I realize text carries no emotion of its own and therefore is often supplied by the reader. With that in mind, please let me assure you that I intend these remarks as a friendly challenge to your ideas in this post.\n1. You said, “God cannot be both omnipotent and omnibenevolent if evil exists.” My first question is, how can you know that is true? Assuming you answer the first, my second question is: What is the standard by which you measure truth claims?\n2. Furthermore, you said, “God cannot be both omnipotent and omnibenevolent if evil exists, as he would have the power and the love to do something about it.” My third question is, did you know that the work of redemption accomplished by Christ was a manifestation of God’s power and power to do something about it? Again, I assume you also knew that, and therefore, my fourth question is, why would you intentionally or unintentionally strawman the position you are critiquing?\nWhile I strongly disagree with your conclusions, I do agree that theodicy is a significant topic. I also thought your presentation was well done. Thank you for your time. I enjoyed reading this post.\nHi! Thank you for your reply. I did just reply but it seems to have disappeared so forgive me if i’m replying twice. The views I wrote this on were mostly learnt, so I couldn’t personally answer why I think God cannot be both omnibenevolent and omnipotent whilst evil exists. The claims in my blog are more theories rather than truth, as I question these myself. However this question poses an issue for me because if God really did love humanity and had the power to do anything, why is suffering still occurring? (this is where i brought in some theodicies that I knew the basics of). I do agree that mans ignorance and free will is the cause for a lot of pain in the world, but I find the idea of being complete humans and likeness of God a bit of a scapegoat. If one is to believe God to be purely metaphysical, perhaps the problem of evil becomes irrelevant?\nYour idea of God might be different to mine, but this is the argument I got my conclusion from:\nP1. If God exists, then God is omnipotent, omniscient, and morally perfect.\nP2. If God is omnipotent, then God has the power to eliminate all evil.\nP3. If God is omniscient, then God knows when evil exists.\nP4. If God is morally perfect, then God has the desire to eliminate all evil.\nP5. Evil exists. (this is up for debate)\nC1. If evil exists and God exists, then either God doesn’t have the power to eliminate all evil, or doesn’t know when evil exists, or doesn’t have the desire to eliminate all evil.\nThis is where i drew my conclusion but you can go further –\nC2. Therefore, God doesn’t exist.\nThe so called ‘proof’ for this can be read here:\nbut I’m not sure if this can be seen as proof to you, do let me know!\nOf course, you can claim God created evil, God is not responsible or God has already shown his power. I’d love to know if you do have ideas on this, if so please email me at firstname.lastname@example.org.\nThank you for reading this and posing your questions so politely.", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "Welcome to the Church of St. Jude!\nWelcome to the web site of the Church of St. Jude in Rochester, Illinois. As the Pastor of this parish, it is my privilege to welcome you and express my gratitude for your interest in our parish. The Church of St. Jude strives to provide opportunities for the faithful to encounter the love of Jesus Christ and to grow as His disciples. I invite you to contact any of our parish staff for assistance in your faith journey. We hope that you find a warm welcome among our Church family as you gather to worship God at Mass or share in the other activities of our parish. May God bless you.\nSincerely in Christ,\nFather Brian Alford, Pastor", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "© 2021 Operation Mobilisation Australia Ltd. ABN: 66010759270\nFinance Manager Ireland Go & Live As soon as possibleUse your financial management skills toward the purpose of seeing vibrant communities of Jesus followers established among the least reached. This important role is vital to ministry on the field. You would provide accountability for the cash transactions conducted on the field and perform duties to assist with accounting functions pertaining to bank accounts, budgets, journal entries, financial reporting and administrative changes, guided by precedent and guidelines of established policies.\nCommunications and Marketing Worker Ireland Go & Live As soon as possibleShare the story of what God is doing in Ireland and the world and effectively implement our strategies to do this well within our context. Use your own creative skills, and build relationships with others, as you help to create a clear and inspiring online and offline presence. Use your gifts and talents to inspire and encourage people to become involved in God's work!\nBus Driver/Evangelism – Big Red Bus Team Ireland Go & Live As soon as possibleThe Big Red Bus is an amazing ministry tool that is very well known among the Irish community, and YOU could become it's driver! You will be responsible to take the bus and it's team members to different places, and will be involved in it's practical ministries: kids clubs, street evangelism, youth meetings and coffee/tea bars. You'll also be responsible for the general maintenance of the bus and the safety of it's passengers.\nPartnership Director Ireland Go & Live As soon as possibleAre you great at building relationships and linking the right people to each other? Do you have vision to see Christians work together to build God's kingdom? Come and help us build partnerships with churches, organisations and trusts, so together we can work on seeing vibrant communities of Jesus followers here in Ireland!\nMaintenance & Development Worker Ireland Go & Live As soon as possibleAre you task oriented with a servant's heart and passion about practical work for the Lord? Come and help us in the upkeep and development of the OM Ireland five acre property including all buildings and grounds.\nHospitality Coordinator(s) Ireland Go & Live June 2021Do you have a heart to make others feel welcome and at home? Do you enjoy meeting new people? We are looking for someone, or a couple, that are handy, love to roll up their sleeves and who want to serve God and others in a practical way. Come and take care of our OM base at Lacken House, Co. Roscommon, and oversee all guest services.\nChurch Worker/Planter (Partners for Church Growth) Ireland Go & Live As soon as possibleEveryone should have an opportunity to hear the gospel at least once. There is a generation growing up in Ireland which has not heard the gospel. They do not know who Jesus is or what He has done. One of the greatest needs in Ireland is more Bible-believing churches. We need evangelists, disciplers, church planters, youth and children’s workers to partner with small churches and church plant endeavours. You will need a God given passion for the lost and desire to work in partnership with others.\nNational Director Ireland Go & Live As soon as possibleExists to give overall leadership to the ministry, resources, people and networks in the Republic of Ireland, in order to ensure the vision and mission of the Field is accomplished in alignment with OM mission and vision. This is done with the support of the Field Leadership Team.", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "26 And when he had found him, he brought him unto Antioch. And it came to pass, that a whole year they assembled themselves with the church, and taught much people. And the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch.\n27 And in these days came prophets from Jerusalem unto Antioch.\nSometimes people wonder why we are called “Christians” since Jesus was a Jew. There are a couple of reasons. One is that originally they were in fact a sect of Judaism until they were thrown out of the temple. Now, Messiah is the Hebrew name for the “anointed one.” In Greek, this is “Christ.” So it follows that they would be called Christians by those who spoke Greek and were Gentiles, not Jews.\nWe are also “anointed ones” because of our Baptism. We often call the day of our Baptism the day of our Christening. We are anointed with the faith of Christ – The Anointed One. Christ is sometimes thought of as Jesus’ last name.\nActually, it is his title. In Jesus’ time, the last name usually referred to something descriptive, one’s occupation, the place where a person came from, or his father’s name. The people of his time would have called him, Jesus bar Joseph, and Jesus the Nazorean. Remember, Joseph was called “the carpenter.” Names were considered to be very important. In many cultures, a person may have four or five names. The relatives may have some say in the naming. A person may have names that include blessing, merciful, gift or beautiful, qualities that they either believe the child has, or will develop, as well as the name he or she will be called and then the family name. Different cultures even put the family name first. Our names are so important that the Jews will not call God by the name he gave to Moses. This is why the Jewish leaders were so upset when Jesus called himself “I Am.” The people of Antioch were convinced by Paul and Barnabas that Jesus was in fact the Messiah, the Christ, and so the followers were now named “Christians.”\nAlmighty God, you promised that you would send a Messiah to save your people. You sent us Jesus, the Christ, now we bear his name as Christians. Please also give us the graces and strength that we need to be worthy of the name. Amen.", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "By: Maryn Thomas\nI’ve been talking with many young women lately about the season of singleness. For each of us, that season is a different amount of time and stems from different life circumstances.\nIn December, I shared quite a bit about my story at the Women’s Christmas Dessert. In case you missed it, let me share a bit with you here. I came to Eugene to attend the University of Oregon in 2006. By the end of my freshman year, I was in my very first relationship. I had never had a boyfriend and was totally lost when it came to healthy relationships. As so many of us do, I became too invested too quickly.\nAfter a few short months, I was totally convinced that we would get married. When he broke up with me, I was devastated and completely thrown off track. After all, I had put all my weight in this. I was “sure” of the future and yet it didn’t work out how I planned. It took me a long time to recover from that, mostly because my identity was placed in that relationship. I dated off and on throughout college and once I graduated, I entered the era that I refer to as the “unplanned era.” According to my life plan, I would go to school, graduate, get married, and then have kids (go ahead and thrown a mini-van, a puppy, and a white fence into that plan). So when I graduated college with no prospect of marriage, I was disappointed and terrified. I didn’t know what to expect for this season. And I didn’t know how long it would last.\nIt would be four years before I met my husband.\nFor many women, their season of singleness is much longer than mine. Yet, God taught me incredible lessons throughout that season and I wouldn’t change it for the world. What he taught me during those four years set the foundation for how I would be as a wife, a mom, and servant of God.\nI had a moment a few years ago where I felt God prompting me to choose to be content, no matter how long my season of singleness lasted! I promised God that I would make the most of it, and though I had moments of panic, I really tried to use that season to grow. We will always be tempted to look toward the future and think that things will be so much better once we have something more. But God calls us to contentment now.\nOur purpose as women does not depend on our relationship status. Sometimes, we make the mistake of thinking our life will really start once we get married. For me, in order to best use that time of singleness, I had to find other purpose!\nI spent time serving at the church. I asked God to show me what my gifts were and then found opportunities to use them. I think once we focus on the needs around us, our heart quickly changes. If you love to cook, start cooking for those around you. Take meals to families in need or have some college girls over for dinner. If you love kids, serve in our Kids classes or offer to babysit for your friends with kids. If you’re creative, use that gift to create inspiring, beautiful art for those around you. You have great purpose in your life and the Lord calls us to use those things through serving Him. Remember that it is a JOY that we get to serve Him!\nThere may still be moments that are hard for some as they look toward the future and long to be married. For others, their singleness has been brought about because of hurt or broken relationships. In all cases, we get to cling to the fact that we serve a good and sovereign God. In Joshua 1:5, God reminds us that He will “not leave you or forsake you.” He has not forgotten about you, but rather, He has a great plan for your life!\n“Your eyes saw my unformed substance;\nin your book were written, every one of them,\nthe days that were formed for me,\nwhen as yet there was none of them” Psalm 139:16\nHe loves us with a love unmatchable by human love. His love is a steadfast love that never fails.\n“But you, O Lord, are a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness.” Psalm 86:15", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "Bishop, I want you to Know God is so faithful. You have been preaching about Believing God for what you want, standing on His Word and The renewing of your mind. Well, I had been looking for a house. But, every time I would find one, others had bid on the house and my offered was not accepted. This happened a few times. God is blessing me to have my home BUILT. It’s on a corner lot. It has everything that I believed God for, plus, my down payment was cut in half and I’m moving in it ahead of schedule. Praise God!!!", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "Did you ever feel like God was telling you to do something, but you held back because you were not quite sure enough of yourself? Or felt that you needed to reach out to someone but you weren’t sure how?\nWell, that’s where I found myself with this post. I have done some writing for a ladies magazine; and for a long time I have wanted to write this but I wasn’t sure how to go about it.\nSee, when I write something that is extra close to my heart, I like to write in the same way that I speak, and sometimes my speech isn’t grammatically flawless. Sometimes I don’t speak in complete, structured sentences. And after a good editing, it starts to sound like someone else. (Plus I wasn’t sure the people I’m writing this to would even read it there.)\nThis is a better place for it, as most of you who I write this for, are faithful readers (not because my content is so amazing that you just can’t wait to read it,) but because you are my friends.\nSome reasons I didn’t write this sooner were fear of being thought tacky, or offending someone, or making someone feel singled out. That is not my intention at all. God knows my heart and I pray I can write in such a way that you can know my heart as well.\nI write this to my single friends. Not just one of you – all of you. Those who are older than me, down to those who are still in high school. Of course if you’re single by choice-as was Apostle Paul- this won’t apply as much to you. But if you find yourself looking around at your dating or married friends and asking God: “Why not me?” -this is for you.\nYou may see your siblings beginning relationships, and wish it could be you. You may feel like being single is somehow second best to being married. Maybe you look at your life and try to figure out what could possibly be getting in the way of you finding love, and someone to spend your life with.\nMany of my dearest friends are single; and I have wrestled with it so much in my mind. I ask God: “why is it that some of us get to be married, have babies and keep house, while others have to wait? And wait. And wait. Especially since most of my single friends show much more depth and maturity than what I see in my own life… I can’t understand it.”\nGod hasn’t had much to say in response, but I know He has his reasons. The one I came up with is this:\nHe hasn’t found someone special enough yet. Ok, obviously God knows everything and doesn’t need to “find” anything. But it could be that He isn’t finished preparing that person, growing and shaping him into someone who is compatible with you, not only in your interests and needs, but also to be a strong spiritual leader.\nIt’s also possible that God can use you better, just the way you are, and marriage isn’t His perfect plan for you. But as you’ve waited for your someone special to come along, He has made you into someone special yourself.\nHe has given you a caring, ministering heart, and hands that are willing to help wherever there is a need. He’s given you a warm, open manner that makes others feel comfortable sharing confidences, and a good listening ear to hear them out.\nGod has made you, just the way He wanted you, and then brought you into my life as some of my dearest friends. People who inspire me with your commitment to Jesus, your vision for missions, your sweet disposition, your gift of reaching out to others- (especially the less fortunate,) your interest in the lives of others around you, your… well, I think you get it – I like you! Actually, make that “I love you, and admire you.” My world wouldn’t be the same without you.\nAs I look at the qualities in which I feel you put me to shame, I think of Apostle Paul’s words in 1 Corinthians 7. “The unmarried woman careth for the things of the Lord, that she may be holy… but the married woman careth for the things of the world, how she may please her husband.”\n(I don’t believe this verse is intended to “let me off the hook” when it comes to keeping my walk close with the Lord. Instead, I pray I can take the examples I see in your life and strive, by the Spirit, to live them out in my own.)\nYou’re probably thinking “Okay, when is she going to get to the sermon?” You know, “5 Things Every Single Should Remember,” or “10 Ways To Live a Fulfilled Single Life,” right?\nYou’re not going to get that from me. I’m not going to tell you to “just enjoy your freedom, and be thankful for it!” (Okay, so just being honest, giving up that freedom is a MAJOR adjustment, but each time I’m tempted to wish I had it again, I remind myself of how impatient I was to give it up, and that in the big picture its a small matter.)\nI’m not going to tell you “Oh just you wait! Once you get married, you’ll wish you were single again!” I haven’t found that to be true, and I want to be real here.\nWhat I will tell you, is this. Please don’t buy into the idea that “single = second best!” It’s so not true! God’s plan is for some people to be married young, some late in life, and for some to be single. Being single doesn’t mean you don’t measure up, it just means that for now, God has other things for you. Maybe greater things!\nWhen I think of you as my friend, your marital status doesn’t even cross my mind. In fact, I don’t even like the word “single.” I looked in my thesaurus for a word I liked better, but I didn’t like any of the options there either. However, I did make a (poorly executed) acrostic, that I think better describes you.\n‘Cause that’s what matters anyway, right? No earthly relationship can come close to the relationship we can have with our Lord. I think this verse is really special and encouraging. In Jeremiah 31:3, God says: “I have loved you with an everlasting love.”\nI really have nothing new or profound to say to you; I mainly wanted to remind you how important you are to me, and how very much you are loved. Loved by your Maker, and loved by so many more. You are irreplaceble,unique; and your influence in my life has helped to shape who I am.\nJust a thought, all earthly relationships have to end at some point, whether it be a breakup, or a death, etc. But our relationship with Jesus will go on, even after death! Even if you are never a bride here on earth, (but oh, I pray you will be!) -we are all the bride of Christ and when He returns for us, we will be with Him forever…won’t that be a glorious wedding day ?!\nBe it today, tomorrow, next week, next year… May we all be ready and waiting! Even so, come Lord Jesus! (Rev. 22:20)\nHave a blessed day.\n2 thoughts on “Security in Knowing God Loves Me”\nI don’t know if I’m one of the single friends that you were writing, too, but I will say “thank-you” anyway. Thank you for realizing that we have the same longings but are asking Jesus to be enough. Thank you for realizing that we are not single, because we are not good enough but because of the eternal purposes of Almighty God. Thank you for caring and wanting the best for each of your friends. You have a great gift of compassion.\nAww, Yo… of course you’re one of them! And thanks for your sweet words.", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "Daily Reading for Saturday, September 14th, 2013\nReading 1, Numbers 21:4-9\n4 They left Mount Hor by the road to the Sea of Suph, to skirt round Edom. On the way the people lost patience.\n6 At this, God sent fiery serpents among the people; their bite brought death to many in Israel.\n9 Moses then made a serpent out of bronze and raised it as a standard, and anyone who was bitten by a serpent and looked at the bronze serpent survived.\nResponsorial Psalm, Psalms 78:1-2, 34-35, 36-37, 38\n1 [Psalm Of Asaph] My people, listen to my teaching, pay attention to what I say.\n2 I will speak to you in poetry, unfold the mysteries of the past.\n34 Whenever he slaughtered them, they began to seek him, they turned back and looked eagerly for him,\n36 They tried to hoodwink him with their mouths, their tongues were deceitful towards him;\n37 their hearts were not loyal to him, they were not faithful to his covenant.\nGospel, John 3:13-17\n13 No one has gone up to heaven except the one who came down from heaven, the Son of man;\n15 so that everyone who believes may have eternal life in him.\n16 For this is how God loved the world: he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life.\n17 For God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but so that through him the world might be saved.\nReading 2, Philippians 2:6-11\n7 But he emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, becoming as human beings are; and being in every way like a human being,\n8 he was humbler yet, even to accepting death, death on a cross.\n9 And for this God raised him high, and gave him the name which is above all other names;\n10 so that all beings in the heavens, on earth and in the underworld, should bend the knee at the name of Jesus\nReading 1, Genesis 15:1-12, 17-18: 1 Some time later, the word of Yahweh came to Abram in ... Responsorial Psalm, Psalms 105:1-2, 3-4, 6-7, 8-9: 1 Alleluia! Give thanks to Yahweh, call ... Gospel, Matthew 7:15-20: 15 'Beware of false prophets who come to you disguised as sheep ... continue readingMore Daily Readings\nThe New Jerusalem Bible (NJB) is a Catholic translation of the Bible published in 1985. The New Jerusalem Bible (NJB) has become the most widely used Roman Catholic Bible outside of the United States. It has the imprimatur of Cardinal George Basil Hume.\nLike its predecessor, the Jerusalem Bible, the New Jerusalem Bible (NJB) version is translated \"directly from the Hebrew, Greek or Aramaic.\" The 1973 French translation, the Bible de Jerusalem, is followed only \"where the text admits to more than one interpretation.\" Introductions and notes, with some modifications, are taken from the Bible de Jerusalem.\nSource: The Very Reverend Dom (Joseph) Henry Wansbrough, OSB, MA (Oxon), STL (Fribourg), LSS (Rome), a monk of Ampleforth Abbey and a biblical scholar. He was General Editor of the New Jerusalem Bible. \"New Jerusalem Bible, Regular Edition\", pg. v.\nby Catholic Online\n- Terrorists using Christians as sex slaves and human shields in the ...\n- Daily Readings for Wednesday, June 28, 2017\n- How decaf coffee destroyed the ozone layer, you monsters\n- Daily Reading for Wednesday, June 28th, 2017 HD Video\n- St. Irenaeus: Saint of the Day for Wednesday, June 28, 2017\n- New social media algorithm can predict the future\n- Cyber-attack hitting USA right now, experts fear could turn deadly in ...\n- Central bankers warn of looming global recession HD\n- Daily Reading for Tuesday, June 27th, 2017 HD\n- Daily Reading for Monday, June 26th, 2017 HD\n- Daily Reading for Sunday, June 25th, 2017 HD", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "« السابقةمتابعة »\nand malicious; take away his ungodliness, and thou shalt find none.\n18 The LORD is King for ever and ever, and the heathen are perished out of the land. 19 LORD, thou hast heard the desire of the poor; thou preparest their heart, and thine ear hearkeneth thereto :\n20 To help the fatherless and poor unto their right, that the man of the earth be no more exalted against them.\nPsalm xi. In Domino confido.\nIN N the LORD put I my trust; how say ye then to my soul, that she should flee as a bird unto the hill?\n2 For lo, the ungodly bend their bow, and make ready their arrows within the quiver, that they may privily shoot at them which are true of heart.\n3 For the foundations will be cast down; and what hath the righteous done?\n4 The LORD is in his holy temple; the LORD'S seat is in heaven.\n5 His eyes consider the poor, and his eyelids try the children of men.\n6 The LORD alloweth the righteous: but the ungodly, and him that delighteth in wickedness, doth his soul abhor.\n7 Upon the ungodly he shall rain snares, fire and brimstone, storm and tempest: this shall be their portion to drink.\n8 For the righteous LORD loveth right\neousness; his countenance will behold the thing that is just.\nPsalm xii. Salvum me fac.\nHELP me, LORD, for there is not one godly man left; for the faithful are minished from among the children of men.\n2 They talk of vanity every one with his neighbour; they do but flatter with their lips, and dissemble in their double heart.\n3 The LORD shall root out all deceitful lips, and the tongue that speaketh proud things:\n4 Which have said, With our tongue will we prevail; we are they that ought to speak: who is lord over us?\n5 Now, for the comfortless troubles' sake of the needy, and because of the deep sighing of the poor,\n6 I will up, saith the LORD; and will help every one from him that swelleth against him, and will set him at rest.\n7 The words of the LORD are pure words; even as the silver which from the earth is tried, and purified seven times in the fire.\n8 Thou shalt keep them, O LORD; thou shalt preserve him from this generation for\n9 The ungodly walk on every side: when\nthey are exalted, the children of men art put to rebuke.\nPsalm xiii. Usque quo, Domine? HOW long wilt thou forget me, O LORD; for ev r? how long wilt thou hide thy face from me?\n2 How long shall I seek counsel in my soul, and be so vexed in my heart? how long shall mine enemies triumph over me?\n3 Consider, and hear me, O LORD my God; lighten mine eyes, that I sleep not in death;\n4 Lest mine enemy say, I have prevailed against him for if I be cast down, they that trouble me will rejoice at it.\n5 But thy trust is in thy mercy, and my heart is joyful in thy salvation.\n6 I will sing of the LORD, because he hath dealt so lovingly with me; yea, I will praise the Name of the Lord most Highest.\nPsalm xiv. Dixit insipiens. THE fool hath said in his heart, There is no God.\n2 They are corrupt, and become abominable in their doings; there is none that doeth good, no not one.\n3 The LORD looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that would understand, and seek after God:\n4 But they are all gone out of the way,\nthey are altogether become abominable; there is none that doeth good, no not one.\n5 Their throat is an open sepulchre; with their tongues have they deceived: the poison of asps is under their lips.\n6 Their mouth is full of cursing and bitterness; their feet are swift to shed blood.\n7 Destruction and unhappiness is in their ways, and the way of peace have they not known; there is no fear of God before their eyes.\n8 Have they no knowledge, that they are all such workers of mischief, eating up my people as it were bread, and call not upon the LORD?\n9 There were they brought in great fear, even where no fear was; for God is in the generation of the righteous.\n10 As for you, ye have made a mock at the counsel of the poor; because he putteth his trust in the LORD.\n11 Who shall give salvation unto Israel out of Sion? When the LORD turneth the captivity of his people, then shall Jacob rejoice, and Israel shall be glad.\nTHE THIRD DAY.\nPsalm xv. Domine, quis habitabit? LORD, who shall dwell in thy tabernacle? or who shall rest upon thy holy hill?\n2 Even he that leadeth an uncorrupt life, and doeth the thing which is right, and speaketh the truth from his heart.\n3 He that hath used no deceit in his tongue, nor done evil to his neighbour, and hath not slandered his neighbour.\n4 He that setteth not by himself, but is lowly in his own eyes, and maketh much of them that fear the LORD.\n5 He that sweareth unto his neighbour, and disappointeth him not, though it were to his own hindrance.\n6 He that hath not given his money upon usury, nor taken reward against the innocent. 7 Whoso doeth these things shall never fall.\nConserva me, Domine. PRESERVE me, O God; for in thee have I put my trust.\n2 O my soul, thou hast said unto the LORD, Thou art my God; my goods are nothing unto thee.\n3 All my delight is upon the saints that are in the earth, and upon such as excel in virtue.\n4 But they that run after another god shall have great trouble.\n5 Their drink-offerings of blood will I not offer, neither make mention of their names within my lips.\n6 The LORD himself is the portion of mine inheritance, and of my cup; thou shalt maintain my lot.", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "Pakistan (MNN) — Pakistan’s re-instated death penalty could mean trouble for followers of Christ. But, indigenous missionaries aren’t backing down.\n“Every leader I met, every Bible student I met, they knew that death could be a reality,” notes Sarla of Christian Aid Mission, your link to indigenous missions.\n“And yet, they’re committed to serving the Lord.”\nDeath penalty: unbanned\nIn December, Pakistani officials lifted a 7-year moratorium on capital punishment to rebuke masterminds of the fatal Peshawar school attack.\n“They were trying to bring justice to those victims and have the terrorists face the consequences,” explains Sarla. “The whole country was just enraged for these actions from the Taliban.”\nThe death penalty moratorium was initially lifted for cases specifically related to terrorism. Nearly 50 convicts have been executed since December. However, in the rush to punish terrorists, Sarla notes, the government is actually putting more people at risk.\nThe lift was expanded last week for ALL capital offense crimes, not just those connected to terrorism. That means Christians accused of blasphemy or apostasy–converting from Islam to another religion–will be put to death.\nPakistani Christians at-risk\nAmnesty International estimates Pakistan’s “death row” holds roughly 8,000 inmates. Among these prisoners are falsely-accused Christians like Asia Bibi, whose multiple appeals for justice have fallen on deaf ears.\nAccording to Voice of the Martyrs USA spokesman Todd Nettleton, blasphemy accusations are often used to persecute Pakistani Christians.\n“If you have a property dispute, if you have some kind of a relational dispute, you can simply accuse somebody of blasphemy and they get locked up for years even if there’s no evidence, even if there’s no case against them,” Nettleton told MNN last fall.\nDespite the ever-increasing dangers in Pakistan, Mahara says believers are pressing on in faith. Will you pray for these indigenous missionaries as they boldly share Christ with their neighbors?\n“Pakistani Christians are like you and [me]: their calling is from the Lord and they’re marching forward, even though it’s challenging,” Sarla notes.\nRight now, indigenous ministries supported by Christian Aid Mission are putting the Gospel in action by helping survivors of Sunday’s attacks. They need help raising funds for funeral expenses, medical care, counseling and more. You can support their efforts here.", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "Leasa Hodges (North Carolina, USA)\nSign Up Today and get full access to the daily devotional and the rest of The Upper Room content FREE for 30 days.Sign Up Today\nThe Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline. - 2 Timothy 1:7 (NIV)\nRecently I had the opportunity to explore Yellowstone National Park with a small group of educators. One evening, as we walked single-file through dense woods, one of the guides signaled for us to stop and be silent. As she was staring into the thicket, her face turned pale. Then she...\n“If God is for us, who can be against us?” (Rom. 8:31)\nRespond by posting a prayer.\nI looked forward to each session of the 2021 Spiritual Formation in Today’s World, and I still consider it a sacred time in my life. It renewed my love for myself, strengthened my love for God, and inspired my love for others.” Read more...", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "Campbell Armagh 3rd July 2020, James (Jim)\nPeacefully at home in the loving care of his family\nBeloved husband of Sheila,\nloving father of Gerard and Keith,\ngrandfather of Aaron, Christopher, Amy,\nLauren and the late Baby Emma-Jane.\nBrother of John, Betty, the late Peter, Mary, Anthony, Pat\nTom and Roisin R.I.P.\nFuneral on Monday in St Patrick’s Cathedral at 11.00am Mass,\nStreamed live on www.armaghparish.net\nBurial St. Patrick’s Cemetery.\nVery deeply regretted by his sorrowing, wife, sons,\ngrandchildren Aaron, Christopher, Amy and Lauren\ndaughters in law Grainne, Veronica, brother John, sister Betty,\nnephews, nieces, family circle and friends.\nSt Teresa The Little Flower Pray for Him.\nHouse and Funeral Mass Private Please\ndue to the ongoing situation\nAll further enquiries to J.J. McArdle & Sons 37 Thomas Street, Armagh\nHave you considered?", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "2 Peter 1:4 (ESV) … “by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire.”\nPeter now speaks of the great essential: … “that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature.…” The word partakers reminds us of something we have in common with someone else. Here it refers to the divine nature. In his first letter, Peter reminded his readers that they had been “born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever” (1 Peter 1:23).\nBy natural birth we are born with a fallen, Adamic nature, a nature that can do nothing right (Rom. 7:18). By means of the new birth, we receive a new nature, one that can do nothing wrong (1 John 3:9). Our old nature is incorrigible, and God will do nothing with it but put it to death. This death has already taken place—at Calvary (Rom. 6:3–12). Paul taught the Romans that the Lord Jesus not only died for us but also died as us. In Him we already have died, have been buried, and have been raised in newness of life. We now have to reckon this fact to be so (Rom. 6:11). Our new nature, given to us at our new birth, is the divine nature, the nature of Christ Himself. It is the Holy Spirit who activates it (Rom. 8:1–4). Our two natures are at war with each other (Rom. 7). The old nature has to be reckoned dead. As we yield to the indwelling Holy Spirit, our new life in Christ is made evident. Paul’s formula is “know,” “reckon,” and “yield” (Rom. 6:9, 11, 13). One of the “exceeding great and precious promises” is that “sin shall not have dominion” over us (Rom. 6:14).\nPeter now draws attention to the other side of the issue. He speaks of the great escape: “having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust” (1:4c). The word for “escaped” is apopheugō. Peter alone uses this word. Moreover, he uses it three times and always in a similar context (2:18, 20). It means literally “to flee away.” That is the Bibles best advice for dealing with temptation. We are to flee from it. Lingering in its vicinity is dangerous. The best thing to do is 13 put as much distance as possible between us and the source of the temptation The word here for “corruption” is phthora. Paul uses the word to describe the condition of a corpse (1 Cor. 15:2) and to depict the condition of creation under the Curse (Rom. 8:21). The word carries the idea of destruction by means of corruption. Peter uses it to portray the effect of lusts upon human society.\nPeople tend to become slaves to their lusts. The more they indulge them, the more the appetite grows. The gospel offers us a way of escape. The Christian life, as exemplified in the life of Christ, is the very antithesis to the corrupt life that this present evil world offers.\nThe book of Genesis sets before us two men who are setting out for the Celestial City—Abraham and Lot. Lot ended up in Sodom, where pollution, pornography, and perversion were all part of an accepted lifestyle. He lived amid fearful corruption. Nor did he remain uncontaminated. He ended up drunk and dishonored on a hill overlooking the smoldering ruins of the vile city where he had made his home and raised his family.\nAbraham, by contrast, kept himself free from entanglement in the affairs of this world. He remained a pilgrim and a stranger, living in separation from the wicked. He was in the world but not of the world. He flatly refused to have anything to do with Sodom’s king. He was content to live in a tent and to cultivate the knowledge of God. As a result, he escaped all of the things that wrecked and ruined Lot. As believers, we, too, can escape the same way Abraham escaped—by deliberately choosing the path of separation from the world.\n Phillips, J. (2009). Exploring the Epistles of Peter: An Expository Commentary (2 Pe 1:4b–c). Kregel Publications; WORDsearch Corp.", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "For example, in speaking of his concern about false teachers who had worked their way into the Corinthian church, Paul gives us a little insight into what life was like for him…\n“They say they serve Christ? But I have served him far more! (Have I gone mad to boast like this?) I have worked harder, been put in jail more often, been whipped times without number, and faced death again and again and again.\nFive different times the Jews gave me their terrible thirty-nine lashes. Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I was shipwrecked. Once I was in the open sea all night and the whole next day. I have traveled many weary miles and have been often in great danger from flooded rivers and from robbers and from my own people, the Jews, as well as from the hands of the Gentiles.\nI have faced grave dangers from mobs in the cities and from death in the deserts and in the stormy seas and from men who claim to be brothers in Christ but are not. I have lived with weariness and pain and sleepless nights. Often I have been hungry and thirsty and have gone without food; often I have shivered with cold, without enough clothing to keep me warm.\nThen, besides all this, I have the constant worry of how the churches are getting along: Who makes a mistake and I do not feel his sadness? Who falls without my longing to help him? Who is spiritually hurt without my fury rising against the one who hurt him? But if I must brag, I would rather brag about the things that show how weak I am” (2 Corinthians 11:23-30).\nUpon his return from his third missionary trip, Paul was arrested and tried before the Sanhedrin (the Jewish High Court) and two Roman governors. Paul’s case dragged on for over two years until he finally exercised his right as a Roman citizen and appealed his case to Caesar, the Roman Emperor. The Roman governor presiding over his case told him, “Very well!! You have appealed to Caesar, and to Caesar you shall go!” (Acts 25:12). And so Paul was shipped off to Rome to appeal his case before the Emperor.\nThis trip to Rome marked Paul’s fourth and final missionary journey. This round-about trip (which included a shipwreck off the island of Malta) took two years to finish and covered over 2000 miles (3219k). Paul finally arrived at his destination sometime around AD 62 and when we last see Paul in the book of Acts, we find him preaching in Rome and living in his own rented place while apparently waiting to go to trial (Acts 28:30-31).\nNow this might be how the Book of Acts ends but it was not the end of the story for Paul, for he was about to enter a period of persecution that was far worse than any he had seen before.\nYou see, when Paul exercised his right of appeal before Caesar, he was demanding his right as a citizen to stand in Rome before the Emperor. The Emperor at the time was a man named Nero and he ruled from about A.D. 54 until A.D. 68. When Paul appealed his case, there was no natural way that he could have known that Nero was about to begin the first large scale persecution ever experienced by the church. Scholar-types refer to this period as “The Neronian Persecutions” and beginning in AD 64, it started to get pretty tough to be a Christian.\nHere’s what happened: On the night of July 14th A.D. 64, a tremendous fire broke out in Rome. Ancient historians tell us that the fire burned out of control within the city for five days. It then stopped for a time but later broke out again in other areas and destroyed large sections of the city.\nTo this day, no one has been able to really determine how this fire got started although some believe that Nero himself started the fire in order to clear the way for a large building program that he was planning. This has never been proven but nevertheless, the people seemed to be convinced that Nero was responsible.\nObviously, this put Nero in a really bad position and made it necessary for him to pin the responsibility for the fire on some other individual or group. So in order to take the responsibility off himself, the Emperor made the decision to shift the responsibility for the fire to the Christian community. By falsely claiming that the Christians were really the ones who were at fault for this disaster, the Emperor knowingly chose a group of people that had very few resources to defend themselves.\nAs you might expect, the results were both horrible and tragic. According to the ancient historian Tacitus, those who admitted to being Christians during this period were forced to wear animal skins so they could be torn apart by ravenous dogs. Others were crucified. Still others were burned to death and at night time, their burning bodies served as torches to light up Nero’s gardens. Tradition tells us that the Apostle Peter also met his death during this time by being crucified upside-down.\nBut the question for us is, what happened to Paul?\nBefore we try to answer that question, let’s make an observation first. Most of you probably know that whenever a tragedy involving a large aircraft occurs, investigators will immediately look for that aircraft’s “black box.” In that “box” investigators will find recordings of cockpit conversations, flight data information and environmental conditions that help provide insights into the plane’s condition before any problems occurred.\nWell in a similar way, there are a few verses in the Biblical book of 2 Timothy (which is actually a letter written by Paul to Timothy around A.D. 64-66) that also serve as a kind of “black box” and help give us some insight into Paul’s mindset during this time.\nFor example, Paul seemed to sense his impending death when he wrote in 2 Timothy 4:6-7…“For I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time has come for my departure. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith” (NIV). Perhaps suspecting that his time may be short, Paul also adds in verses 9 and 20: “Do your best to come to me quickly…” and “Do your best to get here before winter” (NIV).\nDid Timothy make it to Rome in time? Well, we really don’t know for sure and the Bible doesn’t tell us. However, a book called Foxe’s Book of Martyrs tells us the traditional belief concerning Paul’s death at this time…\n“Paul, the Apostle, who was before called Saul, after his great travail and unspeakable labours in promoting the Gospel of Christ, suffered also in this persecution under Nero… the soldiers came and led him out of the city to the place of execution, where he, after his prayers were made, gave his neck to the sword.”\nAnd so ends the earthly history of Paul the Apostle. Even though Paul has been gone now for so many years, he still lives on through the example that he set for Christians of every generation, even to this day. It’s impossible to overestimate the effect of Paul’s life and work and the more you read his letters and the accounts of his life in the Bible, the more impressed you become with what God can do with one man’s (or woman’s) life.", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "The Sunday School and Service times are as follows: Sunday Service is from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. Our Sunday School program is from 9:30 to 10:15 a.m. Everyone is welcome! Please join us! We are located on Route 58 in Foxburg.\nANNOUNCEMENT: The congregation of the Memorial Church of Our Father will be having our annual yard sale June 2 and June 3 from 9-4\nOur craft group meets each Friday for crafting and fellowship. Bring any craft you wish to work on or you are welcome to join in with any craft the group is doing. If you are looking for a group to craft and have fun with, please join us. We usually meet from approximately 12:30 to 4 p.m. For additional details, please call the parish house at 724-659-4541.\nWe are so excited to announce that we now have handicapped accessible ramps at both the church and parish house!!!!\nAnyone wishing to purchase the homemade Protestant Prayer Beads and Catholic Rosaries we have for sale, please call the church at 724-659-4541", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "Local Artist Alexander Austin Begins Work on Mural for City Union Mission's Christian Life Center\n“We are very excited and honored that Alexander Austin would accept our request to paint once more at the Mission – this time outside our Christian Life Center for all to enjoy. His story shows that help and hope for a better life can always be found through these doors. — Executive Director Dan Doty\nKANSAS CITY, Mo.––During the month of October, famed local artist Alexander Austin has been hard at work creating a new mural at City Union Mission. Known for his large-scale murals throughout Kansas City, Alexander Austin is an award-winning painter.\nIn 2009, Austin was named one of the 100 most influential African Americans in Kansas City by the Kansas City Globe News, was given the Urban Heroes Award by the Downtown Council in 2010 and was named Major League Baseball’s 2012 Hometown Heroes Artist of the Year.\nBut things weren’t always easy for the talented artist. When he first came to Kansas City at age 27, Austin was unable to work in graphic arts job due to his limited education. When he lost his low-paying job and apartment, Austin became homeless on the streets. He turned to drugs and alcohol to cope before hearing about City Union Mission and finding a fresh start.\n“They gave me a place to stay—to sleep,” Alexander says. “The Mission was a stepping-stone for me to begin painting murals. I wouldn’t have met a guy painting signs and had that break if it hadn’t been for the Mission. I remember giving my life to Christ at the Mission one night, and my life hasn’t been the same since then.”\nTo give back to the Mission that changed his life, in 2009 Austin painted a mural on the wall of the multi-purpose room of the Mission’s Christian Life Center, titled “Journey of Hope.” Today, he is working on a mural on the outside of that same building (located at 10th & Troost) that will be seen by everyone going through the neighborhood. He hopes that his art will inspire others who are struggling, and lead them to the Mission to get help rebuilding their lives.\n“We are very excited and honored that Alexander Austin would accept our request to paint once more at the Mission – this time outside our Christian Life Center for all to enjoy,” says City Union Mission’s Executive Director, Dan Doty. “His story shows that help and hope for a better life can always be found through these doors. It is my prayer that this mural will encourage every man, woman or child who sees it. That it will serve as a reminder that we are here for you no matter your circumstances—ready to welcome you with open arms.”\nFor more information on City Union Mission’s full range of faith-based programs and services, visit cityunionmission.org.\nCity Union Mission is an evangelical Christian ministry committed to sharing the Gospel and meeting the spiritual, physical, and emotional needs of men, women and children who are poor or homeless.\nOctober 29, 2019\nCelebrate Hope Campaign\nHelp Kansas City's poor & homeless Celebrate Hope. Together we can provide food, shelter, clothing, and work readiness for our poor and homeless through the Celebrate Hope Campaign. Make a donation today at cityunionmission.org.", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "Here We Go Again, Houston Gospel Artist Killed In Officer-involved Shooting!!\nChurch it been brought to my attention, the man shot and killed Friday by a Houston police officer has been identified as Adrian Medearis, a well-known local gospel artist who directed the gospel choir at Evangelist Temple Church of God In Christ in the South Acres neighborhood, friends say. Medearis, 48, was a former director for the Prairie View A& M Baptist Student Movement gospel choir and founder of God’s Anointed People, a contemporary gospel group. He also performed with choirs at other churches. Let us keep Adrian Medearis family in our prayers.", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "Umbrellas are great – little roofs you can take in you pocket, and whip out as needed. Instant shelter! But we’ve all recently seen the video footage of an impending tsunami, with palpable fear etched on each face, panic rising as the wave approaches, the screen rolls and blanks out… And we’ve seen the devastation. Not even the strongest of buildings are safe in such times. Umbrellas would be farcical.\nThis is the sort of devastation Psalm 46 is taking about. It might be physical, like the tsunami. Or it could be a personal disaster, when life crumbles, and nothing will ever be the same again – bereavement, diagnosis, redundancy, relationship break-up… How can you get by without knowing there is a shelter in these times? Not some flimsy fold-up umbrella, but a rock-solid, tsunami-proof person who will protect. Never failing; always there.\nThere is a stark contrast in verse 4, with the beautiful, refreshing waters of the river that runs through ‘the city of God’. This is a constantly-flowing water course, steady and reliable. Right in the place where God dwells. It reminded me of John 4:14 – “but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” My heart, the place where God dwells. I can trust that God will be my help, my ever-present fortress. I can ‘be still and know He is God’.", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "BARTHOLOMAEUS DE PISA (fl. 2nd half 14th century). [Liber conformitatum:] Opus auree & inexplicabilis bonitatis & continentie Conformitatum ... vite Beati Francisci ad vitam Jesu Christi. Milan: Zanotus Castilioneus, 18 August 1513. 2° (311 x 218mm). Title printed in red and black with large woodcut of St. Francis and Christ each carrying a cross, a border of small blocks and saints' portraits, full-page woodcut Arbor Conformitum with text printed in red, woocut border opening text and woodcut of crossed arms of Christ and St. Francis on the cross, fine woodcut initials from several sets, printer's device at end. With final blank leaf. (Occasional light stain, minor marginal repair in last leaf.) Contemporary Italian ledger-style binding of vellum wrapper, 4 leather thongs across spine, yapp edges, title lettered along spine and on front cover, evidence of two fore-edge ties. Provenance: one or two contemporary annotations -- Irving Davis (1889-1967; sale Sotheby's, 2 April 1985, lot 12).\nAN EXCEPTIONALLY FINE COPY of a Milanese woodcut book. It is a work extensively outlining the conformity of the life of St. Francis to that of Christ. Some of the comparisons were ridiculed by Erasmus Alberus in his anti-Franciscan work, L'Alcoran des Cordeliers. Adams F-906; Kristeller Lombard. Graphik 10b; Sander 205.", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "I attended a poetry discussion at All Saints Church in Atlanta last week. While the priest did her best to keep us away from current events and focused on verse, we moved back and forth. I told her about my new community group Standing for Love, formed in response to all the hate speech we heard during the election. Others shared their concerns. Then she handed us poems to match our moods or goals. She gave me a poem by Rainer Maria Rilke.\nI live my life in widening circles\nthat reach out across the world.\nI may not complete this last one\nbut I give myself to it.\nI circle around God, around the primordial tower.\nI’ve been circling for thousands of years\nand I still don’t know: am I a falcon,\na storm, or a great song.\nThe poem is a meditation on Rilke’s relationship with God and his struggles with his church’s ideology. It can also be a reflection on our relationship to our nation and our struggles to find our voice in the new order. Will you be a falcon, a storm or a great song? At first I thought great song, but we need falcons too, people who can see something the rest of us can’t and take swift, decisive action. To be the storm, the angry wind and hail. These are the people whose voices are heard as a collection. We need them to stir us up, impel us to act. To be a great song. These are the thought leaders who sustain us over time, giving us hopeful lyrics to store in our souls and stirring melodies to soothe our fears. We need everyone.\nI don’t want people to stop talking about the election. It’s an extraordinary event. I do want people to decide who they are going to be and get to work. We don’t necessarily need grand gestures. I am going to count on stories of love and acts of kindness to sustain us. Every time I think I am being corny or ineffective, serving marshmallow hearts when we need bold designs, my friend Sarah sends me a story of love. They are stories about people who are gathering and making love a movement.\nOur strengths are not always apparent or readily understood. Whatever they are, it’s time to use them and keep on using them. One of the gifts of this election is the call to action you are hearing everywhere. Respond with your greatest strengths. Tell me what you are going to do. It is so comforting to hear other people’s plans. It reminds me of the moment in a mass when the priest asks us to pray for someone who is sick. In the silence that follows, you imagine hundreds of people working on his or her behalf, sending messages to God.\nI’ve never been a fan of the moment in church when the priest tells us to share “the sign of peace.” Everyone starts shaking hands and saying, “Peace be with you.” It feels forced and also shallow because we rush through it. The next time I am in mass, I am going to imagine hurdling over the pew and hugging people up and down the row. Instead of “Peace be with you,” I would say, “Let’s be one!”", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "“You brood of vipers! How can you speak good, when you are evil? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.” (Matthew 12:34 ESV)\n“But what comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart, and this defiles a person. For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false witness, slander.”\n(Matthew 15:18–19 ESV)\nTim Keller says that “the key difference between a Christian and a Pharisee is motivation. One obeys to get God’s stuff, the other obeys just to get God.” This is true and we see it cover to cover in the bible. God is not after any kind of obedience, God is after our JOYFUL obedience.\nWe are leaky people – what is on the inside leaks out of us. If we are angry people, it has a way of leaking out on others; if we are anxious, then it leaks out; if we are discontent then it leaks out; whatever is on the inside leaks out of our heart in the form of our feelings, words and behaviors. This is why simply trying to manage our sinful behaviors never works. We might try to buckle down and be extra disciplined to guard our tongues against gossip, our eyes from pornography or our quick whit from injuring others, but we ultimately fail. The reason we fail is because we are fighting a losing battle because we have not destroyed the supply lines that keep the battle raging.\nShould we not be concerned with our sinful words and actions? Of course! We should work with all of our might to align them with the words of scripture. But, ultimately, just managing behavior will never make you free and it’s for freedom that you have been set free (Galatians 5:1). Our real problem is the heart. It is the GPS for our entire life (see Matthew 12:34, 15:18-19). The heart is much harder to manage than our actions. It seems to have a mind of its own! It is easily distracted by random thoughts, emotions and desires. We don’t really know what to do with it, so we tend to ignore it.\nOur heart’s problem is a treasure problem – “for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” (Matthew 6:21 ESV). Trying to manage its thoughts, emotions and desires will never lead to freedom. What we need is a better view of what is really worthy of captivating our hearts. We far too easily believe that worldly wealth, good relationships, success, acclaim, Christian service or comfort will provide us with what we are longing for. Until you come to a point to which you see that these things, as good as some of them are, will never sustain you, you will never be free. The “perfect” marriage will not set you free, the “perfect” job will not set you free, “perfect” relationships of love and acceptance will never set you free.\nUntil we see that chasing good things, believing that they will satisfy us, is like running a marathon on a treadmill, we will never be free. Jesus said that “the kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up. Then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.” (Matthew 13:44 ESV). Don’t miss the fact that the man JOYFULLY WENT AND SOLD EVERYTHING THAT HE HAD TO ACQUIRE THE FIELD. Is there a cost to following Christ? Absolutely! But when you view it at 20,000 feet, like the man in this parable, you will see that the cost is infinitely small as compared with the infinite joy that you receive.\nHow do we do this? Paul tells us that “if then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.” (Colossians 3:1–3 ESV). What are you seeking? What are you telling yourself will make you happy, content or complete? Start there and beg God to change your heart to see Him as the greatest treasure and to cause you to long for Him more than you long for the things that He can give you.", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "The Power of Kind Words | Ephesians 4:29-32 Lectio Divina Guided Christian MeditationOctober 23, 2023 ● 20 min\nShare this episode\nThis week’s podcast is a Lectio Divina guided Christian meditation on the Fruit of the Spirit of Kindness.\nWords have power. They can tear down or build up; heal or wound. We’ve all experienced destructive words and the deep wounds they leave behind. And hopefully, we can also recall words that have been spoken to us in kindness and love. Words that have encouraged us to be brave and take a leap of faith or to persevere when times feel challenging.\nHow do we use our words? Are they full of kindness and love – or do they tend to be critical and harsh?\nThankfully kindness is a Fruit of the Spirit, which means God longs to help us speak words of kindness.\nAs you meditate on this passage from Ephesians, allow the Holy Spirit to guide you to what he has for us – and trust him to cultivate the fruit of kindness in your life. He will do it.\nThe full meditation passage is:\n29 Don’t use foul or abusive language. Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them.\n30 And do not bring sorrow to God’s Holy Spirit by the way you live. Remember, he has identified you as his own, guaranteeing that you will be saved on the day of redemption.\n31 Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior. 32 Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you.\nGet you FREE Fruit of the Spirit Guided Meditation Journal: here\nYou can find Jodie at http://www.jodieniznik.com/\nDownload free sample chapters from my Bible studies here.\nLearn more about Lectio Divina and download your free Lectio Divina Journal here.\nA Morning Prayer to Count Your Blessings - Your Daily Prayer - February 25\nI invite you to join me in taking a pause in your morning, even if it is after all the kiddos are in school (or you have to hide in your closet), so you can truly honor God for all His goodness and faithfulness. Because the truth of the matter is that when we give thanks to God in the morning, it sets the tone for our day and gives way for us to praise Him throughout it.\nThe latest news and hot topics trending among Christian music, entertainment and faith life.\n10 Best Hymns and Songs For Lent\nAs we prepare for Christ's Resurrection during the season of Lent, we must praise God's sacrifice of His only Son. Whether you connect through traditional hymns or modern worship songs, sing from your heart and rejoice in God's gift of salvation! Here are the 10 best hymns and songs for Lent.", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "At Bethlehem, we desire to see people authentically worshiping God for who He is and what He has done. Although styles change, the timeless truths of our God never change.\nTo best allow for people to worship in a way that is most familiar and authentic to them, we offer two worship services in two different styles. Our 9:00 AM Contemporary Worship Service is more casual and laid back while our 11:00 AM Traditional Service is done in a traditional style.\nabout Our Worship Services\n9:00 AM Contemporary\nWith modern worship songs, a more laid back, casual feel, and a more contemporary, fast paced order of service, our contemporary service is great for people who are looking for an energetic, passionate worship experience with sound biblical teaching.\n11:00 AM Traditional\nWith hymns you know and love, a traditional sermon structure, and a traditional order of service, our traditional service is a great fit for those looking to worship service that feels familiar and comfortable.", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "Please help support the mission of New Advent and get the full contents of this website as an instant download. Includes the Catholic Encyclopedia, Church Fathers, Summa, Bible and more all for only $19.99...\n82. Matthew continues his account thus:\nAnd when He was departed thence, He went into their synagogue: and, behold, there was a man which had his hand withered; and so on, down to the words,\nAnd it was restored whole, like as the other. The restoring of this man who had the withered hand is also not passed over in silence by Mark and Luke. Now, the circumstance that this day is also designated a Sabbath might possibly lead us to suppose that both the plucking of the ears of grain and the healing of this man took place on the same day, were it not that Luke has made it plain that it was on a different Sabbath that the cure of the withered hand was wrought. Accordingly, when Matthew says,\nAnd when He was departed thence, He came into their synagogue, the words do indeed import that the said coming did not take place until after He had departed from the previously mentioned locality; but, at the same time, they leave the question undecided as to the number of days which may have elapsed between His passing from the aforesaid grain-field and His coming into their synagogue; and they express nothing as to His going there in direct and immediate succession. And thus space is offered us for getting in the narrative of Luke, who tells us that it was on another Sabbath that this man's hand was restored. But it is possible that a difficulty may be felt in the circumstance that Matthew has told us how the people put this question to the Lord,\nIs it lawful to heal on the Sabbath day? wishing thereby to find an occasion for accusing Him; and that in reply He set before them the parable of the sheep in these terms:\nWhat man shall there be among you that shall have one sheep, and if it fall into a pit on the Sabbath day, will he not lay hold on it and lift it out? How much, then, is a man better than a sheep? Wherefore it is lawful to do well on the Sabbath-days; whereas Mark and Luke rather represent the people to have had this question put to them by the Lord,\nIs it lawful to do good on the Sabbath day, or to do evil? To save life, or to kill? We solve this difficulty, however, by the supposition that the people in the first instance asked the Lord,\nIs it lawful to heal on the Sabbath day? that thereupon, knowing the thoughts of the men who were thus seeking an occasion for accusing Him, He set the man whom He had been on the point of healing in their midst, and addressed to them the interrogations which Mark and Luke mention to have been put; that, as they remained silent, He next put before them the parable of the sheep, and drew the conclusion that it was lawful to do good on the Sabbath day; and that, finally, when He had looked round about on them with anger, as Mark tells us, being grieved for the hardness of their hearts, He said to the man,\nStretch forth your hand.\nSource. Translated by S.D.F. Salmond. From Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, First Series, Vol. 6. Edited by Philip Schaff. (Buffalo, NY: Christian Literature Publishing Co., 1888.) Revised and edited for New Advent by Kevin Knight. <http://www.newadvent.org/fathers/1602235.htm>.\nContact information. The editor of New Advent is Kevin Knight. My email address is feedback732 at newadvent.org. (To help fight spam, this address might change occasionally.) Regrettably, I can't reply to every letter, but I greatly appreciate your feedback — especially notifications about typographical errors and inappropriate ads.", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "Think of yourself on your upcoming holiday: you probably picture yourself walking through downtown, staring up at the monuments or the gorgeous environment wherever you look. Still, there's one attraction you're especially anticipating: Basilica of St. Mary of the Angels. For a while, you've wanted to escape there, and right now is the time to get there.\nWhat Are Your Best Places to Stay at Basilica of St. Mary of the Angels?\nHotels near St. Mary of the Angels\nEven though this area is brimming with places to explore, St. Mary of the Angels has to be at the top of your to-do list.\nIt is situated in Assisi. If you plan to visit Rome, the national capital, you'll need to travel 80 miles.\nAccommodations close to St. Mary of the Angels are certainly plentiful. 36 hotels are available within a radius of 2 miles. Check out the Hotel Valle di Assisi Spa & Golf, just 2 miles away, the Dal Moro Gallery Hotel, 0.06 miles away, or the Casale San Rufino d'Arce, 1 mile away.\nHold on to your hard-earned dollars and book one of the many budget hotels positioned in the area. Placed 0.5 miles away is the Hotel Cenacolo, but you might also want to have a look at the Porziuncola if you're looking for another option. It's 0.05 miles away.\nIf you don't mind splurging on a place to stay, why not take a look at one of the various upmarket hotel options in the area? Inject some pizzazz into your vacation experience at the Hotel Bellavista, (0.9 miles away), or the Valle di Francesco, (0.7 miles away).\nIf the delectable coffee at GOTHA café doesn't prepare you for some time at St. Mary of the Angels, the tasty treats will. This popular place is close by. After that, you really ought to grab a table at Hotel Moderno Assisi for a hearty dining experience. If you're not ready to head back to the hotel, wander to Piadina Più.\nEnsure you put aside time in your busy schedule to go experience some of the other things that are happening in the vicinity of St. Mary of the Angels:\n- Reconnect with your spirituality while traveling and offer up your own prayer at St. Peter's Abbey.\n- Quiet inside and visible from afar, Papal Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi is not just a house of prayer, but a well-known tourist attraction too.\n- Whether you've come to worship or gain a deeper understanding of the story behind the building, Oratorio dei Pellegrini is a fascinating place to visit.\n- Go on a tour of Roman Temple of Minerva, and explore this fascinating historic building.\n- If you enjoy strolling around and investigating the local area, your time will be well spent at Piazza del Comune.\nTourists visiting St. Mary of the Angels often arrive by light rail. Assisi is the nearest terminal and is only 0.3 miles away.\nOur places to stay in Santa Maria degli Angeli deliver all you want, so you are certain to get venues near Basilica of St. Mary of the Angels that you'll fall in love with. Get hunting lots of people visit from everywhere on the planet. You can rest easy when it's time to reserve your spot, too: all kinds of travelers would propose their Santa Maria degli Angeli hotel to a friend or coworker. We have all the information you're searching for right here.\n- From families with children to solo travelers, we've got pleasant accommodations for everyone.\n- The guest service at accommodation close to Basilica of St. Mary of the Angels will be great, which will only enhance your visit to this dazzling feature.\n- Discover that hotels in Santa Maria degli Angeli are always fresh and orderly.\nAnd thanks to our big roster of hotels near Basilica of St. Mary of the Angels, your desired place lies in your future.\nLearn All About Santa Maria degli Angeli\nAfter you've accomplished Basilica of St. Mary of the Angels, there are still more activities to do in Santa Maria degli Angeli.\n- Savor a delicious supper of its regional foods and happen upon the perfect shop to purchase a few mementos.\n- You will realize Santa Maria degli Angeli also knows a thing or two about setting out the red carpet after you spend a time on its ample activities.\n- In order to really dig into all the area has to provide, go over adventures near Santa Maria degli Angeli.\nPaying a visit to Santa Maria degli Angeli is always a good strategy, especially when you cash in on the phenomenal deals on accommodation near Basilica of St. Mary of the Angels from Expedia. Say goodbye to the same old sights and tip your hat to some amazing photo ops!", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "Vas Honorabile Tournament\nMD Saints vs OLMC Templars\nThis year the Our Lady of Mount Carmel Templars made the trip from Ontario, Canada to take on the Mater Dei Saints in our annual tournament. Matching head to head in chess, ping-pong, soccer, volleyball and other competitions, the OLCMA Templars were able to pull off the win this year, taking away the coveted \"Vas Honorabile cup\"...until next year!\nThe cup, named for that title of the Blessed Virgin Mary taken from her Litany (\"Vessel of Honor\" ), is a good reminder of what unites us: the love and service of Our Lord and the Lady whom both schools call their patroness. The sung Mass on Laetare Sunday, chanted and served by boys from both schools together, reinforced that union.", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "I don’t know about you, but getting ready for Christmas at our house entailed some “winter cleaning.”\nChristmas Day offered a good excuse to clean this place up – stem to stern – and make this home *sparkle*\nHousekeeping – my little gift to my husband.\nI’ve shared with you before that “The Hub” is a neatnik. And I am not. So, when he gets into Mr. Clean mode, I put on my gloves and jump in with him – and we CLEAN! (Gotta give “The Hub” a little shout-out here – he really helps me with this project – he’s such a KEEPER!)\nOK, looked up “cleaning” in Sharon’s Synonym Dictionary (NOT to be confused with the many other Sharon Dictionaries out there…)\nScrubbing, scouring, wiping, waxing, polishing, vacuuming, hanging (I hear you asking – hanging?? That would be hanging as in “hanging up my clothes” – after all, this is Sharon’s dictionary, and Sharon has a BAD habit of NOT hanging up her clothes. Mrs. Messy is a diehard…)\nOne of my tasks was cleaning the mirrors.\nOh, how I love this task. Really!\nWhy? Well, for one thing, you can see instant results! You can see the grime come off. You can see the dust particles wiped away. You can see that filmy thing that happens with mirrors disappear. You can see…well, you can SEE!\nWindex is my friend.\nWhen I was done, I looked at my reflection in the mirror. I could see myself so much clearer, because the dingy mirror now *sparkled*\nIt’s the same way with God.\nWe were made in the very image of God. Beautiful, sparkling, clear reflections of Him. Perfect in every way…\nThen we got dirty.\nWe let the dust of disobedience dim our glow. We let the grime of self and pride accumulate. We let that filmy thing that happens with sin dull our reflection of God.\nI don’t want to be a dull reflection. Do you?\nI want to reflect my Savior’s glory. I want to reflect His kindness and love. I want to shine forth His image. I want people to look at me, and see Him.\nI want to mirror Jesus.\nHow can we accomplish this?\nWe give God the cleaning rag, and we let Him “have at it.” Every single part of us. Every hidden corner. Every dusty, grimy, filthy, filmy thing inside.\nThat’s what I’m talking about!\nOh Lord, I just want to be Your reflection. I want others to see You in me. Do what You have to do to clean me. Make me Your image-bearer. Make me sparkle with Your Spirit, and shine with Your Love.\nBLOG = “Blessedly Leaning On God!”", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "Both the Revd Catherine and Marie-Lyse joined the Chapter in the new year, during the lockdown, and were legally installed as members of Chapter on Zoom by the Diocesan Registrar in February.\nMarie-Lyse, will receive her license as a Lay Canon from the Bishop and then be installed by the Dean in the Cathedral during Evensong at 3.30 pm on Sunday 25 April.\nMarie-Lyse said: “I have been in Norwich for seven years now and I can now say that God has guided me to my purpose in this world. I survived the Genocide in Rwanda 26 years ago and I knew that I was given a second chance to live because I was meant to serve God but didn’t know how?\n“I am honoured to be the Lay Canon at Norwich Cathedral as I see myself being the link between the community and the Cathedral, to those with faith and those with none. The Cathedral is the house of God, my role as Lay Canon is to bring to the people of Norwich and Norfolk at large what the cathedral represents which is healing, hope, and joy.“\nThe Revd Catherine Dobson, Rector of the Coastal Group of Parishes on the North Norfolk coast and Rural Dean for St Benet at Waxham & Tunstead Deanery, was already an Honorary Canon and as such had been installed in the Cathedral previously, she will be informally welcomed as a member of Chapter at Choral Evensong on Sunday 16 May.\nCatherine said: “I am passionate about the rural church as a vital part of the community, and making church relevant, accessible, and inclusive. My role on the Cathedral Chapter is to bring a voice from the wider Diocese and to represent the College of Canons. It will be an honour and a pleasure to be part of the Cathedral Chapter and to work alongside the Dean and Chapter in this way.”\nThe Rt Revd Graham Usher, Bishop of Norwich said:\n“I am glad to appoint Marie-Lyse and Catherine to their roles in the Chapter to further develop the diverse team leading our Mother Church in this diocese. May they discover joy in their service to the Chapter and to the Cathedral community across Norfolk and Waveney as they seek to make Jesus known.”\nThe Dean of Norwich, the Very Revd Jane Hedges, said:\n“On behalf of the Chapter, I would like to thank Bill Armstrong and Ian Bentley for the wonderful service and support they have given to the Cathedral over the last few years. I am absolutely delighted that we are now welcoming Catherine and Marie-Lyse to serve in their place and they will both bring many gifts to the life of the Cathedral and help us to reach out into the wider community and diocese.”\nWhat is the Cathedral Chapter and a Chapter Canon?\nThe Cathedral Chapter is the governing body of the Cathedral and is made up of the following people: The Dean, four Residentiary Canons, one Chapter Canon, and three Lay Canons.\nThe Chapter Canon is an Honorary Canon who has their main ministry elsewhere in the diocese and the three Lay Canons all give of their time in a voluntary capacity. All of the Canons, whether lay or ordained are part of a larger body called the College of Canons (which is made up of 24 Honorary Canons and 12 Lay Canons from all over the diocese)\nThe Lay Canons serve for a maximum of six years on Chapter and just recently Bill Armstrong completed his time in office and the Bishop has appointed Marie-Lyse Numuhoza to take his place on Chapter. Also recently, Archdeacon Ian Bentley, who had been the Chapter Canon for several years, stood down and the Bishop has appointed the Revd Canon Catherine Dobson to serve in his place.\nThe Lay Canons bring a variety of skills and expertise to the life of the Chapter and the Chapter Canon brings the breadth of experience of a Parish Priest and in the case of the Revd Catherine, of a Rural Dean, which all helps the Cathedral to fulfill its role of Mother Church, serving the diocese.", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "\"Praise the LORD, my soul,\nand forget not all his benefits—\nwho forgives all your sins\nand heals all your diseases,\nwho redeems your life from the pit\nand crowns you with love and compassion,\nwho satisfies your desires with good things\nso that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.\" Psalm 103:2-5\nI have always wondered why people who don't really give much thought to God blame Him when catastrophes happen. They ask, \"Where was God?\" Most of the time they say it when especially evil people do terrible things to innocent people. Every terrible event in history it seems to come up again. I heard it concerning the Holocaust, events in Africa, every war that has ever been fought. And here at home it came up again after 9/11.\nWhen it's a natural disaster, the question comes up again. They say: \"Why did God allow this? I have also heard some Christians try to pin it on God as His judgment on whoever got struck down.\nWhy didn't God do something? The question should rather be, \"Why didn't we do something, or for that matter, \"Why didn't I do something?\" We are creatures of free-will, and that was given to us as a supreme gift from God. This is a sacred gift, and He will not take it away. We can use it to do good, or use it to cause tremendous grief and suffering for others. Yes, He could certainly stop all evil for good, and someday He will. But the time is not now. It has been said.....\n“Evil flourishes when good men do nothing.”~British statesman Edmund BurkeThe truth is, evil flourishes anyway. It just flourishes more when good people do nothing. It is the result of sin, and that is a word we don't use much anymore.\nGod was watching, has been watching, and His heart has broken along with all those who have suffered loss. He has been there in every foxhole and trench, every death camp and burned village, in the towers that fell. I have heard the stories. His Spirit was there residing in people who came alongside to help, hiding people at the risk of their own life, putting people on trains to freedom, getting people to safety, jumping in front of bullets raining death.\nBelieve me, I understand about asking why and where when you are in deep sorrow. Some people have gone through some things so horrific, so unimaginably terrible that I can't imagine how they got through it, are getting through it. But I do know this, it is possible to get through it victoriously with Him but not without Him.\nWhen Jesus was on the cross they scoffed, \"Where is Your God?\" What they couldn't understand was that by His very act He was saying.....\"I am right here.\"\n“He saved others,” they said, “but he can’t save himself! He’s the king of Israel! Let him come down now from the cross, and we will believe in him. He trusts in God. Let God rescue him now if he wants him, for he said, ‘I am the Son of God.’”\nIf you are going through something right now that you think is unfair, unwarranted and you feel neglected and abandoned by God, please draw comfort from the fact that He is surely with you. He still loves you and He is working for your ultimate good.\nMaybe you are asking where He is. He understands that. The asking is in itself an acknowledgement of Him. That is something He can work with.\nphoto credit: http://www.publicdomainpictures.net/ Anna Cervova", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "In words that might be addressed to so much of 21st century Western Evangelicalism, Ortlund Jr.comments on Old Testament Israel’s spiritual adultery as found in the book of Hosea,\nThe people failed to make meaningful connections between their theology, history and worship, on the one hand, and their real-life problems, on the other hand. They put God, his covenant, his power, his wisdom, into a limiting category of thought – they could not bring themselves really to believe the assurance of Deuteronomy 28:1-14 – while ‘the real world’ was another category altogether with its own rules and its own resources. They acted as though faith in Yahweh alone were an impracticable policy for life. As a result, they dishonoured him even as they thought they continued to honour him.\nMoreover, unalloyed, classical Yahwism was losing its compelling power among the people. It was being redefined with fewer sharp edges and more open doors as a broadly inclusive religion, increasingly tolerant of elements of paganism.\n(Ortlund Jr, Whoredom: God’s Unfaithful Wife in Biblical Theology, 48)", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "A knife-wielding man in Egypt stabbed a Coptic Orthodox priest several times in the neck, which led to his death. The country’s interior ministry says the accused, a 60-year-old man, has been arrested.\nArsanios Wadeed, an archpriest of the Church of the Virgin Mary and Mar Bolous in the Mediterranean city of Alexandria, was stabbed Thursday while he was walking in the Corniche area, a popular seaside promenade, Egypt Independent reported.\nEgypt’s Ministry of Interior announced Friday that the suspect had been arrested.\n“The security services of the Alexandria Security Directorate were able to arrest a 60-year-old man who assaulted a Christian cleric while walking on the Corniche in the Sidi Bishr area of Alexandria using a knife he possessed,” it said in a statement, adding that the priest died while being treated in a hospital.\nThe accused had not been identified as of early Saturday, and the motive of the stabbing also remained unclear.\nThe Coptic Church posted photos on social media showing the priest’s funeral at the Saint Mark’s Coptic Orthodox Cathedral in Alexandria Friday, according to ABC News, which said a Bible was placed on the priest’s chest and a cross around his neck.\n“While many details about the incident remain unclear, it does highlight the vulnerability that many Egyptian Christians face, particularly during the religious holidays of Ramadan and Easter,” Jeff King, president of the U.S.-based persecution watchdog International Christian Concern, said in a statement.\n“It is normal for Christians to face increased persecution during these seasons, and such an incident could inspire further acts of extremism,” he warned.\nKing added, “Unfortunately, within the Egyptian context, it is common for the attacker to be accused of having a mental illness rather than addressing underlying extremist motivations. This trend is not only a disservice to authentic religious freedom, but also increases the marginalization of those with genuine disabilities.”\nThe Copts, who make up about 10% of Egypt’s population, are the descendants of a long line of ancient Egyptians who later converted to Christianity in the early first century, according to Encyclopedia Britannica.\nAccording to the persecution watchdog group Open Doors USA, Egypt is among the 20 worst persecutors of Christians in the world.\nIncidents of Christian persecution in Egypt vary from Christian women being harassed while walking in the street to Christian communities being driven out of their homes by extremist mobs, the group says on its website, adding that Christians are typically treated as second-class citizens.\nEgypt’s government speaks positively about the Egyptian Christian community, but the lack of serious law enforcement and the unwillingness of local authorities to protect Christians leave them vulnerable to all kinds of attacks, especially in Upper Egypt, it explains. “Due to the dictatorial nature of the regime, neither church leaders nor other Christians are in a position to speak out against these practices.”\nChurches and Christian nongovernmental organizations are restricted in their ability to build new churches or run social services, it adds. “The difficulties come both from state restrictions, as well as from communal hostility and mob violence.”", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "Holy Week | Tuesday\nWeek 6: What Can We Expect as Followers of Jesus?\nJesus Sends out the Seventy-Two: A Mission\nby Janet Nygren\nRead: Luke 10: 1-12\n5 “When you enter a house, first say, ‘Peace to this house.’ 6 If someone who promotes peace is there, your peace will rest on them; if not, it will return to you. 7 Stay there, eating and drinking whatever they give you, for the worker deserves his wages. Do not move around from house to house.\n8 “When you enter a town and are welcomed, eat what is offered to you. 9 Heal the sick who are there and tell them, ‘The kingdom of God has come near to you.’ 10 But when you enter a town and are not welcomed, go into its streets and say, 11 ‘Even the dust of your town we wipe from our feet as a warning to you. Yet be sure of this: The kingdom of God has come near.’ 12 I tell you, it will be more bearable on that day for Sodom than for that town.\n- Who is on this “mission team”? Notice the numbers, the strategy, the expectations for growth.\n- How will each person who is sent out be challenged to live in faith?\n- What indications does Jesus give that this task will not be easy?\n- It’s significant that Jesus is not just sending out his twelve chosen disciples here, but a large number of followers. How might these same questions apply to you? Do you have a place/people you think of as your mission field that you are preparing ahead of Jesus’ arrival? Do you have a partner to share your vision with? Are you praying for others to help you expand the vision? Is there an urgency to your mission?\n- How might Jesus be challenging you to live in faith in whatever mission he has for you?\n- Jesus said, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field. Go! I am sending you out like lambs among wolves.” Can you make this your prayer today as well?\n- What/who do you consider to be your mission field? This could be people in your immediate context, or someone/somewhere you feel called to go in the future. If this is not the way you are currently thinking, perhaps you could pray that God would put something like this on your heart. Either way, share with us–perhaps you will find a like-minded partner in our midst!\nWe just watched a powerful episode of “The Chosen”- season 3 episode 2. Jesus is preparing to send out the 12. They are going out by 2’s, but they feel so inadequate and unsure. I found myself thinking about the very topic we are considering today. I know in contrast to the 72 who are sent out, we do know the “rest of the story”. Jesus’ death on the cross and His resurrection are not known by the 72, and they have not experienced the baptism in the Holy Spirit. Equipped with the full Gospel and in-filled by the Spirit, we should be ready for the challenge of being sent out. Though this is the case, I feel the same sense of inadequacy that the 12 and later the 72 felt. But still they go! They come back with stories of how God has used them. In like manner, when I have stepped out in faith I have seen God use me. I want to be ready to do whatever He asks me.\nI find it reassuring that Jesus knew some people would welcome the disciples and some wouldn’t. Our responsibility is to be faithful and share the message. If people don’t respond, it’s okay to just move on. I think I used to have a more compartmentalized view of my life: i.e., work, family, and ministry. In recent years, I am learning to see every aspect of my life as some kind of ministry to others. But I do think it’s easy to lose the sense of urgency. And it makes a huge difference being in partnership with others.\nI tend to think of my gifts more suited to strengthening and encouraging the \"family,\" whether biological or faith-related. But sending out followers two by two doesn't allow for that sort of differentiation, so I think there are certainly times when we are called to be stretched beyond where our strengths lie. I am surrounded by a whole mission field in my own building, but I'm still trying to figure out what that looks like as someone who tends to keep to herself in my little \"sanctuary.\" Meanwhile 3 neighbors have already come and gone immediately next door since we've lived here.\nThis passage is very timely for my husband and me. We retired in late 2021 and our great ambition right now is to be “sent out.” We have applied to serve up in Alaska with Samaritan’s Purse at their veteran lodge. In December we did something very different for us. In a strange way it reminded me of this passage again. We went ahead of a big Mike Silva Evangelistic festival in the Dominican Republic. We “prepared the way” before the festival. It was a very interesting experience and a different type of mission. This is so exciting for me to be able to be in this position. I have to pinch myself to remind myself that it’s really happening! God has been so good to give me a husband who is now, so on board with this. That is another amazing story. . . .\nYes it was eye opening to see how the apostles felt unprepared during the Chosen episode. Our Palm Sunday walk through Cohoes gave me a sense of mission.", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "Michel Chambon, University of Notre Dame\nUpdated: May 24, 2018 09:27 AM GMT\nA file image of Catholics praying during a service celebrating the Feast of the Ascension at the \"underground\" Zhongxin Bridge Catholic Church in Tianjin. (Photo by Greg Baker/AFP)\nMay 24 has since 2007 been a day of prayer for the Catholic Church in China. Pope Benedict then invited all Catholics, but especially Chinese Catholics, to embrace the special day by renewing their faith in Jesus and striving for unity.\nEchoing this, Pope Francis has encouraged prayers asking that Chinese Catholics make concrete gestures of \"fraternity, harmony and reconciliation.\"\nAlthough official religious controls are increasing in China, this day of prayer is not directed against the Chinese government.\nInstead, it is primarily designed to encourage communion and reconciliation among Chinese Catholics.\nOver recent years, President Xi Jinping has reaffirmed the importance of regulating and \"Sinicizing\" all religious practice in China.\nWhile Muslims and Tibetan Buddhists endure the harshest treatment, Christians also face growing political pressures.\nDuring the past few months, the Henan provincial administration has launched a campaign against various Christian churches, prohibiting children from participating in some religious activities and destroying exterior Church crosses along with other religious symbols.\nThis campaign is not widespread across China.\nHowever, with similarities to repressive measures in Zhejiang province several years ago, Henan is in turn adopting hostile measures against Christians.\nThis reflects a classic Chinese strategy of 'killing a chicken to scare the monkeys.'\nThis targeted and decentralized action serves as a warning for all Christians to adopt official directives and to exercise self-censorship as well as being an experiment to allow the administration to evaluate the approach's effectiveness.\nThe more we as Christians are subject to abusive provincial religious policies, the more the 'scare the monkey' strategy is re-enforced.\nSince 2003, such scare tactics have also been applied to other sectors, such as regulating the economy.\nFor instance, in 2004 the administration publicly sanctioned eight local officials in Jiangsu province in order to contain over-investment in China's steel industry.\nEven though the efficacy of the approach is debatable, a centralist mindset continues in a wide variety of contexts.\nHowever, the day of prayer encouraged by Popes Benedict and Francis is not about political persecution and what is happening in Henan.\nAs the popes clearly explained, the day of prayer aims to turn a spotlight on Christ, who reconciles and unifies his Church.\nIt is well-known that the Church in China is suffering from all sorts of internal divisions. These conflicts stem from multiple factors, past and the present as well as from inside and outside the Church.\nAs Christ's followers, it is then our duty to constantly turn ourselves towards him to better love our brothers and sisters.\nPutting all the blame for our divisions on the state is not enough spiritually.\nReconciliation and communion among Chinese Catholics requires more. And it can come only through prayer.\nMichel Chambon is a U.S.-based doctoral student who has spent the last two years in China researching for his dissertation on religion in the country.\n….As we enter the first months of 2022, we are asking readers like you to help us keep UCA News free.\nFor the last 40 years, UCA News has remained the most trusted and independent Catholic news and information service from Asia. Every week, we publish nearly 100 news reports, feature stories, commentaries, podcasts and video broadcasts that are exclusive and in-depth, and developed from a view of the world and the Church through informed Catholic eyes.\nOur journalistic standards are as high as any in the quality press; our focus is particularly on a fast-growing part of the world - Asia - where, in some countries the Church is growing faster than pastoral resources can respond to – South Korea, Vietnam and India to name just three.\nAnd UCA News has the advantage of having in its ranks local reporters who cover 23 countries in south, southeast, and east Asia. We report the stories of local people and their experiences in a way that Western news outlets simply don’t have the resources to reach. And we report on the emerging life of new Churches in old lands where being a Catholic can at times be very dangerous.\nWith dwindling support from funding partners in Europe and the USA, we need to call on the support of those who benefit from our work.", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "Bible verses about: Spirit of this World\nLooking for more? Go to the Library topic for: Spirit of this World\nAnd you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins, in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience, among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others.\nBecause the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be.\nSo the great dragon was cast out, that serpent of old, called the Devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was cast to the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.\nWhy do you not understand My speech? Because you are not able to listen to My word. You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it. But because I tell the truth, you do not believe Me.\n1 John 2:15-17\nDo not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world. And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.\n1 Corinthians 2:12\nNow we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God.\n1 Corinthians 2:14\nBut the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.\n1 John 5:19\nWe know that we are of God, and the whole world lies under the sway of the wicked one.\nKeep your heart with all diligence,\nFor out of it spring the issues of life.\nThen Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him, saying, \"Far be it from You, Lord; this shall not happen to You!\" But He turned and said to Peter, \"Get behind Me, Satan! You are an offense to Me, for you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men.\"\n\"If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you.\n2 Timothy 3:1-5\nBut know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away!\n1 Kings 22:20-22\nAnd the LORD said, ‘Who will persuade Ahab to go up, that he may fall at Ramoth Gilead?’ So one spoke in this manner, and another spoke in that manner. Then a spirit came forward and stood before the LORD, and said, ‘I will persuade him.’ The LORD said to him, ‘In what way?’ So he said, ‘I will go out and be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets.’ And the LORD said, ‘You shall persuade him, and also prevail. Go out and do so.’\n1 Corinthians 3:1-4\nAnd I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual people but as to carnal, as to babes in Christ. I fed you with milk and not with solid food; for until now you were not able to receive it, and even now you are still not able; for you are still carnal. For where there are envy, strife, and divisions among you, are you not carnal and behaving like mere men? For when one says, \"I am of Paul,\" and another, \"I am of Apollos,\" are you not carnal?\n1 Corinthians 11:18-19\nFor first of all, when you come together as a church, I hear that there are divisions among you, and in part I believe it. For there must also be factions among you, that those who are approved may be recognized among you.\nidolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies,\nAnd do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit,\n2 Timothy 1:7\nFor God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.\n2 Timothy 3:13\nBut evil men and impostors will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived.\n2 Peter 1:4\nby which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.\nDaily Verse and Comment\nLooking for More?\nReceive Biblical truth in your inbox—spam-free! This daily newsletter provides a starting point for personal study, and gives valuable insight into the verses that make up the Word of God. See what over 145,000 subscribers are already receiving.", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "By Editorial Staff\nPublished January 1, 1989\nNANJING, China (NNI) – China’s Protestant Christian population is now “approaching five million” in 5,000 churches, according to Three-Self leader, Bishop K.H. Ting. “Church buildings,” said Ting, “have for the last nine years been increasing at the rate of three every two days.” This is believed to be the first time the figure of five million believers has been used by a Three-Self leader.\nTing also talked about a more worrying trend – pressure on the church from leftist cadres – and revealed that the China Christian Council had sent letters of protest to certain provincial governments who had toughened their religious policies in the past year.\nSpeaking in a News Network International interview in Nanjing on October 17, Bishop Ting maintained that this growth of roughly one million in the past year was due not so much to more Christians being discovered as more churches were opened, but to an increase in new converts to Christianity as seen in applications for baptism. Said Ting, “In the hearts of the Chinese people there is an emptiness and they don’t find fulfillment elsewhere … eventually they come into contact with the church and they are satisfied.”\nForerunner - Home » The Forerunner Newspaper » China\nYour comments are welcome!\nHigh Quality Paperback — 40 pages of dynamite!\nRevival, Resistance, Reformation, Revolution\nAn Introduction to the Doctrines of Interposition and Nullification\nIn 1776, a short time after the Declaration of Independence was adopted, Thomas Jefferson, John Adams and Benjamin Franklin were assigned to design an official seal for the United States of America. Their proposed motto was Rebellion to Tyrants is Obedience to God. America owes its existence to centuries of Christian political philosophy. Our nation provided a model for liberty copied by nations the world over.\nBy the 21st century, we need a “Puritan Storm” to sweep away the Hegelian notion that the state is “God walking on earth.” We need revival and reformation in full force to vanquish the problems that plague us as a nation — from government controlled healthcare — to abortion on demand — to same sex “marriage.” This booklet gives a primer on our founders’ Christian idea of government and examines how the doctrine of nullification was woven into the Constitution as a safeguard against federal tyranny. It concludes with the history and theology of civil resistance. A Second American Revolution is coming with the Word of God growing mightily and prevailing! (Acts 19:20).\n$7.95 — ORDER NOW!(We accept all major credit cards and PayPal.)\nHigh Quality Paperback — 219 pages\nFoundations in Biblical Orthodoxy\nDriving down a country road sometime, you might see a church with a sign proudly proclaiming: “No book but the Bible — No creed but Christ.” The problem with this statement is that the word creed (from the Latin: credo) simply means “belief.” All Christians have beliefs, regardless of whether they are written.\nYet a single book containing the actual texts of the most important creeds of the early Church will not often be found. Out of the multitude of works on the evangelical Christian book market today, those dealing with the creeds of the Church are scarce.\nWhy Creeds and Confessions? provides a foundation of biblical orthodoxy as a defense against the false and truly heretical doctrines advanced by the spirit of this age.\n$14.95 — ORDER NOW!(We accept all major credit cards and PayPal.)\nSpecial Two-Disc Set!\nAfter 40 years of intense study and world-wide ministry, Dr. Francis Schaeffer completed his crowning work of scholarship – to present profound truths in simple film language. Dr. Schaeffer’s brilliant analysis of the past and predictions for current trends have proven so uncannily accurate that this amazing series still feels contemporary almost three decades after its initial release. Ultimately, Schaeffer concludes that man’s only hope is a return to God’s Biblical absolute, the truth revealed in Christ through the Scriptures.\nAvailable for the first time on DVD, this documentary spectacular also includes intimate in-depth conversations with Francis and Edith Schaeffer. With the on-disc study guide, this presentation forms a unique course of comprehensive study. While this series forms an innovative analysis of the past, this outstanding work is more than history. Each episode focuses on a significant era, yet speaks clearly to 21st-century man with answers for modern problems.\n$49.95 — ORDER NOW!(We accept all major credit cards and PayPal.)\nFoundations in Biblical Eschatology\nBy Jay Rogers, Larry Waugh, Rodney Stortz, Joseph Meiring. High quality paperback, 167 pages.\nAll Christians believe that their great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, will one day return. Although we cannot know the exact time of His return, what exactly did Jesus mean when he spoke of the signs of His coming (Mat. 24)? How are we to interpret the prophecies in Isaiah regarding the time when “the earth will be full of the knowledge of the LORD as the waters cover the sea” (Isa. 11:19)? Should we expect a time of great tribulation and apostasy or revival and reformation before the Lord returns? Is the devil bound now, and are the saints reigning with Christ? Did you know that there are four hermeneutical approaches to the book of Daniel and Revelation?\nThese and many more questions are dealt with by four authors as they present the four views on the millennium. Each view is then critiqued by the other three authors.\n$12.95 — ORDER NOW!(We accept all major credit cards and PayPal.)\nWho is the dreaded beast of Revelation?\nNow at last, a plausible candidate for this personification of evil incarnate has been identified (or re-identified). Ken Gentry’s insightful analysis of scripture and history is likely to revolutionize your understanding of the book of Revelation — and even more importantly — amplify and energize your entire Christian worldview!\nHistorical footage and other graphics are used to illustrate the lecture Dr. Gentry presented at the 1999 Ligonier Conference in Orlando, Florida. It is followed by a one-hour question and answer session addressing the key concerns and objections typically raised in response to his position. This presentation also features an introduction that touches on not only the confusion and controversy surrounding this issue — but just why it may well be one of the most significant issues facing the Church today.\nIdeal for group meetings, personal Bible study — for anyone who wants to understand the historical context of John’s famous letter “… to the seven churches which are in Asia.” (Revelation 1:4)\nRunning Time: 145 minutes\n$17.95 — ORDER NOW!(We accept all major credit cards and PayPal.)", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "The people said [to Jesus], \"Now we know you are possessed by a demon. Even Abraham and the prophets died, but you say, 'Anyone who obeys my teaching will never die!' Are you greater than our father Abraham? He died, and so did the prophets. Who do you think you are?\"\nJesus answered, \"If I want glory for myself, it doesn't count. But it is my Father who will glorify me. You say, 'He is our God,' but you don't even know him. I know him. If I said otherwise, I would be as great a liar as you! But I do know him and obey him.\"\n— John 8:52-55 NLT\nSometimes the doubts of the crowd become our reminder of the truth. \"Are you greater than our father Abraham?\" the people ask Jesus. That's the question we are to ask. The answer? Yes! He is, and he is to be obeyed just as he obeyed the Father. He knows the Father and reveals him to us. Yes! Jesus is greater because he is God's Son and our Lord and Savior, the Christ.\nAll praise to you, God most high, and all praise to Jesus, your Son and my Savior. You planned my deliverance, dear Father, and purchased my salvation through the gift of your Son who brought life and immortality to light in himself and in his message. I pledge to you, O God, my heart and my life. In Jesus' name. Amen.\nRelated Scripture Readings\n- Matthew 12:38-42\n- Matthew 16:13-17\n- John 20:24-29\nOther Devotionals from Heartlight for Sunday, June 26, 2022\nAbout This Devotional\nWhat Jesus Did! is a series of one-year devotional guides through each gospel, using one short scripture passage each day and following the Gospel in sequential order. Each devotional consists of a scripture passage and a reflection and a prayer which open up the day's scripture and show how it challenges you to live for Jesus.\nWhat Jesus Did! is written by Phil Ware and is available in book form.\nScripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright ©1996, 2004, 2007, 2013, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "April 25, 2023!\nA series of heartbreaking losses has left Simeon and Abigail’s marriage in shambles. But can God rebuild it even stronger than they remember?\nAbigail knows she’s the reason she and her husband Simeon have lost their battle to have a baby. It’s God’s punishment for her past—a past she never told Simeon about. He thinks the reason she was on the mission trip where they met was to serve God. If he learns the truth now, he’ll send her packing. Just like her family did. Better that she leave him first.\nAs a Christian counselor, Simeon should be able to help his wife. And it’s killing him that he can’t. It seems like the harder he tries, the more he pushes her away. When she finally asks for a divorce, it’s nothing he didn’t expect. But it breaks him just the same.\nWhen they face yet another tragedy, will it tear them apart for good? Or can God use it to draw them back to one another—and to him?\nAll books in the River Falls series are free to read in Kindle Unlimited.\n\"Karen Kingsbury meets Nicholas Sparks\"", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "The death has occurred of Patrick (Paddy) Carolan\nCortubber, Kingscourt, Meath\nThe death has occurred of Patrick (Paddy) Carolan, Cortubber, Kingscourt, Co. Meath, peacefully at home, 25th November 2021.\nPredeceased by his wife, Philomena (Ward). Deeply regretted by his daughters Maria, Martina and Elaine, son Francis, grandchildren Matthew, Thomas, Cillian, Oisín, Odhrán, Lucy, Liam and Philippa. Sadly missed by his sons-in-law Gordon, Jason and Kieran, daughter-in-law Evonne, nieces, nephews, relatives, neighbours and friends.\nRest In Peace\nReposing at his home on Thursday, 25th November, from 4pm to 7pm with family and close friends. Please adhere to continued HSE & government guidelines, wear face coverings & observe social distancing.Removal from his home at 6.30pm approximately to the Church of the Immaculate Conception, Kingscourt on Friday evening, 26th November arriving for 7pm. Funeral Mass on Saturday in the Church of the Immaculate Conception, Kingscourt, at 10am with burial afterwards in the adjoining cemetery.\nPaddy's Funeral Mass will be streamed via https://kingscourtparish.ie/watch-live/\nThose who would have liked to attend, but due to current HSE guidance cannot, please leave a personal message in the 'Condolences' section below. Private messages of condolences or enquiries can be sent to email@example.com\nFamily flowers only, house private at all other times, please.\nKieran Bros. Funeral Directors (I.A.F.D)\n- Hall Street,\n- A82 R3W2,\n- View Funeral Home Map\nEnter the address of the initial point of the route in the format of \"building, street, townland, town, county\"\nGet Direction from Address", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "ROME—Pope Francis on Wednesday said that his 95-year-old predecessor, retired Pope Benedict XVI, was very ill and asked the faithful to pray for him.\n“Remember him—he is very sick—asking the Lord to console him and support him in this testimony of love for the church until the end,” Pope Francis said.\nContinue reading your article with\na WSJ subscription\nAlready a subscriber? Sign In", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "Ep 42 Leighton Flowers: Calvinism and Romans 9\nDr. Leighton Flowers is the host of the Soteriology 101 Podcast, author, professor, and director of evangelism and apologetics. He joins the show to discuss Calvinism and Romans 9.\nBonus Segment/Support our Ministry:\nThe Potter’s Promise:", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "The missionary activities in this region were started in 1850 by the MEP Fathers. Main source of income for 60% of the population is agriculture and for 35% of the population the income is from washing of cloths.\nOur Lady of Ransom Parish, Elapakkam is an age-old rural parish. It was bifurcated in 1971from the parish of Acharapakkam, now a famous Shrine. Fr.K.S.Lawrence was the first parish priest. He built the parish house, R.C. Primary school, St. Thomas Dispensary and also a house for the Religious Sisters. He also bought 15 acres of land for the Church.\nIn 1999, the parish was entrusted to the pastoral care of the Missionaries of St.Francis Se Sales. Fr. S.Amirtha Nathan was the first MSFS parish priest. A new church was constructed when Fr. I. S. Jesuraj was the parish priest. The church was inaugurated on 18 November 2006. The parish has 177 families. Most of our substations do not have proper roads and so no transport facilities. Responsible parents send their children to school, even though they have to walk nearly 10 to 15 km every day.\n|Fr. S. Amirtha Nathan||1999 – 2004|\n|Fr. S. Joseph||2004 – 2005|\n|Fr.I. S. Jesuraj||2005 – 2008|\n|Fr. J. Savarimuthu||2008 – 2010|\n|Fr. C. Sebastian Robert||2010 -2011|\n|Fr. S. Antony Raj||2011|\n|Our Lady of Ransom Church\nKanchipuram Dt -603201\nTamil Nadu, S. India\nTel: 044 – 27524667\n|P. Sahaya Raj M, Parish Priest|", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "Spirit & Truth\nand to love him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the strength, and to love his neighbor as himself\nis more important than all the whole burnt-offerings and sacrifices.\nDeut. 6:4; Lev. 19:18; 1 Sam. 15:22; Hosea 6:6; Micah 6:6-8\nOn who is our neighbor, see commentary on Luke 10:27.\nCommentary for: Mark 12:33", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "I am currently going through a series on modern Evangelicalism’s view of singleness, marriage, and the family. You can view the first post in this series here.\nLast time I gave a brief overview of the series. My conclusion is that the Church has wrongly viewed itself as a voluntary association whose ultimate allegiance is at times to the nuclear family, headed by a married couple. I say “at times” because there are other times when family is not the ultimate, but instead is replaced by the State, the Market, or pure individuality.\nInstead I propose that our ultimate allegiance is to God, in Christ, through the fellowship of the Church, by the Spirit of God. All that we are, all of our purpose, all that we do, must orient around Christ. When this happens our view on singleness, marriage, and the family, drastically changes. Continuing the series today, I look at a few stories on how the Church views family, and how this makes a difference.\nValentine’s day, 2010: It was a Sunday and I was at church.\nHad it been earlier in my life I would have avoided the service that day out of immaturity. Church and holidays never seemed to go well in my mind. Usually there is some kind of mix of Christian and secular values that leave me feeling… discouraged.\nThat Valentine’s day wasn’t too different from what I expected: the service was entirely about marriage. As a single person — one who had not gone on a date in over six years — it was incredibly alienating. The service had a special musical number between a husband-wife duet, and two testimonies from couples about the joy of matrimony. The end was the worst though: the statistics my pastor and his wife gave as a sermon on marriage. (This was the only time I had ever seen the pastor’s wife share in one of his sermons.) They reported on how a certain percentage of married people reported themselves as happy, while a lower percentage of singles reported being happy; how marriage can more than double a couples’ lifetime earnings; how marriage is a health benefit for those in it. I felt sick at the end of the service. Here I was single, and feeling awful because I seemingly couldn’t be happy, would be poor, and might have less years to live because I was an unmarried person.\nThat is my own personal story on the church’s presentation of marriage and family. Think about these other stories:\n-In 2005 mega-churches across the US decided to not hold worship services because Christmas fell on a Sunday that year. They reasoned that this closure would allow families to celebrate at home. I wasn’t alone that Christmas, but I can imagine how other singles felt about not having a place to go for Christmas worship and fellowship.\n-Friends of mine attended a church where an entire three entire months were given to a sermon series on “Superheroes”. Who were the superheroes that would be discuss Ed? Husbands and wives, responsible parents, and wholesome kids. My single friends had zero ways to relate to this series. They were unmarried, away from their families, and living with adult roommates. They had no capes in their closets.\n- I’ve known several pastors who have been resistant to scheduling events outside of those Sunday or Wednesday because, “people have date nights, family-time, sports meets, etc. and the church can’t trespass on that time”.\nThe above stories and examples reveal something about the Church and American Evangelicals: what is expected is a lot of reliable, married, family life (because that is supposedly what we as people primarily need and should be doing), and “going to church” once or twice a week for a couples hours. And if certain people can’t relate to the above priorities then…???\nAs we will see in the next couple posts, part of the problem here is that this idealistic family is no longer a reality for a majority of Americans. Another is our definition of family and the Church, that places kinship above fellowship. Look for those posts soon.", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "Free African Society (FAS), nondenominational religious mutual aid organization that provided financial and emotional support to newly free African slaves in the United States. The FAS was formed in 1787 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, by American preachers Richard Allen and Absalom Jones and other free African Americans. The mission of the group was to provide fellowship, a place of worship, and monetary support for members and their families in case of sickness or death. The FAS constituted the first African American mutual aid society in Philadelphia and one of the first such organizations for African Americans.\nAllen and Jones had originally envisioned the organization as a religious society, but they found that the group was too small and contained people with different religious beliefs. Most members of the group were affiliated with the Episcopal Church, but Allen and others were staunch Methodists. Despite their strong religious affiliations, the founders of the FAS decided against forming a strictly religious organization because prevailing African American and white sentiment generally did not favour the establishment of a separate African American church. The group, however, did require members to adhere to a strong sense of morality, and those engaging in immoral behaviour, such as adultery, risked being expelled.\nAlthough they did not do so, the desire of Allen and others to found a separate African American religious institution represented both pride in African heritage and a response to racism in white churches, but the FAS ultimately chose to align itself with the Episcopal Church. Although most of Philadelphia’s white Methodists supported the abolition of slavery, they did not treat African Americans equally. For example, Methodists commonly segregated African Americans in churches and cemeteries. Consequently, the FAS opened schools, churches, and cemeteries for many of Philadelphia’s African American residents. The FAS also opposed African colonization schemes supported by some Methodist abolitionists, including a plan to send African Americans to Sierra Leone.\nFrom its beginning, the FAS included a number of Quakers. For example, a white Quaker named Joseph Clarke was appointed clerk and treasurer of the society. In 1789 the FAS began to incorporate various Quaker practices, such as a period of silence during meetings. In response to the growing Quaker influence in the society, Allen and some other strict Methodist members withdrew from the group.\nIn 1793 an outbreak of yellow fever struck Philadelphia, and the FAS provided comfort and financial aid to the sick after many white Philadelphians left the city. The decision by the FAS to stay and support the sick caused it to incur debts that it was unable to pay back, and the organization had disbanded by late 1794. Earlier that year, however, the FAS built St. Thomas’s African Episcopal Church in Philadelphia and asked Allen to serve as pastor. Allen refused, though, and Jones filled the position instead. In the same year, Allen founded a separate church for African American Methodists—the Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church.", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "Did you know that at least 3 times in the Old Testament book of Joshua, we're told that under Joshua's leadership, the Israelites rested in the Promised Land? But when we come to the New Testament letter to the Hebrews, we're told he didn't give them rest. So what gives? Why does Joshua tell us they experienced rest but Hebrews tells us they didn't, but that the promise of rest is still pending? Let's see if we can't untangle that a little bit in this episode.\nLinks I mention in this episode:\nFacebook has announced that they will no longer be supporting podcast pages, beginning in June. In light of that, I will be shutting down the UnSunday Show Facebook page in the very near future.\nOther Places You’ll Find Me\nMusic:Podcast Corporate, JD-Sound\nLicensed for use via Audio Jungle and\nEnvato Pty, Ltd.", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "Don't let anyone steal your JOY! pt 1\nEmbed teressaj 641 views 2012-04-19T15:39:06 Bro. Joe Bedgood brings the sermon for April 15, 2012 at Dellwood Baptist Church.\nAll We NeedHow might you trust God for the bounty He alone can provide?\nLet's Make ItFacebook official!", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "After spending most of his 51 years in prison, Richard Stewart wasn’t sure how to live life on the outside. He credits God and a few good men from a Montana church with helping him figure it out.\nStewart has lived the past nine years in Bozeman, Montana, where he attends Gallatin Gateway Community Christian Reformed Church and makes his living as a fine artist.\nStewart was first incarcerated at age 11, and by the time he was convicted of homicide in 1976 he had spent most of his time in and out of prison.\nWhile awaiting sentencing, he prayed for the first time in his life. During the 29 years he served for his crime, he spent a lot of time reading the Bible and asking questions. He was also partnered with Layne Klompien, a member of Gallatin Gateway, though a program called T.E.A.M. Mentoring (Teach Encourage Assist and Model a Christ-centered Life).\n“Layne gave me more spiritual insight and lessons in the light and practical application in how to use the Word and how to change my life” stated Stewart.\nIn 2002, Steward received parole. When he walked out of prison that day, there were five men ready to help him reenter society, including Klompien.\n“I didn’t know how to rent an apartment, get my electricity turned on, none of that stuff. I can say that without Layne and a couple other people in the church I never would have made it,” said Stewart. “Since then Layne has not only mentored me for the last nine years, but we’re best of friends.”\nStewart also began painting while he was in prison and since his parole has focused his time on developing his gift and using it for God’s glory. His artwork has been on display in a few local galleries and he makes his living selling it.\nHe says he’ll paint anything that shows the beauty of God and what God has given us.\nAdamant that it is only by God’s grace that he has recovered, Stewart said, “If you want to help change a man’s life, you have to help change his heart, and the only one that can do that is Christ Jesus.”\nAbout the Author\nSarah Boonstra is the Banner's regional news correspondent for classes Rocky Mountain and Yellowstone.", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "Holy Week in the Philippines\nHoly full week is when some people perform holy rites over the fulfillment of the vow they will do once they asked The particular almighty a reward, such as get rid of an issue. It might be traditionally some kind of the solemn occasion in the Philippines, an occasion for significant atonement. Priests in addition to religious statuary are wearing purple every single child symbolize gloom. Devout Catholics head to church everyday; some swiftly.\nPalm Weekend commemorates the actual entry linked with Jesus Christ directly into Jerusalem, Filipino Catholics offer palaspas (palm fronds) every single child church getting blessed while using priests. They’ll most likely bring the actual fronds back using these.\nGood Fri commemorates the actual crucifixion in addition to death linked with Christ. On this day, you will see religious amounts being carried above the towns above carrozas (carriages). The non secular images in addition to statues usually are veiled throughout black throughout mourning on the death linked with Jesus.\nJust about the most striking function of Holy Complete week celebrations in the Philippines could be the site linked with Filipinos commonly whipping themselves. These usually are reenactments in the torture in addition to death linked with Jesus. Some Filipinos in addition to whip their unique backs right into a bloody error, they provide their feet and palms nailed to many wood corners.\nTourists are produced by everywhere from your actual internet site! With Manila, Tondo could be the place to discover these flagellants. Beyond the capital, Pampanga in addition to Nueva Ecija usually is famous because of their flagellants that will cover their unique faces getting white silk cotton hoods. Crowns linked with thorns usually are putting by themselves heads every single child causes some sort of body to drop.\nEaster Sunday can be a celebration with the resurrection linked with Christ. At a number of o’clock in the morning, Filipinos perform a salubong big event commemorating what type of Virgin Margaret met the lady son Jesus who may have revisit life. Her image will probably be brought towards the image with the Christ on the local cathedral. Flower petals shall be rained down with them.\nIn present times, these sorts of Philippine ways of life are little by little disappearing. Young Filipinos now utilize the Holy Complete week to vacation on the beach.", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "Monday - Saturday 8:10 AM\nSaturday 8:10 - Anointing of Sick\nSaturday - 5:30 PM\nSunday - 8:30 AM / 10:30 AM / 12:30 PM\nLooking for today's Mass readings.\nSaturday, 5th week of Lent\nPassion Sunday (Palm Sunday)\nMonday of Holy Week\nTuesday of Holy Week\nWednesday of Holy Week\nThursday of Holy Week\nthey who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "Join us on social media for a week exploring how we can engage in politics from a Christian perspective. Starting 22nd June 2020.\nGet involved by engaging with us online during the week.\nIf you're been inspired by what you've seen this week, then why not join LDCF? We seek to engage, connect and equip our members and together we can have a louder Christian voice within the party.", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "who focus on their personal commitment to the Mission of the Church\nof Saint Arnold Janssen together with the Divine Word Missionaries and their sister congregations\nvia online courses, teachings in our sessions, and news from missions\nthrough evangelization, promoting of mission awareness, supporting of missionaries\nFebruary 2023 was the month when a few members gathered for their first DWD local session in the Holy Spirit parish in Nkulumane, Bulawayo. They decided to meet regularly every month and so encourage one another to be active and fruitful disciples of the Word.\nTheir regular meetings are open to visitors and candidates who are still doing the DWD basic formation course. There is a sure hope that the local circle in Nkulumane will grow in number and in zeal for missions.\nIn January 2023 a new version of our handbook was published. Besides a slightly improved design (the dark mode is a thing now), there are new prayers, a new guide for preparing and blessing a prayer corner, and the newest adaptation of our statutes.\nYou can find it in our download section. We published there also some new guides, our forms for printing, and the summary of our DWD Basic Formation course lessons.\nThe last two years 2021-2022 we have been working hard on adjusting our network to the newest requirements from the SVD Generalate. Mainly, we have been focusing on our new obligation - to pass a basic formation course that prepares us for proper DWD membership.\nFor most of us the course is done online via whatsapp, led by our Spiritual Director. It consists of 7 lessons. In every lesson, we study a missionary text, learn a prayer, gain a new piece of knowledge and a new missionary skill.\nOn Mission Sunday, 18 October 2020 we did a lot of work in our parishes: evangelizing of those who needed to hear the Good News together with some material or financial help, explaining the Mission Sunday's origin, presentation on the missionary rosary and praying it, distributing the Pope's message, Eucharistic adoration for the missions, teaching parishioners a missionary song.\nThose who could not attend the Mass because of Covid-19 restrictions, celebrated the Mission Sunday in their Small Christian Communities or families, often with the missionary rosary and a presentation about missions.\nSome of us dedicated more time to their private prayer for missions and missionaries during the day, often inviting their family members to join them.\nOn social networks, we spread the message of the Pope, invited our friends to join the DWD network, or challenged others to do something for the Mission of the Church.\nIn some of our parishes we celebrated St. Arnold Janssen's feast as a great solemnity on Sunday 19 January 2020. We translated all liturgical prayers and texts of the day into our local languages Ndebele and Shona, so everyone could understand the liturgy. We decorated a picture of St. Arnold Janssen in our churches with flowers, candles, and fabrics. At the beginning of the celebration, we presented the story of St. Arnold and within the intercessions we prayed for Catholic world missions and missionaries.\nOn 20 October 2019 we celebrated the Mission Sunday.\nWe did a great job in our parishes: individual evangelizing of those who needed to hear the Good News, presentations on the missionary rosary, praying the missionary rosary with parishioners, distributing the Pope's message to the youth, Eucharistic adorations for the missions, teaching a song about this year's theme \"Baptized and Sent\". Some of us dedicated more time to our private prayer for missions and missionaries during the whole month of October.\nThere were two half-national DWD sessions because we couldn’t travel to one place from all over the country for desired one national event. On 24 August 2019 in Budiriro, Harare and on 1 September 2019 in Nketa, Bulawayo we had a great time of sharing, learning, and practising the spirituality of our saints, mission animation, and evangelization.\nOn 21 October 2018 we celebrated the Mission Sunday. In our parishes, we, the Divine Word Disciples promoted mission awareness.\nWe led a missionary rosary prayer in the Holy Cross Parish in Harare, in the Holy Family Parish and the Holy Spirit Parish in Bulawayo. In Harare we also introduced our group to the parishioners and led a Eucharistic adoration for the missions. We also distributed many copies of Pope's message for World Mission Day 2018.\nOur local circle in the Holy Family Parish in Bulawayo completed the first circle project on 20 October 2018 - we made and donated some altar clothes for the rural chapels of the SVD missionaries.\nThere was a very first session of our brand new local circle in the Holy Cross Parish in Harare.\nOn 10 February 2018 four Divine Word Disciples met and shared and prayed together for the growth of missionary spirit.\nThose who cannot attend the DWD sessions of a local circle, can join our Virtual Circle via WhatsApp or email now.\nOn 4 August 2017 we started off our first virtual session that lacked nothing - there was sharing, prayers, news, and teaching. The members were only a few but we believed that many can become Divine Word Disciples soon and the Virtual Circle can grow fast.\nGroups of parishioners in the the Holy Family Parish in Bulawayo have already been trying to support SVD Missionaries for some time. Since there is s request from the SVD leadership to revive and improve the Divine Word Disciples group, we are working on it. The first session of DWD in the Holy Family Parish took place in January 2017.\nDWD Statutes, prayers, guides for any device\n(htm 0.2 MB)\nDWD Basic Formation Course lessons for any device\n(htm 4 MB)\nA6 size brochure with daily DWD prayers\n(pdf 0.1 MB)\nDownload our Local Circle Documents\nEverything needed for DWD local sessions\n(zip 0.2 MB)\nTwo A6 flyers with explanation of the Mission Rosary\n(pdf 0.1 MB)\nA4 size poster about missionary vocation\n(pdf 2 MB)\nand invite friends to our DWD session\n(jpg 0.1 MB)\nVisit our Virtual Circle to experience our prayers, sharing, and teaching via WhatsApp or email.\nYou can attend three sessions as a guest.\nAfterwards you can decide to become our member if you wish.\nCall our Spiritual Director\nFr. Kamilo SVD\n0778 940 351", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "Pray also for us that God would open unto us a door of utterance…\nWhile Dr Finley is available to conduct Missions Conferences, Pastors’ Conferences, Association/Denomination-Wide Meetings, and Para-Church Group Training and Judy Finley is available to speak at Women’s Luncheons and Conferences, their most fruitful ministry is conducted in local churches. Dr Finley has developed over 500 hours of prayer training and revival messages that can be used in a local church. The most beneficial meetings in a local church are those scheduled with a Sunday morning through Wednesday evening format, but there is flexibility to present some of the series in an all day or weekend format. Suggested series include:\n- Prayer For Spiritual Awakening – This series is Dr Finley’s most basic series that includes motivational messages and practical prayer training. It can be presented in either all day, weekend, or Sunday through Wednesday format, but the Sunday through Wednesday format has the strongest impact upon a congregation. Sunday through Wednesday format would require two 45 minute sessions each evening. Dr Finley’s presentation would require the use of participant workbooks and overhead projector. Recommended for first time ministry in a local church. [more info]\n- God’s Blueprint For Revival – This series of five messages is based on 2 Chronicles 7:14 and utilizes four Psalms to equip the believer with a lifestyle for revival. It includes historical cameos of great revivals of the past. The series is suited only for a Sunday morning through Wednesday evening format with one 45 minute message each evening. A six-week preparation guide for a congregation to utilize prior to this meeting is expected to be ready in early 2002. [more info]\n- Keys To Effective Praying – This series of five messages is designed to aid both leaders and participants in group praying in church, small group, and family settings. It can be presented in either all day, throughout a weekend, or Sunday through Wednesday (with one 45 minute message each evening) format. Dr Finley’s presentation would require the use of participant workbooks and an overhead projector. Recommended to be preceded by Prayer For Spiritual Awakening series. [more info]\n- Essentials For Revival Weekend – This series of messages is designed for a weekend format with various target groups within a local congregation. It’s chief goal is to motivate the congregation to walk in preparation for and expectancy of revival. The series includes messages on revival and evangelism, emphasis upon family praying, and the role of both the elderly and the youth in revival. [more info]\n- Improving Your Preaching – This series of messages is designed as an all-day format with pastors or church leaders. The goal of this seminar is to train pastors how to develop a life message, how to choose and disciple key men in the church, and how to have a lasting impact on their community. This material can be adapted to focus on leadership training with the theme being that of discipleship. In addition, home churches needing leadership training and discipleship teaching may profit from this seminar. [more info]\n- Praying For Your Husband – This seminar that Judy Finley shares with women presents the Biblical basis for applying the doctrine of the trinity of man to prayers for husbands and children. It includes Scriptural training to discern body, soul, and spirit. The seminar is presented in an all day format. A participant workbook is required. [more info]\nPrayer Resources seeks to minister to all whom the Lord gives an open door, regardless of size, location, financial ability, or denomination. The first firm commitment on the itinerary will receive priority for that date. If a church is unable to meet our financial needs, we will seek to raise additional support to cover the church’s costs.\nWe request that travel expenses (the current Standard Milage Rate per mile round trip if traveling by car or round-trip air fare in advance), lodging, and meals be provided and that a love offering for the ministry be collected. If your location is more than four hours away from Memphis by car travel, our schedule dictates that we fly to the airport nearest you. We seek to book our air flights in advance to gain the most economical fares.\nThe use of workbooks is vital in the communication of some of our formats; therefore, we also request that the church cover the $3 per workbook expense. The workbook expense can be offset if the church prefers to produce the copies on their own equipment and paper. We will provide the originals in advance of our arrival.\nSchedule a Meeting\nTo schedule a meeting with Prayer Resources, you may contact us by telephone, letter, or e-mail. Whatever your mode of communication, please share the following\nYour Name, E-Mail, Phone, Address,\nChurch Name, Pastor’s Name, Spouse Name, Phone, Address, Church Website,\nDescription of church (size, denomination, tenure, current spiritual condition, current prayer ministry,etc.)\nAnticipated Attendance, Preferred Schedule Date, Alternate Schedule Dates", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "Sundays, 9 a.m. & 5 p.m.\nJoin us for worship! Join our family for worship, prayer, and fellowship Sundays at 9 a.m. and 5 p.m.\nBible Breakfast Club: Saturday, November 16, 2019 – 8:00 a.m.\nStudy: No Hard Feelings (Gather, p. 22)\nLesson: “Stewarding the Gift of Joy”\nReadings from: Psalms 30 & 150, Song of Solomon 2\nLeader: Ann Baas\nAll women are welcome and invited to attend. For more information, call Barbara Pearson., (219) 242-3190.\nFrom the Deaconess–\n- College Addresses Needed – please let me know who is in college and what their address is. I want to make sure that I have a complete list for the care packages. Many thanks!\n- College Care Packages – we will begin collecting snacks and treats for our college students. I believe there are about 15 of them, but I’m double checking. Think about single-serve items, gum, mints, chips, granola bars, maybe a fun pen, etc.\n- Hot Cocoa Bar and Bake Sale – Friday, December 6, 5:15-7:45 pm, we will host a hot cocoa bar and bake sale as a fundraiser for the “We’re Here for Good” campaign. The youth and Sunday school students will be hosting. Others are welcome to join us. We’re planning to have a tent in the courtyard with luminaries lighting the sidewalk. If you have interest in helping, please let me know. The more, the merrier!\n- Dinner Needed for Youth Group – dinner is needed each week for the youth and adults on Sunday night, approximately 12 people. If you would like to sign up to serve dinner, please let me know.\n- Yoga continues on Tuesdays at 7 p.m. Beginners and experienced are welcome. $5 per class.\n- Tender Loving Care Preschool tenderlovingcarepreschool.webs.com for more information.\nTrinity Lutheran Church, Valparaiso is proud to be a Reconciled In Christ congregation, welcoming people of all gender identities and sexual orientations as part of this community of the people of God.", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "An Isabelline Gothic church in the interesting quarter of La Villa de Requena.\nThe archpriestal church of El Salvador is in the flowery Isabelline Gothic style of the 15th century, although it was remodelled in the Baroque style in the 18th century, when the Communion Chapel was added and the bell tower was rebuilt. It is located in the beautiful quarter of La Villa de Requena, declared a National Historic-Artistic Site. It is made up of three naves with adjoining chapels between the buttresses. The façade consists of three archivolts, with images of virgins and angels. Today it is the only church open to worship in the La Villa quarter.\nChurch of El Salvador (Requena)\nPlaza del Salvador s/n\n46340 Requena, Valencia-València (Region of Valencia)", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "As The Scripture Says\nHeavenly Father, as I read this sorrowful story again, make it fresh and new to me, I pray.\nRead Mark 14:43-52\n Just as he was speaking, Judas, one of the Twelve, appeared. With him was a crowd armed with swords and clubs, sent from the chief priests, the teachers of the law, and the elders.  Now the betrayer had arranged a signal with them: “The one I kiss is the man; arrest him and lead him away under guard.”  Going at once to Jesus, Judas said, “Rabbi!” and kissed him.  The men seized Jesus and arrested him.  Then one of those standing near drew his sword and struck the servant of the high priest, cutting off his ear.  “Am I leading a rebellion,” said Jesus, “that you have come out with swords and clubs to capture me?  Every day I was with you, teaching in the temple courts, and you did not arrest me. But the Scriptures must be fulfilled.”  Then everyone deserted him and fled.  A young man, wearing nothing but a linen garment, was following Jesus. When they seized him,  he fled naked, leaving his garment behind. Scripture taken from the Holy Bible, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 International Bible Society. All rights reserved throughout the world. Used by permission of International Bible Society.\nReflectWhy did Jesus surrender to arrest so peacefully?\nThis story unfolds on two planes. First, there’s the view of Judas, the guards and the disciples that this was “the moment.” It was either to be a great victory for the authorities who were finally capturing this dangerous madman, or a tragic end to a potential and promising messianic mission. Either way, this night would end it! Hacking off the guard’s ear was the last act of defiance by a hopeless zealot (47). The story also unfolds on a far higher level than the events in that garden. The hypocrisy of both Judas, who betrayed Jesus with a friendly kiss (44), and the authorities, who chose night time, rather than the crowded public spaces of daylight to do their ugly deed (48,49), is the signature of the whole chapter: humans conspiring in vain to frustrate God’s master plan of redemption. Instead, they unwittingly fulfill everything God had planned, and bring about the greatest victory of all (49), the reconciliation of a broken world. It may not look like it right now, but God is working out his plan to save the world, and nothing at all can stop it.\nWhat are you facing that requires you to take another viewpoint? Ask God for help to see him at work.\nLord God, thank You that, even in the midst of what looked like defeat, You were working out Your great plan.\nClick here to sign up to receive the EXTRAs via email each quarter.", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "World Council of Churches General Secretary, the Rev Dr Olav Fykse Tveit has added his name to a growing chorus of calls from around the globe for the cancellation of quake-hit Haiti's crippling international debt.\nChurches and church related organisations are mobilizing resources to bring immediate relief to the people of Port-au-Prince, says Juan Michel. But equally importantly they are also advocating for the international community to waive Haiti's foreign debt while building a more, just sustainable future for the country.\nToday the organised ecumenical movement among Christians, seeking common witness and social justice, is seen by many as a failing, lost or irrelevant cause, says Keith Clements. But in a divided world, the case for a genuine search for unity among the churches in these islands and beyond is stronger than ever and needs radically renewing.\nIn a 13 January 2010 solidarity letter to the churches in Malaysia, the World Council of Churches General Secretary, the Rev Dr Olav Fykse Tveit, expressed deep concern and sorrow about recent attacks against church buildings in the country.\nAction of Churches Together (ACT) member churches are already involved in responding to the Haiti disaster. World Council of Churches General Secretary, Olav Fykse Tveit, has expressed condolences and solidarity with the people there.\nThe global ecumenical movement among Christians must bring the hope of peace and justice to a suffering and divided world, says the new general secretary of the World Council of Churches, the Rev Olav Fykse Tveit.\nHow does biblical thought relate to climate change? What are the theological insights churches can offer to a world facing an unprecedented ecological crisis? Juan Michel describes some answers from a recent global seminar.\nWith a lack of transparency, \"the agreement reached this past week by some countries in Copenhagen was negotiated without consensus but rather in secret among the powerful nations of the world,” a WCC climate change specialist says.\n\"The present day reality shows that our sincere efforts have not been enough to bring in the age of social justice and peace,\" says a WCC statement delivered to the plenary of the United Nations Climate Change Conference yesterday.\nRepresentatives have gathered for the final scheduled day of the UN climate summit in Copenhagen amid uncertainty over the shape of any eventual deal - and with appeals for action reiterated by faith bodies and NGOs.", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "The flow of Christians resettling in the United States from countries where they face persecution has decreased by as much as 90 percent over the past five years, according to a disquieting new report published by World Relief, an international Christian humanitarian organization dedicated to serving refugees and displaced populations, and Open Doors, a global watchdog of religious freedom.\nThe report also states that the decrease in resettlement of other refugees, including Jews from Iran and Muslims from Burma (Myanmar) is likely to be even greater by the end of 2020.\nMidway through this year, the U.S. admitted fewer than 950 Christians from 50 countries on the Open Doors USA 2020 World Watch List for the persecution of Christians. (North Korea, Afghanistan, Somalia, Libya, Pakistan, Eritrea, Sudan, Yemen, Iran and India top the list of countries perpetrating “extreme persecution,” according to the report, with “very high persecution” in such countries as Syria, Nigeria, Saudi Arabia, Maldives and Iraq.)\n“Globally, more than 260 million Christians face high levels of persecution for their faith,” the report states, pointing out that although Christians in non-Western countries are among the most disadvantaged groups, they face additional harm because of the sharp reduction lately in U.S. refugee resettlement programs.\n“When individuals facing violence and pressure at home determine it is no longer safe to remain, some make the difficult decision to migrate—hoping and praying to find a safe country that will welcome them,” says the report.\n“Religious liberty has often been heralded as the ‘first freedom’ enumerated in the U.S. Constitution,” states a letter in the report signed by World Relief President Scott Arbeiter, World Relief CEO Tim Breene, and Open Doors CEO David Curry. “As Christians, we believe that religious liberty is an inalienable right, endowed by God, that can be neither bestowed nor withheld by any government.”\n“Tragically though, as U.S. Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom Sam Brownback has noted, ‘the religious freedom central to our experience at home is still encroached upon in many areas of the world.’”\nIn stark contrast to the current resettlement of Christian refugees, more than 18,000 Christians were permitted into the country in 2015, according to the report, Persecuted Christians and the U.S. Refugee Resettlement and Asylum Process.”\n“The United States has long set the standard for the global agenda on refugees and asylum seekers,” the report noted. “Yet recent shifts in U.S. policy reveal that it is no longer the safe haven for displaced persons that it once was: The ‘Golden Door’ that Emma Lazarus poetically described as the gateway to safety and liberty for those ‘yearning to breathe free’ has largely closed shut in recent years.”\nThe COVID-19 pandemic, which disproportionately impacts the poor and underprivileged, worsening the plight of refugees, warns the report. “With 134 refugee-hosting countries reporting local transmission of COVID-19, the pandemic is an especially dangerous threat to displaced persons,” many of whom are housed in underfunded, high-density refugee camps ill-equipped to cope with their medical needs.\n“But as many of the world’s wealthier countries battle the pandemic domestically and tighten foreign travel restrictions,” the report continues, “the political climate has become unfavorable to displaced people who desperately need global aid, exacerbating trends that began even before the global health crisis.”\nThe cap on refugees for fiscal year 2020, which ends September 30, has been set at 18,000 individuals. “However, in part because of the COVID-19 pandemic, fewer than 7,600 refugees have been resettled, with just three months remaining in the fiscal year and the resettlement program still largely halted,” says the report.\n“While we can and should do all we can to advance religious liberty abroad, we must also continue to offer refuge to those who have felt they had no choice but to flee. We must not close our nation’s doors on the persecuted.”\nProminent Christian groups, such as the National Association of Evangelicals, the Southern Baptist Convention and the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, which lead more than 90,000 congregations, have commented on the report’s findings.\n“As Christians, we’re concerned about the wellbeing of all people who have faced persecution, including the many who are persecuted for their Christian faith” World Relief President Arbeiter states. “While we can and should do all we can to advance religious liberty abroad, we must also continue to offer refuge to those who have felt they had no choice but to flee. We must not close our nation’s doors on the persecuted.”\n“The global reality is that more people than ever before are facing discrimination, violence, and even death because of their choice to practice their faith,” Open Doors CEO Curry said in a July 10 news statement. “Religious persecution is not an isolated problem: it overlaps with an array of issues that together impact Christians.”\nThe report points out that recent proposals to amend asylum regulations—such as efforts to “significantly redefine key terms contained within longstanding U.S. law, including ‘persecution,’ ‘well-founded fear,’ ‘torture,’ ‘political opinion’ and ‘particular social group’—are likely to further impede the ability of persecuted individuals, including Christians, to gain asylum in the U.S.”\n“Our intent,” Curry said, is to “recognize, prevent, and address these issues by engaging on each point at which religious minorities are suffering.”\nFrom its beginnings, the Church of Scientology has recognized that freedom of religion is a fundamental human right. In a world where conflicts are often traceable to intolerance of others’ religious beliefs and practices, the Church has, for more than 50 years, made the preservation of religious liberty an overriding concern.\nThe Church publishes this blog to help create a better understanding of the freedom of religion and belief and provide news on religious freedom and issues affecting this freedom around the world.", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "This weekend is Easter, as we all know! :-) This year is a little different because the kids are getting older. This is the first year they have actually asked about the easter bunny. After talking, Robert and I decided will we not celebrate the easter bunny. At all. I can justify santa...because Saint Nicholas was a real guy. But the easter bunny? I can't tie that into the real meaning of Easter. And I think the true meaning of Easter is far too great to mix in a bunny and eggs. The kids will get easter baskets, but they will know that WE gave them to them. So, enough on that...that is just what we personally chose. If you choose to do the easter bunny, by all means go for it! :-) I'm sure it'll be fun.\nOur church is having 19 services this weekend. Unbelievable! I'm pretty excited because we love our church and pastor. And this is only the second Easter we've been able to attend at our home church. We plan on going to the 8:00 a.m. service on Sunday (there are also Friday and Saturday services) to hopefully avoid some of the craziness!\nThen it's off for some cousin fun. And let me just tell you, it's going to be FUN! I don't want to say anymore about that, but I'll give you a hint. In picture form.\nFun for the kids AND adults! ;-)\nI hope everyone has a great Easter spending time with loved ones realizing the sacrifice that was made for all us sinners. Blessings to you all!\n\"Don't be alarmed,\" he said. \"You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid him. 7But go, tell his disciples and Peter, 'He is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you.' \" Mark 16:6\n\"Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead...\" 1 Peter 1:3\n\"Jesus said to her, \"I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die.\" John 11:25-26", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "Latest News & Prayer\nRenewal Day at Holy Trinity, Frome (2018)2 years ago\nAs part of its role to equip and encourage the local church, Frome Deanery, working closely with Frome Area Christians Together, invited a team from ReSource to come and lead a ‘Renewal Day’.\nWith over 100 people attending from at least 10 local churches, there was a buzz of expectation on arrival. The day started with a wonderful time of worship which helped us focus on all three persons of God.\nMorning sessions from Kevin, Keith and Anne focused on the person and work of the Holy Spirit, with lots of examples of how He works in our daily lives, opportunities for questions, and time to discuss things in small groups.\nBringing their considerable experience of rural ministry, Kevin Roberts and Keith Powell reminded us that God’s heart is for the ‘little, local and ordinary’ churches - like many of ours - and that the Holy Spirit often works quietly and gently, through nudges and prompts, as well as more dramatic activities.\nThe testimonies from Anne and Keith were very helpful and it was good to hear Kevin and Keith ‘demystify’ the Holy Spirit and remind us that God wants to release the Holy Spirit to work in an 8.00am BCP communion service just as much as the big, lively church down the road; He is for all of us. Throughout the day, there were regular times of prayer and ministry, always clearly explained for those who were less familiar with this more informal style of worship and teaching.\nAfter lunch, delegates could choose from one of five workshops - ‘Prayer ministry, theory and practice’, ‘How does God speak?’, Healing ministry in the local church’, Renewing the local church’, and ‘Encountering God in worship’ These smaller sessions, each led by experienced leaders, helped people to discuss and learn from each other, and to be encouraged to try new things. A final session on responding to the Holy Spirit gave more time for ministry and, for some, a fresh encounter with the Holy Spirit. The day ended with a wonderful time of prayer, with each church represented and prayed for by others.\nIt was really exciting to see this event happening in Frome and we will be praying that it will be a significant step in releasing the work and fruits of the Holy Spirit in and through the churches in and around Frome.\nWe found the day hugely encouraging and a great blessing, and know that others did too.\nAs one of our friends said afterwards, “I have known about the HS and seen him at work in my life and the life of my church for a long time, but I had let this relationship drift. This was an opportunity to re-engage with God and be refreshed. For me, this was the best day of the year so far!”\nHenry and Caroline Pomeroy\nReSource for Anglican Renewal Ministries\nEnabling little, local and ordinary churches to engage with the Holy Spirit for renewal, discipleship and mission.", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "Pope Calls For ‘Laudato Si’ Week in May – But Isn’t Fatima More Urgent?editor\nVatican City, Mar 3, 2020 / 09:57 am (CNA).- Pope Francis is calling on Catholics to participate in “Laudato si’ Week” in May to encourage care for our common home.\n“I renew my urgent call to respond to the ecological crisis. The cry of the earth and the cry of the poor cannot wait anywhere,” Pope Francis said in a video message published March 3.\nThe video shows young protesters yelling, “Climate justice, now” juxtaposed with images of wildlife in Africa and a beached whale.\nLaudato si’ Week, sponsored by the Dicastery for Integral Human Development will take place May 16-24. The date marks the 5th anniversary of the publication of Pope Francis’ encyclical on integral human ecology.\nThe Global Catholic Climate Movement and Renova + are facilitating the campaign.\nThe Laudato si’ Week website recommends Catholics participate by engaging elected representatives, conducting an energy audit, or divesting in fossil fuels. It also recommends the option to “represent your commitment with a symbolic gesture,” such as planting a tree or attending a climate strike.\nLaudato si’, which means “Praise be to You,” was published June 18, 2015, and was dated May 24. Pope Francis took the name for the encyclical from St. Francis of Assisi’s medieval Italian prayer “Canticle of the Sun,” which praises God through elements of creation such as Brother Sun, Sister Moon, and “our sister Mother Earth.” Click here to read entire report\nOur Lady of Fatima warned that if her message is heeded there will be a period of peace in the world. If not, various nations would be annihilated and there would be anything but peace in the world (to paraphrase…)\nThis from the Fatima Center website, in summary: …the Pope is designated as the one primarily responsible for future peace: “God asks the Holy Father… ” The peace of the world, we are told in the Fatima Message, depends upon the Pope and the world’s bishops obeying the request for the Consecration of Russia to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. It cannot and will not come about through any other means. Source\nSo, why – in the very month dedicated to Our Lady – would the Pope (any pope!) dedicate a week to a gimmicky political cause, at a time when the world is in turmoil through wars and diseases, and yet continue to ignore the most important event of the 20 century – the Fatima prophecies which contain the means to restore good order and peace in the world. St Paul wasn’t kidding when he told the Ephesians that “…our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers of the world of this darkness, against the spirits of wickedness in the high places (Ephesians 6:12)\nTo combat this wickedness, St Paul exhorted the Ephesians to “put on the armour of God” which, in our times, includes the Consecration of Russia. Little (Saint) Jacinta urged prayers for the Pope. Let’s answer that plea – urgently – before the diabolical disorientation in the Church and the world which we are witnessing right now, worsens.", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "FAIRHAVEN — Maria S. (DeSousa) Goncalves, 77, of Fairhaven passed away peacefully at home, surrounded by her family, Saturday, November 9, 2019. She was the loving wife of 52 years to Americo Goncalves.\nBorn in Quinta Grande, Madeira, Portugal, daughter of the late Jose and Olivia (Martins) DeSousa, she came to New Bedford in 1973 and settled in Fairhaven in 1982. She was a communicant of St. Joseph’s Church in Fairhaven.\nMaria had worked at Aerovox and also as an inspector at the Berkshire Hathaway until her retirement. She loved gardening, especially growing flowers (orchids), sewing and animals.\nShe is survived by her loving husband Americo; a son, Alvaro Goncalves and his fiance Julie Fostin of Fairhaven; a daughter, Catrina Goncalves of Fairhaven; two brothers, Jordan DeSousa and his wife Conceicao and Alvaro DeSousa all of Dartmouth; and several nieces and nephews.\nMrs. Goncalves was the sister of the late John Perry, Joseph and Antonio DeSousa and Conceicao Vitor.\nCalling hours are Sunday from 3-6pm in the Fairhaven Funeral Home, 117 Main St., Fairhaven. Her funeral will be Monday, November 18, 2019 at 9am from the funeral home followed by a Mass of Christian Burial at 10am in St. Joseph’s Church, Fairhaven. Interment will be in St. Anthony’s Cemetery, Mattapoisett.\nFor memorial register or facility directions go to, www.hathawayfunerals.com or call (508)994-9471.", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "Fearing the Lord, Part 2\nWe are living in a time of apostasy--a falling away from God. The scriptures say that in the latter times some will fall away from the faith. It's slow and unintentional. Because we're not standing up for the truth, we have to deal with the aftermath. We have to be aware of seducing spirits affecting our children, affecting our church and affecting our culture (Part 1 of 3)\nThe resurrection of Jesus Christ was not only for our salvation but, it has enabled us to live a resurrected life. In this message series, Pastor Stevens reminds us of the authority and the supernatural power that has been given to us through our relationship with Christ, and teaches us how we should live out that resurrected life everyday.", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "Posted on 11/27/2008 08:00 AM (CNA - Saint of the Day)\nA soldier and courtier to King Yezdigerd I of Persia in the early fifth century, James was a Christian who, during Yezdigerd’s persecution of Christians, renounced his faith for fear of death.\nHis family, who had not apostacized, contacted James upon the death of the king, and thus the end of the persecution, and chastised him for having renounced his Heavenly King before the worldy king of Persia.\nUpon hearing the rebukes of his family for the denial of his faith, James was thrown into a deep crisis of conscience, and he went through a true, deep conversion, uniting and conforming himself to the living God. Wanting to make amends, he professed his faith before the new king, Bahram and was condemned to death.\nHe is referred to as ‘Intercisus’ because the name literally means ‘hacked to pieces,’ and this name was given to him documenting the manner of his death. He was hung from a beam and slowly cut into 28 pieces, beginning with his fingers and then his toes, hands, and so forth until his beheading, the final cut.\nEven though the crowd, made up of many Christians, urged him to renounce his faith and worship the sun because they could not bear to see him suffer such excruciating torture, he never renounced his faith. Instead, he made every piece cut from his body an offering to the Living God, and won the crown of martyrdom.\nJames Intercisus is the patron saint of lost vocations and torture victims.\nPosted on 11/27/2004 08:00 AM (CNA - Saint of the Day)\nSt. Sechnall was born in 375, and around the year 439 was sent from Gaul to assist his uncle, Saint Patrick, in Ireland, together with Auxilius and Iserninus in thier missionary work there. He became the first bishop of Dunslaughlin in Meath, and then auxiliary bishop of Armagh.\nHe wrote several hymns, notably the alphabetical hymn Audites, omnes amantes Deum (the oldest known Latin hymn written in Ireland) in honor of Patrick and the earliest Latin hymn in Ireland, and Sancti, venite, Christi corpus sumite.\nHe died in 447, and his feast day is November 27.\nPrinted with permission from Catholic-Defense.\nPosted on 11/27/2003 08:00 AM (CNA - Saint of the Day)\nSt. Francesco (Francis) Antonio Fasani was born as Giovanneillo in Lucera, Italy in 1681, the son of Giuseppe Fasani and Isabella Della Monaca. He entered the Conventual Franciscans in 1695 and took the names of St. Francis and St. Anthony. He spent much of his time studying, and was ordained a priest 10 years after entering the order. He then taught philosophy to younger friars, served as the guardian of his friary, and later became provincial of his order. When his term of office as provincial ended, Francesco became a novice-master, and eventually pastor in his hometown. In all his various ministries, he was loving, devout and penitential. He was a sought-after confessor and preacher. One witness at the canonical hearings regarding Francesco’s holiness testified, \"In his preaching he spoke in a familiar way, filled as he was with the love of God and neighbor; fired by the Spirit, he made use of the words and deed of Holy Scripture, stirring his listeners and moving them to do penance.\" Francesco showed himself a loyal friend of the poor, never hesitating to seek from benefactors what was needed. He was also a mystic, known for his deep prayer life and supernatural gifts, and was known to levitate while praying. The people of Lucera were known to compare him with St. Francis of Assisi, from whom he derived his name. He died in 1742 and was canonized in 1986.", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "Pre AP English 10\nOctober 7, 2014\n“Ours is a culture where we expect to be a Christian without being a disciple, expect to be saved without being obedient and expect to grow without making any effort.” As I sat in the pews of my church’s sanctuary, staring blankly at the wall, this quote shined on the screen. For the next twenty minutes my pastor spoke about the meaning of the quote, and how many Christians struggle with living life as a disciple. I realized these pointed words were challenging me to take my faith more seriously and to live more intentionally.\nOn November 6, 1998, I was born into a christian family. Chosen by my parents to be submerged in water at a young age. I was “dragged to church” every Sunday, but by age eleven I chose to go for myself. Although waking up early on Sunday mornings to go to church was hard, this deliberate choice helped me grow in my faith. Going every morning helped me understand more about what I believed and the community I had around me. Although I grew up in a Christian household, this religion was something I chose on my own. With this choice came new friends, as well as people who disagree with what I believe.\nIn my high schools culture, some people may judge Christians by what they see, rather than our personalities. Many students at my high school think of some things as\n“normal,” such as swearing or partying. If someone chooses not to do these things, they are thought of as unusual or abnormal. Some christians may disagree with what others believe, which can make life confusing and tough when society is telling you one way of living and when a religion is telling you another. Although there are struggles with being a Christian in society, I always think back to the quote and realize that I must make an effort and be obedient to improve.\nMy culture consists of many different things, but religion is the one that has shaped who I am today. Christian faith was the culture of my family, and I came to realize that christianity was my culture too. This religion has formed my personality and who I have become friends with. In my sixth grade year, I joined", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "I’m reminded of the fairly recent hymn, “In Christ Alone”, by Keith Getty and Staurt Townsend” (2001), which sets the tone for today's post. The second stanza of that hymn is:\n“In Christ alone, who took on flesh\nFullness of God in helpless babe\nThis gift of love and righteousness\nScorned by the ones He came to save\n'Til on that cross as Jesus died\nThe wrath of God was satisfied\nFor every sin on Him was laid\nHere in the death of Christ I live, I live.”\nThe reader can note that I highlighted one of the phrases in the stanza. To some, it may seem odd that expressing how Christ's work on the cross had satisfied God's wrath would stir opposition. Yet, the 21st century American church scene is, in many respects, in need of reformation just as much as the European church of the Middle Ages. So how controversial did the song \"In Christ Alone\" become in the eyes of some?\nThe General Session of the PCUSA (Presbyterian Church in America), in 2013, decided that unless the lyrics “The wrath of God was satisfied”, were changed to “the love of God was magnified”, it could not include it in its hymnals. One PCUSA minister expressed his agreement with this sentiment in his refusal to think of \"God killing Jesus\", since the cross, to him, was not an instrument of wrath. To their credit, Getty and Townsend refused to change the lyrics, thus, the PCUSA expunged the hymn. Getty and Townsend's refusal to compromise is an expression of why it is the church always needs reformed.\nThe church in every age always needs to measure its experience, doctrine, and practice by Scripture and the Lordship, Saviorship and Headship of Jesus Christ. Paul reminds us in Colossians 1:18 \"He is also head of the body, the church; and He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that He Himself will come to have first place in everything.\"\nReformation Day, October 31st\nOctober 31st will mark the 504th anniversary of the beginning of the Protestant Reformation. The Protestant Reformation was a combined effort on the part of certain leaders in 16th century Germany, France, Switzerland, England and Scotland to get Christianity back to the original truths of the Gospel revealed in the Old Testament; taught by Christ and preached by the Apostles in the New Testament; and nearly lost by Roman Catholicism in the Middle Ages (which I'm defining as spanning from 590-1517).\nOne of the doctrines that was recovered by the Reformation is summarized by the two-word phrase: “Christ Alone”. If we had lived in the 16th century, we would had heard the Reformers, who had studied theology in the Latin language, express \"Christ Alone\" as \"Solus Christus\". This truth, along with four others (grace alone, faith alone, the Bible alone, and God's glory alone), is, in terms of the history of Christian doctrine, the root from which the other four follow. In other words, if one affirms the necessity and sufficiency of Jesus Christ to convey the grace necessary for salvation and the Christian life, apart from Mary, appeals to saints, or reliance on human merit; then the four other Biblical truths (grace alone, faith alone, the Bible alone, the glory of God alone) follow. Once \"Christ Alone\" began to be eclipsed in the Middle Ages, the other \"alones\" would become altered. Truly, if the Biblical reclamation of the Gospel, which the Reformation of the 16th century sought to achieve, is to be held in the 21st century, the church must assert \"Christ Alone\".\nIn this post, I will briefly explain the Biblical, historical and personal significance of “Christ Alone”. It is important to understand what is meant by this terse phrase: \"Christ Alone\". James Montgomery Boice in his book, \"What Happened to the Gospel of Grace\", defines what is meant by this foundational doctrine of the Reformation:\n“Justification because of Christ Alone means that Jesus has done the necessary work of salvation utterly and completely, so that no merit on the part of man, no merit of the saints, no works of ours performed either here or later in purgatory, can add to His completed work.”\nSo in defining this phrase, let us first consider the Biblical foundations of this truth by observing how it is featured in an episode of Christ's earthly ministry in Mark 4:33-41.\n1. The Biblical significance of “Christ alone”. Mark 4:33-41\nIn this text we find Jesus having finished a series of parables about the Kingdom of God. As He and His disciples prepare to cross the Sea of Galilee, Jesus decides to get some rest. While He is asleep in the boat, a sudden storm blows up, rendering the Sea of Galilee into a tulmult. What follows below is a summary of three sub-themes that characterize this truth reaffirmed by the Reformers: \"Christ Alone\".\n*Christ’s Work Alone Can Save Your Soul. Mk 4:33; Mt 13:34\nMark 4:33 has a parallel in Matthew's Gospel. Matthew writes in Matthew 13:34-35 -\nAll these things Jesus spoke to the crowds in parables, and He did not speak to them without a parable. 35 This was to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet: “I will open My mouth in parables;I will utter things hidden since the foundation of the world.”\nThe reason why Matthew's remark is important is because the fulfillment attributed to Jesus derives from Psalm 78. When we turn to Psalm 78:2-4, we read:\nI will open my mouth in a parable; I will utter dark sayings of old, 3 Which we have heard and known, And our fathers have told us. 4 We will not conceal them from their children, But tell to the generation to come the praises of the Lord, And His strength and His wondrous works that He has done.\nWhy would Matthew attribute Jesus’ parables to fulfillment of Psalm 78? If we were to read Psalm 78, we would find that it rehearses the history of God’s faithfulness in delivering His people, His wondrous grace, and Sovereign purpose being fulfilled through what He promised to David. It would be Christ Himself, descended from David per His humanity, that would become our Sole Mediator. Amazingly, where Psalm 78 ends (referencing David), Matthew 13:34 picks up with referencing its fulfillment to David's descendant according to the flesh - Jesus!\nThese observations scream out \"Solus Christus\" (Christ Alone). Paul reminds us in 1 Timothy 2:5-6 For there is one God, and one mediator also between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, 6 who gave Himself as a ransom for all, the testimony given at the proper time. Also, Luke records one of the clearest summaries of the Gospel of salvation as having to do with \"Christ Alone\" in Acts 16:31, They said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.”\n*Christ’s Person Alone can soothe your troubled soul. Mark 4:35-39\nJesus is asleep. We read Mark’s account of the disciples’ accusations: “Do you not care?” Luke 8:24a grants further detail about the disciples: They came to Jesus and woke Him up, saying, “Master, Master, we are perishing!” God certainly cared for His people, even when they didn’t care about Him. Remember, Matthew is attributing Jesus’ telling of parables to fulfilling what is found in Psalm 78. Let us consider another portion of that Psalm that is relevant to Mark 4:35-38, Psalm 78:24-26 -\n\"Yet He commanded the clouds above and opened the doors of heaven; 24 He rained down manna upon them to eat And gave them food from heaven. 25 Man did eat the bread of angels; He sent them food in abundance. 26 He caused the east wind to blow in the heavens And by His power He directed the south wind.\"\nYahweh, Jehovah God, is attributed with complete authority over the wind and storm. Here in Mark, Jesus exercises Divine power over the wind and storm. He shows Himself all-caring, as well as all-able to soothe the soul.\n*Christ’s power alone addresses what can paralyze your soul. Mark 4:41\nWhat can paralyze the soul? We could name several things: Satan’s accusations, the condemnation of the law against our sin, the cravings of our flesh and intimidation. Romans 8:1 deals with Satan. 2 Corinthians 5:21 shows how God the Father credits to me Christ’s righteousness, thus appeasing the law’s condemnation. Galatians 2:20 and Romans 13:14 enable me to fight the good fight of faith against the flesh. Christ alone grounds me in silencing such things.\nBut what of fear? Intimidation? When the Disciples responded the way they did to Jesus, they were face-to-face with the fear of God. Whenever you and I have a proper fear of God, it means we fear the thought no longer sensing His presence in our lives (see Ephesians 4:30). The fear of God leads to hatred of sin (Proverbs 8:13) and is the heart of true worship, since to fear God means to be in awe of Him (see Isaiah 6). When we fear God, all other things that can bring crippling fear are put in their proper perspective.\n2. Historic significance of Christ alone.\nWhat led to the erosion of “Christ Alone” in the Roman Catholic Church (hereafter \"R.C.C\") of the Middle Ages? We could cite several causes in the long and involved history of Roman Catholic teaching, yet two major doctrines, which are still held to this day by the R.C.C, can be cited.\n*The first is the rise of Papacy.\nAs to the Pope as head of the church, the belief that the Bishop of Rome was above all other Bishops became certified shortly after the days of Pope Gregory I in 590 A.D. Gregory I never accepted attempts to make him chief among the Bishops of the Western church in his day. Regardless, Gregory's leadership and writing embodied for many what such an authority could look like. The Roman Catholic Church had taught already the doctrine of Apostolic succession, meaning that subsequent Bishops of Rome could trace their office back to Peter. Due to a certain interpretation of Matthew 16, in which Jesus states: \"upon this rock I will build my church\", many Roman Catholics today assume that Jesus was referencing Peter as \"that Rock\", hence making him the first \"Pope\". As one studies Matthew 16:18 in concert with other passages (such as Ephesians 2:20 and 1 Peter 2:6-9), the \"rock\" to which Jesus references is not Peter, nor Peter's faith, but Christ Himself.\nAs the office of Pope grew in influence, the much later crowning of the Holy Roman Emperor by Charlemene in 800 A.D. by Pope Leo III at a Christmas Mass would be a second major event. What would follow for the next several centuries would raise the question: \"who has more power, the Emperor or the Pope?\" Much of the wrangling that would ensue between the Roman Catholic Church and the Holy Roman Emperor and nations of Europe centered on that very question. Truly, whenever Christ is no longer understood as Supreme Authority in all matters of life, confusion can abound, whether in the secular realm or churchly sphere.\nThe Middle Ages had cast a trajectory that would lead the R.C.C to reaffirm Papal supremacy in the Counter Reformation church council known as \"The Council of Trent\". To risk oversimplification, we skip several centuries to developments in the 19th century. The doctrine of papal infallibility became affirmed 1870, meaning that when the Pope spoke \"ex cathedra\" or \"from the chair\" of Peter in Rome on matters affecting Roman Catholic faith and practice, he could not err in such instances. As we will see below, most of what has been spoken \"ex cathedra\" has had to do with the R.C.C view of Mary.\nThe Catechism of the Catholic Church, paragraph 882, notes of the Pope:\n\"For the Roman Pontiff, by reason of his office as Vicar of Christ, and as pastor of the entire Church has full, supreme, and universal power over the whole Church, a power which he can always exercise unhindered.\"\nThere was good reason why before the Protestant Reformation of 1517, cries for Reform were being heralded all over Europe. John Huss, in 1413, wrote in his major work,“The Church”, the following in chapter 12: \"But Christ is the Roman pontiff, just as he is the head of the universal church and every particular church.\" Huss would give his life at the stake on July 6, 1415. Ironically, the same Council of Constance that condemned Huss for opposing Papal authority was tasked with trying to resolve a 70 year long dispute as to who was the rightful Pope of the R.C.C. (known by historians as \"The Babylonian Captivity of the Church\").\nNearly a century later, the Reformer Martin Luther, who posted his 95 Theses, opposing abuses by the R.C.C over a system that distorted grace (called Indulgences), wrote near the end in thesis #94: \"Christians should be exhorted to be diligent in following Christ, their Head, through penalties, death and hell.\"\n*The second major source of erosion in the uniqueness of Jesus Christ, especially as the sole Mediator between God and sinners, came about through the elevation of Mary.\nIn the New Testament we find reference to Jesus' Mary in almost a dozen episodes. Too often, none-Catholics (also known as \"Protestants\", which was first coined at a government sanctioned meeting called \"The Diet of Spyer\" in 1529), almost ignore Mary. Mary was used greatly of God in bring forth the humanity of Jesus in the Spirit's miraculous work of His virginal conception. With that said, the opposite error is to make too much of Mary. Virtually all that the R.C.C. has taught about Mary developed through centuries of tradition, rather than from the New Testament. It may surprise some to note that after only one appearance in the Book of Acts, Mary is never mentioned again in the New Testament. If anything, Christ as the Sole Mediator between Himself and His people for their salvation and subsequent Christian life is asserted (Acts 4:12; Romans 10:9; Galatians 3:16; Ephesians 1:7; Philippians 3:7-10; Colossians 1:16-20; 1 Peter 2:6-9; 2 Peter 3:9-10, just to name a few). A couple of examples from the teaching of the R.C.C. will suffice to show how its elevation of Mary departs from the New Testament insistence upon \"Solus Christus\" (Christ Alone).\nPope Pius IX in his Apostolic Constitution \"Ineffabilis Deus\" (December 8, 1854) expressed the dogma of the Immaculate Conception, asserting the non-Biblical idea of Mary herself having been conceived without having inherited Adam's sin nature through her mother. In 1950, another pope expressed the doctrine of Mary’s assumption into Heaven, thus signifying Mary's authority to intercede for Christians in Heaven alongside Jesus. The current Catechism of the Catholic Church, paragraph 975, states: We believe that the Holy Mother of God, the new Eve, Mother of the Church, continues in heaven to exercise her maternal role on behalf of the members of Christ.\nProtestant Reformer John Calvin, in a letter to Richard LeFavre, dated January 1551, expresses one of the clearest denialsof the R.C.C doctrine of Mary as a \"Co-Redeemer\" with Christ: “it is not for us to appoint advocates in paradise, but for God, who has appointed Jesus Christ a single one for all.”\nWhy the Reformation must still carry on among our American Protestant Church world, particular evangelicalism.\nAs we saw at the beginning of this post, contemporary attacks within our American church scene on the doctrine of “Christ Alone” persists. In the 2020 “State of Theology” poll conducted by Ligonier ministries and Lifeway research, 52% affirmed that Jesus was a great teacher, but not God. Also, less than 50% of American evangelicals agree that Jesus is the only way to the Father. The slide away from Christ as the unique way to the Father and as uniquely revealing the truly Divine nature, which He shares with the Father and the Spirit as the One Triune God, is increasingly eclipsing Gospel preaching in many quarters of the American Church. This is why the effort of Reforming the church is never done. As Erwin W. Lutzer notes in his book, “Rescuing the Gospel”, our task of continual reform is more challenging, since we not only protest unity with R.C.C, but also protest the health and wealth Gospel, pluralism and attacks on Christ’s uniqueness.\n3. Personal application of “Christ Alone”.\nWe saw today those three Biblical truths of Christ’s uniqueness, or \"Christ Alone\", Christ alone means He alone can save the soul; Christ alone can soothe the soul and Christ’s power alone can address what paralyzes your soul. Let me close out this post with why this Biblical truth has personal meaning.\nIn the last few weeks, there have been a number of things I have been praying about, some of which I can honestly say could be paralyzing. The little two word phrase: “Christ alone”, or “Solus Christus”, is what has kept my faith anchored. Applying \"Christ Alone\" in the realm of prayer is exemplified by the writer of Hebrews in Hebrews 4:14-15\n\"Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. 15 For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin.\"\nI have also found in thinking upon “Christ alone”, my soul is soothed in the face of what is going on in our world, as well as waiting Him to answer some major prayer requests. Hebrews 4:16 Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.\nLastly, Christ alone can save your soul. Romans 10:9-10,\n\"that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; 10 for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation.\"", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "God sees the fatherless\nPsalm 10 also demonstrates that the Lord is the help of the helpless, even when wicked men lurk around, rejecting God’s laws. “But you, God, see the trouble of the afflicted; you consider their grief and take it in hand,” God says to the victims of these wicked men. The victims entrust themselves to you; you are the fatherless’ helper.”\nGod has adopted each Christian, and to fully comprehend the Gospel, we must first understand the theology of adoption.\nThe concept of Father, Israel’s sonship, and adoption stories such as Moses (Exodus 2:10), Genubath (1 Kings 11:20), and Esther demonstrate God’s passion for adoption (Esther 2:7).\nThe Old Testament portrays God as Father and includes approximately 40 references to the “fatherless.” These references include the commands to “correctly treat the fatherless” (Exodus 22:22) and “bring justice to the fatherless” (Isaiah 1:17). We can compare the plight of the fatherless to that of Israel while in Egyptian bondage in Deuteronomy 24:17-21. The metaphor of adoption also applies to the nation of Israel.\nGod used an adopted child.\nMoses was told to tell Pharaoh, “Thus says the LORD, Israel is my firstborn son” (Exodus 4:22). God used Moses, an adopted child, to speak about God adopting Israel as His firstborn son. Pharaoh ordered the execution of all children under the age of two, and Jochebed hid Moses in the bulrushes. Pharaoh’s daughter took in this “orphaned” child and raised him in the Pharaoh’s house.\nMoses, saved through adoption, eventually led Israel out of Egypt, the nation adopted as God’s son. Four passages in the New Testament address the theological significance of adoption, two of which use the term “orphan” and one of which is a particular case of adoption. Adoption is discussed in Galatians 4:4-7, Romans 8:14-23, Ephesians 1:3-6, and Romans 9:1-4. Instead of using the well-established language of the new birth, the Spirit-inspired Scriptures reveal imagery of adoption describing our salvation.\nSONS OUT OF SLAVES\nAdoption creates sons out of slaves in the Bible. Humanity has been enslaved to sin since Adam decided to imitate Eve by eating the fruit rather than following God. Human beings’ corrupt nature causes them to fall short of God’s glory. According to Galatians 4, God sent his Son to redeem those bound by the law to adoption as sons. Jesus offered Himself as a substitute for humanity, making sufficient atonement for our sins.\nThose who repent of their sins and confess Jesus as their Savior, God adopts into His Kingdom. “So you are no longer a slave, but a son,” says Galatians 4:7. “For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons,” says Romans 8:15. Just as God adopted the slave nation of Israel to make them the children of Israel, God adopts believers, making them sons with all the rights and privileges that come with being a son of the Sovereign.\nJoin our conference call\nYour weekly dose of prophetic wisdom and anointing awaits you. Join our LIVE Conference Call!\n1) Call 515-604-9266\n2) Go to startmeeting.com, and use the login: BishopJordan", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "Most Christians have gone through times of spiritual dryness or weariness. Like water to the thirsty ground, the Psalms offer refreshment to the thirsty soul. Based on favorite verses from the Psalms, Psalms for Life applies the wisdom of God’s Word to real-life situations in order to encourage and strengthen those who are seeking a more intimate walk with Christ. When we are weak and weary, it can be difficult to break loose from discouragement, and often we pull away from God or do not know how to regain our strength and passion for the Lord. This devotional book is a day-to-day glance at nuggets of truth that can strengthen faith that has been stretched to the limit, encourage the weary soul, and provide hope and wisdom to help you draw refreshment from the River of Life.\nRead alsoAmerican Short Stories\n22 short stories written by American writers:THE PROPHETIC PICTURES By Nathaniel Hawthorne THE LEGEND OF SLEEPY HOLLOW By Washington Irving THE GOLD-BUG By Edgar Allan Poe CORPORAL FLINT'S MURDER (From \"The Oak Openings\") By J. Fenimore Cooper UNCLE JIM AND UNCLE BILLY By Bret Harte THE NOTARY OF PERIGUEUX…", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "YhVh's creation, in all its splendor, mystery, and wonder as we find it. I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that comes after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: He shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and fire:\nEd Masterson, Old West lawman, brother of Bat Masterson\nSanpaku eyes, check.\nDemon Shine, check.\nMarshall Dodge City (they’ve been in law enforcement from the beginning.) Check.", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "New American Standard Bible\n\"What comes into your mind will not come about, when you say: 'We will be like the nations, like the tribes of the lands, serving wood and stone.'\nKing James Bible\nAnd that which cometh into your mind shall not be at all, that ye say, We will be as the heathen, as the families of the countries, to serve wood and stone.\nDarby Bible Translation\nAnd that which cometh into your mind shall not be at all, that ye say, We will be as the nations, as the families of the countries, in serving wood and stone.\nWorld English Bible\nand that which comes into your mind shall not be at all, in that you say, We will be as the nations, as the families of the countries, to serve wood and stone.\nYoung's Literal Translation\nAnd that which is going up on your mind, It is not at all -- in that ye are saying: We will be as the nations, as the families of the lands, To serve wood and stone.\nEzekiel 20:32 Parallel\nCommentaryBarnes' Notes on the Bible\nGod's future dealings with His people:\n(1) in judgment Ezekiel 20:32-38;\n(2) in mercy Ezekiel 20:39-44.\nThe inquirers had thought that if Jerusalem were taken, and the whole people became sojourners in a foreign land, they would cease to be a separate nation. In their love for idolatry some may have even desired this. But more probably they thought that this very consequence precluded the possibility of such a catastrophe. God answers that He will not allow them to become as the pagan, but this will only subject them to severer trial and stricter rule.\nLibraryManner of Covenanting.\nPrevious to an examination of the manner of engaging in the exercise of Covenanting, the consideration of God's procedure towards his people while performing the service seems to claim regard. Of the manner in which the great Supreme as God acts, as well as of Himself, our knowledge is limited. Yet though even of the effects on creatures of His doings we know little, we have reason to rejoice that, in His word He has informed us, and in His providence illustrated by that word, he has given us to …\nJohn Cunningham—The Ordinance of Covenanting\nCovenanting Sanctioned by the Divine Example.\n\"Keep your feet from being unshod And your throat from thirst; But you said, 'It is hopeless! No! For I have loved strangers, And after them I will walk.'\n\"But rather we will certainly carry out every word that has proceeded from our mouths, by burning sacrifices to the queen of heaven and pouring out drink offerings to her, just as we ourselves, our forefathers, our kings and our princes did in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem; for then we had plenty of food and were well off and saw no misfortune.\nThen the Spirit of the LORD fell upon me, and He said to me, \"Say, 'Thus says the LORD, \"So you think, house of Israel, for I know your thoughts.\nJump to PreviousCountries Families Heathen Lands Mind Minds Nations Peoples Servants Serve Serving Stone Thought Tribes Want Wood World Worship\nJump to NextCountries Families Heathen Lands Mind Minds Nations Peoples Servants Serve Serving Stone Thought Tribes Want Wood World Worship\nLinksEzekiel 20:32 NIV\nEzekiel 20:32 NLT\nEzekiel 20:32 ESV\nEzekiel 20:32 NASB\nEzekiel 20:32 KJV\nEzekiel 20:32 Bible Apps\nEzekiel 20:32 Biblia Paralela\nEzekiel 20:32 Chinese Bible\nEzekiel 20:32 French Bible\nEzekiel 20:32 German Bible\nEzekiel 20:32 Commentaries", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "Hour of God's Judgement: Joseph Smith's Paradigm of the Last Days\nAuthor: Vern Swanson\n\"Being a candle while in a Christian culture is hardly noticeable; but now we have the privilege of being a candle in the growing night of spiritual darkness.\"\n-Neal A. Maxwell\nJoseph Smith foresaw a 41-year, 8-month period \"Hour of [God's] judgments\" upon the earth, which culminates with the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. Beyond this, Joseph did not elaborate. Swanson has used this template to insert other timeframes and events that Joseph didn't discuss. The author believes that his own speculations should be questioned, but Joseph's paradigm is correct.\nYou might also be interested in these items\nLeadership for the Violent Last Days : LDS Guide for Surviving the Dark Years to Come\nThe New Jerusalem: A Holy City Not Forsaken\nJourney To The Veil: Part 2\n33 Ways God Is Preparing the World for the Second Coming", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "Today I had coffee with a local pastor. He’s a good friend and someone I really respect and am having a blast getting to know. He said something simple in passing that struck me as interesting and worth sharing.\nHis church, a local fellowship in Marseille, has 40 members. That’s what he told me. On their little rolodex in the office somewhere, 40 members. 40 people receiving newsletters. 40 people who call themselves members of this particular church. 40 total people, not families. Not too odd. Most evangelical churches in France I would guess hover in the 20-60 range.\nBut you know what? They average 60+ for Sunday worship (excluding les vacances of course!). Yes, average attendance is higher than membership. It’s not that this church is suddenly on revival and growing so fast the secretary can’t keep up. That’s just how it is.\nIf you live in the USA and go to church, ask your pastor/secretary/record-keeper sometime the number of members of the church. For most churches, even small ones, I would guess that number to be in the thousands. Now take a visual survey of how many people are in the worship service on Sunday, and do some division. This is a total guess, but I’d say it’s maybe less than 30% of the membership (and feel free to tell me if I’m wrong).\nSo why does this church in France have less members than attendees when most churches in the USA have vastly more members than weekly attenders? Well in France, having your name on a membership roll doesn’t get you anything. No one would tell their neighbors they attend a church they don’t really attend. Why heap ridicule on yourself? No one identifies themselves as a Christian, especially not an evangelical church-going Christian, unless they really mean it. So in the same way, no one asks to be a member of a church unless they are truly committed in every facet of their lives.", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "Books & Bibles\nFashion & Jewelry\nGifts & Giving\nHome Decor & Accents\nKitchen & Gourmet\nBeauty & Health\nChristian Bookstore .Net is a leading online Christian book store.\nShop Christian Books, Bibles, Jewelry, Church Supplies, Homeschool Curriculum & More!\nMarget Barnardsen, the daughter of a knight, is to be married to the Earl of Lytham, but when her introduction to court goes awry and Queen Elizabeth despises her, Marget will do whatever it takes to discover how she failed and win her husband back.\nBorn with the face of an angel, Marget Barnardsen is blessed. Her father is a knight, and now she is to be married to the Earl of Lytham. her destiny is guaranteed...at least, it would seem so. But when her introduction to court goes awry and Queen Elizabeth despises her, Marget fears she's lost her husband forever. Desperate to win him back, she'll do whatever it takes to discover how she failed and capture again the love of a man bound to the queen.\nBuy Constant Heart, A by Siri Mitchell from our Christian Books store - isbn: 9780764204319 & 0764204319\nThe team at Christian Bookstore .Net welcome you to our Christian Book store! We offer the best selections of Christian Books, Bibles, Christian Music, Inspirational Jewelry and Clothing, Homeschool curriculum, and Church Supplies. We encourage you to purchase your copy of Constant Heart, A by Siri Mitchell today - and if you are for any reason not happy, you have 30 days to return it. Please contact us at 1-877-205-6402 if you have any questions.\nCustomer Support: 1-888-395-0572", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "THREE years ago, Gospel musician Happy Odonkor was suspended from her church, Hebron Prayer Centre, for allegedly snatching someone’s husband. She was also accused of fornication by getting pregnant for the man.\nAlthough she was suspended for investigations to be conducted into the matter, three years on, Happy says nothing was done about it and she believes she has not been treated well by the church.\nGet Digital Versions of Graphic Publications by downloading Graphic NewsPlus Here. Also available in the Google Play Store and Apple App Store\nIn an interview with Showbiz, Happy Odonkor said she didn’t want to talk about it but she wanted her name to be cleared because of the embarrassment she had been through.\n“I was called by church leaders that I have been suspended for snatching someone’s husband and getting pregnant for the man. They didn’t even hear my side of the story.\n“I wanted the issue to die out but some of the church members see me and point fingers at me for being a husband snatcher and I want them to come out and tell the truth to everyone because it is affecting me,” Happy Odonkor said.\nExplaining her side of the story, Happy said her husband’s ex-wife lied to the church’s leaders that she was still married to the man and they believed her without allowing her (Happy) to tell her side of the story.\nShe said she had been a member of the church for six years and felt the decision taken by the church leaders was harsh because proper investigation was not done.\n“It is a huge embarrassment to me and my family because I am married to the man and I am not even pregnant for him as the church leaders claim,” Happy Odonkor revealed.\nWhen Showbiz contacted the church, one of the leaders of the Hebron Prayer Centre, Elder Wofa Achia, said the church did not know Happy was married because she never told them, so if a woman claimed to be married to the singer’s husband, they had to side with her.\n“I don’t want to go into details but we gave Happy the opportunity to state her side of the story but we were not convinced with her explanation, hence the decision to suspend her,” he said.\nAccording to him, although it hurt that Happy was no longer a part of the church, the decision had to be taken to bring sanity to the church.\nHappy Odonkor has songs such as Meda Wo Ase, God You Are Too Much, Sumsum Kronkron, Soma Wabofour and Wasesa Me to her credit.", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "Hello ALL –\nWayne and I are THRILLED to announce 2 firsts: #1 — we’re having our first event in our newly renovated community room (we really need a much more exciting name for it) and (2) it’s going to be a “Hymn Sing”.\nWhat is a “Hymn Sing”?\nThe whole church is invited on Sunday, March 25th (5:30 pm) to a pot luck at 100 Linden. Afterwards, we’re all going to be given some hymns to learn (led by Charles and Amanda Roberts) for Easter Sunday. The Robertses will be placing us in our own sections: Soprano, Alto, Tenor, Bass and we’ll be learning our parts for this music.\nThis means the WHOLE church will be the Easter Choir!\nPlease RSVP to me so I can be sure we have food assignments divided up for a nice meal before hand. KIDSare invited, and hopefully some of them will even join the singing. (BABYSITTING PROVIDED).", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "I have found myself – and maybe you have too – chatting with other Catholics about the state of the Church and how it needs to improve, whether by enforcing reverence at Mass, imposing a dress code (skirts for women, ties for men), policing the Bishops, or outlawing guitar music. You know how it goes: it begins with giggling about Fr. Distracted’s tendency to wander off topic during the homily, and the next thing I know,\nI’ve condemned every person in the pews for not being as pious as me.\nIt may be there are serious errors in my parish, and to be sure the Church must be vigilant against false teaching and laxity. To judge words or actions is not wrong. However, we cannot compromise fundamentals of the faith, and charity demands that when we spot error we should speak up, with love, and out of concern for the soul of the person in error. Where I go wrong is when I judge the state of a person’s soul, and in fact it has dreadful repercussions because I am essentially inviting God to judge me in the same way.\nReading Coren’s column reminded me that I tend to pickle-up - become cranky and cantankerous - when I think that only I have it all figured out. I turn into a miserable person, and that is no way to effect positive change within my parish community. Nobody was ever inspired by a sour-faced saint!\nJoy is key to living a full Catholic life. As Catholics, we believe in the death and resurrection of Christ. Because of Him, we have the hope of eternal salvation – a life of unending glory in the presence of God. Through the great love and mercy of God, we have freedom from sin. We have purpose in this life, and know it continues into the next. We have the promise of being united with all our loved ones and the great host of saints in heaven.\nWhen I grumble about ‘the state of things’, most of the time it comes from my devotion to the Church, and my sincere desire for everyone to know God’s love. It’s good to be reminded that more hearts will be won for Christ if I hold on to that joy, rather than the conviction that I am right about Fr. Distracted, the Bishops, and the guitars.\nAnd he brought forth his people with joy, and his chosen with gladness ~ Ps. 104:43", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "You are seated in the heavenlies with me\nTogether and individually.\nYou are now in me\nI in you and you in me.\nNever need you ever fear –\nMy perfect love casts out all fear.\nIt is here you know my perfect love surrounds\nIt is here you know resurrection life abounds.\nYou are seated here with me –\nLive now victoriously!\nTogether you sit – together in me.\nMove now together with me.", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "He was born near Mt. Eaton on September 11, 1930 to the late Noah D. and Susie (Hershberger) Troyer and had previously worked at the former Cottage Creamery in Orrville. He provided transportation for the Amish community. He was a member of the Fairlawn Mennonite Church.\nHe is survived by his twin brother, David (Betty) Troyer of Apple Creek; a sister, Fannie Keim of Apple Creek; a sister-in-law, Emma Troyer of Dalton; and numerous nieces and nephews.\nIn addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by brothers, Atlee, Andrew and Perry.\nFuneral services will be held on Saturday, May 18, 2013 at 11:00 AM at the Fairlawn Mennonite Church, 8520 Emerson Road, Apple Creek, with Pastor Duane Detweiler officiating. Burial will be in the Bethany Conservative Mennonite Church Cemetery near Holmesville. Friends may call on Friday, May 17, 2013 from 5-8 PM at the Fairlawn Mennonite Church or one hour prior to services on Saturday at the church. Spidell Funeral Home in Mount Eaton is handling the arrangements.\nMemorial contributions may be made to the Fairlawn Mennonite Church, 8520 Emerson Road, Apple Creek, OH 44606.\nSpidell Funeral Home in Mount Eaton", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "I am God Most High! The only sacrifice I want is for you to be thankful and to keep your word. Pray to me in time of trouble. I will rescue you, and you will honour me. (Psalms 50:14, 15 CEV)\nSometimes it really feels like a sacrifice, being grateful, thankful, being truthful and keeping promises…other times those attitudes and actions flow from us without any reservation, any holding back. Our current situation, our failure to see the blessings, because they are obscured by the NON-blessings, our simple lack of attention to saying “thank you” can cause us to agree more with the bumper sticker that reads, “S–t happens!” than to bring the sacrifice of thanksgiving to God in response to the bumper sticker that reads, “Blessings happen!” So read the two verses above to understand that God understands that overt gratefulness can be a sacrifice…but He wants it…not for HIM..but for us.\nLikewise, being truthful and keeping our promises, asking for His help. Yes, ASKING for help, even when it feels like pulling teeth without an anesthesia, Pray, Ask and He will not leave you hanging.\nMost of all, these sacrifices Honor God! Read all of Psalm 50 and without a doubt you will see His resources are endless and you will see the contrast between those who trust Him and those who don’t.\nConsider the old story of the two young boys whose parents tried an experiment, giving the pessimist of two, a pony and the optimist, a room full of manure. The pessimist immediately started belly aching, “This is going to be more work than he’s worth, cleaning out his stall, feeding him…and on and on. The optimist opened the door and saw the manure piled high in the stall and immediately grabbed a shovel and started digging. “What are doing?” His amazed parents asked. He looked up grinning, “With all this manure, there is bound to be a pony in here somewhere!”\nWhich child of God am I?Honor God and He will lift you out of all the “S–t Happens!” moments and open your eyes to the blessings all around!", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "by Christopher A. Ferrara\nFebruary 20, 2017\nIt would be humorous if it were not so annoyingly disingenuous. Cardinal Müller continues to insist that Amoris Laetitia (AL) is perfectly orthodox even after publication by the Vatican’s publishing house of Cardinal Francesco Coccopalmerio’s pamphlet on Chapter VIII of AL, declaring that people living in “irregular situations” — i.e. divorced and “remarried” or cohabiting — should be granted absolution and admitted to Holy Communion if they “sincerely seek” the sacraments following a “period of discernment.” And Müller continues to criticize bishops for giving AL the same interpretation endorsed by the Pope himself in his letter to the bishops of Buenos Aires.", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "John's Gospel:a new look- no 25 The Promise of the Holy Spirit\nJohn’s Gospel –a new look no.25 “God in you, the work of The Helper”.\nChristianity is a movement that is worldwide and for God to be working in every place at every time the Holy Spirit as an indwelling gift makes this miracle possible(Jn.14:17; 16:7). John records this fact and in the next chapters Jesus will explain much about the “Spirit of Truth.”\nJesus has just told his disciples that he is leaving to return to the Father and this would have been of concern to them. Yes he would return, but what about the time in between? So Jesus assures them that they will not be left alone.\nIn the “Great Commission” as recorded in Mathew 28:18/19 Jesus assures his followers that he will be with them to the end of the age. How can that be? On the day of Pentecost (Acts 2:38) Peter tells the crowd that if they repent and are baptized they will “receive the gift of the Holy Spirit”.\nSo the promise Jesus made has become a reality. He will not leave them \"as orphans\" as he explained in John 14:18 (N.I.V.) The Holy Spirit is available to every believer who then is empowered to be the person that God intended them to be. With this promise comes “the peace that passes understanding” as Paul puts it in Philippians 4:7.\nUnfortunately the work and function of the Holy Spirit is often misunderstood and often abused. This has had a negative effect on Christianity. In actual fact it is a vital part of God’s great plan to bridge the gap between the physical and spiritual world. It is “God with you and living in you.” (John 14:17 cp. 1 Cor.6:19)", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "Key New Testament passages on...\nDignity of the Human Person and the Right to Life\nThe good Samaritan recognized the dignity in the other and cared for\nI Corinthians 3:16-17\nDo you not know that you are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of\nGod dwells in you? If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy\nthat person; for the temple of God, which you are, is holy.\nEvery individual, precisely by reason of the mystery of the Word of God who was made flesh (cf. Jn 1:14), is entrusted to the maternal care of the Church. Therefore every threat to human dignity and life must necessarily be felt in the Church's very heart; it cannot but affect her at the core of her faith in the Redemptive Incarnation of the Son of God, and engage her in her mission of proclaiming the Gospel of life in all the world and to every creature (cf. Mk 16:15). Evangelium Vitae, #3\nHuman Rights and Responsibilities\nThe rich man has a responsibility to care for Lazarus.\nThere was not a needy person among them.\n2 Corinthians 9:6-15\nGod’s gifts are given to be shared.\nIn human society one man's natural right gives rise to a corresponding duty in other men; the duty, that is, of recognizing and respecting that right. Every basic human right draws its authoritative force from the natural law, which confers it and attaches to it its respective duty. Hence, to claim one's rights and ignore one's duties, or only half fulfill them, is like building a house with one hand and tearing it down with the other. Pacem in Terris, #30\nCall to Family, Community and Participation\nThis is my commandment: love one another as I have loved you.\nLife among the believers.\nWe are one body, individually members one of another.\n1 John 4:19-21\nThose who love God must love their brothers and sisters.\nEconomic and social policies as well as organization of the work world should be continually evaluated in light of their impact on the strength and stability of family life. The long-range future of this nation is intimately linked with the well-being of families, for the family is the most basic form of human community. Efficiency and competition in the marketplace must be moderated by greater concern for the way work schedules and compensation support or threaten the bonds between spouses and between parents and children. Economic Justice for All, #93\nOption for the Poor and Vulnerable\nJesus proclaims his mission: to bring good news to the poor and\nBlessed are the poor, theirs is the kingdom of God.\nMatthew 25: 31-46\nJust as you did it to the least of these, you did it to me.\n1 John 3:17-18\nHow does God’s love abide in anyone who has the world’s good and\nsees one in need and refuses to help?\nIn teaching us charity, the Gospel instructs us in the preferential respect due to the poor and the special situation they have in society: the more fortunate should renounce some of their rights so as to place their goods more generously at the service of others. Octogesima Adveniens, #23\nDignity of Work and Rights of Workers\nAll workers should be paid a just and living wage.\nThe Sabbath was made for people, not people for the Sabbath.\nPractice integrity in your work.\nThose who become rich by abusing their workers have sinned against\nThe obligation to earn one's bread by the sweat of one's brow also presumes the right to do so. A society in which this right is systematically denied, in which economic policies do not allow workers to reach satisfactory levels of employment, cannot be justified from an ethical point of view, nor can that society attain social peace. Centesimus Annus, #43\nSolidarity and the Common Good\n1 Corinthians 12:12-26\nIf one member of Christ’s body suffers, all suffer. If one member is\nhonored, all rejoice.\n1 John 3:16-18\nThe love of God in us is witnessed by our willingness to lay down our\nlives for others as Christ did for us.\nSolidarity is not a feeling of vague compassion or shallow distress at the misfortunes of so many people, both near and far. On the contrary, it is a firm and persevering determination to commit oneself to the common good; that is to say, to the good of all and of each individual, because we are all really responsible for all. Sollicitudo Rei Socialis, #38\nCare for God’s Creation\nGod loves and cares for all of creation.\nCreation reveals the nature of God.\n1 Corinthians 10:26\nCreation and all created things are inherently good because they are of\nThe environment is God's gift to everyone, and in our use of it we have a responsibility towards the poor, towards future generations and towards humanity as a whole. . . Our duties towards the environment are linked to our duties towards the human person, considered in himself and in relation to others. It would be wrong to uphold one set of duties while trampling on the other. Caritas in Veritate, #48, 51\nPeace & Reconciliation\nBlessed are the peacemakers, they will be called children of God.\nBe reconciled to one another before coming to the altar.\n2 Corinthians 5:17-20\nGod has reconciled us to himself through Christ and given us the\nministry of reconciliation.\nGod reconciled everything in Christ, making peace through the blood\nof his cross.\nMost characteristic of Jesus' actions are those in which he showed his love. As he had commanded others, his love led him even to the giving of his own life to effect redemption. Jesus' message and his actions were dangerous ones in his time, and they led to his death - a cruel and viciously inflicted death, a criminal's death (Gal. 3:13). In all of his suffering, as in all of his life and ministry, Jesus refused to defend himself with force or with violence. He endured violence and cruelty so that God's love might be fully manifest and the world might be reconciled to the One from whom it had become estranged. Even at his death, Jesus cried out for forgiveness for those who were his executioners: \"Father, forgive them . . .\" (Lk. 23:34).\nOnly in light of this can Jesus' gift of peace - a peace which the world cannot give (Jn. 14:27) - be understood. Jesus gives that peace to his disciples, to those who had witnessed the helplessness of the crucifixion and the power of the resurrection (Jn. 20:19, 20, 26). The peace which he gives to them as he greets them as their risen Lord is the fullness of salvation. It is the reconciliation of the world and God (Rom. 5:1-2; Col. 1:20); the restoration of the unity and harmony of all creation which the Old Testament spoke of with such longing.\nJesus Christ, then, is our peace, and in his death-resurrection he gives God's peace to our world. In him God has indeed reconciled the world, made it one, and has manifested definitely that his will is this reconciliation, this unity between God and all peoples, and among the peoples themselves. The way to union has been opened, the covenant of peace established. The risen Lord's gift of peace is inextricably bound to the call to follow Jesus and to continue the proclamation of God's reign…. Discipleship reaches out to the ends of the earth and calls for reconciliation among all peoples so that God's purpose, \"a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him\" (Eph. 1:10), will be fulfilled.\nThe fullness of eschatological peace remains before us in hope and yet the gift of peace is already ours in the reconciliation effected in Jesus Christ. These two profoundly religious meanings of peace inform and influence all other meanings for Christians. Because we have been gifted with God's peace in the risen Christ, we are called to our own peace and to the making of peace in our world. As disciples and as children of God, it is our task to seek for ways in which to make the forgiveness, justice and mercy and love of God visible in a world where violence and enmity are too often the norm. The Challenge of Peace\nFor further reading:", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "Have you ever heard a protective father announce, \"Any boy that wants to date my daughter has to go through me first-and my gun\"? Though we laugh at his fierce, half-joking remark, we know there's an element of truth in it, too. Though we all want to protect our daughters from harm, there are steps we can take as parents to instill right values in them so that hopefully the \"gun\" never becomes a necessity . . . Carolyn Gullett is a wife and mother of two sons. She serves with her husband Delmar as Care Pastors of Life Church in Fort Myers, Florida. It is a passion of hers to mentor young ladies to fulfill the call of God on their lives, to know and experience the unconditional love of their heavenly father and if they wish to marry to not be unequally yoked. Not only is she a pastor, but she also has a prophetic voice to the body of Christ. If you wish to contact her, you may email her at PastorDelmar@lifechurch.net.", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "Our legal team took action yesterday against the city of Duncanville, TX for barring a Hispanic Church from taking possession of the building they had purchased. Pastor Ramorez’s Templo Bautista Nuevo Jerusalen purchased a building on Main Street and complied with a multitude of requirements in order to receive a Special Utilities Permit. The City Council then denied the church occupancy of its building. We reminded the City of Duncanville that one person’s hostility towards churches, for whatever discriminatory reason, cannot take away the constitutional right of a church to gather and worship.\nRead the Dallas Morning News story and stay tuned as this case unfolds.", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "An integral part of Christian faith is serving the world in love. We believe that we live our lives as a grateful response to God’s grace and love.\nMembers of First English are actively engaged in serving the local community and the whole world. Here are some of the ways we do that. We invite you to join us in this good work.\nMicah 6 is a food pantry ministry and more. First English was a founding member, along with other churches in the University of Texas area. We donate money, food, and work at the pantry helping to stock shelves and serve clients.\nELCA World Hunger and Disaster Response\nGod’s Work, Our Hands Sunday\nEach year on the first Sunday of the September, congregations in the ELCA celebrate a day of service called “God’s Work. Our Hands.” It’s a day to work directly in our community for the good of all.\nCongregational Benevolence and Special Offerings\nThrough our offerings and our church budget, we are dedicated to supporting church and non-profit organizations doing a wide variety of service to others. Some of these include:\n- North Central Care Givers of Austin\n- ELCA World Hunger\n- ELCA Disaster Relief\n- iACT – Interfaith Action of Central Texas\n- Micah 6 Food Pantry\n- University of Texas Lutheran Campus Ministry\n- Texas State University Lutheran Campus Ministry\n- Lutheran Seminary Program of Austin\n- CrossTrails Outdoor/Camping Ministries\n- Capital South Conference Mission Support\n- FELC CDC Tuition Support\n- Texas Lutheran University\n- Our Savior Lutheran Communion mission, Boerne\nIn our Daily Lives\nWe encourage, support, and uplift one another to serve God by serving the world in our daily work, and in all the ways we help others. Whether done through the church, with our families, or as individuals, all of our acts of love and care for others are an expression of our faith in God through Christ Jesus.", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "SUZANNE M. SPAHR age 71 (nee Sanders) of Berea. Beloved wife of Richard. Loving mother of the late Chrisie. Dear sister of Bonnie Haskell and Allen Sanders (Denise). Sister-in-law, aunt and friend of many. Mass of Christian burial Wednesday September 9, 2020 St. Mary Church (Berea) at 10 A.M. Interment Holy Cross Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, donations suggested to the church.\nFriends received Tuesday 4-7 P.M. (with social distancing and mask required) at the A. RIPEPI & SONS FUNERAL HOME, 18149 BAGLEY ROAD, MIDDLEBURG HEIGHTS (WEST OF I-71).\nTo send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of SUZANNE M (SANDERS) SPAHR, please visit our floral store.", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "Pope Francis: conversion leads Christians closer to full communion\nJanuary 26, 2016\nPope Francis concluded the 2016 Week of Prayer for Christian Unity by celebrating Vespers at the Basilica of Saint Paul Outside the Walls on January 25.\nSt. Paul’s conversion on the road to Damascus was “not primarily a moral conversion but rather an transforming experience of the grace of Christ, and at the same time, a call to the new mission of announcing to everyone the Jesus that he previously persecuted by persecuting the disciples of Christ,” Pope Francis preached.\n“For those first Christians, like today for all of us baptized Christians, it is a source of comfort and of constant amazement to know that we have been chosen to be part of God’s plan of salvation, put into effect through Jesus Christ and through the Church,” he continued. “The Father loves us all and wants to save us all, and for this reason He calls some people, conquering them through His grace, so that through them His love can reach all people.”\nStating that Christians progress on the road to full communion “above all as we convert ourselves to the Lord, who through His grace, chooses and calls us to be His disciples,” the Pope asked for forgiveness for the sins of Catholics and encouraged Catholics to forgive non-Catholic Christians:\nIn this Extraordinary Jubilee Year of Mercy, we must always keep in mind that there cannot be an authentic search for Christian unity without trusting fully in the Father’s mercy. We ask first of all for forgiveness for the sins of our divisions, which are an open wound in the Body of Christ. As Bishop of Rome and pastor of the Catholic Church, I want to ask for mercy and forgiveness for the behavior of Catholics towards Christians of other Churches which has not reflected Gospel values. At the same time, I invite all Catholic brothers and sisters to forgive if they, today or in the past, have been offended by other Christians.\nFor all current news, visit our News home page.\n- Concluding the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity 2016.01.25 (Holy See Press Office)\n- Celebrazione dei Secondi Vespri della Solennità della Conversione di San Paolo Apostolo, a conclusione della Settimana di preghiera per l’Unità dei Cristiani, 25.01.2016 (Holy See Press Office)\n- Pope Francis: homily for Christian Unity Vespers (Vatican Radio)\n- Background: Week of Prayer for Christian Unity (CWN, 1/18)\nAll comments are moderated. To lighten our editing burden, only current donors are allowed to Sound Off. If you are a donor, log in to see the comment form; otherwise please support our work, and Sound Off!", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "Jimmie Booze gives an insightful application of what he calls “The Seven Elements of Prayer”, revealing how we ought to: Reverence God, Surrender our will to Him, have Confidence in His daily provisions, Self-Examine our hearts, trust His Guidance and Deliverance in times of temptation and spiritual attack; and give Him the Praise & Worship due to Him. You have never heard the “Lord’s Prayer” explained like this!\nJimmie F. Booze, has been in the gospel ministry for over 40 years. He has been married to his lovely wife Theresa E. Booze for 39 years at this publishing. He is a father of three lovely daughters and four grandchildren. He’s a dynamic preacher, a prolific bible teachers and a man of vision.\nThroughout the Bible we are taught that we are \"many members but one body\".\nWe are also informed that our enemy comes to 'kill, steal and destroy\".\n\"The Lord's Prayer\" give us the wisdom, knowledge and understanding we need live victorious lives; free from sin.\nThe Lord’s Relationship Prayer\nThat They May be One\nOne of the most powerful prayers that Jesus prayed had to do with our becoming one in Him. Not only does it call us to unity, it give us a since of who we are in the world. Lets listen in on a portion of Jesus' prayer; “I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil. They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth. As thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world. And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth. Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word; That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me. And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one: I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me. John 17: 15-23\nWOW! You see the Lord not only wants us to be one, but he wants everyone that we reach with our testimony, to become one with us. He wants us to have a fellowship and an affinity with one another that will distinguish us (make us peculiar) from the world!\nWe see by the prayer of the Lord, that it is not the will of God for us to be delivered out of every contrary situation in our lives, but to effect and transform every situation into the glory of God. Our oneness in Christ becomes the hallmark of our existence. The world will come to know us by our love and unity for one another. Ps. 133:1 declares; “Oh how good and pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity.” It is something to behold!\nHaving unity, without uniformity, is of utmost importance. We don’t have to see “eye to eye” to “walk hand in hand”. Our difference is what makes us unique. The Lord has uniquely prepared us for a specific purpose and assignment in the world. As such, we all can’t function in the same capacity in Christ. 1Cor. 12: 4-6 says that; “Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. And there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord. And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all”. And we are “fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth” (Eph. 4:16). Therefore, it is imperative that we all look to each other in order to reach our full potential in the Lord. For if we are disconnected from the body, flying solo in God, we will not be able to fulfill God’s will for our lives. We need what only the other members of the body can supply. You see we are limited in our ability to get anything done in the Lord by ourselves. Our interdependence on one another is crucial! Just as a clock has many parts but one purpose; to tell time, so is the body of Christ with many members, but one God to glorify! If we are out of relationship with our brother, it’s like having a clogged artery; stopping the flow of vital oxygen and nutrients from reaching every part of the body, and is met sometimes with devastating consequences.\nWe cannot get caught up in the many wonderful gift and talents that others display amongst us. We must focus on growing and developing what God has put in us. Realizing that we are all connected and dependent on none another, we must focus on doing our part well. The scripture say in Romans 12:5; “So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another.” We are the body of Christ, first and foremost. And our unique gifting and talents should never become a source of discord amongst the brethren. For if there was one thing the Lord hates, it is “He who sows discord, amongst the brethren” Prov. 6:16-19; “These six things doth the LORD hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him: A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief, A false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren.” We sow discord and cause division in the body of Christ by what comes out of our mouths. We must guard our hearts, that our mouths might speak only the love of God. Jesus says that “it is not what goes into a man’s mouth that defiles him, it’s what comes out.” And that “out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth will speak” Seeing that the Lord has chosen to put the power of life and death in our tongue, we might want to watch what comes out of it. For by it we will either bless or we will curse; we will either give life to; or cause the death of the very person we are trying to serve.\nPhilippians 1:27 says; “Only let your conversation be as it becometh the gospel of Christ: that whether I come and see you, or else be absent, I may hear of your affairs, that ye stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel;” In Ephesians 4: 4-6; we read, “There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; One Lord, one faith, one baptism, One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.” We Are Family!\nAs we look into the structure of the “Lord’s Prayer” as given to the disciples, we are met with some very powerful principles that will allow us to fight off any attack of the enemy! We know that the number one goal of the devil is to “kill, steal and destroy” God’s children; and anything the Lord has provided for us! Our glory and power to rule is given to us in the confines of the principles found in the Lord’s Prayer.\nThe elements of the prayer will enable us to “fight the good fight of faith”. We will find Kingdom strategies that will thwart all the plans of the demons assigned to our lives. This is our TABERNACLE! If we dwell within its outer and inner courts we will find what it is that we ought to do in this fight. And allowing the holiest of holies (the Holy Ghost and fire) to enter our hearts and mind, we will find ourselves surrounded by His glory! Let take a look at this most powerful and instructive prayer.\nThe Lord’s Prayer\n“…Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. 10. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. 11. Give us this day our daily bread. 12. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. 13. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen.”", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "Image Credit: otherthings on Flickr\nThis is part of an 11-session series for 11-14 year olds, teaching our mission statement and the importance of it’s values:\nWe exist to learn to follow Jesus, to show honour to God, to use our gifts to serve, to support each other, and to share our faith.\nSession Aim: To look at what it means to honour God\nActivity: Barmy Bowing Bonanza\nSplit the group so that they stand on opposite sides of the room. Explain that all they have to do is walk around the room, BUT they must be polite and courteous to everyone else and not allow their backs to be shown to anyone! At all times they must face towards the others and bow to them while saying “How do you doâ€Â. In practice this means that they must think and move very carefully to avoid ‘offending’ anyone by showing them their back. If a leaders spots that a back has been shown to someone, that person is out. Keep going until only one or two are left in. Try this game a few times.\nExplain that showing honour is about giving proper respect to something, like bowing to the Queen. God deserves all of our honour and respect.\nRead: Matthew 22:35-38\nOne Pharisee, who was an expert on the law of Moses, asked Jesus this question to test him: “Teacher, which command in the law is the most important?â€Â\nJesus answered, “ ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’ This is the first and most important command.\nIllustration: The Incredibles\nShow the clip from near the end of the movie (Chapter 29, 1:36:00 – 1:37:48) when the Incredibles beat the giant robot and the crowd come out to applaud them. Explain that everyone wanted to show their thanks and appreciation for what they had done. We are constantly told by the Bible to do the same thing for God!\n- Who do you have respect for? Why?\n- In what ways do you show respect to God at the moment? Are there ways that you could show more honour?\n- Honour and Respect is sometimes explained as Worship. Have you ever had a time when you really worshipped God and thanked Him for what he’s done?\n- Pray that God will help you to realise ways in which you can give Him more honour.\n- Pray for any issues affecting the group this week.\nTry to spend a few minutes each day saying thanks to God for something, even if it’s something really small. This is part of honouring Him.\nFurther Reading: Proverbs 15:33\nRespect for the Lord will teach you wisdom.\nIf you want to be honoured, you must be humble.", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "Martha and Mary: there is a time for everything\n“At the feet of Jesus”? Or: “Of service be to Jesus”? Jesus Himself gave Mary and Martha a clear answer. But this can be quite confusing. Two small words, namely περισπάω and τυρβάζω, provide clarification.\nWe don’t know how many guests there were. A little earlier in the biblical passage we read about the return of the 70 disciples. Jesus was definitely not alone when He was in Bethany (Luke 10: 38–42). For “it happened as they went that he [Jesus] entered a certain village”.\nBethany was a haven for Jesus, where He found peace and rest. This was the place where three of the four people lived of whom the gospel of John says that the Lord loved them: the siblings Martha, Mary, and Lazarus.\nLady of the house and disciple\nAs the obviously older sister, Martha had the role of mistress or lady of the house—and was responsible for looking after the guests. This was not only based on the biblical injunction to offer hospitality to strangers, but was above all a matter of reverence.\nWhat Mary did, however, was quite inappropriate. She sat at the feet of the Master, listening to Him like a disciple. Under normal circumstances, a rabbi’s daughter might still have been tolerated, if she had also been married to a rabbi. But this was different.\nRole model and representative\nThere was plenty to do. Martha was busy with the preparations and therefore asked the Lord to tell Mary to help her. In the end, however, it was she who was reprimanded by Him: “Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her.”\nThis situation is highly symbolic. Martha represents a type of person, who lives her faith in a practical kind of way and busies herself with social activity. Mary, on the other hand, represents the quiet and reflective side of religious contemplation. Does Jesus here really speak out against the generous and giving type of character and for the receiving temperament?\nFar ahead of the other disciples\nEven Mary is not reduced to a passive kind of devoutness, however. In John 12 we read that it is she who washes the feet of Jesus with precious oil. In this anticipated unction she manifests her understanding of the nearing of His sacrificial death—something the other disciples had yet to understand.\nNor does Martha exhaust herself in constant activity. In John 11 it is she who professes: “Yes, Lord, I believe that You are the Christ, the Son of God, who is to come into the world”—an understanding that the other disciples only reach at the end of the gospel.\nBelief needs both\nA closer look at the Greek text shows us what this is really about. When the English-language Bible says that Martha was troubled about many things, the Greek uses the expression perispaó. In essence this means: being torn, being completely caught up in something, being distracted.\nAnd when Jesus speaks about Martha being troubled over many things, the Greek uses the word tyrbázo, whose root is týrbe (chaos, noise, confusion) and means “allowing oneself to be torn back and forth in a restless way”—namely away what is really important. In Bethany, Luke is therefore not criticising being active, but being torn back and forth and being drawn away from that which is truly important.\nIn each one of us there is a little bit of Mary and a little bit of Martha, and that’s a good thing. For living faith needs quiet contemplation as much as it needs an active and practical religious life. What’s important is that we choose the right example at the right time.\nPhoto: Gorodenkoff Productions OU", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "Editor’s note: Clara Johnson welcomes contributors to her weekly Shout Outs column. Send yours to firstname.lastname@example.org.\nShouts of love and birthday blessings to a very helpful and humble servant of God on his birthday, Deacon Troy Davidson. Deacon Davidson is an electrifying member of the Greater Mt. Zion Church, and Pastor Roland K. Hendricks is the anointed shepherd.", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "The Easter Bunny\nDate Of Birth:\nPlace Of Birth:\nBest Known As:\nThe fictional symbol of Easter\nThe Easter Bunny is a jaunty symbol of the annual Christian holiday of Easter. Easter marks the day that, in the Christian tradition, Jesus of Nazareth rose from the grave after his crucifixion. The Easter Bunny is a secular symbol of the holiday. According to tradition, the Easter Bunny makes his visit every year, scattering brightly-colored eggs as he goes. (In many families, \"Easter egg hunts\" are held where children search for eggs or candy hidden by their parents.) The origins of the Easter Bunny aren't clear; the first recorded references to him (as \"Oschter Haws\") are generally agreed to have come from Germany in the 1500s. In ancient times the rabbit was a symbol of fertility, equated with springtime and renewal of life, and the hare was also associated with the moon, whose cycles determine the precise date of Easter each year. Over time these traditions presumably merged with the annual celebration of Easter itself, and now the Easter Bunny is associated with Easter in much the same way that Santa Claus is the secular symbol of Christmas.\nIn America, the White House Easter Egg roll has been a nearly-annual tradition since 1878, with kids flooding the mansion grounds to hunt eggs and mingle with the president.\nCopyright © 1998-2017 by Who2?, LLC. All rights reserved.", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "Big Hill Bible Studies\n17 March 2018\nTomorrow we are having a special Sunday line up. Our 8:30 \"Classic Service\" will take place as usual. We will worship in singing hymns from the song books, through tithes and offerings, communion, and a message entitled \"What is Worship?\"\nOur 11am Contemporary Service will be a special service. Worship will consist primarily of special songs and scripture reading. We will also worship through tithes and offerings, and communion.\nThis will be a great day of worship through two formats praising God and having fellowship together. Bring your Bible and a friend, and come worship with. Then come back at 6pm for our interactive \"Going Deeper\" study. We've love to have you join us.", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "Taking a deep dive into Ecclesiastes 3:1-2, we explore the profound implications of the Bible's poignant verse about life, death, and the timing of it all.\nYou might not be aware that the Bible, in Ecclesiastes 3:1-2, states 'There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens: a time to be born and a time to die…'.\nThis verse, while seemingly straightforward, has sparked numerous interpretations and debates among theologians and scholars alike.\nWhat does it truly mean to say there's a time to die? Is this verse comforting or unsettling?\nLet's embark on an exploration of these questions, as we untangle the rich layers of this biblical passage.\n- Ecclesiastes 3:1-2 in the Bible presents death as part of a divinely timed sequence of life.\n- Death, according to the scripture, is a transient stage in the rhythm of existence.\n- Christian beliefs interpret death as a transition into eternal life, not an end.\n- The verse instructs believers to approach mortality with peace, viewing it as a stepping stone to eternal life.\nUnderstanding Death in Biblical Context\nTo fully grasp the concept of death in the Bible, you must delve into the historical and cultural context in which these texts were written. Death, during the biblical era, wasn't solely a physical cessation of life. It was also conceived as a separation from God, the source of life, and thus carried profound spiritual implications.\nThe Hebrew Bible, or Old Testament, often depicts death as a shadowy, uncertain realm called Sheol. Its inhabitants aren't lively beings, but 'rephaim', weak and faint echoes of their former selves. This depiction suggests a conception of death as a diminished existence, rather than an absolute end.\nConversely, the New Testament, influenced by Greek philosophy and emerging Christian theology, begins to hint at the possibility of an afterlife, a resurrection. However, it's crucial to understand that the emphasis wasn't so much on the continuation of individual existence, but on the restoration of divine-human relationships fractured by sin and death.\nTherefore, understanding death in the Bible isn't about reconciling contradictory views, but about appreciating how these diverse perspectives reflect the evolving beliefs and hopes of a specific historical community.\nDelving Into Ecclesiastes 3:1-2\nBuilding on this understanding of death in biblical context, let's turn our attention to Ecclesiastes 3:1-2, a key scripture that provides fascinating insights into the biblical view of life, death, and divine timing. Penned by Solomon, a figure renowned for his wisdom, this verse serves as a poignant reflection on mortality and the cyclical nature of existence.\nEcclesiastes 3:1-2 states, 'To every thing there's a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven: A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted.' Here, the verse illustrates the concept of divine timing, emphasizing the rhythm and order inherent in life and death. It implies that birth and death aren't random events, but rather part of a divinely orchestrated sequence.\nThe verse promotes acceptance of life's inherent ebb and flow, underscoring the inevitability of death as part of this cycle. It's not a grim portrayal of death, but rather a recognition of its place in the grand scheme of existence. This perspective on death, intertwined with life's other stages, offers a unique lens through which to consider the biblical view of mortality.\nInterpretation of the Chosen Verse\nDiving deeper into Ecclesiastes 3:1-2, you'll find that its interpretation offers profound insights into the cyclical pattern of life and death from a biblical perspective. The verse posits that there's a time for everything, including a time to be born and a time to die. This isn't just a simple assertion; it's a philosophical exploration of the transient nature of existence.\nUnderstanding this verse requires acknowledging the context in which it was written. It's part of a larger discourse on the meaning and purpose of life. The author, traditionally believed to be King Solomon, reflects on the human condition, expressing a sense of futility at the repetitive cycles of life.\nYet, the verse also underscores the inevitability of death, suggesting acceptance rather than dread. It serves as a reminder that life and death are parts of a larger divine plan, beyond human comprehension. The cyclical pattern implies that death isn't an end, but merely a stage in the ongoing rhythm of existence.\nThis interpretation, while nuanced, encourages a balanced outlook on life and death, promoting acceptance and understanding of the natural ebb and flow of existence. It instills the idea that the cycle of life and death isn't only inevitable but also purposeful.\nDeath From a Christian Perspective\nIn exploring death from a Christian perspective, it's crucial to understand that this faith tradition views mortality not as an ending, but as a transition into eternal life. You'll find that the Christian faith's perception of death is deeply rooted in the resurrection of Jesus Christ. This seminal event in Christian theology signifies victory over death, making it a gateway to eternal life, rather than a finality.\nThis viewpoint is supported by numerous Biblical passages, particularly in the New Testament. For instance, John 11:25-26 reads, 'Jesus said to her, 'I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die.'' It's a clear assertion of the Christian belief in life after death.\nHowever, it's important to note that the Christian concept of death isn't about escaping this world for a better one. Rather, it's about the anticipation of a renewed, resurrected life. A life that's redeemed, restored, and eternal. Therefore, death, in a Christian context, isn't to be feared but understood as a spiritual transition into a higher form of existence.\nApplying Biblical Wisdom to Mortality\nGrasping the wisdom embedded within the Bible can provide valuable insights into how we perceive and cope with our mortality. You're called to understand death not as an end, but a transition to eternal life. This perspective, borne out of biblical teachings, can fundamentally reshape your views on mortality.\nConsider the verse Ecclesiastes 3:1-2 which states, 'To everything there's a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven: A time to be born, and a time to die'. This verse reminds you that death is a natural part of life's cycle, and it's not to be feared. Your focus, instead, should be on fulfilling your purpose during your earthly existence.\nFurthermore, the verse in 1 Corinthians 15:55, 'O death, where's thy sting? O grave, where's thy victory?' encourages you to view death not as a victor, but as a defeated foe, thanks to Christ's resurrection. Through these biblical pearls of wisdom, you can face your mortality with a sense of peace, understanding that it's merely a stepping stone to eternal life, not a dreadful end.\nIn grasping Ecclesiastes 3:1-2, you've explored the cycle of life and death from a biblical perspective. You've seen how Christianity perceives death not as an ending, but a divine transition. By applying this wisdom, you may view mortality in a new, enlightened way.\nHopefully, this exploration has provided you with comfort, understanding, and a deeper faith in life's cyclical nature as depicted in the Bible. Remember, every season has its time.", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "By Linda Rex\nNovember 28, 2021, ADVENT | Hope—The other day, my husband was telling me how during his myriad travels he came across a radio station in Florida playing Christmas music. Christmas music in October? Apparently, the station owners believed that all the negative press and bad news needed to be overcome with the good news found within the Christmas message, which brings hope, peace, joy and God’s love.\nIndeed, we do well to attend to the spiritual realities which lie behind all the negative noise going on right now in the world around us. We can be overcome with sorrow, anger, and frustration due to the appearance of success that evil seems to be having. Or we can focus on the leaves bursting forth on the fig tree—there is new growth which will one day result in an abundant harvest of righteousness and goodness, to be celebrated forever in God’s loving presence.\nThe Old Testament is replete with warning to God’s people about what will happen should they wander away from their covenant relationship with God. Indeed, the apocalyptic language of such events strikes terror into us. None of us wish to personally experience the power of a tsunami or the destruction accompanying the alteration of the orbit of the heavenly bodies like the moon or sun.\nWhat catastrophes might we personally dread? Have we ever thought about the consequences of how we live our lives day by day? Jesus says that no earthly catastrophe compares with the consequences of rejecting our one hope of salvation in him. So, he wants us to pay attention—to not take our relationship with God for granted, but to be actively involved in a life in sync with who we are as the beloved, forgiven, redeemed children of God.\nI remember how for many years I agonized over whether or not I would qualify for the kingdom of God. Would I ever be good enough? Saints over the centuries have agonized over this question. How many of us have lived in this internal torment, longing for a mere morsel of hope that we will be included in the new life to come?\nGod gave his people a promise in Jeremiah 33:14-16 that one day a righteous son of David would come forth to execute justice and righteousness on the earth. When that day came Judah would be saved and Jerusalem would dwell in safety. God’s people would be known by this name, “the Lord our righteousness” (NKJV). The NIRT puts it this way, “The Lord Who Makes Us Right With Himself.”\nThe spiritual reality we need to grab hold of and rest in is that Jesus Christ is our right relationship with God, now and forever. Whatever we may do, whatever effort we put into it, is merely a participation in what Jesus has already done, is doing even now by his Spirit, and will do when he returns in glory. This is why, when the world begins to fill with catastrophes, we have no reason to fear or be afraid—we are already saved, are being saved, and will be saved—in Christ. By faith, we can lift our heads and look with hope and joy at the coming of our Lord in glory.\nTruly, Jesus did warn us that it is easy to get distracted by the cares of this life and the pulls of our human flesh. We can learn a lot from those early Christian anchorites, who obeyed Jesus’ command to deny themselves, lay down their lives and follow Christ. They were willing to go to great lengths to forbid themselves the everyday blessings of life because they wanted more of Jesus. They were willing to humble themselves and receive the rejection of their peers and the world around them for the sake of doing what they believed Christ wanted them to do—seek him and him alone. Their eyes and minds and hearts were fixed on heaven, not on this earth and its pleasures and cares. There is much we can learn from them about self-denial and simple obedience to the Spirit.\nJesus and the early apostles called us to prayer—to acknowledging and acting on our dependency upon God in every situation of life. We pray for one another as well, offering up our support and encouragement as we face the difficulties and struggles of walking as believers in a world which opposes and rejects the person and way of Jesus. In prayer we call forth God’s presence and power in and through us—praying for God to increase his love in our hearts and lives, his holiness in our actions and motivations, and enabling us to experience by the Spirit the right relationship with God and man Jesus forged for us in his life, death, resurrection and ascension.\nGod calls us to alertness—to readiness—a focus on him and his work in us and in this world. We often make prayer about telling God what he needs to be doing. In reality, prayer needs to become a way in which we become present to what God is already doing, attentive to what he wants to do in us and in the world around us, and how we can be a part of that. Prayer, by necessity, needs to become listening to the heart of the Father, and an openness to doing his will in this world, whatever that may be.\nPrayer in the Spirit actually begins with God, who shares his thoughts and desires with us by the Spirit, and moves us to pray about the things which are important to him, about those things that he is at work in this world doing right now. As we offer up our prayers in tune with the heart of the Father, Jesus takes them, perfects them, and offers them in the Spirit back to the Father, completing the circle of relationship in which we are included. It is a beautiful thing to pray in the Spirit—sharing in the inner life of the Trinity!\nOur attentiveness to God, our posture of listening and receptivity, of participation in the divine life and love, is how we prepare for the cataclysmic end of the world Jesus warned us would be coming. There is no need to fear or be anxious in the midst of difficult or dangerous times, for we are, even now, included in the inner life of the Triune God of love. We are already sharing in that blessed hope which will be fully realized when Jesus returns in glory. By faith, we trust in the finished work of Christ, so there is nothing for us to fear when we see Jesus return again—we’re already active in what he is doing in this world, participating in God’s mission, communing with God, and knowing he is present in every moment. His return in glory is merely the next step in what we are doing with him as the ones for whom the Lord is our righteousness.\nThank you, dear Abba, for including us in your life and love through Jesus your Son and in the Spirit. Remind us constantly to turn our hearts and minds toward you, so that all of life is lived aware of you and your real and active presence. Prepare our hearts to receive you, Jesus, now and forever, by your grace. Amen.\n“Now may our God and Father Himself and Jesus our Lord direct our way to you; and may the Lord cause you to increase and abound in love for one another, and for all people, just as we also do for you; so that He may establish your hearts without blame in holiness before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all His saints.” 1 Thessalonians 3:(9–10) 11–13 NASB\n“But when these things begin to take place, straighten up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near. … Be on guard, so that your hearts will not be weighted down with dissipation and drunkenness and the worries of life, and that day will not come on you suddenly like a trap; for it will come upon all those who dwell on the face of all the earth. But keep on the alert at all times, praying that you may have strength to escape all these things that are about to take place, and to stand before the Son of Man.” Luke 21:28, 34–36 (25–36) NASB\nBy Linda Rex\nDecember 13, 2020, ADVENT | JOY—As I was sitting and writing this blog today, I couldn’t help but gaze through the window at the dark, gloomy sky. The cold, damp grayness of this winter day is a good picture of what so many are experiencing right now in the midst of the pandemic and election limbo. Many of us have experienced 2020 as a year which brought us to the brink of disaster, and for some—tipped us on over into a pit of darkness, depression, and even despair.\nEven as we wonder how much deeper we will go into this pit before things get better, we find ourselves moving on into Advent. We’ve celebrated hope and peace, and now we come upon a Sunday when we ponder the miracle of joy. How can one possibly feel any joy in the middle of all we are going through? How can God expect us to find joy when everything we are facing gives us anything but joy?\nThe spiritual gift of joy is something which isn’t based upon our circumstances. That feeling of happiness or gladness which is induced by positive, enjoyable circumstances and experiences is not the same as the joy that is spoken of by the apostle Paul. When he says to us, “Rejoice always,” it’s not because he is insane or unfeeling. It is because joy’s roots go much deeper than the everyday situations of life. It is God’s will that we always rejoice—he wants us to have a deeper inner joy which will carry us through the most difficult times of our lives, enabling us to bear up under unbearable struggles and losses.\nOne of the scriptures for this Sunday is Psalm 126. In verses 5 and 6, the psalmist says, “Those who sow in tears shall reap with joyful shouting. | He who goes to and fro weeping, carrying his bag of seed, | Shall indeed come again with a shout of joy, bringing his sheaves with him” (NASB). Here we have a picture of a farmer who is weeping while he is spreading seed on the ground in the spring; but when the wheat is harvested, he shouts with the joy of it all.\nUnderstand that the road Jesus, the Son of God, took for our salvation took him through death to resurrection. He was the Seed promised to Adam and Eve and then to Abraham as a solution for the evil, sin, and death we brought into this world. He was buried in the grave like a seed, but when he rose, like a fruit-bearing wheat stalk from the ground, he brought all humanity forth into new life. The author of Hebrews said that “Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God” (Heb. 12:2 NASB). Notice that Jesus endured all of the suffering of the cross “for the joy set before Him.” In Christ, God is harvesting many souls—something that brings him great joy even though it cost him a great deal in the suffering and death of his Son.\nJesus described his mission as the One anointed by the Holy Spirit using the prophetic word of Isaiah 61:1–2a: “The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me, | Because the LORD has anointed me | To bring good news to the afflicted; | He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, | To proclaim liberty to captives | And freedom to prisoners; | To proclaim the favorable year of the LORD…” (Lk. 4:18-19 NASB) This passage in Isaiah goes on to describe the work of the Messiah in bringing about redemption to his creation. The purpose of the Word, the Son of God, coming into our humanity that we celebrate at Christmastime is to bring humanity out of the deep dark hole of evil, sin, and death in which we placed ourselves. Jesus, in his life, death, resurrection and ascension, brings all of us as we trust in him into a new place where we find healing, hope, freedom, and transformation.\nIn verse 10, Isaiah goes on to say, “I will rejoice greatly in the LORD, | My soul will exult in my God; | For He has clothed me with garments of salvation, | He has wrapped me with a robe of righteousness, | As a bridegroom decks himself with a garland, | And as a bride adorns herself with her jewels” (NASB). What Isaiah was describing was the day when God in Christ would do for us what we could not do—save us, bring us into right relationship with himself and one another.\nThis is why the apostle Paul so often uses the language of taking of old garments and putting on new clothing when speaking of the new life we have in Christ. God has already done for you and me all that is needed for our healing and renewal in giving us his Son for our salvation and sending his Spirit for our regeneration. Now we simply, by the Spirit, have to put on Christ the way in which a couple gets dressed up in a tux and gown for a wedding. We turn away from ourselves and our own way to doing things and our own ability to save ourselves, and we turn to Jesus Christ in faith.\nThis is why it is possible to rejoice in the midst of difficult and painful times. There is an underlying assurance that no matter what may happen, we are held. Christ has come, he is present by the Spirit, and he will come again, to do what only he can do in our situation. However bad it may get, we have the assurance that Christ is present with us and is standing in our place willing to do whatever is needed to carry us through to the other side. We simply need to trust him and continue to pray, to give thanks and to rejoice.\nThere is a story which children are often taught in Sunday school which comes to my mind in regards to this. It is the story of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. These three young Jewish men had been chosen to serve the Babylonian king Nebuchadnezzar while Judah was exiled to his kingdom. One day some of the Chaldeans told the king that these men refused to bow to the new idol the king had set up and they deserved to be thrown into the furnace. Now the king liked these men and he tried to talk them into simply bowing down to the idol so they wouldn’t die. Well, they chose not to, telling the king that God would save them, and even if God didn’t save them, they would still not bow the knee to another God but the God of Israel.\nWhat captures my attention so often in this story is that God didn’t keep the men from being thrown in the fire. In fact, the king made the fire in the furnace seven times hotter before having them thrown in. And the fire was so hot that the people throwing in the men died. This is when the story becomes supernatural—when the king looked into the flames, he saw four men walking around, the three who had been tied up and thrown in, and another who looked like “a son of the gods.” The king finally called all of them to come out of the furnace. The three men did and there was no evidence on their bodies that they had ever been in the flames.\nI hope you are grasping the point I am trying to make. We have to place our faith beyond our own ability to help ourselves and the ability of others or our government to help us, and to simply place our faith in the God who has done everything in Christ by the Spirit which is needed for us to be saved. This is the God who came into the flames of our human existence to walk and talk with us, and to bring us out with him into new life. Our joy in the midst of our struggles, suffering, and loss is based in the reality that God will bring us out of them to the other side, and that even if he doesn’t rescue us, he will be with us as we go through whatever may be required of us. We are not alone—he is Immanuel, “God with us” now and forever.\nThis is our hope, our peace, and it is also our joy. Whatever may happen, we are not alone. God is with us, working things out for our best and caring for us no matter how intense the flames of trial and struggle we are experiencing may get. God in Christ holds us. We trust in him, allowing his Spirit to dwell richly in our hearts, giving us the assurance that he is near, providing the guidance and direction we need, and reminding us of his promise of life eternal when this life is over.\nOur ability to “rejoice always” is found in Christ’s joy, in his personal presence in us and with us by the Spirit, as we go through every circumstance of life. As we keep our eyes on the heavenly realities, on Jesus Christ, the Son of God, walking with us in the flames, we will be filled with an unexplainable joy that is grounded in the presence and person of God himself.\nHoly Father, thank you for holding us in the midst of all our struggles and suffering. Thank you, Jesus, for being ever present by your Spirit and for filling our hearts with your joy. Enable us to rejoice always, remain constant in prayer, and be grateful in every circumstance, as we trust in you now and forever. In your name, we pray, amen.\n“Rejoice always; pray without ceasing; in everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. Do not quench the Spirit; do not despise prophetic utterances. But examine everything carefully; hold fast to that which is good; abstain from every form of evil. Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you entirely; and may your spirit and soul and body be preserved complete, without blame at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Faithful is He who calls you, and He also will bring it to pass.” 1 Thessalonians 5:16–24 NASB\nBy Linda Rex\nNovember 29, 2020, ADVENT | HOPE—Last night I was watching a report by Nashville’s mayor in which he was describing the latest spike in COVID-19 cases and an upcoming mandated reduction in the size of gatherings. As you can imagine, my heart turned over. I’m not looking forward to the isolation and health problems this will bring about for so many, nor am I thrilled about the loss of income, business and other difficulties it will create for those already struggling.\nIn some ways, I can identify with the prophet Isaiah when he wrote:\n“Oh, that You would rend the heavens and come down,\nThat the mountains might quake at Your presence—\nAs fire kindles the brushwood, as fire causes water to boil—\nTo make Your name known to Your adversaries,\nThat the nations may tremble at Your presence!” (Isaiah 64:1-9 NASB)\nWhat is interesting about the rest of this passage, though, is how Isaiah didn’t focus on the glorious entry of God into the human sphere to exact his fiery judgment, but rather on God’s deliverance for us from our human proclivity to sin and our futile efforts to do the right thing. This one-of-a-kind God, who Isaiah describes as the potter, is called upon to do the work only he can do for and in us as his clay (Isaiah 64:1–9).\nThe psalmist in Psalm 80 acknowledges that the only hope for any of us is for him to smile upon us and restore us. This request is repeated three times—emphasizing a passionate desire for God’s grace and good will to be showered upon us. At the end of this psalm, he writes:\n“Let Your hand be upon the man of Your right hand,\nUpon the son of man whom You made strong for Yourself.\nThen we shall not turn back from You;\nRevive us, and we will call upon Your name.\nO LORD God of hosts, restore us;\nCause Your face to shine upon us, and we will be saved.”\n(Psalm 80:(1-7) 17-19 NASB)\nDo you see it? Here is a hint of how God is going to save his people—something related to a “son of man” whom God places his hand on and makes strong. Our only hope for God’s grace, restoration and renewal begins with God himself and his desire for and accomplishment of our transformation and healing through the Son of Man.\nIn 1 Corinthians 1:3–9, when the apostle Paul speaks of the final revealing of Jesus Christ, he affirms that we are found blameless not by our own efforts, but because God is faithful. God’s faithfulness is expressed to us in his gift of grace through Jesus Christ which enriched us in speech, knowledge, and spiritual gifts, and in the testimony of Christ being confirmed in us. He has called us into and has ensured we can participate in Christ’s fellowship by the Spirit with his Father.\nSo often we look into passages regarding the coming of Christ in glory and begin to impress upon them our private expectations and opinions rather than seeing them from God’s point of view. We see the world around us as very messy, filled with evil and sin, and right away call for God to rend the heavens and come down in a dramatic deliverance. We can easily diminish the incredible reality of what God has already done for us in the entrance of his Son into the world in the form of a baby in a manger.\nWe’re entering into the Advent season, and I am reminded of that beautiful night when the shepherds were quietly tending their flocks on the Judean hillsides. Suddenly an angel appeared—“rending the heavens”—with an incredible message that would change the world forever—the Messiah had come in the person of an infant lying in a manger somewhere in Bethlehem. The angels gathered around and celebrated this good news, saying, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among men with whom He is pleased” (Luke 2:14 NASB).\nLater on, this Savior, as he faced his upcoming death on the cross and resurrection, spoke of the transition which would occur between the kingdom of God which he was inaugurating in his passion and that glorious day when he would come in power, ushering in the new heavens and the new earth. He knew there would be a substantial time lapse between his ascension and the day of his final arrival, and he wanted his followers to stay in a state of continual readiness and diligence, especially with regards to sharing the good news of what Christ did in his life, death, resurrection and ascension.\nWhat Jesus forged for us in our humanity tore open our cosmos and set it upon a new footing—in the all-ready/not-yet of God’s kingdom, he has made all things new. We have an incredible hope that bursts into our gloomy sin-laden world and lays bare all our futile efforts at being good and forces us to a crisis—where will we put our faith? Will we continue to trust in our human efforts to rule ourselves—to count on our 201 ways to solve our own problems and save ourselves? Will we keep to our own agenda or will we submit ourselves to God’s plan for our lives? Is Christ—the way he really is—good enough for us? Or do we need to add something to the simple reality of his grace and truth?\nOur attention does not need to be on some particular plan or outline of end-time events, but solely on Jesus. Christ is our life. We participate through baptism in his death and resurrection, renewing this covenant relation as we take the bread and the wine in communion with our brothers and sisters in the faith. We live each day in attentiveness to Jesus’ coming and presence—both in his presence here and now by the Spirit at work in this world, but also in anticipation of his coming glorious presence at the renewal of all things. As things grow more difficult for us, as we struggle to stay the course, we can hold ever more tightly to the reality that Christ has come, he is come now by the Spirit, and one day he will come in glory. We have every reason to hope. Maranatha—even so come, Lord Jesus!\nFather, thank you for the grace you have given us in your Son, for the work you already accomplished in his life, death, resurrection and ascension, and are working out in this world even now by your Holy Spirit. Keep us ever diligent, ever faithful, attentive to the end to our precious Lord Jesus by your Spirit. Amen.\n“Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. I thank my God always concerning you for the grace of God which was given you in Christ Jesus, that in everything you were enriched in Him, in all speech and all knowledge, even as the testimony concerning Christ was confirmed in you, so that you are not lacking in any gift, awaiting eagerly the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ, who will also confirm you to the end, blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is faithful, through whom you were called into fellowship with His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.” 1 Corinthians 1:3–9 NASB\nSee also Mark 13:24–37.\nBy Linda Rex\nNovember 22, 2020, Christ the King or the Reign of Christ— I think we may all agree that the year 2020 has been one of a kind. If it were true that there was no God and that we were merely highly evolved creatures hanging out here in the middle of empty space on a planet that will one day burn up and drop back into the sun, how hopeless and meaningless this whole experience has been!\nThe blessing of the Christian faith is that it points us beyond all that is occurring, and reminds us of the love and grace of God out of which all of this was birthed and by which all of this was redeemed and is sustained, and gives us great hope in the midst our messes and disasters. Even though evil happens—and it often does—we don’t need to lose hope. We have an anchor which holds us, the very presence of God in the middle of whatever may be going on. It is God’s presence through Christ in the Spirit which carries us through every circumstance, offering wisdom, strength, comfort and guidance when all we see is destruction, despair, and suffering. It is the ascending, triumphant Lord who gives us hope that this isn’t the end—that there is something so much more wonderful and amazing ahead of us!\nGod knew that when we made the choice to turn away from him to the things of our flesh and this world that the spiral down into death and nothingness would begin. He set our destiny in motion way before then, as God the Word was elected to one day enter our human flesh to rescue us from this fate and to bring us into union and communion with the Triune God so we might live with him forever. Evil, sin and death were destined to be destroyed, conquered on the cross and in the finished work of Christ as he rose from the grave and ascended to the Father carrying our glorified humanity with him into Abba’s presence.\nOn this Sunday we celebrate the culmination of all the days on the Christian calendar, having begun during Advent with the incarnation of Jesus Christ, moved through Epiphany and Lent to Easter week with Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection, and on into Ascension Sunday and subsequently Pentecost with the sending of the Holy Spirit. We’ve gotten through the ordinary days, during which we have learned about how to live out this faith we have been given by expressing God’s love to those around us and holding fast to the hope we have in Christ. The summation today then, is Christ coming in his glory, sitting as King of Kings and Lord of all.\nIn the parable of the sheep and goats, we see the King Jesus sitting on his throne, passing judgment on all the nations. In spite of the Jewish expectation that Israel would be the nation of the kingdom of God, Jesus has included in his person those of every nation and people group. The line that our Lord draws between people who are in and those who are out does not have to do as much with our bad or good behavior, but more with our perception of and participation in who Jesus Christ is as our Savior and Lord. We are brought up against our identity as the image-bearers of God who are created to love him and each other. We are reminded of the reality that our brother or sister is made in the same image as ourselves and that the humanity Jesus took upon himself in the incarnation was our very own as he fully identified with us as human beings in his life, death, resurrection and ascension.\nIn this parable we see King Jesus say that the sheep on his right hand are those who perceived in the people who were poor, needy, imprisoned, thirsty and hungry, the person of Christ. To care for another person in a tangible way, especially those who are followers of Christ, is to care for Jesus himself. When we treat others with indifference, oppression, neglect and injustice, we are doing those very things to Jesus. We are pouring out once again all the evil, sin, and violence of the cross onto the innocent, humble and holy Lamb of God. In doing so we deny our need for Christ and his sacrifice, placing ourselves in his stead as lords of our cosmos and our world. It is no wonder that God’s judgment upon such a choice is that we will experience the reality of eternity without the grace of God since we have determined for ourself we have no need or desire for it.\nSo what is God’s heart toward humanity in the midst of all that is happening right now? It is the same that it has always been—he wants us to enjoy all the benefits and blessings of life in union and communion with our Creator, in joyful fellowship with one another, and in happy harmony with all he has created. This is what we were created for and destined for. In Christ, this is the future God has planned for us.\nIn Christ, we have been brought out of the kingdom of darkness into this kingdom of light. By faith we can begin to participate in this heavenly kingdom even now, living each moment in the presence of the King by the power of the Holy Spirit. Our acknowledgement of Jesus Christ as Lord of all means that he sits on the throne of our heart and has the final say in our lives right now. By faith, we participate in Christ’s face to face relationship with the Father in the Spirit, and enjoy moment by moment spiritual fellowship with God himself. We participate with King Jesus in what he is doing in this world, and by the power of the risen Lord, we overcome evil, sin and death in this world as we wait for Christ’s return in glory.\nJust as King Jesus reigns even now over all, he will come one day in all his glory to eradicate once and for all the evil, sin, and death he conquered on the cross and will establish his throne forever in the new heavens and new earth. When that day comes, will we still be reigning over our own hearts and lives, thinking we are the supreme lords over creation and all that is in it? Will we be treating one another with indifference, oppression, neglect and injustice, or with the honor and respect and love due our risen Lord and Savior? Will we be trusting in ourselves and our goodness, or humbly acknowledging our desperate need for the grace and love of our Lord and King Jesus Christ, and so offering that same love and grace to our fellow human? These are questions worth wrestling with on this Sunday, as we reflect on the reign of Jesus Christ, soon to be established in glory, but at work even now in us and in this world.\nHeavenly God—Holy Father, Son and Spirit—thank you for loving us so much that you did not want to spend eternity without us. Thank you for sending Jesus so we could be with you forever. Holy Spirit, enable us to love one another as you, God, have loved us. We acknowledge our desperate need for your grace and love expressed to us in Jesus. We receive this precious gift with gratitude and praise, through our Lord Jesus Christ, he who is King of all. Amen.\n“For thus says the Lord GOD, ‘Behold, I Myself will search for My sheep and seek them out. As a shepherd cares for his herd in the day when he is among his scattered sheep, so I will care for My sheep and will deliver them from all the places to which they were scattered on a cloudy and gloomy day. I will bring them out from the peoples and gather them from the countries and bring them to their own land; and I will feed them on the mountains of Israel, by the streams, and in all the inhabited places of the land. I will feed them in a good pasture, and their grazing ground will be on the mountain heights of Israel. There they will lie down on good grazing ground and feed in rich pasture on the mountains of Israel. I will feed My flock and I will lead them to rest,” declares the Lord GOD. I will seek the lost, bring back the scattered, bind up the broken and strengthen the sick; but the fat and the strong I will destroy. I will feed them with judgment.” Ezekiel 34:11-16 NASB\n“Shout joyfully to the LORD, all the earth.\nServe the LORD with gladness;\nCome before Him with joyful singing.\nKnow that the LORD Himself is God;\nIt is He who has made us, and not we ourselves;\nWe are His people and the sheep of His pasture.” Psalm 100:1-3 NASB\n“Come, let us worship and bow down,\nLet us kneel before the LORD our Maker.\nFor He is our God,\nAnd we are the people of His pasture and the sheep of His hand.” Psalm 95:6-7 NASB\nSee also Matthew 25:31–46 and Ephesians 1:15–23.\nBy Linda Rex\nNovember 8, 2020, Proper 27—If I were to ask you to tell me about the day of the Lord, what would you say? The prophet Amos spoke of the day of the Lord. He had choice words for his people who looked forward to this day, thinking it would be a day of celebration and rejoicing.\nThese people of God were ignoring the reality that injustice and unrighteousness were the pattern of their lives. They didn’t seem to realize they were deciding their future by their everyday decisions. Sadly, Amos said that the day of the Lord wouldn’t be a day of light for them, but one of darkness. He said it would be like a man fleeing from a lion, only to suddenly meet a bear instead. Or maybe when he finally got safely home, leaning his hand against the wall in relief, he was bitten by a snake (Amos 5:18-24). What a picture!\nThe issue is really, I suppose, our expectations regarding the day of the Lord. What do we think is going to happen when everything comes to an end or even when we die? Do we realize that how we live today impacts our present life as well as our eternal future? No, we can’t earn eternal life—it is entirely a gift from God. But receiving this gift means a change occurs in us and in our lives—we begin to live in the truth of who God created us to be as his image-bearers.\nWe need to embrace our identity as image-bearers of God. We were created out of out-going love, to love God and love one another—to know and be known, as Jesus describes this life. There is a deep interwoven connectedness in the Godhead, in the relation between the Father and Son in the Spirit. Jesus, in his life, death, resurrection, and ascension, wove us into that connection or union—and we participate by faith in this Triune life and love by his Spirit. When we’re living reconciled to God and one another, in the reconciliation Jesus created for us, we are being truly ourselves, being truly human.\nLiving in ways that are contrary to this isolate us or turn us away from face to face relationship with God and one another. We can say we know Jesus or are Christians, but the evidence of our lives may very well say that the exact opposite is true. And even though Jesus included every human in his life, death, and resurrection, it may be that most of the people we encounter day by day don’t want anything to do with him. They, like the rest of us, will one day face the day of the Lord—which may come through death or through the final apocalyptic struggle. What will we say when we are face to face with our Lord?\nAmos wrote to the people of Israel, God’s chosen people, but his words resonate with us today. In the face of their depravity and ungodly living, he says simply, “Seek Me that you may live. … Seek good and not evil, that you may live; | And thus may the Lord God of hosts be with you, | Just as you have said! Hate evil, love good, | And establish justice in the gate! Perhaps the Lord God of hosts | May be gracious …” (Amos 5:4, 14-15 NASB).\nIt does not matter what nation we may belong to or what people group we are from. Our race, gender, and every other distinction is a moot point when it comes to the day of the Lord. Even now, at this moment, every one of us stands poised on the edge of eternity. The choices we make matter. The things we think, say, and do impact us, the people around us, and the people who come after us. Are we just going through the motions, or are we assuming the responsibility to receive and participate in the gift of grace we have been given in Jesus Christ?\nIn the story of the ten virgins who are awaiting the arrival of the bridegroom in anticipation of the wedding celebration, we find that both the wise and foolish nod off as time goes by. The difference between the two seems to be that one planned ahead and the other didn’t. It wasn’t like the foolish ones didn’t have time to go get extra oil—it’s more a matter that they waited until the last minute and ended up missing most of the party while they were out shopping.\nChrist has done all we need so that we can live in face to face relationship with him and the Father in the Spirit right now. He sent the Spirit so we can participate in his life with his Father both now and forever. But he doesn’t demand this of us—he invites us. He offers his life for our life. We can be like the foolish virgins, ignoring the benefits of this gift until it is too late to do anything about it. We can be preoccupied with our own human efforts at creating a life for ourselves. And then in that final day we will find ourselves knocking desperately on the door, only to hear the bridegroom Jesus say, “I don’t know you.”\nOr right now, we can turn to Jesus, trusting in him. His life for our life. His faith, hope, and love for our human, fleshly passions. His justice for our injustice. His goodness for our evil behavior. Whatever it is we are seeking, we do not need to go to the market to find it. The oil of God’s goodness and love, his eternal Spirit, is a free gift by faith in Jesus. The foolish virgins trusted in their own ability to get themselves what they needed, when in reality they needed to trust the bridegroom, turning to the Source of all things in faith, believing that they would have what they needed in that moment to participate in the celebration.\nOur participation in the divine festivities, the wedding between Christ and his Bride the Church, is not based upon our performance, but solely upon God’s grace. We receive this gift by faith, participating in Jesus’ death and resurrection through baptism—our one-time inclusion in the body of Christ the Church—and in an ongoing way through communion—as we share in the bread and the wine. And as those who have received this gift, we begin to live out the truth of our identity as the Bride of Christ and as the welcome guests at the party by correctly imaging the Source of our identity, God in Christ.\nWhen the nation of Israel entered the promised land, finally establishing their homeland, Joshua addressed the assembly. He asked them who they were going to serve—the idols of their fathers and of the peoples of that land, or the God who brought them out of Egypt, who gave them his love and grace as he brought them into the promised land. Joshua established that he and his family would serve the Lord (Joshua 24:14-15). But what about the rest of the people?\nThe day of the Lord has an already-not-yet sense to it in that Christ has come, defeating evil, sin, and death—the end is certain and in our favor. But we also anticipate the upcoming celebration of the wedding feast when Christ will marry his Bride the Church and we will live with him, the Father and Spirit in the new heavens and earth. Today we simply have the opportunity to reconsider whether or not we are properly anticipating this event. What are we doing with the gift of grace God has given us in Christ? Are we in tune with the Spirit, following Christ’s lead? Are we walking by faith rather than by sight? Where are we seeking our life—in the things of this human existence or in the spiritual realities?\nDear Father, thank you for giving us your Son and your Spirit so that we might participate in your life and love now and forever. Today, we affirm that we desire to seek our life in you and not in the things of this world. Thank you for your forgiveness and love, for we have fallen so short of all you meant for us to be. We trust in you, Jesus, in your life, death, resurrection, and ascension and not in ourselves. Holy God, we receive the gift of life and grace which you give us, through Jesus our Lord and by your Spirit. Amen.\n“And while they were going away to make the purchase, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding feast; and the door was shut. Later the other virgins also came, saying, ‘Lord, lord, open up for us.’ But he answered, ‘Truly I say to you, I do not know you.’ Be on the alert then, for you do not know the day nor the hour.” Matthew 25:10-13 NASB\nSee also 1 Thessalonians 4:13–18.\nBy Linda Rex\nOctober 25, 2020, Proper 25—What is your sphere of influence? Is it merely your toddler and four-year-old? Is it the annoying neighbor who never cleans up the trash in his backyard? Is it the guy at the next desk who likes to tell funny stories but doesn’t follow through on his assignments? Perhaps it is simply the boss who comes by your desk each morning to wish you a great day.\nWe may only have a small number of people we affect each day. But there are some people in this world who have been given a much larger sphere of influence—that of leading towns, cities, states, nations and large organizations or companies. The effect their decisions have on large numbers of people shows the great extent of their influence. Sometimes this influence is for the better and others for the worst. There are people from the past whose lives and choices still affect the world today—we remember them with gratitude or anger, depending on how we have been affected by the decisions they made.\nOur spheres of influence, great or small, are places where we have the privilege, even the responsibility, to participate with Christ in furthering his work of healing, wholeness and renewal in this cosmos. We can abdicate this task to others, or we can embrace it as part our identity as humans created to reflect the image of God and to follow Jesus Christ. To be an influencer of those around us by living out the gospel is a way we participate in Christ’s leadership in this world.\nChrist first came as a suffering servant, laying down his life for each and every person on earth. He calls each of us to the same type of servant leadership—in whatever sphere of influence we may have. As followers of Christ, we share the gospel with those people who are close to us and we share our lives with them as well. It is our participation in Christ—our dying and rising in him—that gives others evidence of the miracle of grace and makes the gospel come alive, drawing them into the triune life.\nAs we live in face to face relationship with God as Moses did, we receive wisdom and God’s grace for our lives. Our active participation in the triune life is reflected in the way we live, the choices we make, and how these decisions impact the people in our sphere of influence. Do they see the radiance of God’s glory reflected in our faces, in our attitudes, words, and conduct? When all of these reflect God’s holy, loving nature, then the people around us are influenced to do the same, maybe even to seek the source of our Christlikeness.\nOur participation in Christ resembles the other-centered perichoretic giving and receiving of the Father, Son, and Spirit. In the triune life, each pours into the other and receives from the other, as participants in the divine dance. Likewise, every human being has been given a place in this dance in and through Christ’s life, death, resurrection and ascension. In the giving of the Spirit, each may personally join in by faith, trusting in the finished work of Christ. As we trust in Jesus, centering our lives and faith in him, we find the faith, hope and love to effectively influence our family, our community, our nation and all of creation for the better.\nIn an ideal world, as in the kingdom of God, our leaders would be Christ-centered, seeking the heavenly realities rather than the power, authority, wealth, and popularity of this broken world. They would be seeking the benefit and best of those they served rather than their own pleasure and desire. Even though they are faulty and frail, our human leaders today still can choose to lead out of God’s Spirit of wisdom and love rather than the fleshly values of greed, lust, indifference, and selfishness. But will they?\nOur effort, as we make decisions regarding electing our leaders, is to seek out and choose those who will most likely exemplify and support that which is good, true, and holy. This is a challenging task, for we must accept that we are dealing with people who are just as broken and faulty as we are. This is why we seek God’s direction and instruction, and take into consideration the issues and complications involved in electing leaders.\nAnd as we think of our own spheres of influence, how we are we doing in providing leadership which reflects the nature of Christ? Are we holy, as God is holy, living in that loving unity of equal yet different persons we were created to reflect? Do we love God with all of our being and love our neighbor as ourselves?\nAny change in government, in society, and even in our world, has its roots in the finished work of Christ. For us to experience it within our own sphere of influence, we turn to Jesus and receive his gift of the Holy Spirit. Turning our face away from the values and idols of this world and back towards God is an important start. As our Lord did, laying down our life for the sake of those nearest and dearest to us is another. Accepting that choosing the high road of holiness, service, and obedience to God is going to require a cost, even a sacrifice on our part, is another step. And following Christ in spite of all that may distract or afflict us needs to be our constant decision.\nThere is a price to pay to have the world we wish we could have. Resisting evil requires effort. Choosing a different path is a great challenge. Continuing in persevering effort is tough. But as we do this individually and collectively, we will find that the people in our spheres of influence will be affected and slowly begin to change. There may be resistance, even severe resistance to any effort on our part to be reflections of God’s goodness, love, and grace in this broken world. But if we hold on to Jesus as he holds onto us, walk in the Spirit and trust in his love and grace, we will find that ultimately the world around us will begin to change for the better.\nHoly Father, in our world today, it seems we are too often influenced by evil, sin, and death rather than by your love and grace. We are grateful Jesus, that not only did you come and stand in our stead, offering your life for our life, your death for our death, but you also sent your Spirit to enable us to share even now in your divine life and love. Thank you for forgiving us our sins. Thank you for turning our faces back to yours, Abba. Spirit, thank you that you transform our hearts by faith, through Jesus our Lord. Amen.\n“Now Joshua the son of Nun was filled with the spirit of wisdom, for Moses had laid his hands on him; and the sons of Israel listened to him and did as the LORD had commanded Moses. Since that time no prophet has risen in Israel like Moses, whom the LORD knew face to face, for all the signs and wonders which the LORD sent him to perform in the land of Egypt against Pharaoh, all his servants, and all his land, and for all the mighty power and for all the great terror which Moses performed in the sight of all Israel.” Deuteronomy 34:9-12 NASB\n“Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying: ‘Speak to all the congregation of the sons of Israel and say to them, “You shall be holy, for I the LORD your God am holy.” … you shall love your neighbor as yourself; I am the LORD.’ ” Leviticus 19:1-2, 19b NASB\n“…just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, so we speak, not as pleasing men, but God who examines our hearts. … Having so fond an affection for you, we were well-pleased to impart to you not only the gospel of God but also our own lives, because you had become very dear to us.” 1 Thessalonians 2:4, 8 NASB\nSee also Matthew 22:34-46 NASB.\nBy Linda Rex\nSeptember 27, 2020, Proper 21—As human beings, we cannot escape the reality that our existence is dependent upon water—whether clean water to drink, rain for our crops, water for everyday uses such as cleaning and bathing, or many other needs. Today in America, many are experiencing the lack of water—fires out of control, or too much water—flooding in the southeast with the impact of hurricane Sally. Whether too much, too little, or just enough—water is an integral part of our human existence.\nThe story of humanity begins with the Spirit brooding over the waters, and then responding to the Word of God by bringing into existence the cosmos, the earth and all that lives on it. The earth was originally watered by streams coming up from the ground. From the garden in Eden flowed a river which separated into four headwaters, flowing into areas nearby. We may recognize some of the names—the Euphrates, Tigris, Gihon, and Pishon rivers.\nAfter Adam and Eve turned away from God to the things of their flesh, choosing the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, humanity declined into a place where even God regretted that what he had made had come to such depravity. When he chose to eradicate evil, he sent a flood—an inundation of water that swept away broken humanity and wiped the earth clean. But it was not God’s heart for human beings to die—he desires life for us. So he made the covenant of the rainbow with us as his pledge he will never flood the earth in that way ever again.\nWhen God brought his people out of Egypt from slavery, he brought them through the Red Sea. Moving the large body of water aside, he dried out the riverbed and made a passage for Israel to get to the other side. When they were safely to shore, he allowed the river to flow freely again, wiping out the Egyptian army which had pursued them into the water. Water, for God, is both a means of redemption and a means of cleansing, healing, and renewal.\nSadly, the Israelites did not seem to grasp the significance of what God was doing in their lives. They did not know God well, and did not believe that he loved them and wanted what was best for them. They did not believe, even though they had witnessed such a mighty deliverance. When they were in the wilderness on the way to Sinai, they grew thirsty. They did not simply trust God or turn to him when they grew thirsty, but rather they complained to Moses and demanded that he solve their problem by providing water. By demanding water from Moses, they were demanding proof of God’s presence among them, something he had already made clear to them.\nThis continual refusal to believe, to trust in the living God as the Source of all that is good and right, marked Israel’s and then Judah’s relationship with God from then on. Even as their refusal to obey and serve God brought them into exile, they still worshiped idols and refused to submit themselves to the ways and covenant love of their Lord and Redeemer.\nThe prophet Ezekiel warned them to turn away from their rebellion and sin:\n“ ‘Therefore I will judge you, O house of Israel, each according to his conduct,’ declares the Lord God. ‘Repent and turn away from all your transgressions, so that iniquity may not become a stumbling block to you. Cast away from you all your transgressions which you have committed and make yourselves a new heart and a new spirit! For why will you die, O house of Israel? For I have no pleasure in the death of anyone who dies,’ declares the Lord God. ‘Therefore, repent and live’ ” (Ezekiel 18:30-32 NASB).\nGod did not desire their destruction. He sought their repentance—a turning around, a change of mind and heart—something which they could never achieve on their own. They needed to be saved from their hearts made of stone.\nThe living Word took on our human flesh to be for us the Rock from whom living water would flow. Jesus Christ lived our life, died our death, and rose again, ascending into the presence of the Father to send the Spirit on all flesh. The Rock, the cornerstone on which God would build his church, was struck in the crucifixion, and from him flowed the living stream of grace and mercy we all needed to be freed from evil, sin and death. And beyond that, through Christ and from the Father, came the living stream of God’s very presence and power, the Holy Spirit, who by faith would come to us individually, to begin the process of transforming and renewing us into the image of Jesus Christ.\nOne of the remarkable things about water is its ability to alter hard objects like rocks. Place a sharp, jagged stone in running water and over a long enough period of time, it will become smooth. Large amounts of water flowing swiftly over land and rock will dig deep caverns and riverbeds, given time. Moving water in an extremely narrow stream at a very rapid speed can be used to clean or cut certain objects. There is great power in water—and the water of God’s love and grace, His Spirit, does mighty things when it goes to work in us and in our lives. As we respond to God in faith, trusting in the finished work of Christ, the Spirit works in us to heal, restore and renew, to reform us into the image-bearers of God we were created to be.\nIt is fitting that the final image in Revelation is of the presence of God with man on the new earth. From the temple of God’s presence flows a mighty river which provides healing for the nations. What a fitting picture of what God is doing even now beginning with the body of Christ, working in this world to bring about healing, renewal, and wholeness. Washed in the water of God’s love and grace, the body of Christ in which God dwells is to be fullest expression of Jesus possible in this world, being a temple of living stones from which the living Water flows freely to bring healing to all people. We look forward anticipating the day when Jesus Christ will bring the kingdom of heaven into its fullness. Meanwhile, we participate with Jesus today in expressing by the Spirit God’s faith, hope, and love to everyone around us.\nDear Abba, forgive us our hard-heartedness and stubborn resistance to your loving will and purposes. Thank you for offering us yourself, Jesus, as the Rock to be broken on our behalf so that we might be given a new heart and spirit, and turn to you in trust and obedience. Holy Spirit, please finish what you have begun, transforming our hearts by faith, through Jesus our Lord all for Abba’s glory. Amen.\n“ ‘Behold, I will stand before you there on the rock at Horeb; and you shall strike the rock, and water will come out of it, that the people may drink.’ And Moses did so in the sight of the elders of Israel. He named the place Massah and Meribah because of the quarrel of the sons of Israel, and because they tested the Lord, saying, ‘Is the Lord among us, or not?’ ” Exodus 17:6-7 NASB\n“He split the rocks in the wilderness\nAnd gave them abundant drink like the ocean depths.\nHe brought forth streams also from the rock\nAnd caused waters to run down like rivers.” Psalm 78:15-16 NASB\nSee also Matthew 21:23–32 and Philippians 2:1–13.\nBy Linda Rex\nAugust 9, 2020, PROPER 14—When the disciples finished feeding the five thousand and walked about gathering up what was leftover of the bread and fish, they must have felt a sense of elation and maybe even triumph. The miracle Jesus had just done was so much like the manna that came through Moses—surely he was the Prophet spoken of! But there was a significant problem with the thoughts going through everyone’s mind right then.\nJesus never meant to establish a powerful political human government at that time. His purpose was not to become solely the provider of physical bread and physical healing. His life and ministry had a much deeper purpose—to be, as he already was, the Savior of all humankind.\nAs Jesus practically pushed his disciples into a boat to cross the lake, he sought to stop the momentum of the crowd’s passionate appeal to make him king. As the disciples left, he disbursed the crowd and made his way up the mountain to have time alone with his heavenly Father.\nJesus was in grave need of his Abba’s strength, power, and wisdom in the face of this human temptation to take matters into his own hands and rule under his own power. During his wilderness wandering the evil one had tempted him with this very thing. And he knew, after what had happened to John his cousin, what the most likely outcome of his ministry would be if he continued on this path of humility, compassion and service. He needed to keep himself in tune with his Father, in the oneness of the Spirit so he could finish what God had set out to do.\nThe communion of the Father and the Son was apparent as Jesus spent hours up on the mountain with his Abba. Meanwhile the disciples were making their way across the lake. A powerful storm blew up and the disciples were afraid for their lives. Great waves rose and fell, filling the boat with water. The wind blew harshly, tossing the boat about and making forward progress impossible.\nSomewhere between three and six o’clock in the morning while it was pitch black out on the choppy water, they saw a figure walking across the lake. All of their superstitious fears arose—they thought they were seeing a ghost. People at that time believed that unembodied spirits haunted the deep waters late at night, and here one had found them. They were terrified.\nJesus must have sensed their terror for he called out, “Don’t be afraid. It is I.” In the other gospels we learn that Jesus intended to pass by them and go on to the other side of the lake by himself. But when he saw their distress, he had compassion on them and came to them in the midst of the battering waves.\nMany times, when life gets complicated, when we feel like we are in danger of drowning in debt, in relational quicksand, in depression, or other struggles in life, we feel as though there is no hope to continue on. What efforts we make might be like those of these disciples in the boat, fruitless, powerless against the force of the storm. In the darkness it may be difficult to see where we are going or how we ever are going to get safely home. We may be endlessly going in circles, finding ourselves right back where we started from—or worse.\nWhat we must remember at times like these is that what we may believe is a ghost or phantom, someone who has forsaken us, is actually our Lord coming to us in the midst of the battering waves. There is a genuine, real Savior who is master of the storm, who can still the wind and waves simply with a word.\nImpulsive Peter wanted Jesus to prove who he was by inviting him out to walk on the water too. And he did. Peter and Jesus were the only humans to ever do this—but there was a difference between them. The minute Peter took his eyes off Jesus and began to focus on the wind and the waves, he began to sink into the water. He was completely dependent upon Jesus saving him. He had no power over the storm. It was when Jesus entered the boat with Peter that the storm ceased—and this drove the disciples to their knees in worship.\nThe reality we must come to terms with is that our existence is dependent upon God. We are at the mercy of our creation in ways we don’t want to admit to. For millennia we have worked to master this world and all its intricacies. But there are still things we don’t have control over—earthquakes, hurricanes, tornadoes—other natural occurrences. We have made great progress in dealing with COVID-19, but we have at no point come up with the power to stop the disease simply with a word. Only one human has ever had that power—and he was God in human flesh, Jesus Christ.\nNor do we have the power of redemption that Jesus has. There is a way where God can, and does, take the horrific experiences of our lives and redeem them—turn them into good, in spite of the harm they have done. The storm created havoc in the lives of the disciples, but Jesus turned it into an opportunity for them to grow in faith and in their knowledge of him as Lord and Savior. The storms in our lives, if we are willing, are opportunities for us to grow in our ability and desire to trust in Christ and to come to a deeper appreciation of our need for him and his love and provision. As we turn to Christ in faith, he can take these storms and use them as opportunities to refine us, to transform and heal us.\nComing to a realistic affirmation of who we are as God’s children is a great place to be, for there we find comfort, peace, assurance and hope. Today, are you feeling battered by the waves in your life? Do you feel tossed about, forsaken, hopeless? Perhaps you need to look up, to hear Jesus’ words to you, “Don’t be afraid. It is I.” Ask Jesus to awaken you to his presence in you and with you in the midst of the battering waves. Fasten your eyes on him, walk with him, and ignore the storm—he’ll take care of it in his good time. Thank him for his faithful love and grace as master of the storm. Worship him in gratitude and praise.\nDear Jesus, this world’s storms toss us about, blow us around in circles, and steal our hope. We know you are the Lord of all, our Savior and Deliverer. Grant us the faith to keep our eyes on you, no matter how bad the storms get. Speak your word of life and hope—carry us through these storms and silence them all in your good time. May your Spirit breathe life, peace, and hope to calm the battering waves in our lives and in this world. Keep us in our Abba’s hand and bring us safely to shore. Amen.\n“Immediately He made the disciples get into the boat and go ahead of Him to the other side, while He sent the crowds away. After He had sent the crowds away, He went up on the mountain by Himself to pray; and when it was evening, He was there alone. But the boat was already a long distance from the land, battered by the waves; for the wind was contrary. And in the fourth watch of the night He came to them, walking on the sea. When the disciples saw Him walking on the sea, they were terrified, and said, “It is a ghost!” And they cried out in fear. But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, “Take courage, it is I; do not be afraid.” Peter said to Him, “Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water.” And He said, “Come!” And Peter got out of the boat, and walked on the water and came toward Jesus. But seeing the wind, he became frightened, and beginning to sink, he cried out, “Lord, save me!” Immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and took hold of him, and said to him, “You of little faith, why did you doubt?” When they got into the boat, the wind stopped. And those who were in the boat worshiped Him, saying, “You are certainly God’s Son!” Matthew 14:22–33 NASB\nBy Linda Rex\nJuly 19, 2020, PROPER 11—If we were to take a hike up a mountain in the Colorado Rockies, we may, as we arrive breathless at the summit, see an amazing view below us. We may be awed by the grandeur of such a sight and find it to be quite inspiring and invigorating.\nBut if we were honest with ourselves, we would have to admit that in the midst of all that glory were signs of this world’s fragility and brokenness. There seems to be no place on earth where everything is exactly perfect, unblemished and unmarred. The apostle Paul speaks of how even the creation anxiously awaits the coming of the glorification of God’s adopted children and the coming of the new heavens and new earth.\nWhat we tend to forget sometimes is that this world only gives us glimpses of glory. What we were created for, the glory which was meant to be revealed in us, was to be the adopted children of God, living forever in the oneness and love of the Father, Son, and Spirit. We were created to be image-bearers of our Abba, to reflect God’s very nature in our being. And this is why God determined before time began that he would join himself with us in the person of Jesus Christ.\nUnfortunately, there is a deep, dark place in all of us where we believe that God does not love us nor does he care one whit as to how we are suffering or as to whether we live or die. This lie we believe about ourselves is the infection of sin which we humans contracted in the Garden of Eden. We allow it to poison our view of God and ourselves, as well as other people. This lie becomes the lens through which we view all of life, and guides our decisions and choices.\nAs we live out of this lie, we find the result is death. We may decide we need to be a good person, to follow our conscience, but don’t realize that even our human efforts to make ourselves good, good enough to be loved and accepted by God, don’t work. If anything, our efforts to clean up evil and to make things good often result only in more pain, suffering, and death.\nJesus often encountered this while interacting with his countrymen who were the leaders of the nation, the rabbis, scribes, Pharisees, and Sadducees. The intent of the leaders over the centuries had been to get the people to be good, to keep the law meticulously, that they might be acceptable to God and be blessed by him. Unfortunately, their efforts merely created burdens that could not be borne by the people and caused much suffering. Their efforts to be free from their Roman overlords often ended up in the suffering and death of many Jews. It seemed that they could not accomplish the eradication of evil and the establishment of the kingdom of God by any of their human efforts. They were powerless over evil, sin, and death.\nJesus told a parable which described a sower who sowed good seed. As the sower went and rested, which all farmers do at night, an enemy came in and sowed bad seed among the good seed. The servants, when realizing what had been done, wanted to rush out into the field and get rid of all the bad seed. But the sower told them to forbear, to allow the plants to grow together until the time of the harvest, so that the good seed would not be harmed by their efforts to remove the evil seed.\nIn this parable, the sower turns out to be Jesus himself and the enemy, the evil one—the devil. The good seed was sowed in the field, the world, but then in the midst of this good creation, this sowing of good seed, was sowed evil and sin which results in death. The good or bad seed, in this parable, is what grows from what was planted, either the sons of the kingdom or the sons of the evil one. The Greek word used to tell the servants to forbear, resonates with the word to forgive, to permit it to be so for the time being—a gracious act by the sower of the seed.\nThe tare or darnel was a weed which when it first began to grow, looked just like wheat. It could easily be mistaken for wheat, and it would grow close enough that if you pulled it out, you would pull out the wheat with it. It isn’t until both plants were ready to be harvested that it could be clearly seen which plant was which. Then the wheat could be harvested and the darnel cut down and bundled to be used for fire.\nThis is a good illustration for us as human beings. We may all look the same on the outside, but what is going on inside is what really matters. We cannot and must not judge others as to whether they are the bad seed or good seed—that is yet to be determined. Eschatologically—when the end comes—this will be determined by the One who knows everyone down to the bottom of their heart. In the meantime, God’s call to his angels is to forbear, to allow, to permit—to offer you and me grace.\nThe apostle Paul reminds us that we no longer focus on the flesh, because we are now new creations in Christ Jesus (2 Cor. 5:16-17). Our true life is now hidden with Christ in God (Col. 3:3). We may look sometimes like a son of the evil one, but in reality, in Christ, we are sons of the kingdom. This is why we need to be careful not to assume we know who is the true wheat and who is the counterfeit. Jesus is now the true measure of any human being.\nThe counterfeit wheat looks good, but its grain can be toxic. In the same way, the sons of the evil one may look just like the sons of the kingdom. They may even do and say all the things that we assume godly people would say and do. But on the inside, they are actually a churning mass of darkness—they have never given up the lie that God doesn’t love them, that they have to earn his love and salvation, that they are going to go about life in their own way under their own power. They have struggles, pain, and sin that has never seen the light of day. For them, being good has replaced being in relationship—they do not realize that eternal life isn’t something to be earned or bought or worked at. Eternal life, Jesus said, is a gift—it is to know him and to know the Father who sent him—an intimate knowing and being known which is only possible by grace.\nWhen the time for harvest arrives, it then becomes obvious what is counterfeit wheat and what is true wheat. It was Jesus who said that some would stand at the door and knock and they would be turned away because he did not “know” them (Matt. 25:11-12). All of our human efforts will not buy us entry into the kingdom of heaven—only grace will. It is those who know their need for God to rescue them who will be saved.\nThe others never did believe God was love and that he loved and included them—they turned away from their only hope for salvation, which was in Jesus Christ. They trusted in themselves, in their own method of self-preservation. And so, in the end, they find themselves face to face with Jesus, the One who is both Judge and Advocate and who defeated evil, sin, and death. As the God who is “a consuming fire” (Heb. 12:29), he will determine their ultimate destination.\nWe might want to pause for a moment to consider this: What is going on deep down inside of us? Does the Spirit bear witness with our spirit that we are God’s beloved children? Do we know that when the voice of condemnation and accusation speaks, that it is a lie, that now there is no condemnation for us, we are forgiven in Jesus? Are we trusting in Christ or in our own ability to get it right? Whatever our answer, we have no reason to fear, because God is gracious and forbearing—we turn to Jesus in faith. As sons of the kingdom, we have joyous hope in Christ!\nDear God, thank you for your faithful love and gift of grace. Grant us the humility and faith to open ourselves up fully to you, to release ourselves from the hamster wheel of human works and self-salvation. Awaken us to reality of the indwelling Christ by the Spirit, to our inclusion in your love and life. In your Name we pray. Amen.\n“Jesus presented another parable to them, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a man who sowed good seed in his field. But while his men were sleeping, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went away. But when the wheat sprouted and bore grain, then the tares became evident also. The slaves of the landowner came and said to him, “Sir, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have tares?” And he said to them, “An enemy has done this!” The slaves said to him, “Do you want us, then, to go and gather them up?” But he said, “No; for while you are gathering up the tares, you may uproot the wheat with them. Allow both to grow together until the harvest; and in the time of the harvest I will say to the reapers, ‘First gather up the tares and bind them in bundles to burn them up; but gather the wheat into my barn.’”’” Matthew 13:24–30 NASB\nAlso read Romans 8:12–25.", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "Best Catholic Dating SitesMutually shared religious values can be very important in relationships, and for some people, it is a central focus. The sites listed below represent the best online dating sites focused on Catholicism. As niche dating sites have become more and more commonplace, it only made sense that there would be a number of Catholic dating sites where single Catholic members could meet online.\nFounded in 2004, Catholic Passions is one of the oldest 100% free online dating sites for single Catholics looking to meet one another. Members are encouraged to join Catholic specific Groups like 'Strict Catholic', 'Lifelong Catholic', 'Converted to Catholicism' etc.Visit Website\nAs part of a large network of sites, Catholic Dating Connexion has a significant number of Catholic singles, and features that make this site worth a look for anyone serious about dating.Visit Website\nWhile some people are open to long distance relationships, Meet Local Catholics is designed for those who are serious about their faith, and who are looking for nearby Catholic singles.Visit Website\nCatholic Singles is clearly for Catholics who are serious about their faith. Great quality website with a nice interface. Definitely one of the online dating sites that single Catholics should consider when looking for a good online site.\nThe 'People Meet' network has a number of niche dating sites, and Catholic People Meet is part of their focus on religious matchmaking. As part of a network that focuses on niche dating sites, Catholic People Meet is worth consideration.\nWhile there are clearly a number of online dating sites for the Catholic community, most of them require paid memberships. Catholic Dating For Free is one of the few free dating sites for Catholic singles.\nAva Maria Singles is an online dating site for devout Catholic singles. If your faith is paramount to your decision making in relationships, then this site should be at the top of your list.\nCatholic Mingle is bare bones. As part of the Spark Network, there are a large number of members, but the look and feel of the site is on the sparse side. Nevertheless, it appears to focus on the Catholic community, so it warrants a place in this list.\nCatholic Mates is part of the SuccessfulMatch network of sites. With a focus on the Catholic community, this site looks like it could be one of the good ones.", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "Here at COTC, we want nothing more than for you to come as you are. That stays the same for High School. We don't want you to have to hide who your are to come hang out and hear about Jesus. What we do want though, is for your life to be different. Jesus is calling us to be something more than just looking and living like everyone else. Come hang out with us Sunday nights 6:30-8:00 pm.\nLocated on college campuses across the nation, MOVE provides a program for 30,000 high school students every summer. Students are challenged through intense, interactive worship, dynamic preaching, small group study and community building.\nWhen: June 13-18\nWhere: Cedarville University in Cedarville, OH\nRegistration opens 3/27!\nHigh School meets Sunday evenings from 6:30-8:00 pm in the Student Room.", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "Rev. Michael Coren is ordained in the Anglican Church of Canada\nAt the end of last week U.S. President Donald Trump followed through on a long-standing threat and called on, “governors to allow our churches and places of worship to open right now”. He continued, “These are places that hold our society together and keep our people united. The people are demanding to go to church and synagogue and to their mosque.”\nActually, that’s not true. There have been very few calls from the Jewish and Muslim communities for venues to be reopened, and the vast majority of Christian denominational leaders have supported church closures and even locked them in an attempt to halt the spread of coronavirus.\nThere have been some exceptions within mainstream churches, such as Catholic Archbishop Bernard Hebda in Minnesota, but for the most part the churches and pastors demanding reopening—and often questioning scientific evidence around the virus—are on the hard right of the evangelical movement.\nTrump went even further, arguing that, “The governors need to do the right thing and allow these very important, essential places of faith to open right now, for this weekend. If they don’t do it, I will override the governors” when in fact the president doesn’t have the constitutional authority to do so. Attorney General William Barr then said, quite disgracefully, that, “I think the intransigence on this makes me feel that undergirding some of this is really animus against religion,” with Trump adding: “Some of these Democrat governors, they’d be happy if you never opened again.”\nThe truth is that a number of these Democrat governors are actually devout Christians and weekly church attendees, many of them intimately active in their congregations. But in a darkly clever move, Trump and his people have depicted Democrats and liberals as being opposed to faith. Freedom of religion, along with gun rights, is part of the U.S. conservative and even greater American DNA, so these men and women are damned if they do, damned if they don’t. As opposed to Donald Trump, who is just damned.\nThe other approach from the White House is to draw an utterly insidious juxtaposition with services considered essential. “Some governors have deemed abortion clinics as essential,” Trump said. “It’s not right. So I’m correcting this injustice and calling houses of worship essential.” Thing is, whatever one’s view on abortion, as a medical procedure with an obvious time limit it is indeed essential, but in making this pairing the president is quoting directly from the anti-abortion and conservative movement’s playbook.\nMost Christian denominations recommend but don’t insist on weekly church attendance, and those that do—Roman Catholicism being the most prominent—have responsibly and wisely ruled that receiving the Eucharist each week is suspended while health and safety are under threat.\nChurches have provided on-line services and meetings, and on a personal level my own church—St. Cuthbert’s Anglican in Oakville, Ont., where I am Deacon Assistant—has increased attendance by Zoom for Bible Study and Morning Prayer by more than 120 per cent, and weekly services even more so. Nobody would argue that this replaces what was, but places of worship across the world have acted quickly, constructively and empathetically to provide worship, fellowship and support.\nTrump’s motives seem obvious. He is reminding the 81 per cent of white evangelicals—and many conservative Catholics—who voted for him, and who are so enormously influential in the Republican Party, that he is their friend and supporter. The authentic Christian response during a health and human crisis, however, is to care for the poor, sick and marginalized, and to work to promote justice and peace. Open churches are important but secondary, and often a downright digression.\nWhether this U.S. model could even happen in Canada is a fascinating point to consider. It won’t under Justin Trudeau of course, but would also be extremely unlikely with any other prime minister, whatever the party. Canadian Evangelicals are much fewer and not quite as conservative as their southern brethren, and Canadian Catholics—though numbering more than 40 per cent of the population—haven’t voted as a bloc in generations.\nBut there’s something more profound than this. The great Oxford historian, and I should say a friend, Sir Diarmaid MacCulloch has written about how the Protestant Reformation had come to a virtual halt in Europe by the late 17th-century. It had lost France and the parts of Eastern Europe, where it had once seemed to be developing, was under siege elsewhere, and beyond Britain, Northern Germany, and Scandinavia was dormant. It was America, what would become the United States, where the Reformation was born again, if you’ll excuse the pun.\nIt was America, the land of the Protestant immigrant, that became a superpower, a Protestant superpower, allowing and encouraging the same fierce, compelling voices and ideas of the roaring reformers to take hold and dominate. Canada was divided, a product of compromising Anglicanism, French Catholicism, and a Scots and Irish Presbyterianism more interested in confirming its own position than promoting any form of reformation.\nThis, then, is the bible belt of the U.S., this is the evangelical imperative, this is the Godly city built on the hill, this is God Bless America, and this is the culture that Donald Trump—clearly not a man of any noticeable faith—has discovered how to exploit. The less callow of his supporters know he’s insincere but they think of the flawed Emperor Constantine who empowered Christianity, or the Persian king of 2,500 years ago, Cyrus the Great, who allowed the Jewish people to return to Jerusalem. This may all sound laughable, but spend any time on Christian conservative websites and magazines and you’ll realize how deep the malaise goes.\nSo, a few churches will open, a few Governors will be humiliated, people will die, and Donald Trump’s popularity in the quarters he cares about will increase. God, in every sense, help us.", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "Sunday services at [Anderson, Indiana’s] 2233 S. Central Way look a little different these days.\nThe congregation consists of various groups now — Quakers, Wesleyans, white, black, Hispanic, the old and the young.\n“We don’t consider ourselves us and them,” Memorial Circle Wesleyan Church Pastor Clifton Ashlock said. “We’re one now.”\nWhile it may seem odd to have Wesleyans and Quakers together, the union is a way to keep members together and to help the community.\nMemorial Circle recently adopted Anderson First Friends Church.\nFirst Friends has always aimed to help meet the community’s needs, particularly in its neighborhood. But when the 120-year-old church realized it would have to dissolve soon, it turned to Memorial Circle to keep its congregation together.\nFor the rest of the story, visit The Herald Bulletin website.\nUsed with permission. Photo by John P. Cleary.", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "Pictures and videos of a pastor praying for DP Ruto, the UDA Party, and all scammers across the country, have set up a website online to get a different perspective. The pastor had a picture of DP Ruto around his waist and put another picture in front of him. The pastor and other members were on the mountain praying.\nThe pastor was surrounded by his disciples and was on his knees praying. He was carrying a bag. He had a Bible in his right hand when he prayed. One of the church members had a white turban on his head.\nThe pastor praying aloud as if recorded, asking God to send his angels to protect Ruto wherever he is and to give him the strength to overcome whatever challenges he faces. He prayed for peace in Kenya and blamed Kenya for being ruled by leaders who use dark forces.\nThe pastor in his prayer claimed that they were driven out of the congregation and prayed on the hill because they were standing with Ruto. But the pastor vowed to stay outside with Ruto. He denied rumors that he was paid to make this prayer on the hill, saying only God had sent him there.\nThe pastor said that Ruto is like David in the Bible, the son of Jesse who was chosen to be king by God despite being despised. He prayed for Ruto against witchcraft and murder rumors. He also prayed for Rachel.\nThe pastor also said they have been doing this since last year until now. They are not crazy, they are the only people who volunteered to pray for kings like these people in the Bible. (All he said while praying)\nstory courtesy of Kilimani mums udaku zone. Facebook.", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "During the first few years of their married life they made their home near Hickman, Nebr., later living in Illinois and Oklahoma and finally moving back to Nebraska. In the spring of 1907 they moved to Logan county, Nebraska, and settled on a Kinkaid homestead. After proving up their homestead they traded for land in Iowa and made their home there until the time of Mr. Moore's death on April 7, 1925.\nAfter his death she lived with her son Manford in Iowa for some time, later moving to Gandy, and finally to Kearney, where she was united in marriage to John Murrish in Dec. 1927. He also preceded her in death in April, 1934.\nShe then moved to Iowa for a short time, but later came back to Gandy, where she was living at the time of her death.\nShe was a good wife and a kind and loving mother. She always had sympathy for those in need. Early in life she united with the Christian church, and still held to that faith at the time of her death.\nShe leaves to mourn her passing: three sons, John Roy of Arnold, Nebr., Manford Ray of Coburg, Iowa, and Marshall W. of Jerome, Iowa; seventeen grandchildren; ten great-grandchildren; two brothers, Daniel J. Grim of Okla., and George W. Grim of Mo.; and three sisters, a twin, Sarah E. Scott of Kansas, Minnie T. Swank of Okla., and Phoebe A. Baer of Okla. She also leaves to mourn her loss a host of friends and neighbors.\nInterment was made in the family plot in Lovilla, Iowa. Roy Moore of Garfield and Manford Moore accompanied the remains to that city.\nA precious one from us has gone,", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "“He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love, in whom we have\nredemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins.” Colossians 1:13.\nJesus is not going to deliver you from the power of Darkness, He has ALREADY delivered you! You are no longer subject to Satan and his cohorts. It therefore means you don’t have to keep praying to God to deliver you from the Enemy. He has delivered you once and for all by your faith in the Son of God! Read the verse above and understand what it tells you about your current spiritual location. As a child of\nGod, you are now in God’s Kingdom, far from the reach of the devil.\nColossians 3:3 says, “For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.” Your life is embedded in Christ. In Him you live, move, and have you being. Christ is your atmosphere and you are completely shielded by the glory of His Presence. In Christ you are FAR ABOVE all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come. As long as you live with the consciousness of Christ as your spiritual location, the fear of demons, and all the forces of darkness will become a mirage to you. By your union with Christ, you are now superior to the devil.\nArm yourself with this understanding and refuse to tolerate his activities in your life and in all that concerns you. It is your responsibility to resist him in the faith over your life and that of your loved ones. He knows you have authority over him. Use your authority to keep him under your feet right where he belongs.1 Peter 1:8-9 says, “be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion,\nseeking whom he may devour. Resist him, steadfast in the faith…” Keep saying what God’s Word says about your", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "Enjoy this video clip from the movie, Evan Almighty, where the waiter, Al Mighty, played by Morgan Freeman, explains prayer as, 'God providing opportunities'. What are we going to do with the opportunities in our life?\n· Joan: Excuse me. Can I get a refill please?\n· God: Coming right up.\n· Joan: Thank you.\n· God: Excuse me. Are you alright?\n· Joan: Yeah. (God looks at her unconvinced.) No. It’s a long story.\n· God: Well, I like stories. I’m considered a bit of a storyteller myself.\n· Joan: My husband… Have you heard of New York’s Noah?\n· God: (Chuckling) The guy who’s building the ark.\n· Joan: That’s him.\n· God: I love that story, Noah and the Ark. You know, a lot of people miss the point of that story. They think it’s about God’s wrath and anger. They love it when God gets angry.\n· Joan: What is the story about, then? The ark?\n· God: Well, I think it’s a love story about believing in each other. You know, the animals showed up in pairs. They stood by each other, side by side, just like Noah and his family. Everybody entered the ark side by side.\n· Joan: But my husband says God told him to do it. What do you do with that?\n· God: Sounds like an opportunity. Let me ask you something. If someone prays for patience, do you think God gives them patience? Or does he give them the opportunity to be patient? If they pray for courage, does God give them courage, or does he give them opportunities to be courageous? If someone prayed for their family to be closer, you think God zaps them with warm, fuzzy feelings? Or does he give them opportunities to love each other? Well, I got to run, a lot of people to serve. Enjoy.", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "Join us for the launch of Perfect for Purpose. One ticket includes dinner. The night will be filled with music, raffles, networking opportunities, guest speakers and fun! Perfect for Purpose was created to bring women of diverse backgrounds and experiences together, discover the purpose of their pain (i.e. insecurity, breakups, trauma, mental illness, church hurt, death of love one, family hurt, etc.), reveal to them how Christ is still using them, and propel them into their purpose with love,encouragement, and support. We believe that no one is too broken for purpose and the love of Christ can heal and shine through any iniquities. We do not care what your \" sin\" is we will love you. We provide a positive, judgement free, loving, and close-knit atmosphere for women to gather, be free without the pressure of church, and discuss their pain.\n* Bring your business cards and your elevator pitch!", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "The Sisters and Associates pictured above are those who attended the UNIFAS-USA conference this past weekend. (Due to her mother's illness, Sr. Lisa was unable to join the group as planned.) The conference was held at the Mater Dolorosa Passionist Retreat Center in Sierra Madre which was a lovely venue often used by the Servite Friars.\nThe theme was \"Living Our Servite Charism Promoting a Culture of Mercy and Peace.\" Sr. Ginny gave the address on Fridayevening entitled \"The Road to Mercy Starts from Within.\" This was an excellent beginning to the conference as it set the tone both personally and as a group of Servites.\nOn Saturday, Fr. Tom Bonacci, CP spoke on the topic \"The Passion in the Life and Death of Jesus.\" This was an in depth look at the Gospels and explanation of how/why Jesus died for us first and foremost because of the love he has for us. Father spoke of not dwelling on the fact that Jesus fell under the cross three times, but rather how he lifted up the cross and loved us. This is what we, in turn, are to do: not dwell on suffering, pain and sin, but learn to love ourselves and others.\nOn Sunday two women who are survivors of human trafficking, both sexual and labor trafficking, shared their stories with the group. They also shared information regarding national resources that are helpful in providing education, assistance to survivors, etc. It was another worthwhile presentation.\nAt the closing liturgy the newly selected executive committee for UNIFAS-USA was announced. This group was chosen at the Assembly meeting of the leadership representatives of the various UNIFAS_USA groups on Friday morning. The new executive committee members are:\nPresident: Sr. Lisa Sheridan\nSecretary: Sr. Barb Thomalla (Ladysmith Servites)\nTreasure: Deborah Nunes, OSSM (Prioress of the Secular Servites)\nMembers at Large: Fr. Vidal Martinez, OSM; Mellody Randolph (Associate)\nWe congratulate our Community's representatives, Lisa and Mellody for accepting these positions. Much discussion was held about the future of UNIFAS-USA and keeping the 1600+ USA Servites connected. Please keep the group in your prayers as they plan for the future.\nOur Omaha Community took the time to recognize Rose Roeder for her over a decade serving as our representative with this group. In the last years, Rose served as President and helped organize the planning of the past few conferences. Many thanks, Rose, for both your dedication and your service!", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "Happy Advent, dear readers!\nThis is our weekend to put up the Christmas tree! Today, we went and picked out our tree, and now it is happily standing in our living room. It currently has lights, but no other decorations. We’ll do that tomorrow.\nI also got the bulk of the shopping done, gifts wrapped, etc. I don’t know if I’ve ever been this on top of things! A special thanks goes to my mom and dad, who kept the kids so Mark and I could sneak off and go shopping. 😉\nI love this season, when we get to set aside an entire month to focus on our Lord’s birth. I can’t comprehend why God would send His Son for the likes of me, but I’m so glad He did. This is cause for a huge celebration – God loved us so much that He gave His Son.\nSo, I say, haul out the holly! I wish each of you a blessed Advent season and a joyous Christmas.\nI also have a bit of other news. I will be interviewed live on Blog-Talk Radio on Tuesday morning. 7 a.m., my time (Central Standard). Eric Canaday, author, radio host, and all-around great guy will be interviewing me, and I’d like to invite you to join us!\nNow, I must confess to you. I was a bit hesitant about inviting you, my friends. I haven’t ever done a live interview before. Will I sound like Minnie Mouse? Will my southern accent make me sound . . . funny? Will I sit there in silence every time he asks me an intelligent question?\nI don’t know. I just don’t know.\nBut after a bit of internal debate, I finally decided that I would love to have you, my friends, there to support me. And the wonderful thing about radio is I can’t see you. So if I totally embarrass myself and all of you, you can pretend you didn’t even hear, and I’ll never know. 😉\nI wish you all a wonderful weekend filled with the joy of Christmas, and the joy of Christ!", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "Matthew’s main theme was universalism.\nThis miracle is an example of Jesus’ inclusion of everyone as he heals the servant of a Roman officer.\nThis was a challenging miracle for the Jewish people as they believed that the Jews were God’s chosen people. The Roman officer was a Gentile, but he may have been interested in Judaism.\nThe Roman officer was a kind man as he cared about his servants. Many others would not have cared as slaves and servants had no rights. If a servant was ill there was usually no help for them.\nThe officer was in a high position in the army and he was used to giving orders and commands to others. He knows that Jesus has authority, even greater authority than himself as Jesus’ authority comes from God.\nJesus was very impressed with the officer’s faith and compassion. He said, “I have never found anyone in Israel with faith like this.”\nJesus was saying that the Roman officer’s faith was greater than the faith of Jewish people. As a result the servant was healed (from a distance).\nHe shockingly said that there will be people who will be rejected from the Kingdom. This would have surprised Jewish listeners as they expected entrance to the Kingdom of God because they were born Jewish. Jesus emphasises that one must have genuine faith to enter the Kingdom of God.", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "If you haven’t accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior yet, we’d love to talk you through how to do that. The basics are as follows:\nWe are all bound by sin. Sin simply means the evil things that we do. We all inherently know that we have a sinful nature, whether we like it or not. God did not create us this way, but he gave us free will to choose good or evil and we chose evil. But the good news is this, God did not leave us without the antidote to our sinful nature, but instead he sent Jesus Christ to live the perfect, sinless life that we could not live, to die the perfect death that we could not die, and to rise from the dead, defeating sin and death once and for all.\nTherefore, scripture says that if you confess with out mouth that Jesus is Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, then you will be saved. It doesn’t take any magical words, but simply requires a humble heart and a recognition that you are not the Lord of your life and that you need a savior to help you. Jesus is that savior and he is waiting for your earnest call. Simply confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, while truly believing it in your heart.\nOnce you do this, we’d love to talk with you about it. Being a Christian doesn’t stop at simply confessing your sins and asking Jesus to rule in your life, but it’s about allowing God to work in and through you to change you to become the person that you were meant to be. Here are some next steps to doing that.\nYOUR NEXT STEPS\n- Find a church to attend! We’d love to have you join us at FBC!\n- Read your Bible! If you need a Bible, we’d love to give you one, just ask an usher or someone in the Welcome Center.\n- We encourage you to get involved in a Bible study or small group.\n- Attend the Newcomers Breakfast, one of which is upcoming soon! It’s a great place to meet other newcomers just like you and learn more about the church and how to get involved and nurture your faith. Check the online church calendar or email the church for more information, email@example.com.\nGet connected! Join a small group, bible study or a class. Find a place to serve. We’re here to help you find your place.", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "Louise Bowden Taylor\nSylacauga, AL - Funeral service for Louise Bowden Taylor, 97, will be Wednesday, July 11, 2018 at 2:00 p.m. at First Baptist Church of Oak Grove with Rev. Max Buttram officiating. Burial will be in Childersburg City Cemetery in Childersburg, AL.\nMrs. Taylor died Monday, July 9, 2018 at Coosa Valley Medical Center. She was preceded in death by her parents, Joseph and Mertle Martin, son, Perry Bowden, son, Wayne Bowden, 1 brother, and 4 sisters. Mrs. Taylor loved First Baptist Church of Oak Grove and her Sunday School class there. Special thanks to the staff of Sylacauga Health and Rehab.\nShe is survived by her daughter-in-law, Karon Bowden; seven grandchildren, Dawn Bowden, Eric Bowden, Amber (Tim) Summerrow, Brandy (Amy) Bowden, Frankie (Ginger) Thacker, Joel Bowden, John Bowden; and sister, Marie Hall.\nVisitation will be Wednesday July 11, 2018 from 12:00 p.m. until 2:00 p.m. at First Baptist Church of Oak Grove.\nPallbearers will be the men of First Baptist Church of Oak Grove.\nMemorial messages may be sent to the family at www.radneysmith.com.\nRadney-Smith Funeral Home in Sylacauga, AL will direct the services.", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "Biblical Israel - Faith-Based Travel – Protestant Itinerary\nBuilding fellowship and community among fellow travelers is just one of the ways to connect spiritually on this biblical tour of Israel. Experience the power of Scripture as it comes to life with memorable visits to Nazareth, Bethlehem, the Sea of Galilee and Jerusalem. Take time to meditate by the Garden Tomb and visit the Kaser-El-Yahud baptismal site.Jerusalem is dense with holy sites, tied to both the Old and the New Testament: King David’s Tomb, the Garden of Olives, the Church of the Holy ...\nCosmos travelers know travel. And they know what’s important once they reach their destination – the sights, the scenes, the locals and the legends. So we get them exactly where they want to be, from the City of Brotherly Love to the City of Light; from the Great White North to Northern Africa and from amazing South America to stunning Switzerland, no other travel company matches our expertise, on-trip experiences – with a great mix of included excursions and free time – and value.\n|1||Tel Aviv, Israel|\n|2||Tel Aviv – Jaffa – Caesarea – Muhraqa – Megiddo – Tiberias|\n|3||Tiberias. Excursion To Kibbutz Ginosar, Capernaum, Mount Of Beatitudes, Tabgha & Caesarea - Philippi|\n|4||Tiberias – Cana – Nazareth – Qasr El Yahud – Jerusalem|\n|5||Jerusalem. Excursion To Bethlehem|\n|7||Jerusalem. Optional Excursion To Qumran, Masada & The Dead Sea|", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "SCRIPTURE READING: MATTHEW 5: 14-16\nFOCUS: “Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.” (Matthew 5: 14)\nMEMORY VERSE: “Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.” (John 8: 12)\nIn our Focal Scripture, Jesus proclaimed that we are the light of the world. Jesus made mentioned of light that will light up the entire world. Notice that in Genesis 1, when the light bodies were created, God Himself set them in the firmament of the heaven, to give light to the entire earth. The light that was to give light to the entire earth, was positioned by the hand of God. Put differently, the hand of God helped the lights to shine to the world.\nFriend, hear me as I hear the Lord: in 2023, you are that light that will shine by the hand of the Lord. You are a global light. You are that light that will shine beyond your city and nation. You are that light that will shine because Jehovah is involved. You are that light that will shine by the orchestration of divinity. You are that light that will shine supernaturally. You are that light that will shine beyond the calculations and expectations of men.\nWhen a man becomes the light of the world, no single person can boast of empowering him to shine. When God is the foundation of your shining, no circumstance can dim your light. Hear me as I hear the Lord: you are that light that will not go dim. You are that light that will not be blown off. You are that light that will not be cut short. You are that light that will not expire in time. You are that light that will shine, shine and shine.\nThere are lights that are made for the house, and there are some for the city; but you are that light that was made for global recognition. You are that light that was made to shine and show forth the glory of God to your entire generation. Let the mantle for global visibility come upon you. Let the mantle of global recognition come upon you. Let the power to go global come upon you. Let the mandate of global greatness come upon you.\nDon’t be counted amongst the global lights that preferred to play local. Arise, take your place in the firmament, and shine to your generation.\nFURTHER READING: JOHN 8\n- I am a global light; I enjoy global visibility, in Jesus’ name!", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "PRESS RELEASE: Active in Scotland\nPosted on March 8th, 2013 at 8:42AM\nText of Press Release as follows:\nActs435 Gives Fast Financial Help for Struggling Families in Scotland\nThe Christian online giving charity, www.acts435.org.uk, has just started helping families in Scotland as well as England.\nThe first participating Church in Scotland, Whiteinch Church in Glasgow, yesterday posted their first request on the website. The request was for £50 for an electric cooker for an individual who had secured accommodation after some time being homeless.\nWithin hours of the advocate posting the request, £40 had already been raised. Acts 435 is offering fast financial help to those struggling in the UK at a time when other options are disappearing.\nActs 435 was launched in England in July 2010 and was registered with the Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator in August 2011.\nWhiteinch Church of Scotland, Glasgow, has recently launched a Christians Against Poverty debt centre in partnership with other churches as well as a Food Bank. 81% of people in Whiteinch are dependent on benefits or child tax credit and double the average children in the area receive free school meals. Whiteinch Church was keen to get involved with Acts 435 to complement the other work they are doing to help those struggling financially in their area.\nActs 435 Advocate James Renwick who is also the Christians Against Poverty Centre Manager, said: “I love what Acts 435 is about. It’s such a great idea”.\nMargaret Sentamu, Chair of the Trustees said: “It is great news that Acts 435 is now serving people in Scotland as well as England. I hope that many more churches will want to join us in bringing real help to those in need. It is important that we show Christian love through practical actions.”", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "20“When you go out to war against your enemies, and see horses and chariots and an army larger than your own, you shall not be afraid of them, for the Lord your God is with you, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt.2 And when you draw near to the battle, the priest shall come forward and speak to the people 3 and shall say to them, ‘Hear, O Israel, today you are drawing near for battle against your enemies: let not your heart faint. Do not fear or panic or be in dread of them, 4 for the Lord your God is he who goes with you to fight for you against your enemies, to give you the victory.’” ~ Deuteronomy 20:1-4\nThe other day the choir came into my room to practice their songs for church and one song I had forgotten as I have not heard it for a very long time. It goes something like this:\nI sat in my chair in the computer lab at my school and smiled from ear to ear. As a veteran myself I think it is an awesome song. I also think it ties in great with our faith because let’s face it, if you serve you have to believe that you will survive your service. For me it was about family, it was about having a family, I had an idea of kids, a wife, and a house with a white-picket fence. I thought my children would be waiting for me at the front door when I came home from my service. For many of the men and women who service this is a reality, and it is a beautiful one. But to also have God in your heart and to feel secure within your service then you really have something there. So to all the veterans I wish you well and hope all your dreams come true, I shall pray that God blesses you daily for all that you do for this great and wonderful country.\nFor all my Listening Faithfully Followers please click on the link below and submit your wishes to all our veterans. MY PERSONAL FACEBOOK\nIf you enjoyed “Special Posting: Veterans Day 2015 (Thank You for Your Service)”, I invite you to stay in contact with me through the following ways and please do not forget to rate this posting below.\nFacebook: CLICK HERE\nAs we head towards the season of Thanksgiving it is important to take note of all that we have to be thankful for. Like the disciples who learned all things are possible through the love and compassion of God so to can we the many sons and daughters of Christ make miracles happen for those who are in need and thus in our own way feed the multitude. I urge you to support inner city children through the gift of education by clicking the following link.\nSupport the Boy’s & Girl’s Tech Team Click Here for more details and to show your support.", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "By Ndahi Marama – Maiduguri\nThe Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Borno State Chapter has demanded “teaching and employment of Christian Religious Knowledge (CRK) in both primary and secondary schools” in the State.\nCAN also pleaded with the Borno State Government to rebuild all churches demolished by the Borno Geographic Information System (BOGIS).\nThis is even as it appreciated the effort of the Borno State Governor, Professor Babagana Umara Zulum for his prompt action in ensuring that justice is done and for identifying with the family of the deceased, late Ezekiel Bitrus who was shot dead by a security attache of BOGIS when youths of EYN Church Moduganari attempted to halt the Agency from demolishing the church.\nIn a press statement issued and made available to Journalists in Maiduguri yesterday, the Coordinator Borno Concerned Christian Youth Forum, Mr Ezra Bulus, said resolution and demands of the Forum were made during the remembrance service for the late Ezekiel Bitrus last Sunday.\nMr Bulus said: “As we all know that we are here to remember our brother, late Ezekiel Bitrus who died on the 5th of August 2021, when a local church branch of EYN Moduganari was demolished by BOGIS, led by its Executive Secretary, Engr Adams Bababe and for launching and dedication of album left behind by the deceased. “\nThe Forum apologised to Borno CAN Chairman, Bishop Mohammed Naga and his Executive for the Youths reaction and attack on his personality as well as the destruction of CAN office, saying that the youths acted on earlier information which was later discovered to be false.\nContinuing, Bulus said:” May we draw the attention of Borno State government on the following areas of great concern as indigenes of the State; Rebuilding of all churches demolished by BOGIS.\n“Building of place of worship for Christians in tertiary institutions as done for our Muslim counterpart.\n“Teaching and employment of Christian Religious Knowledge (CRK) in both primary and secondary schools in Borno State.\n“This will give opportunity for good moral upbringing among the Christian youths and children.\n“Establishment of Directorate of Christian Affairs in the Ministry of Religious Affairs. Currently, there is no representation of Christians in the Ministry.”", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "Radio Adoración a Cristo 97.3 Radio en vivo\nGracias por tu opinión.\nRadio Adoración a Cristo 97.3 is a Christian radio station based in Barahona, República Dominicana. The channel is primarily aimed at the local population of Barahona, but its powerful signal can reach listeners across the surrounding regions. The station broadcasts 24/7 and offers a wide variety of Christian music, preaching, and talk shows. The schedule includes daily bible readings, prayer sessions, and sermons from prominent pastors and evangelists. In addition to its on-air programming, Radio Adoración a Cristo 97.3 has an active online presence, with live streaming available on their website. Their goal is to spread the word of Christ to people of all walks of life and to inspire listeners to live a more meaningful and spiritual life. Tune in to Radio Adoración a Cristo 97.3 for a soulful listening experience.", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "Alibei your wrong, so Fucking wrong. PROTESTants are protesting the Catholic Church and you are a PROTESTant. My faith is so strong it would kill you it is so strong. My friend and I have more than 500 crucifixes in our homes. Fuck that bitch. My Church is the ONE true HOLY CATHOLIC and APOSTOLIC CHURCH. And I think he is Catholic. And Saint Peter was the leader of the one Church. Thats why the Pope's names are the Vicar of Christ, Supreme Pontiff, and Vicar of Peter ECT.\nJustin is a christian because in his album my world both of them actually he thanks Jesus Christ. Now I know some of you are saying \"Well, Catholics believe in Jesus\" While that is true they also worship and pray 2 the virgin Mary and god is displeased because he calls this idolatry and it's not rite. Catholisim is witchcraft. Why pray to Mary when you can pray to the true god lord Jesus Christ. I luv day im a christian\nhes catholic i'v know him befor he was famous because im his cousin lmfaoo and its not sooo cool everyone wishes they were his cousin but hes still the same justin to me:) soooo there is your answer hes catholic. not christian even though i dont see the difference between them.:D\nI have no idea what religion he is but I would like to tell everyone that's put \"he's a Christian\" that Christianity isn't a religion nor a denomination. So Justin maybe a Christian but that's not his denomination. There can be Christian Catholics, budhists, baptists, and so on and so forth.\nHey Guess what if you're Protestant you're not Christian according to your definition. The Catholic church or any other breakaways are all technically Christian, why because they all believe that Jesus was the messiah and that he is the son of God.\nThe French religion is Catholic The French settled in Canada and most Canadians are Catholic and Guys he went to a CATHOLIC SCHOOL!!! So i'm pretty sure he's catholic!! Thank God! We can get married lol i wish!!\njustin bieber is obviously not a christian. if he was, he would not sing songs about how wonderful a girl is, where as if he were a true christian, he would give all his glory to God, the one true God...it Should matter to you if the person who is singing your favorite song truly believes in God or not, so don't say \"it doesn't matter\". and Christianity is about having a personal relationship with God and Jesus, and knowing that Christ came to die for our sins and the Holy Spirit lives in us, but Christianity is not about whether or not you wear a cross necklace or pray well. i believe that he would express his love for God in a different way if he were a Christian. and if you say he's a Christian, you need to think again if you really are a Christian, or if you just want him to be. and i don't believe we should idolize anyone enough to say that we 'love' them, when we don't even know them, the only One we should idolize is God.\nI have never really liked Justin Bieber.......In many sites I see,it says he is a Christian by the song or movie Never Say Never.....And he also has been interviewed saying that he is a Christian!If I knew he is a true Christian,faithful to God,and not ask God for stuff....he wouldn't be that bad to me.I don't care if he isn't but I hope he is and I will pray for him(yes i am a Christian).\nAlso,I don't care if you do or don't vote for me as best answer.I'm a Christian and I get what I deserve.Have Faith in God!\nhe is christion im gonna go a lil of topic i was just listening to his old and new song he changed so much but i still love him i just hope he doesnt change anymore it makes me sad cuz he was so lil when he sang common denominator", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "Here are two verses that come to mind for Fathers' Day.\nSee the kind of love the Father has given us that we should be called children of God, and that is what we are! (1 John 3:1, Evangelical Heritage Version)\nI have no greater joy than when I hear that my children are walking in the truth. (3 John 4, Evangelical Heritage Version)\nA blessed Fathers' Day to all our fathers out there.", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "Service. Prayer. Justice. Vocation. Community. Leadership.\nThese are the core values that shape and inform every aspect of an Episcopal Service Corps Year. It’s these values that set us apart from other post-graduate options. And it’s these values that drive our Corps to engage the transformative power of an ESC Year.\nAre you a young leader 21-32 intrigued by the idea of devoting a year of your life to creating change in the world, and in yourself?\nJoin ESC for an online Open House on March 3 at 7 pm Eastern/6 pm Central/5 pm Mountain/4 pm Pacific.\nDuring the hour participants will hear from current Corps members and alumni about what their ESC Year meant to them. It’s also a time to ask questions about the application and discernment process.\nKnow someone who might be discerning an ESC Year? Forward a link to this event to them with an invitation to participate.\nRegister using the form below:\nEvery year, Episcopal Service Corps hosts a number of Open Houses for potential Corps members to hear from current Corps and alumni about their Service Year, meet program directors, and ask questions.\nOpen Houses are upcoming on the following dates:\nWednesday, January 5, 8 pm Eastern/7 pm Central/6 pm Mountain/5 pm Pacific – Click here for detailsThursday, March 3, 7 pm Eastern/6 pm Central/5 pm Mountain/4 pm Pacific\nWatch this website for more details about these upcoming events.\nESC Corps members and Alumni are invited to enter our contest to design the 2021-2022 Corps t-shirts.\nESC Alumni and Current Corps members are invited to a networking event designed to put you in touch with working professionals in the fields of: Public Policy, Healthcare, Ministry, Social Services, Education, and more.\nJoin us for this event March 9 at 8 pm Eastern/7 pm Central/6 pm Mountain/5 pm Pacific.\nRegister now: Online Form – Alumni Networking March 2022Powered by Formstack\nEvery year, young adults from 21 to 32 are invited to apply to serve as a member of Episcopal Service Corps (ESC) for the upcoming service year. Understanding that applying can feel a bit overwhelming, this article is intended to help potential applicants understand the process.\nJohnson Service Corps (JSC) started over 20 years ago as a ministry at Chapel of the Cross Episcopal Church in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. JSC’s namesake, Margaret Johnson, a longtime Chapel of the Cross parishioner, was passionate about young adults and spiritual formation. After she passed away, Johnson left funds to the church. Following a lengthy discernment to find the best use for money, in 1999, the Johnson Intern Program, JSC’s predecessor, was formed.\nGiving of yourself for the benefit of others is quite possibly the most rewarding thing a person can do with their time on Earth. No one benefits from a wholly isolated, insular life devoid of giving back. Whether a person is religious or not, helping others can be one of the most positive life choices that one can make.\nThe difficult task of getting six total strangers to not only live together for a year but also devote a majority their time helping their community is no easy task – but it’s one at which Episcopal Service Corps (ESC) members excel.\nESC is now recruiting for the 2021-2022 Service Year. In this video, Episcopal Church Presiding Bishop Michael B. Curry invites young adults 21-32 to discern if they are called to serve.\nProgram directors and staff were deeply moved by this icon’s legacy and were inspired to dedicate at least a portion of 2020-2021 ESC formation activities to learning more about Pauli Murray and the ways that Murray’s story inspires us to leadership and activism.\nA program of Christ Episcopal Church, Cody, and a Fresh Expression of the Diocese of Wyoming, WSC will offer Corps members a contemplative environment in which to discern their greater place in the world as well as opportunities to explore the extraordinary natural and social world around them.\nResponding to local conditions, a number of ESC’s 14 network programs quarantined in their house while others went off-site to a nearby camp or conference center where Corps members could remain physically distant during a quarantine period and gather safely outside, as appropriate.\nby Austin Hays, LEVN – Lutheran Episcopal Volunteer Network\nOf all the multifaceted ways of living throughout this year, by discerning the call of God and developing a discipline of prayer, while living in community, I have experienced that service is a natural outpouring of these ways of living.\nCircle of the Beloved welcomed me warmly and wrapped me up in their community from day one. If it wasn’t for Circle, I would have been floundering about to find community as the only Visitation intern this year. Whether it is sharing meals or participating in Sunday compline, we are working together to foster authentic community at Liberty House.\nCommunity was a key component of my return to the Christian faith. The recognition of need for a nourishing, rooted faith community led to my eventual stumbling into an Episcopal church.\nI decided to cobble this interview together from different service corps members in the spirit of joining our different yet similar experiences during the quarantine. Hence the title of this interview series “Joining The Viewpoints”.\nI am still, in all honesty, quite new to the discipline of regular prayer and I feel a bit out of my element writing this post. For much of my life my presence in prayer was tightly tied to feeling.\nThe Most Rev. Michael Bruce Curry, Presiding Bishop and Primate of The Episcopal Church, sends his greetings and gratitude for Corps members serving during the current outbreak of COVID-19.\nIn contemplating the call of God, I see two aspects. First, that a call must have voice, therefore God speaks. Second, that creation must respond.", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "Collects, Epistles, and Gospels for Ascensiontide - Whitsuntide\nThe Apostles' Creed\nI believe in God, the Father almighty, maker of heaven and earth;\nAnd in Jesus Christ his only Son our Lord; who was conceived by the Holy Ghost,\nborn of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate,\nwas crucified, dead, and buried. He descended into hell.\nThe third day he rose again from the dead. He ascended into heaven,\nand sitteth on the right hand of God the Father almighty.\nFrom thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead.\nI believe in the Holy Ghost, the Apostolic Church,\nthe communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins,\nthe resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting.\nThe Sunday After Ascension\nO GOD, the King of glory, who hast exalted thine only Son Jesus Christ with great triumph unto thy kingdom in heaven; We beseech thee, leave us not comfortless; but send to us thine Holy Ghost to comfort us, and exalt us unto the same place whither our Saviour Christ is gone before, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the same Holy Ghost, one God, world without end. AMEN.\nTHE end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer. And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins. Use hospitality one to another without grudging. 10 As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. 11 If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God; if any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth: that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.\nThe Gospel St. John XV26, and part of XVI\nWHEN the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me:\nAnd ye also shall bear witness, because ye have been with me from the beginning.\n1 These things have I spoken unto you, that ye should not be offended.\n2 They shall put you out of the synagogues: yea, the time cometh, that whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God service.\n3 And these things will they do unto you, because they have not known the Father, nor me.\n4 But these things have I told you, that when the time shall come, ye may remember that I told you of them.", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "the Voice of\nThe Communist League of Revolutionary Workers–Internationalist\n“The emancipation of the working class will only be achieved by the working class itself.”\n— Karl Marx\nAug 18, 1995\nOver the last few decades, a movement has arisen in Latin America which has come to be known as liberation theology. For revolutionary Marxists, religion has always been one of the main obstacles to the mass of the workers and oppressed in their battle for self-emancipation. Christianity, for example, offers them the illusion of eternal life after death, if they submit on earth and accept the powers that be. The Catholic Church has fulfilled this function since its inception in Latin America, offering consolation to the Indians as their land was stolen and they were pushed into slavery, blessing the rapacious landlord class and later the capitalists. The church opposed every struggle for liberation in Latin America, supporting Spain at the time of the fight for independence, taking the side of the old regime and the hacienda owners during the Mexican revolution.\nLiberation theology, which announced itself to the world at the September 1968 meeting of 146 Latin American bishops at Medellín, Columbia, expresses ideas which seem to contradict the traditional stance of the church. The conference declared a \"preference to the poorest and most needy sectors.\" Of course, the church also condemned, once again, \"the Marxist system,\" but this time it also condemned \"liberal capitalism\" and called for \"authentic liberation.\" The theology of liberation tells the poor not to wait for a better life until they go to heaven, but to change conditions on earth, not to submit to oppression but to challenge and remove it. This is a far cry from the statement of the bishops of Nicaragua in 1950, \"when you obey the government ... you perform acts that constitute obedience to God,\" which was typical of the 500 years of Christianity in Latin America.\nLiberation theology was initiated by the literary effort of the Catholic Church's best theologians and proclamations by bishops at the top of the hierarchy of the Latin American church. But it also includes many thousands of the lower clergy and a couple of million poor activists organized into Base Ecclesial Communities. An example of how these activists' thinking has changed after contact with these communities can be seen in interviews done by Madeleine Adriance, as reported in Opting for the Poor. New members were asked why they were poor. They responded: \"the will of God,\" \"because of our sins,\" \"suffering is the test of our faith\" – all traditional answers that we'd expect from Christianity. Members who had been in the same community for some time responded: \"There is no rain because the rich people are destroying the forests – the drought is caused by lack of trees.\" \"There are two classes – the rich and the poor. The poor are exploited, humiliated, forgotten; the rich create this situation; the landowners care only for themselves.\"\nIt was not an accident that the Medellín conference took place in 1968, the year of the massacre of students in Mexico City, the May-June events in France, the Prague Spring in Czechoslovakia, the Black uprisings in the United States and the Tet Offensive in Viet Nam. A section of the Catholic Church responded to the new radicalization that had developed around the world, including in Latin America.\nAt first, when the church responded to the new social struggles, it was primarily as an attempt to resolve its own problems. The Catholic Church has always had tremendous influence over the poor masses of Latin America. But by the 1950s and early 1960s, the church was failing to attract the poor in the rapidly growing cities, due to competition from unions, nationalist movements, left-wing parties, and protestant churches. For a church heavily dependent on its clergy, the crisis was felt through a shortage of priests, which meant that not every parish could be covered. Moreover, many of the priests were focused on the education of the children of the ruling class, which left the whole church even more removed from the poor.\nThe Cuban revolution of 1959 caused the church to fear that similar revolutions would spread and displace it. Following the Cuban revolution, students and intellectuals had turned to guerrilla groups or other forms of leftist activity. They fought against U.S. imperialism and the local ruling class that presided over miserable poverty. And the radicalization in Latin America extended to other layers, especially among the workers and peasants, giving rise to mass strikes, land occupations and other social struggles.\nMany students from upper class backgrounds began to despise the church, seeing it as siding with the oppressors of the people, so the church was losing its grip even among the sector it had focused on. This serious crisis in the church led many of the clergy to feel the urgent need to change if it were to survive. It had to reestablish its influence among the poor population and offer an alternative to communism. The international head of the Jesuit Order, General Pedro Arrupe, put it sharply, \"the battle against atheism is identical in part with the battle against poverty which was one of the causes of mass exodus of the working class from the Church.\" Substantial portions of the clergy in most of the Latin American countries began in the mid-1960s to organize among the poor.\nBrazil was the country where liberation theology first took shape as a movement among the poor. The years from 1961 to 1964 were marked by radicalization and polarization in the society, especially in the impoverished rural Northeast. A Catholic left in the student and union movements was swept up in this radicalization and worked with the outlawed Communist Party. Meanwhile the upper and middle classes in the cities were in a right-wing mood, and clamored for the military to crack down. The hierarchy moved between the Catholic left and right, calling for agrarian reform and promoting Christian rural unions as rivals to the Communist ones. In November 1960 the National Council of Brazilian Bishops chose Natal in the Northeast for a new initiative. The bishops set up treatment centers to combat disease and malnutrition and, in order to promote the faith, proposed a program of literacy. In doing these things they could not avoid having almost immediately to discuss social problems. Church activists used the teaching methods which Paulo Freire called \"conscientization\", a method filled with \"lessons\" like the following: \"The peasant is a man of the land. He works the land. He gathers the fruit of the land. Does the peasant have land? Does he have all that he needs to cultivate the land?\"\nThe bishops also turned to the national government of Janio Quadros, which gave them 1.5 million dollars for the church's Basic Education Movement. Using this money, the church was able to open 1,400 radio stations which delivered basic education, but also soon added the Mass. In numerous communities, groups of poor people gathering around a radio to listen to the broadcasts, effectively attended a Mass delivered by the bishop. The church found in these meetings a solution to the absence of priests. By 1963, these meetings were being turned into what the church called, Base Ecclesial Communities, groups of 20 to 30 people, usually poor, who studied the Bible and sang hymns, but were pushed, if only by the situation, to intervene in the social struggles going on at the time.\nAt the time of the 1964 coup, most bishops thanked the military for saving the country from communism. They tried to enter an alliance with the new regime. But the military repaid the church's efforts by coming down on the clergy involved in the Basic Education Movement, closing its radio stations, censoring its newspapers, arresting, torturing and even killing some priests. Several of the conservative bishops took a stand against the government in defense of their priests and lay people. Furthermore, as trade unions, student groups, and the press were repressed, the church soon became the only institution in the country with the ability to speak out. In line with its goal to reach out to these organizations, to strengthen its influence among the poor, the church found itself the spokesperson for these groups. Many activists from the unions and other social movements found the church the only place where they could maintain their activity. When they eventually moved back into the unions, they had been influenced by the church; thus the church extended its reach to the poorest layers of society.\nAs a consequence of all this, a part of the hierarchy became radicalized. In 1967, seven bishops published a message which declared that true socialism is Christianity integrally lived, that wealth must be shared by all, and that revolution was, in some cases, necessary. In the following years under the military dictatorship, the Base Ecclesial Communities grew to some 80,000 or 100,000 in Brazil, with an estimated one to two million members. And those who left for exile brought their ideas to other countries.\nThe church attempted to turn toward the oppressed in other countries of Latin America in the mid-1960s. But when sections of the clergy turned to the poor, they were confronted, as they had been in Brazil with the class struggle and the necessity to choose sides. As the Peruvian theologian Gustavo Gutiérrez said, \"class struggle is a fact and neutrality in this matter is impossible. The class struggle is part of our economic, social, political, cultural and religious reality.\" Their former students came back from the universities after discovering Marxism or dependency theory, which addressed the problem of imperialism and poverty in Latin America. Many of the clergy felt these ideas offered an explanation of poverty which they could draw upon.\nThe Cuban revolution appealed to them because it appeared able to carry out tasks that mere charity could not even contemplate. It threw the United States out of the island, instituted a thoroughgoing land reform and promoted literacy, health and social programs. The Cuban revolution inspired the priest Camilo Torres in Columbia to organize a United Front of peasants, slum dwellers and workers. This led him to sharp conflicts with the hierarchy. He renounced the priesthood, joined the guerrilla Army of National Liberation, and was killed in 1966. In the eyes of many Christian activists, he was a martyred saint who argued the futility of reform and the necessity for violent revolution. They established hundreds of \"Camilista groups\" in Columbia, Venezuela, Ecuador, Peru and Bolivia which read his writing and speeches, and repeated his proclamation, \"The duty of every Catholic is to be a revolutionary. The duty of every revolutionary is to make the revolution.\"\nAt Vatican II, the 1962-65 meetings of the world Catholic hierarchy in Rome, the 600 Latin American participants met together to discuss their common problems. In the following years some of the bishops and professional theologians synthesized their new experience and the first successes they had made in reestablishing their influence among the poor. They drew up a program, which led to the theology of liberation documents presented at Medellín in 1968. Within the next couple of years, large numbers of the clergy and Catholic activists throughout Latin America grabbed hold of these ideas. The Base Ecclesial Communities spread, enrolling somewhere between two and four million members. Out of the church's crisis over its loss of influence it had turned to the poor, bringing a significant section of the clergy and lay activists to join the radicalization of the time. The theology of liberation was a broad movement, with a wide spectrum of views, with some people traveling considerably further leftward than others. Some never called for socialism. Others did. For example, a group called Christians for Socialism in Chile, supporting the Cuban revolution and Allende, claimed, \"there is no middle ground between capitalism and socialism.\" A small minority went as far as guerrilla warfare. A number of them, even in the high levels of the hierarchy, like Archbishop Romero of El Salvador, went much further than they expected. A conservative when appointed to his post, Romero wound up defending the violence of self-defense by the poor and was murdered by the Salvadoran death squads.\nThe theology of liberation is an attempt to address the causes of poverty in Latin America, critiquing capitalism and showing support for the struggles of the oppressed, all within a religious framework. It posits the cause of poverty in the social system. But its ideas, far from raising the consciousness of the oppressed, confuse and obscure it.\nFor example, a group of eighty Chilean priests in 1971 declared that poverty was the result of \"the capitalist system, which is produced by the domination of a foreign imperialism and abetted by our own country's ruling class.\" But behind this social system they found ... sin! As Gustavo Gutiérrez, the most famous of the liberation theologians, said, \"Sin, the breach with God, is not something that occurs only within some intimate sanctuary of the heart. It always translates into interpersonal relationships... and hence is the ultimate root of all injustice and oppression – as well as of the social confrontations and conflicts of history.... In describing sin as the ultimate cause we do not in any way negate the structural reasons and the objective determinants leading to these situations. It does, however, emphasize the fact that things do not happen by chance and that behind an unjust structure there is a personal or collective will responsible – a willingness to reject God and neighbor. It suggests, likewise, that a social transformation, no matter how radical it may be, does not automatically achieve the suppression of all evils.\" The liberation theologians stick to god, sin, prayer, salvation ... and the divinely inspired role of the church hierarchy!\nLiberation theology is marked by its \"preference for the poor.\" Gutiérrez says of Jesus, \"He addressed his gospel by preference to the poor. He lashed out with invective against the rich who oppressed the poor and despised them.\" The liberation theologians claim to borrow from Marxism, which they regard as a social science tool. But there is an abyss between the social conceptions of Marx and these people. Marx never saw the working class as a suffering class. He recognized that it has the power, due to its social position, to transform and reorganize society. Liberation theology gets its emphasis on the poor, not from Marx, but from Christianity, which has always expressed a concern for the poor – as an object of charity – while propping up the social systems that gives rise to poverty.\nLiberation theology can even agree with the necessity to abolish private property. As the Brazilian theologian Leonardo Boff said, \"The kingdom of God is not to be in another world but is the old world transformed into a new one.\" And what does it look like? Gutiérrez said, \"only by eliminating private ownership of wealth created by human labor will we be able to lay the foundation of a more just society... We must hence opt for social ownership of the means of production.\" But liberation theologians are careful not to speak of communism. Above all they do not see the proletarian revolution as the way to get to socialism. As radical as they might be, as involved as they are in the different social and political fights in the different countries of Latin America, they never crossed this demarcation line, which is the decisive criterion for judging the class character of any political current in our epoch.\nThe liberation theologians simply joined the movements going on. They didn't advocate their own political party, such as was developed by the church earlier in this century. Instead they joined with secular militants, including socialists and communists, in popular campaigns and movements such as unions, slum dwellers' organizations, and peasant associations. In so doing, they were reestablishing the church's influence among these sectors of the population and, whether consciously or not, were acting in consonance with the aims of the church hierarchy, which had been so important in impelling their movement. The most radical of the left Christians, who joined socialist parties and in smaller numbers the guerrilla groups, supported the mainstream of what the Latin American left put forward as socialism, including Castroism in Cuba, the Allende government in Chile, the Sandinistas in Nicaragua, the guerrilla movement in El Salvador and the Workers Party in Brazil. They and the movements they joined were focused on Latin American liberation, not on the world proletarian revolution. By supporting these movements, they took on all the limitations of these various claims to socialism, which, no matter how radical they might be, never went beyond nationalism, and which, by not fighting for proletarian power, ultimately left the power of the world bourgeoisie intact.\nSo it was in the Nicaraguan revolution, where liberation theology had some influence. A priest, Gaspar Garcia Laviana was killed leading an armed attack on December 11, 1978. Other left-wing Catholics entered the Sandinistas, who led the successful struggle to overthrow the Somoza dictatorship. The first Sandinista government included four priests and some bourgeois ministers. Even after the latter were forced from the government, the regime protected the bourgeoisie's ownership of the land, the means of production and capital. The Sandinista regime constantly pushed the bourgeoisie to invest, at the same time it tried to take a part of the bourgeoisie's wealth for social programs. But in a country as miserably poor as Nicaragua, the bourgeoisie refused to give up anything. Under attack from U.S. imperialism, with its support for the Contras, and from the bourgeois opposition, supported by the hierarchy of the Catholic Church, the Sandinistas wound up pushing austerity on the workers and peasants. Of course, the left-wing Christians in and outside the government had nothing different to propose than did the rest of the Sandinistas. The theology of liberation's socialism, like Sandinismo, proved to be an attempt at reforms within a bourgeois society that couldn't afford them.\nLiberation theology grew up in opposition to the military dictatorships of Brazil, Bolivia, Chile, Uruguay, Peru, Ecuador and Argentina. But, in the last decade, there has been a return to a fragile bourgeois democracy in these countries. The collapse of the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe caused some of the liberation theologians to question their assumptions about collective ownership. The radicalization of the 1960s with which liberation theology grew up has been replaced by a strong turn to the right, and liberation theology has changed with the times. Just as in the past they entered the existing radical movements, having nothing special to offer them to carry the struggles further, now when these movements receded, they retreated with them. Today their emphasis is on working within bourgeois democracy. They are not sure that socialism will work. They place a heavier emphasis on spirituality. Liberation theology continues in most Latin American countries and some of its supporters still see themselves as socialists and revolutionaries, but the center of gravity of the movement has shifted to the right.\nOne example of this was the role played by the left wing of the Catholic Church in the Workers Party of Brazil, which it was involved in building in the early 1980s. The left-wing Christians were in Articulation, which was the right wing of the Workers Party. Articulation called for wage restraint by the workers in union negotiations, deals with bourgeois parties and the transformation of the Workers Party into a more social democratic party. Articulation also worked to expel the revolutionary left from the party – successfully.\nAnother example is the stance of left-wing Christians toward one of the main social questions in Latin America, the oppression of women. The governments of the continent make abortion a crime under the pressure of the church. The church fights contraception, makes divorce difficult, if not impossible, and supports all the institutions that keep women oppressed. On all these questions the liberation theologians accepted the church's reactionary positions. They have never publicly disagreed with the church on abortion, birth control or divorce, even when their attachment to the sexist attitudes of the church adversely affected the cause, not only of the people, but of the movement they were trying to build. During the 1989 Brazilian election, the reactionaries discovered that the companion of Lula – a leader of the metalworkers struggle, and the presidential candidate of the Workers Party – had had an abortion and used this as a major issue with which to attack the Workers Party. The Christian activists in the Workers Party were against the right to abortion, and they used their influence to prevent the Workers Party from waging the type of campaign necessary to defend women's right to abortion.\nOne last example comes in Haiti, one of the countries where the influence of liberation theology came to worldwide attention in recent years. The priest Jean-Bertrand Aristide was one of the leaders of a mass movement that helped bring down the Duvalier dictatorship and gave rise to democratic elections which brought Aristide to power. Once in power, he did not move against the bourgeoisie. Instead he used his movement to restrain those who wanted to push the struggle further. After the military coup, Aristide banked on U.S. imperialism to restore him to power, rather than on the poor of Haiti, whom liberation theology says should be the subjects of their own liberation. The liberation theologian in power proved to be just another bourgeois politician.\nThe Vatican began to crack down on liberation theology for going too far just a few years after Medellín. Pope John Paul II said that some people \"depict Jesus as a political activist, as a fighter against Roman domination and the authorities, and even as someone involved in class struggle. This conception of Christ as a political figure, a revolutionary, as the subversive from Nazareth, does not tally with the Church's catechesis.\" He appointed reactionary bishops as openings arose. In Peru, the church's social centers were dismantled. In Recife, Brazil, the archdiocesan human rights office was closed. The large archdiocese of Sao Paulo was split in two to undermine Cardinal Arns. And Leonardo Boff, one of the most prominent spokesmen of liberation theology, was ordered silenced for ten months.\nThe liberation theologians accepted this crackdown with resignation. The Argentine Enrique Dussel said, \"After 1972, liberation theologians began to suffer repression not only from governments but also from within the Church. The effect of this, however, was to make the theologians more able to identify with the poor of Latin America. Later, Rome believed it could criticize one theologian to hurt us. It was a mistake. This type of condemnation only gives us publicity. Liberation theologians are repressed, poorly paid, threatened, and so on – all of our biographies are the same in this way. But we are happy because we know that history is on our side. We are like a group of close brothers; there is a special, strong bond among us. So we refuse to allow ourselves to be thrown out of the Church – it is our Church and we'll stay there.\" Despite the crackdown, and despite their knowledge of the church's history and current role in Latin America, the theologians of liberation choose to stay with this reactionary institution. At the extreme point of the revolution in Nicaragua, some of them, like David Chavarria Roca, who worked in an auto parts workshop and joined a left-wing religious community could say, \"I consider myself a Christian, but I am clear that if at any moment I have to choose between religion and revolution, I'd choose revolution.\" But so far most liberation theologians have chosen religion and not revolution. And with the general move to the right in Latin America, they are moving further away from revolution.\nNot only do the liberation theologians stick to the church, they give it new life. In countries where the poor were moving away from the church, hundreds of thousands have become tied to it through the Base Ecclesial Communities, and millions more have a much more favorable view of the church due to liberation theology. The liberation theologians are the representatives of the church among the poor. It's not surprising that the Vatican hasn't gone so far as to excommunicate any of them. While it wants to keep them on a tight leash – and so far they haven't chosen to break this leash – it sees the advantage of using them to keep the sheep within the fold.\nThe working class and poor masses of Latin America will emancipate themselves through their struggles. But a precondition for their struggles to go all the way to the socialist revolution is their increased consciousness of the world, the social system and the power they have to change it. This awareness includes understanding the reactionary role of the church and religion in holding people back and keeping them oppressed. When the liberation theologians teach people to read, it is of course an advance, but when they use their new knowledge to read the Bible and to become more deeply attached to obscurantist ideas, it is a step backward. When the left-wing theologians support the fight of the poor, it's a way for the church to wage a battle against atheism and genuine Marxism. As their history has shown, their support to the oppressed in their struggles is not unconditional, and it doesn't go all the way to the end which alone could make real liberation possible. Even in its most radical form, liberation theology brings the workers and the poor reactionary ideas. The workers of Latin America don't need liberation theology, but the liberation from theology.", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "With Jesus in the morning\nHeavenly Father, you have taught us the power of prayer. Only prayer can drive away terrible demons such as violence, trafficking and forced prostitution. I offer you every moment of this day, Lord, for this intention, that the victims of so much evil may be welcomed as brothers and sisters. Our Father.", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "I continued to be educated by Ryan’s parish with texts that are new to me often set to venerable hymn tunes.\nThis one is a 21st century plain speaking text by Christopher Idle, which can be found with the wonderful people at Hope Publishing. One of the tunes they suggest is ST DENIO, which is what is used at Ryan’s parish. I remember this tune from “Immortal, Invisible, God Only Wise” from my Presbyterian childhood. It is a Welsh tune with no known author collected in the nineteenth century.[audio:http://www.sixmaddens.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/Good-Shepherd-You-Know-Us.mp3|titles=Good Shepherd You Know Us]\nST DENIO on organ:", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "Henry and Francis Meet at Boulogne – Francis Promises Support for Henry’s Divorce from Catherine–Anne de Boulogne Married to Henry\nIn 1532 Anne de Boulogne received news that King Francis would be meeting the pope in October the following year at the wedding his second son, Henri (later King Henri II), to Catherine de’ Medici. This meeting, she perceived, would be an opportunity for her French sponsors to press the divorce case, face to face, with the pope.\nCatherine de’ Medici, after all, was herself a de Boulogne through her mother, Madeleine de la Tour d’Auvergne, Countess de Boulogne. It is more likely than not that Anne had been present at Madeleine’s wedding, a flamboyant affair at Château d’Amboise in the Loire Valley on 5 May 1518. During negotiations between Francis and Giovanni di Lorenzo de’ Medici – Pope Leo X – leading to the Concordat of Bologna in 1516, a marriage arrangement (an inducement) was agreed for Madeleine to marry Lorenzo de’ Medici, Pope Leo X’s nephew. The current pope, Giulio di Giuliano de’ Medici (Clement VII), was Leo’s cousin. Surely this union, together with Francis’s influence, would pave the way for another de Boulogne marriage – Anne’s to the King of England – sanctioned by a de’ Medici pope.\nThe de Boulogne–Valois scheme was for Francis to convince Henry that he (Francis) would persuade Clement to grant the annulment. Indeed, Henry later claimed that Francis had promised that he would never consent to his son’s marriage into the de’ Medici family unless Clement decided the divorce in Henry’s favour. In the meantime, the French king would give his personal blessing for Henry to marry Anne.\nTo elevate her status, Anne was created Marquis of Pembroke on 1 September 1532.\nIn the autumn, a visit to the French king was arranged to begin the scheme. Nobility, prelates and servants were commanded to meet up with Henry and Anne in Canterbury on 26 September 1532. Many registered their unhappiness about crossing the Channel to France at the onset of winter.\nThe staunchly conservative Archbishop Warham, however, was not among them. He died on 22 August 1532 and in November Thomas Cranmer, at the time in Austria, was named as the new Archbishop of Canterbury. He arrived back in England on about 10 January 1533.\nOn 11 October 1532, Anne and Henry boarded the Swallow at Dover with an entourage of more than two thousand. Francis arrived at Boulogne on the 19th, and the two groups met the following day amid great pomp. Henry then spent five days lodged at the abbey in Boulogne. It was soon agreed that two French cardinals, Grammont and Tournon, would head a delegation to Clement in a concerted effort to have him grant Henry’s divorce. They were due to meet him in advance of Francis’s arrival for the wedding.\nAmid great ceremony at Boulogne, Francis I and Henry VIII pledged to act as one, united like brothers; they swore their friendship, and the joint message to the pope was that whatever was Francis’s pain or joy, so it would be Henry’s, and vice versa: whatever was done to Henry was also done to Francis.\nAt some time in late 1532 or early 1533, Henry and Anne were married. Quite probably the marriage took place in Boulogne while they were there; however, the details have always remained secret.\nA few weeks after they returned from France, Anne discovered she was pregnant. There was no time to wait for Francis and the pope now; the pregnancy changed everything. Henry’s marriage to Catherine must be annulled officially and quickly.", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "1 Kings Chapter 13 |\n1a man of God arrived at Bethel from Judah at the command of the Lord. While Jeroboam was standing on the altar to present the offering, the man of God, at the command of the Lord, cried out against the altar: 2“O altar, altar! Thus said the Lord: A son shall be born to the House of David, Josiah by name; and he shall slaughter upon you the priests of the shrines who bring offerings upon you. And human bones shall be burned upon you.” 3He gave a portent on that day, saying, “Here is the portent that the Lord has decreed: This altar shall break apart, and the ashes on it shall be spilled.” 4When the king heard what the man of God had proclaimed against the altar in Bethel, Jeroboam stretched out his arm above the altar and cried, “Seize him!” But the arm that he stretched out against him became rigid, and he could not draw it back. 5The altar broke apart and its ashes were spilled—the very portent that the man of God had announced at the Lord’s command. 6Then the king spoke up and said to the man of God, “Please entreat the Lord your God and pray for me that I may be able to draw back my arm.” The man of God entreated the Lord and the king was able to draw his arm back; it became as it was before.\n7The king said to the man of God, “Come with me to my house and have some refreshment; and I shall give you a gift.” 8But the man of God replied to the king, “Even if you give me half your wealth, I will not go in with you, nor will I eat bread or drink water in this place; 9for so I was commanded by the word of the Lord: You shall eat no bread and drink no water, nor shall you go back by the road by which you came.” 10So he left by another road and did not go back by the road on which he had come to Bethel.\n11There was an old prophet living in Bethel; and his sons came and told him all the things that the man of God had done that day in Bethel [and] the words that he had spoken to the king. When they told it to their father, 12their father said to them, “Which road did he leave by?” His sons had seen the road taken by the man of God who had come from Judah. 13“Saddle the ass for me,” he said to his sons. They saddled the ass for him, and he mounted it 14and rode after the man of God. He came upon him sitting under a terebinth and said to him, “Are you the man of God who came from Judah?” “Yes, I am,” he answered. 15“Come home with me,” he said, “and have something to eat.” 16He replied, “I may not go back with you and enter your home; and I may not eat bread or drink water in this place; 17the order I received by the word of the Lord was: You shall not eat bread or drink water there; nor shall you return by the road on which you came.” 18“I am a prophet, too,” said the other, “and an angel said to me by command of the Lord: Bring him back with you to your house, that he may eat bread and drink water.” He was lying to him. 19So he went back with him, and he ate bread and drank water in his house.\n20While they were sitting at the table, the word of the Lord came to the prophet who had brought him back. 21He cried out to the man of God who had come from Judah: “Thus said the Lord: Because you have flouted the word of the Lord and have not observed what the Lord your God commanded you, 22but have gone back and eaten bread and drunk water in the place of which He said to you, ‘Do not eat bread or drink water [there],’ your corpse shall not come to the grave of your fathers.” 23After he had eaten bread and had drunk, he saddled the ass for him—for the prophet whom he had brought back. 24He set out, and a lion came upon him on the road and killed him. His corpse lay on the road, with the ass standing beside it, and the lion also standing beside the corpse. 25Some men who passed by saw the corpse lying on the road and the lion standing beside the corpse; they went and told it in the town where the old prophet lived. 26And when the prophet who had brought him back from the road heard it, he said, “That is the man of God who flouted the Lord’s command; the Lord gave him over to the lion, which mauled him and killed him in accordance with the word that the Lord had spoken to him.” 27He said to his sons, “Saddle the ass for me,” and they did so. 28He set out and found the corpse lying on the road, with the ass and the lion standing beside the corpse; the lion had not eaten the corpse nor had it mauled the ass. 29The prophet lifted up the corpse of the man of God, laid it on the ass, and brought it back; it was brought to the town of the old prophet for lamentation and burial. 30He laid the corpse in his own burial place; and they lamented over it, “Alas, my brother!” 31After burying him, he said to his sons, “When I die, bury me in the grave where the man of God lies buried; lay my bones beside his. 32For what he announced by the word of the Lord against the altar in Bethel, and against all the cult places in the towns of Samaria, shall surely come true.”\n33Even after this incident, Jeroboam did not turn back from his evil way, but kept on appointing priests for the shrines from the ranks of the people. He ordained as priests of the shrines any who so desired. 34Thereby the House of Jeroboam incurred guilt—to their utter annihilation from the face of the earth.", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "Sound of Cathedral House take their name from Cathedral House which is the home of Huddersfield Christian Fellowship and is situated in the heart of the local community in Huddersfield, West Yorkshire in the UK. Today it is a thriving multi-generational church.\nThe album ‘God Of The Impossible’ is a declaration of faith and gratitude which has been captured in this collection of songs. This was to mark the official opening of Cathedral House in 2009, an award-winning building thought, at that time, to be the largest purpose built church in the UK for 50 years. These songs have long been an integral part of the corporate worship of this local church body, and some of them have been sung in different languages, recorded by other artists and churches and featured in various broadcasts around the globe", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "January 14, 2020\nHave you found yourself reading the stories of the Bible and imagining what the landscape, people, and locations would have looked like? Do you find yourself picturing what the Valley of Elah would have looked like with the Philistines on one side and the Israelites on the other as Goliath stepped out of his ranks and challenged someone to meet him for a fight? What if you didn’t have to imagine but could see the places in person? You CAN!\nJoin Karl and Cindy Fleig, national director, and Royal Rangers from across the nation for the 2021 Royal Rangers Holy Land Adventure. This 11-day trip will take you on a life-changing journey of the Holy Land. The adventure will start months before as you are challenged to read key passages out of Scripture in preparation for places you will visit. You will be thrilled to walk the very paths the champions of our faith did so long ago. Your Bible reading will never be the same once you become familiar with the land in which so much of our Scriptures took place. On this adventure, you will visit the following locations:\nOn this trip you will be able to float in the Dead Sea; get baptized in the Jordan River; explore the impressive first century water aqueducts; see the actual Dead Sea Scrolls; spend time in personal prayer at the Western Wall; learn about ancient architecture, walls, and gates; take an evening boat ride on the Sea of Galilee; trek through the desert on camels, experiencing Bedouin hospitality; and so much more.\nOn the last day, we will stop at the Garden of Gethsemane, reflecting on where Jesus agonized, submitting to His Father’s will. We will visit the vicinity of the palace of Herod the Great and its praetorium. Walking to the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, we will see the site of Jesus’ crucifixion, burial, and resurrection. We will end our adventure with prayer and communion at a 1st century rolling stone tomb before heading back home, forever changed with a new appreciation for God’s Word and His gift to us.\nDates for this trip are October 2-12, 2021. With this trip being a year and a half from now, you and your spouse have time to plan and save money for this life-changing adventure. However, space is limited and is on a first come basis. You can register and hold your place now with a $400/person deposit. Final payment is due June 2021, and all monies will be non-refundable after that date.\nTo see an itinerary, pictures, and registration link go to our 2021 Royal Rangers Holy Land Adventure site at: HolyLandsStudies.org/upcomingtours2021 and select the Royal Rangers tour. We would love you and your spouse to join us and other Royal Rangers on this customized trip.", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "Have you ever had one of those days where you just stop and reflect on your life and think, “How did it all go by so fast?”\nYes, some days were much tougher and longer than others.\nAnd after thinking of how far you’ve come, who you used to be a year ago, three years ago, five years ago–it seems like a lifetime has passed in the blink of an eye.\nBut this is the reality of it: The clock hand of our lives turns much faster than we think and most importantly, it can not go back.\nThat’s the reason time is such a precious gift: It is both undeserved and not guaranteed. Each day we are given is another set of 24 hours in which we get to live out of the fact that we are loved by the author of time Himself.\nSo I guess my thought is this: While it is never too late to start living, I want to start now.\nWhile a relationship with Jesus is always available, I want to be intentional with my time with Him today.\nWhile my dreams will come to fruition in His timing, I can start praying and seeking His plan for me in the here and now.\nWhile I do not want to live out of fear of death, I do want to operate out of awareness of the briefness in which we are here.\n“As a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear him; for He knows how we are formed, He remembers that we are dust. The life of mortals is like grass, they flourish like a flower of the field; the wind blows over it and it is gone, and its place remembers it no more.” –Psalm 103: 13-16\nOur life is like grass, withering in the wind one day and blown away the next. That does not mean we should live in fear, as where we go once we leave here is one thousand times better. However, it does mean that we must treat everyday with a sense of urgency.\nA sense of urgency to share the gospel, follow our dreams, let go of bitterness, take risks, tell people you love them, be confident in who you were created to be, laugh at the critics and eat the cake.\nY’all, we simply do not have time to let worry consume our lives or insecurity determine the direction we take.\nWhat do you want to look back at your life in five years and say about what you are doing NOW?\nDo something your future self would thank you for because your “future self” will be here before you know it.\nI think Jesus desperately reminds us of the briefness of life, not so that we may be fearful of death or sad or worried, but rather so that we would focus on the One who created life. Who returns you to dust? Let Him be the one who determines what you do today, tomorrow and the next. That is an assured way to guarantee that your time isn’t wasted.\nAnd as far as your problems, your fears, the difficult circumstances in your life— let this be a reminder that the mountains are smaller than they seem to be and like always, this too shall pass.\nLive it up today!!! Not YOLO, but rather YOKT. You Only Know Today.\nStay within the means of it, extend your hands to those who need help, relinquish your worries to your Heavenly Father, love BIG and WIDE and be thankful for another one.\nAnd like I said before, eat the cake.\nSometimes, the sugar rush is totally necessary.\nLive in the certainty of today with the wisdom that tomorrow is not guaranteed.\n“How do you know what your life will be like tomorrow? Your life is like the morning fog–it’s here a little while, then it’s gone.” –James 4:14", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "Out of every $40,\n$39 goes to the Child Sponsorship Program in Ethiopia\nHope In View’s child sponsorship program is based out of the capital city of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, in two of the poorest communities in this city.\nWe practice community-based care of orphans and vulnerable children. Ethiopian social workers and staff make sure every child receives good care. With the help of a host of local volunteers and churches, hands-on administration of the program happens in a variety of settings: on the streets, in homes, in churches, and at our sponsorship office.\nWith $40 per month, we provide supplemental nutrition, clothing, school fees, health care, spiritual care, social worker assistance, ongoing supervision of the children’s living situations, self-help groups for parents, and more.\nThe self-help groups provided through your sponsorship give parents or guardians support, parenting training, skills for coping with HIV and other serious challenges, and business training. Through these groups, parents gain much needed support in their community and learn to save their own money to start businesses. They also begin volunteering to improve their communities.\n- Monthly distribution of supplemental food (grain, pasta, beans, cooking oil)\n- Monthly distribution of hygiene products (hair oil, soap, feminine products)\n- Yearly clothing: at least one full outfit (jacket, pants, shirt, undergarments, socks), sports clothing and 2 pairs of shoes\n- Medical: 2 health check-ups per year and other medical expenses as needed\n- School fees\n- School supplies on a regular basis (notebook, pen, pencil, eraser)\n- School uniforms\n- Academic tutoring at local church or sponsorship office\n- Rewards for top academic performers\nSocial and Spiritual Support\n- Sunday school classes (on a weekly basis) with learning materials provided\n- Self-help group for parent or guardian so they can support one another and learn skills in parenting, health and hygiene, and business. They also begin saving together so they can have the capital to start businesses.\n- Regular home visits from a staff member or volunteer to monitor child’s living situation and family status.\n- Access to a social worker to assist with any additional need\n- Small birthday gift\n- Christmas celebration\n- Easter celebration\n- Additional gifts and correspondence as provided by sponsor\n- Additional programs as provided by mission teams\n- Visits from sponsor (often as part of a mission team)", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "Thursday, August 1, 2019 | 12:00pm\nJoin us for the Holy Eucharist in celebration of the Feast of the Feast of Joseph of Arimathea. This service includes hymns, readings from Holy Scripture, a short sermon and Communion. All are welcome.\n- August 1, 2019 @ 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "Hi my Gorgeous Friends in Christ,\nI started this post the morning after our tragedy but couldn’t bear to publish it… I am stronger today and have some news to share.. I pray it glorifies God even through the heartbreak.\nI am in deep, deeep searing pain.\nI feel like it’s hard to breathe.\nIt’s 3am, I have had a few hours of sleep and then I woke up wishing yesterday was a nightmare. But, no the tragic events really happened.\nI want to bury the emotions. I want to pretend it all didn’t happen. I want to run and flee and hide. To get in bed and not come out for a long time.\nBut, I won’t bury them and I won’t stay down defeated.\nI’m not okay today, but I will be okay one day.\nThere is an anchor for my soul who holds me steady and strong. And He showed up today and will continue to show up again and again and again..\nOn Sunday afternoon, our dog Maxwell darted right into traffic and was hit by a car. He died instantly. I ran right into US 41 after him and I miraculously wasn’t hurt. I laid with him and grieved from deep inside my soul. Traffic came to a stop as I laid on my best friend in total shock. My husband carried him to the side of the road where I cried and screamed and the searing pain ripped through my insides. I prayed and I grieved and I prayed and I grieved some more. I shrieked and wailed sounds that I didn’t know were inside of me.\nThe ambulance and two police cars arrived and I felt like I was in a nightmare. Surely, I would wake up any minute. I told the EMT and the police, “I’m not okay. I’m not okay. I’m not okay.” I was put into an ambulance to be cleaned off and encouraged by the EMT. Time stood still. I cried out in pain and tried to get myself back together.\nMy sweet 11 year old daughter climbed inside and just poured the most amazing words into me. She was strong and amazing as she told me Jesus had Maxwell and that we would see him again and that we would be okay. She went on and on with the most precious words a daughter could speak into her hurting momma.\nWe held eachother in the ambulance and grieved and grieved. It hurt so badly. Our whole family is in deep shock and pain.\nOur dog was just about to turn one. He was just at the beginning of what was supposed to be a loooong and healthy life. He was perfect in every way.\nEverywhere I went, he went. He was my pal, my companion, my buddy.\nAnd I am so so sad.\nAnd this pain is where Jesus does His best work. He will come and minister to my soul. He will pour salve on open wounds. He will clean out the debris of fear that came into my soul and doesn’t want to leave. He will gently dress my wounds, and He will faithfully heal me and my family.\nThis tragedy will not weaken us, but strengthen us. Strengthen us together and with Jesus. He will be the glue and the anchor amidst the storm. He will quiet the hurricane force winds in my head and He will renew my strength. He will be the answer to my pain, and He is the Arms that I will flee into again and again.\nToday’s verse of the day in the Bible app:\nHere’s my prayer now today. One week later.\nDear Heavenly Father,\nI wrote those words one week ago, and you have been so so faithful. You have shown up and breathed on my grieving soul. You enabled me to rise when I thought I wouldn’t be able to. You protected my sweet children’s hearts and comforted them in their sadness. You have stitched us closer together. You spoke to me through friends and pastors this week. You also spoke directly to me words of comfort and truth. You are who You say you are. Every promise You have ever spoken is true. I love You Lord. I love You Lord.\nIn Jesus’s name,", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "Plastic, metal, paper\n1/8 x 3 in. diameter\nA pinback button printed with a photo of Pope John Paul II, early in his reign.\nGift of Bella C. Landauer\nDue to ongoing research, information about this object is subject to change.", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "Wednesday, 6 March 2013\nWOYWW and Standing Firm in Your Faith\nTo me it is just amazing how quickly the weeks seem to roll around. One week no sooner begins and it is finished. If I could spend all day every day painting and playing I would . . . alas . . . real life gets in the way and the playing has to wait until the more important things are done. I suppose it is like that for everyone . . . the child in me wants to play all the time, but the adult in me . . . knows I must do what I must do. I just wish I had more hours in my day. Then I could please both sides of my self . . . the playful one and the responsible one. Of course painting and drawing was my job, well then that would be perfect wouldn't it? A gal can but dream . . .\nThis is my entry for this weeks What's on your Work-desk Wednesday. Sometimes it seems like there are more rainy days in life than sunny days . . . that's when our faith comes in mighty handy and keeps us upright . . . but if we allow our faith to falter . . . well, then we truly won't stand at all. I am very grateful for my faith which has seen me through some pretty difficult times.\nI love this girls Go Go Boots. When I was a girl I wanted a pair of Go Go Boots more than anything. I never did get any . . . but thankfully I can draw myself a pair anytime I want to! This is how I would have loved to look in a dream world. Suits me to a T. Unfortunately I had kinky hair and no Go Go Boots . . . and parents without a lot of money, and so this Mod look was only a dream. Good thing fads pass . . . they don't stand still do they? Unlike faith. Faith built on Solid Ground stands firm and never passes.\nAnd that's my thoughts for this week.\nDo hop on over to The Stamping Ground to see all of the other entries for this weeks WOYWW! You are sure to see something which will inspire you. Many thanks for popping by to have a look!", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "Who can become a pope in the Catholic Church?\nThere are only two requirements for becoming pope: being male and being baptized into the Catholic Church.\nDo you have to be a virgin to be a pope?\nThe History of Celibacy in the Catholic Church\nIn the New Testament, virginity, as well as celibacy, were seen as a gift from God to be embraced. … Therefore, the Catholic Church’s pope, the purest and most moral member of the religion, were to remain celibate to focus entirely on their beliefs and the task at hand.\nCan a regular person become pope?\nIn practice, of course, Catholic laity and even common clergy have no real chance to be elected pope, and the papacy is restricted to cardinals or perhaps a few bishops. … As a consequence, the man finally elected may be no one’s favorite, but ultimately the only man that enough of the Cardinals can agree upon.\nDo Catholic priests have to be virgins?\nDo priests have to be virgins? There’s a long church history on the question of celibacy and the clergy, some of which you can see in the New Catholic Encyclopedia: bit.ly/bc-celibacy. … So no, virginity is apparently not a requirement, but a vow of celibacy is.\nDo popes get paid?\nThe pope will not be affected by the cuts, because he does not receive a salary. “As an absolute monarch, he has everything at his disposal and nothing at his disposal,” Mr. Muolo said. “He doesn’t need an income, because he has everything that he needs.”\nHow old do you have to be to become pope?\nThere’s no official age requirement for the post. The youngest pope to be elected in Vatican history is Pope John XII, who is believed to have been 18-years-old when he ascended to the papacy in 955. More recently, Pope Clement X, pictured, is the oldest.\nHow hard is it to become a pope?\nTechnically, the only requirements to become pope are that you be a male and a practicing Catholic. However, since Pope Urban in 1378, no pope has been elected outside the College of Cardinals. … Keep in mind that it is essential to fully believe in the Catholic faith. This is not just a job, but more of a vocation.\nHow can I join the Vatican?\nNew recruits must be unmarried Roman Catholic males with Swiss citizenship, between 19 and 30 years of age, and at least 5 feet 8 inches (1.74 metres) tall; they must have a professional diploma or high school degree and must complete basic training with the Swiss military.\nWho is the youngest cardinal?\n|His Eminence Francis Arinze|\n|Ordination||23 November 1958 by Gregorio Pietro Agagianian|\n|Consecration||29 August 1965 by Charles Heerey|\n|Created cardinal||25 May 1985 by Pope John Paul II|", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "Article of the week: Anything is possible\n20 June 2020\nCOLUMN FROM THE COLLEGE\nAs Cadet Steph White approaches the end of her first year at William Booth College she tells us about her response to God’s calling\nI WAS in Central Hall, Westminster, in 2006 when God spoke to me. As my friends marched behind their sessional flag into the Celebration meeting, having been commissioned as Salvation Army officers earlier in the day, all the background noise disappeared. There was just a voice: ‘That will be you one day.’ I felt so far away from accepting this ‘calling’ I’d heard that I was sure it was not meant for me.\nTwo years later I was there again, witnessing more friends being commissioned. God spoke to me again with the exact words he had used previously. A year after that the same happened again. It was then that I declared I was never going to attend Commissioning again!\nIn 2016 three friends were to be commissioned. I had tickets to go but was so anxious about hearing the calling again that I nearly gave the tickets away. However, the anxiety of going made me question whether God really had called me to officership.\nI prayed for confirmation, and it came – through prayer, conversations, daily devotions and sermons.\nI asked God for specific confirmation, such as a conversation with someone who would mention it and a letter through the post with ‘William Booth College’ on it. Both happened, and so much more.\nThe verse that continued with me throughout all of this was ‘I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me’ (Philippians 4:13 New King James Version).\nI remember singing ‘I Want To Say Yes’ in the songsters one Sunday morning, when all of a sudden I realised I meant every word. I wanted to say yes!\nDuring the sermon that followed I\nfelt God say: ‘I am talking to you Steph. Let go.’ After the meeting I prayed to him: ‘Please just give me one more confirmation if you really do want me to apply for officership.’\nA woman in the corps, who knew nothing of my calling, came up to me straight after and asked: ‘When are you off to the training college, Steph?’ So, I texted my corps officer when I got home, and here I am three years later, almost at the end of my first year of training in the Messengers of Grace Session. I am thankful for the support and encouragement of so many people.\nSince accepting that God was calling me to officership I have had a feeling of peace – real peace, the peace that only God can give. It’s a peace about my calling, a peace about being here at WBC, a peace about it all. This feeling of peace continues.\nWhile I have been at WBC God has confirmed my calling again and again. It’s easy here to compare yourself with others but I remind myself often that God called me, Steph, to be here. I don’t need to try and be anyone else, and God continues to affirm that. When I feel that this calling is too big for me – and I think it’s natural to feel that at times – God reminds me that I can do all things through his strength. He is with me. I won’t be able to fulfil this calling without him, and with him anything is possible.\nSince the new year I have been finding joy in the everyday – it’s a bit like a new year’s resolution. This has resulted in me counting my blessings daily. And when things are not going so great, I try and find a positive twist on it. Having this routine has helped me during this period of isolation. The joy that I find comes through all kinds of everyday things: a conversation I’ve had with someone; looking out on the quad while cooking, and thanking God that I’m here; or something that God tells me through prayer, a daily reading, a book, a conversation or through nature.\nI am aware that we are all currently experiencing an uncertain time. But what is certain is that God is a constant through it. He is amazing, and he is far bigger than anything we face.\nIf God is calling you to something, I genuinely would recommend listening and responding. An adventure with God is a pretty awesome one – he goes with you and remains with you. With him anything really is possible.", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "In Ayres, Paul, O laud the Lord for choir and wind orchestra, Savannah River Winds\nComposer: Paul Ayres\nWorks: O laud the Lord for choir and wind orchestra ()\nPerformer: Savannah River Winds (Community band)\nThis university performance is my favorite.\nRyukoku University Symphonic Band (School band (University))\nPowered by WordPress & Theme by Anders Norén", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "Are you running on empty and ready to give up? Learn how to stop allowing a life of stress to drive you to emptiness and discover a road map to applying God’s peace. The following three steps will guide you through the journey when you are running on empty.\nHow to Fill Up When You Are Running on Empty\nStep 1: Learning To Focus On One Thing\nLearning to focus on the Lord in the present helps me to get started on the right path. How about you? What are you focusing on each day? Are you stuck in the past or living in the present? I have found strength when I read God’s Word and memorize Scripture that will guide and direct my heart and mind for the day.We can't change the past. But our God is I AM. Not I Was or I Wasn't. I Will or I May Be. He is in the present eager to mold and shape us, mature, and grow us. Now is the time to take these 3 simple steps when you are running on empty.… Click To Tweet\n“Do not dwell on the past,” God admonishes the children of Israel (and us!). ” See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland” (Isaiah 43:18-19).\nLet’s start with this powerful verse from the New Testament and learn to press on to live a victorious life. Learning to focus on the present will be a tremendous help when you are running on empty.\n“…But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.”\nStep 2: Filling up with the Right Fuel for Your Heart and Soul\nI’ve made so many mistakes filling up my life with the wrong things. No matter how hard I’ve tried to do life on my own, my way never satisfies or fills my heart. Over time I’ve learned that only God’s Word and His ways fill me to overflowing. His promises to us will last forever.\nLet’s look at a few verses that will guide you and me along this journey to a life filled with hope and peace when you are running on empty.\nPsalm 119:11 “I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.”\nPsalm 119: 16 “…I will not neglect your word.”\nPsalm 19:7 “The law of the Lord is perfect, refreshing the soul. The statutes of the Lord are trustworthy, making wise the simple.\nPsalm 19:8 “The precepts of the Lord are right, giving joy to the heart. The commands of the Lord are radiant, giving light to the eyes.”\nStep 3: Placing God First When You’re Running On Empty\nBefore I slip out of the bed I try to say a quick prayer and invite God to be Lord of my day. Whether I have a slow morning or a super busy schedule I know things go well if I begin my day reading God’s Word and praying. Some days I only have 7 minutes and other days 37 minutes. I’m not perfect. There are days when I run late and before I know it, I’m running on empty and weary. That’s when I realize I’ve been trying to do life on my own. Can you relate?\nI’m thankful we serve a God who is faithful and forgiving. I humbly come to the Lord, ask for forgiveness and spend time with Him again at the end of the day. I love how God holds us in His arms and continues to pursue us. No matter what!\nPraise the Lord, His mercies are new every morning!\nFollowing Jesus isn’t a self-improvement project. He simply says, Come. Come exactly as you are… stress, mistakes, messiness, and emptiness. Bring Me those fears and doubts that keep your heart in bondage. Fear of missing out. Fear of failure. Fear of being alone. When you are running on empty bring your anxieties and struggles into the light of My presence. I will meet you there. I will heal and transform you.\nWhat’s holding you back?\nAre you willing to change?\nBring Jesus your weary heart and soul.\nGo ahead and try these three simple steps. Focus. Fuel. First.\nMay you be brave enough to be vulnerable with the Lord, strong enough to reach out to God, and may you meet the Holy Spirit in new ways as you connect to Him each and every day. Now is the time when you are running on empty to pause and refuel with the Lord.\nRelated Post: 7 Ways to Recharge When You’re Running On Empty\nWill you take these three simple action steps? Focus. Fuel. First.\nYou can trust God at His word. God will never fail on His promises or disappoint you. Seek the Lord today!\nIf you enjoyed this post, you will enjoy these:\nI’d love to hear where you are in your faith journey and how I can pray for you.\nTo God be the Glory,\nJayme a Spiritual Direction Coach. Mentor, Author, and Podcast Host is passionate about moving Christian Women forward to God’s direction for their life through Scripture and prayer. Join the Spiritual Direction Coaching Today Facebook private page or connect with her on Instagram.\nThis post contains affiliate links. Clicking on them helps support this ministry at no additional cost to you. Thanks for your support.", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "Faith, Philosophy, Biblical Perspective\nQuestions, Comments, or Concerns?\nGaustad, E. S. (1996). Sworn on the altar of God: A religious biography of Thomas Jefferson. Grand\nRapids, MI: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company.\nHoffman, A. (2016). Thomas jefferson grows a nation. The Catholic Library World,86(3), 222.\nMapp, A. J. (2009). Thomas Jefferson: Passionate pilgrim: The presidency, the founding of the\nuniversity, and the private battle / Alf. J. Mapp, Jr. United States: Rowman & Littlefield\nTimeline of the founding of the university of Virginia. (2011, July 5). Retrieved November 25,\n2016, from monticello.org, https://www.monticello.org/site/research-and-collections/timeline-founding-university-virginia", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "WE KNOW SCRIPTURE. WE KNOW THE WORDS. WE EVEN KNOW THE RIGHT COURSE OF ACTION. BUT, ARE OUR HEARTS RIGHT?\nIn his inspiring, Christ-centered series of Essays, author Greg Wallace challenges the American Church to focus on Jesus rather than on the cultural storms of the day. Each essay emboldens the Church to serve others in Christlike love rather than pursuing and exercising greater worldly authority. Becoming Great guides us through the rough waters of our world to rely more and more on our Lord and Savior.\nAs the cultural storms increase in frequency and intensity, Greg Wallace reminds us that our tools are not the tools of the world but are mighty in God in pulling down of strongholds. If we are to be more like Christ, then we should act as He did, \"Love each other just as much as I have loved you.\" John 13:34 (TPT)\nABOUT THE AUTHOR\nGreg Wallace regularly teaches, writes, and consults on leadership, change, and governance in the corporate, non-profit, and ministry arenas. He is the Chief Academic Officer of Wagner University, an online Christian university in Rancho Cucamonga, California. In this role, Greg builds the capacity of leaders to meet their own definition of success. He builds the capacity of organizations as well as leaders as the president of his own enterprise, The Wallace Group, and its ministry arm, KG Ministries. He and his wife, Linda, parent a blended family of four adult children and six grandchildren.\nHaving had the opportunity to read the draft before it was even printed and published I knew this book would be one so apt for our generation and for generations to come. Indeed the time is now, as the body of Christ we’re given the opportunity and command to Love as Christ loved us but how do we love when we’re in conflict with one another? When we’re opposed to each other’s views? Etc, this book gives you the tools and a renewed perspective to be able to do so in a way that demonstrates maturity in the body of Christ. It’s time for the Ekklesia to stand in love. The time is NOW!!\n– Ernestina Allton\nTimely! A must read. Greg speaks with wisdom and humility but also boldly and unapologetically, clearly and accurately addressing the issues facing the American church today. This book is the \"attitude check\" the church needs right now.\n– Paul V.", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "The Collapse of Creation\nIn recent years, alarming environmental trends have developed in our world. Are these issues a wakeup call to our planet, or do they suggest something more ominous in view of the end of the world?\nLearn the story of the Reformation and why it matters today more than ever. Join Pastor John Bradshaw on a unique journey in the footsteps of the Reformers with nine new, must-see, on-location programs titled 500.", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "Since 1994 Paul has been Chairman of Ministry Today UK, an inter-denominational organisation, whose aim is ‘to provide a supportive resource for all in pastoral leadership, so that they may not only survive, but also grow and develop, becoming more effective’ in their ministry, and General Editor of its journal, Ministry Today, which appears three times a year, both in hard copy as also as e-journal. Ministry Today is the only UK ecumenical journal devoted to the practice of ministry. For further details see ministrytoday.org.uk.\nPaul is also chairman of the College of Baptist Ministers launched in February 2014. It is a body independent of the Baptist Union, and provides peer support for ministers who find themselves in dispute with their church, as also a framework for continuing ministerial development; it helps ministers seeking advice, spiritual direction, and work consultancy and seeks to promote excellence in ministry, not least through the development of a code of ministerial ethics. For further details see: collegeofbaptistministers.org.\nOver the years Paul has taught all over the world on a wide range of topics related to Christian ministry. In autumn 2012 he was a guest lecturer at the Wuhan Theological Seminary in China; in December 2013 he returned to the Arab Baptist Theological Seminary in Beirut to teach a two week intensive course; and in September/October 2014 he taught an intensive MTh module at Laidlaw College, Auckland, New Zealand. In 2015 he will be teaching Master’s modules at the Colombo Theological Seminary, Sri Lanka, and at the Vose Seminary, Perth, Western Australia in March and August respectively.\nAs a member of the Society of New Testament Studies as also of the Tyndale Fellowship for Biblical Research, Paul retains his interest in New Testament studies.\nAs Senior Minister of Central Baptist Church, Chelmsford (1993-2014) he transformed a traditional declining city-centre church members into a strong vibrant, growing fellowship; at the time he left there were 399 committed members, together with a much larger church community.\nAs Principal of Spurgeon’s College, London (1986-1993) he doubled the student enrolment, increased the faculty by one-third, and developed new patterns of ministerial training.\nAs Pastor of Altrincham Baptist Church, Cheshire (1973-1986) he enabled a small declining church to develop into a strong virile church, quadrupled in size (from 83 to 300+ members).\nAs a BMS Missionary in Congo/Zaire (1990-1992) he taught Greek and New Testament in the Protestant Theological Faculty of the National University.\nPrior to going up to Cambridge Paul served as a ‘Time for God’ worker with the German Baptists (1962-63), helping with Baptist youth work in Southern Germany.\nIn Who’s Who? and Debrett’s People of Today Paul lists as his interests cooking, travel and parties! His grand-children are also another major interest!\nMarried to Caroline, HM Senior Coroner for the County of Essex, he has four grown-up children: Jonathan, who is an associate professor in Latin American studies at University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada, and is married to Fiona, a compiler of computer textbooks – they have one child, David, together with Sophie and Theo; Timothy, is based at University College London, where he has a number of roles (UCL Director of Global Citizenship; and Senior Lecturer in European Thought and Culture as also Programme Coordinator for Russian and East European Languages and Culture at the School of Slavonic and East European Studies), and is married to Charlotte, a lawyer – they have two children, Felix and Clara; Susannah, is Head of Child Protection in the London Borough of Newham], is married to Rob, an artist – they have two children, Jemima and Raphael; and Benjamin, a free lance journalist.\nPaul is an active member of Rivermead Rotary Club, Chelmsford; as from July 2015 is President-Elect, and from July 2016 President.\nHe is a patron of the Society of Mary and Martha, a retreat centre based at Sheldon, near Exeter, which specialises in supporting ministers experiencing stress, crisis, burnt-out or break-down (see www.sheldon.uk.com), as also a patron of the J’s Young Adults Hospice (thejshospice.org.uk).\nAs an act of ‘penance’, he is also a member of a local gym, and does a good deal of walking in the early morning!\nPaul is a prolific author. With over 350 articles to his credit, he is a regular contributor to Ministry Today and also writes for a wide variety of other publications, for the most part reflecting on the practice of ministry.\nHis latest ‘magnum opus’ (275,000+ words), Living Out The Call, is due to be published electronically in early 2015 and consists of four volumes: 1. Living to God’s Glory; 2. Leading God’s Church; 3. Reaching God’s World; 4. Serving God’s Church.\nHis writings currently in print are:\nSince the autumn of 2011 Paul has been publishing a weekly ‘blog’, Church Matters, which appears simultaneously on the web-site of Ministry Today, as also on his own personal web-site (paulbeasleymurray.com). In the last three years or so his blogs have dealt with:\nTurning the Tide: An Assessment of Baptist Church Growth in England (Bible Society, 1980) co-authored with Alan Wilkinson; Pastors under Pressure (Kingsway 1989); Dynamic Leadership (Monarch 1990; translated into Swedish); Faith & Festivity: A Guide For Worship Leaders (Monarch 1991); A Call To Excellence: An Essential Guide To Christian Leadership (Hodder & Stoughton 1995); and Fearless for Truth: A Personal Portrait of the Life of George Beasley-Murray (Paternoster 2002). He edited Mission To the World (Baptist Historical Society, 1991); Anyone For Ordination? (Monarch 1993); and along with others co-edited Prayers For All Peoples (Oncken 1993).\nPaul read Modern Languages (German & French: Part 1 of the Tripos) & Theology (Parts 2 & 3 of the Tripos) at Jesus College, Cambridge (1963-1967). He then trained for the Baptist ministry, first at the Northern Baptist College, Manchester (1967-1969) and then at the International Baptist Theological Seminary, Ruschlikon-Zurich in Switzerland. In 1970 he was awarded a PhD in New Testament studies (‘The Lordship of Christ over the World in the Corpus Paulinum’) from Manchester University, having spent the final year of his doctoral studies at Zurich University.\n|Born:||14 March 1944 in London (Ilford)|\n|Baptised:||17 November 1957 in Zurich (Salemskapelle, Zurich)|\n|Married:||26 August 1967 in Wrexham (The Old Meeting)|\n|Ordained:||10 October 1970 in London (Holmesdale Road Baptist Church, South Norwood)|\n© Paul Beasley-Murray, 2010 - 2016.\nAll rights reserved.", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "As the Son of God, Jesus Christ has the name that is above all names. Empowered with absolute authority and sovereignty over this world, He acts on your behalf as you pray in His name. His sole purpose is to bring glory to your Heavenly Father by carrying out His will over your life.\nAs you pray in His name you are:\ncalling upon the authority given to Christ above all things\nasking God to fulfill His purpose in your life\nsubmitting to His perfect will according to the Word of God\nactivating His unlimited power in every situation\ndisplaying your bold faith in Him\nFather, thank you for the access and authority you give me through faith in Christ. In His mighty name, I find my eternal salvation, victory over sin, divine healing and wellness, and my life’s purpose. I come before you trusting in His power to accomplish all things according to your will. I pray this in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen!", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "Those Who Hope in the Lord Prayer Journal\nRegular price $14.99\nBless someone's journey with this hardcover prayer journal and its reassuring scripture verse from Isaiah printed on a linen-style cover. A great way to let someone know your love and support are there for them in their walk with God, this book with its blank lined pages makes a wonderful companion for someone enduring a difficult time in life.\n- Hardcover book with fabric cover and ribbon marker.\n- 160 lined pages.\n- On journal: Those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. Isaiah 40:31 NIV.\n- 5\" W x 7\" H x 0.5\" D\nAll scriptures, unless otherwise noted, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com. The “NIV” and “New International Version” are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.®Need help?", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "\"Love is patient, love is kind; love is not envious or boastful or arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice in wrongdoing, but rejoices in the truth. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.\" (I Corinthians 13:4-7)\nI read those words many times when I officiate at a wedding. I look at the young (and not so young) lovers standing in front of me, their eyes glazed over, sweat most likely dripping down somewhere, and wonder if they actually have a clue as to what they are getting themselves into at this wedding. A wedding is a romantic event for many and reality has little to do with it. It is something we do because it is traditional. The parts of the wedding ceremony themselves were originally civil agreements between a father and a man who wanted to take the daughter of the father away from him. The daughter often had to have a \"dowry\", money or possessions that would guarantee that the man who was taking the daughter as his wife was getting a good deal from the transaction. The language we use in weddings is civil language from a time when women were treated as possessions and she was \"given\" by a father to a man who would feed and clothe her so that the father no longer had to provide for her. That is why she had to bring something into the marriage so that the man who would be responsible for her would have something tangible to begin this new agreement.\n\"Who gives this woman to be married to this man?\" was once the question asked at the beginning of a wedding. We no longer ask that question. Instead, we ask who presents the woman. We changed it when the church decided that the original question treated the woman as a piece of property. We also used to ask the woman to say she would \"obey\" the man as part of the vows. We dropped that about the same time as when we decided she was not property of anyone and did not necessarily have to obey her husband. Women became persons with equal rights and the ceremony we have today reflects that idea. Husband and Wife are partners in this marriage proposition and we now try to express that idea.\nPaul's words to the church at Corinth were not originally written for a wedding. They were written to a contentious group of people at a city at the crossroads of the ancient world. People of many varied backgrounds lived together and the early church there was made up of this mixture of folks--slave and free, rich and poor, educated and illiterate, Jews and Gentiles--and Paul wanted them to treat each other as equals, an idea that was not widespread in the ancient world. The idea that one would love another person that was a casual acquaintance or a church member was a new one too. You may have loved your spouse, although arranged marriage was more the rule than the exception, but loving others outside of a marriage was not something many people talked about. Paul's letter to the church expanded the idea of love to include everyone in your circle of acquaintances, and especially those in the church to whom the letter is written. So, Paul defined love for them and named all the attributes of what made love real.\nWhat a tall order it is to love others if we truly think that Paul's definition is relevant for our lives. Being patient and kind is not always easy, especially where certain persons are concerned. The list of does and don't continues so as to make it clear that truly loving others means that one gives up the right to have things as one desires and gives in to the needs of others. Love does what is best for the others in life and allows them to have the benefit of the doubt. Love is a tough sell when one really wants to take Paul's words literally.\nThose starry-eyed lovers stand stiffly in front of the officiant of the wedding ceremony, waiting to hear the words, \"You may kiss the bride\" so that they can be announced to those present and go down the aisle to the reception to follow. Most likely, they will remember little of what was said or done in the marriage ceremony. They will truly learn about love in the years that follow if they try to put part of Paul's recipe for loving into practice in their lives. The vows used often say it as well as Paul said it...\"for richer, for poorer;for better, for worse; in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish\"--in all those situations, loving another person in the best and worst of times is what truly makes a marriage work.\nHappy Valentines Day to all of you loving people and to all of you who want to be loving people. Love does conquer all when it is truly at the center of our lives. Love is really what has to do with it all.", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "By William Carrol\nFebruary 18, 2014\nFebruary 18, 2014 -This message is to encourage those who are saying in light of all the prayer requests that have been answered and all the needs that have been met, where is my answer? Sometimes we have a need that is so great that we need to see the hand of God work in others so we can have enough faith to believe for ourselves. In the midst of delayed answers consider the miracles that are going on around you and be assured that our God is both willing and able to move in your situation.\nOur messages are recorded at Times Square Church in New York City. You are welcome to make additional copies of these sermons for free distribution to friends. All other unauthorized duplication or electronic transmission is a violation of copyright and other applicable laws.", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "Sunday, January 3, 2010\nMy Christmas letter is reaching the Holy Father!\nI wanted to thank you for your Christmas greetings and tell you that will be delivered in the coming days to the\n.We propose an important initiative: during the Month of Peace, we invite you to send the Holy Father and to the world your photographic or textual message of Peace.\nWe invite you to do it the same way that you used for sending Christmas greetings from the site\nWe urge you to make you, as requested by the Pope, \"proclaim\" the Gospel, and promoter of the portal of the Vatican Pope2You.\nThe Staff of Pope2You", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "Alliance Benefits serves The Christian and Missionary Alliance by providing retirement and health plan benefits to the employees of the denomination's churches, missionaries, National Office, and affiliated support organizations. We operate as an arm of the National Office's Ops/Finance Area of Ministry under the direction of the Benefits Board.\nWe strive to provide excellence in service and benefits and to meet the unique needs of those in ministry.\nOur passion is to serve The Christian and Missionary Alliance churches, supporting organizations, employees, and retirees by designing, implementing, and administering competitive, cost-effective group insurance and retirement programs. We honor God and achieve our mission by guiding our services with the following principles:\nCOMPASSION • RESPECT • INTEGRITY", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "Roman Catholic Funeral Services\nCatholic Funeral Service In Singapore\nCatholics believe there is life after death, and their actions determine the soul of a person going to heaven or hell. The purgatory belief of Roman Catholic funeral service is people repenting their acts in their lifetime are sinners, and they cannot go to heaven directly. However, all modern Catholics do not believe in purgatory. They encourage vigils and prayers for the dead, reflecting catholic funeral rites.\nRoman Catholic funeral service elements\n- A vigil service includes cremated remains or the body in presence. The casket may be closed or open if the body is present.\n- A funeral service or mass includes the body or cremated remains. In the absence of the body, it is a Memorial Mass service.\n- A graveside service includes the body burial or cremated remains or placing the remains in a columbarium.\nA Vigil prayer takes place during the death ceremony of a roman catholic at the church or the deceased’s home. A vigil prayer includes mourners praying for the dead person, besides tributes and eulogies delivery is as per the request of the grieving family.\nWhat happens at a Roman Catholic funeral?\nA Roman Catholic funeral service in Singapore includes a Requiem Mass featuring the Prayer and Holy Communion. A Requiem Mass is the choice of the Catholics and the church. The priest greets the coffin at the church door by sprinkling holy water on the coffin, leading it to church. The coffin is kept at the altar under a special cloth known as a pall.\nThe funeral liturgy includes a reading from a psalm and the Old Testament, read by friends, family, or the priest. The priest reads a passage from the gospel and offers a eulogy for the dead person.\nIf the funeral conducts Requiem Mass, bread and wine are a part of the Holy Communion. Mourners receive Holy Communion forming a procession, and a eulogy known as the ‘Final Commendation’ is done. The priest sprinkles holy water on the coffin, and the family and friends present say a final goodbye.\nMusic in a Catholic funeral\nMusic in a Catholic funeral includes sacred music or funeral hymns. A Roman Catholic funeral service mass may last for 40 minutes. It exceeds for an hour.\nWhat happens at a Catholic burial?\nThe burial start presides is by a deacon or a priest. It is a committal service known as the Catholic Rite of Committal at a graveside. The priest blesses the site before the prayer.\nTraditional catholic funerals include burial and embalming. The ashes of a catholic are stored in a cremation plot in a cemetery or a columbarium urn as per the church’s approval. Catholics do not follow any specific mourning period, but families may conduct a memorial service up to six months or on their death anniversary.\nDress-code and etiquette for a Catholic funeral\nCatholic funeral service requires mourners to wear dark colors and to dress smartly as tradition. A few churches are open to colorful dress codes, yet, if you are doubtful avoid, sportswear, jeans, trainers, hoodies, and slogan t-shirts. You can read this article on what to wear to a funeral.", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "Armilda Blankenship Cresong, 79 of Beckley, departed this life on Saturday, January 17th 2015, at Beckley ARH in Beckley.\nBorn August 12, 1935 at Logan, she was the daughter of the late Ezra and Maude Bowens Blankenship\nIn addition to her parents she was preceded in death by her loving husband, Willard Cresong, one granddaughter, Jessica Cline and two brothers: Bill and Jess Stevens.\nShirley Anita Browning Hendricks, 77 of Gilbert, went home to be with her Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, and to join her many loved ones waiting on her in Heaven, on Friday, January 16th, 2015, from Thomas Memorial Hospital in Charleston.\nBorn May 19, 1937 at Gilbert, she was the daughter of the late Rockford and Francis Barger Browning.\nJames Arvil Ferguson, 73, of Hampden, went home to be with the Lord on Friday, January 16, 2015, from Logan Regional Medical Center.\nBorn on June 9, 1941, at Gilbert, he was the son of the late Kenner and Mina Belcher Ferguson. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death two sisters: Flossie Ann Ferguson and Marietta Ferguson; one brother, Kenny Ferguson; and one nephew, Charley Ferguson.\nWilson Fred Walls, 79 of Bruno, went home to be with his Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, and join his loved ones waiting for him in heaven, on Sunday, January 11, 2015, from Logan Regional Medical Center at Logan.\nBorn January 2, 1936 at Leatherwood, he was the son of the late Edward and Mattie Mitchell Walls.\nIn addition to his parents he was preceded in death by one brother, Verlin Walls, and three sisters, Imogene Walls, Lucy Toler, and Lois Harper.\nFrank Dee Hendricks, 77 of Gilbert, went home to be with his Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, and to join his loved ones waiting for him in heaven, on Saturday, January 10th, 2015, from Trinity Healthcare Services at Logan.\nBorn February 17th, 1937, at Logan, he was the son of the late Erby and Nellie Clay Hendricks.\nIn addition to his parents he was also preceded in death by one brother, Troy Hendricks and one granddaughter, Cherie Hope Hendricks.\nLola M. “Kinky” Fuller, 64 of Isaban, departed this life on January 7, 2015 at Cornerstone of Huntington. Born on October 8, 1950, at Gilbert, WV, she was the daughter of the late Charles & Irene (Thompson) Noe. She was also preceded in death by her mother and father in law: Rev. Lee & Ailene Fuller; and a special great nephew: Stevie Joe Browning. Lola was a loving wife, mother, grandmother, sister, aunt and friend. She loved fishing and spending time in her yard. She was an avid sports fan of WVU, Marshall and Gilbert Lions.\nIsabella Diamond Brewer, 84, of Gilbert, departed this life on Sunday, January 4, 2015, at the home of her granddaughter (Trampas and Paula Shannon) in Hanover.\nWalter Mullins, 68, of Panther, departed this life on Friday, December 26, 2014, from the Gold Harvest Unit of Welch Community Hospital.\nBorn on August 12, 1946, at Panther, he was the son of the late Melvin and Stella Steele Rutherford Mullins. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by one sister: Ellie Short; two brothers: Bobby and Earl Mullins; and one grandchild: Christen Justice.\nHarold Gene Brown, 47 of Camden, South Carolina departed this life December 25, 2014.\nBorn on March 24, 1967 at Man, WV, he was the son of Linda Riffe and the late Harold (Ted Mack) Brown.\nIn addition to his father, he was also preceded in death by his paternal grandparents: Teddy and Ruby Brown; and his maternal grandparents: Jim and Anna Brooke Vance.\nHarold was a heavy equipment operator, he loved to fish and hunt.\nSebert May, 90, of Gilbert, went home to be with the Lord on Thursday, December 18, 2014, from South Williamson, KY.\nBorn on February 27, 1924, at Wharncliffe, he was the son of the late George and Nancy (Patrick) May.", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "On “Lord, I have cried…”: 6 stichera: 3 of the forefeast (see in the Menaion), and 3 of the venerable one, in Tone I, Special Melody: “Joy of the ranks of heaven…”\nLike a nightingale singing hymns divine, like a lark uplifting its voice in song, like a melodious flute inspired by the Spirit of God, the venerable Cassiana setteth forth her incomparable hymns, and thereby moveth all the faithful to great compunction.\nCassiana, great among those whom the Spirit hath inspired, doth chant sweet-sounding hymns unto God, wherewith she instructeth us in piety and guideth us in the ways of repentance, that we may worship and glorify Christ our incarnate Savior.\nHaving acquired boldness before the Master of all, Cassiana standeth in the train of His all-pure Mother, and prayeth most earnestly, that those who honor her memory and celebrate it with splendor may be delivered from dire misfortunes and perils.\nGlory…: Idiomelon, in Tone II\nWhen the New Rome held sway upon the earth, and its rulers upheld the Christian Faith, the venerable Cassiana, filled with the Spirit of God, chanted therein hymns of glory to Christ our God, praising also His holy martyrs, adding the golden coins of her inspiration to our rich treasury of spiritual songs. Wherefore, hearkening to her wondrous poesy, let us clap our hands with gladness, O ye faithful, crying out in adoration to the Word Who took flesh of the Ever-virgin: Great is Thy mercy! O Lord, glory to Thee!\nNow and ever…. of the forefeast (see in the Menaion).\nAposticha stichera of the forefeast (see in the Menaion); and Glory…: Idiomelon of the venerable one, in Tone II\nThe City of Constantine exulteth, enriched by the labors and memory of the chaste Cassiana; and, summoning the Christ-loving flock, it crieth out: Come, ye who love the venerable one, and let us rejoice on the day of her commemoration! Come and be glad, ye who love the saints of Christ! Come and behold the latter-day disciple of David the Psalmist! Come ye, and hearken to the melodious hymns she hath wrought for the good of our souls! For as the sinful woman, of whom she so eloquently sang, once washed the feet of Christ with her tears, so now doth Cassiana draw forth from us tears of compunction; and she prayeth now unceasingly to the Holy Trinity, that those who with faith celebrate her memory may be delivered from corruption and temptations, and from all manner of tribulations.\nNow and ever…. of the forefeast (see in the Menaion).\nTroparion of the venerable one, in Tone VIII\nIn thee, O mother, that which is fashioned according to the image of God was preserved; for, taking up thy cross, thou didst follow after Christ, and by thy hymnody thou dost teach us the power of repentance: that tears shed in penitence wash away our sins and transgressions. Wherefore, thy spirit rejoiceth with the angels, O venerable Cassiana.\nGlory…. Now and ever…: Troparion of the forefeast (see in the Menaion).\nAt “God is the Lord…”, the Troparion of the forefeast, twice; Glory…, that of the venerable one; Now and ever…, of the forefeast, again.\nAfter the kathismata of the Psalter, the Sessional hymns of the forefeast (see in the Menaion).\nCanon of the forefeast,, with 8 Troparia, the irmos being chanted twice (see in the Menaion); and that of the venerable one, with 4 Troparia, the acrostic whereof is “Like cassia is the hymnody of Cassiana”, in Tone VI\nIrmos: The children of those who were saved have concealed beneath the earth Him Who of old covered the pursuing tyrant with the waves of the sea; but let us chant unto the Lord like the maidens: Gloriously hath He been glorified.\nLike cassia doth the memory of the venerable Cassiana fill our souls with sweet fragrance, and like myrrh and stacte do her excellent hymns perfume the Church of Christ, moving all to chant: Gloriously hath He been glorified!\nIn chastity the venerable one avoided a royal marriage, preferring to betroth herself to Christ, the King of kings, to instruct maidens in the ways of God, and to teach them to chant unto Him: Gloriously hath He been glorified.\nKnowing that tears of repentance and sighs of compunction are of more worth than costly ointment and precious gems, Cassiana praised the sinful woman who anointed the feet of Christ, crying: Gloriously hath He been glorified.\nTheotokion: Elderly and past the age of begetting children, the pious Joachim and Anna yet begat the Mother of Him Who saved the children of Israel from the tyrant in the Red Sea; and like them they cried: Gloriously hath He been glorified.\nIrmos: Creation, beholding Thee, Who suspended the whole earth without support upon the waters, Thyself suspended upon Golgotha, was seized with great awe, crying out: None is holy save Thee, O Lord!\nCassiana's hymns ever move us to contrition; for, hearing them we are filled with great awe, and falling down before the Savior Who was crucified for our sake, we cry out: None is holy save Thee, O Lord!\nAll creation is moved to awe, beholding the gift of hymnody which the venerable one hath been granted by Christ, the preëternal Word of God, that she might lead us to cry: None is holy save Thee, O Lord!\nSeized and overcome by the fear of God, we sinners lift our voices in praise of the great Cassiana, who by her compunctionate hymns bringeth us to cry aloud unto Christ: None is holy save Thee, O Lord!\nTheotokion: She who, according to the promise of God, was born to be the Mother of the Redeemer, would behold Him uplifted upon the Cross in the place of the skull, crying out: None is holy save Thee, O Lord!\nKontakion of the venerable one, in Tone III\nResplendent with a mind inspired by the Spirit, O blessed and divinely wise Cassiana, thou art like a splendid diadem set upon the brow of the Church of Christ; for thine all-beauteous hymns adorn it like most precious gems. Wherefore, we fervently beseech thee: Grant the divine gift of thine inspiration unto those who earnestly desire it, that the faithful may ever cry out unto thee: Rejoice, O venerable mother, thou glory and boast of all the Orthodox!\nIkos: Shining with the brilliance of piety, full of divine luster, thy hymns are like beauteous jewels of many facets, each reflecting the supernal radiance of Him Who dwelleth in light unapproachable, O Cassiana; and when we chant them with reverence and compunction, we are filled with sanctifying grace, which cleanseth us of sin and exalteth us in mind to heavenly things, which laying up in our hearts, we ponder in spirit, crying out to thee in thanksgiving: Rejoice, O venerable mother, thou glory and boast of all the Orthodox!\nSessional hymn of the venerable one, in Tone IV\nWatered by living streams of piety, thy mind flourished like a palm-tree, O Cassiana, and, nourished by the Spirit of God, it brought forth in abundance the fruits of an inspired intellect: the peerless hymns which fill the hearts of the faithful with compunction. Wherefore, taught by thee the ways of repentance, O venerable mother, in thanksgiving we cry unto thee: Entreat Christ our Savior, that He have mercy on those who honor thy holy memory.\nGlory…, Now and ever…. of the forefeast (see in the Menaion).\nIrmos: Foreseeing Thy divine condescension upon the Cross, Habbakuk cried out in awe: Thou hast cut down the dominion of the mighty, O Good One, entering into fellowship with those who are in hades, in that Thou art Almighty.\nIn meekness and humility didst thou refute the ungodly emperor, O Cassiana, defending the honored place of womanhood in the divine dispensation of man's salvation; wherefore, thou didst betroth thyself to the Almighty\nAgainst him who said \"All that is evil hath come from a woman,\" Cassiana, filled with the Spirit, replied: “But from a woman all that is most sublime hath come,” thus standing forth as champion for the all-holy Theotokos.\nTheotokion: Seeing thee in foreshadowings and visions, O Theotokos, the prophets of God perceived thee as the unquarried mountain, the rod of Aaron that put forth leaves and fruit, and the Mother of the Messiah, Who is God Almighty.\nIrmos: I rise early unto Thee, O Word of God, Who, in Thy loving-kindness, didst immutably debase Thyself and didst dispassionately subject Thyself to sufferings. Grant peace unto me who have fallen, O Thou Who lovest mankind.\nThou didst embrace the life of repentance, O venerable one, submitting thyself to monastic obedience, seeking to subject the passions of the flesh to thy spirit through fasting and ascetic feats, and thereby gaining peace for thy soul.\nHaving foresworn wedlock, O Cassiana, thou didst bow thy neck beneath the easy monastic yoke, daily rising early to greet in fervent prayer thy heavenly Bridegroom, Christ the Savior, Who loveth mankind and suffered for our sake.\nEntangled are we in worldly concerns, beset are we by the sufferings of life and assailed by trials and temptations, but by thine earnest supplications move the Lord to grant us peace in His loving-kindness, O venerable mother.\nTheotokion: Have pity on us who rise early unto thee, and in thy loving-kindness spread forth thy protecting veil over us, the fallen, O Mother of the Word, begging peace for us in thy supplications to thy Son and God, Who suffered for our sake.\nIrmos: Jonah was swallowed, but was not held fast in the belly of the monster; for, serving as an image of Thee, Who didst suffer and wast given over for burial, he issued forth from the whale as from a bridal chamber. And he said to the watchmen, the vain and false guardians: Ye have forsaken His mercy!\nYe who have forsaken the mercy of Christ, who, in thrall to gluttony and the passions of the flesh, serve your base desires, hearken to the voice of the blessed Cassiana, who summoneth all to foreswear vanity and sin, and to offer tears of contrition and repentance, lest your souls perish utterly.\nMankind is swallowed up by iniquity, as by an all-devouring beast from whose maw few escape; but in her hymnody Cassiana showeth us that repentance will free us from his imprisoning belly, and tears shed in remorse will force him to vomit us forth, as of old the sea monster spewed forth Jonah.\nNineveh repented in sackcloth and ashes when Jonah proclaimed the warning of the Lord, yet we fail to heed the inspired words of the holy Cassiana, who calleth upon us to weep bitter tears over our sins. Woe unto us, lest in our indifference we come to hear the dread words: Ye have forsaken His mercy!\nTheotokion: O pure Theotokos, rescue us whom the monster of the abyss holdeth fast in his talons, seeking to devour us, and deliver us from his foul embrace, that, saved, we may escape the toils of death and find refuge in the haven of thy loving-kindness, in the splendors of the bridal chamber of thy Son.\nKontakion & ikos of the forefeast (see in the Menaion).\nIrmos: O ineffable wonder! He, Who in the furnace delivered the venerable children from the flame, is laid in the grave, dead and devoid of breath, for the salvation of us who chant: O God our Deliverer, blessed art Thou!\nDisdain us not, who with unworthy mouths dare to praise thy virtues and chant thy hymns, O Cassiana, but deliver us from the furnace of lusts, that with thee we may cry: O God our Deliverer, blessed art Thou!\nYe Christians, lift up your voices in song, extolling the venerable one, who in hymnody praised the woman who washed the feet of Christ with her tears, saying: \"O Savior of men's souls, disdain me not!\"\nO Lord, accept our sighs and the streams of our tears, for, imitating the sinful woman, whom Cassiana praised, we cry out to Thee, the unfathomable Abyss of mercy: O God our Deliverer, blessed art Thou!\nTheotokion: Flames await the ungodly in the life to come, for the love of God burneth those who spurn it, but it is salvation and delight for those who chant unto the Son of the Virgin: O God our Deliverer, blessed art Thou!\nIrmos: The godly children denounced the pillar of evil opposed to God; and the assembly of the iniquitous which raged against Christ deviseth empty plots, intending to slay Him Who holdeth life in the palm of His hand. Him doth all creation bless, glorifying Him forever.\nCarrying the burden of our transgressions like a heavy weight, we imitate the sinful woman in all but repentance, for our eyes shed no tears to wash away our iniquities; but at the prayers of the holy Cassiana, O Lord, disdain us not, whom Thou hast created.\nAll-compunctionate is the great hymn which Cassiana wrote in praise of the sinful woman, teaching us to follow her in tearful repentance for our iniquities; wherefore, let us hearken to her prompting and cry unto Christ, Whom all creation doth bless, glorifying Him forever.\nSinful beyond all measure, we have set up our lusts as an idol, which in our evil we adore; but Cassiana teacheth us to cast down our passions like a pillar, and to cleanse our souls of idolatrous sin, worshiping Jesus, Whom all creation doth bless, glorifying Him forever\nTheotokion: Saved from damnation are we who worship the Son of the Virgin, Whose palms were pierced with nails for our sins, and Who died that we might have abundant life. Wherefore, let us cease our iniquities and cry: Him doth all creation bless, glorifying Him forever.\nIrmos: Lament Me not, O Mother, beholding in the tomb the Son Whom thou didst conceive in thy womb without seed; for I shall arise and be glorified, and as God everlasting shall I exalt with glory those who magnify thee with faith and love.\nIn sacred hymnody did Cassiana glorify the wondrous Gurius, Samonas and Habib, who with the choir of the martyrs welcomed her to the mansions of paradise, wherein they join chorus together around the throne of Christ, our eternal God.\nAuxentius and Mardarius, Eugene and Orestes, led by the divinely wise Eustratius escorted the venerable Cassiana to the everlasting bridal-chamber, where the banquet of the Lamb of God is set forth for all who magnify Him with faith and love.\nNow let us exalt with glory Cassiana, in that she hath taught us to magnify the saints of God; for with the all-immaculate Theotokos, the honorable Forerunner and the companies of the martyrs she giveth everlasting praise to Almighty God.\nTheotokion: Acclaim ye the Mother of Him Who was conceived without seed, the immaculate Theotokos whose all-pure womb is undefiled; for the eternal God Who was born of her will magnify with glory all who with faith and love magnify her with hymns of praise.\nExapostilarion of the venerable one, Special Melody: “Hearken, ye women…”\nThe City of Constantine boasteth in thee, O Cassiana, and the Church of Christ, illumined by thy hymnody, rejoiceth exceedingly in thy holy memory; for by thee are we all taught the power of repentance and the infinite loving-kindness of God Who loveth mankind.\nGlory…, Now and ever…. of the forefeast (see in the Menaion).\nAposticha of the forefeast (see in the Menaion); and Glory…: Idiomelon of the venerable one, in Tone IV\nLet us hymn and piously praise the saint of Godthe harp of the Spirit and lamp of the Church of Godfor her life was lived in accordance with her holy name. Wherefore, with laudation let us cry out to her: Rejoice, O divinely wise Cassiana, whose hymns are redolent of the myrrh and cassia wherewith the precious and incorruptible body of the Lord was embalmed! Rejoice, O holy one, who didst increase greatly the talant entrusted thee by God! Rejoice, O venerable one, most comely scion of devout nobility! Rejoice, O most blessed one, model of humility and chastity, who dwellest now in the bridal-chamber of thy Master on high! Rejoice, O wise virgin, who leddest other maidens unto Christ the Bridegroom! Rejoice, O namesake of the great Cassian, guide of monastics and teacher of repentance! We beseech thee to deliver from all wrath and tribulation those who celebrate thy holy memory, and to make us partakers of ineffable glory in the life to come.\nNow and ever…. of the forefeast (see in the Menaion).\nProkimenon, in Tone IV\nWondrous is God in His saints, the God of Israel.\nStichos: In congregations bless ye God, the Lord from the well-springs of Israel.\nEpistle to the Galatians, §208\nBrethren: Before faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterward be revealed. Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster. For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus. And if ye be Christ's then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.\nAlleluia, in Tone I\nStichos: With patience I waited patiently for the Lord, and He was attentive unto me, and He hearkened unto my supplication.\nStichos: And He brought me up out of the pit of misery, and from the mire of clay.\nGospel according to Luke, §33\nAt that time, one of the Pharisees desired Jesus that He would eat with him. And He went down into the Pharisee’s house, and sat down to meat. And behold, a woman in the city, who was a sinner, when she knew that Jesus sat at meat in the Pharisee’s house, brought an alabaster box of ointment, and stood at His feet behind Him weeping, and began to wash His feet with tears, and did wipe them with the hairs of her head, and kissed His feet, and anointed them with the ointment. Now when the Pharisee who had bidden Him saw it, he spake within himself, saying: \"This man, if He were a prophet, would have known who and what manner of woman this is who toucheth Him; for she is a sinner.\" And Jesus answering said unto him: \"Simon, I have somewhat to say unto thee.\" And he said: \"Master, say on.\" \"There was a certain creditor who had two debtors: the one owed five hundred pence, and the other fifty. And when they had nothing to pay, he frankly forgave them both. Tell me, therefore, which of them will love him most?\" Simon answered and said: \"I suppose that he, to whom he forgave most.\" And He said unto him: \"Thou hast rightly judged.\" And He turned to the woman, and said unto Simon: \"Seest thou this woman? I entered into thy house; thou gavest Me no water for My feet: but she hath washed My feet with tears, and wiped them with the hair of her head. Thou gavest Me no kiss: but this woman, since the time I came in, hath not ceased to kiss My feet. My head with oil thou didst not anoint: but this woman hath anointed My feet with ointment. Wherefore I say unto thee, her sins, which are many, are forgiven; for she loved much: but to whom little is forgiven, the same loveth little.\" And He said unto her: \"Thy sins are forgiven.\" And those who sat at meat with Him began to say within themselves: \"Who is this that forgiveth sins also?\" And He said to the woman: \"Thy faith hath saved thee; go in peace.\"\nIn everlasting remembrance shall the righteous be; he shall not be afraid of evil tidings.\nAuthor's note.: The stichera idiomela of this service are inspired by stichera composed by the venerable Cassiana herself: that on \"Lord, I have cried\" is inspired by one she composed for the Nativity of Christ; that from the Vespers Aposticha is based on one from the service to the Martyrs Gurius, Samonas & Habib (November 13th)' and that from the Matins Aposticha is based on one from the service to the Greatmartyr Eustratius & companions (December 13th). The irmoi selected for the Canon of St. Cassiana are taken from Matins of Great & Holy Saturday (St. Cassiana composed the irmoi of Odes I through V herself; the rest were written by St. Cosmas of Maîuma).\nThe Menaion of the Orthodox Church © Isaac E. Lambertsen", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "RISK TAKING MISSION AND SERVICE (RTMS)\nGobin’s Mission and Service Leadership Team coordinates the practice of RTMS, by supporting the work of people to make a positive difference in the lives of others for the purposes of Christ, whether or not they are part of our community of faith. We can help you find ways to share your unique gifts in a variety of mission ministries that provide hope and support through personal connections and the demonstration of love, mercy and respect, all within our local community and the world beyond.\nTransformers A coalition of congregations and community groups which help children, youth and adults to transform their lives from poverty to self-sufficiency.\nCommunity Small Grants Gobin’s small grants program awards up to $1000 quarterly to support local mission and service projects that provide hope and support to individuals struggling with personal, spiritual, emotional and economic issues.\nCollaborative Outreach Each year Gobin selects two to three local community projects and one international project that fit the RTMS model and supports them through fund-raising and volunteer work while raising awareness of their services. Two current missions we are serving include the Summer Enrichment Program and Mission Guatemala.\nOther Service Projects\n- Giving Tree – every holiday season we express our love through contributions of time and money as members of the congregation purchase individualized gifts for community families in need. The Giving Tree supports over 400 local Putnam County children.\n- UMCOR Hygiene Kits – These kits provide basic necessities to people who have been forced to leave their homes because of human conflict or disaster. Individuals may purchase items for the kits here.", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "Archbishop Hebda suspends obligation to attend Mass\nArchbishop Bernard Hebda of the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis said in a statement Thursday evening that the obligation for parishioners to celebrate Mass would be suspended amid the novel coronavirus outbreak.\nWhile the bishop said he would not cancel Sunday Mass, he encouraged those who want to stay at home to watch Mass remotely, either online or via radio and TV broadcasts.\nMass will be broadcast on TV at 11 a.m. Sunday on KSTC-TV/45, and on the radio at 9 a.m. on Relevant Radio 1330 AM.\nThe bishop’s statement reads, in part:\n\"In ordinary circumstances, Catholics are obliged to participate in Mass on Sundays and other holy days of obligation,\" Hebda states. \"This obligation is suspended in cases of moral or physical impossibility, and may also be dispensed for a just cause when it is for the spiritual good of the faithful. In addition, the Church also has the obligation to protect those who are most vulnerable and those who care for the sick.\n\"Due to the increasing number of confirmed COVID-19/coronavirus cases in the Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis, I determine it prudent to dispense all Catholics in the territory of this Archdiocese from the obligation to attend Sunday Mass, until further notice. If the faithful decide that congregating for Sunday Mass would constitute a risk to themselves or others, they have the freedom not to attend.\"", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "[This article is a brief summary of the long Wikipedia article]\nSamuel Chandler (1693 – 8 May 1766) was a British Nonconformist minister and polemicist pamphleteer. He has been called the 'uncrowned patriarch of Dissent' in the latter part of George II's reign.\nSamuel Chandler was born in Hungerford, the son of Henry Chandler (d.1719), a Dissenting minister, and his wife Mary Bridgeman. His father was the first settled Presbyterian minister at Hungerford since the 1689 Act of Toleration.\nIn or around 1700 the family moved to Bath, where for the remainder of his life Henry ministered to the congregation that met at Frog Lane.\nHe was the younger brother of the Bath poet Mary Chandler, whose biography he wrote for inclusion in Cibber's The Lives of the Poets (1753).\nAs a child he displayed an 'early genius for learning', and this was encouraged by his family. He excelled in the classics and is said to have already mastered Greek by the time he entered the dissenting academy at Bridgwater, where he was a student of the Rev John Moore (d.1747). He later attended Samuel Jones' academy at Gloucester. Here he was a contemporary of Bishop Butler and Archbishop Secker, who in spite of their later churchmanship and high preferment remained life-long friends.\nSamuel Chandler (portrait in the Rijksmuseum)\nIn 1714 Chandler began a preaching ministry in London. During this time he shared a house with Secker, who had returned to England after studying in Leiden. In 1716 he was chosen as minister of the Presbyterian Hanover Chapel in Peckham and ordained in December of that year.\nOn 17 September 1719 Chandler married Elizabeth Rutter at St Giles, Camberwell. Elizabeth was the daughter of Benjamin Rutter, leather dresser of Bermondsey, and his wife Elizabeth. They had six children: Elizabeth (d. before 1772), wife of Thomas Mitchell, tailor of Bucklersbury, London; Sarah (d.1791), wife of the classical scholar Edward Harwood (1729-1794); Catherine (\"Kitty\"), wife of William Ward, packer of Sise-lane, London, and Mary (\"Polly\"), who remained unmarried. His two sons pre-deceased him.\nThrough the South Sea Bubble crash of 1720 Chandler lost the fortune which his wife had brought to their marriage. This left him in straitened circumstances, and from about 1723 he supplemented his income by working as a bookseller at the Cross Keys in the Poultry, London. In 1725, having read his recently published Vindication of the Christian Religion, Archbishop Wake wrote to him expressing surprise that 'so much good learning and just reasoning in a person of your profession, and do think it pity you should not rather spend your time in writing books than in selling them'.\nIt was partly due to the success of Vindication, which brought together sermons he had delivered at the Old Jewry meeting house in defence of Christian revelation, that Chandler was invited to be the assistant minister under Thomas Leavesley at the Old Jewry in 1726. During this time he continued to preach at Peckham. In 1728 he was appointed pastor at the Old Jewry, the congregation offering him an extra £100 a year on the condition that he give up bookselling. He held this position for the rest of his life.\nOver time he came to play a leading role in the affairs of London Dissenters. From 1730 he was a member of the Presbyterian Board, and from 1744 of Dr Williams's Trust. It was largely as a result of his influence, particularly among wealthy dissenters, that a relief society for widows and orphaned children of Protestant dissenting ministers was established in 1733. In a similar way he co-ordinated the formation of The Society for the Propagation of the Knowledge of God among the Germans, formed in 1753 to assist German dissenters in the British colony of Pennsylvania.\nBeliefs & Writings:\nChandler was an extensive writer, and through his pamphlets, sermons and letters he engaged energetically with the religious disputes of the day. He was an impassioned proponent of civil and religious liberty, advocating freedom of conscience and the appeal to reason in matters of belief.\nChandler died on 8 May 1766. During the last year of his life he had suffered from re-occurrences of a 'very painful disorder'.\nHe was buried in what became the family vault at Bunhill Fields in London on 16 May.\nChandler's wife died in 1773.", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "Homily for the Twenty-ninth Sunday in Ordinary Time (B), October 21st, 2018:\nWhat religion would you die for? What religion would you live for? Today’s readings answer those questions. They also identify the chalice and the baptism which we must drink, the chalice and baptism James and John participated in.\nThe reading from Isaiah explains the theme of vicarious atonement. The prophecy is of a “Suffering Servant.” God’s Suffering Servant will assume the punishment due to us for our sins. This Suffering Servant will do this in our name. The Suffering Servant will be regarded as guilty and he will be associated with the wicked, even though he was completely innocent. His suffering will be for a positive purpose-salvation. Christians see clearly Jesus Christ in this model of the Suffering Servant. God Himself speaks in Isaiah’s prophecy. God affirms this prophecy and the spiritual reality that the Suffering Servant achieves in his vicarious atonement. This vicarious atonement, this undeserved suffering, is the Chalice that Jesus must drink from, faithfully. Jesus’s vicarious atonement is meant to attract attention from others, Jews and Gentiles. In our time, this model of the Suffering Servant makes a positive sense of suffering, particularly unmerited suffering. It shows us how to evangelize our faith by bearing burdens and setting an example.\nIn the reading from Hebrews, this Suffering Servant is also a “great high priest.” The author identifies this great high priest as Jesus Christ. The author encourages us to approach Jesus on His throne of grace because this Suffering Servant and Great High Priest is merciful. He is merciful because He is human, as well as divine. Jesus Christ’s mercy is rooted in His sharing of our human nature. He was tempted in every way but did not sin. Jesus Christ, the Great High Priest has successfully entered into God’s presence. We sinful human beings can have hope and confidence in Jesus. So if we can hope in Jesus, we can and ought to proceed to Jesus’s throne of grace, to worship God and His Only Son, Jesus Christ. The author of this reading from Hebrews assures us that we shall find mercy and obtain grace in the form of help suited to each time and circumstance in our lives. In fact, God sends us His Holy Spirit. This is the third person in the Blessed Trinity. The Holy Spirit is a divine being who encourages and helps us reach up to our higher nature, the nature of holiness. The religion which has such a Great High Priest, who has a fully human nature along with His divine nature, in such a sanctuary, who is the very Son of God Himself is the very religion to which we must hold on to. Here’s the kicker: We must drink from the same chalice that Jesus has drunk from, and James and John. We must be immersed in the same baptism of suffering Jesus was immersed into. Suffering and sorrow will overwhelm Jesus. And for us too, our suffering will be unmerited and innocent. The example we must give is to serve the needs of all. The example we give is meant to attract others to us, to our religion, to our carrying out of our faith in Jesus Christ.\nThe words of St. Teresa of Calcutta identify the chalice we must drink from and the baptism we must be immersed in. “People are often unreasonable, irrational, and self-centered. Forgive them anyway. If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives. Be kind anyway. If you are successful, you will win some unfaithful friends and some genuine enemies. Succeed anyway. If you are honest and sincere, people may deceive you. Be honest and sincere anyway. What you spend years creating, others could destroy overnight. Create anyway. If you find serenity and happiness, some may be jealous. Be happy anyway. The good you do today will often be forgotten. Do good anyway. Give the best you have, and it will never be enough. Give your best anyway. In the final analysis, it is between you and God. It was never between you and them anyway.”\nHomily for the Twenty-eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time:\nWisdom 7:7-11; Psalm90:12-17; Hebrews 4:12-13; Mark 10:17-30\nBy Fr. Scott Karnik\nWe are all human. We are all mortal. We were born. We live. We are sinners. And we will die. Solomon realized this about himself. He has no advantage to his birth. Solomon will live and die, just like his subjects will, poor and rich alike. So Solomon does something about it. Solomon prays to God for the gift of wisdom. God grants Solomon’s request. Here is what Solomon does next. Solomon treasures wisdom above all else. Solomon preferred wisdom to scepter and throne; devalued riches in comparison with wisdom; elevated wisdom above jewels, gold, and silver; loved wisdom more than health, and preferred wisdom to light. Solomon did what the rich, young man in today’s gospel could not do: Solomon abandons earthly desires and possessions for wisdom. So what is wisdom? It is another expression for God Himself. When Solomon realizes that he is a mortal, just like his subjects, he abandons himself completely to God and His way of life for himself. The author of the psalm asks God to teach men to know themselves before God. May man’s knowledge of the brevity of his life lead him to spend his life wisely. Knowing who we are before God will change us for the better. God is wisdom.\nWe get to that point by presenting ourselves with uplifted hearts to God and His life-giving word. We lift up our hearts to God’s word. God’s word is authoritative. In fact, in the second reading from Hebrews, God’s word is so alive and authoritative that it is interchangeable with God Himself, who speaks it. God takes the place of His Word. God’s word is all-seeing and all-knowing. It penetrates the innermost person and forces him to address what really matters. All things discover themselves and stand bare before God’s eyes. The author of Hebrews says nothing is hidden from God. We will all give an account of our lives to God.\nIn today’s gospel, we see God’s Word made flesh. It is God’s Son, Jesus Christ. St. John wrote in the prologue to his gospel that the Word made His dwelling among us, and we have seen His glory: The glory of an only Son coming from the Father, filled with enduring love (John 1:14). In today’s gospel reading from St. Mark, God’s Word meets man. The man asks what he can do to inherit eternal life. Jesus answers. The man answers back. And Jesus tells him there is one thing lacking. “Go, sell what you have, and give to the poor and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me”(Mark 10:21). Abandon yourself and follow Jesus, the Word made flesh. Trust Jesus above all else. Love Jesus above everything. Abandon everything. Put Jesus first and let Him change your life. That’s what Jesus told this rich, young man. He couldn’t, wouldn’t do it. Ultimately, the man entrusted possessions before God’s wisdom, God’s words, and God’s Word made flesh. That’s what Jesus emphasizes. Undue attachment to wealth is a form of idolatry. It is inconsistent with true service to God. Hopefully, the rich, young man was not ready to do this. Hopefully, he reconsidered and later did follow Jesus. We can only hope and pray.\nSo what must we know? That we can encounter God’s Word made flesh every Sunday at this beautiful Holy Mass. What must we do? We must come here with uplifted heart. The first part of the Mass is the penitential rite. We confess our faults and ask forgiveness. The second part is the liturgy of the word, where we listen to God speak to us. Another part is the liturgy of the Eucharist, where we receive Jesus Himself, the Word made flesh. He changes us if we let Him. Why should we care? Because God tells us that we are not our own gods. God’s word tells us that we mortals can and must trust Jesus, His Son, abandon everything, and follow Him. He will love us if we do and on that day, He will take us up with Him to heaven.\nHomily for the Twenty-seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time (B), October 7th, 2018:\nGenesis 2:18-24; Psalm 128:1-6; Hebrews 2:9-11; and Mark 10:2-16\nBy Father Scott Karnik\n“The family that prays together, stays together.” That very wise adage from Father Patrick Peyton applies very much to today’s readings. In Genesis, we hear about the creation of Eve, the woman who is the best-suited helper of the man. God’s motive to create her is that “it is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a suitable partner for him”(Gen 2:18). God creates the woman for the man so that the two of them can enter into the sacrament of marriage. The end of this creation story proves it. The author establishes the dignity of the man and the woman in this story. “Dignity” is defined as “the quality or state of being esteemed, honored, or worthy.” This couple, one man and one woman, is totally unique to each other. The author of this story writes that the man is joyful at God’s creation of the woman. He is not alone anymore. The suitable partner has the same human nature that he does. They are united. God wills that the man and the woman enter into the sacrament of marriage. Notice that God puts the man into a deep sleep when He creates the woman. The man does not witness the mystery of God’s act of creation of another human being. God’s creation of another human being is a divine act. This is where abortion is most sinful. It destroys an act of divine creation by Almighty God Himself. God created the man and the woman and then blessed them to be fertile and multiply; to fill the earth and subdue it”(Gen 1:28). God creates a family. The family is the man and the woman in love and they have babies. This creation story explains a present reality. A man and a woman fall in love and marry. In Genesis 2:24, to “leave” and to “cleave” indicate a covenant. Therefore, the Roman Catholic Church teaches that marriage is a sacrament and a covenantal relationship.\nSt. Mark writes in his gospel about Jesus’s attitude toward marriage and divorce. Jesus teaches that it is not permissible for the man and the woman to divorce. Other teachers did permit it. Jesus does not. Jesus uses Genesis 1:27 and 2:24 as the authority for His position. Jesus bans divorce. Then, Jesus privately tells His disciples that if a man or a woman should have to divorce their spouse, they cannot remarry without being considered an adulterer. The central message from St. Mark is Jesus’s challenge to husbands and wives to live in a faithful, fertile, holy, and perpetual union until death. To do so, requires prayer. It requires the husband and wife to remain in faithful contact with each other, with their children, and with God Himself. The man and the woman cannot do this alone. Father Patrick Peyton promoted the truth that “the family that prays together stays together.” He started a Family Rosary campaign that eventually led to a national radio program on which the Rosary was prayed. The danger of not praying together as a family is divorce and the cheapening of the sacrament of marriage.\nThis is important because the alternative to faith, family, and marriage is divorce, living together in sin, breakup, and abortion. These acts are promoted for the freedom they give. They do not provide freedom. They enslave. They enslave the man and the woman to their passions and selfishness. And then comes the critical question of how to deal with the consequence of that sinful union. The critical answer to that in this sinful world is abortion. The critical answer in this sinful world is divorce. They do not reinforce a family. They shatter it. Abortion is a satanic act which destroys God’s life-giving action. Abortion is a satanic act which destroys the life of a specific person that God wanted to place in this world, at this time, to perform a specific task to build God’s kingdom. Wherever abortion and divorce go, they leave destruction and death in their wake.\nJesus says that only a child-like trust will enable us to live up to His demands in the day-to-day relationships we have in families and elsewhere. We pray for grace from Jesus through His Blessed Mother by praying the Rosary, together, as a family. Jesus can keep families praying together and staying together. It is Jesus Christ’s forgiveness, love, and mercy that can reassemble lives shattered by abortion and divorce. He is eager and willing to forgive those who commit those sins. Jesus is one confession, Holy Mass, and Eucharist away.\nSo compare. Which world do you want to build? Is it the world of marriage, family, and children? Or is it the world of abortion and divorce? Which world do you want to live in? Which world do you want your children to live in? Which world do you want to leave for your grandchildren? The answer is clear on its face. It is the God-given world of one man and one woman in a family that prays together and stays together and has children. And with Jesus’s grace and our child-like trust in His teachings, that world can be revived quickly and powerfully.\nHomily for the 26th Sunday in Ordinary Time, (B), September 30th, 2018:\nBy Father Scott Karnik\nNumbers 11:25-29; Psalm 19:8,10,12-13,14; James 5:1-6; Mark 9:38-43,45, 47-48\nToday’s readings suggest a common theme of uniqueness of leadership in God’s Church. To “lead” is “to guide on a way, especially by going in advance.” The leadership demands strain Moses and he asks to die. He doesn’t ask for help. God ignores Moses melodrama. God tells Moses to assemble 70 elders at the tent of meeting. Yahweh will take some of the spirit that rests on Moses and give it to the elders in order to share the burden. So Moses does and Yahweh does. But what happens is the 70 elders prophesy. That is important. They can prophesy. But Moses ‘s leadership position is unique. Only Moses can bear the burden of responsibility of communicating Yahweh’s word to the Israelites and leading the Israelites safely into the Promised Land. Those two responsibilities are unique to Moses. Eldad and Medad prophesy too. Moses approves God’s distribution of spirit. Moses is not concerned with any loss of prestige. He is concerned about the good of the Israelites. God’s prophetic gift is not restricted to any class. Moses excellent character is displayed in this story. Read Numbers 11 and Numbers 12. You will see God further defining the uniqueness of Moses’s leadership.\nSt. James writes about the unique leadership of those who are rich. St. James extends the woe oracles Jesus pronounced on the rich and well-fed. The last stage of time exists now. Jesus Christ is enthroned at God’s right hand with victory and dominion. The great reversal of values is underway. The earthly values in this mortal world are being devalued right now as we speak. Abortion is one of them. Abortion will die a mortal death and the sooner, the better. The values of this mortal world deceive. St. James says the ones who are most susceptible to this deception are the rich. The rich look to these values for security. But these worldly values are subject to time, just as we are. The rich prefer to see their worldly wealth decay rather than use it to help the poor. They believe the present, sinful world will continue forever. They are so comfortable now that they refuse to believe that Jesus is coming again to judge this sinful world. Their hard-heartedness will be their ruin. St. James then accuses the rich of his time of unscrupulous selfishness. They would not pay the poor laborers at the end of the day. So therefore, they went hungry, along with their families. St. James also accuses the rich of not helping the poor secure their rights. And they fail to understand that God takes the part of the oppressed. This is especially true if the oppressed entrust their well-being completely to Jesus and live like Him. This crime of withholding wages from workers is so serious that it cries out to God for redress, just like murder does, just like sodomy does. Those who surrender to worldly pleasures and power might be or might become unscrupulous. They presume to live as they please with apparent impunity. But in God’s eyes they are fools and their sentence has already been passed on them. Now that Jesus Christ has been glorified, God’s judgment has been pronounced in principle. St. James condemns the rich for their injustice, not their wealth.\nJesus speaks of that same uniqueness of leadership in His gospel reading today. Jesus warns those who would scandalize the little ones who believe in Him. The person or persons who scandalize the little ones to that extent will endure the most severe punishment at God’s judgment. They will be sunk into the sea. They will be doomed if they do not repent, confess their sins, and do penance. The occasions of sin Jesus talks about are moral and originate inside the person. That person must overcome them at the root, where they are cut off, in order to avoid damnation. To scandalize someone by engaging in such sin means to sin and to jeopardize the man who is scandalized. It is better to die than to rob a man of his faith. Think about that in today’s scandalous revelations in our Church. Those people are sentenced already and their only escape is to repent, confess their sins, and do penance. But remember that we, the little ones, can scandalize too. We are not morally superior to anyone. The same moral standards that apply to Church leaders apply to us too.\nThe goal of man’s existence is eternal life. This brings him salvation, the kingdom of God. To fail to enter into life and to not share in God’s eternal kingdom means to miss the goal that God Himself has set for mankind. It is the most terrible lot that can befall us. A man’s earthly life has been made meaningless and when he dies, he will be meaningless forever. It is an eternal death, a destruction of his humanity which God designed for eternal life because He loves us that much. Jesus says it is better to cut off a body part than to scandalize another human being and be thrown into hell.\njesus repeats to his disciples that he will go to jerusalem to suffer, die and rise again as messiah\nHomily for the 25th Sunday in Ordinary Time (B), Sunday, September 23rd, 2018:\nJesus will be ready to make His final trip to Jerusalem when today’s gospel reading from St. Mark ends. Jesus will go to Jerusalem where He will suffer, be crucified, and die, and rise again on the third day. But Jesus has to give His disciples some remedial training first. Jesus has to re-instruct them about His Passion. It is difficult for them and us to understand. Our societal expectations clash with Jesus’s teaching of the necessity of personal sacrifice.\nThe disciples spend their energy arguing over who is the most important among themselves rather than try to understand Jesus’s second Passion prediction. So Jesus gives them a visual aid. It is a child. Jesus calls His disciples to serve the humble, the insignificant, and the unimportant. That child exemplifies the people Jesus wants His disciples to serve. The great reward for such humble service is the receiving of Jesus Christ Himself and God His Father. So therefore, there is no room in Jesus’s kingdom for the type of selfish ambition and aggrandizement His disciples are arguing over. In Jesus’s kingdom, ambition for the highest places is misguided and misplaced.\nThis is happening to Jesus’s very own hand-picked disciples because they are following their own concupiscence. They are following their own selfish desires and self-gratification instead of humility and wisdom. Self-gratification and selfishness lead to hatred and envy of others, false morals, heresy, division, and immorality. But God-fearing wisdom leads to purity, tranquility, modesty, docility, equity, mercy, and piety. Wisdom is practical and active and unitive. And the more wisdom unites, it promotes universality and salvation in this church. We are all asked to practice it.\nThis will be difficult. Consider today’s first reading from the Book of Wisdom. The evil sinners will persecute the just man who submits to the Divine Will. They will do so because the lifestyle of the wise, God-fearing man pricks the consciences of evil people. So the evil people fall on the just ones, to attack them. The wise ones will live in accordance with God’s plan and wishes. The basis of human evil is personal choice. The relationship with evil is direct, involves deeds and words, grows into desire and friendship, and ends in a sinful covenantal relationship. That should sound familiar. It is familiar because the basis of human holiness is personal choice. It is direct. Holiness also involves deeds and words, and grows into desire and friendship, and ends in a holy, loving covenantal relationship with Jesus Christ Himself. In fact, in today’s first reading, the title of the just and wise person who follows God’s plan is “the just one,” and “the son of God.” Those titles speak of the close relationship between the wise and the just with the Lord. The just man has said that God Himself will take care of him and protect him. Eventually, that is what Jesus’s disciples will learn.\nSo what should we know? That Jesus Christ calls us to the same personal sacrifice to serve the humble and the insignificant that He called His disciples to serve. What should we do? We should surrender selfish ambition, evil desires, and self gratification and replace them with purity, tranquility, modesty, docility, equity, mercy, and piety. And why should we care? Because the reward for this type of service is that we serve Jesus Himself and God His Father. We will see them face-to-face in the little children, the poor, and the insignificant that we serve and welcome by doing good for them. Indeed, that will be the answer to the final test. On that day, Jesus will come and say to those who serve Him: “Come. You have my Father’s blessing. Inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me food. I was thirsty and you gave me drink. I was a stranger and you welcomed me, naked and you clothed me. I was ill and you comforted me, in prison and you came to visit me…I assure you, as often as you did it for one of my least brothers, you did it for me”(Matthew 25:34-40).\nJesus is the messiah who willingly suffers and dies for our sake, to save us. Here is how we can follow him\nHomily for the Twenty-fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Sunday, September 16th, 2018\nIsaiah 50:4-9; Psalm 116:1-9; James 2:14-18 & Mark 8:27-35\nBy Father Scott Karnik\nToday’s readings point to Jesus Christ as the Son of God, the Messiah, and the one who suffers, dies, and rises again to save us and give us eternal life. We know that. Isaiah’s reading today is one of the Suffering Servant songs. This servant speaks about himself. He says he gives his back “to those who beat me,…(Isaiah 50:6)…”my face I did not shield from buffets and spitting”(Isaiah 50:6). This servant has obediently accepted God’s call and will carry it out. Bible commentators say this is a prophecy of Jesus Christ and His Passion. And Jesus teaches this to His disciples and to us today. He says in St. Mark’s gospel, “He began to teach them that the Son of Man had to suffer much, be rejected by the elders, the chief priest, and the scribes, be put to death, and rise three days later”(Mark 8:31). And then St. Mark writes, “He said these things quite openly”(Mark 8:32). We know this. It is what Jesus connects to this that is important. Jesus “summoned the crowd with his disciples and said to them:…(Mark 8:34). Jesus is speaking to us, today, His followers. We must imitate Jesus in His sufferings and Passion. We must reflect Him in ourselves. How do we do that?\nThere is an answer in today’s first reading from Isaiah. It’s in the first sentence. “The Lord God opens my ear that I may hear; and I have not rebelled, have not turned back”(Isaiah 50:4-5). Jesus wants us to hear His teachings, obey them, and persevere in obedience. First, we must listen to His words and teachings and those of His Church. For us, to hear means “to gain knowledge of by hearing; to learn; to listen to with attention; to heed; to entertain the idea”(of something that is said). Of course we can hear, figuratively by reading and praying too. We hear with a humble, uplifted heart to God’s Words in Sacred Scripture here at Mass. We have to be willing to come here to hear with an uplifted heart. Second, Isaiah’s prophecy says “And I have not rebelled,…(Isaiah 50:5). The Suffering Servant, Jesus, obeys. To obey means “to follow the commands or guidance of; to comply with; to execute.” We too must obediently follow Jesus’s vocation of denying ourselves, picking up our crosses, daily, and following Him. Either we must relinquish ourselves totally to the suffering Messiah that we follow, or make ourselves susceptible to an unfavorable judgment. We must obey and lose our lives for Jesus’s sake and the sake of the gospel. We too must suffer and carry Jesus’s Cross to Calvary. And third, Isaiah writes this phrase: “…have not turned back”(Isaiah 50:5). The Suffering Servant accepts his divine vocation. He perseveres in it. So do we. To persevere means “to keep at something in spite of difficulties, opposition, or discouragement.” Jesus teaches that He has a dual destiny. “The Son of Man” must suffer and be glorified later. St. Peter and the other disciples fail to understand the association of suffering and death Jesus must undergo in His office of Messiah. We have difficulty doing the same thing. It requires humility and humility is a bad word in today’s world.\nAll of this is important because there is no other way to conform to Jesus and receive the salvation He offers us. It really is His Way or the highway. This is important for us because in our own church, in our own faith, there are people who say they’re Catholic but they subscribe to the way of the (sinful) world. That is first for them. They pay lip service to their faith and place their hearts elsewhere. They are not to be followed or imitated. Jesus is to be followed. His way is the only way. To follow Jesus we must deny ourselves, pick up our cross daily, and follow Him through hearing, obeying, and persevering to the bitter end, which leads to the glorious salvation and life which will never end.\nHomily for the Twenty-third Sunday in Ordinary Time (B), Sunday, September 9, 2018:\nIsaiah 35:4-7; Psalm 146:6-7, 8-9, 9-10; James 2:1-5, and Mark 7:31-37\nBy Father Scott Karnik\nGod shows no favorites. He has no distinctions. God’s salvation is universal. He offers His Son’s salvation to everyone. God grants universal salvation to every repentant sinner, rich or poor, Jew or Gentile, or Samaritan. God is impartial to us and our status in His Church is equal. So therefore, God calls all to life, and even favors the poor, orphans, and widows, to make them rich in faith. So therefore, the Church must reflect God’s actions and love in its structure. Partiality is an unjust judgment. It contradicts God’s judgment. The majority of the first converts to the Christian faith were poor. God makes them heirs of eternal life instead of beneficiaries of material riches. Partiality is based exclusively on material appearance, which often belies the interior character. In St. James’s reading he says “Listen,” (hear with thoughtful attention), my beloved brothers and sisters. Did not God choose those who are poor in the world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom that He promised to those who love Him?(James 2:5). So therefore, a Church which shows no partiality is united and reflects God’s love, which infinite and impartial. That is point number one and St. James makes it well.\nPoint number two is that we can know God’s real presence by its effects. Isaiah 35 shows some of them. God comes with vindication. To vindicate means “to set free, deliver: to protect from attack or encroachment.” And who does God come to with vindication? It is “…to those whose hearts are frightened:…(Isaiah 35:4). And God comes with “divine recompense (Isaiah 35: 4). Recompense means “to give compensation to: repay.” “Then will the eyes of the blind be opened, the ears of the deaf be cleared; then will the lame leap like a stag, then the tongue of the mute will sing(Isaiah 35:5-6). Then the psalm reading tells more about this God and His loving presence with us. This God “…keeps faith forever, secures justice for the oppressed, gives food to the hungry. The Lord sets captives free. The Lord gives sight to the blind; the Lord raises up those who were bowed down. The Lord loves the just; the Lord protects strangers. The fatherless and the widow the Lord sustains but the way of the wicked He thwarts”(Psalm 146:6-10). The singer of this psalm encourages his hearers to trust in God alone and not mere mortals. If Israel relies on God alone, its happiness is assured. God has created everything. And God’s creation includes governance of all people. God’s faithful and powerful care makes an environment fit for human beings and maintains society in justice and peace. And God does one more thing. God expresses His kingship in the favor He shows to the oppressed and to those who rely exclusively on Him. Zion’s God will reign forever.\nIn St. Mark’s gospel, he highlights Jesus’s supernatural healings to show His divinity. But Jesus desires secrecy. Jesus wants both Jews and Gentiles to accept His identity and messiahship on His terms, not their own. Jesus heals miraculously both Jew and Gentile. But Jesus also suffers and shows His messiahship in His death on the Cross for our salvation. Jesus serves and suffers. So must we. It is incomplete to do good deeds and not attend church. It is incomplete to attend church but not serve those in need.\nHomily for the Twenty-second Sunday in Ordinary Time, Sunday, September 2nd, 2018:\nDeuteronomy 4:1-8; Psalm 15:1-5; James 1:17-27; and Mark 7:1-23\nBy Father Scott Karnik\n“You get out of something what you put into it.” That’s probably the best lesson we can learn from this Sunday’s Bible readings. In today’s first reading from Deuteronomy, Moses tells the Israelites to “hear and observe the statutes and the ordinances which I teach you, and do them;…(Deut 4:1). Moses tells the Israelites to obey the law carefully. “You shall not add to the word which I command you, nor take from it; that you may keep the commandments of the Lord your God which I command you”(Deut 4:2). Exact observance is required. Sacred Scripture also says we must make room for God’s Word in our souls. St. James writes “Therefore put away all filthiness and rank growth of wickedness and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls”(James 1:21). St. James writes that God’s Word has created us and lives in us to save us but His Word must be carried out. “Be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves”(James 1:22). God has made the world with a purpose and has chosen us. Our God is a moral god. God’s moral purpose pervades the universe of His chosen ones and those who commit themselves to a moral god must be moral themselves. God is faithful, so must we. True religion observes the connection between covenant faith and covenant love. Today’s psalm reading lists the virtues required of a worthy citizen of Zion, Mount Zion. God’s Presence is located there, in His Temple.\nMoses explains why the Israelites, and we today, must observe carefully God’s commandments. It is “…that you may live, and go in and take possession of the land which the Lord, the God of your fathers gives you”(Deut 4:1). God promises the Israelites a long life lived peacefully in the land God will lead them into so they can possess it. There are motives for our obedience. I encourage you to read all of Deuteronomy, Chapter Four. You and I are required to receive God’s commandments meekly, know them, and do them. We receive them and we do them so that our virtues are visible to others. That’s another motive, renown. Israel’s pagan neighbors will acknowledge that Israel’s God is closer to it than their own pagan gods are to them. And another motive is the excellence of God’s law itself. What other law is more excellent than God’s law? We get out of it what we put into it. We observe carefully God’s Word and teachings; we receive them. Then, we do them so that what comes out of us is pure religion and the virtues listed in Psalm 15. That is what Jesus refers to in the Gospel reading. He rejects the praise of our lips. Jesus says the soul is the seat of our moral life. It is from there that evil thoughts and affections emerge to cause moral defilement. One’s acts which are inspired from within show when a person is not obeying God’s commands, or is obeying them.\nThose are the lessons and the tough challenges given us today in Sacred Scripture. But there’s one more thing. God is faithful to His Covenant with Israel, even though Israel is not. Israel will be exiled to Babylon. They begin to lose hope of ever returning to the Promised Land. Read Isaiah, Chapter 40. God tells the exiled Jews that they will return. God forgives them.\n***** There are parallels between today’s readings and Holy Mother Church. You have heard all the dismaying reports and the dirty laundry. But Holy Mother Church’s relationship with Jesus Christ is unique. It is Eucharist, Jesus’s Bread of Life Discourse which makes it so. It is also unique because Jesus builds His Church on the rock of St. Peter. Jesus promises that “the gates of hell shall not prevail against it”(Matthew 16:17-19). Sadly, we’ve been here before in our Church’s history. There have been schisms, abuses, sinful leaders. Through it all, only this church is two-thousand-years old and still here. Jesus is present here in His Sacraments. The Holy Spirit is also present in this church. Read John 14:15. This church, this faith, is unique, when we carry out God’s teachings, amplified by this church’s teaching authority. May we pray and observe God’s commandments amplified by this church’s teachings. When we do, priests and faithful, we bear virtue and renown in this world. We will also be worthy of God’s presence. So please pray for an increase of the Holy Spirit on this Church. Please pray for many graces for her leaders, her priests, and her faithful to return to holiness and to strengthen our holiness. That is a good place to start because we, you and I, need that right now in this Church’s time. “Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us SINNERS, now and at the hour of our death. Amen.”\nHomily for 21st Sunday in Ordinary Time (B), Sunday, August 26th, 2018:\nBy: Fr. Scott Karnik\nToday’s gospel reading is the epilogue to Jesus’s Eucharistic Discourse. It describes the reactions to His Teaching on the Eucharist being His Own Body and Blood. There are reactions.\nFirst, the murmuring of the Jews against Jesus’s teaching now spreads. “Many of Jesus’s disciples who were listening murmured about His teaching. To “murmur” means to “complain or grumble.” These disciples have a crisis of faith. “This saying is hard;…” These disciples think about cannibalism. They think materially. “Who can accept it?”(v. 60). St. John wrote this in his gospel to fortify the faith of his own church in Jesus’s Real Presence in Eucharist, Holy Communion. St. John adds to this a difficult teaching. St. John quotes Jesus saying to His murmuring disciples the scandal of His Own Ascent “…to where He was before?”(v.62). That means, of course, to His Throne in Heaven. But the first step of that ascent is Jesus’s ascent on the Hill of Calvary, where He will be crucified and die to save us. Then He will rise. The Scripture commentary I studied says we eat the flesh of Jesus in His celestial glory, where He is seated eternally at God’s right hand. Jesus says “It is the spirit that gives life, while the flesh is of no avail”(v. 63). The many disciples who reject Jesus and His Eucharistic teaching think carnally, not spiritually. Their view is of no avail, useless. Their human reason cannot comprehend Jesus’s revealed truth without the light of the Holy Spirit. They lack faith, do not understand, “drew back and no longer walked with Him”(v. 66). Remember this. Jesus had hand-picked these disciples. They were good people. They would do good things for Jesus’s Church, His new worship society. So if Jesus is speaking symbolically, He has the opportunity to tell them so. Indeed, Jesus has the obligation to tell them so, in order to eliminate a misunderstanding about Eucharist, which persists to this very day. These are good disciples and Jesus will not let them walk away based on a misunderstanding. This is the first schism in the Church, and it happens right before Jesus’s eyes. He does not abandon His teaching. Judas Iscariot rejects Jesus’s teaching. Judas stays with the Twelve but enters into darkness, defects, and betrays Jesus. When Jesus says “…the flesh is of no avail”(v. 63), He is talking carnal understanding. He is not speaking about His Own Flesh, which gives eternal life. These disciples’ reactions hurt and sadden Jesus. Jesus said in an apparition to St. Josefa Menendez that “The Holy Eucharist is the invention of Love….Yet how few souls correspond to that love which spends and consumes itself for them!...I live in the midst of sinners that I may be their life, their physician, and the remedy for the diseases bred by corrupt nature. And in return they forsake, insult, and despise me!...”\nThe second reaction comes from “the Twelve(v. 67). Jesus asks them, “Will you also go away?”(v. 67). Notice the word “also.” Jesus knows that He has lost those many disciples because of His Eucharistic teaching. Jesus will not compromise it. Jesus wishes for all of them and all of us to receive His Teaching with a purity of soul. He now asks His priests, His church leaders, His Apostolic College for their belief. St. Peter accepts. St. Peter takes the risk and opens his heart. St. Peter says to Jesus, “Master, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life; and we have believed, and have come to know, that you are the Holy One of God”(vv. 68-69). St. Peter believes Jesus’s teaching in faith, even though he does not yet understand it. He will later.\nMay we believe in faith. May we accept this hard teaching. May we heed Jesus’s appeal from the heart. This beautiful sacrament of Jesus Christ’s real Body and Blood in Eucharist is meant to unite all of us in perfect unity. Therefore Jesus gave us the beautiful Sacrifice of Holy Mass in order to change the bread and wine into His Body and Blood, His Soul, His Divinity, and His Grace. This presents the reality of Jesus’s One and Only saving Sacrifice. Jesus’s One and Only Sacrifice is infinite, omnipotent, and timeless. We are not. We are confined in time and space. That’s why there is the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. Only in this Church can Jesus offer Himself really and truly in Eucharist. Only in this Church can you come to the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass to encounter Jesus’s Real Presence in the sacramental form of Eucharist and in Sacred Scripture. He does this to save us from sin and death. Jesus told St. Josefa Menendez “The greater your helplessness, the more My Power will sustain you. I shall rest in you, and you will have life in Me.”\nHomily for the 20th Sunday in Ordinary Time (B), Sunday, August 19th, 2018:\nFr. Scott Karnik\nJesus’s words in the first verse of today’s gospel are the same as the last verse in last Sunday’s gospel: “I am the living bread that came down from heaven; whoever eats this bread will live forever; and the bread that I will give is MY FLESH for the life of the world.” It causes the Jews much consternation. They know exactly what Jesus is saying. They understand Him perfectly. And yet, Jesus will continue His argument.\nFirst Jesus says “Amen, amen,…” “Amen” means “so be it.” Jesus knows that they know exactly what He is saying and He will stand by it.\nSecond, Jesus amplifies his argument by saying “…unless you EAT THE FLESH of the Son of Man and DRINK HIS BLOOD, YOU DO NOT HAVE LIFE WITHIN YOU.” Refusing to eat Jesus’s flesh and to drink His Blood has an effect-a lack of life within. Jesus says that “Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him on the last day.” It is Jesus’s Body and Blood which is life-giving. He says “For my flesh is TRUE FOOD, and my blood is TRUE DRINK. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me and I in him.” No symbol can do this. It is only Jesus’s Body and Blood that accomplishes this. Notice that Jesus says “I am the LIVING BREAD that came down from heaven;…” Bread is an inanimate object. But Jesus inserts His very Life into it. How? He does it at the sacrifice of Holy Mass. Jesus died on the Cross once and for all for our sins. It is His glorified and resurrected Body and Blood that we receive in Eucharist and consume. It is His Body and Blood after His Resurrection and Ascension into Heaven that we eat and drink. That is where the eternal life is located. We receive His glorified and resurrected Body and Blood here at Holy Mass in the sacrament of Eucharist, which He gave to us at the Last Supper. You have to come here to receive Him. You cannot get this watching a sunrise or sunset on a lake, or sitting on a mountain top, or in a forest.\nThird, Jesus is clearly talking about something other than simply faith nourishment. In this gospel the verb “believe” disappears. It is replaced by “flesh,” “blood,” “eat,” and “drink.” Jesus shifts radically the vocabulary. The verb “eat” is repeated six times in today’s gospel. Jesus says it five times and the Jews say it once. Jesus also says “feeds on me” once. Jesus is clearly referring now to a sacramental nourishment for our souls that gives us the eternal life that Jesus Christ now has. It will be activated on the last day. Jesus’s description grows and becomes more explicit, not less. In verse 54, the best translation of the Greek verb is to “gnaw” or to “chew.”\nFourth, Jesus is doing something incredible, miraculous, and supernatural here. Jesus says “For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me and I in him.” St. Therese the Little Flower referred to her First Communion as a fusion with Jesus Christ, not a meeting with Him. To fuse means “to unite by or as if by melting together”; “blend,” “integrate.” That’s what verse 57 refers to. Jesus gives us His eternal life, which He received when God the Father raised Him up on Easter Sunday. Jesus says “Just as the living Father sent me and I have life because of the Father, so also the one who feeds on me will have life because of me.” Jesus in this verse, verse 58 refers to the flow of eternal life from the Father to the Son. That same flow of life extends from Jesus Christ’s glorified, risen Body and Blood to us who eat His glorified, supernatural flesh and drink His glorified, supernatural Blood. His Body and Blood in Eucharist is readily available to everyone who believes His words about this.\nThis is incredibly shocking to the Jews but Jesus stands by it. One more thing: you have to come here to receive Jesus’s Body and Blood in Eucharist, to the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. Pope John Paul II wrote “The sacrifice of the Cross is so decisive for the future of man that Christ did not carry it out and did not return to the Father until He had left us the means to take part in it as if we had been present. Christ’s offering on the Cross-which is the real Bread of Life broken-is the first value that must be communicated and shared. The Mass and the Cross are but one and the same sacrifice….By making the Body and Blood of Christ really present under the species of bread and wine, it makes-simultaneously-the Sacrifice of the Cross actual and accessible to our generation, this Sacrifice which remains, in its uniqueness, the turning point of the history of salvation, the essential link between time and eternity.” That is from Pope John Paul’s Message to the Eucharistic Congress at Lourdes.” The closest we come to heaven is right here at Holy Mass, when Jesus comes down at the words of consecration and changes the bread and wine into His Body and Blood. This is also something we must do to receive Jesus’s eternal life.\nJesus sticks to His argument, He amplifies it to the Jews, He goes deeper than faith nourishment, and He gives us eternal life by this holy and supernatural act. He does this only here, at the Sacrifice of the Mass. This can change our lives. This can strengthen our repentance and our personal love for Jesus Christ and His Father. Indeed, this is what it is meant to do, to give us eternal life.\nFebruary 12, 2017\nOctober 23, 2016\nOctober 2, 2016", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "|Subject:||Re: Churches in Jefferson County|\n|Post Date:||May 19, 2000 at 07:36:12|\n|Forum:||Jefferson County, NY Genealogy Forum|\nI would also be most interested in anything you can find about this church.\nMy family genealogy states about my my 4g-grandfather, Henry CHURCHILL of Jefferson Co, that:\n\"There is evidence that he was a trustee for the formation of the Methodist Episcopal Church on Nov. 24, 1824\".\nThe date of this citation doesn't quite match the date you have suggested of 1833 for formation, but I suspect that it may be the same church.", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "God’s Justice and Our Belonging\nSeptember 20, 2020. Pastor Meagan’s sermon today is on the story of the laborers in the vineyard. As we learn from our readings, God’s concept of justice doesn’t look like ours.\n*** Transcript ***\nOnce there was a woman who owned a small company that makes clothes. Business was steady and things were going well, and then the pandemic hit. She and her leadership team watched in shock, with the rest of the country, as sales plummeted. One of the team suggested that they make masks, and quickly they saw that had been a really wise decision. They had managed to keep most of their staff on with the help of a PPP loan, but soon they needed to hire more people to handle the extra workload.\nFirst, they hired a tech specialist to manage their online orders. The next week they brought on two people to help make the masks, and work on new designs for special fits and needs. Two weeks later they hired another person to deliver masks locally to larger clients like senior residences, care centers, and schools.\nThe time came when all of the new staff were receiving their first paychecks, and although of course their hourly pay was supposed to be confidential, the delivery person exclaimed in surprise when they saw their check, and one of the long-time staff couldn’t help but overhear. They were frustrated because it didn’t seem right that someone who was so new to the staff, and only a driver after all, was getting paid so well. They went to the owner of the shop and complained. The shop owner replied, “Friend, I haven’t hurt you; we agreed on your salary, and you have been paid. Spend it as you wish with gratitude. I choose to pay our new staff a just wage also. Am I not allowed to do what I choose with what belongs to me? Or are you envious because I am generous?”\nSound at all familiar? Comparison, fairness, justice, and deserving are so much a part of our culture, and when someone gets something we don’t think they deserve — or when we don’t get something we think we do deserve — we are annoyed. It raises all kinds of questions of value, and belonging, and we’re tempted to judge who is deserving. We’re all at least somewhat invested in the idea of fairness and justice. The thing is, as we learn from this parable, and from the story of the manna in the desert, God’s concept of justice doesn’t look like ours.\nSo, what do we learn of God’s justice, from our readings today? It’s easiest, perhaps, to look at where the justice of God and our concept of justice conflict.\nOur sense of justice says, “There is no free lunch. We get only what we earn.” Has anyone heard that? Anyone maybe said that? I certainly have that message in me that says I need to earn my place, earn love, earn approval, and at times it’s even felt like I needed to earn the very air that I breathe. And I suspect I’m not alone in that.\nGod’s sense of justice says look, every evening there’s meat to eat. Every morning there’s bread. No need to store anything away, no need to earn it, no pay being docked if you don’t make your quota or have to stay home with your sick child. Every evening and every morning, God provides what we need for the day.\nAnd Luther, in the Small Catechism, reminds us that this isn’t just about food and drink, but about trusting that everything we need — clothing, shoes, house, home, land, animals, money, goods, a devout husband or wife, devout children, devout workers, devout and faithful rulers, good government, good weather, peace, health, self-control, good reputation, good friends, faithful neighbors, and the like — is provided for us, and for all people, by God. It may not look as we expected. Did you notice, the Israelites saw the manna and at first they were like, “What is that?” But unexpected as it may be, God provides enough for everyone. God’s sense of justice is that all people have what they need, for the day.\nOur sense of justice says, we have a right to judge whether something is just or not — that justice is based on values of fairness and equality, objective values that we can measure. Think of Jonah, and how upset he was at seeing God’s mercy for the Ninevites. Or the older son in the parable of the Prodigal Son, angry because his father showed compassion and abundance toward his younger sibling, who had abandoned the family and spent his inheritance. I remember vividly how frustrated I was when a classmate received a higher award than I did at our science fair, when I had helped her at the very last minute to put her project together — and I had spent weeks working on mine!\nAnd God’s response, as today when the workers who came in first were jealous of those who came in last and still received what they needed, is that it’s not up to us. God’s sense of justice says that we’re called simply to ensure that God’s abundance is available to all without judgement, and whether something is fair or equal is up to God, and not us.\nOur sense of justice is grounded in what seems right for us. Like the long-time worker in the clothing shop, we can often slip into wanting to be sure we are getting what we deserve. We can, out of fear perhaps, be afraid of not having enough, and feel like the only way we can be sure is to prevent others — people who are not us — from having more than we do. As hard as I have tried to divest myself from companies that I know don’t treat their employees fairly, I admit that I’m still guilty at times of making the choice for convenience rather than justice.\nGod’s justice is grounded in relationship. Belonging. The Israelites are in it together, all getting what they need to continue their common journey. And the workers are all paid, so they can all have food and shelter and safety, so that they can continue their common work. And here’s the thing — in the end, as God sees it, everyone belongs. As Jesse was saying, we are all interconnected and dependent on one another. God’s sense of justice is about relationship and belonging.\nAnd this brings us back to the first thing about justice. We can trust that God’s plan is to provide all people with what they need, for the day. And when we have that trust, we can let go more easily of what is fair or equal, and see more clearly the deep belonging that we share with all of God’s people, and all of creation. And if we discern with God’s sense of justice, we will see the damage that racism, anti-LGBTQIA action, ableism, economic oppression, and sexism, have done to us. We will know deeply the brokenness of a community that does not allow all people access to the bounty that God has provided, the woundedness that comes from denying people what they need to survive.\nToday, I am thinking so much about Ruth Bader Ginsberg, one of many who, like the shop owner in our story, imagined and worked for a sense of justice quite different from what is often lived out in this world. The notorious RBG claimed that laws that separated people on the basis of gender, preventing women from accessing education, employment, financial resources, and so much more, were not just, in spite of the fact that so many in power were convinced otherwise. And she continued to work for justice for all marginalized people right up until her death two days ago, at the age of 87. Like our shop owner, RBG can inspire and empower us as people of faith to live out a new vision of justice that is truly about trusting in God’s abundance, ensuring that it is available to all of creation, and it is based in a belief that all people belong, in our communities and in our world.\nWhen we celebrate communion, we are celebrating the intimate presence of God in our midst, and we’re experiencing in a bodily way the abundance of God, in the smallest things, like bread and wine. Just like the Israelites did. We can see how God is providing for us, and for all people, each day. We can more easily see what we do have, and know that it is enough. And we’re sent out share the good news in that awareness — there is enough for all, and God means for all of God’s children to have what they need, for this day. I invite you to take a step back today, and notice. Where is God providing for you today? Like Jesse said, who are the people that are participating in sharing in that abundance? And how can you ensure that God’s abundance is available for all people, as God intended?\nThanks be to God.\n*** Keywords ***\n2020, Christ Lutheran Church, Webster Groves, sermon, podcast, transcript, YouTube, video, Pastor Meagan McLaughlin, Exodus 16:2-15, Matthew 20:1-16, coronavirus, COVID-19, Paycheck Protection Program, Jesse Helton, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transexual, queer, questioning", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "This article first appeared in the Postmodern Realities column of the CHRISTIAN RESEARCH JOURNAL, volume 39, number 05 (2016). The full text of this article in PDF format can be obtained by clicking here. For further information or to subscribe to the CHRISTIAN RESEARCH JOURNAL go to: http://www.equip.org/christian-research-journal/\nThe intersections of Christian faith and patriotism in America are varied and complex, but nothing provides quite as interesting a look into the intersections as attending a chapel service on a military installation. As a military “brat,” I’ve been to my fair share — I’ve lived on Air Force bases for a substantial portion of my life, I’ve been to more military ceremonies than I can count, and I’ve heard the preaching of many a chaplain on a Sunday morning. My identity as an American has been central to my life, particularly when my dad was deployed overseas to a dangerous region of the world or when my family struggled to find meaning in yet another cross-country relocation. However, my parental influences in this department were somewhat mixed — while my dad’s service greatly impacted our daily lives, my mom was a missionary kid, and both of her sisters moved overseas to become missionaries with their families. As a kid (and even now), I have found that the combination of these influences has produced some tension. One side of my family finds very little of their identity in their home country, while another side takes great pride in it.\nEarthly Allegiances and Heavenly Citizenship. For Christians, this tension is a well-known one. Many Christian traditions in America practice a faith laced with patriotism and defined by “American values,”1 while many others find their greatest identity in shared traditions of churches on the other side of the world. Many American Christians struggle with discerning how their patriotism should operate when followers of Christ are called to work for the advancement of a kingdom greater than any earthly nation. Is America such a “Christian nation” that our loyalty to our God and our country are fundamentally compatible? Or are we to disavow all earthly allegiances (including nationality) in favor of a different kind of citizenship altogether?\nA chaplain at a recent chapel I attended said this in prayer: “Lord, we know that our service to our country and our service to you do not contradict or conflict.” While it was a well-intentioned nod to that day’s observance of Memorial Day, the statement struck me as dangerous. I have, no doubt, offered some form of “service” to my nation throughout the course of my life — I have moved across the country multiple times (including once before my senior year of high school), and I have endured the absence of my father for varying periods of time during those particularly rocky teenage years. I haven’t served my country anywhere near to the extent that my father has, but even I can say truthfully that there have been instances where my service to country and my service to God produced some tension. It might be easier to think of examples when my father’s two services might force a choice between loyalties, but even civilians will face circumstances that require such a choice. Our nation will ask for support for values our God condemns, our civic institutions will ask for an allegiance that trumps all others, and our desire to protect and provide for our fellow citizens will come into conflict with our desire to care for the global church.\nWhen Loyalties Compete. These tensions — these instances in which loyalties rub up against each other and allegiances fight for dominance — are powerful reminders that placing our “services” in hierarchical order remains important. In Desiring the Kingdom: Worship, Worldview, and Cultural Formation, James K. A. Smith powerfully articulates the ways that nationalistic liturgies teach citizens to prioritize their allegiance to country above all else. Activities such as saying the Pledge of Allegiance in schoolrooms daily, singing the national anthem before important cultural events like athletic competitions, and consuming patriotic (and often militaristic) films and TV shows all teach powerful and physical lessons about the supremacy of national loyalty.2 None of these “rituals” is inherently negative, but their pervasiveness and repetition can work together in powerful ways to communicate and inscribe certain values. Smith explains that these “material tactile rituals are formative precisely because they are material — because they get hold of our passions through the body, seeping into our imaginary.”3 These rituals use powerful means to teach citizens values and ideas that shape them, which is why prioritizing our loyalties and thinking critically about the way they affect us (in sometimes contradictory ways) is important.\nThis election season, many of these potential conflicts have been illuminated. The ongoing debate about the current refugee crisis in Syria and elsewhere has many Christians asking, Does my loyalty to the global church outweigh my desire to protect my fellow citizens? Political disagreements about foreign military interventions ask Christians to “pick sides.” Debates about immigration rely on fundamental understandings of national loyalty and identity. Donald Trump’s recent picks for his “evangelical advisory board” highlight some of these tensions — one of the members formerly led a church called “Without Walls International,”4 while one of his major policy proposals is a giant wall spanning the United States–Mexican border. None of these questions — the refugee crisis, foreign military intervention, or illegal immigration — are simple problems with easy answers for anyone. Christians especially have to examine them critically, often balancing loyalties that may seem to conflict.\nEven the slightest of potential conflicts is cause for ensuring that values are placed in an appropriate hierarchy. An earthly nation and a heavenly kingdom will not always share the same goals. The Christian’s loyalty to country may require that the protection of citizens be prioritized above the well-being of refugees, for example, while loyalty to the global church may require welcoming refugees into countries, towns, and homes. In a world of constant international conflict, increasingly we will be asked to prioritize military superiority, cultural dominance, and national identity. In other words, we will be asked to make our country our first love.\nLoving Country and God in the Right Order. C. S. Lewis famously said, “In so far as I learn to love my earthly dearest at the expense of God and instead of God, I shall be moving towards the state in which I shall not love my earthly dearest at all. When first things are put first, second things are not suppressed but increased.”5 Lewis so eloquently explained a foundational truth of the gospel: loving things rightly means loving them in the right order. Prioritizing national loyalty above loyalty to God means our country is not loved rightly, and both love of God and country will suffer. Unbridled patriotism can give rise to militarism and ethnocentrism when it is not subordinate to a greater love of God and His people. Without that subordination, there is nothing restraining violent conquest or ethnic discrimination,6 because protecting and sustaining one’s country becomes the ultimate goal. The values of an individual are shaped differently when love of country is prioritized above love of God — instead of valuing compassion and selflessness, the more prominent values become competition and success. To borrow the language of Augustine, our loves will be disordered,7 neither one receiving love the way in which it was intended.\nRightly ordering our loves allows for patriotism and love of country, but it prevents nationalism and idolization of country. These loves and loyalties become sinful only when they become disordered — prioritized or valued more highly than they deserve. A disordered love requires putting on some blinders: loving any imperfect earthly thing as we were meant to love a perfect God necessitates ignoring its sins and failures. In America, this disordered love has caused many Christians to justify any of their nation’s actions, under the assumption that Paul’s command in Romans 13:1 to “be subject to the governing authorities” (ESV) means that Christians be constantly obedient citizens.8 Disordered love will always result in idolatry — placing what was never meant to be worshiped in a place of uncritical praise.\nRightly ordering our loves doesn’t require abandonment of other loves, but it does require proper prioritization. A country rightly loved will result in better civic engagement; instead of ethnocentrism or discrimination, Christians can fight for just policies domestically and internationally. Instead of ultimate loyalty to certain leaders or political ideologies, Christians can pray for guidance from a higher ruler. Instead of letting fear drive reactionary policies, Christians can find security in an omnipotent God and advocate for policies with the wisdom only He can provide. When Christians love their God and their country rightly, they can be far better citizens of both earthly nations and the kingdom of heaven.\nI will continue to find myself in many chapel pews — a place of military and religious significance. They’re places of odd intersection, yet their very existence speaks volumes about the humans that use them; even in a place that signifies military strength and national identity, there remains a felt need for something greater and more powerful. Sitting in a chapel pew always will be an exercise in ordering loves: recognizing the supremacy of the kingdom of God, while loving the broken and messy nation over which He is sovereign. —Kaitlyn Schiess\nKaitlyn Schiess is pursuing a master of theology from Dallas Theological Seminary. She writes regularly at her blog (lettersfromtheexile.com) and at Christ and Pop Culture (christandpopculture.com).\n- See this piece from Western Seminary’s blog: Chad Hall, “American Values Are Not Necessarily Christian Values,” Transformed: Living the Gospel in an Everyday World, January 28, 2015, https://www.westernseminary.edu/transformedblog/2015/01/28/american-values-are-not-necessarily-christian-values/.\n- James K. A. Smith, Desiring the Kingdom: Worship, Worldview, and Cultural Formation (Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2009), 106.\n- Ibid., 104.\n- Florida “preacher and televangelist” Paula White is a member of Trump’s board. See Kate Shellnutt and Sarah Eekhoff Zylstra, “Who’s Who of Trump’s ‘Tremendous’ Faith Advisers,” Christianity Today, June 22, 2016, www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2016/juneweb- only/whos-who-of-trumps-tremendous-faith-advisors.html.\n- C. S. Lewis, The Collected Letters of C. S. Lewis, Volume 3: Narnia, Cambridge, and Joy, 1950–1963 (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2007), 1952.\n- The Southern Baptist Convention Ethics and Religious Liberty Convention offered this subordination as an important step in seeking racial reconciliation in churches and society at large in this piece: Ethics and Religious Liberty Convention, “Rejecting Separate but Equal Again,” ERLC, December 5, 2014, http://erlc.com/resource-library/ articles/rejecting-separate-but-equal-again.\n- Augustine, and John K. Ryan, The Confessions of St. Augustine (New York: Image Books, 1960), 2.2.\n- See Brandon O’Brien, “Is Patriotism Christian,” Christianity Today, June 28, 2011, http://www.christianitytoday.com/biblestudies/articles/spiritualformation/patriotismchristian.html.", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "This is one of the biggest problems facing today’s society. Such unprotected sex between these antipodal partners leads to generations of offspring with gigantic heads.\nIt is by pro-choice that these children are born. Abortion rights are mostly rejected when it comes to bringing such human deformity into the world.\nGod warns of this horrible consequence in Genesis 6:4.\nHowever, these pregnancies cannot be avoided (nor the resulting population explosion) unless we can transcend our usual interpretation of Scripture. Only this will allow us to escape from this terrible predicament.\nEverything in God’s Holy Word contains deeper meanings with lessons about the inner realities of our hearts and minds. Therefore, Scripture actually describes outcomes not of our physical encounters, but of our core values.\nIn Scripture, when one can grasp that its stories reveal the hidden dynamics of the human heart and mind, then it can be comprehended that “sons” represent the progeny of one’s intellect and understanding. Daughters represent the offspring of our heart – the things we love.\nThe “Sons of God,” therefore, are the progeny of divine truth and doctrine. These “sons” are our knowledge and faith in God. The “Daughters of Men” represent the corporeal qualities of the human will – that is, ego, self-love, and love of the world.\nWhat is not known is that, psychologically, the understanding impregnates the will.\nSo, if the things we know about God have hanky-panky with our worldly compulsions, the resulting “birth” is a magnified and false imagination of ourselves. Anyone who has any knowledge and understanding of God, immerses these holy things in demeaning acts by making bad choices. This brings forth deformed principles and self-delusion – conceived and hatched from the copulation between one’s (unrepentant) heart and mind.\nThe only method of abortion for such dreadful things happening is to adopt the proper method of intercourse between faith and the human will. We each need to apply what we know about spiritual love to our heart. In other words, faith needs to be applied to our life, otherwise, faith is simply data in the memory that can be easily seduced by our inner motives (the daughters of men).\nGod’s Holy Word provides us with a sexual manual for obtaining eternal joy and pleasure. (It takes the concept of “safe sex” all the way to the soul.)\nThe purpose of religion is to stop the human tragedy of illegitimate spiritual births.", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "Happy Friday, leaders! Welcome to the NOVEMBER edition of the Table Leadership Monthly newsletter. The purpose of this newsletter is to improve communication among leadership and make sure you are all informed about what's going on at The Table.\nPlease take a few minutes to read through what's below and share any pertinent updates with your teams if it applies to them.\nRemember that if you have updates for church, events that are taking place, anything from your team that you want to share with others, etc., you can post it at: www.facebook.com/groups/tablechurchdc.\nNEWS + EVENTS\nPastor Kevin is on a mini sabbatical before the holidays and new year hit! We have a great line up guest speakers over the next couple weeks. Learn more here.\nHeat has been restored at the CoHi Parish. Thank you for your patience with that one. You can wear your normal layers to church this Sunday. :)\nOur Blank Slate series is available online. This is an excellent series to share with family or friends who are starting to explore faith. Have you heard our podcast is now on Spotify too? (Here's The Table's hymnal on Spotify as well)\nThanksgiving weekend we will have our normal service times (CoHi: 9:45 + 11:15, Downtown: 5:00) and hear from Pastor Richard.\nAdvent is around the corner and we are SO excited. Our advent plans and service times will be announced to the church soon but for reference, we will have two Table Family Christmas Celebration Services on Sunday, December 16. We'll have one large 10:30 a.m. service in Columbia Heights and our usual service at our Downtown location at 5 p.m. We will not have service on Sunday, December 23 at either location. We will have service on Christmas Eve at our Downtown Parish on Monday, December 24. We will not have service on Sunday, December 30 at either location.\nOur Advent Legacy Offering will be announced next week! Stay tuned and encourage your teams to be in prayer about how they can give beyond our walls this Christmas season.\nOur Christmas Choir will be back this year (commonly referred to as The Table Church Choral Society) and will be gracing our presence at the 10:30a and 5:00p services on December 16. There will be four rehearsals between now and December 16 (2 at each location) and all who are interested should contact Laura Kallen: email@example.com\nNext Steps Track will continue to be offered after the 9:45a service and after the 5p services this month. We will not hold classes during the month of December.\nOur Worship Pastor, Jeremy Green, will unfortunately be leaving us at the end of the year. Jeremy and Laura (and Evvie) have bought a home in Atlanta to be near family. Jeremy has been instrumental to our worship program and we are so grateful for all the gifts he has shared with our community this year. He will be missed greatly!\nWe are excited to announce that Jordan Jackson has agreed to join our team of ministry directors, and part-time staff, as our new Music Director. Jordan currently runs many of our rehearsals, coordinates our bands, and plays drums at both locations. We're excited for him to join our team and bring that same energy and passion to our leadership. He will overlap with Jeremy for the next month and a half and then be leading the music program in its entirety!\nWe continue to pray for sound coaches for both locations as well as a media coach for Columbia Heights. We also seek to find a Director of Production to join our team of ministry directors in a volunteer capacity and lead these coaches in their ministries. Please join us in praying for this!\nDirector of Family Ministries, Bethany Bolte, and her husband Jordan brought a new little one into the world last month. Take the family a meal and meet baby Avery by signing up here.\nDustin Musser has joined our Board of Trustees. We're grateful for the wisdom he'll bring to our team as we strive to be good stewards and have clear vision as an organization.\nFor reference, our Experience Team at both locations will now fall under the First Impressions Department (along with Greeting and Hospitality) and be supervised by Nicola Davis, our Dir. of First Impressions.\nprayers of praise (P) + requests (R) for the church\nP: For expanded leadership! Praise God for the gifts and skills he continues to bless our church with.\nP: For the many new guests who have joined our community this fall season.\nP: For an incredible Practice-style worship gathering with Aaron Niequist and the many guests that joined us for the evening.\nP: For the guests who have turned into members and have begun actively serving in ministry.\nP: For the new dinner party leaders who have joined our team in the past month.\nP: For Josh McComas and all the energy he has poured into our Dinner Party Ministry over the past month and a half.\nR: For continued direction and wisdom for leadership and provision for our ministry\nR: For Pastor Kevin and Charla as they take off the month of November in preparation for the holidays and new year.\nR: For newcomers this fall to be fully engaged, find community, and serve according to their gifts.\nR: For new ministry team coaches. Hospitality (Downtown), Media (CoHi), Sound (both parishes).\nR: For all-church Ministry Directors to fill the Next Steps, Care Team, and Production director roles\nR: For our buildings, that we would have safe spaces to worship in and fruitful ministry among them.\nR: For our justice + compassion ministries, that they'd remain fruitful and we'd have open doors to love our city well.\nR: For unhoused friends and neighbors, especially as the weather begins to get cold.\nR: Begin praying for 2019 and that God would provide vision, open doors, and provision as we continue this ministry into the future.", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "|Emmaus by Roy de Maistre|\nA note about this homily:\nSeveral factors contribute to the fact that the homily you'll hear on the audio and the homily you'll read in the text below are different, although there are similarities. Homilies \"grow\" over the course of a weekend and the audio is the latest version of what I began with on Saturday. (And, we are in our First Communion season!)\nHomily for the Third Sunday of Easter(Scriptures for today's liturgy)\nAudio for homily\nJesus drew near to the two disciples on the road to Emmaus\nbut their eyes were prevented from recognizing him…\nThat might sound strange to us - until we consider some of the things\nthat might prevent us from recognizing Jesus as he draws near to us.\nSometimes my problems and worries\nconsuming so much of my energy and attention\nmight prevent me from seeing Jesus right by my side.\nOr perhaps it’s my anger, hurt and disappointment\nthat blur my vision and I miss seeing Jesus as he draws near to me.\nOr it could be that I just don’t pay much attention to the Lord,\nthat I don’t look for him in prayer and in sacrament.\nPerhaps I don’t recognize him because I’ve forgotten what he looks like.\nBut the truth is: the Lord never leaves my side - or yours.\nThere’s not a step we take that the Lord doesn’t walk that step with us.\nThere’s not a moment of any day or night\nwhen he’s not beside us, behind us and just ahead of us.\nBut we can still fail to recognize him.\nAnd we can fail to hear him when he asks us, as he did the disciples,\n“What’s on your mind, what’s your story, as you walk along?”\nHe wants to know our story and often enough our story,\nlike that of the two disciples,\nis a story of faith, disappointment, confusion and hope.\nHe wants to be part of our story with its good days and bad days,\nits ups and downs, its joys and sorrows.\nwhat in my story, and what in your story, keeps us, prevents us\nfrom recognizing the Lord by our side?\nhow long has it been since we told the Lord our story\nand asked him to be part of it?\nhow long has it been since we’ve asked the Lord\nto “stay with us” and be the God of our lives?\nSome of us are at church every Sunday\nand some of us have come back to church today\nbecause someone we love is receiving First Communion.\nBeing here is like walking the road to Emmaus\nand the Lord has drawn near and is speaking to us.\nCan we open our eyes to recognize him?\nDo we hear him asking us about the story of our lives?\nCan we invite him into our story and ask him to be with us?\nIt was only when the two disciples broke bread with Jesus\nthat they recognized who he was\nand that’s precisely why we’re here today:\nto bread with Jesus and to recognize his presence among us\nand especially in the sacrament of the Eucharist.\nEvery time we celebrate the Eucharist\nwe bless, break and share the Bread of Life\nand in Holy Communion we recognize Jesus\nand who gives himself to us, as once he did on the Cross,\nnow in the sacrifice of this altar.\nThink of our First Communion children today\nas the disciples walking along the road to Emmaus.\nThink of them as leading us to recognize the Lord\nwho has never left our side\neven if we have failed to see him there.\nThese children and the sacrament they are receiving\nare leading us to the Lord who loves them\nand all of us, too.\nIt was the Lord who guided us to come here today.\nIt’s the Lord who is with us in the breaking of the Bread.\nAnd it’s the Lord who will walk with us when we leave here today\nand who will never leave our side.\nPraise God from whom all blessings flow!\nSubscribe to A Concord Pastor Comments", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "He was educated at the City of London School and at St John's College, Cambridge, where he took the highest honours in classics, mathematics and theology, and became fellow of his college. In 1862 he took orders. After holding masterships at King Edward's School, Birmingham, and at Clifton College, he succeeded G. F. Mortimer as headmaster of the City of London School in 1865 at the early age of twenty-six. He was Hulsean lecturer in 1876.\nHe retired in 1889, and devoted himself to literary and theological pursuits. Dr. Abbott's liberal inclinations in theology were prominent both in his educational views and in his books. His Shakespearian Grammar (1870) is a permanent contribution to English philology. In 1885 he published a life of Francis Bacon. His theological writings include three anonymously published religious romances - Philochristus (1878), Onesimus (1882), and Sitanus (1906).\nMore weighty contributions are the anonymous theological discussion The Kernel and the Husk (1886), Philomythus (1891), his book The Anglican Career of Cardinal Newman (1892), and his article \"The Gospels\" in the ninth edition of the Encyclopędia Britannica, embodying a critical view which caused considerable stir in the English theological world. He also wrote St Thomas of Canterbury, his Death and Miracles (1898), Johannine Vocabulary (1905), Johannine Grammar (1906). Flatland was published in 1884.", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "When our elders don’t know what to do, they know what to do about not knowing what to do: They pray.\nPastor Sam Crabtree is Bethlehem's Pastor for Small Groups, North.\nSubscribe via feed Subscribe via Email\nView related media\n...“If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”\nLearn more about our Scripture memory program.\n© 2015 Bethlehem Baptist Church", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "Friday, October 30, 2015, at St. Marks Church from 4:00-6:00pm\nYou may have seen this story about homeless families who started camping in North Philly as Church of the Poor to draw Pope Francis’ attention to the homeless. http://philadelphia.cbslocal.com/…/homeless-families-kensi…/\nSt. Mark’s Church has given 5 families sanctuary at the church. There are 22 people including 6 kids – some young. Bob and I talked with Dean Jon and Deacon Phil about how we could help. We were told that these were some of the families’ immediate needs: toilet paper\nsoap – bathing\nlaundry detergent (no pods as kids think it’s candy)\nfood – dry goods (the families are able to cook for themselves)\nIf you prefer, you can send a donation c/o Family Sanctuary, St. Mark’s Church, 4442 Frankford Ave, Phila., PA 19124\nThank you! God bless for your care and concern!\nSt. Mark’s Church, 4442 Frankford Ave., is hosting a Vacation Bible School from Monday, July 13 through Wednesday, July 15, from 10 AM until 1 PM. Sponsored by Keep the Faith in Frankford and the Yardley United Methodist Church Youth Group, we are able to enroll 30 children (4-9 years old) and 6 “counselors” (10 years – 13 years) to help assist in this program.\nOur theme is “Into the Wilderness” and the children will learn about God’s covenant with the 12 tribes of Israel! Lunch is included and we will learn Bible stories and have activities that are filled with fun!\nYou must register for this program. For more information, please call Pat Smiley, 215.520.5616 or email me at email@example.com\nYou can download a registration form here. Completed forms may be returned to St. Mark’s Church office or calling Pat Smiley.\nFrankford has a rich history of faith and believers. We are blessed with many denominations whose people are active and live their beliefs. We believe in a spirit of interfaith dialogue which helps to connect us all.\nKeep the Faith in Frankford is a group of Catholics whose two churches were closed in June 2013. St. Mark’s Church kindly invited us in and has graciously allowed us to meet there and make plans to try to reopen at least one church. We meet every Wednesday night at 6:30 PM. We realize that we have been given a responsibility to care about our brothers and sisters and are trying to do our best to help make Frankford a better place for all.\nWe would like your support and help with some of our activities. If you are interested, please join us this coming Wednesday night, April 29, at St. Mark’s at 6:30 PM. More information is shared below.", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "Sermons That Work\nLa Iglesia Episcopal\nFind a Church\nWhat We Believe\nBook of Common Prayer\nThe Five Marks of Mission\nHistory of the Episcopal Church\nRevised Common Lectionary\nWhat We Do\nThe Missionary Society\nEvangelism tools and Marketing Support\nHaiti: More than a Cathedral\nLesson Plans that Work\nNavajoland: Our American Heritage\nPray for Sudan\nWeekly Bulletin Inserts\nWho We Are\nThe Anglican Communion\nArchives of the Episcopal Church\nI Am an Episcopalian\nGeneral Convention / Executive Council\nHouse of Bishops\nHouse of Deputies\nLGBT in the Church\nMen in the Church\nOrganizations Associated with the Episcopal Church\nPresident of the House of Deputies\nPublic Affairs Office\nReligious Orders and Faith Communities\nWomen in the Church\nAdult Formation & Lifelong Learning\nEcumenical / Interreligious\nEpiscopal Migration Ministries\nJustice and Advocacy Ministries\nNew Church Starts and Missional Initiatives\nOlder Adult Ministries\nOffice of Global Partnerships\nPeople Living with Disabilities\nResearch and Statistics\nSocial Justice and Advocacy Engagement\nUnited Thank Offering\nYoung Adult/Campus Ministries\nYoung Adult Service Corps\nLocal Mission Uploads\nCivil Discourse in America: Finding Common Ground for the Greater Good\nEpiscopal Web Radio\nFifty Years Later: The State of Racism in America\nIntersection of Poverty and Environment Forum\nLive & On-Demand Worship\nLocal Mission Video\nPray along with our community, or\nsubmit your own\nPlease enter your first name and last initial. eg - John D.\nverify using audio\nType the characters you see in the picture above; if you can't read them, submit the form and a new image will be generated. Not case sensitive.\nPlease pray for my nephew who started his basic in The Army last month. We were blessed to hear from him once and I pray he is doing well and The Lord is keeping him in His mighty hands.\n- Thomas G.\nIn thanksgiving for the blessings received from God in my five years of my bachelor degree in college. Thank God for helping me to complete this journey. Amen.\n- Ethan R.\nPlease continue to pray as I struggle with an ended relationship, possible job loss, and serious, chronic depression.\n- Wentworth B\nThanks be to God that after 7 years of infertility, I am pregnant for the first time. Please pray for a healthy pregnancy for me and a healthy baby. I am older and this is probably my last chance.\n- Jeany C.\nplease pray for those who do not know gods word and pray for the kapphuff family and also the clark family that thry may have a safe journey\n- rufus bradbury clark\nPlease pray for healing for Luke. Restore this young boy's health, strength and spirit. Give his family strength and peace as they struggle through this difficult path together. Help them to trust you in all things!\n- Darlene L.\nPlease pray that I will have a swift recovery through bipolar disorder, and that the Holy Spirit will guide me through these difficult times.\n- Natalie M.\nPlease pray for women, minorities, and homosexuals facing inequality and injustice. I pray that equality arrives for them.\n- Natalie M.\nPlease pray for healing for those suffering from physical, spiritual, emotional, or mental difficulties, particularly Shelli, Martin, and their family.\n- Alison G.", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "Discomfort with discussing sexuality and a focus on the family over the individual are two cultural factors that affect how the clergy abuse crisis has unfolded in Latinx Catholic communities, according to expert panelists at a Fordham University event held virtually on January 28.\nThe conversation, moderated by J.D. Long-Garcia, senior editor for America magazine, was the first of a series of panels to consider the impact of clerical sexual abuse on historically marginalized communities. The panels are part of a Fordham initiative called Taking Responsibility: Jesuit Institutions Confront the Causes and Legacy of Clergy Sexual Abuse.\n“Culture and immigration status, race, ethnicity, and class have all been largely neglected” in research and discussion of the sexual abuse crisis, explained panelist Dr. Susan Bigelow Reynolds, assistant professor of Catholic studies at the Candler School of Theology at Emory University in Atlanta, who has done extensive research in Latino parishes. “This really shapes perceptions of who survivors are, how justice occurs, what justice means, and what reform might entail.” Ignoring elements such as culture, immigration status, and race “not only writes some victims out of the narrative of the crisis, but also excludes them from potential solutions,” she said.\nA Culture of Silence\nThe panelists considered particular aspects of Latinx cultures that may prevent people from speaking openly about abuse, including familialism, or prioritizing the good of the family over the needs of individual family members. This leads some Latinx survivors or their parents to avoid reporting abuse by clergy, out of concern that it could bring distress or shame to the family.\nPanelist Damellys Sacriste, who serves as the faith formation and education coordinator at the Catholic Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Atlanta, and the Hispanic outreach coordinator for the Aquinas Center at Emory, spoke about her experiences working with families who have made sexual abuse reports. They have “gone through all that trauma of dealing with it, and at the end, nothing happens. It’s a ‘he said, she said’ type thing,” said Sacriste, who was born in Venezuela. “In our culture we may as well not said anything, because we have exposed ourselves, we have exposed our child.”\nSacriste also mentioned that a lack of open conversation by Latinx families about sex may leave young people vulnerable. “I think the hardest thing in our culture is to talk about sex, period,” she said. “I never had ‘The Talk’ in my house.” This means that many kids don’t get guidance from family members about the risk of abuse or how to protect their bodies. Safe environment training in Hispanic communities can be complicated because many Latinx Catholics view scrutiny of priests and deacons “as synonymous with distrusting God,” Sacriste said. Hispanic cultures tend to elevate clergy members above other people, placing them on pedestals. Sacriste mentioned a priest who told her that he loved leading a majority Latinx parish because whenever he proposes an idea, the parishioners respond, “Si, padre.”\nAnd she noted that some Latinx Catholics think of sexual abuse in the Church as happening in other corners of the Catholic Church but not their own, because these crimes are under-reported and rarely discussed.\nThe “Geographic Solution”\nReynolds suggested that undocumented immigrant communities may be the source of a future wave of abuse revelations. Personnel files of abusive priests show evidence of what survivor advocate Patrick Wall has called the “geographic solution,” in which Church leaders moved priests with abuse histories to new and often remote locations. In communities with many undocumented immigrants, victims would be less likely to speak up and report abusers to authorities. “Citizenship status plays a really, really important role,” in the abuse crisis, Reynolds said. For example, undocumented families often have been threatened by their abusers with deportation. Given the hesitation among these families to engage with the legal system, the “accountability that takes place through the work of lawyers and courts is not a form of justice that’s available to everyone,” she added. Justice should involve remedies beyond court cases and monetary settlements.\nReynolds stressed that the Church must consider these cultural barriers as it weighs new policies and reforms to address the sexual abuse crisis. “But policies are only as just as the institutions, and societies and individuals tasked with enforcing them,” she said.\nShe also spoke powerfully about the meaning she draws from decisions by Church leaders to deal with abusive priests by sending them to marginalized communities. “What that says about the Church is that there are lives that do not matter to people who are in power,” she said. “At the end of the day, it’s a question of whose life matters? Whose financial donations matter? Does staying in the good graces of certain communities matter more than protecting the lives of the vulnerable?”\nThe Taking Responsibility initiative at Fordham will offer additional panel discussions this spring examining the impact of the clerical abuse crisis in the Native American community, Black community, and Asian American community. Members of the Awake Milwaukee leadership team are looking forward to these conversations, which feel long overdue and essential in helping us grapple with the abuse crisis in the Church. Watch this spot for future posts sharing what we learn.\n—Erin O’Donnell, Editor, Awake Blog\n4 thoughts on “Understanding Clergy Abuse in Latinx Communities”\nI was really surprised that language barriers weren’t also found to be a contributing factor. I live in a primarily Hispanic, Mexican-American community, and the older generations often speak Spanish as their primary language, even if their families have been here for a couple generations.\nhi Emily! Thanks for mentioning the importance of language. The panelists DID indeed mention language as one of the barriers that prevents people in Latino communities from getting justice when abuse takes place.\nI’m glad to hear it. I’ll admit that I only had time to read the summary, not watch the replay.", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "All these people died still believing what God had promised them...Obviously people who say such things are looking forward...(NLT)\nHeb 11:15 If they had been thinking with [homesick] remembrance of that country from which they were emigrants, they would have found constant opportunity to return to it. (AMP)\nHeb 11:16 But they were looking for a better place…(NLT)\nYesterday, I met with about 70 other pastors from around the world to listen to a round-table discussion of significant church leaders give their take on the condition of the Church. During a break from the larger session several of us gathered in our own small circle and thrashed out why Christians were leaving their faith altogether.\nAs we talked I thought about the verse, “All these people died still believing what God promised them.” According to this, faith always looks forward and never gives up, even if the one believing for the promise dies while believing and never receiving.\nFaith has no reverse. There’s no “R” on the gear shift of faith.\nThis being true, I’ve found that one of the great enemies of my faith is feelings. “If they had been thinking with [homesick] remembrance of that country from which they were emigrants, they would have found constant opportunity to return to it.” The writer warned that thinking would open the door for feeling homesick, whereby they would find an opportunity to return.\nOkay, here’s the deal with this verse. When the Israelites walked through the Red Sea they threw a party on the other side. After the party was over, the days became hot and the nights were cold; all the beer was gone (not really, but I’m trying to make a point here) and the place was a mess; the journey had become long and the manna became tasteless; moms got grumpy, dads became bored and kids started fighting; and the cloud by day and pillar of fire by night no longer thrilled them when they worshiped.\nSo what did they do? They did the same thing we do…they thought back on the good ole days in Egypt. Their thoughts stirred up feelings and desires when they sat around camp fires at night after pulling a hard day in Egypt’s brick yards. Sure they had it rough back then, but they appreciated what they had. They may have been slaves but they missed the old life.\nThinking back is the biggest mistake you’ll ever make when God has called you forward. Thinking back stirs up feelings and plunders faith. Going back is easy. Trudging forward in faith is hard, but in the long run, the most fruitful direction to take.\nKnow what gets me off my diet plan and causes me to eat fattening food? Thinking. Thinking about eating hot, chocolate chip cookies straight out of the oven with a big glass of milk—oh, savor the thought! (Let’s all pause for a moment of silence…) I don’t have to see them or even smell them. Thinking about them is all it takes. And if I think about them enough, by golly I’ll FIND cookies!\nAn addict, it doesn’t matter if it’s chocolate or crack, will get what they want if they think about it long enough. We long to return to the high we felt in the old life. Keep thinking about it and you’ll find a way to go back to it.\nThinking about the feelings you experienced in the past destroys the faith you need to move forward in the future. Dwelling upon past feelings can eradicate present faith. It did for the Israelites in the Old Testament, the Hebrew Christians in the New Testament, and it does for us too! Is it any wonder the Bible says, “Think the same way Christ Jesus thought” (CEV, italics mine). If we think right, we’ll live right.\nIf Jesus had thought about all He left in heaven would He have gone to the cross on earth? Had He pondered leaving the beauty of the throne, would Jesus have settled for the pain of crucifixion? Maybe not.\nThe leaders in our little group agreed that there’s a battle for the mind and emotions of twenty-first century humanity and it’s being yielded to by what feels good. Sadly, most twenty-first century Christians live like most non-Christians, by our feelings. Our consensus was that today’s church has positioned herself to be forced to present the Gospel with a Disney World feel before we can get people’s attention. Personally, I think there’s room for creativity in how we present Jesus, but there’s certainly merit to this conclusion.\n“Finally…whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things” (Phil 4:7, NIV, italics mine).\nWe are told to \"Walk by faith, not by sight\" [feelings] (2 Cor. 5:7, brackets, my addition). Sometimes faith is all we have. So don’t squander yours by thinking about your past, stirring up feelings, and returning to what didn’t work. Shift into “F” and move forward in God.\nMeanwhile, I’ll try to stop thinking about Chocolate Chip cookies.", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "Feb 26, 2023\nPastor Seth shares about his experience with the outpouring of God's love at Asbury University and around the nation. He teaches on the pearl of great price and surrendering it all for the sake of God.\nMATTHEW 13: 44-46\nWELLSPRING CHURCH NYC 02/26/2023\n📒 Show Notes and Resources 📒\nDownload our app: http://churchcenter.com/setup\n📘 Connect With Wellspring\n➡️ Website: http://wellspring.nyc\n➡️ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@wellspringchurchnyc\n➡️ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wellspringchurchnyc\n📘 Connect With Seth Bazacas\n➡️ Instagram: @sbazacas\n📘 Looking to grow in spiritual formation this year? Sign up for your FREE Rhythm of Life.\n📘 Do you need help finding community? Don’t miss out on Wellspring events.\n📘 Stay up to date with Wellspring by signing up for our newsletter.\n📘 Do you have questions about life and spirituality? Try Alpha.", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "ROME — Pope Francis advanced the sainthood causes of four men and four women, including Blessed Dulce Lopes Pontes, the “Mother Teresa” of Brazil.\nThe pope signed the decrees May 13 during a meeting with Cardinal Angelo Becciu, prefect of the Congregation for Saints’ Causes. The Vatican published the decrees May 14.\nThe pope recognized the miracle needed for the canonization of the Brazilian nun, who was a member of the Missionary Sisters of the Immaculate Conception.\nBorn in 1914, she was known to Brazilian Catholics as Sister Dulce, the mother of the poor. She founded the first Catholic workers’ organization in the state of Bahia, started a health clinic for poor workers and opened a school for working families. She created a hospital, an orphanage and care centers for the elderly and disabled.\nShe was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize by then-President Jose Sarney in 1988. St. John Paul II, who called her work “an example for humanity,” met her in 1980 during his first trip to Brazil and, returning in 1991, he visited her in the hospital. She died in 1992 at the age of 77 with tens of thousands attending her funeral and even more gathering for her beatification in 2011.\nFrancis also authorized the publication of a decree recognizing a miracle attributed to the intercession of Blessed Josephine Vannini, who was born in Rome in 1859 and died in 1911. She co-founded the Daughters of St. Camillus, who serve the sick and elderly.\nAnother decree the pope signed recognizes the miracle needed for the beatification of Sister Maria Ripamonti, also known as Sister Lucia of the Immaculate. Born in Italy in 1909, she was a member of the Handmaids of Charity. She died in 1954.\nThe pope also recognized the heroic virtues of:\n— Auxiliary Bishop Giovanni Battista Pinardi of Turin. Born in 1880, he promoted the Catholic press, workers’ rights and social projects during a time of considerable fascist opposition. He believed Catholic media was important to counteract the hatred and worldly values being spread at the time. He died in 1962.\n— Father Carlo Salerio, born in Milan in 1827. He aided those wounded during the city’s war against Austrian control and he fought in Italy’s first war of independence against the Austrian Empire in 1848. He became a missionary of what is now the Pontifical Institute for Foreign Missions, serving in Papua New Guinea. When he returned to Milan, he founded the Sisters of Reparation. He died in 1870.\n— Marianist Father Domingo Lazaro Castro, who was the order’s first Spanish provincial. He was born in Spain in 1877 and died in 1935.\n— Capuchin Father Salvatore da Casca, who was born Erminio Pinzetta in Brazil in 1911 and died in 1972.\n— Mother Maria Eufrasia Iaconis, who was born in Italy in 1867. She founded the Congregation of the Daughters of the Immaculate Conception in Buenos Aires, where she and the other sisters served Italian immigrants in the capital. After her death in 1916, her life and work were promoted by her Jesuit confessor. The diocesan phase of her sainthood cause was concluded by the future Pope Francis, then-Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio of Buenos Aires, in 2012.", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "What people are saying - Write a review\nWe haven't found any reviews in the usual places.\nOther editions - View all\nAhura-Mazda ancient apostle appear Arhat asserted authority believe Bodhisattva body Brahmanas Buddha Buddhist Burnouf Canon cause Ch'un Ts'ew chapter character Chinese Christ Christian Chung Chung Yung conception Confucius consciousness creed death deity disciples divine doctrine Dr Legge earth Epistle evil existence expression fact faith father favour feeling Gathas gods Heaven Hebrew holy honour human hymns Ibid idea Indra Isaiah Israel Israelites Jehovah Jehovistic Jesus Jewish Jews living Lord Lun Yu matter Mencius mind monarch monotheism moral nation nature Nirvana object origin Parsee Paul peculiar person phenomena portion possess praise Pratimoksha prayer priests prophet Purna race relation religion religious render Rig-Veda ruler Sacred Books sacrifice Shoo King soul speak spirit Subdivision supposed Sutras thee theology things thou thought tion translation Tripitaka truth universal unknown Unkulunkulu Varuna Veda virtue words worship writings Yajur-Veda Yaou Yashts Zarathustra\nPage 222 - And God said, Let there be light: and there was light. And God saw the light, that it was good : and God divided the light from the darkness. And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And the evening and the morning were the first day.\nPage 267 - Set thou a wicked man over him: and let Satan stand at his right hand. When he shall be judged, let him be condemned: and let his prayer become sin. Let his days be few; and let another take his office. Let his children be fatherless, and his wife a widow.\nPage 248 - And he gave unto Moses, when he had made an end of communing with him upon mount Sinai, two tables of testimony, tables of stone, written with the finger of God.\nPage 287 - See, I have this day set thee over the nations and over the kingdoms, to root out, and to pull down, and to destroy, and to throw down, to build, and to plant.\nPage 330 - I knew a man in Christ above fourteen years ago (whether in the body I cannot tell; or whether out of the body I cannot tell: God knoweth); such an one caught up to the third heaven. And I knew such a man (whether in the body, or out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth); How that he was caught up into paradise, and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter.\nPage 37 - When one cultivates to the utmost the principles of his nature, and exercises them on the principle of reciprocity, he is not far from the path. What you do not like, when done to yourself, do not do to others.\nPage 37 - While there are no stirrings of pleasure, anger, sorrow or joy, the mind may be said to be in the state of EQUILIBRIUM. When those feelings have been stirred, and they act in their due degree, there ensues what may be called the state of HARMONY. This EQUILIBRIUM is the great root from which grow all the human actions in the world, and this HARMONY is the universal path which they all should pursue. Let the states of equilibrium and harmony exist in perfection, and a happy order will prevail throughout...\nPage 267 - Let the iniquity of his fathers be remembered with the Lord ; and let not the sin of his mother be blotted out.", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "“But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal.” (1 Corinthians 12:7, KJV)\nIt is football season right now. I do enjoy watching these games on the television. One thing about football is that it is a team sport. Each person on the team has a position and certain abilities for the position they play. I never played football in organized league. About as close as I go was playing in pick-up games after school in the schoolyard. Yes, we played tackle without helmets, pads, or the like and no one I knew ever got seriously injured. I guess things are different now.\nOne of the things about football is that each player on the team has to function in their position for the common goal. That is to score goals or prevent the other team from doing so. One thing in our pick-up games after school, we would have to play both offense and defense. We understood the need for teamwork. Those games were less about winning, that everyone was having a good time and being able to excel in what they were doing. Looking back at it, I cannot remember one game that we either won or lost. However, I can still remember some specific plays where we succeeded.\nThe big takeaway from these games was that we worked together to build these friendships and memories. Everyone worked together and we all went away from each of these games with a few bruises, some talking points, and fond memories. Our teamwork was mutually beneficial.\nI read a book once titled, “Church is a Team Sport.” It spoke about how the entire church, every believer, was to work together for a goal. Paul here indicated as such in discussing spiritual gifts. He indicated that the Holy Spirit manifested a spiritual gift in each believer to profit the whole church. There are two aspects of this.\nFirst, all the gifts in the church are to enable the church to fulfill her great mission. That is the Great Commission, which is to make disciples. To the degree that every person uses his or her gift, the church will be successful in the mission assigned.\nYet, there is a second aspect. It has to do with the health of the church body, which is a function of the spiritual health of every individual believer. Many of the spiritual gifts have to do directly with ministering to each other within the church and thus, supporting the whole. It is not to be forgotten that healthy bodies do healthy work. Thus, spiritual health is essential to the fulfillment of the Great Commission.\nIn this way, the church is edified, that is built up, as each person ministers within the body using his or her spiritual gift. Therefore, it behooves every believer to do two things. The first is to understand his or her gifting and place of service in the context of the church’s mission. Second, every believer must seek to be filled with the Spirit (Eph 5:18) in using his or her gift in the church.", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "Service Title: Winter Offensive: “All these things will be given unto you”\nPreacher: Rev. Dr. Liz Theoharis, co-chair of the Poor People’s Campaign, director of the Kairos Center\nScripture: Matthew 6:25-33\nThe Winter Offensive continues. This week the founder of the Apache Stronghold, Wendsler Nosie, along with Rev. Liz and other leaders from the movement led us in a discussion of Thanksgiving, the first chapter of American history, and the curse (not blessing) of poverty. The following is the reflection offered by Rev. Dr. Liz Theoharis.\nRev. Dr. Liz Theoharis:\nI used to avoid this passage at all costs. It seemed to say that God is not concerned with material things like food or housing or clothing, and even belittles people struggling to survive, and worrying about where their next meal will come. As if the earth was not plentiful for all to share in its abundance.\nI have heard it used to assert that people are poor because we are of little faith, and therefore those with money and individual prosperity have it because they pray hard and exploit the earth. As if God blesses those deserving with abundance but punishes the poor and weak with poverty.\nIt’s often interpreted to juxtapose God’s kingdom with a community where all are fed, clothed and housed and portrays God’s kingdom as a patriarchal, hierarchical, trickle down economy and political system, and that this kingdom is what really matters, rather than a mutual society where feeding and housing and clothing of the people and of all creation is what is God’s concern.\nI even remember when I was petitioning my church to be ordained to do the work of addressing and ending poverty, that church leaders affirmed that the work was good but not the core work of the church and Jesus’ followers.\nBut just like so many biblical texts are used to beat up on the poor and those who would aspire to transform this world for the better, for the poor and everyone, we have been hearing this passage interpreted wrongly as well.\nAs we continue in this winter offensive and prepare for the observance of Thanksgiving, where we cannot leave out the first chapter of American history, the historic and ongoing genocide of indigenous and native peoples, we would do well to explore the biblical passage from Matthew, one of our lectionary texts for today, in a little more depth.\nMatthew 6:25-33 follows directly after one of the most radical statements about God, poverty and wealth in the entire Bible. Matthew 6:24 says that you can’t worship both God and Mammon or wealth. In fact it says that those who look to money and power and wealth or a justice system that only produces injustice for their security, cannot also look to the God of justice, the God who led the people out of slavery and poverty for solutions to our problems and a good life – because Mammon and God are not compatible.\nRather, everyone must choose. Do we worship the Creator of all, in my case, as a Christian, a brown-skinned Palestinian Jew who turned over tables of oppression and never charged a leper a co-pay? Or do we worship, offer deference to, and look to solutions from Wall Street, Congress, Resolution Copper, those who would take the abundance of the world and hoard it for themselves?\nAnd then we get to Matthew 6:25-33. Which might be the biggest critique of capitalism and economic systems that exploit the labor of the poor for the benefit of the rich in the entire Bible.\nThis passage tells Jesus’ followers – which we must remember are poor fisherpeople and farmers, day laborers and city dwellers who were indebted, overworked, enslaved – that they should not have to worry about having adequate food and clothing and housing. It’s a story and a message about everyone having the right to live.\nAnd the passage points out that the birds don’t have to work to deserve good food and the flowers don’t have to earn a wage so that they have beautiful clothing.\nIt says that instead these poor movement leaders should work first towards making God’s reign, God’s empire, a reality here on earth. In fact, a few lines before this passage in Matthew, in the prayer that Jesus teaches, often referred to as the Lord’s Prayer, debts are cancelled, everyone is fed, and earth, today is the focus, rather than having pie in the sky when you die.\nThese passages say that if Jesus’ followers seek God’s (not Rome’s) empire and God’s (not Rome’s) justice, then there will be a reign of abundant food, and housing and clothing for absolutely all. It will be a kingdom, a reign of everybody in, nobody out.\nThe passage tells the impoverished followers of Jesus and movement leaders that worrying takes up so much energy. It’s so hard to be poor and blamed for your poverty. To internalize that it’s your fault that you don’t have adequate food to feed your kids takes too much out of you. It’s a lie of empire. And God does not wish such abuse, such lies on anyone.\nBut instead, like in other passages throughout the Bible, we are reminded that God created abundance. If we follow God’s economy, there is no poverty, there is no hunger, there is no homelessness. And there isn’t just the absence of poverty and need and want, but the presence of justice, if we follow God’s commandments, if we are stewards of the earth and not exploiters of it.\nPerhaps you have heard this quote from Dr. King – that “peace is not just the absence of tension but the presence of justice”. Or from Bryan Stevenson of Equal Justice Initiative, that “the opposite of poverty is not wealth, it is justice”.\nThis is the meaning of this passage. In this moment, as we prepare to continue the struggle and give thanks for God’s abundance, but mostly for the abundance of leaders coming together to build a beloved community, let us usher in God’s reign and push out Mammon and the empire’s reign of poverty, dispossession, and oppression.\nIn the name of a God of abundance and justice, let it be so. Amen.\nWatch the full service from November 21, 2021 here. Join the Freedom Church of the Poor this Sunday at 6pmET/5pmCT/3pmPT and La Iglesia del Pueblo at 7:30pmET/6:30pmCT/4:30pmPT on the Kairos Center Facebook page.\nThis season, Freedom Church of the Poor has released an Advent study series built off of several entries from the We Cry Justice devotional. We hope it will be used to reinforce the Winter Offensive and engage communities, especially as we mobilize for a Mass Poor People’s and Low Wage Workers’ Assembly and Moral March on Washington, June 18th, 2022.", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "- spent all night last Sunday saying goodbye to and later in the week burying our dear friend\n- spent two days with our youngest son in the hospital and the other three in and out of doctor's offices\n- got to write a check for more than $1200 for car repairs\n- celebrated two of our son's birthday's with a party that couldn't be postponed\n- welcomed a new puppy into our home\nIn between all that we tried to work honorably at our full time jobs and keep some normalcy for our boys.\nTo say it's been a difficult week doesn't begin to describe.\nI know part of me and Rex both just wanted to stop everything- turn life off for a bit so we could catch our breath and grieve.\nBut life doesn't stop for us because it ended for our friend. So, through the heaviness of heart we kept moving. From what seemed like one crisis to the next, we kept moving with Psalm 61 close to our thoughts and hearts..\n\"Hear my cry, O God, attend to my prayer. From the end of the earth I will cry to You, When my heart is overwhelmed, lead me to the rock that is higher than I.... I will trust in the shelter of your wings\"\nWith Danny and his wisdom on our minds we were intentional not to miss an opportunity to say I love you. Our steps this week included a little more appreciation for little things and the people we may have taken for granted.\nSo we went forward and celebrated life.\nAnd there was a glimpse of healing in the Son and in the laughter of children playing and friends chatting and bats swinging and his new puppy. And cake. Lots of cake.\nThanks to my sister for dropping everything and coming \"home\" to help us put one foot in front of the other this week. With our hearts torn between our boys and our friend- we couldn't have done it without you. You've blessed us abundantly.\n|Renee. The sister.|\nI hope you got some rest yesterday maybe a little? Love you!ReplyDelete\nHi there, just became alert to your blog throughReplyDelete\nGoogle, and found that it's really informative. I am going to watch out for brussels. I will be grateful if you continue this in future. Many people will be benefited from your writing. Cheers!\nMy blog ... windows registry cleaner", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "NEWS & Events\nWelcome to our news and events page! Information about events and activities will be posted here. Click the link below to scroll through our events archive.\nEvents during 2020\n8th November: Remembrance Sunday\nRemembrance: a time to Remember, Reflect and Give Thanks\nDuring this 75th Anniversary year of the ending of war in Europe and Japan, Remembrance weekend was particularly poignant. The traditional Act of Remembrance took place in the Windrush Garden with local councillors laying wreaths at our sundial installation.\n3rd November: Honeypot Playgroup Opening\nThe Kensal Green Community Playgroup has opened under a new name, the Honeypot Playgroup. There are two sessions (with a cleaning break) in order to accommodate numbers. Carers can sign up for sessions running from 09.30am to 10.30am and from 10.45am to 11.45am.\nA new outdoor play area will be opening in the Spring, sponsored by the Allchurches Trust .\nAlthough current guidance means that there will be some changes to routine, we will ensure that the stay-and-play remains as fun and familiar as ever.\n27th September: Evensong\nChoral Evensong was held to mark the Feast of St Michael and All Angels. The Evensong was followed by the blessing of two new bells at St John's. The church now has a ring of eight bells!\n20th September: Harvest Festival\nHarvest Festival was celebrated at the 11.00 am mass, with thanks to all those who gave items of food for distribution.\n5th September: Lady Hospitallers\nOn 5th September St John's welcomed the Lady Hospitallers for a (socially distanced) meeting in the vicarage garden. It was an extremely enjoyable occasion and the Ladies said they would be back!\n16th August: Opening of Windrush Garden!\nSt John's Windrush Garden was officially opened on 16th August (postponed from May) by Mrs Curline Hibbert MBE in the presence of Hon Alderman Jan Prendergast, representing The Right Worshipful The Lord Mayor of Westminster. We are grateful to all those who have supported this project and to those who have worked hard to create a beautiful garden for enjoyment by the local community.\nOur thanks to everyone who supported us during 2019 when we celebrated St John's 175th Anniversary..........\n6th & 7th December: Bells Blessing & Pageant!\nOn 6th December St John's bells were blessed by the Bishop of Fulham during a ceremony which has its roots dating back to the 7th century. The following day a Children's Celebration took place in church which included an interactive play about bells and featured the arrival of St Nicholas.\nThe bells will be rung for the first time on Christmas Day.\nThe Bells are Born!: 19th September\nA small group from St John's visited the Loughborough Foundry on 19th September to witness the first three of six new bells for St John's being cast. It was a fascinating day which included a presentation on the history of the foundry and a tour of the site. It is planned that the bells will arrive in time for Christmas with a blessing by the Bishop of Fulham on 6th December. The project is being largely funded by a generous donation from Tony Fernandes, the owner of QPR football club.\nBishop Sarah Visits St John's: 8th September\nBishop Sarah was welcomed to St John's on 8th September for a special Evensong as part of this year's 175th anniversary celebrations. Guests included the Right Worshipful Lord Mayor of Westminster, the Representative Deputy Lieutenant for the London Borough of the City of Westminster and the Worshipful Major of Brent.\nPrior to the service, the Silver Mace of the old county of Middlesex (on loan from Harrow Council) was placed before the High Altar.\nAfter the service Bishop Sarah saw the new church decorative scheme for Our Lady of Walsingham which was blessed earlier by the Archdeacon of London, during the morning 11.00am service.\n(Photos by Rodycloud)\nSummer Fete: 20th July\nOur thanks to everyone who helped with this year's Summer Fete on 20th July, including the very welcome refreshments. The weather was kind and fundraising receipts from the raffle and stalls totaled over £1000! Congratulations to those who won the splendid raffle prizes and a big thank you to those who donated prizes and stall items.\nTony Fernandes Visits St John's: 29 June\nTony Fernandes, owner of QPR, visited during St John's Open Day on 29th June. The visit followed Mr Fernandes' generous donation of £35,000 towards the bell fund. The church is now preparing to receive the bells in December so that that they will be in place for Christmas! (Photo by Rodycloud)\nConfirmations: 26th May\nWe were delighted to welcome the Bishop of Fulham for the Mass of Confirmation on Sunday 26th May. Numbers confirmed on the day were the most since 1976 - that was over 40 years ago!\nThe Bishop kindly agreed to pose for the camera with our Churchwardens, Pastoral Lay Minister and other members of the Parochial Church Council (PCC).\nGeorge & The Dragon: 26th & 27th April\nOn the 26th & 27th April local children were treated to a performance of George & The Dragon. The show took place inside the church and outside on the forecourt lawn. The youngsters all joined in, making their own shields and helping to defeat the Dragon!\nEaster Vestry & APCM: 25th March\nOur thanks to everyone who attended the Easter Vestry and Annual Parochial Church Meeting. Congratulations to Nigel Clark and Michael Tavenier who were elected Churchwardens for a further year. We were also pleased to welcome three new PCC members: Steve Emeh, Frances Ikemefuna and Carol Smith. Rupert Gather has now stood down and we are grateful for all he has contributed during his time on the PCC. A full list of members and other appointments can be seen here.\n2019 New Years Honours: Award\nThe Lay Pastoral Minister at St John's, Anne Abel, was awarded the British Empire Medal by Her Majesty The Queen in the New Year's Birthday Honours. Fr David said he was \"thrilled\" by Anne's honour. \"Anne has worked for many years for three organisations dedicated to St John: St John's Ambulance, the St John's Guild for the Blind and St John's church. At the church she is Pastoral Assistant and served for nearly thirty years as Churchwarden. Her latest role is helping lead our new playgroup. This is a richly deserved honour and we are all so proud of her\".\n175th Anniversary Concert\nOur Anniversary Concert, celebrating 175 years of church life at St John's, took place on Saturday 26th January. The Vaska Quartet provided a programme which was designed to appeal to a family audience. Read more on our CONCERTS page.\nll so proud of her\".\nThe Honeypot stay & play for the under 5s - meets at St John's church on Tuesday mornings.\nActivity Afternoons & Junior Church\nChildren's activity afternoons take place on Saturdays during holidays while Junior Church (Sunday School) is held at 11.00 on Sundays. If you are new to St John's and would like your child to attend Junior Church, please speak to Father David.\nEvents Archive - take a look at past events and activities here.\nSt John's Vicarage\n020 8969 2615", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "I learned about the mystical body of Christ from Fr. Judge, our pastor, when I was in eighth-grade religion class. I remember even today being mesmerized with the idea that my actions, even my thoughts, have impact on people around the world I will never know or see. I felt both excited and scared thinking about that kind of influence I might have on others.\nThis interconnectedness of humans — and now, the Earth, as well — is not new, but was believed by sages of many cultures and spiritual traditions in the past. Today, the Global Consciousness Project at Princeton University has scientists and engineers studying and mapping how \"subtle interactions link us with each other and the Earth.\" They believe large-scale group consciousness has effects in the physical world.\nAn organization that provides a link for development of this kind of group consciousness is the International Union of Superiors General (UISG), whose members represent the 400,000 women religious in most countries of the world.\nUISG divides the world of sister leaders into constellations so that between international general assemblies, held every three years in Rome, they will work together to reflect on common issues and collaborate on activities of significance throughout the globe.\nThe leaders meet on occasion in their regions and gather as constellation delegates to share what has been happening in their parts of the world. The constellations can be groupings of smaller countries or single larger countries, as is the case of the United States.\nFrom left: Sr. Illumina Virginia Jenny Katsukunya of the Little Children of Our Blessed Lady in Zimbabwe; Sr. Patricia Siemen of the Adrian Dominicans of Adrian, Michigan; and Sr. Constance Phelps of the Sisters of Charity of Leavenworth, Kansas, during the ceremony at the UISG delegates meeting in the Philippines in November 2017 (GSR photo/Gail DeGeorge)\nAn Aug. 15 meeting of sisters who are members of both the United States' UISG constellation and the Leadership Conference of Women Religious provided updates on important local and global developments that women religious are engaged with.\nAs I listened to the various speakers, I was struck most powerfully with the idea of \"noospheres\" (unifying fields of consciousness) evolving among sisters globally, suggested by St. Joseph Sr. Carol Zinn, executive director of LCWR, in a conversation with Loreto Sr. Patricia Murray, executive director of UISG.\nThe two agreed that as sisters engage globally, praying, thinking and working together, a unifying consciousness, a synergy, is developing that will not only impact the Earth, those made poor and particularly women, but also regenerate religious life globally. They suggested that conversation is the pathway.\nConversation may seem a simple way to create synergy, but, as Murray suggested, it is also challenging. As vowed religious, committed to the Gospel of justice and compassion, particularly in today's climate of recognizing our complicity in racism, we need to become authentically intercultural in our thinking and action at all levels: local, national and international.\nOur national sisters' conferences need to embed these intercultural movements of conversation, contemplation and action in their lives to help members companion one another and overcome differences, particularly through these vulnerable and uncertain times. We need to help each other foster an adventurous spirit of exploration.\nThe gathering began with Sr. Sheila Kinsey, a member of the Franciscan Sisters, Daughters of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary, and director of Sowing Hope for the Planet, a UISG project launched in 2018 to integrate Pope Francis' \"Laudato Si', on Care for Our Common Home\" into the fabric of our lives as religious. She encouraged us to plant the mustard seeds of the Gospel, do what we can do and inspire our congregational members and youth to what Murray called \"sacred activism\" to comfort those in need, challenge injustice and create a future vision for the world.\nChanging the world for the future is a huge task that takes all of us working together as one community. Kinsey noted the synod for the Amazon, COP24 in Poland, the Global Catholic Climate Movement, and the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development as energies bringing together people with common goals for systemic change.\nShe said it takes 21% of the population to make change, and sisters need to be at the forefront with lifestyle, inclusion and collaborating with others.\nMurray then updated us on what has been happening with women religious during the COVID-19 pandemic. Many sisters and family members have died, creating an atmosphere of grief in our communities. Foundations have reached out to help congregations that did not have resources to meet the needs required to keep their sisters safe from contracting COVID-19.\nShe shared a long list of \"sacred activism\" at UISG level, including, to mention only a few:\n- Talitha Kum, which is celebrating 10 years of training sisters in anti-trafficking, partnering with other organizations engaged in this work, and continuing to expand its reach worldwide;\n- Formation training for women religious;\n- The UISG-sponsored migrant project;\n- Partnerships with a variety of U.S. and European foundations;\n- Progress in having women in positions in Vatican commissions.\nSome new developments include a joint commission of UISG and the Union of Superiors General (the international umbrella group of men religious) on care and protection of minors, and a new office at UISG called Catholic Care for Children International. It was an exciting array.\nDominican Sr. Patricia Siemen and Charity Sr. Constance Phelps, UISG delegates chosen by the U.S. constellation, then reported on U.S. activities. Siemen noted the congruencies and nuances between LCWR and UISG and the importance of that partnership. She also confirmed the LCWR commitment to porous borders that keeps U.S. sisters globally minded and will impact the future structure of LCWR.\nTwo topics from the 102 sisters gathered on Zoom resonated with me.\nOne concerned Asian voices. \"They seem to be missing,\" even though they are the largest group of international sisters newly arrived in the U.S., one sister noted.\nAnother question for all of us to ponder was: \"What will religious life look like without the current overlay of Western influence, and how will it be peeled away?\"\nI came away from the meeting full of energy and hope, as I, too, believe that coherent consciousness among the sisters will have significant impact in creating a new order in our world.\n[Joyce Meyer is a member of the Sisters of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary and is GSR's liaison to women religious outside of the United States.]", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "“There is none holy as the Lord … neither is there any rock like our God.”\nThese profound words were uttered by Hannah in 1 Samuel 2:2. They are part of her magnificent prophecy after giving birth to Samuel.\nHow much does this statement mean to you? Is God truly the Rock in your life, as He was to so many of God’s great saints down through the centuries?\nConditions in this world are getting worse, and will deteriorate far more as we approach Jesus Christ’s Second Coming. Our need for that Rock will grow more urgent and intense all the time!\n‘Thou Art My Rock’\nKing David continually looked to God as his Rock, his fortress, his protection, his deliverer. No one calls God his Rock in Scripture more often than the future king of Israel. It is a title we should feel comfortable using in our prayers.\n“Be thou my strong habitation, whereunto I may continually resort: thou hast given commandment to save me; for thou art my rock and my fortress” (Psalm 71:3). So often in David’s life, he literally dwelt in the rock of mountains and caves, hiding for his life. Imagine your very life hanging in the balance day after week after month—for over a decade. Time and again he had to make his escape from King Saul! Yet he looked to God for help, even penning psalms while taking up haven within the rocky hideaways throughout the countryside.\nGod loved David very much. Many psalms show how God rescued him from dire circumstances—repeatedly, miraculously helping him evade bands of men trying to kill him! David praised God for His deliverance with song, and his praise has been a witness to many.\nWe, too, may continually rely on God. Because of God’s protection, we may offer sacrifices of joy, singing praises to Him. We do this at regular services and at God’s Feast sites. It’s always easier to do that when we’re feeling safe and secure, isn’t it?\n“O come, let us sing unto the Lord: let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation” (Psalm 95:1). This is just one example where we see a direct connection between music and the Rock. We may never play an instrument, but we can all sing praises to our mighty fortress. (The way it’s expressed here—make a “joyful noise”—takes into account that most can’t sing like Pavarotti.)\nStudy Psalm 62, which is about putting our trust wholly in God. “In God is my salvation and my glory: the rock of my strength, and my refuge, is in God,” David wrote in verse 7. “Trust in him at all times; ye people, pour out your heart before him: God is a refuge for us. Selah” (verse 8).\nIn verse 2, David wrote, “He only is my rock and my salvation; he is my defence; I shall not be greatly moved.” In verse 6, he repeated: “He only is my rock and my salvation: he is my defence; I shall not be moved.” David grew in confidence—in verse 2, he said merely that he wouldn’t be greatly moved. Later, he said that he wouldn’t be moved at all!\nDo you allow even the smallest of trials to move you away from God? We must sometimes wait on God for healing, a better job, a job, a mate, children and many other things. Patience is a precious trait and a rare virtue in this age of instant gratification. The psalmist—being just as human as we are—sometimes asked his Rock why He forgot him (e.g. Psalm 42:9). We are even more prone to think God may never answer us.\nYet David waited on God for answers and for his deliverance. He said he would cry from the ends of the Earth to be heard by the Rock that was higher than him (Psalm 61:2). Never quitting in any area—waiting loyally until the end—is a mark of fine character.\nDavid was prevented from building what he desired most: a house for God. Psalm 27:4-6 show how King David deeply desired to commune with God and seek His favor in the temple. Why? “For in the time of trouble he shall hide me in his pavilion: in the secret of his tabernacle shall he hide me; he shall set me up upon a rock” (verse 5). He longed for the protection and comfort that only God can give.\nThis has to be personal and real to each of us to help see us through any and all tough times. We can have that same supreme confidence in God any time, but especially during trouble! He will hide us in His pavilion—in the secret depths of His tabernacle. But He can also lift us up above any enemies who surround us.\nTo the End of His Life\nEven at the end of his trial-filled life, David kept this wonderful perspective. “The Lord is my Rock,” he said in song (2 Samuel 22:2). He used the Hebrew word sela, meaning lofty; a craggy rock.\n“For who is God, save the Lord? and who is a rock, save our God?” David continued. “God is my strength and power: and he maketh my way perfect. … The Lord liveth; and blessed be my rock; and exalted be the God of the rock of my salvation” (verses 32–33, 47). The rest of the chapter shows how God dealt with David’s enemies.\nThat song in 2 Samuel 22 is repeated in Psalm 18, with some variations. There it begins, “I will love thee, O Lord, my strength” (Psalm 18:1). The better translation for “I will love thee” is “fervently do I love thee.” The Hebrew implies loving compassionately. If our love is this personal and deep, it will result in a great quality and quantity of time spent with God. God our Father and Jesus Christ should form the basis of everything we think and do in our lives!\n“The Lord is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower” (verse 2). If we ascend to God, our high tower of strength, we are safe and secure from such a height. Our vision is better for miles around, to see enemies and other mortal dangers.\n“I will call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised: so shall I be saved from mine enemies” (verse 3). Our Rock gives us promise after promise of deliverance from everything—but He wants us to ask! “For who is God save the Lord? or who is a rock save our God? … The Lord liveth; and blessed be my rock; and let the God of my salvation be exalted” (verses 31, 46). David knew God was the One who secured him—“my rock.”\nLook at what the Bible calls “the last words of David” in 2 Samuel 23: “The God of Israel said, the Rock of Israel spake to me, He that ruleth over men must be just, ruling in the fear of God” (verse 3). That shows how close David was with God. Biblical history shows that God often spoke to the king through prophets like Nathan and Gad—but David saw it as God Himself, the Rock of Israel, speaking to him. The Rock of Israel speaks to us through His apostle and ministers. Do we hear God’s voice?\nA Rock to the Israelites\nLong before David, even before Hannah, God was a Rock to the Israelites under the leadership of Moses. In fact, as they journeyed to the Promised Land, they carried with them a literal rock that symbolized Christ: Jacob’s pillar stone.\nJesus Christ was the God of the Old Testament, their Rock. 1 Corinthians 10:4 says the ancient Israelite fathers “drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ.” As the people of ancient Israel miraculously drew water from that stone of destiny, they drew spiritual strength from God (e.g. Exodus 17:6; Deuteronomy 8:15).\nChrist is also our Rock today. He is often referred to as our “Rock” in Scripture. Like the Israelites, we also have abundant water available from our Rock: God’s precious Holy Spirit. So much may be accomplished with God’s help when we look to Him as our Rock.\nMoses spent a lifetime dealing with the hardheaded Israelites. In the 40th year after the Exodus, at the desert of Zin, the faithless people were complaining about the things they lacked. Moses and Aaron prayed for direction, and God commanded Moses to take the rod, to gather the people, and to speak to the rock so it would give water (Numbers 20:8). Moses, under the strain of this situation, shouted, “Hear now, ye rebels; must we fetch you water out of this rock?” (verse 10). He then abandoned God’s clear instructions and cracked his rod down upon the stone—twice. Water then spilled out of it.\nOf course, God wants us to look to Moses’s example overall. But here, because Moses did not allow God to be glorified in the eyes of the people, God told him he would not enter the Promised Land with the people (verse 12).\nThere was a lesson in this event, not only for Moses but also for us and the world. This whole, blind world will soon be taught that all people—not just Moses—smote Jesus Christ, the Rock. He allowed Himself to be smitten for the sins of all humanity.\nIsrael Lightly Esteemed the Rock!\nIn some of his last inspired instructions to Israel, Moses himself declared the symbolism: “He is the Rock, his work is perfect” (Deuteronomy 32:4).\nGod kept His covenant with ancient Israel and Judah. Everything He promised them came to pass. If they failed—as the vast majority did—it was their fault! If we fail, we only have ourselves to blame.\nVerse 15 reads, “But Jeshurun [an affectionate name for Israel] waxed fat, and kicked: thou art waxen fat, thou art grown thick, thou art covered with fatness; then he forsook God which made him, and lightly esteemed the Rock of his salvation.” God was a Father to them and had formed them as a nation—but they forsook Him (verse 16). “Of the Rock that begat thee thou art unmindful, and hast forgotten God that formed thee” (verse 18). Many of God’s people have made the same mistake in the end time.\nAs a result, the Israelites were punished with bitter destruction. “How should one chase a thousand, and two put ten thousand to flight, except their Rock had sold them, and the Lord had shut them up?” (verse 30). God “sold” them—allowed them to be defeated and taken into captivity. With God’s blessings, one of us will chase 1,000; two of us will put 10,000 to flight! Instead, because of their disobedience, it was just the opposite.\n“For their rock is not as our Rock, even our enemies themselves being judges. For their vine is of the vine of Sodom, and of the fields of Gomorrah …” (verses 31-32). The Israelites would have been able to smite their enemies because their Rock was far superior to that of the pagans—had their fruit not been that of sin and rebellion. The same has befallen God’s rebellious people today.\nGod has promised to fight for us. He is the source of all blessings and true success. Our enemies will fall before us by the sword with His help.\nThere’s no possible way we could win, humanly, against the even greater odds we face. The number of our opponents is huge, but so is our assurance of winning!\nA Stone of Stumbling\nIn Isaiah 8:14, Christ is prophesied to be a “sanctuary”—or a sacred or holy place. He will provide peace, safety, comfort and security for us. Yet it also says He will be for a “stone of stumbling” and “rock of offence” to Israel. Yes, the very Rock that provides security to the righteous is an obstacle to the wicked.\nLuke 20:17 states, “The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head.” This verse originates in Psalm 118:22. These prophecies were fulfilled in Jesus Christ, the Head of the Church of God.\nOur Father sent His Son the first time, not as a mighty prince and a conqueror that everyone would desire to trust in, but as a man of sorrows, humiliation and death. The Jews stumbled at Christ for that reason, and also because He didn’t come to deliver them from the Romans at that time. He was a “poor” man with little appeal to worldly people. Most find it difficult to believe He is offering salvation to us in the way He is doing it today. The tiny handful of firstfruits who trust in Him will not be ashamed of Him or confused.\nThe Jews were ignorant of or resistant to God’s righteousness, which comes only by faith in Jesus Christ. They went about to establish their own righteousness, “not by faith, but as it were by the works of the law. For they stumbled at that stumblingstone” (Romans 9:32). They kept a laundry list of man-made rituals. When Jesus Christ brought the gospel of the Kingdom of God offering free salvation to Gentiles as well as Jews on the basis of grace and faith, and being rewarded according to their works, they took offense and rejected it.\nThe principle we must get is how vital it is to simply do what God tells us. We must lay a foundation of the right way of life, brick by brick, that can’t be moved.\n1 Peter 2:7-8 expand on Christ being “a rock of offence.” The word offense means a snare, or a trap stick—like a bent sapling, pulled back and ready to whip forward with a stinging strike. This is what Christ became “to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient.” They stumbled because they were disobedient to God’s government and law! But anyone who willingly obeys God will not stumble at Jesus Christ!\nIn an August 1996 Trumpet article about the stone of destiny, Gerald Flurry wrote, “The leaders of ancient Israel and the world have been stumbling over Jesus Christ for thousands of years.” Yet, though they stumble, we must not. Although He has been a cause of stumbling for the world, the Church is founded on God’s Son. He has set us upon a solid Rock.\nChurch Founded on Christ\nThe Church of God is founded on Jesus Christ, the Rock. As Christ said, “And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter [Greek Petros, meaning a pebble or stone], and upon this rock [Greek Petra, meaning a large rock, cliff or rocky fortress] I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it” (Matthew 16:18). The word rock in this verse should be capitalized—because Christ used it to refer to Himself!\nThe Church we are a part of—though small, scattered and scorned—is founded on this same Rock!\nThat Greek word brings to mind the Jordanian rock-fortress city of Petra. “Petra is a symbol of Christ’s enormous strength,” Mr. Flurry writes in his Obadiah booklet. “I know of no place on Earth that comes close to being such a powerful symbol of Christ. … Through Mr. Armstrong, Christ built the wcg on this Rock. God empowered and protected that Church for over 50 years. The members were in a spiritual Rock fortress—just as Petra is physically.”\nCommenting on Matthew 7:24-25, where Christ said: “Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: and the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock,” Mr. Flurry writes: “This is the stone or rock to which we should anchor everything in our lives. If we build our lives on this rock we will never be confounded” (The Key of David).\nUnited in the Rock\n“[Y]e that seek the Lord: look unto the rock whence ye are hewn …” (Isaiah 51:1). Abraham and Sarah are great examples of looking to the Rock from which Israel was cut. The picture here is that of a rock being chiseled out of a quarry. The same God who caused this royal couple to bring Israel into existence as a nation through the miracle birth of Isaac will cause them to flourish once again.\nHow solid is your foundation on the Rock? How cemented is your relationship with the Rock, our Husband, the foundation of this Church?\nIn Mr. Flurry’s first Feast of Tabernacles 2010 sermon, he gave the Church new revelation from Genesis 28, which describes the origin of the stone of destiny. The stones Jacob used for his pillow became united as one pillar stone. Mr. Flurry said this miraculous event was analogous to us becoming married to Jesus Christ—the Rock!\nWe are going to become one stone with Christ! We should be growing in unity with our Husband even now. Then, at our birth into God’s Family, our incredible future together will begin in earnest!\nTruly there is no Rock like our God!", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "Every Monday, 2:00 PM - 3:30 PM\nThe study of Revelation will be starting September 11, going through December 4. The time will be 2:00 - 3:30. We will be meeting in Room 2. You will need your Bible and may need a notebook. All are invited. This study will be led by Lori Freeberg.", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "Adam Hearlson, a Ph.D. candidate in homiletics at Princeton Seminary from Newport Beach, California, was one of two students in the United States awarded the “Make a Difference! Doctoral Studies Award” given annually to members of the United Church of Christ engaged in a program of study that prepares them to teach at seminary upon completion of their degree.\nFive Princeton Seminary students have been awarded national fellowships by The Fund for Theological Education (FTE), whose mission is to “call and cultivate a new generation of leaders to serve the church and world.”\nMaster of Divinity students Jeremiah I. Chester from West Palm Beach, Florida, Richard A. DeVries from Nashville, Tennessee, and Nicholas A. Johnson from Irvington, New Jersey, were each awarded a 2010 FTE Congregational Fellowship. Daniel J. Stulac, a Master of Divinity student from St. Louis, Missouri, received a 2010 FTE Ministry Fellowship.\nXavier D. Pickett, a PTS doctoral student from Atlanta, Georgia, received a 2010 FTE Doctoral Fellowship.", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "When Science Meets Faith\nby Michael M. Chau\nScience and Faith, contrary to what many people think, are not mutually exclusive. Many great scientists, such as Newton, Leibniz, Galileo Galilei, and Pascal, were devout Christians. Other more modern scientists, such as Einstein, Heisenberg, and Dirac, have also had strong religious leanings. So from where does the notion of a dichotomy between Science and Faith come?\nSeveral examples can be given:\n(1)The suppression of Science by Religious Authority apart from True Faith\nFor a long time the Earth was considered the static center of the universe, and all stars, including the Sun, revolved around the Earth. Later scientific discovery proved that the Sun is stationary and the Earth rotates around the Sun. Some church authorities, substituting the Bible with their own bias, suppressed this discovery in history, leading to the mistaken belief that Faith conflicts with Science. Nowadays, advanced astronomy has shown that neither the Earth, nor the Sun, nor the galactic center of the universe, for that matter, is stationary.\n(2) The Erroneous Idea that “Science is Invincible”\nNewton’s Principle of Mechanics, a landmark achievement in the history of Science, offered a unified explanation to the movements of celestial objects in the universe. His work led to the mistaken notion that gravity between bodies is the only effect, and mechanical movement is the only form of movement in nature. This extreme example led to the idea that there was no need for God. Later in the nineteenth century when the microscopic world of matter presented the complexity of the real world, Newtonian Mechanics came to an end. In the twentieth century Science has moved forward at an unprecedented rate, solving problems but at the same time presenting more difficult ones. The twenty-first century Nobel Laureate in Physics, David Gross, made a good analogy. He said, “A physicists is like a mountaineer, as he moves up the mountain, the mountain appears to be further away.” People gradually realized human wisdom when compared with God is far less than a bucket of water in the sea.\n(3) The Bible, ahead of the Misunderstandings caused by Science\nAccording to Genesis, God created everything in the universe in a short six-day period. Einstein’s Theory of Relativity confirmed this as inevitable. According to relativity, the time coordinate system experienced by an observer at rest is not the same as the time experienced by an observer in motion. While the observer in motion experienced a short period of time, to the stationary observer it appears long. Such difference increases as the motion speed increases. God can move at a very high speed, and with great energy for power. So to God it appeared to be six days of time, but to the world it appears as hundreds of millions of years. How wonderful and amazing the Bible is—not changing an iota in millennia! The modern philosopher Karl Jaspers, commenting about the scientific community, said: “In Science, half understanding led people to give up Faith; complete knowledge led people back to Faith.”\nScience and Faith have moved gradually from disharmony to harmony. Scientific conclusions are temporary, relative, and can always be improved. They are Variables. Faith based on the revelation of God is Constant. The Bible says in Genesis: “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” This implies, as the modern Big Bang Theory asserts, that the universe has a beginning. Science can witness Faith, but it cannot understand Faith. Science itself does not create an obstacle to Faith.\nChristian Faith Supports Scientific Development\nChristian Faith and Science are not only in harmony, but Faith also supports the development of Science. Faith provides an objective material world for man to study. The first chapter of Genesis describes God creating everything in the universe in six days. He created light on the first day. Modern physics has confirmed that light is the most basic matter. Gradually God created inorganic matter on earth, then plants and animals. Finally, on the sixth day, God made His most beloved Man in His own image, and assigned him the management authority over all the other creatures. Man, being above all creatures, is entitled to know all creatures, to ask questions about Nature, and acquire scientific knowledge. Only God is the sole creator of Science, and superior to Science. Without a real objective belief, there can be no development of modern Science.\nThe Christian Faith points out the laws of Nature and Life, which await man’s discovery. Science is God’s creation, and the foundation of Faith is the revelation of God. This omniscient, omnipotent and omnipresent God created Nature with His supreme wisdom so that everything is rational, and according to principles. Through diligent exploration and endeavor, man seeks to unlock God’s infinite wisdom, and glorify Him through Science.\nChristian Faith encourages the practice of Science. The starting point of Science is practice, and with practice come experiments. To practice is to pay with industrious work, including both manual and mental labor. To Christian Faith work is very important. The beginning of Genesis describes God laboring to create the universe in six days, and on the seventh day He rested. The world’s six-day workweek labor system today is derived from this. Jesus Christ was born and raised in a working family. The Apostle Paul labored during his preaching journeys through tentmaking to support self and other poor brothers and sisters. The couple in charge of the Corinthian church, Aquila and his wife Priscilla, not only did missionary work, they wove tents as well. This emphasis of work culture has been wide spread in the western societies. Societies that pay attention to labor, respect labor, and glorify labor, cultivate an atmosphere for the development of Science.\nConsider the example of the Greek culture, one built on leisure provided by slave labor. The Greek culture had high achievements in literature, art, and philosophy, while natural Science paled in comparison. Likewise in China, the dominant tradition—the Confucian culture—also despised labor. In feudal societies, the socalled intellectuals mainly studied old literature, composed poetry, wrote, painted, and engaged in other mental recreations. The mental workers governed the manual workers who supplied them with their needs. Such a degree of contempt for laborers in a society is unlikely to produce modern Science.\nAfter Christianity spread throughout Europe, the Germanic societies believed that before the law of God everyone is equal. They believed that God created Nature, and He delights in people who are diligent in workmanship. Beliefs such as these promoted the birth and development of Science and civilization. The Bible says, “Blessed is the Nation whose God is the LORD.” The belief that “Scientific accomplishments can only come about by the denial of religion” is proven false by both the Bible and history.\nProper Applications of Science\nNature is a creation of God, and Faith originates from revelation given by God. Science is the knowledge given Man to manage Nature. Science is, ultimately, the link between the Creator and all His creations. It is obvious that Faith is above Science in that hierarchy.\nFreedom and Reasoning are two characteristics of life. Among all animals, Man has the highest intelligence, and Science is a product of reasoning. Like Freedom, Reasoning can be applied correctly or incorrectly. God’s intent is that Man use his intelligence to add to his well-being. Science, however, has sometimes been abused by Man, causing harm, bringing disasters, and adding to his miseries.\nFrom the sixteenth to nineteenth century, Science progressed rapidly while Faith was marginalized. Extreme ideas, such as “Science is Power” and “Science is Superior” were rampant, and Man became a slave to Materialism. Man was enjoying material riches but his mind was losing spiritual discernment which ultimately threatened his own survival. The consequence of departing arrogantly from God and blindly abusing scientific knowledge brings about destruction. Faith, on the other hand, refreshes and lifts the human spirit from emptiness to hopelessness.\nMan as Unfaithful Managers\nGenesis Chapter 1 states that God created the universe, and communicated directly with the first couple, Adam and Eve. “The LORD God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it” (Genesis 2:15). Even in the abundance of the Paradise, Man still had the responsibility to labor, tend, and take care of the garden. Such laboring is part of living, and God said it is good.\nGod gave Man scientific knowledge to manage the garden well. He educated Adam through inspiration and he gave Adam the freedom to apply his knowledge to name every living creature according to their special features. Adam understood and managed well, until he and Eve were tricked by Satan, and through their own greediness disobeyed God and ate the fruit God had forbidden them to eat. The spiritual communication they had with God was broken, and they no longer deserved to live in the garden.\nMan’s greed and disobedience led to the downfall of the working class and the destruction of the Earth. God must have sighed when he said: “the ground is cursed because of you. All your life you will struggle to scratch a living from it” (Genesis 3:17b, NLT). Due to the first Adam’s lack of contentment with God’s provision, Mankind became slaves to materialism. To meet man’s insatiable greed, happy laboring has become “torturous.” This has led to the commercialization of society, producing a secular culture that competes for money and status while overworking people.\nGod’s intent from the beginning was that Man possess scientific knowledge. Even today He desires that Man use scientific knowledge to reduce the degree of his labor, to overcome diseases, and improve the quality and enjoyment of life. People need to put Faith and Science in the proper perspective, drive Science with reasoning, and let Science play a beneficial role for the well-being of Mankind. Applying the various disciplines of Science with reason, looking to God for answers, brings honor and glory to God.\n(This article originally appeared in Chinese Today, Vol. 50, June 2011 titled “What does Science have to do with Faith?” It is adapted and translated by Michael Chau with permission.)", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "- About Us\nGeneral Price List\nJeffrey W. Somers, Supervisor\nJudith Marie “Judy” Beeler, 79, of Altoona died unexpectedly Thursday morning November 15, 2018 at her residence.\nShe was born June 18, 1939 in Altoona a daughter of the late Joseph L. and Gertrude A. (Ivory) McNelis. She married Donald J. Beeler on February 27, 1960 at Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church, Altoona.\nSurviving are her husband; nine children, son Michael J. Beeler (Patricia Robinson) of Spokane, WA; son Patrick J. Beeler and his wife, Christina of Altoona; daughter Kathleen A. Sheedy and her husband Scott of Altoona; son Timothy S. Beeler of Altoona; daughter Kelly A. Beeler of Phoenix, AZ; son Joseph A. Beeler and his wife Melissa of Bellwood; son Daniel P. Beeler of Sinking Valley; daughter Susan M. Jarrett and her husband Shawn of Altoona; son Christopher D. Beeler and his wife Elisa of Altoona; twenty-seven grandchildren; twenty-one great grandchildren; a sister Sally J. McNelis Bowerman of Maryland and a sister Kay McNelis of Altoona.\nMrs. Beeler was a member of Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church, Altoona.\nShe was a 1957 graduate of Altoona Catholic High School.\nJudy enjoyed crocheting, camping and playing Pinochle. She especially enjoyed being a granny to the kids.\nShe was a member and past president of the Christian Mothers; a member of the Christian Family Movement; a member of the Marriage Encounter group; a member of the Cursillo Movement through the church; a member of the Arise Program; a member of the choir; active with Our Lady of Lourdes fish fry at Lent and with funeral dinners at the church.\nJudy was the recipient of the 2015 Gold Cross Award for her dedicated activities at Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church.\nFriends will be received from 4-8 p.m. Monday November 19, 2018 at Myers-Somers Funeral Home, Inc., 501 Sixth Avenue, Altoona where a vigil service for the deceased will be held.\nA funeral mass will be celebrated at 10:00 a.m. on Tuesday November 20, 2018 at Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church, Altoona with Rev. James Dugan officiating.\nCommittal rites will be held at Calvary Cemetery with entombment to follow.\nIn lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorial donations please be made to the Christian Mothers Elevator Fund at Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church, 2716 Broad Ave., Altoona, PA 16601.", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "Since the exciting election of Pope Francis, lots of people have been quoting the guidance attributed to St. Francis: Preach always, when necessary use words. By saying this, St. Francis would not have been deeming words unimportant. To the contrary, according to Catholic wisdom, we sometimes fast from things to show how important they are, to show that they should be valued and respected, not wasted or taken for granted.\nThat point is the perfect segue into my explaining the name of this blog, “Word.” It’s one of my favorite words–a word not to be taken lightly because it represents something properly valued by people, and by the Church in particular. Words have been rich in meaning to me from my grammar school days, instruments of learning and fun, vessels of potential power and influence, the common currency for building relationships and exercising one’s reason and faith.\nThanks to my father, himself a wordsmith, and to my Catholic school teachers, who took words seriously, I wound up building a career (I hope it was also receiving a vocation), as a writer, trying to demonstrate good stewardship in the world of words. All of this made me want to give this blog the simple title, “Word.”\nIt’s my privilege to have written a book that is scheduled to be published by the University of Notre Dame, with the title, Words of Life. This phrase draws upon the “Word of Life” mural that has become better known as “Touchdown Jesus.” This is the mural on the front of the Hesburgh Library, whose upcoming 50th anniversary is the motivation of the book. John the Evangelist liked the word “word” and used it to describe Jesus Christ—the utterance of God the Father from all eternity, the truth and wisdom of God, allowing Jesus to say, “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life.”\nThis helps to make Christ the perfect teacher, and indeed the mural also symbolizes Notre Dame’s embrace of Christ the Teacher. It’s an embrace reflected in the Alliance for Catholic Education (ACE), where I’m privileged to be on the communications staff.\n“Word” has not lost its power of authority and validation. The Urban Dictionary tells us that the word can be used to say, “I’m telling the truth,” or “That’s the way it is,” or simply “Amen.” It can also mean confirmation or affirmation more generally, as in “Good idea,” or “That’s okay.” This “word” helps to build relationships of trust, and we need words like that. Such words refer to both the mind and heart—to faith and reason, you might say—and so they’re multi-dimensional just as people are. While precision is important in a communicator’s choices of words to convey a message, I’ve always thought that the Catholic Church encourages a dynamic and vibrant vocabulary—not just a legalistic, technical jargon like some institutions—because it likes evocative words.\nThere are times to unleash the power of words. The Church has made the decision that the Mass, in its new Roman Missal translation, is one place where an abundance of words and their elaborate nature generate a sense of overflowing love and praise and thanksgiving. I anticipate that Pope Francis will help to lead the way in showing people the other side of Church wisdom–seeing the need to leave some room for sparse language, indeed for silence, so that actions can speak louder and listening can take place. As with so many Catholic insights, in this case taken from an insight of the Hebrew Scriptures, to everything there is a season. Sometimes words should gush with excitement, and sometimes they are more authentic and powerful in small quantities. They are one of the key tools of the New Evangelization, and their effectiveness in telling truth and giving life will depend partly on our wise choices about their use.", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "Good day beautiful people\nI hope that this post meets you well? Today’s write up is going to be very brief but I want to remind and encourage you that once you become a child of God, you will ALWAYS be a child of God. Just to clarify I believe that a child of God is someone who has accepted Christ as their Lord and Saviour (believes that Jesus is God in flesh appearing. Christ is the Son of God and the only way to heaven is through God the Son). You may be asking why I believe this and I will share a few passages which I believe confirm that once a person is saved they cannot lose their salvation (once saved always saved).\n[Side-note: Not all people who profess to be Christians are actually believers. The passage below confirms this. Matthew 7:21 ~ “Not everyone who calls out to me, ‘Lord! Lord!’ will enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Only those who actually do the will of my Father in heaven will enter ].\nSome points to remember\n1. Jesus died once and for all: The blood He shed on Calvary was not in vain. Advocating that one can ‘lose’ their salvation is a way of indirectly saying that the blood of Christ is not enough. The blood of Christ covers all sin (past, present and future) for those who accept His salvation plan and acknowledge their need for Him.\n1 Peter 3:18 ~ Christ suffered for our sins once for all time. He never sinned, but he died for sinners to bring you safely home to God. He suffered physical death, but he was raised to life in the Spirit.\n2. Every good and perfect gift comes from above: God gives without measure. He loves us so deeply that He did not withhold His one and only Son from us (Romans 8:32). If we who are sinful know how to give good gifts to our children how much more God who is without sin and is perfect in ALL of His ways. God is not like man, as most humans tend to only give gifts to those they believe are deserving. Neither will He ask us to return a gift because we mess up. The Bible reminds us that once we confess our sins God is faithful and just to forgive (1 John 1:9).\nMatthew 7:11 ~ So if you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give good gifts to those who ask Him.\nJames 1:17 ~ Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above; it comes down from the Father of lights [the Creator and Sustainer of the heavens], in whom there is no variation [no rising or setting] or shadow cast by His turning [for He is perfect and never changes].\n3. God is a covenant keeping God: If God says He will do something He will do it! He has the final say and He will never go back on His word. So if God’s word say’s that all who believe Jesus is Lord will have eternal life, then that is so. You’re not saved one minute and then lost the next!\nRomans 10:9 ~ If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.\nHebrews 6:18 ~ “So God has given both his promise and his oath. These two things are unchangeable because it is impossible for God to lie. Therefore, we who have fled to him for refuge can have great confidence as we hold to the hope that lies before us.”\nRomans 11:27 ~ “And this is my covenant with them, that I will take away their sins.”\n^^^ (Romans 11:27) God’s covenant to every believer is that He WILL take away their sins. His covenant can never be broken or revoked.\nA verse to remember…\nRomans 11:29 ~ “For God’s gifts and his call can never be withdrawn.”\n^^^This is a beautiful reminder that God’s gifts can never be withdrawn! One can never lose their salvation.\nI hope you all have a glorious and productive week. Always hang onto the truth that you’re greatly loved by God. Continue to stay safe.\nChristian Lady After God’s Own Heart 💜", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "Notre-Dame du Vorbourg\n16 April 2022\nThe oldest Maria sanctuary (12th century) in the canton of Jura is located in the valley of Delsberg (Delémont), situated on a rock at the foot of the river Birs, which flows into the Rhine near Basel.\nThe chapel was originally part of Telsberg Castle. The earthquake of 1356 destroyed the castle. The chapel was largely spared.\nAfter the Thirty Years’ War (1618-1648), the chapel was extended to the rock on which the tower of St. Anne stands. At the same time, the statue of Notre Dame du Vorbourg was erected.\nOn 7 April 1658, Mary became the chapel’s patron saint. The votive images from 1671 are among the most remarkable in Switzerland.\nDuring the Second World War, the pastor of Delsberg vowed to establish a permanent priesthood in the chapel if the Nazis did not occupy Switzerland. Until 2018, this service was carried out by the Benedictines. The current observer is a priest of the diocese.\n(Source and further information: www.delemont.ch)", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "Greetings to you all. I pray that you are well.\nAs we conclude our look at the book of Hebrews today, my effort will be to help encourage all of us by understanding the answer to a question most of us ask, though we do so in many different ways, at different times in our lives. The question is this: What’s the point of it all? What’s the point of my having a relationship with God? Why is heaven important? What’s the purpose of all this stuff that preachers keep telling us that we need to do?\nNow, this is a bit of a challenge for me in the amount of time that I have with you. But if we stick to God’s word, and if I don’t get in the way or trip over my sentences, together, we might just figure it out. Let’s begin with Hebrews 11:1,\n“Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.”\nNow there are many wonderfully inspiring verses in the Bible. We all have our favorites. But here, in this first verse, whether it was spoken first by Paul, his friend Barnabas or Apollos, or someone else; we find a most common-sensical phrase for the Christian believer. I love this verse.\nBecause, without this scripture as guidance, we have, as children of God, the most difficult time trying to describe our faith.\nA few weeks back we talked about how hard it is for the average human to be able to keep their focus on God.\nToday our text is talking about something invisible. How do we stay focused on something invisible?\nFaith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.\nWell, that then begs the question: What do we hope for?\nWhat’s your answer? Jesus, an eternity in heaven, to see God? Or maybe you’re short-term, like hoping to win the lottery, get a new sofa, or just have a weekend off.\nThen there is the second part of this verse, certain of what we do not see.\nWhat are we certain of that we do not see? My first response to this question is the Holy Spirit. I am sure of God’s Spirit being present in my life. I know that many of you feel this way also. Yet I don’t see the Holy Spirit.\nIn fact, in my low points, I take solace in the knowledge that God’s Spirit is with me, many times encouraging me, ministering to me, the same way that heavenly angels ministered comfort to our Lord Jesus.\nIn addition to God’s Holy Spirit, can it not also be testified that there is an entire spiritual realm that exists, yet is unseen by us? I don’t see it, but I do feel it. Hebrews 11:2 then tells us,\n“This faith is what the ancients were commended for.”\nThe ancients were commended for being sure of what they hoped for and certain of what they do not see.\nThe ancients described here are all of those who would be considered heroes of the faith and chapter 11 of Hebrews reminds us of their testimonies. Abel, who had the better sacrifice, Enoch, who did not experience death, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, Rahab the prostitute, Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel, and all the prophets.\nThey had this faith that we’re talking about. They passed it on, and many of them died while passing the faith on. Hebrews 11:3 then mentions something very important about this faith.\n“By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God’s command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible.”\nWe know that before our creation, the earth was formless and empty. Genesis 1:1-2,\n“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.”\nIt is hard to picture nothing. Try it, the nothing that I picture always looks like something. Usually, the sky is what I picture. But verse 11:3 says what was seen was not made out of what was visible. We know that Jesus was the creative agent of God, what did he use?\nSo this faith, in a God who is unseen, a God who formed the universe, so that what we see now, was not made by anything visible. On top of that, all of our biblical heroes are commended for having this faith and being certain of what we do not see. There is a great amount of not seeing here.\nWhat is it that we do not see, yet we are made aware of it, just? It is God’s Spirit, with us from the beginning, tickling us, prodding us, encouraging us, forgiving us, and picking us up when we screw up. The Holy Spirit will also teach us, if we let him.\nVisualize this if you can, all those heroes in the Bible along with all of the great teachers, theologians, and friends and family who have encouraged us over the years, are now gone, unseen, but still rooting for us, encouraging us, willing us on through our lives, carrying on the faith they exemplified to us. Visualize this, as we read Hebrews 12:1-3,\n“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus (focus), the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.”\nYes, there is a spiritual realm that we do not see. Yes, there is a Holy Spirit that we do not see. Yes, we were created for and believe in a God we have never seen.\nBut, we are saved by our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, who we have seen, who died our death on the cross to set us free from our slavery to sin.\nBut each of us has our part to play. Hebrews 12:5-6, which includes a teaching from Proverbs 3:11-12,\n“And you have forgotten that word of encouragement that addresses you as sons (and daughters), ‘Do not make light of the Lord’s discipline, and do not lose heart when he rebukes you, because the Lord disciplines those he loves, and he punishes everyone he accepts as a son (or daughter).’”\nI know that many of you are struggling now. With health, as caregivers to loved ones, and family members who are struggling, and in a world that does not understand us, and is set against us. It’s difficult to see what’s true, what’s right, and what’s wrong.\nThis is the point of it all. This is the time for us to act. Pass it on.\nPass on this faith, being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. Pass on the living Christ.\nSo often, at our lowest points, we think that we are alone. But we’re not. That’s just Satan, trying his best to make us think that we’re alone. But we are never alone. We have Jesus, and the Holy Spirit, and that great cloud of witnesses to lean on.\nThere are many around us, who do not believe in Christ and who also feel this confused and lonely feeling. Pass on that which you have been taught. All that you have learned about Jesus throughout your life has prepared you for now.\nPass it on. Now is the time. Pass it on.\nAll of us will experience tests and corrections from the Lord. We will have bad things that happen to us. But these are the times that make us stronger when we survive them. And always remember, this is when Satan attacks. When he senses our personal weaknesses. But these attacks mean nothing compared to who we serve and what we believe. Remember, when we are at our weakest, Jesus reveals his strength.\nPass it on.\nDo no harm, do good, and stay in love with God.\nand Harmony UMC", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "|Bible in Basic English (BBE)\n||New International Version (NIV)\n4 Whose desire is that all men may have salvation and come to the knowledge of what is true.\n4 who wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.\n|The Bible in Basic English is in the public domain. (The Bible in Basic English Version Online)\n||Scripture quoted by permission. Quotations designated (NIV) are from THE HOLY BIBLE: NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by Biblica. All rights reserved worldwide. (New International Version Bible Online)", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "Location: Manila, Manila, Philippines\nSweet and loving\nLooking for a partner in life who loves God.\nA typical Filipina woman , family oriented.\nI love cooking and my siblings say i can cook well.\nI want a man who will love me and help me to be the best wife for him and to help me grow in my Christian walk .", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "According to the admonition quoted at the beginning of this chapter, we can react wrongly to God’s discipline in one of two ways. We may either “regard lightly the discipline of the Lord” or we may “faint when [we] are reproved by Him” (Heb. 12:5). If we “regard lightly” God’s discipline, that means that we don’t recognize it, or we ignore its warning. To faint from God’s discipline is to give up trying to please Him because we think His discipline is too severe. Either reaction is wrong. We should recognize that God loves us, and that He disciplines us for our good. When we recognize His loving hand of discipline, we should repent and receive His forgiveness.\nOnce we’ve repented, we should expect relief from God’s discipline. We should not, however, necessarily expect relief from the inevitable consequences of our sin, although we may well ask the Lord for mercy and help. God responds to a humble and contrite spirit (see Isaiah 66:2). The Bible promises, “For His anger is but for a moment, His favor is for a lifetime; weeping may last for the night, but a shout of joy comes in the morning” (Ps. 30:5).\nAfter His judgment fell upon the Israelites, God promised:\nFor a brief moment I forsook you, but with a great compassion I will gather you. In an outburst of anger I hid My face from you for a moment; but with everlasting lovingkindness I will have compassion on you (Is. 54:7-8).\nGod is good and merciful!\nFor further study concerning God’s discipline, see 2 Chron. 6:24-31, 36-39; 7:13-14; Ps. 73:14; 94:12-13; 106:40-46; 118:18; 119:67, 71; Jer. 2:29-30; 5:23-25; 14:12; 30:11; Hag. 1:2-13; 2:17; Acts 5:1-11; Rev. 3:19.", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "By Proverbsway. Love is..1. LISTEN without interrupting. (Proverbs 18) 2. SPEAK without accusing. (James 1:19) 3. GIVE without sparing. (Proverbs 21:26) 4. PRAY without ceasing. (Colossians 1:9) 5. ANSWER without arguing. (Proverbs 17:1) 6. SHARE without pretending. (Ephesians 4:15) 7. ENJOY without complaint. (Philippians 2:14) 8. TRUST without wavering. (Corinthians 13:7) 9. FORGIVE without punishment. (Colossians 3:13) 10. PROMISE without forgetting. (Proverbs 13:12) by AubergineDreams\nPositive living with anxiety. The demands you put on yourself can create more pressure than you know how to handle. Spiritual teacher Deepak Chopra helps you break the cycle of anxiety by changing the way you respond to stress.\nOr who people have always told you you were. Often in my life I've sat back, closed my eyes, and pictured myself on a good day as a child. I've tried to listen in on what me as a child wanted to do with her life. What she was passionate about. I seriously believe one [read full article www.CalleenWilder.com]", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "The Elders in Jerusalem in the Book of Acts\n1 Corinthians 12:28-30 – What Is an Apostle?\nWhat offices did God give to his church? This article explains the list of gifted men and spiritual gifts from 1 Corinthians 12:28-30. Among these gifts are apostles, prophets, and teachers.\nLeadership in the Church\nWhat should church leadership look like? This article first discusses New Testament terms for church leaders, such as apostles, elders, and deacons, and then explains that elders are called to rule God's church, and should be men, not women.\nAre There Still Apostles Today?\nThis article explores the question of whether apostles still exist in the church today. It considers the qualifications necessary for apostleship, the uniqueness of Paul's apostleship, the apostolic authority and the closing of the canon, the foundational role of the apostles, and the testimony of those following the apostles. The inevitable conclusion is that there are no longer apostles today.\nThe Plan of God and Preaching in Acts\nThis article argues that the plan of God played a big role in the writings of Luke and thus in the book of Acts. The author argues that the \"plan of God\" forms the theological basis for what Luke understood as preaching. It was God who acted through the preaching of the apostles. The preaching of the disciples is a result of God working out his plan for the nations. The plan of God also determines the content of the preaching.\nIsrael, the People of God, and the Nations\nSchnabel reflects in this article on the universal context for the narrative of Israel in Scripture and the universal perspective of the identity of Israel.\nTheologians You Should Know – Only Let Me Reach Jesus Christ: The Apostolic Fathers\nChapter 1 introduces the apostolic fathers. Their writings are the most important for understanding the first generations after the apostles. Chapter 1 introduces a number of authors who wrote from around the end of the first century to the middle of the second.\nTongues-Speech: A Patristic Analysis\nWas there speaking in tongues in the period immediately following the apostles? Hunter examines writings from the early church fathers for the possible references to the phenomena of glossolalia. Specific attention is given to reactions against Montanism.\nGod Has Spoken – Christianity and Judaism\nChristianity and Judaism are different religions. Why is that? After all, Jesus and the apostles were all Jews. What was the nature of the Judaism that prevailed in the 1st century AD? What was the view of God? How was Jesus Christ related to the Jewish God? How should biblical monotheism be interpreted in the light of Jesus’ claim to be the Son of God send from heaven?\nOnly a Voice\nThe one thing which distinguishes false prophets from true prophets, and true apostles from false apostles, is the message preached. All true prophets throughout the Bible and now preach the same message, which has originated in God.\nOne Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church\nWhat does it mean that the church is an apostolic church? This article looks at the central place of the apostles in the church, the apostles as witnesses and authority in the church.\n2 Peter 3:15-16 – Rivalry or Chivalry?\nRepairing the Apostolic Foundation\n1 John 1:3 - An Apostolic Church\nJohn 20:2 – \"So That We Might Believe …\"\nWere Apostles Unique and Unrepeatable Messengers of Christ?\nThe twelve apostles were chosen by Christ for a unique, unrepeatable role in the history of redemption. Missionaries and church planters today are authorized by the risen Christ to carry out their task, but they have a different level of authority from that which the apostles had.", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "Our last bible study of the year is scheduled for Dec. 27th. I hope some of you will be recovered from the holiday enough to find the time to join us. J (for anyone new that’s Tuesday Dec. 27th at 7:00 pm downstairs in our church.)\nI think this time we will depart a little bit from our routine of tearing apart the passages to be used for the following Sunday’s sermon and instead ask everyone to bring their favorite passage that relates to our topic.\nWhat topic you ask? Well as we are close to starting a brand new year I’ve been struck by how much fear is in the hearts of family, friends, and folks in general. People express fear of ISIS, other countries, the incoming administration, their personal situations, the conditions of loved ones, and just so many other things. I cringe every time I hear someone start off with how afraid or overly concerned they are about this, that or the other thing. This is not the way God intended for us to live folks!\nLet’s start the new year with our minds and hearts filled with the words He has given us to encourage and comfort us! If you truly believe there is no reason not to look forward to, and be excited about, everything 2017 will bring.\nSo I invite each of you to bring your favorite Bible passage that helps us deal with the concerns we all have from time to time – keep things in perspective – and keep from being afraid of the future.\nWe will talk a little (very little) about the things that frighten us and then read some of the words God has given us to deal with such human nonsense – the passages I hope you will bring to our attention.\nWhenever I am troubled I often recall the song we so often sang on our school bus years ago – “He’s got the whole world…”. That’s the point!\nDon’t let me down because if nobody brings anything to the table this may be our shortest study to date! J\nHearing that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, the Pharisees got together. One of them, an expert in the law, tested him with this question: “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” Jesus replied: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” Matthew 22:34", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "It’s the day before Christmas. As family and friends gather to celebrate the newborn king, there is an anticipation for what is about to happen. A joyful mood fills our hearts and our houses as we enjoy time together. Are we aware that joy comes from our Lord Jesus? When the wise men encountered Jesus as a newborn baby, they were filled with overwhelming joy. The joy of the Lord wells up in our hearts when we are near him.\nWhen they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy. 11 And going into the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him. Then, opening their treasures, they offered him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh.\nThese wise men followed a star that led them right to the newborn king. When they saw him, they filled with joy, fell down and worshipped him, and then gave him expensive gifts. These dignified men from a distant land humbled themselves before a baby in Bethlehem.\nHave you noticed that when people encounter Jesus, they are filled with joy? These men were so full of joy for finding Jesus that they rejoiced exceedingly. You can’t come away from an encounter with Jesus without being filled with joy. Whether it be from having our sins forgiven or from a powerful move of the Holy Spirit, the result is always joy we feel in our heart. That’s because joy is a fruit result from being close to him. All Christians should have the joy of the Lord in their hearts. If it’s missing it probably means we are moving away from Jesus.\nRespond with Worship\nOur response to this joy that Jesus puts in our life should always be worship. The wise men bowed down before Jesus and gave him all the glory. Imagine that scene, distinguished men in their expensive robes and attire on their faces before a baby praising him. If the Joy of the Lord is in our hearts then worship should naturally flow out of mouths. That is what “rejoiced exceedingly” means.\nGive Your Best\nFinally, the wise men gave him lavish gifts. Gold, Frankincense, and myrrh were some of the most valuable commodities of the day. It was definitely more wealth than Joseph or Mary had ever seen. Why did they give Jesus these costly gifts? Because they gave of the best, they had. Our response to the Joy of the Lord being inside of us should always be to give Jesus our greatest gifts. Is the Joy of the Lord in your heart? Do you see that joy manifested in your worship and giving? If its missing then draw closer to Jesus, and he will draw closer to you.", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "CLS, along with CUCA, sponsors Pastors and Deacons Sabbatical Week from Monday to Thursday, June 27-30, 2011. The topic of the week is \"How do you present and defend your faith today in a skeptical environment? A course on Christian Apologetics.\" Our major presenter is Dr. Jonathan Strand, Professor of Philosophy at Concordia University College of Alberta, Edmonton.\nThe topic of apologetics is one that has become of great importance as our society has become more skeptical. How do we “give a reason for the hope that is within us” (1 Peter 3:15) in the face of skepticism and indeed increasing hostility toward the Christian faith and Christians themselves?\nThe speaker, Rev. Jonathan Strand, Ph.D, has a B.A. in Philosophy from the University of Minnesota, and a Ph.D. in Philosophy from the University of Notre Dame. He received the M.Div. from the seminary of the Association of Free Lutheran Churches, and a Theological Diploma via colloquy from Concordia Lutheran Seminary, Edmonton.\nClick here for a schedule for the week, which includes the opportunity for participants to share the results of any research they themselves may be engaged in. We encourage you to take time for rest and reflection and join your fellow workers in the church as we examine this important issue, and others as well, during the week of 27-30 June.", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "Heart Guide for Lesson 23:\nSpiritual Warfare 101\nStart keeping at least a mental journal that begins with your moments of complete surrender.\n1) Notice first of all how good it feels to release every care and concern to Him and to allow yourself (with His help) to enter into such willingness that He could ask anything of you and you would be glad for a chance to walk with Him and to serve Him in it. Know that to live in a flow of moments like this is your true, new life - your inheritance. Your Father is working through everything to restore you to this when you lose it - it is that important to Him! But your enemy will seek to rob you of it. Be vigilant!\n2) Notice next whatever takes you away from this place of inward surrender. It is never the outward thing. It is always a letting go of trust or love. Watch to see from this what the main temptations are that the enemy is using against you.\n3) Then take the Six Steps to Freedom from Main Healing Lesson 7 (Recognize and Replace!) into those stronghold areas and do some holy demolition!", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "Our next monthly meeting will be held on Friday, May 14th from 3:00pm to 4:30pm. We will be discussing “Hamartia, Evil, and Deity in Archaic and Classical Greek Thought” by Will Desmond from the Spring 2020 (Volume 47.1) issue of Communio entitled “Lead Us Not into Temptation, but Deliver Us from Evil”.\nThe following is taken from the Introduction to the issue:\nWill Desmond examines the distinctiveness of Christian forgiveness relative to Greek literature, philosophy, and religion in “Hamartia, Evil, and Deity in Archaic and Classical Greek Thought.” It is revealing that sacrifice, though a prime requirement of Greek piety, was not directed toward the expiation of sin nor toward the reception of mercy from the gods. In the tragic worldview, “the divine is jealous, and often cunningly malign, if it does indeed lure individuals to their doom. . . . To such deities, one cannot even pray: ‘Lead us not into temptation.’” Not even the classical philosophers present moral failing as in need of or affected by divine mercy. According to Desmond, confession of a God who can forgive us and who calls us to forgiveness paradoxically demands a graver account of sin’s transgression than was acknowledged by the pagan world before Christ.\nGiven the current shutdown, we will be holding an online meeting over zoom.\nThis work, unless otherwise expressly stated, is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "802 E. 10th Street | Ferdinand, IN 47532\nLodging & Directions\nNews Release: Women of the Church national conference planned for 2016\nAbout the Keynote Speakers\nAbout the Breakout Session Presenters\nAbout the Participating Bishops\nAbout the Other Participants\nThese words of Pope Francis...\nWomen and Leadership\nA women's basketball video and our dream\nAn Easter Witness of Strength and Hope\nThe Visitation: Joyful Mystery of The Encounter\nIndia and the Joyful Mystery of Encounter\nSurprise Encounters and New Friendships\nIn the News\nPage not found.", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "The Holy Spirit Will Set You Ablaze\nThe Holy Spirit is the wonderful third Person of the Trinity about whom we know so little. He loves so tenderly, cares so personally, and ministers to us so faithfully. How amazing that perhaps the most common symbol of this beautiful Person found in the Bible is flaming fire.\nLet us note more fully the fiery ministry of the Spirit:\nHe sets you aflame with His fiery baptism. \"He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire,\" said John the Baptist of Jesus (Matt. 3:11; Luke 3:16). This refers to \"the fiery character of the Spiritís operations upon the soul Ė searching, consuming, refining, sublimating Ė as nearly all good interpreters understand the words\" (Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown, Commentary, 888). The inner fire of the Spirit sets the Spirit-filled person ablaze with His divine presence.\nHe empowers you with His fiery divine energy. The fire of God speaks also of His divine energy constantly ready to empower His own who are totally surrendered to Him. Christ desires that all the fiery ministry of the Spirit be active in your life. \"I have come to bring fire on the earth\" (Luke 12:49). He kindled the holy flame of God in the hearts of His followers as He began His earthly ministry. But He knew they needed more of the Spirit.\nOn the day of Pentecost the Holy Spirit visibly descended in holy flame upon the men and women gathered in the Upper Room. Empowered by the Spirit, they began to spread Godís holy fire that very day. For decades the Spiritís fire kept burning and spreading. Persecution could not quench their fire, it only served to fan the flames. Pentecost lit a flame that by Godís grace will never go out.\nHe sets you aglow with His fiery radiance and zeal. Romans 12:11 urges, \"Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor.\" You have spiritual zeal when you are spiritually ablaze. Weymouth translates this, \"Have your spirits aglow\"; Goodspeed, \"on fire with the Spirit\"; and the Revised Standard Version states it, \"Be aglow with the Spirit.\"\nThe Holy Spirit revives your spirit, fills you with abundance of life, love and zeal, and sets you aglow so that you manifest the vibrant, radiant life of God. He will revive your devotion, accelerate your obedience, and fan into flame your zeal. As a Spirit-filled believer you should be marked by the intense devotion, eager earnestness, and the loyal bond-service which characterizes the heavenly angels. Apollos (Acts 18:25) was thus ablaze. The literal translation can be that he was \"burning in spirit,\" or \"glowing with the Spirit.\"\nWhen the Spirit burns within you in freedom and fullness, your inner life becomes radiant, your zeal intense, and your service dynamic. You, in the words of Ephesians 5:16, are \"making the most of every opportunity.\"\nThe need for this spiritual glow and zeal is emphasized by the condition of the church in Laodicea which had grown lukewarm (Rev. 3:15-16). The spiritual temperature of a Spirit-filled leader should remain high. The Spirit desires so to fill you with burning, glowing agape love that your life is constantly radiant with His presence. Whether the translation of Romans 12:11 is to be aglow with the Holy Spirit or to be aglow in your own spirit, the Enabler is ever the Spirit Himself. His active fullness must permeate your personality and service.\nHe provides you gifts which you are to stir into flame. Spiritual gifts are endowments for service given through the activity of the Holy Spirit. God provides whatever divine enablements we need for the service to which He appoints us. The Holy Spirit Himself is Godís great gift to us (Acts 2:38) but He bestows grace-gifts (charismata) providing divine endowment and enablement for serving God and the body of Christ.\n\"Fan into flame the gift of God which is in you,\" Paul urged Timothy (2 Tim. 1:6). Notice the gift was \"in\" him. The Holy Spirit primarily works from within, not upon in some external sense. He does not manipulate us, He enables by His indwelling presence and power.\nGod never appoints or guides you to do a service without being available to endow and empower you with all you need to do His will. But there is a cooperating role for you to play. You must kindle anew, or fan into full flame the divine endowment. Godís gifts are given to be cherished and used. To fail to use them as God desires is to fail God and people. We develop them by use. As we use Godís endowment, the Spirit enables us, guides us, and makes us fruitful.\nThe constant tendency of fire is to go out. The Spirit does not waste divine energy. If we do not obey and use the grace God provides, He ceases to bestow. The Greek tense of the verb emphasizes the continuous rekindling of the flame. The spiritual biography of many a Christian leader is \"once ablaze.\" Was there a time when you were more ablaze for God than you are today?\nPraise God, a flickering flame that is almost gone can be fanned into brilliant fire again. That fanning must be a continuous process. Five times in Leviticus 6 God instructed that the fire on the altar of burnt offering was never to go out. He had initially given that fire from heaven (Lev. 9:24; 2 Chr. 7:1). God supplies the fire, but we must keep it burning. We constantly need the Spiritís fire, symbolizing the divine presence within us, and we constantly need the touch of Godís grace provided through the atonement upon us. Our consecration to God should never lapse and His presence and power in and upon us should never diminish.\nGod has created our spirits flammable. We are spiritually combustible. Our nature is created to be set ablaze by the Spirit. We are spiritually most blessed, most victorious, most usable when we are ablaze. We are most Godlike when we glow with holy flame Ė the flame of the indwelling Spirit.\nThe fire of God gives an unforgettable attraction to the personality of Godís messenger and to the content of his message. It imparts a sacred authority that cannot be counterfeited by human efforts. It so seals with the mark of God that others are unable to ignore it. It gives a holy authenticity and assures of integrity. It impresses with the obvious involvement and partnership of God.\nWhatever the cost, we must keep the flame of the Spirit burning on the altar of our hearts. The Greek word in \"fan into flame\" in Second Timothy 1:6 refers to the use of a bellows to cause a smoldering fire to flame up. This takes effort. Timothy was to do all in his power to intensify the manifestation of the flame of the Spirit. Our cooperation with the Spirit is essential to consistency of flowing ardor, spiritual radiance, and flaming zeal.\nGeneral Booth urged his people, \"The tendency of fire is to go out; watch the fire on the altar of your heart.\" Our constant danger is to cool off spiritually, to lose our fervor, and to slow down in zeal. Personal revival comes through renewed commitment and reaffirmed consecration. Everyone needs such personal revival again and again.\nWe have the great gift of God, the Holy Spirit, but we need to hunger more for the manifestation of His presence, and open our hearts constantly in faithís expectancy for His working, His empowerings and constant enablings in our life. God gives us capacity and the Spirit wants to imbue our whole being with His reality, making us His channels of expression that His holy fire may be constantly visible in us. We must choose whether we will neglect the Spirit, quench the Spirit, or fan into flame the Spiritís presence.\nQuoted from Ablaze for God by Wesley L. Duewel. Copyright © 1989. Used by permission of the Duewel Literature Trust, Inc., Greenwood, Indiana. Dr. Duewelís books may be purchased by calling (317) 881-6751 Ext. 361.", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "Pope Eugene III was the 167th pope and the third to pick the name Eugene. He is also known as the Blessed Pope and for his connection to the Second Crusade. This article looks at the life of Pope Eugene III.\nKnown as Bernardo, the future pope was born in Pisa somewhere around 1080. Records do not show his mother but list his father as Godius. Though some believe he belonged to a noble family, others claim that he came from a family who did not have money, which would explain his humble nature. Records show that he worked in a Pisa church as a canon in 1106 and that he later became subdeacon in the same church. Pope Innocent II ordained him as a priest in the 1130s, which led to Bernardo joining the Cistercian Order.\nPope Lucius II died on February 15, 1145, when he was hit in the head by a heavy rock. That same day, cardinals elected Bernardo as the next pope. He chose the name Pope Eugene III and began his reign outside of Rome. Problems between the Roman Senate and the clergy made the city unstable. Fearing that he might die in the same way as the last pope, Eugene II agreed to travel to Farfa where he was consecrated.\nTo help the public, Pope Eugene III asked leaders in Tivoli and other cities to side with the Church. He spent several months traveling through Italy before finally making his way to France. It was there that he announced the beginning of the Second Crusade. It was only after it began that he returned to Italy, though he never resided in Rome.\nPope Eugene III lived in a fortress outside of Rome and asked the King of Sicily to help him gain control of the city. Though the Holy Roman Emperor and other leaders agreed to help, he passed away before they could arrive. Anastasius IV inherited a papacy marred by Roman revolt and took on the role just one day later. He helped oversee the internment of Pope Eugene III in the Vatican.\nQuick Facts About Pope Eugene III\n- He was born circa 1080 in Pisa, which was both parts of the Republic of Pisa and the Holy Roman Empire. Some records list his birthplace as Montemagno.\n- The pope’s birth name was Bernardo. Most records claim that he belonged to the Paganelli di Montemagno family.\n- The pope died on July 8, 1153.\n- His death was attributed to natural causes. He was in Tivoli when he passed away.\n- The papacy of Pope Eugene III began on February 15, 1145.\n- His papacy ended when Eugene III passed away in 1153.\n- Anasatius IV succeeded him as pope four days later.\nInteresting Facts About Pope Eugene III\n- After his death, the Church had Eugene III interned in a tomb in the Vatican. It wasn’t long after his burial that followers claimed to experience miracles there.\n- Though he is not saint, Eugene III was beatified by Pope Pius IX in 1872. This the first step in the canonization process and allows the Church to make him a saint if he meets all standards later.\n- Eugene III was pope for eight years and 143 days. He is one of the only popes to never live in Rome. Due to fighting and opposite in the city, he did not even take the position there.\n- He is also known as Blessed Pope Eugene III due to the miracles he performed after dying and for the blessings he gave while alive.\n- The consecration of Pope Eugene III appears in a medieval painting of the same name.", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "Narrated By: David Cochran Heath\nDuration: 12 hours and 58 minutes\nWhat to expect\nIn the 2014 New York Times bestseller Jesus on Trial, David Limbaugh made a case for the Gospels as hard evidence of the existence of God, drawing on his own spiritual journey from skeptic to believer. Now Limbaugh looks deeper into the scriptures and discovers that Jesus Christ’s very being reveals itself in a close reading of the sacred texts.\nThe Emmaus Code is a powerful, intimate journey toward an understanding of Christ as man, savior, and son of God.\nChristianity, History of religion, Christianity, Christianity, Theology, Christian life and practice, Religious instruction, Christian life and practice, Personal religious testimony and popular inspirational works\nListen to a sample\n“David Limbaugh uniquely opens up the most beloved Book of all time, magnifying its greatest theme…David has written The Emmaus Code not only as an accomplished author, commentator, and attorney, but with vitality that conveys his love for the Lord and his inspired word.”\n“If you’ve ever wondered what ties the Old Testament and the New Testament together, then this is the book for you. It’s the best Christian layman’s guide to the Old Testament I’ve ever read. Fascinating—and highly recommended!”", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "The Rev. Dr. Bob Segress served as a licensed psychological clinician for twenty-five years. Upon retiring, he served for fifteen years as a prison minister. Retiring again, he began writing full-time after a period of boredom. He has written: The Biblical Approach To Psychology while serving as a college educator, The Shelton Series, and, in 2012, Ten Years Inside Shelton Prison. Currently, he writes for several publications such as Halo Magazine.", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "On Oct. 31, 2011, the Very Rev. William S. Stafford, dean of The School of Theology, announced his decision to retire from his position, effective June 30, 2012.\n“Bill Stafford has served as dean with great distinction,” stated Dr. John McCardell, 16th and current vice-chancellor of the University of the South. “I admire him immensely. He has strengthened the faculty of The School of Theology and been an articulate voice for the importance of residential theological education. His intelligence, his humility, and his understanding of the whole Church, broadly defined, in all its richness and diversity, have set an exemplary standard of leadership. I join his friends, his colleagues and, perhaps, most important, his legion of former students, in thanking him for his conspicuous service to the Church and for the many ways in which his remarkable career will shape that Church for many years to come.”", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "Sunday Service October 11, 2020 This week Pastor Vern Giesbrecht, our Associate Pastor, will be bringing God’s word. He will be preaching from John 4:27-35. He asks, “What does God care about?” He will help us understand the words of Jesus when he said, ” My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to accomplish his work.” John 4:34\nPlease note that this message was live streamed at our 10:45am service. It is the message only.", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "April 17 back at the mission house……\nLita made us pancakes this morning before heading out……as always delicious. We piled into the van…us 3, the Corneas, Samuel, Stanley and Doreen and their kiddos and Misozi. Ovi as the driver and Ed (Dad) as the copilot was like old times. I did not look out the windshield often as the crazy Romanian was driving…….instead Lita and I talked about cooking and recipes. The dirt roads back toward Nasedegu have deteriorated tremendously. The valleys and trenches make travel quite challenging.\nAs we arrived in Nasedegu, the woman’s home by the mango tree is gone now….it is a cornfield, a dieing cornfield. It brought back memories of praying under the tree with Leah, of high emotions as the church foundation was started, the memory of Ed (Dad) making the first pic into the corner of the dirt where the foundation would be poured and the sight of our HP men praying together in the field under some hard circumstances.\nAnd then the church that God built in this village- women started singing, clapping and coming towards us. Little ones in tow- I couldn’t help but start hugging each woman as I saw them. Some familiar, a lot unfamiliar.\nWe have been gone too long……I was searching for one small face……I did not see her, but I spotted her little sister that was placed in Gabby’s arms when she was just a few days old. She is 4 now, and has her sassy side just like her sister. She told me to tell gabby “hi”. Her mom asked, “where is gabby?” That about undid me, knowing the child that I was honored to mother has left an impact on a family halfway around the world can just bring crocodile tears to ya! Praising the Lord that our daughter, His daughter, was called and redeemed by Jesus Christ for His glory!\nWe went in for the church service- men sang, women sang, children sang. Each group more beautiful than the next. Then the whole church sang together. I had told Karey about the one song “we are going to the house of the Lord” and what would happen. When the music began and women were reaching out for other women…..someone came to Karey and I reached out to Doreen and we went dancing to the house of the lord! Oh to have that freedom, joy and rejoicing…..it was soul soothing! We couldn’t understand what they were singing but Misozi would explain to Karey and I so we understood. They first read Psalm 27 and then Ed (Dad) preached from 1Cor 15. Stanley translated. It was a peace that surpasses understanding, a joy that can only be filled by Him and a humbling of how small we are and how Big our God is to watch my husband be obedient to the call. To see and hear his heart for these people. I am thankful the Lord chose me to be his helper.\nAfterward, Jonah, the Pastor stood up to speak. I was so surprised by his words. I was so humbled by his words. In the past when I have come, I have treasured up moments in my heart. Moments I didn’t think would matter to anyone else, perhaps forgotten. Moments that transformed me….often times broke me, but I knew it was to become more like who He wanted me to be. Jonah started recalling different moments I thought only I had treasured……he spoke of women talking and praying under trees, he talked of women going down to dry riverbeds to get dirt, he talked of Pastors wives being taught the Word and many more moments of God bringing women together that I had treasured……I didn’t know anyone else had.\nI looked at Ed (Dad) with tears in my eyes…….. a humbling reminder…..there is purpose in everything. There is kingdom purpose, it is important……it is consuming, it is worth all the hard!!!\nJonah spoke of Ed (Dad) and his labor in the village, his preaching, his teaching, he working the field alongside them, helping start the church foundation and other moments that have impacted the village and pointed them all to Christ. Ed’s (Dads) head down, I could see his emotions…. is worth all the hard!\nAfterwards, we went outside and there I saw HER….Nelicia. Praise God she is alive. And oh how she has grown!!! Beautiful and singing and laughing. She is taller and thinner now. She has light in her eyes…..this child will never know how I have prayed for her…..for her to make it through starvation seasons, to know the love of Christ as her Savior! I am not sure of her faith, but I know that her Mom and Dad (the Pastor and his wife) are pouring into her.\nWe went out to a late lunch afterwards (church was from 9-12) at Songbird and it was yummy! Back at the mission house we sat in the courtyard sharing about life (us 5 adults) while children played, roosters crowed, and baboons eyed our bananas. TIA!!!\nWe shared about triumphs, joys and the hard and challenging. We talked about their life as a mission family, how we can pray and how we can aid them. The ministry in Romania and the challenges. This life the Lord has called them too is not always easy, not always pretty but always filled with Gods presence, His grace and His mercy. We talked about the life of an American Pastor- the joys, the challenges and the hard. May God be glorified in all we do for His kingdom, not ours.\nWrapping up today-still no luggage. We are washing our clothes every night and look like misfits wearing odds and ends we found or, like right now I am wrapped somewhat with a sheet as the clothes dry. Always an adventure, always learning and always (or trying really hard) to remember our Father is in complete control- even when it comes to clothes!\nYours and Ed’s letters took me back. I’ll never I’ll never forget the 1st trip with brother Kieth. I had never seen so much need in my life. Now I praise God for what he has accomplish through Hope Fore the Future. Through Ovi, Lita, Jesica, Amie and Ethan they are an amazing family the hands and feet of the Lord. I thank God for them. May God bless your time there my heart is with you guys. I can here the voices singing. Thank you all for for your service.\nCommenting has been turned off.", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "In the midst of this order of things, the Latter Day Saints discover vast quantities of Gold at the base of the mountains of Israel in the valley of the sacramento in upper Calafornia. And not ownly the people of the United States but of other nations ketch the sound of Gold Gold & tens of thousands are rushing forward evry way in their power to get to the gold country as A Horse would rush to Battle. But the Amount of Gold, silver, Coper &c discoverd in that Country indicates that the word of the Lord spoken by Isaiah will be fulfilled, when He says that \"for Brass He will bring Gold \"for Iron I will bring silver, for wood brass for stones Iron, &c. Truly this is an age big with Events.\nCompanies Are forming in all most all parts of the United States And ships in all our ports pre-pareing to take the people to the Bay of San Francisco which is ownly 20 miles from Capt Sutters Fort whare the Mormon gold digings commenced. And It seems As though all the world thought of at the present time was to obtain gold. Though the Cholera has commenced spreading in New York once more yet the gold panic is so much greater then the fear of the Cholery that it is hardy noticed.\nAmong the letters which I obtained yesterday was one from O Hyde who informed me that Olever Cowdery had come back to the Church had made satisfaction And was voted to come in by the door of Baptism. He was the first man baptized into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints in this last dispensation, under the Hands of Joseph Smith the Prophet but after being out of the Church Eleven years He had now returned again. And may the Lord bless him & Keep him steadfast unto the end.\nThe following is A Fac similae of the Alphabet used in conveying intelligence by the magnetic telegraph:\nA.- B-... C... D-.. E. F.-. G--. H .... I.. J-.-.K-.- L- M-- N-. O[..] P----- Q..-. R.-. S... T- U..- V...- W.-- X.-.. Y.. Z--- - &- -- 1.--. 2..-.. 3...-. 4....- 5--- 6...... 7--.. 8-..... 9-.-- 0- [sic]. [One line of dots and dashes not decipherable.] <Remember the [law?] [-] of [-].>\n[Wilford Woodruff's Journal: 1833-1898 Typescript, Volumes 1-9, Edited by Scott G. Kenney, Signature Books 1993, http://amzn.to/newmormonstudies]", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "Viewing the King James Version. Click to switch to 1611 King James Version of Psalms 61:7.\nHe shall abide before God for ever: O prepare mercy and truth, which may preserve him.\n- King James Bible \"Authorized Version\", Cambridge Edition\nShare This Verse:\n<< Read the whole chapter of Psalms 61\n<< Read the entire book of Psalms\nOther Translations of Psalms 61:7\nHe shall abide before God for euer: O prepare mercy and trueth which may preserue him.- King James Version (1611)\n- View 1611 Bible Scan\nHe will abide before God forever; Appoint lovingkindness and truth that they may preserve him.- New American Standard Version (1995)\nHe shall abide before God for ever: Oh prepare lovingkindness and truth, that they may preserve him.- American Standard Version (1901)\nMay the seat of his authority be before God for ever; may mercy and righteousness keep him safe.- Basic English Bible\nHe shall abide before God for ever: bestow loving-kindness and truth, that they may preserve him.- Darby Bible\nFor he is my God and my saviour: he is my helper, I shall not be moved. - Douay Rheims Bible\nHe shall abide before God for ever: O prepare mercy and truth, which may preserve him. - Webster's Bible\nHe shall be enthroned in God's presence forever. Appoint your loving kindness and truth, that they may preserve him.- World English Bible\nHe dwelleth to the age before God, Kindness and truth appoint -- they keep him.- Youngs Literal Bible\n(61:8) May he be enthroned before God for ever! Appoint mercy and truth, that they may preserve him.- Jewish Publication Society Bible\nView Wesley's Notes for Psalms 61:7\n61:7 Abide - In the throne. Before God - Living and ruling as in God's presence, serving God and worshipping him in his tabernacle. Truth - Thy truth in giving me those mercies which thou hast promised, and thy mercy in giving me such further blessings as I needs.\nWhat Do You Think of Psalms 61:7?\nShare your own thoughts or commentary here...", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "We have a flexible position available at Family Fellowship Church of God in St Charles, MO for a ministry intern.\nThis position comes with many opportunities to explore new areas of ministry. The primary focus of this position is to learn, grow, and develop ministerial skills in a safe environment with guidance from the church leadership team. Do you need some opportunities to teach or preach, let us help develop that gift in you. Do you want to learn the ins and outs of church media, let us introduce you to video editing, podcasting, and more.\nThis is a volunteer position to help you find and develop the calling and purpose that God has for your life. We ask for a commitment in this intern role for at least 6 months. Over this time, you will be given opportunities to learn the various ways of doing ministry in the modern world. At the end of your internship period you will be given the opportunity to stay and continue growing with us. This could be in a paid or volunteer capacity within the department or area of your ministerial giftedness.\nLet us know if you would like more information about this ministry intern position. Email us at [email protected].\nThank you and God bless you.", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "The last two chapters cover instruction on the difficult times ahead, as people become ‘lovers of self’, persecution comes, and people will not accept ‘sound doctrine’ (Ch.4:3).\nPaul finishes by warning Timothy against Alexander the coppersmith, who opposed him severely, and asks Timothy to try to visit him before winter sets in.\nTimothy Books 1-2\nIn Book 1, Paul begins by warning Timothy regarding false teachers; instructs the young pastor on the running of a church, and how to deal with issues such as appointing Deacons or Elders from within the congregation.\nIn Chapter 4 Paul warns Timothy to watch out for Apostasy in the later times; and also instructs him on discipline, and how he should treat the widows within the church in chapter 5. He concludes the letter with more instruction on leadership, and warning him that the love of money is the root of all sorts of evil, so to be rich in good works thereby building up a ‘treasure of good foundation.’\nThis letter to Timothy forms an excellent instruction manual on setting up a new church, as it covers church leadership, discipline and administration; and all in only 6 chapters! Even for those not involved in leadership issues though, there is excellent instruction here on avoiding false teachers and how to contend for the faith in everyday life.\n2 Timothy was written near the end of Paul’s life, as he lay imprisoned for a second time in Rome. He begins this letter by encouraging his ‘beloved son’ Timothy to keep strong in the Faith, and not to succumb to a ‘spirit of timidity’.\nChapter 2 relates the sufferings that Paul himself has endured for the Gospel’s sake, as he encourages Timothy not to be ashamed (v15), but to accurately preach the Word, avoiding needless quarrel and false teachers.", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "What was the #1 blog post for all time?\nBreaking Generational Curses\nDue to the fact that so much of interest was shown , I am going to revisit this post.\nYou are saved, baptized and full of the Holy Ghost, yet there are some areas that you are still struggling to get victory.When we got saved the spirit man was born again,but the strongholds that were allowed previously into our lives were never dealt with. After going to God and confessing and repenting of your sins, there are still some habits that seems not to go.You keep doing the same thing over and over.It becomes repetitious and this can signal that there is a stronghold in your life.\nMany of the things going on in our lives such as fears, jealousy, mental illness, hatred, low self-esteem, gluttony, rejection, anger ,sexual perversions, spiritual heaviness fear are frequently related to what are called generational curses.. Curses which can be passed down from generation to generation, often times without you even being aware of their presence and yet have the ability to affect you.\nMaybe you always seem to fail at your job and you can never keep one for more than a few months at a time. Did your father perhaps have the same problem and some uncle or some relative show the same tendency? You see these curses can skip a generation. If that is the case, you may have just identified a family generational curse. You can now stand against it specifically all the time and push it back so that it will not affect you.\nCertain curses seem to affect certain aspects of our lives. Many times there is a curse of sickness and disease that runs in a family, There is hypertension or diabetes, or cancer or fibroids just to name a few. When you look at your family lineage, your grandparents, parents and now you or your sibling or even your child suffers with the same problem. It will continue down to your children and grandchildren and so on until you break it off.\nOr perhaps there is a curse that is related to finances.You need to take a look at your own life and ask yourself what areas you are not blessed in. If you are not being blessed particularly in the area of finances and health or if you seem to have continual breakages or things going wrong with equipment, have a good look and see if you can see a pattern developing there.\nOr you can recall words of anger and bitterness , negative words spoken over your life by some one in authority. You may already identify strongholds even as you are reading this. You can renounce those curses, reverse them and give them back to Satan in the name of Jesus.You have the authority to stand against the enemy and be set free. This book not only identifies the family generational curses and strongholds, it also tells you how to deal with them so that you can walk in liberty and freedom.\nIn Hosea 4:6 it says God's people are destroyed for a lack of knowledge.When you don't have knowledge about something, sometimes its devastating. My siblings all went through this because they did not have the knowledge about generational curses and strongholds back then.\nConditions indicating curses (based on personal experience in ministering to people) 1. Mental and emotional breakdown\n2. Repeated or chronic sicknesses (esp. without clear medical diagnosis)\n3. Repeated miscarriages or related female problem.\n4. Breakdown of marriage—family alienation\n5. Continuing financial insufficiency (esp. where income appears sufficient)\n6. “Accident prone”\nThere are many problems that you may be experiencing in your life.When you begin to realize some problems are handed down through the generations you can break the cycle by utilizing God's grace. If you seem unable to get past the hurts in your life maybe its time to do something about it.\nI believe that every Christian should read these books.\nThese are powerful books,shows how people are living there lives, going through all kinds of situations and cycles and not having a clue of what is going on. All they know is that they don't seem to be able to live a life of freedom.\nIf you have read any one of these books or is aware of what I am speaking about, please leave a comment below\nThe Word of God is living and active. If you confess the Word of God over your heart and life, it will not return void. We encourage you to meditate on these confessions.\nAnd I have put my words in thy mouth, and I have covered thee in the shadow of mine hand, that I may plant the heavens, and lay the foundations of the earth, and say unto Zion, Thou art my people. (Isaiah 51:16)\nThe Lord has put His words in my mouth therefore I shall be his mouthpiece, and because He covers me I shall not be afraid to speak.\n- A Christian who loves to write about christian living, natural health and self improvement. I pray daily that the love and grace of God will be poured out through my life to others. I remind myself daily that whether or not I have \"witnessed\" I am still a witness in everything I do.", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "Making the mixed economy work\nFriday 6th May 2011The Archbishop addressed the Fresh Expressions national day conference in Oxford, where he said that the heart of the Church's mission involves walking alongside people to help them 'see' things they've never seen before - and the task was the same for both inherited church and its counterparts in fresh expressions.\nThe full transcript of the Archbishop's address is below:\nI want to begin by one of those back to basics exercises, asking the question, ‘Where does the church start?’ We talk sometimes about the first Pentecost as the birthday of the church and then we think, ‘Yes but they were already gathered when the Holy Spirit arrived so maybe the Resurrection is the beginning of the church’ and then we think, ‘Well of course the people Jesus met after the Resurrection were the people he’d already met quite a bit in his ministry so maybe that’s the beginning of the church’ and then you think, ‘Jesus assembles people around himself because of all the heritage that he has in his very being of the history of Israel,’ and before you know where you are you’re back to Creation - and that’s not a bad place to start of course because if we are talking about the church, two things are perhaps worth keeping in mind among many others.\nOne is the sort of thing you find in the letter to the Ephesians in the New Testament. The church is about what God wanted from before the beginning of the world. The church is not some kind of decorative religious luxury that was thought up by people who wanted something to do on Sunday mornings. The church, the assembly of God’s friends, of God’s invited, starts with God’s purpose before the world began. So that’s one thing.\nAnd the second thing is that if that’s right, then it’s always going to be a little bit difficult to identify exactly where the church as we know it, begins. And that’s fine. I think it’s fine as a matter of history and biblical theology and I think it’s not too bad either as a matter of how we approach mission.\nOne of the things that the whole fresh expressions story has, I think, helped many of us to see more clearly is that we need to push away the notion of church as simply something to which people sign up in one go and in one way. And we are discovering, sometimes discovering the hard way, just how complex, how varied, people’s journeys are towards the heart of church because those are journeys towards the heart of God’s purpose - if my starting point here is right. And journeying towards the heart of God’s purpose is really quite a long business; in fact it’s one you never come to the end of. Literally never.\nBut I think that helps us a little bit in looking at how the church does, as a matter of fact, take something of the shape we usually think about in the New Testament. And if we read the Gospels I’d want to say with some emphasis that the Church begins where Jesus is with others and exactly how it shapes up to be something more like what we usually mean is quite a story but it begins with that encounter.\nAnd as we read the Gospels what we see of course is an extraordinary spectrum of different kinds of encounter. There’s the encounter that leads people to jump in feet first, literally in the case of St Peter. There’s the encounter that makes people sit up, suddenly review their lives and, in great confusion, start out on a path about which they have no idea with a lot of stumbling, Matthew the tax collector perhaps. There’s the sort of encounter with people who are very frightened of change but desperately eager that it should happen for them and in them and who slip up to the edge of things, hoping to get a little bit of the flavour of change and like the woman in the crowd with the flow of blood just reach out, touch for a moment the garment of the Jesus who’s passing by only to find of course that Jesus, with his infallible instinct for embarrassing people, rounds on her and says, ‘You want something?’\nAnd then there are those people who are interested and who don’t know quite how much that interest might mean and are very nervous indeed of the implications they just about guess at and who come to Jesus by night and never come out fully and yet hear things that stick. Nicodemus. Well now, if you were to ask which of those people in the Gospels belongs to the church I think you would have a very usefully confusing discussion as a result. I’m not at all sure. We tend to think it must all be necessarily the feet first model but does Nicodemus become a ‘disciple’? Does he become a learner in the school of God’s new law? Well, yes and no, and he’s taking his time over it. And of course he only emerges in full technicolour, so to speak, as a follower of Jesus when Jesus is being buried which does make one think a little bit – and that corresponds I think to a certain kind of religious identity which is quite happy to be identified with the Jesus who is part of the past, with the heritage Christ as you might say. But that’s another story. Let’s for the moment give him the benefit of the doubt and say that he is still a listener, a hearer of some kind.\nSo all of these people are, in some ways, on a spectrum of belonging with Jesus, a spectrum of different kinds of encounter. What holds them together is, of course, boringly simply - Jesus - but more specifically it’s Jesus as, how shall we put it, Jesus as suggesting, opening up, change and newness. And I’m very glad that we’ve got this language of landscape around in our discussion today because I think that’s very close to what’s happening – the landscape gets to look different when Jesus is around. People see things in a new way, themselves and one another and God and God’s world. And I think there’s something really rather central, really rather basic about that image of seeing thing afresh.\nIt’s an image that really comes into its own, doesn’t it, in St John’s account of the Resurrection. Peter and the beloved disciple running to the empty tomb and, looking in, noticing and then ‘seeing’ – the words are very clearly differentiated in the Greek – you notice, you take in, and then suddenly the picture reorganises itself. You know those puzzle pictures you look at sometimes and you’re asked, ‘can you find a face in this?’ or ‘can you find a figure of some kind?’ and you look and you scrutinise all the details of it; you observe, and then you see. That’s something of what seems to be going on as the disciples come to the empty tomb. The whole landscape reorganises itself and they see.\nAnd so keeping up this backwards and forwards movement between the New Testament and where we are today, part of what we’re about in mission is trying to be the sort of peoples or sort of communities around whom and with whom or through whom people see things differently. And that’s not just abstract seeing, that’s not theory because when you see God and yourself differently, things really do happen, you become a different person when you see differently and - just thinking back to what we were hearing about from Bart earlier on - I think that what’s being described there, as in so many community enterprises like this, is giving people the opportunity to see what they’ve never seen - about themselves, about the possibilities of their community, about the possibilities that God open up - in a world where so many possibilities are getting closed down all the time and, for me, part of the heart of the gospel is always a matter of saying, ‘the world is much bigger than you think and there is much more to you than you ever suspected’.\nSo when we talk about fresh expressions I’d like to think that we’re talking about countless local enterprises of vision; enterprises of vision where people are being encouraged and nourished and enabled to see what they hadn’t seen before so that the picture shifts. You see the picture in the picture. You see beyond the details. You see a greater world. And it’s this for me that lies behind the importance in so much of our discussion - we’ve already heard it this morning - the importance of understanding pace or speed, the timescale on which people move.\nLooking once again at the gospels it seems pretty clear that Jesus expects some people to change pretty quickly and yet he sits in those long, patient meandering conversations – with the Samaritan woman at the well, and Nicodemus - as if to say, ‘Alright so you haven’t got it yet. Let’s keep at it and don’t be rushed’ and I think that is how Jesus relates now to people. And we can’t ever quite see ourselves which category people fall into and that’s where the patience that we heard about earlier really does come in I think, the patience to say, ‘Well I’ll do my best to introduce you to Jesus and the vision he gives. What happens to you then goodness knows, but we’ll be there as it happens. We’re not going away.’\nSo the pace, the style, the tempo if you like of learning discipleship is something whose variety we have to respect and that’s one of the things that is very, very difficult to explain to funding authorities of various kinds and to institutions who like to have fairly defined and tidy timescales on which to work. It’s really difficult but I think it’s one of the central challenges and tasks that all of us have in communicating with the wider Church, trying to get across something of this sense of patience and plurality so that the encounter with Jesus can happen in the way it’s meant to happen.\nSometimes we force the pace and people feel invaded, manipulated and they run. Sometimes, and it’s just as big a problem, we fail to ask the right question at the right moment when people are ready to be challenged - and learning all of that, learning those disciplines and those rhythms, is a lifetime’s job. And I’m often myself challenged, not to say judged, by realising the points at which there’s a question to ask and I haven’t been able to ask it or the point at which I’ve stepped in too quickly. How it works is so amazingly various and I do want to share one experience quite recently from a parish visit in the diocese of Canterbury where somebody came up and said after the service he wanted to tell me how he’d come to faith the year before. He said it was because his son, his schoolboy son, had a project on St Thomas Becket which required them to visit Canterbury cathedral and this man went along with his little boy to Canterbury cathedral which he’d never been in before. And he’d had nothing at all to do with church, he said, ‘I went into that building and five minutes later my life was unrecognisably different.’ Well, that makes all of us step back. We can’t leave the big buildings to do all of the work I know that but it is appropriately humbling isn’t it from time to time to realise that when all the effort and the imagination has been done, there is still the moment of sheer unexpected meeting which happens in a great space, inside or outside, where God just nods, nudges and everything changes – and the landscape changes.\nThere are two other points I want to make about that before I go on to say a little more about what Graham touched on in the introduction. Two points, one about leadership, something we’re all very preoccupied with I think in this connection and once again we heard very helpful things about it earlier this morning. In a model like the one I’ve been sketching, leadership is very much about helping people to see – perhaps even more about helping people see than organising people to march in a straight line and the gifts needed for both those kinds of leadership are not always in the same person – in fact rather rarely. But particularly in this connection I think that leadership in vision is crucial and, of course, helping people see does presuppose that you’re alongside them to start with. You can’t stand in front of someone and say, ‘what do you see?’ without getting in the way. But if you’re beside them saying,’ Can you see that? Look at that.’\nI love the beginning of Bunyan’s Pilgrim’s Progress where Christian is about to start off on his journey and meets the man at the wicket gate who says, ‘Can you see that light?’ And Christian says, ‘I think I do.’ And he sets him on his way.\nAnd that ‘can you see?’ ‘I think I do’ is often the beginning of a long conversation and a long journey of the kind I think everyone here has some experience of. So that’s just one point about leadership as helping vision and therefore being alongside, nudging, encouraging, discussing, suggesting, listening and learning; learning to see yourself because sometimes when you see – as it were through the eyes of someone else – you see something new as well. So you don’t stop learning in that process.\nSecond broad point, touching just a little bit on that very, very key question of how the sacramental life of the church comes to exist within lay led communities and basically lay communities. Just a reminder for what it’s worth and I draw no conclusions in this point that in the early Church both baptism and Holy Communion were spoken about in terms of illumination. To be baptised in the language of the early church was to be illuminated, it was to have your eyes opened. And some of the oldest prayers for use after Holy Communion in the Syrian churches and the Greek churches have some line like, ‘we have seen the true light’ or ‘our eyes have been opened to God’s glory’. And that just makes me think and as I say without drawing any tight conclusions that the Sacraments of the church – baptism and Holy Communion are very much about celebrating those flashpoint moments when we see more than we ever expected, where we get a glimpse of the full landscape.\nWhat do we see in Holy Communion? Well we see people eating a bit of bread and drinking a sip of wine. What else do we see? Bishop John Jewel of Salisbury in the 16th century, in one of his sermons – a great favourite of mine – says, ‘In Holy Communion you see the rocks split and the dead rising’. That’s seeing. Because he takes that passage from St Matthew’s gospel about what happens in the crucifixion and says, ‘Well if we’re here celebrating the Passion and Resurrection of the Lord, what we see is the effect of that and what’s that? It’s the rock splitting, it’s the veil of the temple torn apart, it’s the dead rising from their tombs, seeing more than you ever expected you could see.’ And that at least gives us a way into thinking a bit further about how we approach these Sacramental moments and Sacramental rhythms in the Church’s life and how we neither stick with absolute rigidities about them nor sell them short because Baptism and the Eucharist are big things and I don’t want any mission strategy to pretend they’re other than big things. And yet we know we’re in uncharted territory very often here and so I’ve no glib solutions – just a thought about how you lead people to the point where that bigger vision than is ever expected can be allowed to dawn on people’s eyes.\nAnd so now to some of those issues that I think Graham was hinting at in his introductory remarks and a few thoughts before I finish on what kind of church practically, concretely this might look like if this vision that I think we try to share becomes flesh.\nI have absolutely no doubt that the Church, the Church of England, the Methodist Church, the United Reformed Church, and probably – if the truth be told – the Roman Catholic Church in due order as well, will be looking far less homogeneous in a couple of decades; different kinds of congregations, with different rhythms of life. I believe very strongly that whether we’re talking about inherited models of church or fresh expressions, the real heart for the next generation is pretty well bound to be in those small groups of people working at their relationships, at their understanding, together, quietly, in the long term. The cell, in other words. Whether inherited or not so inherited we’re looking at that development of mutual formation, mutual shaping of life and possibilities that will take place within the sort of group where people really trust one another.\nAnd I’d want to say too, reflecting something we were saying in our table discussion earlier, that building personal, face to face, relationships is one of the things that will make the relationship between inherited patterns of church and new models viable. Without building trust in friendship across those frontiers not a lot will really stick. And I think if we’re talking about cultivating the cell and the small group we also need to cultivate, very deliberately, trustful friendships with those who are not in the same style or the same pace; informal mentoring relationships, exchanges of experience.\nAnd all of that I’m assuming is a pattern of life that goes on pretty regularly. And at the other end of the spectrum I think a great deal in our church culture and our wider culture has become. in recent years, a lot more sensitive to festival and celebration. A lot more willing to invest a great deal in the big event and I think we may be looking in the next generation to a church life which swings between those two extremes – the occasional big event where the Nicodemuses and the woman with the issue of blood and so forth are able to see something, to touch the hem, but which don’t instantly press them to commitments they are not ready to make and yet, given the chance, to face the reality of commitment. That at one end and at the other, the smaller scale.\nNow most of our church communities are somewhere in between as we all know and that’s OK but I suspect we just need a bit of clarity about what those two ends of the spectrum look like and a sense that the rhythm as between those two is one that is going to make quite a bit of sense to quite a lot of people. At one end the kind of group where people know and trust one other sufficiently to engage in mutual learning, mutual challenge as well. At the other end the context where people happily and cheerfully don’t know each other from Adam and Eve and that’s alright too because something bigger than anybody is holding them.\nAnd I think especially for the under25s,and perhaps the under20s, the big event is still very meaningful, very powerful and significant for them as a way of being in the vicinity of something that is happening without fully understanding it or knowing what you need to do to lay hold of it. And we need therefore to go on thinking quite hard, not only about the small. intentional. intimate, mutual group but how we stage and celebrate effectively, transformingly, those big events.\nI think that’s why, bizarre as it may sound to say it, the life of cathedrals is not at all irrelevant to what happens in fresh expressions and coming fresh, as it were, from two very different experiences of church last week – one in Westminster Abbey, an event which some of you may have heard about, and the other which fewer of you will have heard about and that’s the Easter Monday youth pilgrimage for the diocese of Canterbury.\nThere were two events, two uses of a big, historic building - both of them in their way remarkably creative, both of them clearly speaking past an awful lot of prejudices and assumptions and rigid ways - so how we use that bit of our inheritance I think is a really interesting question and it’s good to know that there are people in our big churches, I’m talking about the Church of England primarily but not exclusively, the people around in those settings who know how to be imaginative there and we need more of them. And more of that thinking.\nWell I won’t tempt fate by trying to sketch out in any more depth or detail what I think the church will be like in 20 or 50 years time. That is a sure recipe for disaster but that’s often what I think about, dream about and pray about as a future for our churches in this country. That balance of regular, demanding – let’s face it, demanding - small group life are part of it. Moving out from that in the immediate local community, the capacity to be alongside people, nudging them towards new vision and then the big event, the big statement which says, ‘This is the kind of thing that we’re talking about, this is the possibility we’re trying to make real in the world.’ And that I think is how I see the mixed economy working. I said earlier that the small group, the cell, may be part of the life of an inherited pattern, it may be part of a much more experimental or exploratory pattern. It doesn’t really matter. What matters is the sense of mutual commitment and mutual seriousness and it’s that mutual commitment and seriousness that enables creative engagement with the immediate community in the ways we’ve been thinking about.\nSo mixed economy – yes it’s one of those phrases I occasionally regret having coined. It keeps coming back ad nauseam but what I was trying to say when I first used that phrase some 12 or 13 years ago I think in South Wales, what I was trying to say with it was, not that we’re looking for a church which is a kind of Balkan map of little independent, autonomous, self-serving groups doing what they fancy, finding the style that suits them, which is always a danger there but much more a context in which there really is a flow of communication, good news and challenge between different styles of church life that may respond to different personalities and different stages on the journey and if you ask what holds it together – to go back to my opening points – the answer is Jesus and the answer is what Jesus helps you see. The landscape transformed.", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": ". . .\nVisiting places and talking with people in those places helps to broaden our understanding of how we are all connected as brothers and sisters in Christ and how we can stand in solidarity with one another. By witnessing firsthand some of the challenges that face these brothers and sisters of ours, we become more committed to bringing attention to their lives and their voices.\nFrom time to time, Incarnation offers immersion trips to places in our region, our country, or internationally. Though service may be a part of these trips, our goal is not to go and do for others, but rather to immerse ourselves in a reality different than our own and to spend time sharing our lives and our stories with one another. Ultimately, this can lead to a deeper connection to one another and a firmer conviction to work for a more just world that moves us closer to God’s vision for God’s people.\nBelow are three current immersion trip offerings. Watch the bulletin and listen to Parish Family Business to learn more about what’s happening in this area. Contact the Coordinator of Justice & Charity in the office () if you have questions or ideas.\nBorder Immersion Trip – El Paso, Texas\nIn the spring of 2013, a group of five Incarnation parishioners traveled to El Paso, Texas, to learn more about the realities of immigration and life on the border. We were hosted by the School Sisters of St. Francis and the Columban Fathers. By spending a week learning about the complexities of the US immigration system and the many factors that contribute to the desire and need to migrate, the group became much more knowledgable about this issue, as well as much more able to empathize with the challenges that immigrants–especially those from Latin America–face.\nIn visiting places like a farmworkers’ center, professors at the UTEP, Border Patrol, the store for a woman’s craft cooperative located in Juarez, youth detention centers, the Diocesan Migrant and Refugee Services, shelters for immigrants, and a chaplain from an adult detention center, as well as spending time in the colonia neighborhoods and talking directly with immigrants, the group came to better see that now is the time for humane, just, and comprehensive immigration reform that upholds the dignity and worth of all people, everywhere.\n. . .\nOur parish community tries to send a delegation to Pandiassou, Haiti, each year to strengthen our twinning partnership with the Little Brothers and Little Sisters of the Incarnation. Check out the Haiti page to the left to learn more about this relationship.\n(Haiti photo credits: Linda Hexter)\n. . .\nEco-Pilgrimage to Appalachia/Eastern Kentucky\nInterfaith prayer service at a mountaintop removal site", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "Nettles, Thomas J.\nThe real problem of the hour is not that we view our problems as insurmountable, nor that we fail to view our God as insuperable in the midst of all these problems, but primarily that we fail to count our God as inestimable, even above our need to solve all of these problems. It is the failure to perceive the supreme glory of Christ that moves the church to promote counterfeit offers that compete with His glory, and moves men to receive a counterfeit Christ, whose highest value consists not of His own excellency, but of His willingness to bestow upon us that which our earthly, carnal and temporal nature counts most excellent. This magnetic pull of the world upon our affections will only cease by a God-ward attraction. It is in the face of Jesus Christ that the brightness of the glory of God shines forth. He alone is the brightness of His glory. And unless we exalt Him to preeminence, we know nothing of that glory.\nThe extensive teaching ministry of R. L. Coursey has taken him throughout the continental US and into 19 countries. Besides speaking at various pastors, missions and leadership conferences, he has preached in churches from over 20 different denominations. His unique experience of serving on the faculty of several seminaries, including Methodist, Reformed and Pentecostal, has given him an invaluable insight into the length and breadth of the body of Christ that was necessary to write a book directed exclusively to the church. He now resides in Grand Rapids, Michigan, with his wife of 28 years, Claudia.", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "THE PAPACY: AN EXPOSE OF THE MASONIC INVASION\nBased on the Writings of Father Luigi Villa, Th.D\nand the Book Who is Father Luigi Villa?\nby Dr. Franco Adessa\nPublished by the Apostolate of Our Lady of Good Success\nAssembled and Integrated by Pauly Fongemie\nWho Is Father Luigi Villa?\nHe was born in Lecco, Italy, February 3, 1918 and ordained a priest on June 28, 1942.\nKnown for pursuing vocations and as a lecturer and preacher, particularly with youth, he became the target of the Fascist party leader, Farinacci who issued a death warrant against him. Thanks be to God an official in the Ministry of Justice warned a confrère of Father Villa, who was able to escape through a window just as the jeep with six heavily-armed men arrived. During the war he was able to rescue 57 Jews from the Nazis.\nIn Bari he had a friend, a chaplain, Fr. Berni who wanted to take him to San Giovanni Rotondo to meet with Padre Pio. But Fr. Villa was reluctant. Then he turned and saw a magnificently featured man who told him to go as Padre Pio was waiting for him. Then the \"man\" disappeared before his very eyes. So he went to the convent into the area of the Padre's room where he noticed a strong scent of flowers. A passing friar say, \"A good sign, good sign.\"\nWhen Padre Pio came he answered Fr. Luigi's list of questions which he had assembled while he was waiting for the revered friar. At the conclusion of their meeting Padre Pio urged Father Villa to dedicate his life defending the Church from the work of Freemasonry, especially Masons in the hierarchy, which he knew existed. Padre Pio further told him to go the Bishop of Cheti, Msgr. Bosio, who then went to the Vatican. Pope Pius XII gave his approval for the mandated mission and Fr. Villa was told to get a degree in theology and was placed under the direction of Cardinal Ottaviani, prefect of the Holy Office, among other Cardinals.\nThese Cardinals had to guide him and educate him. He was warned that under no circumstances ought he associate himself with Montini [the future Pope Paul VI]. Bishop Bosio told Father Villa that Montini was on the side opposite of humanity. The Bosio family was long acquainted with the Montini family and so knew well what he was talking about. The Bishop incardinated Fr. Villa into his diocese in 1957.\nIn the second half of 1963 Fr. Villa had his second meeting with Padre Pio who told him that \"I have been waiting for you for a long time.\" He thought that the priest was taking too long a time but he continued to press him on, saying \"Courage, courage, courage! for the Church is already invaded by Freemasonry.\" He then added, \"Freemasonry has already reached the Pope's slippers.\" [Paul VI!]\nDuring these years Father Villa worked secretly under Card. Ottaviani, documenting senior officials of the Catholic Church into Freemasonry. Thus he was well-known in Police Headquarters and other similar agencies. In September, 1978, during the 30 day Pontificate of Pope John Paul I, the \"List of Pecorelli\" appeared in the Political Observer, the magazine of lawyer Mino Pecorelli, which was no surprise to Fr. Villa, because the Vatican had already learned of some of them and they had been removed prior to the publication of the list.\nOne of the most notorious cases was that of Card. Joseph Suenens, who was driven from his Brussels headquarters. Not only was he a Mason he was married and living with a son. Another Cardinal Mason was Achille Lienart. Both were liberal periti of Vatican II. Lienart was instrumental in the election of Pope Paul VI. Others on the list were  Annibale Bugnini, architect of Pope Paul VI's New Mass, who triumphantly proclaimed that with the New Mass, \"The Catholic Church has been conquered.\" Spoken like a true Mason. Bugnini had originally been deposed, then put back in power, then, when the notoriety was too great for even the Masonically-inspired Paul VI, he was sent into \"exile.\" But the damage was done!\n Agostino Casaroli, a public supporter of the pantheist-heretic Theilhard de Chardin, served as Secretary of state under John Paul II.\n Jean Villot, who also served as Secretary of State.\n And many many others, a few the Catholic in the pew might recognize, mostly not, but the number of Cardinals with validated Masonic membership is staggering and proof that the aims of Masonry to conquer the Church for its own goals and its boast that it did not need an actual Masonic Pope, only one in league with their ideas and willing to have Masonic ties including in the episcopacy, was not an idle threat.\nAfter the death of Pope Pius XII a new phase, which was Father Villa's \"Way of the Cross\" began. The policy was now \"Ignore him and make him ignored.\" He would survive with the help of God seven assassination attempts.\nOne day Father sought and obtained an audience with Pius XII who received him warmly. But under Paul VI he was publicly ignored - the Pontiff would not even look at him, even when taking books from the priest.\nTo fight the intense battle that Padre Pio had entrusted to him, Father needed a public means that would be free of ecclesiastical pressure. Bishop Bosio suggested that he join the Order of Journalists and found his own magazine, which he did. That publication is Chiesa viva.\nIt has correspondents from the various continents. The first issue was released in September, 1971. In Vienna on December 14 of that year he encountered Card. Joseph Mindszenty who had been publicly humiliated and degraded by Paul VI since he did not support the Pontiff's pro-Communism dealings, and had left Rome. The Cardinal read the entire first issue of Chiesa viva and was so enthusiastic that he put his signature to the copy he had read. At the end of the meeting, a two and a half hour interview he told Father Villa: \"Believe me, Paul VI delivered entire Christian countries into the hands of Communism.\"\nThe war against Father Villa and his magazine was renewed. The Mason, Pro-Secretary of State, Msgr. Giovanni Benelli authored the strategy mentioned above, \"Ignore him and make him ignored.\"\nThis was not enough for the Masonic hierarchy, they wanted to silence his voice altogether and that of the magazine.\nBut Chiesa viva did not receive a frontal attack because its deputy Director was the renowned Professor Dietrich von Hildebrand, a converted Jew, whom Paul VI knew and feared. Pope Pius XII had called him informally the twentieth century \"Doctor of the Church.\" So Benelli wrote a letter to each theologian who worked for the magazine ordering them to cease their association. Father Luigi learned of this action of the Holy See and he knew that it would be a \"scorched earth policy\" from then on.\nHis enemies, with the help of the type of clergy who prefer a life without hassle, began the campaign of slander: the good priest was suddenly \"lazy, fascist, anti-Semite, and outside-the-Church.\" Sound familiar? He was also hailed as a \"heretic\", and \"extreme\" and \"a destroyer of Charity.\"\nThis was the warm up session. Phase 3 were the late night telephone calls of insults, more slander and profanity. These lasted a long time. Chiesa vive continued unperturbed. He would not be silenced. This was when the assassination attempts began. We will describe but three of them:\n Father Luigi Villa was returning from Rome to Brescia by car. Just before reaching the city of Arezzo, the road on the right borders a sheer drop of more than 100 meters. This was then that he realized another car had been following him and as the approach to the drop came, that car came along side and tired to edge him off the cliff. By Divine Providence, a police car approached and went past Father Villa and the other car. Father beeped his horn and as he did so the side-swiper sped off in haste. When Father related this episode to Card. Palazzino in the presence of a Professor, named Gedda, the Professor replied, \"So we are at war.\"\n Again Father was traveling by car to visit with his friend Father Berni in Vincenza. He left the highway for the road that led to Father Berni's residence, when suddenly his limbs - hands and legs - were paralyzed. Someone had given him a drug, but he did not where or whom. At a bend in the road, Father, whose eyes were wide open, saw the car pitch toward a deep canal. Everything past before as a dream, he was paralyzed and could do nothing to help himself, when just as the car reached the canal, it came to an abrupt stop on its own. It was a miracle! As soon as the car stopped, the paralysis dissipated. The car restarted, too and he was able to drive on his own without further hindrance. Whatever drug he had been given him had worn off.\n Some months later Father paid a visit to a priest, whom he thought was friendly, but after finishing lunch with a cup of coffee, he went home - during the trip he began to feel sick, so much so that he had to see his doctor immediately who said that he had been poisoned. Father was in danger of death but the doctor pulled him through. Just before this incident the issue of \"Chiesa\", No. 231, Luglio-Agosto  N. 7, was published with the list of Mason Cardinals and other Vatical officials. Below is the picture on the cover, that of St. Michael the Archangel.\nThis issue had a presentation by magistrate Carlo Agnoli who says:\n\" ... Father Esposito informs us that among the protagonists of the bilateral dialogues between representatives of the Church and Masonry, which took place between 1966 and 1977, there was the Salesian Don Miano, Secretary of \"the Secretariat for non-believers\"... It was Paul VI who encouraged these meetings.\"\nDuring the Pontificate of John Paul II. \"Chiesa\" denounced the membership of Card. Casaroli in Freemasonry; when a prelate showed this information to the Pope, he said, \"I know, I know, but I do not know who to put in his place.\"\nCasaroli was the head of not one, but four Masonic Lodges in the Vatican.\nBecause the Masonic cardinals were so strong they influenced the elections of the Popes. After the death of Paul VI, a Card. Siri had the most votes in the first round, but the Masonic group was able to sop his election, but there was no agreement among them, so Card. Luciani [pictured left] was the compromise. After his sudden death in just a month Fr. Villa asked one Card. Palazzini, who could be trusted, to have an autopsy conducted. All three examinations concluded \"Assassination!\"\nAfter the Pope's untimely death, Siri and Benelli [for the Masonic wing] clashed once more. But this time there was no compromise candidate because the Masons had already predetermined the final outcome - Wojtyla, and with his election Card. Casaroli, would later become the most powerful Mason in the Vatican as Secretary of State under John Paul II.\n\"Chiesa\" still maintained a vigilant, stalwart staff because there were officials of high position in the Vatican who were outspoken about the goings-on of a sinister and or dubious nature and supported Father Villa's Review.\nOne of these was Msgr. Sarale who wrote for both \"Chiesa\" and Osservatorio Romano.\nMsgr. Sarale worked in the Secretariat of State between 1978 and 1995, the year of his strange death.\nIn the last years of his life, he denounced the growing crisis in the Church in Osservatorio.\nHe was in touch with Father Villa through letters on sensitive issues and current topics that were of great interest. He was also courageous because he took 50 copies of \"Chiesa\" every month and which he distributed within the Secretary of State dicastery; he went so far as to defend Fr. Villa in front of senior prelates and the Pontiff.\nOne day Msgr. Sarale developed an ailment in his knee and the doctor he saw for it gave him injections. He got worse not better and he saw his own doctor who determined that the injections were causing cancer - no reputable doctor would do such a thing. He died following an operation for the cancer. That doctor who gave him the injections may have been the doctor for John Paul II. All anyone knows is that John Paul II's doctor was found to be incompetent and was dismissed.\nThis concludes Part 1, of Section 1 Who Is Father Villa? For Part 2, click the forward button below or use the following links for the rest of the expose:\nWHO IS FATHER VILLA? Continued\nTHE BEATIFICATION MANEUVERS FOR PAUL VI AND JOHN PAUL II\nTHE INFILTRATION OF FREEMASONRY FURTHER INTO THE CHURCH\nTHE BEATIFICATION OF JOHN PAUL II\nTHE ILLUSIVE ANTI-COMMUNISM OF KAROL WOJTYLA, THE FUTURE JOHN PAUL II\nTHE THEOLOGY OF JOHN PAUL II\nTHE \"MARIAN DOCTRINE\" OF JOHN PAUL II\nAll graphic accessories on this page copyrighted by Catholic Tradition.", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "On The Godcast with Josh Fritz Episode 60, Josh in light of the death of Kobe Bryant, a celebrity death that has shook the sports world, and the world at large, expresses the greatest need for the salvation from sin through Jesus Christ.\nThe Godcast with Josh Fritz\nJoshua Fritz, a sinner saved by the grace of God at age 11, lives on Long Island and shares in the leading of worship music at his local church in Yaphank, NY. He has also ministered within his local church’s youth and rest home outreaches for many years.\nYou can reach me at the Godcast hotline and email me below:", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "Our pastor: email@example.com\nOur church email: firstname.lastname@example.org\nThe church office hours are Tuesday – Friday, 1:00 – 5:00. Call 712-335-3663.\nSpecific information about our church can be found on our Hope UMC Brochure\nYou can also follow Hope UMC on Facebook!\nOne Comment Post a comment\nThank you so much for thinking of the PAC educators as we started back to school. We loved the apples and prayer cards. Thanks again for lifting us up.", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "Charities and churches have had an unprecedented year as the pandemic has caused great pressures and offered new opportunities. But for PCC members and charity trustees already facing significant demands from ever-changing legislation and public expectations, knowing how to respond is not easy. So just what are a charity trustee or PCC member’s responsibilities? Is there a biblical way of thinking about their roles? How does a board balance risk and faith? Why are regulations increasing and how can trustees navigate the changes?\nThis readable, non-technical book helps trustees of charities and PCC members to understand their role and responsibilities. It has four sections: ‘godly tracks’, which includes chapters on vision, what does God want you to do, and risk versus faith; ‘personal tracks’, considering who should be a trustee, the role of the chair and relationships; ‘organisational tracks’, with the nitty-gritty such as how to run successful meetings and manage money; and ‘future tracks’, with succession planning, possible future trends and a just-before-printing reflection on the impact of COVID-19. Each chapter ends with questions for trustees to consider, and there are three appendices with various resources as well as a comprehensive index.\nUsing quotes from careful research, author Heather Wraight brings the issues alive as she reflects on them through the lives of Nehemiah and Daniel. The topic of each chapter is considered in the light of relevant biblical thinking taken especially from the lives of these two Old Testament characters, both administrators who had huge responsibilities, which they carried out faithfully in spite of serving a foreign king.\nThe book was written for trustees of charities – who always know they are trustees – and those, like PCC members and Deacons, who hold the same legal responsibility in a local church but often don’t realise what being a trustee involves. It is also relevant to those in similar situations, such as school or college governors. The author carefully researched what would be the most helpful content, and quotes extensively from the people she interviewed, allowing them to tell their own stories of trusteeship.\n‘I wrote the book because while there are other resources for trustees, none have biblical reflections on the role in quite this way.’\nAbout the author: Heather Wraight made Christian radio programmes for more than 20 years. After getting an MTh in Theology and Ethics of Communication she undertook many qualitative research projects and helped churches and agencies apply the findings. She has served in various roles on a range of church and charity trustee boards. She enjoys photography, gardening, cryptic crosswords, Pilates and spiritually ‘parenting’ young people.", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "Walters marries Vitale\nSteve and Starrla Walters have announced the wedding of their daughter, Jill, to Todd Vitale of Sturgis, S.D., son of Hilton and Cindy Biero of Sturgis.\nThe bride is formerly of Mountain Home. She graduated from Mountain Home High School in 2003.\nThe couple were married Sept. 26, 2009, at Trinity United Methodist Church in Lead, S.D., with the bride's uncle, Pastor Gary Walters, officiating.", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "Grandma Cynthia joined us for church Christmas Eve morning...both girls particpated in the service as shepherds...\nAfter church we all came home and tried to wait it out a while before diving into the presents, but the girls were so anxious, I think more so to give their presents than to receive, but either way we began the present opening around noon! Thomas and I were so touched with the gifts the girls made for us. They put so much time and thought into each one and those gifts were by far my favorites!\nThe girls were thrilled with all the gifts they received as well.", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "Imudia Mark Uduehi, and his wife, Oluwakemi Funmilayo Uduehi are the new parents of quintuplets who were welcomed at the National Hospital, Abuja, on April 12, 2017, have shared their birth story and testimony.\nIn an exclusive interview with Sunday Tribune, the unemployed graduate from Edo State and his civil servant wife opened up about how they met, their shock and initial apprehension on finding out they were expecting five children, all girls, at once and the outpouring of goodwill from well-meaning Nigerians.\nThe babies were named last week Wednesday.\nRead excerpts below…\nThe journey into miracle\nHaving become friends during their undergraduate days at the University of Ilorin, Kwara State, going on to become graduates of the same department (Computer Science), both in 2009, while still remaining friends, Mr Uduehi, who noted that both remained friends even after graduation and youth service, decided to “change the pattern” and they eventually got married on December 5, 2015. However, in spite of having twins on both sides of their extended families, nothing could have prepared the couple for the scan test that first revealed that Oluwakemi was carrying quintuplets.\n‘We thought the first scanning machine was faulty’\nUduehi stated that though “We haven’t had any children before now. We didn’t plan for five children. However, when my wife was pregnant and she went for a scan, we were told that she was pregnant with five children. I was a little apprehensive because of the number. We weren’t convinced about what the scan revealed and we even assumed the machine could have been faulty. So, we went to another facility to verify and we were told the same thing. So, we knew then that God was up to something in our family. There are twins on my father’s side, while on my wife’s mother and father’s side there are twins. My father-in-law is a twin.\nWhile Mr Uduehi works with a Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), which has no ongoing project at the moment, but focuses on maternal and child care, and has also done consultancy work with the Gates Foundation and had worked on projects dedicated to providing support for women and children, his wife works with the National Population Commission.\nPeople have been coming to show support. Our pastor, Pastor Adewunmi Adeolu, of the Living Faith Church including the church has shown support. Pastor Adeolu has really been supportive and we are grateful to him. We are also grateful to the doctors for their professional assistance with the delivery. We have also been reached out to by members of the House of Representatives, specifically, Honourable Sargius Ogun, including others. Representatives of the Social Development Welfare Board were also here to show support for us and the babies,” he stated.\nPregnancy without complications\nUduehi stated that he and his wife didn’t have any premonition that she would conceive five babies at once.\n“I actually wanted to start with one, while my wife wanted twins first. However, as God would have it, we have five at once. When it happened, we had words of spiritual encouragement from our pastors.\nThere was also one from Pastor E.A. Adeboye, where he declared that with the children, there would be no miscarriage or complications and that declaration really encouraged my wife. The truth is that everything about this pregnancy is a miracle because she carried the pregnancy for 34 weeks and three days and from day one, she didn’t have any complications. The only issue she had at 33 weeks was itching in the stomach. Apart from that, there was no issue at all till she had the babies. In fact, during her pregnancy, she was even helping women who also had babies. All I can say is that it has been God.”\nOn whether they would like to have more children\nThe question on whether we will have more children is very interesting. Having children, and of the same sex, is very rare. So, our having them at this time, we cannot but give God the glory. Being someone who has always advocated gender parity, one thing I know is that every child is important. I welcome them and I am very happy to have them. They are my children. Having witnessed what my wife went through during and after delivery – she was in the Intensive Care Unit for three days and she could not even talk during that time – she needs a break.\nI would say we would stop. It’s not easy to care for children. Besides, if one attempt is bringing five, who knows what the next attempt would be? [laughs]. For now, we have no plans for more children. We have five children, and the focus now is how to care for them. When we consider the situation in the country, we would instead focus on giving their lives meaning. Having children is not just about having them. It’s about adding value to their lives. Our focus now would be all about ensuring we do what it takes to give them the best,” Uduehi said.\nWhen asked if he could identify them, he said it was easier with the tags on them, noting that the children had been given fifteen names in all.\nResponding to the question on if there were medical interventions or challenges before the conception, the ecstatic father stated that “Before now, we didn’t have challenges having children. For me, everything about the pregnancy is divine.”\nOn whether they have any regrets\nIs there any regrets having five children at a go? Uduehi who is not employed stated that “There are no regrets. The children have come to stay and we have the duty to ensure they are fine. I’m glad God brought them to the Uduehis. I have no regrets whatsoever. For myself, I would love to have something sustainable for the children.\nI can work anywhere and if an offer comes up in which I’m confident I can function, I would gladly accept. I would be delighted to have a good job that will help me to care for the children. We are working on opening a dedicated account for the children which will be strictly for their welfare which can be tracked by donors.\nAsked if he intended to reach out to anyone in particular for assistance, Mr Uduehi said: “I believe the news is all over the place and I believe our leaders must have heard about it. For those who God has really laid it in their hearts to be a blessing to the children, the door is open to them. We know that in the future, they will win medals for Nigeria. Corporate organisations, NGOs (local or international), government, and our leaders, we know God has put them there to be a blessing to us and we know they love children.”\nLuckily for him, the Head of Service of the Federation, Winifred Oyo-Ita, promised to give a house to the couple. Oyo-Ita made the promise while visiting the children on Saturday in Abuja.\nShe said that the house will be given under the Federal Integrated Staff Housing (FISH) Scheme.\nShe also promised father of the babies a job with the Federal Civil Service. She described the children as great blessings given to the couple by God on a platter of gold. She said the job offer to Uduehi will enable him cater for the children.\nIn addition, she presented cash gifts and diapers to them, thanking the doctors for their efforts in ensuring the babies and mothers are alive.\nPhoto credit: Tribune", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "The Great Turnaround\nNovember 4, 2017 Holy Spirit\n(When the moon hits your eye like a big pizza pie that’s Amore ! Old song Went through my mind)\n“Strengthen your FAITH! FAITH COMES BY HEARING & IT IS ALSO A GIFT. EAT THE SCROLL! There is coming A Great Equalizer! I am not a man that I should lie, Nor a son of man that I should change my mind. My mind is made up. My armies are ready and waiting for orders. Multitudes in the valley of decision. Multitudes will be apprehended for the kingdom of God. No other name in heaven or on earth will resound like the name of My Son! My Holy Spirit is the Great Equalizer.\nHe is coming like a whirlwind out of the south! (South represents the place of refreshment per Kevin Conners.) As HE is poured out nothing will be the same! Everyone will have the chance to repent and be saved and changed in the moment. Not everyone will make the choice for Me, but everyone will know Who I Am. There will be no excuse anymore.\nGreat is the army that I have prepared and that I will empower to do great exploits! Sons and daughters will come to glory! Chains will be broken and demons annihilated from your lives! This is a great reprieve! Because I know what the enemy has done through generations, to keep you bound and gagged or infirm, and suffering.\nI know all the assaults on your mind and your heart. I know your history better than you do. The generational and ancient spirits that have bound and gagged my own will be routed. The deliverers are being raised up NOW! Ho! It will not take striving! For I will fill you with my Glory as you have desired for many years! Knees will bow. Hearts will be convicted and changed. Those who refuse My love & PREFER to bow to the lesser gods, will in the end receive their reward. None of you who prefer ME will say “I don’t know what God wants.” For you will hear my voice behind you, saying go this way or don’t go that way. The little child will be as mighty as the elder!\nALL Of you who have longed for freedom because you know you’ve been bound will receive what your heart have longed for! LIBERTY IS COMING! JUSTICE IS COMING! FREEDOM IS AT THE DOOR! REJOICE FOR YOUR REDEMPTION DRAWS NIGH! SHOUT FOR JOY, FOR THE HOLY ONE IS IN YOUR MIDST! GLORIOUS DAYS ARE AHEAD NO MATTER WHAT IS GOING ON IN THE WORLD FOR YOU WILL BE MY HOLY HABITATION!”\nSouth Symbolism from another source\n4. The South: The south is primarily a negative symbol. But the fact that it is represented by the right hand makes it also a positive one. It is negative because to the south of Israel was the wilderness, a region where life does not prosper (Isa. 30:6). To the south was Egypt, which opposed God’s power and oppressed His people. But the south was also the place where the Lord appeared to Moses, went with Him to Egypt, liberated His people, and appeared to them on Mount Sinai (e.g., Deut. 33:2).\nThe ambivalent nature of the symbols of the four cardinal directions seems based on the fact that evil was perceived to be present everywhere and that God’s saving presence was always accessible to His people from any corner of the world (Ps. 139:7-12). In a sense they pointed beyond the points of the compass to the cosmic conflict between good and evil.", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "About Our Parish\nSaint Barbara was founded in 1926 by struggling immigrants, this magnificent structure once a synagogue, has provided and continues to provide the greatest comfort of our beloved Martyr Saint Barbara.\nAs the patron Saint of firefighters and the artillery, Saint Barbara was a haven to those who fought during World War II. The Church at that time was a thriving community with newly arriving families from Greece finding religious solace at her door.\nThe Greek immigrants making their way in a new society, began moving out of lower Manhattan, thereby creating a better life for their families. Their love and beliefs are memorialized in Saint Barbara's church.\nSaint Barbara's church continues to be a haven for all those in need of spiritual uplifting and comfort. The community is now very small, its members coming mostly from outside the immediate area to pray and worship.\nSaint Barbara, a humble parish, is maintained by second, third and fourth generation children of the original immigrants. Alone, these community members cannot sustain the Church. It is through the generosity of all Orthodox Christians nationwide that her doors remain open.\nNektarius the Wonderworker, Metropolitan of Pentapolis\nSaints and Feasts Commemorated\nVisit the Online Chapel for more daily readings, hymns, a monthly calendar of saints and feasts, and more.", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "I remember growing up and believing myself to be the face of future Christianity. I thought I was going to be a Seventh-Day Adventist pastor. I wore my GOD DOESN’T BELIEVE IN ATHEISTS t-shirt, listened to Petra, Michael W. Smith, and DC Talk sing songs like “I Am On The Rock,” “Place In This World,” and “Jesus Is Still Alright With Me.”\nI got out of the pool during swim practice and left my teammates like a good Adventist at Sundown each Friday. I didn’t drink or party with my friends. I had a HE LOVES ME bumper sticker on the back of my 1980 Toyota Corolla right next to an anti-abortion bumper sticker. I read Christian books, attended Christian youth conferences, and even spoke sermon-style to a group of church members at a vespers meeting.\nBut, there were some issues that weighed heavily on me at that time. They were issues that would continue to weigh on me for years to come: What was I supposed to think about my dear grandparents who loved me, provided breakfast for me each morning before college classes, co-signed a loan for me to buy a car, but, didn’t attend church? What was I to think about the Contemporary Christian Music artists that I so avidly adored and that I perceived to be so sincere, but, in reality were no better than I? Or, wait a minute, maybe they were better. Maybe they were closer to God. No. That can’t be right. They weren’t Seventh-Day Adventists! What about babies born in China or third-world aboriginal cultures where they will never hear about Jesus? Are they going to hell just because they didn’t have the technology to get the Billy Graham broadcast that included an altar call? What about those friends of mine who, though they taught me to get drunk, smoke cigarettes, and do other things I shouldn’t do, also taught me what it meant to have somebody I could rely on?\nThe truth is that God’s grace surfaces in so many different forms throughout our lives. Nobody in this world is as they should be. We are all lost: The condescending Christian that responds to your apology with an I-told-you-so-type attitude. The Pope, Ellen G. White, Ghandi, John Lennon, Trent Reznor, George W. Bush, Bill Clinton, Billy Graham, Michael Jordan, Paris Hilton, Bono, Tony Blair, my in-laws, and myself.\nIf any of us had to lay our hope in our own pathetic efforts to be good, attend church services, pay tithe, perform rituals, or argue our way into heaven, we would all face eternal seperation from God. I don’t know if there is an eternal Hell or if all the damned just cease to exist. What I do know is that our only hope is in God’s grace. His grace and his Love far supercede any church doctrine, any liturgy, any papal mandate, and any governmental law. The Creator knows the hearts of those who have never heard the gospel and He knows the hearts of those who have heard, but, persistently deny the gospel. His justice will be served.\nIts strange indeed that anybody on earth would have the audacity to try to outwit God. Instead, I admit my flawed self. I concede that my own direction will only lead to pain for myself and those around me. My hope rests in my faith. My faith built on His grace. God offers his fatherly, unconditional, loving, eternal acceptance to me. I accept it. I pray that you do, too.", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "17 As he was setting out on a journey, a man ran up and knelt before him, and asked him, \"Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?\" 18 Jesus said to him, \"Why do you call me good? No one is good but God alone. 19 You know the commandments: 'You shall not murder; You shall not commit adultery; You shall not steal; You shall not bear false witness; You shall not defraud; Honor your father and mother.'\" 20 He said to him, \"Teacher, I have kept all these since my youth.\" 21 Jesus, looking at him, loved him and said, \"You lack one thing; go, sell what you own, and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me.\" 22 When he heard this, he was shocked and went away grieving, for he had many possessions.\n23 Then Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, \"How hard it will be for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God!\" 24 And the disciples were perplexed at these words. But Jesus said to them again, \"Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God! 25 It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.\" 26 They were greatly astounded and said to one another, \"Then who can be saved?\" 27 Jesus looked at them and said, \"For mortals it is impossible, but not for God; for God all things are possible.\"\n28 Peter began to say to him, \"Look, we have left everything and followed you.\" 29 Jesus said, \"Truly I tell you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields, for my sake and for the sake of the good news, 30 who will not receive a hundredfold now in this age - houses, brothers and sisters, mothers and children, and fields with persecutions - and in the age to come eternal life. 31 But many who are first will be last, and the last will be first.\"\n“He went away sorrowful; for he had great possessions.”\nWe typically read this story with the assumption that the rich man is sorrowful because he won’t sell his possessions, but sometimes I wonder.\nThe story doesn’t necessarily say that. Could it be that the man grieves precisely because he intends to obey? Perhaps he knows exactly who Jesus is, and he intends to follow the command. He’s been told to give away his “stuff,” and it’s not easy. Giving is tough. Obedience is tough. He grieves the loss of his favorite things. He grieves the loss of the little luxuries that he knows he doesn’t need, but enjoys nonetheless. Perhaps he grieves at the loss of the old, because he’s not yet ready to rejoice at the birth of the new.\nMessage provided by the Miller Summer Youth Institute.", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "Words of Wisdom\nNow Korah, the son of Izhar, the son of Kohath, the son of Levi, and Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab, and On, the son of Peleth, sons of Reuben, took men:\nAnd they rose up before Moses, with certain of the children of Israel, two hundred and fifty princes of the assembly, famous in the congregation, men of renown:\nAnd they gathered themselves together against Moses and against Aaron, and said unto them, Ye take too much upon you, seeing all the congregation are holy, every one of them, and the LORD is among them: wherefore then lift ye up yourselves above the congregation of the LORD?\nAnd when Moses heard it, he fell upon his face:\nAnd he spake unto Korah and unto all his company, saying, Even to morrow the LORD will show who are his, and who is holy; and will cause him to come near unto him: even him whom he hath chosen will he cause to come near unto him. Numbers 16:1-5\nAnd Moses sent to call Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab: which said, We will not come up:\nIs it a small thing that thou hast brought us up out of a land that floweth with milk and honey, to kill us in the wilderness, except thou make thyself altogether a prince over us?\nMoreover thou hast not brought us into a land that floweth with milk and honey, or given us inheritance of fields and vineyards: wilt thou put out the eyes of these men? we will not come up. Numbers 16:12-14\nSpeak unto the congregation, saying, Get you up from about the tabernacle of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram.\nAnd Moses rose up and went unto Dathan and Abiram; and the elders of Israel followed him.\nAnd he spake unto the congregation, saying, Depart, I pray you, from the tents of these wicked men, and touch nothing of theirs, lest ye be consumed in all their sins.\nSo they gat up from the tabernacle of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram, on every side: and Dathan and Abiram came out, and stood in the door of their tents, and their wives, and their sons, and their little children. Numbers 16:24-27\nAnd the sons of Eliab; Nemuel, and Dathan, and Abiram. This is that Dathan and Abiram, which were famous in the congregation, who strove against Moses and against Aaron in the company of Korah, when they strove against the LORD:\nAnd the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed them up together with Korah, when that company died, what time the fire devoured two hundred and fifty men: and they became a sign. Numbers 26:9, 10\nAnd what he did unto Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab, the son of Reuben: how the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed them up, and their households, and their tents, and all the substance that was in their possession, in the midst of all Israel:\nBut your eyes have seen all the great acts of the LORD which he did. Deuteronomy 11:6, 7\nThe earth opened and swallowed up Dathan and covered the company of Abiram. Psalm 106:17", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "Jesus claimed his interpretations would bring out the true intention of the Torah’s commandments without rendering a single verse, word, letter, or even pen stroke superfluous.\nPossessed Man in Girgashite Territory\nHoliness and purity play a hidden role in the story commonly known as the Gerasene Demoniac.\nWhat Is the Leaven of the Pharisees?\nThe Gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke give three different answers. Which, if any, is original?\nFaith Like a Mustard Seed\nTrust in God and faithfulness to his Kingdom will surmount seemingly impossible obstacles.\nQuieting a Storm\nIs the quieting of the storm proof of Jesus’ divinity?\nFig Tree Parable\nThe Fig Tree parable offers assurance that despite the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple, Israel will eventually be redeemed.\nSon of Man’s Coming\nSon of Man’s Coming describes the cessation of the times of the Gentiles and the ultimate vindication of Israel in terms of the apocalyptic image of “one like a son of man.”\nIn Yerushalayim Besieged Jesus describes and laments the consequences that will befall Israel as a result of its rejection of the Kingdom of Heaven and its ways of peace.\nA Synoptic Approach to ‘Lord of the Sabbath’\nListen to Lindsey discuss his approach to the ‘Lord of the Sabbath’ pericope.\nPremonitions that the Temple’s destruction is at hand.\nTemple’s Destruction Foretold\nOverhearing an innocent expression of appreciation for the beauty of the stones from which the Temple was constructed, Jesus uttered the prediction that the time was shortly to come when not one of those stones would remain in its place.\nThe Historical Jesus, a Tanna? Charity and Deeds of Loving-Kindness in the Gospels and Early Rabbinic Thought\nWhen nearly precise rabbinic parallels to stories and sayings in the Gospels exist, it may indicate that the Gospels are preserving traditions of the early Jesus movement and, perhaps, the historical Jesus.\nPreserving and Destroying\nJesus’ Preserving and Destroying saying may play off two different senses of the noun נֶפֶשׁ (nefesh, “soul”).\nLesson of Lot’s Wife\nLot’s wife serves as a warning that overattachment to possessions can come at the cost of one’s life.\nWhat was “the sign of Jonah”? This LOY segment offers a new and surprising answer.\nThe LOY reconstruction and commentary on the story of Jesus’ temptation.\nThe words of the heavenly voice that spoke at Jesus’ immersion foreshadowed the trajectory of Jesus’ career.\nYohanan the Immerser’s Execution\nThe story of John the Baptist’s martyrdom was rich with allusions to stories from the Hebrew Scriptures.\n- Page 1 of 2", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "The Startling Puritan\nIn 1829 an English publisher issued a compendium of George Whitefield’s sermons and letters titled The Revived Puritan—a very apt description, in fact, of what Whitefield was.\nWhitefield was an intelligent, clear-headed, articulate communicator, but he was not original or innovative in his theology. Like all evangelical clergy in eighteenth-century England, he insisted that he taught the doctrines of the Church of England (defined in the Thirty-Nine Articles, the two Books of Homilies, and the Book of Common Prayer). The five-point Calvinism of his preaching came to him through the Puritans. His biblical interpretation followed Puritan Matthew Henry, whose Exposition of the Old and New Testaments was Whitefield’s lifelong companion. At every point the substance of his message was conventionally Protestant and Puritan—no less, no more.\nYet the things Whitefield took from this tradition came out in his own way, cast into a direct message calling for present response. His message consisted of five principal themes.\nPeople live thoughtlessly, drifting from one day to another, never thinking of eternity. But God the Creator—mankind’s lawgiver and holy judge, the sovereign Lord who made us for himself and has us in his hands every moment—has revealed in Scripture that a day of judgment is coming when he will either welcome us into heaven’s eternal joy or banish us forever to hell.\nThus, Whitefield delivered urgent imperatives with agonized compassion for fellow mortals in dreadful danger: “Before ever … you can speak peace to your hearts, you must be brought to see, brought to believe, what a dreadful thing it is to depart from the living God.”\nG. K. Chesterton described original sin as the one Christian doctrine that admits of demonstrative proof, and that was how Whitefield presented it. From Genesis 3 and Romans 5 he analyzed it in the standard Reformed way: the sin of Adam was imputed to his posterity, and we all now share the penalties for his sin—physical decay, mortality, and a morally twisted disposition.\nWhitefield testified, “Our first parents contracted [original sin] when they fell from God by eating the forbidden fruit, and the bitter and malignant contagion of it hath descended to, and quite overspread, their whole posterity.… All the open sin and wickedness, which like a deluge has overflowed the world, are only so many streams running from this dreadful contagious fountain.”\nBefore salvation can be known, “You must be made to see, made to feel, made to weep over, made to bewail your actual transgressions against the law of God.”\n“Would you have peace with God?” Whitefield asked. “Away, then, to God through Jesus Christ, who has purchased peace; the Lord Jesus has shed his heart’s blood for this. He died for this; he rose again for this; he ascended into the highest heaven, and is now interceding at the right hand of God.”\nWhitefield’s preaching, like his personal faith, centered upon the person of “dear Jesus,” the once-crucified, now glorified God-man, the gift of the Father’s love and the embodiment of divine mercy. Through plain biblical exposition, Whitefield set forth the Incarnation, Jesus’ friendship with sinners, his pity for the needy, his atoning death, bodily resurrection and ascension, his present heavenly reign and future judgment.\nIt has been said that nineteenth-century evangelist Charles Finney rode down sinners with a cavalry charge. Whitefield’s way, however, was to sweep them off their feet with an overflow of compassionate affection; as Christ’s ambassador he modeled his master’s goodwill toward the lost.\nBy Whitefield’s time, Anglican minds had taken up with a moralistic, indeed legalistic, recasting of justification by faith. Faith had ceased to be self-despairing trust in the person, work, promises, and love of Jesus Christ. It had become, in the words of influential Bishop Bull, “virtually the whole of evangelical obedience”—a moral life of good works lived in hope of acceptance at the last day.\nThrough the cross, in Jeremy Taylor’s grotesque phrase, “Christ has brought down the market”—that is, made it possible to secure final salvation through a devotion that is not flawless. The effect of Christ’s death was thus to rehabilitate self-righteousness. Works were the way to heaven, after all.\nThis was in essence the theology of young John Wesley and the Holy Club in Oxford, which Whitefield had at one time imbibed. It produced a religion of aspiration, perspiration and, in sensitive souls, periodic desperation. Whitefield came to see it as blasphemous and destructive nonsense, the religion of the natural man masquerading as Christianity: “This is … the most common evil that was ever under the sun,” an evil that “cannot sufficiently be inveighed against.”\nWhitefield focused not on human works but on the life and death of Jesus Christ: “Behold, what man could not do, Jesus Christ, the Son of his Father’s love, undertakes to do for him.” Thus, “The Lord Jesus Christ is our righteousness.… This, this, is gospel, this is the only way of finding acceptance with God.”\nGrasp God’s Grace\nThe conversion process involved a change of moral nature called regeneration, or new birth. Psychologically, the praying and decision making that repentance and faith involve are human acts (done with the Holy Spirit’s help); theologically, one’s conversion should be understood as a work of the Holy Spirit from first to last.\nWhitefield described God’s irresistible grace, which dissolves our resistance: “Never rest till you can say, ‘the Lord our righteousness.’ Who knows but the Lord may have mercy on, nay, abundantly pardon you? Beg of God to give you faith; and if the Lord give you that, you will by it receive Christ, with his righteousness, and his all.”\nWhitefield admonished the converted to realize they were objects of God’s special, eternal love to his elect, and this love guaranteed their protection and preservation till they came to glory. “None, none can tell, but those happy souls who have experienced it,” he said, “with what demonstration of the Spirit this conviction comes—Oh, how amiable, as well as all sufficient, does the blessed Jesus now appear! With what new eyes does the soul now see the Lord its righteousness! Brethren, it is unutterable.”\nTo know this, Whitefield insisted, will prompt wholehearted holiness: “Those who live godly in Christ, may not so much be said to live, as Christ to live in them.… They are led by the Spirit as a child is led by the hand of its father.… They hear, know, and obey his voice.… Being born again in God they habitually live to, and daily walk with God.”\nIt was this mature Puritan orthodoxy that God blessed in Whitefield’s evangelistic and pastoral ministry.\n“Other ministers could, perhaps, preach the Gospel as clearly, and in general say the same things,” wrote John Newton, “but … no man living could say them in his way.” That is fair: Whitefield was free of doctrinal novelties, while unmatched in application to the conscience.\nAll that George Whitefield ever preached, or desired to preach, was personal salvation and godliness, and for that Puritan orthodoxy served him superbly well.\nDr. J.I. Packer is a professor of theology at Regent College, Vancouver, British Columbia, and author of more than a dozen books, including A Quest for Godliness: The Puritan Vision of the Christian Life (Crossway, 1990).\nCopyright © 1993 by the author or Christianity Today/Christian History magazine.\nClick here for reprint information on Christian History.", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "Don’t let them cry is a call to respond back to the community by giving a helping hand to the less privileged and indigent students, widow/ widowers, abandoned children, homeless, the sick in hospitals/healing homes. fatherless and motherless children.These we do through the program called\nDon’t let them cry.\nWe have been in mission for over 15 years touching lives in different nations.Your little support will cloth or put a meal on someone’s table..Help us to assist the dying brothers and sisters and the good lord will bless you and your entire family in Jesus name Amen. To partner with us or Be a blessing Click Here", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "Ephesians 5:29-31 Amplified Bible, Classic Edition (AMPC)\n29 For no man ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and carefully protects and cherishes it, as Christ does the church,\n30 Because we are members (parts) of His body.\n31 For this reason a man shall leave his father and his mother and shall be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.\nEphesians 5:29-31 New International Version (NIV)\n29 After all, no one ever hated their own body, but they feed and care for their body, just as Christ does the church— 30 for we are members of his body. 31 “For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.”[a]", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "You are currently browsing the archives for the Missions category.\nIn the summer of 2010, I traveled to South Baja with Laura Vitale, Rita Smith, Rick Darge, and Fletcher Allision to film a documentary on the lives of migrant farm workers.\nThe goal was to hear their stories, and communicate them to you.\nMany Mexican migrant farm workers travel from south Mexico up to the Baja Peninsula, hoping for a better life. Many of them begin to work in the fields, and choose to live in the migrant worker camps, often times having no other options.\nSome of the camps are very accommodating, others are not. Some of the workers are able to make enough of a living to obtain their own home, etc. Others never seem to break free from the worker camp, and they become part of a system that keeps them working, but leads to a very challenging life in many cases.\nOften older children (10-12 years old) are left at home to care for 4-5 younger siblings, while both parents work in the fields. When a child is old enough to work, (12-14 year old and younger) the next oldest sibling becomes the babysitter. Many of the the kids don’t go to school, and the cycle of working hard manual labor jobs repeats itself from parents to children.\nOne of the ministries of Capilla Calvario de Vizcaino ( the church we planted and support) is to pick up families and bring them to church. We have a school bus, and we pick the families up and bring them to church. The migrant workers do not own cars, and they are happy to be able to attend church, and be a part of something uplifting and edifying.\nAnother ministry of CCV and La Posada, Vizcaino (the missions base) is to feed needy families and provide for their physical needs. “Project Rice & Beans” is a ministry out of Cornerstone Napa which has helped feed many families. The needs in South Baja are endless.\nWe are pleased to present this short video documentary as a way to share the plight of many Mexican migrant farm workers who are simply trying to eke out a living under some very tough conditions.\nWe are also pleased to announce that “La Estancia” has been included in the 2011 Napa Valley Film Festival. Information can be found on the La Estancia website, listed below.\nGracias por todo, y que dios te bendiga….Bill Walden\nCornerstone Spring Break in Mexico. Trip information can be found here.\nI never have been into “March Madness”, the college basketball tournaments, etc.\nI have always preferred the NBA. Except for the Lakers. 🙂\nBut better than both of those is Mexico Madness in March. Cornerstone is heading down with a group of 16 people, to do construction, humanitarian aid, and some sightseeing and fishing, if we get our work done.\nWe’ll be doing plumbing, electrical, wood framing, and cabinet installation.\nOn Friday, I’ll be meeting with a group of Mexican national pastors to discuss plans for our Pastor’s conference in October, as well as joining Capilla Calvario Vizcaino for their midweek service.\nIf you aren’t aware of our work in Mexico, visit our missions website at http://lpviz.wordpress.com\nTake some time and check out our site there.\nAnd oh, yes…we might try to force down a few fish tacos. 🙂\nPastor Sam Scotti recently joined us at our Leadership Conference in Vizcaino.\nHere is a link to a video that he put together regarding the conference.\nWhen the Israelites crossed the Jordan River into the Promised Land, God dried up the Jordan for them, and they crossed over on dry land.\nGod then told them to set up Memorial Stones in Gilgal, so that when their children asked about those stones, they would tell their story of God’s faithfulness to them.\nI want to share some of my story regarding my experiences in Mexico. Some of you have heard this a few times. If that is the case, skip forward to the latest photo album, courtesy of Pastor Sam Scotti, of Genesis in Upland. Sam has posted images of our latest Leadership Conference. Thanks Sam.\nThe images are under the “Vizcaino Conference 2008” folder and if you double click on the photos they will enlarge.\nI was on staff at Calvary Chapel, Costa Mesa from 1989-1991. During that time, I was singing in a band called The Mirrors. The Iron Curtain fell, and Eastern Europe opened up to the West. We traveled with Brian Broderson (then pastor of CC Vista, CA) to Yugoslavia and Hungary, and sang and shared about Jesus. Lots of young people got saved, and churches were birthed. Read more »\nHow To Greet A Yellowtail\nDebbie and I arrived home safely Monday night about 11 p.m. Since then I have been going non stop. Somebody puh-leeze call the wam-bulance. 🙂\nOur time in Baja was great. I was able to teach Romans 1-8 in the AViD program, and also teach the first 23 chapters of Passion And Purity, by Elisabeth Elliot. The book has 43 chapters. I highly recommend that every Christian read this book. I wish I would have read it years ago. It is a very well written book about sexual purity, but also speaks of the sanctity and the rightness of God given passion. The book does get a bit more “transparent” in the later chapters. Elisabeth shares the letters she received from Jim Elliot, and he describes his desire for her. Read more »\nThe first image is that if a Triqui (Tree’-kay) Indian girl. The Triquis comes to the Vizcaino Valley to work in the fields. They live in migrant worker camps. They have a very meager existence. They come from the state of Oaxaca, Mexico.\nThe second image is of a Triqui mother and her kids, sitting in their migrant worker housing.\nThe third image is of a woman who lives in Las Sierras de San Francisco. The people there live very simply, and make their living of raising goats, and selling the meat and cheese.\nWe, the missionaries we support, and other churches reach out to these people groups with the love of Jesus, with food, clothing, with gospel presentations, and with medical outreaches.\nClick on the thumbnails above to enlarge them.\nImages by Laura Vitale, who attends Cornerstone, Napa.\nMore of Laura’s work can be seen at http://www.richard-darge.com/artists/Vitale/vitale.htm\nHere’s a link to a true story that happens to be part of the inspiration behind the new Rambo movie.\nI am not advocating seeing the movie, but it’s nice to know that some Kingdom work is being recognized, at least according to this article.\nIn fact, the movie is rated “R” because of lots of violence. Be forewarned. I am blessed enough to know the inspiration behind the movie was a local Nor Cal brother in Christ.\nAccording to the newspaper article, Pastor Joe Tuccinardi is doing some awesome work for the Lord in Burma.\nPraise the Lord.\nTake some time and read the article. It was inspiring to me.\nEditor’s Note- Since originally posting this, the link changed, and the story can’t be found. I’ll keep checking. It’s a shame, it was a good interview. 🙁\nNew Editor’s Note- I found a blog that shares the story about Pastor Joe. It quotes the newspaper article. Here’s the link.", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "Yahweh’s blessing brings wealth, and He adds no trouble to it.\nThe twenty-second comic of Fools Made Wise starts with Clark Washington, lead anchor of Channel 11 News, interviewing Pop. Clark is impressed with his farm, and is even more impressed with how hundreds of families have been blessed through his generosity.\nInstead of taking the credit, Pop tells Clark that the Lord has certainly been good at blessing them. This shows the first part of Proverbs 10:22, that Yahweh’s blessing brings wealth. Pop knows that without God’s help, Steady Pace Farms would not be in existence.\nThe scene now shifts to Leroy standing in front of Officer Ralph, hands cuffed behind his back. Officer Ralph is looking over his record on the computer, and tells Leroy that his record is nasty because he has swindled hundreds of people through his dishonesty.\nLeroy smiles and tells him that the cops sure have been good at catching him. This shows the second part of Proverbs 10:22, that He (God) adds no trouble to it (His blessing).\nSo with this comic, you have two ways of living on display: we can live like Pop, using whatever God has given us to bless others. Or we can live like Leroy, selfishly taking from others for our own desires. One way comes with blessing; the other the lack thereof.\nMay we be people who receive what God did for us in Jesus, and then from that new place, bless others like we’ve been blessed!\nFor more from Pastor Travis Woronowicz, visit foolsmadewise.com.\nCategories: Fools Made Wise", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "Please click here to see this News article, with pictures, on the www.FrontlineMissionSA.org website.\nBorn in 1948, Rev. Jeffreys Kayanga, one of my most trusted friends and co-workers in Sudan, passed away after a short illness on 28 June 2020. Jeffreys Kayanga and I walked many hundreds of kilometres together in the war zones of Sudan. Together, Jeffreys and I conducted hundreds of services, outreaches and lectures in remote villages and towns throughout Western Equatoria, amongst the Moru, Zande, Bari, Dinka and Nuer people. We conducted leadership training programs for pastors, chaplains, teachers, evangelists, youth workers and medics. He was my translator on many hundreds of occasions. Jeffreys was a capable organiser and gifted negotiator resolving many complications and avoiding conflicts amongst different tribes and officials. When we brought Samaritan's Purse in to renovate the hospital in Lui, he became the coordinator between SP, the local church and government officials.\nUnder Fire in Sudan\nOn numerous occasions we had to dive for cover when under fire from aerial and artillery bombardment and when under rocket attack. Jeffreys Kayanga was one of my most trusted friends and co-workers in Sudan. Along with Bishop Bullen Dolli and Canon Kenneth Baringwa, Jeffreys was one of my three main co-workers in Sudan. Jeffreys was the person I worked with more than any other. He and I enjoyed many great outreaches, services, projects and adventures for the Kingdom of God. South Sudan has lost one of its most stalwart heroes who played a vital role in working for the independence and freedom of their nation. His work and witness will continue to bear fruit for all eternity. Jeffreys Kayanga can now declare: “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the Faith.” 2 Timothy 4:7\nPray for the Kayanga Family\nPlease remember in prayer, Rev. Jeffreys Kayanga’s wife, Vaida Odra’ba Ezikia and their children: Silivia Afiya Jeffreys; John Fakiri Jeffreys; Charity Arufa Jeffreys; Faith Dodocia Jeffreys and Jonathan Ingila Jeffreys.\nIn Sure and Certain Hope of the Resurrection\nWe praise God that our Lord Jesus Christ is “…the Resurrection and the Life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live…” John 11:25-26\nPlease see the video that we have produced to honour our brother Rev. Jeffreys Kayanga, here.\nYou can also view an interview with Rev. Jeffreys Kayanga, filmed just after South Sudan won her independence, 2011, click here.\nRev. Dr. Peter Hammond\nP.O. Box 74 Newlands 7725\nCape Town South Africa\nTo listen to a video which includes Jefferys explaining about the bombing\nof the Lui Cathedral on Christmas 2000 Click HERE", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "A cursed King.\nDamian’s rule has been questioned. With people dying, can his son, Knox, overcome the darkness shrouding Avelina while his brother tackles a possessed king on the Island? Will both brothers fall to ruin? Will Damian’s rule … and lineage … come to an end? ”\nWith college students being recruited like puppets into the arms of fallen angels, Jessie has the guardians to keep her safe. In this compelling story of love, loss and betrayal, will Jesse choose the love of eternal damnation? Or will she choose the love of eternal harmony? ”", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "In 2018, General Convention established the Task Force on Liturgical and Prayer Book Revision, a new committee with lay and clergy members. In 2022, General Convention transferred the work of this task force to the Standing Commission on Liturgy and Music.\nClergy, musicians, artists, educators, and liturgical ministers will find all authorized liturgical resources of the Episcopal Church at this site: https://www.episcopalcommonprayer.org/.\nThe website includes everything from Expansive Language Eucharistic Prayers of the BCP to the revised Celebration and Blessing of a Marriage to Alternate Psalters to the most recent editions of The Book of Occasional Services and Lesser Feasts and Fasts. For the growing number of parishes in our diocese who use the sixth baptismal vow – “to cherish the wondrous works of God, and protect and restore the beauty and integrity of all creation” – the website also includes liturgical resources for Honoring God in Creation and the Care of Animals.\nBut wait, there’s more! The Task Force was charged with receiving new liturgical resources – texts and actions – for consideration in the expansion of ritual practice around the Book of Common Prayer. Should you have a liturgy, a set of liturgical prayers, blessings, or other rituals, you are welcome to send them to the Bishop’s Commission for Liturgy and the Arts. In turn, the Commission will forward them to the bishop for review and approval or the request for revision. With the bishop’s approval, you are then welcome to submit your new liturgical resource to the Standing Commission on Liturgy and Music: the website contains the submission form.\nFor those who seek to use all authorized liturgical and musical resources in preparing worship through the feasts and seasons of the year: a subscription to Rite Planning includes the easily downloadable Book of Common Prayer, all authorized hymnals and liturgies, as well as The Book of Occasional Services, Lesser Feasts and Fasts, and the NRSV Bible: https://www.churchpublishing.org/riteplanning\nNot every liturgical minister or lector is aware of this: the liturgical calendar with the Episcopal version of the Revised Common Lectionary is available at: https://www.lectionarypage.net/CalndrsIndexes/Calendar2024.html\nThis announcement is intended to present the great array of liturgical resources available for the parishes of the diocese. May they enrich and enliven our worship: what is for many our most public face to the world.", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "In the fast-paced world we live in, it's easy to get caught up in the latest trends and fads. We often find ourselves searching for the newest and most innovative strategies to lead, whether it's in our personal lives or in our ministries. But sometimes, the most powerful truths are the ones that have stood the test of time – the ancient truths that have been passed down through generations.\nAs Christians, we have access to an ancient truth that has the power to transform our lives and our leadership. This truth is found in the pages of the Bible, God's Word, which has withstood the test of time and remains relevant and powerful in our modern world.\n1. The Power of Relationship with God\nAt the heart of our Christian faith is the belief that we have a personal relationship with God. This relationship is not based on performance or religious rituals, but on grace and love. When we understand and embrace this truth, it changes the way we lead.\nInstead of striving to please others or seeking validation from our accomplishments, we can lead with confidence and humility, knowing that our worth and identity are found in Christ alone. We can lead with authenticity, vulnerability, and transparency, because we know that our value is not based on what we do, but on who we are in Christ.\n2. The Call to Servant Leadership\nIn a world that often values power, status, and authority, the Bible teaches us a different kind of leadership – servant leadership. Jesus himself set the example for us when he washed the feet of his disciples, showing us that true leadership is not about lording over others, but about serving them.\nWhen we embrace this ancient truth of servant leadership, we become more effective leaders. We prioritize the needs of others, seek to understand and empower them, and lead with humility and compassion. We become leaders who are willing to get our hands dirty, to walk alongside those we lead, and to sacrifice our own desires for the sake of others.\n3. The Importance of Wisdom and Discernment\nIn a world filled with information and opinions, it can be challenging to discern what is true and what is false. But the Bible offers us timeless wisdom and guidance for making wise decisions and discerning the voice of God.\nWhen we prioritize seeking God's wisdom and discernment, we become leaders who make decisions based on God's truth rather than on popular opinion or personal preferences. We become leaders who are able to navigate complex situations with grace and wisdom, and who lead with integrity and character.\n4. The Power of Prayer\nPrayer is not just a religious ritual; it is a powerful tool that connects us with the heart of God. When we embrace the ancient truth of the power of prayer, it changes the way we lead.\nInstead of relying solely on our own strength and abilities, we recognize our dependence on God and invite Him to work in and through us. We seek His guidance and direction, and we intercede on behalf of those we lead. Prayer becomes a vital part of our leadership, empowering us to lead with confidence, clarity, and compassion.\n5. The Impact of Authentic Community\nAs Christians, we are called to be in community with one another. The Bible teaches us that we are not meant to walk this journey alone, but to support, encourage, and challenge one another.\nWhen we embrace the ancient truth of authentic community, it transforms the way we lead. We prioritize building relationships and creating a culture of trust and vulnerability. We surround ourselves with a community of believers who can speak truth into our lives and hold us accountable. We lead with authenticity, knowing that we are not perfect, but that we are growing and learning together.\nIn conclusion, as Christian leaders, we have access to an ancient truth that has the power to transform our lives and our leadership. When we embrace the power of relationship with God, the call to servant leadership, the importance of wisdom and discernment, the power of prayer, and the impact of authentic community, we become leaders who are grounded in truth, empowered by the Holy Spirit, and equipped to make a difference in the lives of those we lead.\nLet us not be swayed by the latest trends and fads, but let us stand firm on the foundation of God's Word and the timeless truths it holds. May we lead with humility, grace, and love, knowing that our ultimate goal is to bring glory to God and to point others towards Him.\nFollow and like our social media pages", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "2018 is the year of new beginnings. The understanding is that we will experience something new – we will enter a new season and experience a new dimension. This new dimension is something that surpasses the ordinary – something supernatural.\nWhat we must do to experience this new dimension is to set our minds on things that are above, no on earth (Colossians 3:1-4). People generally think life is only about the physical things. To live a happy life, people think they need success, fame, acknowledgment and wealth. In reality, it seems like those who do not have money have a bad life. The result is that people only look after the physical or materialistic things. Those kinds of people will not experience a new dimension.\n‘Things that are above’ are not the things people chase after on earth. These are the things that surpass all things, which are spiritual and heavenly things. To get these, we need to set our minds on them and seek after them. For example, in the story of Job, Job reached the maximum level of what others say is a success. One day, everything he had vanished and he did not understand the cause. He had thought that when everything was gone, his life also ended. But the Lord had a different plan. In his great suffering, Job had an encounter with the Lord. He listed to God’s Word which opened his spiritual eyes. The truth is success in life isn’t the main goal, but it is the personal encounter with the Lord (Job 38:1). At the end, Job understood why he had to experience those difficulties. His life did not end because he lost all of his possession. Instead, he went to the next level spiritually and physically.\nFor us to understand the things above, the way we think has to be changed by God’s Word. Then, we will be able to follow God’s will correctly. Reading and meditating on His Word daily is a way to have a new mindset. Our ways of life must also be changed to new. ‘Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.’ (Romans 6:4). A new way of life means we must leave behind our old ways that were not pleasant before God – every sin, lust, fleshly desire, compromising with sin and worldly things. We must guard our lives to be holy and have a fear of the Lord.\nNew way of life also means depending on the Lord, not on our strength and mind or even others. Those who depend on the Lord will always build an intimate relationship with the Lord – close with Him through prayer, praise and worship, as well as reading the Word of God. Let us experience a new dimension with the Lord. God bless.\nSource: Article from GBI Gatot Subroto, Jakarta", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "OUR CITY, COUNTRY AND THE WORLD\nWeekly PRAYER AND FELLOWSHIP EVERY SATURDAY - 6:30 PM EST\nThe name 'Jehovah-shammah' means 'The Lord is there'. It is mentioned only once in the Bible and thats in the last verse of the last chapter of the book of Ezekiel.\n\"And the name of the city from that time on will be:the Lord is there.” (Ezekiel 48:35).\nThis name of the Lord is symbolic of the Lord's holy city 'Jerusalem'. In Ezekiel's days, when the people of Jerusalem repeatedly sinned against God, and were unrepentant the presence of the Lord left not only the temple, but also from the city. Ezekiel saw the presence of God leaving the temple and the city in a vision. What a tragedy !!. With God's protection removed, the people were taken captives and scattered across the surrounding nations. However, the Lord did not completely abandon them. His compassion and mercy was always there for them as he continually brought them back to him. As a climax to his restoration and revival, The Lord promised that the city will be rebuilt, and renamed as 'Jehovah-Shammah' meaning that the 'Lord is there'.\nDear friend, Cheer up. The Lord is THERE in your life as well. He knows your future and has perfect control of it. So don't loose heart. He will walk with you and carry you through the toughest battles in your life. All you need is to desire his presence in your life, and invite him to walk with you, and put all your trust in him. God Bless you!!.\nNow the Lord was gracious to Sarah as he had said, and the Lord did for Sarah what he had promised. (Genesis 21:1, NIV, Holy Bible)\nகர்த்தர் தாம் சொல்லியிருந்தபடி சாராள்பேரில் கடாட்சமானார்;\nகர்த்தர் தாம் உரைத்தபடியே சாராளுக்குச் செய்தருளினார். (ஆதியாகமம் 21:1.)\nDear friends in Christ,\nThis verse really touched me last week during the special meeting we had at our home. Our Lord is a Lord that never forgets what He promised and what He has planned for each one of us. So be cheerful and glad. Just like how He fulfilled the plans and promises as told in the verse above, He will fulfill every plan and promise He has for you. Rejoice in His grace and mercies.\nWhen seven year old Australian boy Sabastian Kent was taken to his family barn, the boy erupted with joyful tears on seeing the pony. He had reasons to be joyful. He had sold lemonade for two years, saving every penny he could, in order to raise money to pay for his own pony. What a joyful moment it was when he saw the pony that he had purchased through his own hard work. (Source : CNN, www.cnn.com/2016/10/16/asia/australia-boy-pony-trnd/).\nThinking about it, I am reminded that You and I were bought for a price( 1 Cor 6:20b). A price so high, that was paid for in full on the cross by Lord Jesus Christ. We were redeemed not by perishable things like silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot ( 1 Pet 1:18-19).\nYes, the price has already been paid, and you are freed by Jesus Christ. Imagine the joy it would bring to see you and me with him in eternity.\nGod Bless you !!\nMany times when we pray, we pray like little naughty children who press the door bell and run away. We do not wait for Gods response. We are hasty and in rush and unable to pray with persistence. May God grant us the patience and perseverance to seek his will and act accordingly.", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "Testimony – Speaking the Praises of Jesus\nMy name is Beverly and I retired from the Gwinnett Justice and Administration Center, where I met Chaplain David Burgher in the hall years before I retired in 2010. Even though I worked there, during my lunch one day, I had the privilege of having Chaplain David pray for me in the hall. At the time I didn’t know him. I thank God for the opportunity of knowing him now and how God uses him through prayer. He is a godly man of the Word. Since I have retired I met Chaplain at a meeting we both attended. He extended an invitation for me to meet him and others at the courthouse (as he would say the hospital) for intercessory prayer — that was another new beginning for me. It is a joy to be in his presence and see how God uses him to touch people’s lives. It is like no other person I know, his way of reaching people at the jail and courthouse as he shares a spirit of hope with them.\nBeverly Foote now ministers in the dormitory at the Gwinnett Detention Center.", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "“The LORD is my light and my salvation - whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life - of whom shall I be afraid?” - Psalm 27:1 Dear Friends,\nThe difference between the silently read word and the spoken word is downright startling.\nWhen you and I were learning to read, the first step was that someone - a parent, grandparent, older sibling or teacher would read to us aloud. Then we would begin tackling small, moving on to bigger words, sounding them out an", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "Author: Jeanne Perego\nIllustrator: Donata Dal Molin Casagrande\nPublished: St Pauls Publications (Australia and New Zealand, Ignatius Press elsewhere)\nAge Range: 6 -12\nThis is a gentle book – a picture book that is not so much a story, as the daily observations of Pope Benedict from the point of view of a blue rock-thrush. For a picture book aimed at this age range, there is a lot of text, but younger children will enjoy having this book read to them.\nHis Holiness, Pope Benedict XVI, is presented as a serene, amiable man who works hard prays regularly and is very devoted and dedicated to his role. We learn that the Pope meets hundreds of people, says Masses and gives special blessings to thousands of people who gather to see him. He writes. He has meetings. He prays. By book’s end, we have a much clearer idea of what the Holy Father does all day.\nThe book is as much about the birds who fly about the Vatican as it is about the Pope. We learn the names of the birds, and their favourite places to nest, eat and play. The author gives personalities to different species – some are pesky, some majestic and some scary to the little blue-rock thrush. We also get to know our narrator as he flies about the Vatican going about his business. He closely watches the Pope and gets to know his daily habits.\nThe illustrations are dreamy and impressionistic. The overall design is gentle and thoughtful, which adds to our sense of a Pope who serenely passes his days attending to his many duties. I wondered if there could have been more illustrations depicting the inside of the Vatican, or of the Pope mobile or the summer residence. Children’s understanding of the Pope and the Vatican might have been increased with more detailed illustrations of where he lives most of his life. On the other hand, the story is told from the point of view of a bird as he lives his relatively carefree life, flying about Vatican City.\nI would pair this book with the Pope’s Cat by Jon M. Sweeney as a means of teaching children about the Pope and the Vatican. Max and Benedict is still a beautiful book despite being published in 2008, and I would recommend it for children learning about the Holy Father.\nYou can purchase Max and Benedict HERE\nHomeschool and Teacher Ideas.\nFirstly, take a look at my ideas for teaching children about the Pope and the Vatican HERE.\nThis book particularly focuses on the birds of Vatican City.\nCheck out this website here: https://avibase.bsc-eoc.org/checklist.jsp?region=VA\nMost of the birds listed in Max and Benedict on page 34 (in my publication) are found in the list. You can click and find a picture of the bird and a few other facts.\nWhy not ask children, depending on their age and capability, to research one or two of the species of birds and create a project/podcast/powerpoint that describes the bird and one or two interesting facts. Why do you think the birds gather at Vatican City?\nDraw the birds flying about the Vatican.\nCreative response: tell/write/draw a story of one of these birds having an adventure and meeting the Pope. Maybe they meet the blue-rock thrush who narrates Max and Bendict.", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "11 Things to Know about the Doctrine of the Trinity\nDid Jesus Really Descend into Hell?\nWho Killed Jesus? The Historical Context of Jesus’ Crucifixion\nHow Did We Get the Old Testament?\nAngels in the Bible: What Do We Actually Know About Them?\nDo You Know These 7 Differences Between the Bible and Quran?\nWho Wrote Ecclesiastes and What Does It Mean?\nWho Wrote the Book of Hebrews?\nThe Seven Churches of Revelation: Why They Matter and What We Can Learn\nFather, Son, and Holy Spirit: How Is One God Three Persons?\nWho is Jesus? (John 8:24) – Mondays with Mounce 310\nJesus says, “This is why I said to you that you would die in your sins, for if you do not believe that I am he (ἐγώ εἰμι), you will die in your sins.” This is one of the more interesting conundrums I have seen in a while.\nWhere does the “he” come from? More importantly, who is “he.” The “I” is Jesus, but who is the “he” Jesus is referring to? Does this really make any sense? Almost all translations say “I am he,” but that doesn’t make it right.\nThe reason this is an interesting conundrum is because there are several things at work. We all know of the use of ἐγώ εἰμι to make reference to God’s name in Exodus 3:15 (אֶֽהְיֶ֖ה אֲשֶׁ֣ר אֶֽהְיֶ֑ה, Ἐγώ εἰμι ὁ ὤν). Jesus says, “I tell you the solemn truth, before…\nTranslating the Name of the Lord (Hebrew and You with Lee M. Fields)\nOne of the many benefits of knowing a little Hebrew (and Greek!) is that it can help readers understand their English Bibles better. Understanding the name of the Lord is a good example.\nThere are many expressions used to refer to the God of Israel, but the one that may confuse English-only readers is the name of the Lord. There are several terms related to this. First we will look at pronunciation. Then we will explain Hebrew terms and translations.\nThe name of the Lord in Hebrew is יהוה, YHWH, known as the tetragrammaton (a Greek term meaning the “four-letter word”). The Jews often substitute the expression “the Name” for the actual name of the Lord, so that they do not even accidentally give offense to the Lord. It is a useful shorthand that we will use here. Many Jews…\nWhat is a leap of faith?\nWe hear the phrase “leap of faith” all the time. It refers to a momentous decision we must make that lies outside reason, or one that forces us to grapple with a difficult belief or moral position.\nSurprisingly, the phrase isn’t very old.\nThe idea first appears in Søren Kierkegaard’s book, Fear and Trembling, which he wrote under the pseudonym Johannes de Silentio.\nLet’s take a closer look at the phrase “leap of faith,” and see what Kierkegaard meant by it.\nHow we know Jesus is God: 2 ways of understanding religion\nWe’re all on a search for God. Who am I to impose my version of God on you?\nThere are two ways of understanding God, religion, and spirituality.\nOne way is to say we’re all on a journey, we’re all searching for the truth, and we’re all searching for God, and we all have our own experiences and perspectives. If Jesus says He’s God to me, fine. But if you have found some other God,…\nWhat History Tells Us About Jesus\nWhich makes it open to historical scrutiny.\nAs John Dickson explains in his new book A Doubter’s Guide to Jesus: “If you claim that something spectacular took place in history, intelligent people are going to ask you historical questions.”\nHow has it fared in the face of such critical observation? Surprisingly well! Particularly because Jesus is mentioned several times outside of the New Testament.\nOne lucky outcome of this flurry of ancient literary output [about the Roman Empire] is that a small-town Jewish teacher, named Yeshua ben Yosef, or Jesus son of Joseph, happened to…\nThe Myth of Literal Translation (2 Thessalonians 2:3) — Mondays with Mounce 309\nI know I have been beating this drum pretty hard recently, but it is so easy. I keep coming across example that clearly illustrate the problem.\nThe claim is that a translation can be at least somewhat literal, and that by doing so the translator reduces the amount of interpretation (often true) and the informed reader can see the Greek structure behind the English.\nFrankly, the “informed” reader should be reading Greek if he or she is able to learn anything of significance from the English structure. But more importantly, I doubt there is even one verse in the English Bible that actually, clearly, reveals the Greek structure underlying it. The languages are just too different.\nI am helping my friend Martin read Greek, and we looked at 2 Thessalonians 2 last Wednesday. In the ESV v 2 reads, “Let…\nYour Sermon, Your Body Language – An Excerpt from Preaching God’s Word, Second Edition\nYou have a great sermon prepared, and the hard part is done. It would be great if all you had to do was to stand up and speak the words for maximum effectiveness. But it takes more than just words to deliver the message.\nIn today’s excerpt taken from Preaching God’s Word, Second Edition, authors Terry Carter, J. Scott Duvall, and J. Daniel Hays remind us that spoken language is only a fraction of the way you effectively communicate your sermon.\nExperts tell us that a major part of sermon delivery is body language. Roy DeBrand suggests that the “visual in preaching is vitally important to communication.” By visual, DeBrand means things related to your body, such as clothing, posture, gestures, facial expressions, and…\nThe Basics of Hebrew Numbers\nIf you’re studying the biblical languages, you’ve probably noticed that numbers are handled very differently in ancient Hebrew than they are in English. While modern Hebrew uses European digits to represent numbers, biblical Hebrew has no numerical symbols, and is always written out.\nThese written numbers have masculine and feminine forms which have to agree with the gender of the noun they describe. (If there’s no noun, the feminine form is used.) To help you navigate the unique challenges of biblical Hebrew numbers, Dr. Miles Van Pelt and Dr. Gary Practico created an online course, Basics of Biblical Hebrew.\nThe video below explores their material, and you can hear Dr. Miles Van Pelt pronounce the numbers.\nBy submitting your email address, you understand that you will receive email communications from HarperCollins Christian Publishing (501 Nelson Place, Nashville, TN…\nWhy science hasn’t disproved Christianity\nWe used to live in the Dark Ages, where we believed in unicorns, fairy godmothers, and goblins. But then science came along and it rescued us from superstition and our age of darkness.\n…Or that’s how the story is often told.\nIf we want to believe in a God, aren’t we going back to the Dark Ages, where we also believe in unicorns and leprechauns and fairy godmothers? Hasn’t science disproved Christianity?\nThe benefits of science\nBefore we talk about what science can’t do, we need to recognize what it can do.\nScience has given us so many good things, from microwave ovens to mobile phones.\nWe can’t have it both ways: upholding Christianity doesn’t mean we need to disparage the benefits of science. If you want to enjoy the microwave oven, you can also believe in God at the…\nHow we know Jesus rose from the dead\nHow do we really know that Jesus rose from the dead?\nI could give you a traditional answer. It would be something like:\n“Well the Bible says he rose from the dead, and the Bible contains many contemporary eyewitness accounts which are corroborated by non-Christian, non-Biblical evidence, and it’s been transmitted to us accurately through multiple sources.”\nThis is how many Christians would respond, and they would be right.\nOr, I could say:\n“You know what? We live as if Jesus rose from the dead, because we live as if there is such a thing as unconditional love, because somehow we feel that we should love everyone no matter what—especially the marginalized, the poor, and the outcast.”\nBy submitting your email address, you understand that you will receive email communications from HarperCollins Christian Publishing (501 Nelson Place, Nashville,…\nHow Much Exegetical Material Should You Share in Your Sermon?\nBut how much of that “science” and exegetical material should you share in your sermon in order to preach God’s Word effectively?\nIn other words: how much of the “then” should you share to help them get the “now” meaning and see the connection?\nIn their second edition of Preaching God’s Word, Terry G. Carter, J. Scott Duvall, J. Daniel Hays offer this insight:\nIf your audience does not make the connection between the exegetical meaning in the text and the applicational meaning you are proclaiming to them, your message loses its tie to biblical authority.\nHow Can You “Answer” When There is No Question? (Matt 14:28) – Mondays with Mounce 308\n(Note: you can also watch this blog post on my YouTube channel. )\nTranslation is a trade-off. Often you will find different key policies in conflict with one another.\nOne policy may be that you keep concordance, so you try to translate a Greek word with the same English word. Another policy may be that the translation actually makes sense and does not confuse the reader.\nThose two policies come into conflict in Matt 14:28. The gloss for ἀποκρίνομαι is “I answer,” and so the more formal equivalent translations try to use that translation whenever possible. But in English, “to answer” means that someone actually asked a question. Right?\nIn this story, Jesus is walking on the water toward the disciples. When they see him, they are fearful and Jesus responds, “Take courage, it is I! Do not…", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "Please enjoy our blog, and feel free to share, comment, and subscribe. The 🌈 we believe in is you!\nWe will send a weekly list of the new blog listings.\nBring your storm. God works all for those who love Him, for their good. Difficult? then share for a neighbor's prayers. Terrific? then share the lift and encourage those with tears. Be the 🌈 ~ kk", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "Pope’s Nazi Ties Questioned—Again\nPosted on May 12, 2009\nIt was just the second day of his Holy Land Tour 2009, but unsurprisingly, the presence of Pope Benedict XVI in Israel stirred up more static on Tuesday—this time over his personal wartime history.\nA row has flared over Pope Benedict XVI’s membership as a teenager of the Hitler Youth, as he paid a historic visit to Jerusalem’s holy sites.\nA Vatican spokesman said the pontiff had “never, never, never” belonged—contradicting the Pope’s own admission.\nThe comments came as he visited the Dome of the Rock—the first pontiff to do so—and then the Western Wall, one of Judaism’s holiest places.\nAP photo / David Silverman, pool\nPope Benedict XVI inserts a written prayer into the cracks of the Western Wall on Tuesday.", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "Archive for free market\nThis article was jointly written by Doug Stuart and Jessica Hooker.\nIn Stoker’s original article, she outlined three objections to the compatibility of Christianity and libertarianism, with subsequent expansions in later posts. Our previous posts addressed her first two points, and this article addresses her third point. Read our first post here, and our second post here. A substantial amount of time has passed since the aforementioned posts were originally written, so we encourage you to review them for additional context.\nThe first biblical story about humans is about human action and consequences. Whether one takes the story of Adam and Eve as historical-factual or non-literal, the narrative in Scripture functions as more than a mere explanation of why sin exists or where humans come from. This origin story frames the questions about divine-human relationship: “How shall we relate to God?” and “What are God’s expectations?” (among others). Far from playing the part of Divine Puppeteer, God bestowed Adam and Eve with the dignity of choice. God had spent six days creating the good world in which God placed God’s crowning creation—mankind—and from our perspective God would have been justified in thwarting any attempt to mar that world. If God was willing to give them such a level of freedom that could—and ultimately did—result in cursing a perfect world, how much more freedom are we then given in the small things? We may even wonder why God placed a tree in the garden whose fruit could bring such sadness and destruction into the world.\n3) Libertarians value freedom so heavily because we believe in non-aggression; that is, that peaceful action is the only permissible way to treat others. The common good can never be reached through violence or coercion.\nIn the freedom to choose right or wrong, good or evil, humanity has a considerable amount of freedom in both big and small. Stoker is right in that the explicit freedom spoken of in Scripture is about freedom from sin and freedom to righteousness. But this far from negates libertarian free will! Throughout the Scriptures we see God imploring humanity to choose the way of life. Israel was beckoned at the beginning of Joshua, “Choose this day whom you will serve.” They were free to reject God’s covenant, free to reject God’s justice, and free to reject God’s blessings for doing it “God’s way.” It is here that we find an inherent integration of our Christianity and our libertarianism. God did not create us puppets on a string, controlling our every move, making us do right. Nor did Jesus implore us to preach the gospel, and—if people reject it—declare ourselves, by proxy through the state, masters of their morality. We are never called to make Jesus Lord of other people’s lives. One of the aspects of Jesus’ Parable of the Sower is that absent the story is the forceful “plowing under” of the seeds, a common and expected practice in his culture. Jesus was saying (in part) God’s Kingdom comes peacefully, not forcefully. We can not force it to happen!\nThis is where we believe Stoker ultimately misses the mark. Throughout her series on Christianity and libertarianism, her arguments have hinged upon using force to coerce people to behave a certain way—her way. She has stated that “Justice in the world actually occurs when people engage with others in a just way,” yet has failed to illustrate how it is just to forcibily take from those who have to give to those who have not. Coerced charity is not charity at all. Doing the right thing for the wrong reason is no better than doing the wrong thing for the right reason—it’s just the words that are reversed.\nThe prophet Micah tells the people of Israel, “He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God” (Micah 6:8, NIV). Challenging words, indeed. But here again we see the same thread we’ve been following through our previous two posts: the freedom to fail, to mess up, to choose wrongly or irresponsibly.\nIt is nearly impossible to read the narrative of the New Testament without considering the backdrop of the Exodus narrative in the Old Testament. Being released from bondage in Egypt was more than just slavery per se, it was—and still is—imagery that characterized the whole of human existence: bondage to powers that enslave us. Most Christians consider sin that which enslaves all of us. In this sense, the meaning of the Exodus narrative is fully captured in the climactic event of the entire Christian story: resurrection of Jesus. God has freed humanity from the bondage of sin through a new exodus, a new creation. We are thus freed from sin and the effects of sin. The Truth—Jesus—will set us free. We are set free for freedom. Stoker would rightly point out that the biblical writers were probably not thinking of what we call “Enlightenment freedom,” but there is no escaping that the gospel according to Jesus is freedom from all that enslaves, not simply our sinful nature or eternal destination. While this connect far from “proves” libertarianism, it certainly demonstrates compatibility with it.\nStoker concluded her first post with explaining why the state is the best means by which our collectively pooled resources are able to render help to those in need. It’s truly ironic, because where the Bible describes those who need rescue from oppression and slavery, it is from oppressive empires, which is exactly the type of institution which enslaves those whom God cares most about! God heard the cries of God’s people in Egypt, and responded by mocking, shaming, and ultimately demolishing the Egyptian gods as they knew it. Stoker herself even recognizes the inherent power-over nature of the State, giving further credence to the libertarian claim that power easily corrupts! She cannot have both the State monopolizing the distribution of resources while at the same time chastising the institution of private property as “participation in state power.”\nGuest post by C. Jay Engel of the Reformed Libertarian.\nThe anti-free market proclamations from the left (and even sometimes the right) come in all shapes and sizes. Among the more common of these proclamations is the one that I heard yesterday. As far as I can remember, this is what was said by the individual (to her friend) next to me. “Capitalism is problematic because it is an entire system based on greed. If we want a healthy society, we should not seek to adopt such a system. We need a system that is based on cooperation and love.” That capitalism is a system built on greed is a claim that is often heard and the theme has been pushed at every level of society; from the politicians, the educators, the commentators, the media, and the average Joe.\nIt is immediately clear that there is a dichotomy here between cooperation and capitalism, a dichotomy that should immediately raise the red flags of the libertarian. After all, aren’t we always saying that the economy is most ethical when it is completely voluntary? And does not voluntary interaction and exchange form the basis for capitalism? The problem sits in the misunderstanding of the very nature of (free market) capitalism. This capitalism is not the same as the fascist system we have today. The American system of corporatism, that has largely existed since the nineteenth century, should never be confused with the free market.\nDefending the Free Market: The Moral Case for a Free Economy, by Robert Sirico (Regnery Publishing, 2012), 213 pages.\nCritics of the free market assert that it fails the underprivileged, leads to income inequality, exploits the poor, and is at times downright cruel. They charge its defenders with being motivated by greed, selfishness, and materialism, and making a god out of efficiency. The solution to the alleged deficiencies of the free market and the character of its supporters is always without exception government intervention in the marketplace. But when that fails to remedy the perceived wrongs of the free market, then even more intervention is prescribed to make things right. And as Richman’s Law states, “No matter how much the government controls the economic system, any problem will be blamed on whatever small zone of freedom that remains.”\nThe Rev. Robert Sirico, in his book Defending the Free Market: The Moral Case for a Free Economy, argues that a free economy — where property rights, contracts, and the rule of law are respected; prices and interest rates are freely agreed to by willing parties; entrepreneurship is encouraged; profit is not disdained; and charity is voluntary — is the most efficient and moral way to meet society’s material needs. Read More→\nReview of Daniel M. Bell Jr., The Economy of Desire: Christianity and Capitalism in a Postmodern World (Baker Academic, 2012), 224 pgs., paperback.\nThis is the sixth volume in the series The Church and Postmodern Culture, edited by James K. A. Smith. The series “features high-profile theorists in continental philosophy and contemporary theology writing for a broad, nonspecialist audience interested in the impact of postmodern theory on the faith and practice of the church.”\nAlthough I am not the least bit interested in postmodern theory, I am very interested in the intersection of Christianity and economics or politics. Thus, the phrase “Christianity and Capitalism” in this book’s subtitle caught my eye. Nevertheless, I have never been more disappointed, or bored.\nThe author describes his work as “a contribution to the conversation about the relationship of Christianity to capitalism with a postmodern twist.” That twist is nothing short of pure Christian anti-capitalism, although of a very unique kind. You see, Daniel Bell, professor of theological ethics at Lutheran Theological Southern Seminary and the author of several books, is not a socialist. He maintains that his book “changes the focus from capitalism versus socialism to capitalism versus the divine economy made present by Christ and witnessed to by the church.”\nFortunately, I didn’t have to read through the whole book to discover what the author meant by capitalism. He equates capitalism with the “free-market economy” because the name “highlights the centrality of the market.” This is well and good, and certainly makes it easier to understand where the author is coming from. Unfortunately, this is not the case for understanding Bell’s concept of the divine economy. Read More→", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "Vatican prelate calls fences around White House ‘unacceptable’ at vigil for George Floyd\nVATICAN CITY (RNS) — In Rome and at the Vatican, the death of George Floyd and the protests in the United States inspired anti-racism vigils and prayers over the weekend.\n\"Today is a day when the American community and not only that but the whole world should come together to seriously examine where as a world, as a people, we are all going,\" said Cardinal Kevin Farrell, the head of the Vatican department for Family, Laity and Life, speaking to a group of reporters ahead of the vigil for George Floyd on Friday (June 5).\nFloyd, a black man, died in police custody on May 25, and the viral video of his death has sparked protests and marches throughout the United States and the world to oppose systemic racism. In Rome, at the Basilica of St. Mary in Trastevere, the Catholic lay movement St. Egidio organized a vigil for Floyd with the participation of high-ranking Vatican prelates.\nFarrell told reporters, including Religion News Service, that though many \"know all the theory and can quote all the great speeches\" regarding the plague of racism, few are willing to do what needs to be done.\n\"We are all the same human people and therefore I believe it's very important that we stop all this division and we stop the rhetoric of hatred that exists sometimes in our speech,\" he said.\nFarrell was the auxiliary bishop of Washington D.C. between 2001 and 2007 and voiced his dismay at the news that amid the mounting anti-racism protests, the White House has erected over a mile of security fencing.\n\"To see barricades around the White House is something I never experienced in all the years I lived in Washington. I don't find that acceptable. I think it's a terrible image for the United States to have,\" he said, adding that the United States is \"supposed to be the leader in tolerance.\"\nA large crowd gathered for the vigil while respecting health and safety measures, including the head of the Vatican department charged with safeguarding life, Archbishop Vincenzo Paglia, and foreign representatives to the Holy See.\nThe U.S. ambassador to the Holy See, Callista Gingrich, and her husband and former Speaker of the House, Newt Gingrich, also attended. The ambassador praised the organizers for the \"beautiful service\" in memory of Floyd and in support of the United States.\n\"We just want to express our appreciation for this very important person,\" Gingrich told RNS, referring to Floyd, adding the importance of presenting \"a message that is reconciliatory.\"\nThe service began with a prayer for \"the just man\" George Floyd and his family as well as for \"the end of all violence in the United States\" so that \"all racism will be defeated and justice reaffirmed.\"\nDuring his homily, Farrell pointed to the \"distorted way of thinking\" that can sometimes lead Christians \"to identify with only one side, distancing ourselves from those who belong to the other side.\n\"In doing so, we completely lose sight of the universal dimension of Christ's message or even end up identifying our Christian faith with the ideological vision of the side we have embraced,\" the cardinal said.\nIn this difficult context, he continued, Christians are called to promote harmony and reconciliation and avoid partisanship by returning to Jesus' gospel teachings. Instead of fueling \"anger and frustration,\" people of faith must promote \"a culture of respect,\" the cardinal said.\n\"Offensive words and gestures of contempt, looting and violence lead to nothing good for the future,\" Farrell said. \"For this reason we Christians must not hide in fear. On the contrary, precisely in these delicate moments of social tension we must be present to address the just desire for equality, respect and justice that is present in the hearts of so many men and women.\"\nOn Sunday (June 7), hundreds gathered in Rome's Piazza del Popolo to protest against racial discrimination and injustice, holding signs decrying Floyd's death and police brutality. Italian police stood by during the peaceful and socially distanced protest.\nSt. Egidio has also organized a flash mob in Rome on Monday (June 8), where Catholic youth will gather to \"oppose any form of racism, social discrimination and violence\" and adhere to the Black Lives Matter movement, according to a press release issued by the Catholic movement.\nVatican Media outlets, Catholic faithful and Pope Francis have drawn attention to the importance of combating racism and voiced support for Floyd and his family since the protests began in the United States.", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "EAST WENATCHEE — Kingdom Embassy Church, 181 1st St. S.E., will host an “Awaken to Revival” conference next week with Dr. Andries VanSchalkwyk.\nThe conference will include the following events:\n- April 25: 6 p.m. service\n- April 26: Noon leadership luncheon, 6 p.m. meeting\n- April 27: 9 a.m. Kingdom Principles class, 10 a.m. worship, 6 p.m. valley-wide worship service\nVanSchalkwyk, originally from South Africa, is senior pastor at Christian Kingdom Family Church in Dallas. He is also a motivational…", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "By Savio Pham\nA record number of people turned out for the 20th annual Summer Festival hosted by Vietnamese Martyrs Parish of Seattle Aug. 23-25.\nUnder the protection of umbrellas, Auxiliary Bishop Eusebio Elizondo and Deacon Philip Mau Duc Nguyen follow a group of archdiocesan and visiting priests during an Aug. 23 procession in honor of Our Lady of La Vang and the Vietnamese martyrs. Photo: Savio Pham\nVietnamese Catholics from other parishes in the archdiocese joined in the celebration, marking the 25th anniversary of the canonization of the Vietnamese martyrs. The event was held on property in Tukwila where Vietnamese Martyrs Parish plans to expand.\nAuxiliary Bishop Eusebio Elizondo, presiding at the festival’s opening Mass, praised the Vietnamese community for acquiring the land. “There is much work ahead … and the future is bright for the Vietnamese faithful,” Bishop Elizondo said during his homily.\nBefore Mass, Bishop Elizondo, with local and visiting priests, joined a procession in honor of Our Lady of La Vang and the Vietnamese martyrs. The procession included a boat-shaped float that carried some relics of the Vietnamese martyrs, a statue of Our Lady of La\nVang and a shield with the Year of Faith symbol. The float was a reminder of the hundreds of thousands of Vietnamese who fled their country by boat — many of them dying at sea — after the fall of South Vietnam in the 1970s.\nThe festival weekend included a variety of entertainment and Vietnamese food for sale, as a fundraiser for the new church and pastoral activities for Vietnamese Catholics in other parishes.\nFather Thanh X. Dao, pastor of Vietnamese Martyrs Parish, estimated some 8,000 people attended the festival over its three days.\nThe successful event did experience a couple of glitches, however. Electricity to the site was disrupted Saturday evening, halting the entertainment program for nearly three hours, and some attendees who parked in neighboring business lots discovered later that their cars had been towed away.\nWearing traditional dress, Christina Nguyen, left, and Mary Ann Ngo perform the well-known dance “Trong Com” during the summer festival hosted by Vietnamese Martyrs Parish in Seattle. Photo: Savio Pham\nAuxiliary Bishop Eusebio Elizondo incenses a float carrying the statue of Our Lady of La Vang and some relics of the Vietnamese martyrs. The float was carried in a procession that opened the three-day summer festival hosted by Seattle’s Vietnamese Martyrs Parish. Photo: Savio Pham\nAugust 28, 2013", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "P7 Leaver's Mass\nThe Staff of St. Patrick's wish our P7 Leaver 'butterflies' happiness and success as they leave St. Patrick's and begin their next journey. Just remember, we will be watching to see how you blossom in the future and will always be here for you if you need us. Fly safely.\nWe would like to thank Fr. Thomas for the beautiful words at the Leaver's Mass.", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "Kiev Pechersk Lavra (HD)\nKiev Monastery of the Caves, is a historic Orthodox Christian monastery in Kiev, Ukraine. Since its foundation as the cave monastery in 1015 the Lavra has been a preeminent center of the Eastern Orthodox Christianity in Eastern Europe. Together with the Saint-Sophia Cathedral, it is inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It was named one of the Seven Wonders of Ukraine on August 21, 2007, based on voting by experts and the community.", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "” Now there was a woman who had been suffering from hemorrhages for twelve years. She had endured much under many physicians, and had spent all that she had; and she was no better, but rather grew worse. She had heard about Jesus, and came up behind him in the crowd and touched his cloak, for she said, “If I but touch his clothes, I will be made well.” Immediately her hemorrhage stopped; and she felt in her body that she was healed of her disease. Immediately aware that power had gone forth from him, Jesus turned about in the crowd and said, “Who touched my clothes?” And his disciples said to him, “You see the crowd pressing in on you; how can you say, ‘Who touched me?’” He looked all around to see who had done it. But the woman, knowing what had happened to her, came in fear and trembling, fell down before him, and told him the whole truth. He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace, and be healed of your disease.” — Mark 5:25-34\nFor 20-plus years, Audra Popp has lived with a rare brain tumor. She’s undergone multiple treatments and surgeries, all while keeping an attitude of hope and humor. At age 54, she has exhausted any more possibilities. But her mantra hasn’t shaken, “With hope all things are possible.” She goes on each day, clinging to her faith, trusting in the Lord and giving every ounce of strength she has left to others. Her family says that’s just the kind of person she is.\nI’ve never met Audra but I was alerted to her story by a friend, who shared a link to a GoFundMe page to help the family with expenses and to help others not feel quite so helpless.\nI didn’t hesitate. I clicked the “donate” button and gave a few measly bucks which will be a drop in the inevitable bucket of bills.\nI just wanted to touch her life. Not to make some grand gesture or perform some noble act. I just wanted to touch her, to touch her wound, to touch her holiness. To feel the hem of her garment.\nJesus is close to those who suffer, he assures us of that. So, it’s not a stretch to believe that her body here on earth, battered and broken, is a vessel of Christ. A human nexus allowing us to touch him through her, strengthening our hope as she weakens, bringing us spiritual healing as her body fights, giving us life as she faces death.\nI’ve never met her and likely won’t get the chance. But I will remember her. I only captured a glimpse of her image in a photo or two. But I will recognize her in heaven someday, when she waits there, with the unbroken communion of saints which unites heaven and earth, to meet me.\nAudra and her family are members of Annunciation Parish in Mayhew Lake. To learn more about her journey, click here.", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "November 15, 2019 – Town of Trenton, WI – Julius Peter Waldkirch, 89, received his angel wings on Saturday, November 9, 2019. He was born in the Town of Trenton on August 4, 1930 to George and Mary (nee Wegener) Waldkirch, and was the third of eight children.\nJulius attended Holy Trinity school in Newburg and was a graduate of West Bend High School. He proudly served his country for four years in the U.S. Air Force, attaining the rank of Staff Sergeant. He was then employed by the A.O. Smith Corporation for thirty years and also worked the family farm. After retiring from A.O. Smith, Julius worked for Ozaukee County for 10 years driving clients to medical appointments.\nJulius was a loving, thoughtful, and generous man who always put his family first. He was a hard worker with a huge heart, a quick wit, and a hilarious sense of humor. He enjoyed fishing, playing cards, bingo, word search puzzles, and of course, cheering on (and sometimes cursing out) the Green Bay Packers. He was a longtime member of the Fredonia Lions Club and a lifetime member of the Knights of Columbus.\nJulius is survived by his children Renae Waldkirch, Jean (Patrick) Weymer, Kris (Jill) Becker, Brian (Kathy) Becker, Kirk (Terri) Becker, Renee (Harold) Denlow, and Julius G. (Judy Eguia) Waldkirch; grandchildren Noah Summerville, Bella Weymer, Alex Weymer, Melissa Rader, Julius P. Waldkirch II, Debra Jo Becker, Samuel Becker, Shannon (Sam) Dolezal, Kelly (Cole) Mathison, Megan (Nate) Evett, Karlee (Josh) Uttermark, Logan Becker (fiance Billy Tilot), Morgan Denlow, and Sydney Denlow, six great grandchildren; brothers Robert (“Joey”) Waldkirch and Peter (Ann) Waldkirch, sister Barbara Schlosser, and other relatives and friends.\nHe was preceded in death by his beloved wife Rosie, brothers Roman Waldkirch and Richard Waldkirch, sisters Georgia Muckerheide and Mary Biersack, and former wife Arlane Meneau.\nA Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 4PM on Friday, December 6 at Divine Savior – Holy Cross Chapel, 5330 Hwy B., Belgium. Father Gideon Buya and Father Tom Biersack will concelebrate. Julius will be laid to rest the next day in Holy Trinity Cemetery. The family will receive visitors at CHURCH on Friday from 2-4 p.m. at CHURCH.\nJulius was very loved and will be missed immensely. In lieu of flowers, memorials to the Lawlis Family Hospice at Columbia St. Mary’s, Ozaukee will be appreciated.\nThe Eernisse Funeral Home is assisting the family with arrangements.", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High\nShall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.\n2 I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress;\nMy God, in Him I will trust.”\n3 Surely He shall deliver you from the snare of the fowler\nAnd from the perilous pestilence.\n4 He shall cover you with His feathers,\nAnd under His wings you shall take refuge;\nHis truth shall be your shield and buckler.\n5 You shall not be afraid of the terror by night,\nNor of the arrow that flies by day,\n6 Nor of the pestilence that walks in darkness,\nNor of the destruction that lays waste at noonday.\n7 A thousand may fall at your side,\nAnd ten thousand at your right hand;\nBut it shall not come near you.\n8 Only with your eyes shall you look,\nAnd see the reward of the wicked.\n9 Because you have made the Lord, who is my refuge,\nEven the Most High, your dwelling place,\n10 No evil shall befall you,\nNor shall any plague come near your dwelling;\n11 For He shall give His angels charge over you,\nTo keep you in all your ways.\n12 In their hands they shall bear you up,\nLest you dash your foot against a stone.\n13 You shall tread upon the lion and the cobra,\nThe young lion and the serpent you shall trample underfoot.\n14 “Because he has set his love upon Me, therefore I will deliver him;\nI will set him on high, because he has known My name.\n15 He shall call upon Me, and I will answer him;\nI will be with him in trouble;\nI will deliver him and honor him.\n16 With long life I will satisfy him,\nAnd show him My salvation.”\nGet Your Free Gift here, and For More Psalms Go To The Book of Psalms page\nWhen Jesus says yes, nobody can say no. In these psalms, you're going to see the majesty of God. You're going to see the awesomeness of God and His greatness. And undoubtedly, you will see His great power.\nBecause the God that we serve is Awesome. He is powerful. I've seen God heal the sick, perform miracles, and deliver people from demons.\nI've seen God provide jobs, pay school fees, and so much more. He is awesome! And it is our prayer at Alive Christians that yo see how great and awesome He is too!\nThese psalms are very powerful and will speak to the delivering power of God in your life because God is a mighty deliverer.\nIt doesn't matter what demonic power you may be facing. It doesn't matter if you're facing financial setbacks or problems in your wealth and relationships.\nThe Mighty God that we serve is able to do exceedingly, abundantly above all we can ask or image according to the power that works in us - Ephesians 3:20.\nSo, if you're in any need for His delivering power, the Psalmist shows how good and Mighty God is. And He will come through for you. Just put your trust in Him.\nI remember there was a gentleman that I had been speaking to who was contemplating suicide. He was having a really hard time. So as the Holy Spirit led, I spoke to HIm and encouraged Him in the Lord. During our talks, I was yielding to the Lord for Him to use me as a vessel, or a point of contact between Him and this man. And the more that I spoke the better He felt.\nYou see, if you submit to God and resist the devil, he will flee. And that's what The Lord was directing me to do.\nAfter I was finished speaking with this man, he remarked, \"This is the best I've felt in a long time!\"\nThe Psalms show that God is faithful and terrible in His dealings with those who are against Him and His people. May you get comfort in knowing that God is a mighty man of war, and the bishop and guardian of your soul in Jesus' Name.\nAlive Christians © 2021 All Rights Reserved\nFounded by Apostle Quinson Thomas\nAliveChristians.com - As The Church You will Learn To Prophesy, Heal the Sick, Read The Bible And Live A Wealthy Life As You Grow Your Faith To Manifest Destiny in Jesus' Name.", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "Dear my friends and donors,\nFor the first time, I will be participating in the Toronto Waterfront Marathon (virtual race) to raise funds for Fountain of Love and Life.\nFirst of all, thank you for taking time to read my appeal for this fundraising event.\nFor many who have known me well, I am not a person who loves to participate in fundraising events because I feel shy and weird asking people for donations. The last time I went out of my comfort zone was to fundraise for the poor and the weak when I had a missionary trip to the Dominican Republic. It was difficult enough for me to raise $500 at that time.\nThis time, much more courage and strengths are needed for me to step out to ask for your help.\nThis is because I will be fundraising for the “New Home Capital Campaign” for Fountain of Love and Life. [Donations will also be matched dollar-to-dollar until September 13, 2023 by four generous donors.]\nFountain of Love and Life (FLL) is a non-profit Catholic multi-media evangelization ministry for close to 20 years. Funds raised will be used to spread the Good News to the Chinese communities in Canada and around the world through various media (e.g. TV, radio, YouTube, podcast, bookstore, workshops, webinars, formation programs, etc.). At this moment, the critical project for FLL is to acquire a permanent home for its sustainability and growth.\n“Why would I donate to FLL?” Some of you may ask. Yes, and I totally understand. FLL is not a typical ordinary non-profit organization helping the needy, the poor and the weak. The Catholic faith may be unfamiliar, and even not applicable to you. And this is why I would like to share a little story of mine…\nI have been a FLL volunteer for more than 10 years before I needed to focus on my theological study at Regis College, University of Toronto School of Theology. During those volunteering years, I was primarily producing TV episodes for the ministry. I still remember the endless nights and weekends working with other volunteers to get the TV programs on air. Many steps were involved: brainstorming, interviewing, filming, scriptwriting, video-editing, transcribing/translating, voice-over recording, etc. Many of us started with no knowledge about TV production, we stumbled and made many mistakes, despite all the sweat and tears, we kept on going, and slowly, we learned and created one episode after another. We were all volunteers using our own spare time working for this ministry. But why?\nIt is because we want to spread the Good News to our neighbours. But what is the Good News? For us Christians, the Good News is the love of Jesus our God, who became human and died for us. But how does the TV or radio programs, and even a permanent home of FLL help spreading the love?\nThroughout the years, I have witnessed a growing abundance of fruits coming out from FLL. It started with a small group of young volunteers who only knew how to work hard, and now, it turned into a community of love and prayers fostering personal relationships and nurturing future leaders. Many have been touched by the many programs (TV, radio, podcast, YouTube, webinars, prayer groups, formations) done by FLL. Some have been converted to Catholicism, and even have been called to become priests, deacons, and religious sisters. Some called its hotline (phone help-desk) and have been listened to by patient volunteers, and even healed by caring and personal interactions.\nWhat does this mean to you? A permanent home of FLL will not only be beneficial to just the Chinese Catholic communities, but can also be a welcoming meeting place for many (like you, me, and others) who would need a place for peace and love. A physical location can also bring everyone together for in-person social gathering, knowledge/experience sharing, and interfaith dialog. Love has no boundaries.\nThis is why I am aiming to raise $5,000 (as a starting point) to support this “New Home Capital Campaign” for FLL through walking/hiking for 50 km (and maybe more) from Sep 7 to Oct 31, 2023. I hope you can help me to reach my goal. Any donation will help.\nOfficial electronic tax receipts will be issued for pledges of $20 or above. Each donation transaction through the Toronto Waterfront Marathon “Race Roster” website will incur 8% credit card and service fee costs. These costs are entirely optional.\nIf you would like to know more about FLL’s “New Home Capital Campaign” and donation details using other means (e.g. e-transfer, cheque, etc., or how to donate from HK and US), please visit https://communication.fll.cc/newhome2023-home-e\nThank you in advance for supporting my efforts. I could not do this without your generosity. You will be in my prayers no matter what you decide to do.\n|Donation date||Donor name||Donation amount|\n|Nov 13||Paul||Undisclosed amount|\n|Oct 31||Olivia||Undisclosed amount|\n|Oct 02||May Fung||$272.54|\n|Sep 25||Sarah Lam||$25.00|\n|Sep 23||Anonymous||Undisclosed amount|\n|Sep 22||Claudia Kung||$108.31|\n|Sep 22||Peter Cheng||$108.31|\n|Sep 21||Anonymous||Undisclosed amount|\n|Sep 19||AGNES YIP||$108.31|", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "We are approaching Holy Week and this year, all of our Holy Week services will be joint services with St. Andrew’s River Heights United Church. We begin with Palm Sunday when we tell the story of Jesus entering Jerusalem on a donkey and being greeted by crowds waving palm branches. Rev. Karen Lumley, from St. Andrew’s, and I will offer a dramatic dialogue that explores the meaning of Jesus’ entrance into Jerusalem as the Good Friday storm clouds began gathering on the horizon.\nOn Maundy Thursday, the service will be recorded at St. Andrew’s and will tell the story of the Last Supper through song and liturgy. We will be celebrating Holy Communion, so please have juice or wine and bread or crackers available. As well, we will be remembering Jesus’ command (mandatum in Latin, root of “Maundy”) to serve and love one another as he washed the disciples’ feet. Please have a basin of water and cloth available if you would like to join Karen and Loraine in washing hands as part of the liturgy.\nOn Good Friday, the service will be recorded at both churches and at the community ministries which each church serves: Oak Table and West Broadway. We will be hearing how the Good Friday story connects with our community ministries.\nEaster Sunday will bring renewed hope of the resurrection and new life. Youth confirmations, hand bells, and solo singing will give all of us a needed lift as we continue to forge through the COVID clouds. The sun/son will shine again!\nThere are so many people working behind the scene to make all of the services happen within safety protocols. I’m grateful to staff, the Safe Reopening Committee, the Worship Team, the tech team, readers, soloists, and—most importantly—you, the congregation tuning in to the services.\nOne of the difficulties with online services is that we miss in-person feedback. The Worship Team would appreciate your thoughts on the online services so that we can make them even more meaningful. Please take a moment to respond to the Worship Team’s questions within this congregational email.\nLet us journey well into Holy Week—separate and yet together.\nBlessings of light shining in the darkness,\nBECAUSE THERE IS HOPE HERE: LENT 2021 WORSHIP SERVICES\nThis year’s Lenten services will feature congregational reflections on hope.\nHOLY WEEK SERVICES\nAll of our Holy Week Services will be offered jointly with St. Andrew’s River Heights United Church\nMarch 28 – 10:45 a.m. and available later through website\nPalm Sunday live-streamed at Westworth; soloists Howard R. and Fred C. Youth from our confirmation class will talk about how they find hope in these difficult times.\nApril 1 – available from 7:00 p.m. and later\nMaundy Thursday pre-recorded at St. Andrew’s. Have communion elements, water, basin and towel ready as you join the service from home.\nApril 2 – available from 10:30 a.m. and later\nGood Friday pre-recorded at Westworth, St. Andrew’s, West Broadway Community Ministry and Oak Table\nApril 4th – 10:45 a.mm and available later through website\nWestworth Easter Service is live-streamed at 10:45 am with 6 youth confirmations, Morna-June M. on handbells and soloist Cheryl M.\nThere are still a few multifaith calendars for 2021 available for free from the office. They are accompanied by beautiful art work and include the major celebrations for each world religion. Call the office to arrange for pickup.\nGUARANTEED LIVABLE INCOME\nLynda T., West Broadway Community Minister, is helping to organize interfaith vigils on April 8 at 12:30 pm at MP offices throughout Manitoba in support of Guaranteed Livable Income for all Canadians. Loraine will be attending one of the vigils. Please contact her if you would like to join her. The following video from our Moderator and links on the United Church website give more info about a Guaranteed Livable Income:\nEvery Lent, we invite donations for our special appeals to support our non-profit community agencies and ministry partners. The congregation usually raises around $1600 and the UCW contributes $1800 from their Rummage Sale and Bazaar fundraisers. Because the UCW was unable to hold either due to COVID-related building closures last year, the congregation generously gave $2500, which allowed us to continue supporting most of our partners. This year, the UCW is again unable to contribute because our building remains closed to fundraisers. We are therefore asking the congregation once more to consider giving more than usual so that we can continue supporting our partners, who are more stretched than ever. These are the partners we were able to support last year through Special Appeals:\nPrairie to Pine Regional Council Bursary Fund\nSt. Andrews College\nSandy Saulteaux Spiritual Centre\nCentre for Christian Studies\nLocal social justice\nWest Broadway Community Ministry\n1 Just City\nL.I.T.E. (local investment towards employment)\nRock Lake United Church Camp\nOur Special Appeal donation deadline is Easter Sunday, April 4.\nSUNDAY SCHOOL NEWS\nHope this e-mail finds you all well, and I will continue to send the Sunday school lesson by e-mail until we can meet in person again.\nThis Sunday is Palm Sunday, the beginning of Holy Week.\nThis week’s Sunday school lesson, ‘Holy Week’ has been sent by e-mail. It includes all the age groups from N/K to G5/6, with the activity sheets. If you need a printed copy of the curriculum, please let me know at firstname.lastname@example.org.\nThe Sunday school teachers will be on Zoom this Sunday from 10.15am-10.30am to chat with you. Our theme this week will be about, ‘Bravery’. Then join the online service starting at 10.45am this week with Loraine following Zoom Sunday school. Our Westworth Confirmation class will be confirmed this week.\nJulia is reading this week’s bible story and “The Lord’s Prayer” will be read by Danielle. Your Sunday school teachers are on the Westworth Face Book page for you to view. There is also a link in the CE drop down menu on our web site.\nThe Bible Story is also available here:\nZoom Sunday School Information\nZoom Meeting ID 743 937 1522\nPass Code 042976\nDAILY LENTEN CONTEMPLATIVE PRAYER\nRev. Barb Jardine has put together a Lenten series that introduces us to the practice of contemplative prayer. Her introduction, along with her daily 10 min. YouTube videos are designed for beginners who have never tried this form of prayer. These can be found in the link below and on our website home page in the What’s New section. Barb has produced these for her congregation, but she is willing for Westworth to have access to them as a thank you for the inspiration she received from Thriving Churches.\nHere is this week’s installments:\nNEWS ABOUT WESTWORTH MEMBERS\nBirthday – Diether P.\nApril 3, 2021\nHappy Birthday wishes and greetings are warmly extended to Diether P. for his special 90th birthday on April 3rd\nOpera Performance – Christina T.\nMarch 26, 2021\n- “Tune into Schulich School of Music of McGill University’s YouTube page at 6pmCST to watch me make my Handel debut in the title role of Opera McGill’s Devil Wears Prada-inspired production of Partenope!! The show will be live-streamed, and will be available for viewing afterwards too. It’s been such a blessing to perform opera amidst COVID-19! I’ve been surrounded by a fantastic cast and crew through this process and I am so excited to share this with you all!”\n- The opera will be sung in Italian, but set in the present. Christina will present the character of Parentope as a fashion designer; great care has been taken to create the costumes. She will be wigged, so you might not recognize her at first. The McGill COVID safety committee will allow singers to perform arias unmasked while remaining socially-distant; consequently the committee decided the running time of the opera has to be shortened for the safety of all on stage.\n- Watch Here: https://youtube.com/c/schulichmusic\n- WEST BROADWAY COMMUNITY MINISTRY\nThe West Broadway Community was overjoyed to enjoy, once again, “Meatball Sub Day” on Thursday, March 18. The Outreach Team thanks you so much for your contribution to the cost of each month’s lunch that is approximately $350. Cheques may be sent to the Westworth office with the memo line indicating “WBCM lunches”.\nAs the building remains closed, weekly donations of food, toiletries and feminine hygiene products cannot be placed in the WB Buckets, please consider making a donation to the purchasing of food and supplies for the pantry. Cheques to Westworth with “WBCM Pantry” on the memo line are gratefully received!\nECOLOGICAL JUSTICE & THE ENVIRONMENT\nApril is designated as Climate Action Month, and from now until the end of April, this section of the Outreach Team’s report will focus on deepening our awareness that humans are intricately connected with all other life forms on Earth, and the health of our planet has a direct and real impact on our spiritual and physical health. Here are two important dates (with links to excellent info) to remind us of our commitment to ecological justice.\nMarch 28: Earth Hour at 8:30 pm\nTurn out the lights! Go outside! Be one with creation!\nFor tons of info, click here:\nWow – the Virtual Spotlight – coming soon! Just click here;\nWant to hear Amanda Gorman’s poem “EARTHRISE”? Just click here!\nApril 22: Earth Day\nWestworth will observe Earth Day during worship on April 18. In the meantime, the Outreach Team encourages you and your family to deepen your connection with the Earth; to dig deeper into the issues that have created the ecological crisis that we now face; and to prayerfully consider how you might respond to this crisis. The attached calendar could be used to guide your observation of Earth Month during April:\nA REQUEST FROM THE WORSHIP TEAM\nWe are all following the recent changes to the government orders in response to the COVID crisis. We are feeling more hopeful with some minor easing of restrictions and with the vaccine roll out, but worried about the new variants. Throughout the past year we, the Worship Team and staff, have strived to have the “sense of the holy”* present in our online services. Our Technology Team has navigated their way through production and distribution of these services. We are so grateful to everyone involved. We are still quite restricted by government orders and the direction of the United Church, but like all of you, we have hope for the future.\nWe would love to hear from you!\n- Which components of worship best connect you with a sense of the holy?\n- Which components get in the way of your time with each other and this time with God?\n- If all protocols were in place, would you attend in-person worship?\n- Do you have any suggestions during this time of restrictions and moving forward?\n*idea taken from Lenten Challenge Gospel of Mark by Dr. Charles Anderson, Rev. Dave Anderson, Rev. Richard Bott\n2021 STEWARDSHIP CAMPAIGN RESULTS\nThere were 261 Stewardship packages mailed to our church families for the 2021 Stewardship Campaign. As a result, there are 126 families donating monthly on PAR which represents 48% of our families. Of the 135 families not on PAR, 28 families responded to the Stewardship Campaign by making a pledge to be honoured during the year.\nWe recognize that the past year has been different and difficult. If your circumstances have changed and you are now able to participate in our Stewardship Campaign, we would gratefully accept your pledge. You can do so by contacting Tammy at the church office at 204-489-6974, Ext 20.\nFull information on ways to give and the annual budget is on the Westworth website www.westworth.ca. Thank you for supporting the 2021 Stewardship Campaign and the Mission of Westworth United Church.", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "Table of Contents\nGehenna in the Old Testament\nThe Bible dictionary says that the word Gehenna, comes from the Hebrew Ge hinnom which means the “Valley of Hinnom.” In the King James Version, the word Gehenna appears 13 times in 11 different verses as “Valley of Hinnom,” “Valley of the son of Hinnom,” or “Valley of the children of Hinnom.” The oldest historical reference to this valley is found in Joshua 15:8, 18:16.\nIn ancient Israel, Gehenna was a deep, narrow glen to the south of Jerusalem, where apostatized Jews offered their children as human sacrifices to the pagan Cannaanite god Molech (2 Kings 16:3; 23:10; Jeremiah 7:31; 19:6, 11–13). This evil practice was common among the nations of Palestine (Deuteronomy 12:31; 2 Kings 3:27). King Manasseh was guilty of this horrible sin (2 Kings 21:6). Human sacrifices were forbidden by God to the Israelites under the penalty of death (Leviticus 18:21; 20:2).\nThe practice of child sacrifice was continued in the days of Jeremiah (ch. 7:31). During the reign of King Josiah, the prophet Jeremiah asked him to destroy the shrines in Topheth and to end the practice of child sacrifices (Jeremiah 7:31-32, 32:35). So, the king destroyed the shrine of Molech on Topheth, to prevent anyone from offering human sacrifices there ( 2 Kings 23:10).\nDespite Josiah’s ending of the practice, Jeremiah included a prophecy that Jerusalem itself would be made like Gehenna and Topheth because of their continued transgressions against God (Jeremiah 19:2-6, 19:11-14). In judgement for Judah’s cruel, idolatrous worship, this evil place would be turned into a place of “slaughter” when Jerusalem was taken by the Babylonians (2 Kings 25:1–9). Thus, Tophet is pictured as the place where the enemies of the Lord are to be consumed with fire (Isaiah 33:14).\nLater on, the “valley of Slaughter” (Jeremiah 19:6) became the common place for all the refuse of the city, where the dead bodies of animals and of criminals were cast and consumed by fire that kept continually burning.\nGehenna in the New Testament\nIn the New Testament, the word Gehenna is always translated “hell” (Matthew 5:22, 29,30; Luke 12:5; James 3:6). Jesus used the word Gehenna to describe the opposite to life in the Kingdom (Mark 9:43-48). He stated that hell is the place where both soul and body will be destroyed in the the lake of fire (Matthew 10:28; 23:15,33; Mark 9:43,45,47).\nIn Jewish Rabbinic literature and Christian literature, the word Gehenna is a symbol of the fire that will destroy the lost at the end of time. “And fire came down from God out of heaven and devoured them. (Revelation 20:9b also Hebrews 12:29). The fire of Gehenna was not unending. And hell fire will not be forever. For more, check the following link: https://bibleask.org/is-hell-forever/\nHow Can We Escape Hell?\nThe Bible answers this question, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins” (Acts 2:38). Repentance means more than a confession of sin. It means a change of mind and forsaking of the old way of sin to follow Christ in the path of righteousness by His enabling grace. As the believer connects Himself daily to God through the study of His Word and prayer, the Holy Spirit will change His mind and renew His life (John 15:4,5). This inward change is the conversion experience. Baptism is the outward physical sign that the change has taken place.\nChrist gave the conditions for salvation, “He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned” (Mark 16:16). So, a person must believe in Jesus as his personal Savior from sin and this faith will bring the fruits of obedience to God’s Commands (Exodus 20). Just as baptism alone is not enough for salvation, “faith without works is dead” (James 2:26).\nIn His service,", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "Anyone who has hosted a Christmas dinner or party can tell you, there is a ton of preparation that goes into throwing these holiday celebrations. Many of us find ourselves doing lots of preparing in this busy season of lights, tinsel, and wrapping paper. Yet, what are we really preparing for? Who are we really preparing for? This Advent, hear God’s call: “Prepare!” – for the coming one, Jesus. Hear this imperative as an invitation to strip away all the fuss and ready your heart and life for the change that is coming when Jesus gets here.\n“Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?”\nJesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’\nThis is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”\nMatthew 22:36-40 (NIV)\nSunday Service 9:30 AM\n622 Rosemont Ringoes Road", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "5th Wednesday of Lent – Reflection for OLPH Novena – 10 April 2019 (readings)\nSin is what enslaves us. And it’s only the Good News of Jesus Christ that can set us free. It’s only by living a life dedicated to God become flesh that will allow us true freedom. The seasons of Lent and Easter give us a good idea of how we can begin to live out our lives in a way pleasing to God. Lent calls us to fasting, prayer, and abstinence; while Easter calls us to celebration, to feasting, to the resurrection.\nThere’s two ways we can live our life: either secularly, or religiously. Either we can first have the feast, and then the headache, as the world does; or we can first have the fast, then the feast in imitation of Our Divine Savior.\nPeople of the world prefer feasting followed by pain and suffering, but as Christians, we know that’s not what we’re called to. We know that Our Lord calls us to fast in this life, so that we can feast with him in the next.\nIt’s through this fasting, this embracing of suffering in this life that will prepare us physically and spiritually to enter into our life with God. Because fasting and penance are what mortifies the body in order to free us from the slavery of sin.\nMy brothers and sisters, Lent and Easter is a great example of this reality, and a model for us to follow; because as Catholics, as Christians we must remember the words of the Venerable Servant of God Fulton J. Sheen, “first the fast, then the feast.”", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "Tuesday, December 1, 2009\n© Copyright 2015\nALBANY -- The pastor accused in a plot to have his church burned is scheduled to go on trial Monday, court officials said.\nThe Rev. Joseph Howard is accused of hiring Curtis Lee Jones and Vincent Jackson to vandalize and burn Trinity Metropolitan Baptist Church, which he pastored.\nChief Assistant District Attorney Chris Cohilas said jury selection and the trial are set to begin Monday.\nFirefighters responded to a report of a fire at the church on New Year's Eve 2007 and found the church partially burned.\nCreditors were scheduled to auction the church property on Jan. 2 to pay off hundreds of thousands of dollars in debt that the church owed, Georgia Insurance and Safety Fire Commissioner John Oxendine said following the fire. Oxendine predicted fallout from the arrest of a man who he said was well known throughout the community, but said that, after viewing the evidence, state arson investigators stood behind the work of the Albany Fire Department and the Albany Police Department.", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "2019 Spring & Summer Celebrations!\nAn annual joy is Easter Worship & Feast! This year we gathered to hear the resurrection story from Luke, and consider how the women were called to remember. We then remembered people who have shared God’s love with us. Moving from worship to feast, we added those memories on butterflies to the Easter balloon installation. From enthusiastic song, meaningful communion, fun company, and celebratory cakes, Princeton Presbyterians launched into the final season of the academic year with joy and hope.\nThanks to all the hands that prepared food, decorated, worshipped, cleaned, and ate—each person made Easter Sunday that much more of a celebration.\nThe Easter surprises continued as the balloon installation made its way throughout Nassau to later decorate Niles Chapel for Breaking Bread Worship, as a devotional tool for the Mission & Outreach Committee, and finally to adorn the children’s choir space as they concluded their season.\nWe look forward to continuing the Easter season as we conclude Breaking Bread Worship for the academic year and bless graduating students on Sunday, May 12, 6:30PM in Niles Chapel.\nWe are grateful for all who give generously, whatever the amount, to support the ministry of Princeton Presbyterians of the Westminster Foundation. It is with much joy we share reflections of gratitude in the 2018 Fall Newsletter and in the following letter from David Redman, the current Board President.\nDear Friends of Princeton Presbyterians of The Westminster Foundation,\nLen and Andrew Scales have been wonderfully successful in building the ministry of Princeton Presbyterians over the last two years. Not only have they reached out to and brought in a larger number of Princeton University undergraduates—our “target audience,” after all—but also have built and maintained strong relations with Princeton graduate students, Princeton Seminary and Westminster Choir college students, and members of the greater Princeton community. Their ministries are of many kinds, as they should be in order to serve a diverse community that varies in age, interests, goals, and life situations. These ministries include meals, study groups, individual listening and counseling, field trips (including one this summer that took a group of five students to the Taize community in France), and the ever-growing worship experience that is Breaking Bread. But above all, they have shown that they deeply care about the people they serve.\nWe cannot overestimate the importance of this loving care. The university experience at a place like Princeton is very often stressful, and on some occasions baffling, dispiriting, or crushing. It is a time, in short, when young people are called upon to marshal all their resources of confidence and resilience. But is also a time for expressions of God’s love and care, for being able to love and be loved, and to participate in a community of caring people. Princeton Presbyterians provides this sort of community.\nFrom a personal point of view, I am very glad to have rejoined the Westminster Foundation Board for the next three years and am truly honored to be serving as its president for 2018-19. I consider this as a gift—of service (though my colleagues on the Board should be the judges of that!)—to Princeton Presbyterians. But in addition I plan to support the ministry generously with a financial gift. I hope that you will too!\nPresident, The Westminster Foundation Board of Trustees\nYour prayers and your monetary donations are much appreciated. Online giving may be made here, or checks may be made payable to the “Westminster Foundation” and mailed to 61 Nassau Street, Princeton, NJ 08542.\nAs we reflect on Princeton Presbyterians annual Thanksgiving Feast, we wanted to share five highlights from this season of gratitude:\nBreaking Bread Worship\nThis fall, by moving the time of worship up to 6:30PM, we have been able to continue to cultivate community over monthly meals.\nWe enjoyed celebrating the first day of fall classes at the University by serving over 300 ice cream cones with our ecumenical partners.\nIn October, the Muslim Student Associate and Princeton Presbyterians shared in our respective worship services and got to know one another more over a meal.\nGenerous & Growing Support\nWe are grateful for the prayers and financial gifts from individuals, congregations, and the Synod of the Northeast.\nStudents have continued to reflect on their time of worship, work, and sabbath in France this summer. Read Emmie Arnold’s reflection here.\nStudents, alums, and friends of Princeton Presbyterians are invited to join for an open house on Saturday, June 2, 9:30AM–11:30AM, in the Conference Room at Nassau Presbyterian. A labyrinth will also be available at select times on Friday and Saturday if you would like a respite from the exciting hubbub of Reunions to reflect on your Princeton journey.\nSaturday, June 9\n- Arrive in Paris by 3PM, check-in at hotel or airbnb with group\n- Group dinner at L’AOC in the Latin Quarter\nSunday, June 10—Sunday, June 17\n- June 10—travel by train from Paris to Mâcon-Loché TGV, bus to Taizé\n- Stay with the Taizé Community\n- June 17—travel by bus to Mâcon-Loché, train from Mâcon-Loché TGV to Paris\nSunday, June 17\n- Return to Paris, check-in at hotel or airbnb with group\n- Group dinner\nParticipants will be expected to read “A Community Called Taizé” by Jason Santos and attend a group dinner in the Spring of 2018 and in the Fall of 2019.\nEstimated cost is $1000 plus airfare per person. We want to make this trip affordable for students interested in participating, both undergraduate students and graduate students. Email Len if interested. We will release an online reservation form at the beginning of 2018. There students will be invited to share a confidential and honest estimate of what they are able to contribute to the cost. We do ask $250 be turned in by February 6, 2018 as a deposit for the trip. The group will be capped at 10 students.\nFor more information about the Taizé Community, click here.\nPrinceton Presbyterians continues to give thanks. Read the fall 2017 newsletter here.", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "Gift Matches - Merry Christmas\nNeed a Christmas gift idea? We've got you covered! Pair these cute Christmas matches with a Christmas candle like this one or this cranberry Holiday candle and you've got a cute and affordable Christmas gift!\nWhether you're shopping for a Christmas gift for a teacher, a Secret Santa present, a Christmas stocking stuffer or a hostess Christmas gift - these holiday matches make a great little gift.", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "You mean like this?\nFrom the CCC\n“Outside the Church there is no salvation”\n846 How are we to understand this affirmation, often repeated by the Church Fathers?335 Re-formulated positively, it means that all salvation comes from Christ the Head through the Church which is his Body:\nBasing itself on Scripture and Tradition, the Council teaches that the Church, a pilgrim now on earth, is necessary for salvation: the one Christ is the mediator and the way of salvation; he is present to us in his body which is the Church. He himself explicitly asserted the necessity of faith and Baptism, and thereby affirmed at the same time the necessity of the Church which men enter through Baptism as through a door. Hence they could not be saved who, knowing that the Catholic Church was founded as necessary by God through Christ, would refuse either to enter it or to remain in it.336\n847 This affirmation is not aimed at those who, through no fault of their own, do not know Christ and his Church:\nThose who, through no fault of their own, do not know the Gospel of Christ or his Church, but who nevertheless seek God with a sincere heart, and, moved by grace, try in their actions to do his will as they know it through the dictates of their conscience - those too may achieve eternal salvation.337\n848 \"Although in ways known to himself God can lead those who, through no fault of their own, are ignorant of the Gospel, to that faith without which it is impossible to please him, the Church still has the obligation and also the sacred right to evangelize all men.\"338\nThat sounds surprisingly open to me, much more then any fundamentalist church that I attended, which seemed to view even other fundamentalist with suspicion.\nFrom your own post:\n**847 This affirmation is not aimed at those who, through no fault of their own, do not know Christ and his Church: **\nI don’t know your particular beliefs but there are some fundamentalist who deny the concept of invincible ignorance.\nOf course, I am not calling you a fundamentalist either.\nIt seems to me that many of the people that would deny Catholics the right to be called Christian would probably not call many Protestants Christian either.", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "Mr. Nile Smith passed away Aug. 27 2010. Funeral Services will be Saturday, Sept 4 at 2:00 pm at First Baptist Church in El Dorado, AR under the direction of Andrews Funeral Home.\nMr. David Ross’s Wife, Emma Jean Walker Ross passed away. Funeral Services will be Friday Sept 3 at 11:00 am, also at First Baptist Church, under the direction of Sims Funeral Home.\nPlease remember to pray for the Smith, and Ross Families in their time of sorrow.", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "Session 3 of Homosexuality & Transgender Identity: A Bible Study\nBefore you begin, Ask if anyone had a chance to look at the verses given for homework and if any had found any that struck them or challenged them particularly. Ask also if using the five tools helped them understand the passages any better.\nExplain that today you are going to be looking at what, if anything, the first book of the Bible says about homosexuality.\nAsk: Before I get started, what are some things you have heard the Old Testament says about homosexuality? What do you think of those things?\nExplain: The first place we are going to look at is in the very beginning of the Bible, in fact the book whose name means “in the beginning” – the book of Genesis.\nAsk: Does anyone know of anything that this first book of the Bible says which might apply to a discussion on homosexuality?\nExplain: Well, probably one of the first places in Genesis people turn to is Genesis 1 and 2.\nAsk if someone could read Genesis 1:26-31, and someone else read Genesis 2:18-25.\nThen, allow people to share either things they feel these verses say about homosexuality or things they have heard people say about homosexuality.\nProbably people will make reference to the oft-repeated statement, “God made Adam and Eve, not Adam and Steve.” Some people may make the point that the verse doesn’t talk about homosexuality at all.\nHere are some key issues to address:\nExplain: Some people will quote this verse and say “It isn’t Adam and Eve, but Adam and Steve.”\nAsk: Do these verses say anything against same-sex relationships?\nPoint out that, despite what some Christians want to claim, Genesis doesn’t get into a lot of specifics about a lot of things. It doesn’t give a lot of specifics, from a scientific standpoint, about the process God uses to create life, for instance. Likewise, the verses don’t give any specific instruction on same-sex relationships. We are told God made humans male and female and told them to have sex, thus reproducing, and to care for and shape God’s creation. And we are told the first two people are called Adam, meaning red mud, and Eve, meaning life, and are male and female. We are also told, generally speaking, the reason a man leaves his family of origin and cleaves to his wife, but we aren’t told one word about why some men do the same thing but cleave to a husband – and why some women cleave to another woman. The verses here do not say this is bad. But, they also do not say it is good.\nSome people jump to the conclusion that since Genesis 1 & 2 don’t describe same-sex relationships that [these relationships] are necessarily wrong. Yet, is this really fair? Not really. Genesis 1 & 2 also don’t describe OB/GYN’s who help with the pregnancies resulting from heterosexual sex that we use today. It doesn’t describe college education. It doesn’t describe mass transit, automobiles, or even wedding ceremonies at a church. We don’t jump to the conclusion that OB/GYN’s are wrong, that getting a college degree is a sin, that riding buses or cars is evil, or that it is a sin to have a wedding ceremony at a church, even though Genesis 1 & 2 don’t describe these things. So you can’t use Genesis 1 & 2 to really condemn or praise same-sex relationships. You have to turn elsewhere – whether to other verses in the bible, to science, to personal experience, or to your own prejudice – to do that.\nDo these verses say anything about transgender and intersex identity?\nIn a word, no. We are told God creates human beings male and female, but Genesis 1 & 2 don’t say anything about other categories folks might find themselves in. We aren’t told if all humans will be male and female, or how God views those who are born not fitting neatly into the category of male or female.\nAsk: Does this necessarily mean being transgender is wrong?\nExplain that, again, you have to look somewhere other than these verses to determine that. They simply don’t talk about the phenomenon at all. These verses only speak in general terms about gender, sexuality, or even the way life began, in order to teach some fundamental principles that apply generally to all people. They don’t get into exact scientific detail about every part of how life began or about gender diversity or sexual orientation.\nRemember what we learned happened to Martin Luther, the pope, and John Calvin during the Renaissance when they tried to treat the Bible as a science book: They condemned as heretics folks who found scientific evidence that the earth circles the sun, not the sun the earth. They did this because the Bible did not directly describe the earth circling the sun, but used poetic language about the sun rising and setting. They made fools of themselves, because that wasn’t really what God was ever saying. Something similar could happen to us if we out-and-out condemned ideas such as evolution, same-sex relationships or transgender identity because they are not explicitly described here in Genesis 1 & 2. God’s silence in Genesis 1 & 2 only means we have to look elsewhere for these answers, not that the things God does not describe are wrong.\nAsk: If Genesis 1 & 2 don’t tell us directly whether same-sex behavior is right or wrong – and whether or not being transgender or intersex is alright – does it give us any principles that can we can use to figure out how to apply what we learn about these phenomenon elsewhere? Taken together with what we now know about sexuality and gender from science, what lessons can Genesis 1 & 2 teach us?\nIt doesn’t answer questions about whether it is wrong to be gay, because when Genesis was written, the idea of sexual orientation hadn’t been discovered yet. But if people are born gay or transgender, as most scientists now claim, Genesis 1 & 2 can answer questions such as: Is my sexuality a mistake? What is the purpose of my sexuality?\nWhat does this story tell us about these things?\nAllow discussion, then explain:\nThis story tells us a number of positive things:\nFirst, none of us are accidents. Whether we are Adams who want Eves, Adams who want Steves, Eves who want Liliths, Adams who would be fine with either Steve or Eve, or Adams who don’t want anybody right now, thank you very much – God made us. God made us with a powerful purpose: To reflect God’s image, God’s character in this world.\nA similar message applies to transgender and intersex people, who science now largely agrees are born the way they are. For the transgender person, the reality is that while your life circumstances might be personally difficult, involving surgery, discrimination and/or low self-esteem, the way you are born is no mistake. God has a reason you were born with a body of one gender and mind of another (or not easily fitting into the category of male or female). By being yourself, it could be said that you at least partly reflect an image of the God who is described as both mother and father in a unique way.\nAlso, God made us to be with others, too – that is a part of what it means to be in God’s image. That humans are made man and woman together shows that we discover our purpose best with others – with friends, with church family, and (for those of us called to be in a relationship) with a loving partner. We discover how to be God’s image in the world through our relationships with each other.\nAnd, I think, Genesis shows us that this is a part of the reason for the gift of our sexuality. The fact that men and women are made for each other is called good by God. Our sexuality is a beautiful gift. And though this passage doesn’t say whether or not homosexuality or bisexuality is natural, modern science has found both to be natural varieties of sexual orientation, through empirical study, using the reason and experience we spoke about previously. Almost universally, psychologists who don’t have some preconceived political agenda argue that homosexuality and bisexuality are no more wrong than being left-handed, red-haired or brown-skinned. It is a natural part of the diversity of nature.\nSo if this is the case, which isn’t a question Genesis answers, but which science does, then Genesis shows us that all our natural variations – our skin color, our gender, our gender expression or gender identity, our sexual orientation – are gifts from God, given by God to give us yet another glimpse at a part of who God is. That means gay is gorgeous, bi is beautiful, lesbianism is lovely, and being heterosexual can be sexy. Each of these variations show us a part of who God is in a way that something else wouldn’t.\nA big part of how God uses our sexuality is hinted at in this narrative.\nAsk: Why does God give Adam and Eve their sexuality?\nGenesis 2 makes it sound as though there is something missing from Adam that renders him incomplete without it. If you wanted to, you could say he is not completely made until he finds the person who completes him. That is why it is not good for Adam to be alone. God makes Eve for Adam to be Adam’s “helper,” his “partner.” The two are to complete each other. Through their relationship of love, of trust, and of mutual respect, they are to help each other become who they were meant to be, become the best “them” they can be. And their sexuality is a beautiful instrument of this. It is what makes them leave their parents of origin, cling to each other, and become one. In one sense, this describes the physical act of sex – two people joining their bodies. But in reality, it really describes an ongoing process of building each other up, of getting to know each other, an emotional and spiritual process of transformation. And our sex drives and our sexuality are a large part of the drive toward us doing this with another person. Our sex life with whomever it is that completes us is a sort of super-glue that physically, emotionally, and spiritually binds us to each other.\nWhat does this teach us about the purpose of our sexuality – be it gay, lesbian, bisexual or hetero-sexuality?\nThe purpose in our sexuality isn’t just our pleasure, it isn’t to exploit others, but for our sex drive to be the driving force toward and centerpiece in a union with another human being, a union which helps both you and your partner become the complete person God made you to be.\nAs we step away from homophobic readings of Genesis and let modern sexology‘s studies on sexuality fill in the gaps which Genesis leaves, we can see Genesis’ beautiful lesson.", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "We all know that Jesus said to love your enemies. When I first read the Bible, I was struck by the passage that says, \"They will know you by how you love one another.\" One of the two most important commandments, according to our Lord, is to love our neighbor as much as we love ourselves.\nHe told us to show this love by feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, visiting the prisoners, etc. He said that, when we served the poor and needy that we were really serving him directly. What a glorious opportunity!\nLove. Love. Love. Jesus is all about the demonstration of love, yet today we have an upsurge in the amount of toxic public discourse in which the poor are demeaned in every way. Mostly, the people who complain about the poor claim that they are lazy people who are \"working the system\" and taking advantage.\nStories ABOUND in which nosy people examine the shopping carts and personal dress of a person using a food stamp subsidy to pay for their groceries and then extrapolate that, if they can afford those things, then they shouldn't be receiving help buying food. Never mind that the critic knows absolutely nothing about the personal finances of the person upon whom they wished additional poverty. The critic does not know who is paying for the cell phone they wish the poor person did not have. The critic begrudges the poor person the nice vehicle he or she is driving, yet does not know to whom the car belongs or even if the poor person paid for it themselves when they were working and successful.\nCritics assume that poor people have been poor their whole lives, it seems, because they can't imagine that a poor person would be in possession of things purchased when they were financially successful.\nI could give many credible reasons why someone would have a cell phone, a car, a pair of earrings...but it doesn't matter because it is irrelevant.\nJesus did not say to love your neighbor as much as yourself provided that you approve of all of his or her life decisions. No. We are to love one another. PERIOD. Love. Not criticism. Not judgment.\nIf your first instinct is to criticize, then your mind is inclined in a direction away from Jesus and away from his commandments. In fact, all this criticism of the poor is a distraction from the commandments of God. It is a method of grasping onto one's own greedy little pile of comfort. If a person can convince themselves that the poor have some egregious character defect, then the critic thinks they can assuage their conscience and continue to live in comfort while others go hungry, unhoused, unchurched, and unhealthy. They grow to think that the poor deserve to be poor...and the poorer, the better, so that they'll be forced to get off their lazy bums and get a job.\nI have written many times about the facts that disprove every one of the critic's arguments about the conditions of the poor in America. Today I write about saintliness.\nWhen Mother Teresa picked up the filthy, scabby, maggoty, sick old man from the streets of Calcutta, she did not first interview him to determine if he was worthy of her love and care. She did not sit there on the curb, pad and pen in hand, asking questions and checking off boxes on some form. She did not consider if he had bad habits that contributed to his pitiful condition. She did not care about any of that. She dispensed the love of Christ. That was all. She did not hesitate. She picked him up and brought him indoors where she and the nuns loved him and cared for him, washing, dressing, feeding and coddling him until he revived or he died. Mostly, they died. But they died in love, surrounded by sweet, gentle, smiling faces.\nI do not imagine that this tendency to criticize lays outside of myself. I have also experienced bouts of criticism in my lifetime, when my heart has not been soft enough and I needed to lean into a person with God's love instead of arrogance. It is a daily process, to check one's mind and make sure that it is inclined toward Jesus, in tune with his love and his intentions. Lots of prayer helps.\nWriting this constitutes my commitment to maintaining a loving inclination of heart, to look upon all others with a compassionate eye and see them the way God sees them, in the radiant beauty of the image of God in which they were made. To think well of others is a delightful thing. It generates a deep feeling of joy and bliss. Come join me, all you critics and pessimists, and partake of the bliss. In the meantime, I pray for you. Please pray for me.\nGod bless us all.\nSilver Rose Parnell", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "01.07.2023 - 01.07.2023\nDecorating the Church Bearings will take place from 9.30am until 12noon on Saturday 1st, in the Churchyard. Any donations of flowers – and help - would be very gratefully received. If you would like to carry a Church Bearing in the procession, please pop your name on the list at the back of St Mary’s Church, or contact us using the details below. Please help us to keep this very special tradition alive by taking part!Order of Events for Saturday afternoon: 2.15pm - Procession assembles outside the Primary School on Vicarage Road 2.30pm - Procession starts 3.30pm - Church Service, followed by Gingerbread and Children’s Tea 4.30pm - Rushbearing Sports – including the Fell Race.\n- 15.07.2023 Memorial service - Moira Kermode\n- 21.07.2023 Charlotte Mason Institute\n- 22.07.2023 Wordsworth Singers", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "The Catholic Parish of St William’s Grovely in association with the educational vision of the Archdiocese of Brisbane seeks to offer a Catholic education for its children. St Andrew’s has been established to provide excellence in education that is Catholic in its goal, wholistic in its scope and pastoral in its process. It is necessary for St Andrew’s to collect school fees to cover financial costs in meeting the goals of the school and the parents who choose Catholic education for their children. School fees cover basic tuition, maintenance and development of school buildings and the provision of specialist tuition. To sustain quality Catholic education at St Andrew’s, it is agreed by parents at enrolment, that full school fees and levies are payable when the school accepts the enrolment of their child. The St Andrew’s Finance Committee set school fees annually taking into account the Archdiocesan recommended minimum fee and the local circumstances of the community. We recognise that in particular circumstances from time to time parents may need an avenue for discussion and mutual decision with school personnel about the procedure and capacity to pay the given fees. The Parish has placed the role of fee management with the Principal of the school. The Principal will access the advice and consult with other appropriate authorities within the school, the parish and Catholic Education in determining just decisions about the level of school fees in any particular year and in discussion with any particular parent or family in regard to the payments of fees.\nPlease select from the links below to review our school fees, policy and payment options:\n2024 Fee Schedule.pdf\nPayment Options for St Andrews.pdf", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "Three nations — Russia, China and Iran — aim to challenge U.S. claims of moral superiority.\nRussian President Vladimir Putin greeted Russian Orthodox Patriarch Kirill after Putin’s inauguration ceremony in 2012. In mimicry of his tsarist predecessors, Vladimir Putin has restored prestige to the Orthodox Church.\nThere is much more to Vladimir Putin’s annexation of Crimea and continuing pressure on Ukraine than meets the eye.\nThe Russian leader has drawn open the curtain on a new era of global competition among a handful of nations that presume to act as heaven’s surrogates on Earth.\nAmerica’s sense of its own exceptionalism — its “City Upon a Hill” complex — is disdained even by some Americans, who think it leads the nation into trouble. But America isn’t the only society with a mystical sense of mission. In fact, the rest of the 21st century may be the story of America’s confrontation with three rival powers that directly challenge our claim to moral superiority.\nOne such nation is Russia, which has a long tradition of believing in its destiny as the “Third Rome.” The second is China, which for 2,500 years has positioned itself as the Middle Kingdom directly under heaven. The third is Iran, whose ayatollahs believe they possess the most truthful understanding of God’s holy order for humanity.\nWhen Putin spoke to his national assembly March 18 explaining why Russia was justified in absorbing Crimea, he didn’t hesitate to cite the deepest roots of Russia’s identity: “Everything in Crimea,” he said, “speaks of our shared history and pride. This is the location of ancient Khersones, where Prince Vladimir was baptized. His spiritual feat of adopting Orthodoxy predetermined the overall basis of the culture, civilization and human values that unite the peoples of Russia, Ukraine and Belarus.”\nIn 988, Prince Vladimir of the Kievan Rus had converted to Orthodox Christianity and had married a sister of the Byzantine emperor, linking a Slavic royal family to the lineage of Constantine the Great and protection of orthodox faith. This was the beginning of the Russian myth of a Third Rome.\nIn seizing Crimea, Putin is not proposing to play a parlor game but a game of thrones — a grand contest against the backdrop of human civilization. He has affirmed Russia’s historic destiny as the Third Rome to redeem humanity.\nIn the mystical vision of medieval Slavic leaders, the first Rome had been lost to true Christianity when it was captured by the Roman papacy. Protection of original Christian beliefs and practices — what we now call Eastern Orthodoxy — was then left to the patriarchs in the eastern Mediterranean, especially to the patriarch in Constantinople in his magnificent basilica of Hagia Sophia.\nThen, when Constantinople’s freedom was threatened with conquest by the Ottomans, Slavic Christians claimed to see a larger meaning in the conversion of Slavs to Orthodox Christianity. What they saw was a new way to salvation — the appointment of a chosen people to save the Christian gospel.\nThe monk Foma of Tver in 1453 wrote The Eulogy of the Pious Grand Prince Boris Alexandrovich to give substance to the Third Rome myth. The idea of Muscovy as heir to Rome crystallized with a panegyric letter composed by the Russian monk Philotheus (Filofey) of Pskov in 1510 to Moscow’s Grand Duke Vasili III, which proclaimed, “Two Romes have fallen. The third stands. And there will be no fourth. No one shall replace your Christian Tsardom!”\nVasili III’s father had married the niece of the last Byzantine Emperor, so Vasili III was in the lineage of those who were divinely ordained to protect the Orthodox faith.\nMuscovy became, therefore, a close political partnership between an autocratic ruler and a spiritually transcendent priesthood in a Christian theocracy. Moscow with its tsar and its Metropolitan then grew in power and pride as humanity’s redemptive force.\nThe novels of Dostoevsky and Tolstoy speak eloquently to the supreme purity and importance of Russian spirituality, which gave meaning to an otherwise bleak and foreboding Russian culture of secular oppression.\nOne reason the last tsar, Nicholas II, and his wife, Alexandra, did not seek secular reforms to preserve their dynasty was their mystical belief in their sanctity and their importance to God, who would accordingly save them from revolution. The monk Rasputin notoriously came to dominate the tsaritsa with such arguments.\nPutin’s faith in the exceptionalism of his Russian people has been and is widely shared. His stratospheric approval ratings in current polls reveal his alignment with popular beliefs and aspirations.\nThe Opinion section is produced by the Editorial Department to foster discussion about key issues. The Editorial Board represents the institutional voice of the Star Tribune and operates independently of the newsroom.", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "Friday, October 22, 2010\nMovie of the Week\nA MAN FOR ALL SEASONS (1966)\nStarring- Paul Scofield, Robert Shaw, Wendy Hiller, Orson Welles\nAs a nod to my Halloween costume this year (I'm being Henry VIII) I am highlighting a great Oscar winning film that tells the story of Sir Thomas More and his struggle with Henry VIII over divorce and the king's ultimate break with the Catholic Church. Written by Robert Bolt, who adapted it from his successful play, the story portrays More as the ultimate man of principle- beloved by the common folk for his conviction and loyalty to his values and religion in the face of death. Scofield's work as More is top notch, and it garnered him an Oscar for Best Actor.\nWhile the film takes some dramatic license with the facts, it is quite accurate overall. Henry VIII (Shaw) is upset at the fact that his wife Catherine of Aragon has been unable to provide him with a male heir, and so he wants a divorce. Unfortunately for the king, it is not up to him, but rather the Pope to grant the divorce. Henry's Chancellor, Cardinal Wolsey (Welles), urges More to help him let Henry out of the marriage. More refuses and Wolsey dies, disgraced by Henry who is still married to Catherine. More succeeds Wolsey as Lord Chancellor, but angers Henry when he says his conscience will not allow him dissolve a marriage that he feels is valid.\nMore is also up against the ambitious Thomas Cromwell (Leo McKern) who wants to gain power and take More down for his actions. Henry VIII, tired of waiting for the Pope to grant his divorce, creates the Church of England with himself as the head. He then marries his mistress Anne Boleyn. More refuses to recognize the union and is imprisoned in the Tower of London for treason. More is eventually put on trial where he boldly sticks to his principles. For that he is ultimately beheaded.\nThe story is a powerful one and is masterfully executed by Director Fred Zinneman and his first rate cast. It is no wonder that this is still held up as the quintessential film about More and Henry VIII. Scofield was made a popular actor for his work as More and became forever tied to this role. See this film for the history, the performances- especially Scofield and Shaw, and the fact that it is way better than The Tudors.\nThings to watch for-\nA young John Hurt\nThe great score by George Delerue\nA cameo by Vanessa Redgrave as Anne Boleyn\n\"I know a man who wants to change his woman.\"", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "Welcome Collage - Customisable Postcard\nSometimes rural churches can feel overshadowed by the larger urban churches. Rural Mission Sunday provides a real opportunity for rural churches to celebrate who they are and give thanks for their community.\nDo your neighbours know that they are welcome? Not everyone knows you can just turn up to church, even without a personal invitation. Make sure your neighbours know they are welcome – then prove it with a smile, and ideally a cup of tea too!", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "Count your 2012 blessings before the New Year; SM Foundation supports high school graduates of Catholic parish schoolsPurely Personal\nBy Josephine Darang\nWith New Year coming in two days, let us write down our blessings in 2012 and thank God for them. First, the gift of life. Second, sustenance and nourishment. And the gift of family. If tragedy struck us during the year, let us offer it to God and accept God’s plan for it. Then, we have our jobs that give us income.", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "Bishop Malzaire was born in Mon Repos, a community in the village of Micoud on the east of St Lucia. He dreamt of serving the Lord since the age 10. Bishop Malzaire studied at the Regional Seminary of St John Vianney and Ugandan Martyrs in Trinidad and Tobago. He holds a doctorate in Systematic Theology from the Gregorian University in Rome. His doctoral thesis, published in Rome, is a study of the relationship between theology of the Eucharist and the Social Teaching of the Church, as reflected in the thoughts of the late Pope Paul VI on the world’s poor and suffering.\nChristmas Message Christmas in the Year of Mercy Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, the Holy Father Francis, on December 8, 2015, the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception, called the entire Christian world to dedicate this year as an Extraordinary Jubilee Year of Mercy. In the Bull of Indiction, which explains the significance of the year, he affirms thus: “Jesus Christ is the face of the Father’s mercy. This might well sum up the mystery of the Christian Faith. Mercy has become … [Read More...]", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "It doesn’t get much better for a preacher. To sit down at the beginning of the week to start preparation for the coming Lord’s Day, to open the Scriptures at the passage due to be expounded and to read, ‘There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus’ (Romans 8:1). If that doesn’t life his heart and fire him with zeal to proclaim the truth, he probably shouldn’t be in a pulpit. What a joy to remind the people of God of their glorious privileges ‘in Christ Jesus’ and to explain to the unconverted the wonderful salvation that God has provided ‘in Christ Jesus’.\nThe opening verses of Romans 8 are undoubtedly the charter of true spiritual freedom. In a day when much attention is given to various forms of ‘liberation’, here the apostle Paul deals with the most fundamental freedom – freedom from sin and from condemnation by a holy God. How sad that so many regard Christianity as a form of bondage when in truth it is the greatest freedom imaginable. Could it be that Christians have not fully grasped their God-given privileges and tend to live as if they were still in bondage? Perhaps the world has some excuse for thinking as it does.\nIn a couple of verses Paul shows us something of the richness of our freedom in Christ. There is ‘no condemnation’: the burden of sin and guilt has been lifted. As those who have been ‘justified by faith’ (Romans 5:1) we are liberated from the righteous condemnation of God and we know we will not receive ‘the wages of sin’ (namely, death) of which Romans 6:23 speaks. And that’s not all. Not only are we freed from the guilt of sin, we are freed from the power of sin. As Paul states, ‘For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death’ (verse 2). The Holy Spirit has given new life to those who were formerly held in bondage to ‘the law of sin and death’. No longer is sin the dominating power in the Christian’s life, though, as Paul shows at length in Romans 7, a battle with sin still rages within every one of God’s people. The outcome of the conflict, however, is certain. United to Christ in his death and resurrection, as described in Romans 6, we are liberated from the guilt and the power of sin. The gateway to godly living is open.\nAt the heart of our freedom is of course the work of Christ. The law could not save us, given the sinfulness of our nature (the ‘flesh’ as Paul describes it in verse 3), but the marvel of the gospel is the ‘what the law could not do…God did’. By his gracious action, salvation in its fullness has been provided. He did it by ‘sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh’ – sharing our human nature yet without sin, and it was ‘for sin’, probably drawing on the Old Testament language of the atoning sin offerings. All the sin and guilt of his people were counted as his and so God ‘condemned sin in the flesh’, in Christ’s body on the cross. The full price of liberation has been paid and all those ‘in Christ Jesus’ are set free.\nNot only does God liberate us from certain things, namely the guilt and power of sin, he liberates us for something – for godly living. We are freed ‘in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us’ (verse 4). How striking that Paul puts the law at the heart of Christian living. Far from dismissing God’s law, as many Christians do, Paul shows that it has a crucial place in holy living. We obey not in order to be saved, but we obey because we have been saved. The life of those ‘in Christ Jesus’ is to be guided and shaped by the law of God which, as Paul puts it in Romans 7:14, is ‘spiritual’. Nothing that Paul has said so far in this epistle allows us to dismiss God’s law as no longer relevant to us. It is vital for godly living, and disregard for the divine law is surely one of the main reasons why Christians are so often indistinguishable from the ungodly world around them.\nObedience to God’s law, however, is not just one more self-help prescription, as if we could obey in our own strength. God does not place that crushing burden on his children, but rather provides all the strength we require. We are to be those ‘who walk not according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit’ (verse 4). Depending upon the Spirit’s ministry, obedience is possible for us, and expresses the joy of salvation in Christ.\nPrecious truths to delight the heart of every child of God. What a privilege to preach this gospel.", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet and dry them with the towel that he had tied around his waist. John 5:13 At first Peter wanted nothing to do with his Lord and a basin of water. He resisted and told Jesus, “You will never wash my [dirty] feet, to which Jesus replied, “If I don’t wash you, you don’t belong to me.” John 13:7-8\nTo be completely honest, I have to admit that this conversation between Jesus and Peter doesn’t sound all that bad at first. In fact, it reads like a conversation I might have had with Jesus. Imagine coming to the table sorely in need of a pedicure. Embarrassed? A resounding “yes!” from this corner. The same kind of feelings might run through me if I suddenly found myself in need of emergency medical attention and remembering too late that all my decent underwear were back home in the drawer. . .\nIn this story, more than likely I would have been as unprepared as Peter, for this was no ordinary tea party. Let me explain. For months, a group of women had been meeting for Bible study and prayer. Over time they become close enough to comfortably share with one another the deep concerns Jesus laid on their hearts. One cannot be in such a group for long without feeling the Holy Spirit‘s nudging to “get real” and these women responded and bonded in their love for Jesus and each other. But as what often happens in life, the group meetings succumbed to hectic schedules and the women disappear back into the rat race of living.\nBut when you have had something so good and so meaningful, how do you let it go? There were heart longings ~ and one participant took it upon herself to extend an invitation to the other women to come to her home for tea. Sidebar: if I had been the one extending an invitation for tea in my relatively unexplored territory of hospitality, it would likely have just been tea. You know what I mean? You take a mug from the cabinet, heat water in the microwave, toss in a tea bag and you’re done. There might be some thought as to what to serve with it, but nah . . . just tea and a friend for starters . . . but never mind the sidebar. I’d be painting the wrong picture in your head.\nSo back to the real story. Each friend received a personal, hand written invitation to come over for tea. Perhaps the hostess baked a loaf of pumpkin dessert bread or stopped by the local deli for something delectable, I don’t know. At least she was prepared to serve tea. Since I know few details, I will embellish with a sprinkle of ideas from my imagination to keep it interesting. Let’s say she covered the table with a crisp linen tablecloth and washed and dried the delicate china teacups and plates saved for special occasions until they sparkled, and maybe she made a pitcher of lemonade for those who preferred their beverage chilled.\nThe doorbell chimes. The women have all arrived. The first lady steps over the threshold with her hands wrapped around an exquisite vase of fresh blooms for the table. Another comes in bearing a lovely tray of warm-out-of-the-oven scones just itching to be filled with strawberry jam from a crystal bowl, a third comes in carrying a basin, a towel and lavender bath salts. Huh? Somehow this doesn’t fit the picture I have in my mind of a tea party.\nOh, but it does. In the same spirit as the Lord girded Himself so many years ago, this dear lady knelt before each friend and gently washed her feet with aromatic warm water and patted them dry with a soft towel all the while humming a favorite song of personal worship giving glory to God. How humbling. How tender. How so like Jesus!\nFrom a Bible commentary, I gleaned these insights as to what likely happened on Passover night in Jesus’ day. According to Jewish custom, washing the feet of the head of the household was one of the duties of a foreign slave, but never expected of a Jewish slave. However, it was a service a wife owed her husband, and children their father. Since there was no servant present on the night of the Last Supper, one of the disciples should have undertaken the menial task, but none volunteered. Jesus hoped His practical demonstration would give the disciples a picture lesson which would remain with them longer than words alone.\nIn the symbolic act Jesus was performing, only in submission could Peter have part with Christ. Furthermore, Peter’s independent spirit and haughty attitude were inconsistent with the character of those who enjoy sweet spiritual fellowship with their Lord in this life and who entertain the hope of enjoying eternal fellowship with Him in the world to come. Therefore, in the act of washing someone’s feet; both parties are in the perfect position to receive a blessing.\n“Simon Peter said to Him, Lord, [wash] not only my feet, but my hands and my head too! ” John 13:9\nLet’s not glance over these words lightly and thus miss the spiritual significance. There is something special about the experience of having someone kneel before you to wash your feet . . . and further, if the washing is symbolically allowed to reach your heart . . . the heart gets bathed too and thus you have been renewed by the Holy Spirit and a little bit of heaven lingers on earth, just for you.\nI would loved to have joined these ladies in their sweet fellowship.No doubt they had an unseen Guest present. No doubt His sweet Spirit permeated the hearts of all who gathered and remained with them long after the last sip of tea.", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "Beginning April 22nd, join the Mosaic Women as we Draw The Circle with forty days of prayer with a small group via conference call. In Draw the Circle, through forty true, faith-building stories of God’s answers to prayer, daily scriptures and prayer prompts, Batterson inspires you to pray and keep praying like never before. Begin a lifetime of watching God work. Believe in the God who can do all things. Experience the power of bold prayer and even bolder faith in Draw the Circle.\nSave the Date\nTurn In Your Vacation Requests Now\nSEPTEMBER 1-14, 2019\nTravel abroad this year with The Church Without Walls. We will visit London, Rome, Paris and end in Cape Town for the IC3 Church Growth & Development Conference – South Africa.\nPer person with double occupancy\nSingle room supplement\nNON-REFUNDABLE DEPOSIT: $100 BY FEBRUARY 28TH\n*Price does not include registration fee for IC3 Conference.\nFor additional information, please contact:\nCourtney Clark – Real Escape Travel\nemail@example.com – 713.584.5186\nFinancial Peace University\nThe Knowledge You Need To Win With Money\nFinancial Peace University will help you take control of your money, plan for your future, and transform your life. Join us for 9 weeks on the Queenston Campus,Tuesdays beginning February 5th for Financial Peace University.\nFPU Kit is $99 and is required for attendance.\nGod Loves A Cheerful Giver. Become a Good Steward of What God Has Given You.\nFinancial Peace University includes nine video lessons featuring Dave Ramsey, Rachel Cruze, and Chris Hogan. Follow along in your workbook as they teach you:\n- Lesson 1: Build a Starter Emergency Fund and Learn How to Budget\n- Lesson 2: Pay Off All Debt\n- Lesson 3: Save a Fully Funded Emergency Fund\n- Lesson 4: Invest for the Future and Build Wealth\n- Lesson 5: Buyer Beware\n- Lesson 6: The Role of Insurance\n- Lesson 7: Retirement Planning\n- Lesson 8: Real Estate and Mortgages\n- Lesson 9: Living and Giving Like No One Else\n- Additional Course: Teach your kids to make wise financial decisions (six lessons)\n- Additional Course: Truly live and leave a legacy for generations to come (six lessons)\nClasses begin February 5th 7pm on the Queenston Campus.\nMoMentum Men’s Annual “Real Manhood” Breakfast & Conference\nTheme: “RISE UP! OH MEN OF GOD”\nFriday, February 22, 2019 | 7pm -9pm\nSaturday, February 23, 2019 | 7am -1pm\nTICKETS: $40 (includes T-shirt)\nRise up; this matter is in your hands. We will support you, so take courage and do it. (Ezra 10:10)\nThe spiritual climate in our nation, our families, and in our churches hangs in the balance as many Christians teeter on the edge of spiritual apathy and decay. We need revival in our country, in our families, and in our churches!\nWhile we need God to show up, He is looking for men of God to Rise Up!\nRegister Today for Small Groups Bible Study – New Session Starts Feb 5th\nWe want you connected and growing spiritually! Sign up today for our new session of Small Group Bible Study Classes. This is a great way to build new relationships with other believers while growing in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Classes start February 5th on the Queenston Campus and February 6th on the Eldridge Campus.\nThe following classes are available:\n- Mosaic Discipleship\n- Momentum Discipleship\n- Her Journey Bible Studies for Women\n- Momentum Men Bible Studies\n- Grief Share\n- Living in the In-Between Times\n- Facilitator’s Training\n- Financial Peace University\n- Positive Lessons from Negative Families\n- Evangelistic Expressions – A study from Pas’ sermons on Evangelism\nChoir room dedicated to Bruce Linscomb and Dr. Michael McFrazier. We honor their dedication and faithful commitment to the Worship & Arts ministry.\nPillars of Faith Unveiled\nOn Sunday, November 18th, we unveiled our Pillars of Faith, a dedication to all of our givers who contributed to the Leaping Beyond Our Walls building campaign. We are so thankful for Pastor West’ vision to establish a legacy that will stand for generations to come. Our children’s children will have a visual representation of how important giving is.\nWe had an amazing time celebrating our volunteers. We are truly grateful that God has blessed us with members that are so willing to give their time and talents to serve in ministry. The staff, Pastor West, Lady Sheretta West and family truly thank all of our volunteers for what they do. It was our pleasure to serve you!\nTuesday November 20th is Dr. Ralph Douglas West Day! In recognition of his 31st pastoral anniversary and his 43rd preaching anniversary, the City of Houston congratulates and commends Pas on his steadfast Christian leadership and global impact. Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner will proclaim, November 20, 2018 as Dr. Ralph Douglas West Day in Houston.\nIf you are able to attend the formal proclamation, please come!\nTime: 1:15 pm\nDate: November 20, 2018\nLocation: Houston City Council Chamber – Second Floor of City Hall, 901 Bagby, Houston, Texas 77002", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "« PreviousContinue »\n9. THE KINGDOM OF CHRIST.\nHow beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth\npeace; that saith unto Zion, Thy God reigneth!\nThe Lord hath comforted his people, and all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God.\nThe wilderness and the solitary place shall\nThe desert shall rejoice, and blossom as the rose.\nThe house of the Lord shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills. And many nations shall\nLet us go up to the mountain of the Lord, and to the house of the God of Jacob,\nThey shall beat their swords into ploughshares, and their spears into pruning hooks.\nNation shall not lift up a sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.\nThe wolf shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid ; and the calf, and the young lion, and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them.\nThey shall not hurt nor destroy in all God's holy mountain ; for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea.\nBehold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them.\nAnd they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.\nPraise our God, all ye servants of his, and ye that fear him, both great and small.\nAlleluia: the Lord God omnipotent reigneth.\nLet us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him.\nBlessing, and honour, and glory, and power, be unto Him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb, for ever and ever.\nWho are these, which are arrayed in white robes ? and whence came they?\nThese are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.\nThese are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth. And in their mouth was found no guile : for they are without fault before the throne of God.\nTherefore do they serve him day and night in his temple ; and he that sitteth on the throne shall dwell among them.\nThey shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more.\nThere shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain. There shall be no night there, and they\nneed no candle, neither light of the sun ; for the Lord God giveth them light.\nThey shall see his face ; and his name shall be in their foreheads.\nThe Lamb, which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters.\nThere shall in no wise enter there any. thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie ;\nBut they which are written in the Lamb's book of life.\nBlessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may, enter in through the gates into\nWorthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honor, and glory, and blessing\n11. CHARITY AND BROTHERLY LOVE.\nBlessed is he that considereth the poor; the Lord will deliver him in time of trouble.\nThe Lord will preserve him, and keep him alive ; and he shall be blessed upon the earth.\nThe Lord will strengthen him upon the bed of languishing: thou wilt make all his bed in sickness.\nHe that hath pity upon the poor, lendeth unto the Lord.\nAnd that which he hath given will He pay\nBlessed are the merciful; for they shall\nLove your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you,\nThat ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven.\nCondemn not, and ye shall not be condemned ;\nForgive, and ye shall be forgiven.\nRejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep\nwith them that weep. Recompense to no man evil for evil.\nHerein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.\nBeloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another.\nGod is love; and he that dwelleth in love, dwelleth in God, and God in him.", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "Anger Series: Part 6 – A Biblical View and Understanding\nTwo Primary Bible Passages\n“Be angry and yet do not sin, do not let the sun go down on your anger, and do not give the\ndevil an opportunity.” Ephesians 4:26\n“… the anger of man does not achieve the righteousness of God.” James 1:20\nThese are the two primary passages used to understand and deal with anger in a TPM context. From these passages several principles are gleamed and applied.\n1. We have been given permission to be angry. “Be angry…”\nAnger is a God-created response to injustice. When we see injustice we should feel angry. God Himself is angered by injustice. Most of the anger that we experience is initially established in the context of an injustice; such as when a child is being violated and feels angry because of it. However, this same anger later becomes a cancer that can destroy us if it is not rightly dealt with.\n2. We have been instructed not to sin in our anger. “… and yet do not sin…” Although we are created with the capacity to feel angry in the midst of an injustice, we are not equipped to reside in it for long. Anger is a powerful force that typically results in our acting out inappropriately. We can be angry, but it is not good that we carry it around for too long a time. We tend to sin in our anger more than act out righteously.\n3. We have been instructed not to hold on to it for too long. “Don’t let the sun go down on your anger.” If we continue to hold it after the “sun has gone down” we will become susceptible to the deception of the enemy. Satan wants us to hold onto the anger because he knows that if we carry it for very long, we will sin. Anger sustained is a sin just waiting to happen.\n4. If we hold on to the anger we afford the devil an opportunity. “you will give the devil opportunity…” The opportunity he desires is to provide us a lie-based reason for why we need to hold onto the anger. Lies such as, “Your anger will keep you safe or protect you.” “Your anger holds the person who hurt you accountable and keeps them from getting by with what they did.” Your anger keeps you in control.” “Your anger punishes those who hurt you.” Etc. Once we embrace any of these lies, we will not be able to let the anger go apart from God’s intervention. These lies provide us a rational and logical reason for staying angry. For example, why would I let my anger go if I believed that it keeps me safe and it holds the one who hurt me accountable? This is exactly what the devil wants; for us to believe a lie and make poor choices because of it.\n5. Belief Keeps the Person Holding Onto His Anger. If I embrace the lie afforded me by the devil in my anger, it becomes glue in my hand making it literally impossible for me to let go apart from God’s intervention. After the “sun goes down” the anger is no longer about what happened, but now is about what might happen if the anger is released. Because I have embraced these – “what might happen” beliefs, my letting go of the anger becomes highly unlikely because for me to let go of it will require I go against that which I believe.\n6. Our anger does not accomplish God’s purposes. Even if we are angry and are able not to sin in it, our anger will not accomplish God’s best or intended purpose for our lives. James the apostle is clear where he said, “the anger of man does not achieve the righteousness of God.” James 1:20", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "Description: A wedding announcement for the marriage of Frances Franklin, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. William Thornton Brooke, to Mr. John Bailey Hill. The wedding was to be held on Wednesday, December 18, 1901, at 8:30pm, at St. Peter's Episcopal Church in McKinney, Texas.\nDate: December 18, 1901\nCreator: Brooke, William Thornton & Brooke, Mrs. William Thornton\nItem Type: Refine your search to only Text\nPartner: UNT Libraries Special Collections", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "- Sunday April 3 – Taking The Stone Away; A Life-Giving Rhythm\n[link to full email]: https://mailchi.mp/coutreach/word-of-the-week-apr3\n[excerpt from email]: To Practice: The rituals we perform in preparation for our time of contemplative practice are helpful ways of lovingly stepping into our intention to consent to the presence and action of the Godly presence into which we come; lighting a candle, gentle movements, making a sign of the cross or gazing at an icon all help us to cross the threshold from focus on daily life into focus on deepening our Divine relationship. This week, having made a trip to your garden or while out taking a stroll, you are invited to allow your eyes to be drawn to a small stone. Once you have found a stone that catches your eye, take it home and place it in a container in your place of prayer. As you prepare for your prayer session, add to your ritual the removal of your stone from its container accompanying the action with the words “take away the stone.” Whether during prayer you have decided to hold it in your hand or place it close by, at the end of your practice, gently and with great love and care replace it, in its imperceptibly changed form, back into its container.\nThe unknown unblinder. One year a group of four of us dramatized the raising of Lazarus. We made a box that we could crawl into. When Jesus said, “Lazarus, come forth”, we crawled out of the box. We were each holding onto a pillow. Then someone would come from the assembly, take the pillow and walk us down to a pew. The lesson: Jesus could raise us but we needed someone to unbind us. I did it at all four Masses. The most powerful one for me was the noon Mass since I did not know the person who “ unbound” me. One never knows who might emerge to unbind one from some constricting habit and thus enable one to rejoin the community.\n- This reply was modified 1 year, 8 months ago by Susan Kenney.\nYour experience, Susan, of your unknown binder and sitting today with Jesus’ words: “Take off the graves clothes and let him go.” I recall a difficult meeting last week, now with new eyes, “my grave clothes receiving a bit of unwinding, that can only happen when you trust someone else enough (not my favorite person) to unwind a fraction of “my grave clothes”. As this week begins I consent to “unbinding”….\nSunday April 3: Taking The Stone Away; A Life-Giving Rhythm\nI pondered where I would locate a stone as I brought out my Anglican prayer beads. Inside the black cloth bag is a small piece of polished citrine, placed with the beads during a period of healing prayers. I place the citrine between my left palm and thigh as I center. What a wonderful daily reminder to examine what is being called forth in me from death to life. <3 linda\nThe stone in my heart. This morning as I found a stone for our time together,\nI asked that the stone be removed from my heart. I realized that I had been protecting myself from the reality of the mass shooting in Sacramento. Tears and memories came flooding back. I had worked at the Sequoia Hotel, a single room occupancy hotel located on the block where the shootings had occurred. Many residents were isolated, without family or support. They often died alone and might not be discovered for several days. We would have a memorial service for each, sometimes finding photos and relatives. The person’s life then became bigger than that little room where they had lived. The message: no one will be forgotten, each life is important. As we mourn the six people who died on Sunday morning, I pray that I will take into my heart all of the sadness, remorse, and confusion that accompanies all who are in mourning.\n- You must be logged in to reply to this topic.", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "4th Sunday before Lent – If Jesus asked – what would you do?\nBy the Sea of Galilee, Jesus goes up to two brothers, going about the comparatively lucrative business of fishing and tells them that he has chosen them as disciples. Conscripted, commandeered, requisitioned. James and John, the same thing, ‘Drop all that, your father and the rest of the family can keep the business going, get your coat, we’re off.’\nIf Jesus called you to serve him, if he came to you right now and said “whatever you are doing, stop that, follow me’ what would your answer be?\nBy chapter 17 of Luke’s gospel, we are now approaching the end of what is called the journey narrative. Jesus’s disciples will soon welcome him into Jerusalem, for some brief moments of triumph, and so it is fitting that the main focus of his teaching now moves to them. By now his audience is well primed to favour the ‘poor’ over those of riches and privilege. But, just because you might be considered among the more blessed poor, Jesus warns them, don’t think for a moment that you are exempt from responsibility and judgement. Even in the Kingdom there is opportunity for scandal and the need for repentance and forgiveness. How might that warning apply to us in our own time and very different circumstances?\nThe idea of the ‘gated community’ has grown enormously in recent years. They are a symptom of societies that are so divided, so unequal, with such a small proportion of those who might be called well off and a vast number of those living in poverty, where such communities fear that at any moment the dreadful reality of their society could come crashing into their lives and homes. Gated communities are an attempt to deny the truth, to create a bubble of existence, that shuts its ears and eyes to the pain and suffering of society, in which one is actually involved and of which one might be also a cause. In today’s gospel reading Jesus confronts the timeless reality of injustice and indifference.\nIn Amos, the guilty are directly addressed – “…. you that trample on the needy and bring ruin to the poor of the land.”\nAnd as he continues to travel towards Jerusalem, preaching as he goes, Jesus tells those with him just what it means to be a ‘disciple’.\nMany of those with him would be the poor, the outcast, the oppressed, so a story about a rich man, moreover the most hated kind of all, the absentee landlord, would go down well. The master directs the cruel policy, the manager, the steward enacts it.\nA tragic story not unknown in this land too.\nAnd Jesus goes on to speak of money, how in their case, but also how for us, our attitudes to money can reveal who we are.", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "Written by Pastor Carlyn Cole\nStepping aside as Associate Pastor at Hope Community Church is an opportunity for me to explore other interests and to determine what God might be wanting me to consider. As with any change, a myriad of emotions might rise to the surface. I was reminded of what our posture toward the future ought to be in my reading through the book of Hebrews.\n“For we do not have an enduring city here; instead, we seek the one to come” – Hebrews 13:14\nHow we feel about change in our lives depends on whether we think that the change is going to be an improvement. If we have come to enjoy the status quo or feel like there really isn’t a need for improvement, we consider change with melancholy or perhaps even anger. If on the other hand we see change as something that will make our life in some way substantially better, we embrace the change with open arms. Now the actual effect of the change is sometimes hard to tell. How many times have we been pained over the thought of an upcoming change only to find out that it wasn’t as bad as we had anticipated, perhaps we have even come to embrace it? Of course, the opposite can also happen.\nOne thing that the writer of Hebrews brings to our attention is that there is going to be, in fact we must look forward to, change as it relates to our experience in life. What we have now is not something that is ultimately going to endure. There will be change. However, for those of us who are fixing our eyes on Jesus, we can be a people who are looking forward to the change to come. In fact, we are to seek it out, look forward to it, put our efforts into that which is to come more so than anything that we see and experience here and now.\nOk, but what does it mean for us to seek the city which is to come? I am sure that if we put our heads together, we could come up with several ways we might seek the city which is to come, but let me offer three:\nNo ‘city’, past or present, will ever endure. Only that future city will endure, the one where Christ is King. Let us together seek that city!", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "Teaching God's Love\nOur Children's Ministries team is focused on introducing every child to his or her heavenly Father and teaching God's unconditional love. Children are taught of God in a number of ways--Sabbath School lesson, Children's Church, singing songs, and learning of God through creation and nature. Songs like \"Jesus Loves Me this I Know\" and \"Jesus Loves the little Ones Like me, me, me\" are ways we teach children their importance to God.\nFostering a Relationship with God\nChildren start to develop a relationship with God as they learn their identity as part of God's family. Cultivating a dependency and faith in God as a child happens in little yet significant ways. Much like a small seed planted in a pot of soil that is watered and placed in the sun eventually takes root, so does an understanding and relationship with God in our children. This is our most important work.\nTrain up a child in the way he should go and when he is old he will not depart from it.\nThe Children's Ministries team is here to serve all children of the community. We host toy drives, field trips, vacation bible school, movie nights, arts & craft days, Children's Church, and many other activities to keep your little ones having good clean fun. Enroll your child(ren) today!", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "Don’t Keep Me Waiting Too Long\nI have this ongoing connection to the full moon. Something about it constantly stirs in me a deep sense of expectation. This is probably a little bit dangerous, but regardless, the full moon will either be tonight or tomorrow night and I can feel it in my bones. There’s a achingness to the light that shines full into my bedroom window from that moon. It’s clarity and white light that’s nearly as bright as daylight was streaming in at 1am this morning. So much so that I had to get up and take a look. I pondered my old prayers again, and said how long, Lord, how long. My Psalm 40 is getting more worn as the days and years go by. However, even though I’m not always sure what it is that I’m waiting for, this verse from John 12.24 keeps appearing to me.\n24″Listen carefully: Unless a grain of wheat is buried in the ground, dead to the world, it is never any more than a grain of wheat. But if it is buried, it sprouts and reproduces itself many times over.\n24I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds.\n24The truth is, a kernel of wheat must be planted in the soil. Unless it dies it will be alone–a single seed. But its death will produce many new kernels–a plentiful harvest of new lives.\n24Most assuredly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much grain.\n24I assure you, most solemnly I tell you, Unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains [just one grain; it never becomes more but lives] by itself alone. But if it dies, it produces many others and yields a rich harvest.\n24verily, verily, I say to you, if the grain of the wheat, having fallen to the earth, may not die, itself remaineth alone; and if it may die, it doth bear much fruit;\n24I tell you for certain that a grain of wheat that falls on the ground will never be more than one grain unless it dies. But if it dies, it will produce lots of wheat.\nInterpret that. It ties in very much with what we were talking about at Queens Birthday. The cycle of life and death, growth & decline, building and taking down that is chronicled in Solomon’s reflection in Ecclesiastes. Wok proposed it as a valid cycle of ministry and life.\nThat under the pressure of a secularly-based, exponential time-profit ratio mindset, we have neglected the value that a death-conception-birth cycle brings to us. We look to borrow and adopt other people’s lifecycles in order to maintain our own.\nBut.. he says, based out of Ecclesiastes and observing creation all around us .. there must be cycles of barrenness, that lead us to desperation on our knees before God, that then allows for utter emptiness, then a new conception, the preparation for birth, the labour & birth itself (the hardest part beyond barrenness) and then the new life that follows. These ‘new lives’ then continue to grow and develop completing their own life cycles, that eventually end in decline as well. The struggle then, is realising that the cycles of barrenness to new life happen in small ways all over the place, especially in ministry environments, and to understand that they overlap each other. Different aspects of life take hold, while other things decline, only to be born again in new and different ways.\nSo.. in my life.. where is barrenness? Where is my Sarah-like desperation before God? It comes to me when the moon is full and I feel empty and hesitant, expectant and yearning. Longing for a deeper vision and deeper satisfaction. In letting go of dreams, in holding on to hope despite my weakness.\nLord, make me with the spirit of a barren woman\never ready to pour out my oil, a vessel empty\nand awaiting your gift\na dangerous prayer\nfor emptiness is dangerous territory\nbut with all my heart and soul\nI entrust to you a seed\nthat is willing to lay down in the soil\nand lay out it’s life\nanticipating a less than easy death\nbut a restorative, worthwhile conception\nhelp me, Lord\nto lay down in the soil\nand be buried\nand also to die\nnot just go on living\nin damp darkness", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "Jan Hendrik Warnshuis, brother of Hendrik Jan Warnshuis, was not at all like that brother. He was an upright, God-fearing, conservative leader in the church in Clymer. I have also concluded that he didn’t have much of a sense of humor. He was Dominie Dunnewold’s right-hand man and was a leader in keeping order among the congregation. He made home visitations with the dominie and, on occasion, substituted in the pulpit for him. Sometimes he read a sermon, sometimes he preached one of his own. It has been said that the congregation greatly preferred to hear him preach rather than read because he wasn’t a very good reader.\nJan Hendrik Warnshuis, b.28 Oct 1817 Winterswijk, d.17 Jan 1893 Clymer, was a son of Gerrit Jan Warnshuis and Catharina Groters. He was married in Winterswijk on 4 November 1838 with Johanna Konings, b. 22 Jan 1817 Winterswijk, d.22 Jan 1910 Clymer. She was a daughter of Jan Hendrik Konings, who was also known as Jan Derk, and Johanna ten Hulsen.\nIn 1845 they and their children left from the \"Kortschot\" at Henxel 27 to come to America. They sailed on the \"Caledonia,\" which reached New York City on 3 October 1845. They continued, by boat, up the Hudson River to Albany and then went by canal boat across the Erie Canal to Buffalo.\nThe water part of their jouney was completed as they traveled on Lake Erie from Buffalo to Westfield in Chautauqua County. There they hired a wagoner to take them to Clymer. In Clymer they settled on a farm on Clymer Hill, a short distance from the church. Jan Hendrik was the first of his family to come to America. Although not a wealthy man, in 1847 he somehow managed to finance passage across the ocean for his mother and siblings.\nMaking this journey with the Warnshuises were, among others, Johanna’s sister Dora Konings (b.16 Jun 1821 Winterswijk, d.22 Feb 1906 Clymer) and the family of Jan Hendrik ten Hulsen and Maria Mentink. Their son Berend Willem ten Hulsen (b.16 Jan 1822 Winterswijk, d.13 Jul 1890 Clymer) would soon become the husband of Dora. Berend Willem bought a farm right next to the one Jan Hendrik bought.\nLife in Clymer\nJan Hendrik and Berend Willem were not at all alike. Whereas Jan Hendrik was very serious and his goal was to spread the Gospel to all, Berend Willem was a jovial man whose goal appears to have been to acquire as much land as he possibly could. Throughout his lifetime here he bought land, one farm at a time, worked hard, and improved the land. When he came to Clymer he owned nothing but the clothes he was wearing. At the time of his death he owned over 500 acres of land, which made him one of the largest property owners in Clymer. He left a farm to each of his five sons and comparable sums of money to each of his three daughters. He loved talking with people and he loved horses, especially fast ones.\nIt has been said that when two Dutchmen get together they form a church and when three get together the church will split. That seemed to be true in Clymer. For a time in the 1850s there were two churches on Clymer Hill, located a short distance from each other. One was the conservative congregation, composed of seceders or seceder-leaning people, and it became the Clymer Hill Reformed Church that still exists on Clymer Hill today. The other was a more liberal congregation, probably composed of people who had not been dissatisfied with the church in the Netherlands.\nOf course, Jan Hendrik and Johanna were members of the conservative church, as was Dora. Berend Willem would drop her off at that church and then drive the horse and buggy a few yards beyond to attend the other church. That worked well for a time, but then the liberal church disbanded because they were not able to secure a pastor. After that, Berend Willem didn’t go to church.\nToward the end of his life he was visited by the pastor of the Clymer Hill Reformed Church. Berend Willem said to the pastor that he regretted that he had not done more for the church. The dominie told him that he could remedy that by leaving money to the church in his will. Berend Willem’s regrets must not have been very strong as he left all his worldly possessions to his wife and children.\nJan Hendrik and Berend Willem, as different as they were from each other, did not get along together very well. One instance of this involved Jan Hendrik’s sheep. It seems that Jan Hendrik’s sheep had a habit of leaving their property to visit the farm next door. One Sunday morning, when the sheep were again grazing on Berend Willem’s land, he rounded them up and tied them in front of the church. He also left a little sign that said, \"Feed my sheep.\" When Jan Hendrik came out of church and saw this he was not amused. He went to the church consistory and complained about Berend Willem and his actions, but there wasn’t much the consistory could do about it because Berend Willem was not a member. Eventually, Jan Hendrik sold his farm to Berend Willem and moved about a mile away.\nI can only imagine how Jan Hendrik felt a few years later when his granddaughter married one of Berend Willem’s sons.", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "By Charlie Wetherington\nTBCH Coordinator of Communications\nBRENTWOOD — Greg McCoy, pastor of First Baptist Church, Portland, has been elected to be the seventh president/treasurer of the Tennessee Baptist Children’s Homes in its 124-year history.\nMcCoy, 51, was the unanimous recommendation of the TBCH’s presidential search advisory committee. The committee’s recommendation was presented to a called meeting of the full board of trustees on Sept. 16 which unanimously approved the selection.\nMcCoy will begin his 14-month tenure as president/treasurer elect on Nov. 1 of this year. Millsaps will continue to serve as president/treasurer of TBCH through Dec. 31, 2015, at which time he will retire and McCoy will assume the full responsibilities of leading the ministry to children and families in crisis.\nMcCoy was licensed to preach by Memorial Baptist Church, Crossville, in 1982. He was ordained to the ministry by First Baptist Church, White House, in 1985.\nHe earned a bachelor of arts in religion from Belmont University in Nashville in 1985. He was also awarded a master of divinity by the Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas in 1989.\nFrom 1984-1986, McCoy served as the minister of youth at First Baptist Church, White House, prior to enrolling at Southwestern. From 1989-1998, he served as pastor at Friendship Baptist Church, Culleoka. He has been pastor at First Baptist Church, Portland, since 1989.\nMcCoy and his wife Jeri have been married since August 1984. They have four children.\nMcCoy has served as a member and leader of the TBCH board of trustees for 12 of the last 14 years (2000-2010, 2012-2014). During this time he has served as secretary, vice chairman, and chairman of the board; as a member of and chairman of the board’s nominating committee; as chairman of the board’s budget committee, and as chairman of the board’s executive committee.\nBruce Chesser, chairman of the presidential search advisory committee and pastor of First Baptist Church, Hendersonville, in his report to the board of trustees told how the committee came together in unanimous consent on the selection of McCoy.\n“It was amazing to see how God moved in the minds and hearts of the search committee throughout the entire process. The unanimous support of Greg to succeed Bryant Millsaps was a clear sign to all of us that he is God’s man for this time in the strong history of TBCH.”\nJames Yarbro, chairman of the TBCH board of trustees and a member of First Baptist Church, Martin, praised the presidential search advisory committee for a job well done.\n“I could not be happier with the recommendation of the search committee than I am with Greg McCoy. It was my hope in appointing the committee made up of current trustees, former chairs of our board, and a representative of our statewide staff that the outcome would be as outstanding as this selection is.”\nRandy C. Davis, executive director of the Tennessee Baptist Convention, offered an assessment of McCoy’s selection.\n“I’m looking forward to serving alongside Greg McCoy. He has a great family and is a great family man.\n“I’ve admired Greg’s pastoral leadership at First Baptist, Portland, where he has led that congregation to be one of the most missions-minded churches in Tennessee.\n“The thing I’m most excited about is Greg’s love of people. Our state is facing a foster care crisis and the children and families across Tennessee need someone who will love them and will share the love of Christ with them,” noted Davis.\n“Greg McCoy is that man, and I commend search committee chairman Bruce Chesser and his team for finding God’s will personified in Greg McCoy to follow the godly leader the TBCH had in Bryant Millsaps.”", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "The local youth and sports ministry charity PSALMS, has changed its name, to reflect its growth.\nTag: Sports Ministry\nA team of lay and ordained people from the UK have made a trip to Rwanda to see the Scripture Union’s ReadySetGO sports ministry in action. Now they are home,Continue reading\nLeaders of young people gathered at Bishopscourt from around the Diocese to celebrate their work together and hear a vision for future ministry and vocation from Bishop Rachel. As wellContinue reading\nSport enables people to form a bond. They share a common interest and have a common ground for communicating which can develop into friendship. Going to a local park orContinue reading", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "Iranian Christians celebrate their new year with the beginning of January. Most of Iranian Christians are Armani people. If you step out these days, you will feel this great holiday even behind the showcase of stores and coffee shops which have used Christmas decorations.\nBehind the showcase of Armani Stores, you will see posters which represent time and place of celebration and live play of music. Charity markers are hot these days. The smell of delicious sweets made specifically for this holiday, and also the colourful candies beside the smile of people and children will excite you no matter which religion you are following. We are all got used to the doll Santa clauses, artificial Christmas tree, the glamour of stores, small drums, striped red and white sticks, candles and golden stars. This much of happiness and colour will excite the child within us. We are willing to see the kind Santa Claus to make our dreams come true. No matter in which religion we are, we believe this day is one of the greatest days of God like our sisters and brothers in Christianity.\nThe first night of January churches has a specific atmosphere in Iran. Right at the middle of the night the bell of the church will ring and the sound of it will din in the cities. The loud laughter of children could be heard, and whispers are praying God. Everyone is looking at the sky and the rituals are being held. In such a great ceremony you are invited whether you are Christian or not. Hands are kindly shaken, and smiles are freely given and taken.\nIn Iran churches are considered as tourist attractions since they are of ancient times. From among famous churches in Iran we can call Sur Garapet in Abadan, Vank or Amna Perkij in Isfahan, Saint Sarkis Cathedral in Tehran, Saint Estepanous church in Jalfa.\nTry visiting these churches if you have devised travelling to Iran\nSur Garpet Church in Abadan:\nThis church which is next to Behbahani Mosque in Abadan apart from Iranian architecture, represents how unbiased people Iranian Are toward others’ religion.\nVank cathedral in Isfahan:\nthis beautiful church in Jolfa neighborhood in Isfahan has specific architectural beauties by which you will be excited. The ceilings are inlaid with historical paintings.\nSaint Sarkis Cathedral in Tehran:\nThis church is the central place for Armani people in Tehran. This church with its specific architectural characteristics it was built by one of the Armani People as the reminder of his wife. Large windows, two domes on the top of two great towers in order to hold the great ring, and biblical paintings are all among the beautiful features of this church.\nHow We Celebrate Christmas in Iran\nCelebrating Christmas On 1st Jan, The ceremony of sacrifice begins. Families enter the yard of churches, kiss the relatives. Children play and adults do greetings. At the exact time of 12:00 when bells ring, the sound of silence is all you will hear, everybody look at the sky and pray, lighten candles, sing while their tears wash out their faces.\nOn 5th Jan, Armenians break their fasting, doing communion in Church. For the consecration, they give some butter to families to be added in their meals.\nIn the Christian New Year Eve family members gather together around the Christmas tree and pray and then attend to church services. Pine trees are ornamented by colourful glass balls and shining lights and under the Christmas trees, there are always gifts. Some family members put on Santa clause clothes, and some hire a Santa clause to give presents to the children.", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "I begin to feel much better. Not a trace of the cramp. I head to my inbox. Ah! Let me see what my sis is up to. Wow! Here is my comment.\nMy sis, been a while since we touch. Life. Up. Down. All around. Father knows. No matter how much it hurts. No matter what pathetic expletives we throw at Him? No matter. His embrace tightens around us! He won’t let go of us! He knows. He knows.\nWhat are we to do? How can we praise Him in such horrid times? How can we trust when the hurt is at its peak? No way! He knows. He knows. He knows.\nWait. Wait. Wait comes the voice in our heads and hearts. WAIT! HOW LONG? Wait. Wait. Wait. The voice insists. Wait. Wait. Wait. Soon the DOOR shall open wide for you, for each one who waits on ME!\nMuch love, my sis. thiaBasilia. 🙂 End of comment.\nNow what, my Father? Ah! Little by little You are formulating Your plan in my head and heart. I see. In awe of Your doings I remain. Let it rain. Let it flow my brain.\nSaturday, November 4, 2017 at 2:22 am.-5:52 am.\nI need to go back to sleep. I expect this to be one of the best 7th Day of Rest in a while. The last post was a hit with more likes than the previous one.\nYour children are beginning to stir in my midst. And me? I wait. I wait. I wait until You deem necessary for me to wait.\nAhmad? Much laughter and fun at my expense. No pride left in me. Shamelessly, I talked about my foolishness in asking for a British husband. He laughed about it before, but now? He roared in laughter.\nAll the time? He’s been knowing he is the MAN to represent my Father for the rest of my days until Yahushua’s return. What a blessed moment we shared last night.", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "As a parish of the Diocese of Australia & New Zealand (within the Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia), our ruling bishop and First Hierarch is Metropolitan Hilarion. His assistant bishop is Bp George, who is the Vicar General of the Diocese and resides in Sydney.\nAs a part of ROCOR, we are within the Church of Russia, headed by Patriarch Kyril of Moscow and All Russia.\nBiographies of our hierarchs are available online:\n- His Holiness Kyril, Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia;\n- His Eminence Hilarion, Metropolitan of Eastern America and New York, First Hierarch of ROCOR, Archbishop of Sydney, Australia and New Zealand;\n- His Grace George, Bishop of Canberra.\nIn addition, our parish is within the Deanery of Queensland. This is headed by Archpriest Gabriel Makarov, who is also the Dean of St Nicholas Russian Orthodox Cathedral, Brisbane.", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "This is the final part of a special series on Abraham.\nToday, Denver continues addressing the questions: What do we need to understand about Abraham in order to understand our place in the last days events? What is God’s view of The Book of Abraham and what ought we to take from it as we look towards a continuation of the restoration?\nToday’s podcast excerpts are taken from:\n- Denver’s conference talk entitled “Things to Keep Us Awake at Night” given in St. George, UT on March 19th, 2017, including a question and answer session following it\n- Denver’s remarks at “A Day of Faith and Connection” youth conference in UT on June 10th, 2017\n- The presentation of “Answer and Covenant”, given at the Covenant of Christ Conference in Boise, ID on September 3rd, 2017\n- A fireside talk entitled “The Holy Order”, given in Bountiful, UT on October 29, 2017\n- A fireside talk entitled “Cursed, Denied Priesthood”, given in Sandy, UT on January 7th, 2018\n- Denver’s remarks given at the Joseph Smith Restoration Conference in Boise, ID on June 24, 2018\n- Denver’s remarks entitled “Keep the Covenant: Do the Work” given at the Remembering the Covenants Conference in Layton, UT on August 4, 2018", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "'This Is What The Lord Says' in the Bible\n\"Go and announce directly to Jerusalem that this is what the Lord says: I remember the loyalty of your youth, your love as a bride- how you followed Me in the wilderness, in a land not sown.\nThis is what the LORD says: \"What did your ancestors find wrong with me that they left me, and pursued worthless things, and so they became worthless?\nFor this is what the Lord says to the men of Judah and Jerusalem: Break up the unplowed ground; do not sow among the thorns.\nFor this is what the Lord says: The whole land will be a desolation, but I will not finish it off.\nThis is what the Lord says: Stand by the roadways and look. Ask about the ancient paths: Which is the way to what is good? Then take it and find rest for yourselves. But they protested: We won't!\nTherefore, this is what the Lord says: I am going to place stumbling blocks before these people; fathers and sons together will stumble over them; friends and neighbors will [also] perish.\nThis is what the Lord says: Look, an army is coming from a northern land; a great nation will be awakened from the remote regions of the earth.\nYou are to say to them: This is what the Lord says: Do [people] fall and not get up again? If they turn away, do they not return?\nSpeak as follows: This is what the Lord says: Human corpses will fall like manure on the surface of the field, like newly cut grain after the reaper with no one to gather [it].\nThis is what the Lord says: The wise must not boast in his wisdom; the mighty must not boast in his might; the rich must not boast in his riches.\nThis is what the Lord says: Do not learn the way of the nations or be terrified by signs in the heavens, although the nations are terrified by them,\nFor this is what the Lord says: Look, I am slinging out the land's residents at this time and bringing them such distress that they will feel it.\n\"Therefore, this is what the Lord says: I am about to bring on them disaster that they cannot escape. They will cry out to Me, but I will not hear them.\nTherefore, this is what the LORD says about the men of Anathoth who seek to kill you, all the while threatening you, \"Don't prophesy in the name of the LORD so you won't die by our hand!\"\nThis is what the Lord says: \"Concerning all My evil neighbors who attack the inheritance that I bequeathed to My people, Israel, I am about to uproot them from their land, and I will uproot the house of Judah from among them.\n\"This is what the Lord says: Just like this I will ruin the great pride of both Judah and Jerusalem.\nAnd you will say to them, This is what the Lord says: I am about to fill all who live in this land-the kings who reign for David on his throne, the priests, the prophets and all the residents of Jerusalem-with drunkenness.\nThis is what the Lord says concerning these people: Truly they love to wander; they never rest their feet. So the Lord does not accept them. Now He will remember their guilt and punish their sins.\n\"Therefore, this is what the Lord says concerning the prophets who prophesy in My name, though I did not send them, and who say: There will never be sword or famine in this land: By sword and famine these prophets will meet their end.\nIf they ask you: Where will we go? you must tell them: This is what the Lord says: Those [destined] for death, to death; those [destined] for the sword, to the sword. Those [destined] for famine, to famine; those [destined] for captivity, to captivity.\nTherefore, this is what the Lord says: If you return, I will restore you; you will stand in My presence. And if you speak noble [words], rather than worthless ones, you will be My spokesman. It is they who must return to you; you must not return to them.\nFor this is what the Lord says concerning sons and daughters born in this place as well as concerning the mothers who bear them and the fathers who father them in this land:\n\"For this is what the Lord says: Don't enter a house where a mourning feast is taking place. Don't go to lament or sympathize with them, for I have removed My peace from these people\"-[this is] the Lord's declaration-\"[as well as My] faithful love and compassion.\nThis is what the Lord says: Cursed is the man who trusts in mankind, who makes [human] flesh his strength and turns his heart from the Lord.\nThis is what the Lord says: Watch yourselves; do not pick up a load and bring it in through the gates of Jerusalem on the Sabbath day.\nSo now, say to the men of Judah and to the residents of Jerusalem: This is what the Lord says: I am about to bring harm to you and make plans against you. Turn now, each from your evil way, and correct your ways and your deeds.\nTherefore, this is what the Lord says: Ask among the nations, Who has heard [things] like these? Virgin Israel has done a most terrible thing.\nThis is what the Lord says: \"Go, buy a potter's clay jug. Take some of the elders of the people and some of the elders of the priests\nfor this is what the Lord says, 'I am about to make you a terror to both yourself and those you love. They will fall by the sword of their enemies before your very eyes. I will hand Judah over to the king of Babylon, and he will deport them to Babylon and put them to the sword.\n\"But you must say to this people, 'This is what the Lord says: Look, I am presenting to you the way of life and the way of death.\nHouse of David, this is what the Lord says: Administer justice every morning, and rescue the victim of robbery from the hand of his oppressor, or My anger will flare up like fire and burn unquenchably because of their evil deeds.\nThis is what the Lord says: \"Go down to the palace of the king of Judah and announce this word there.\nThis is what the Lord says: Administer justice and righteousness. Rescue the victim of robbery from the hand of his oppressor. Don't exploit or brutalize the alien, the fatherless, or the widow. Don't shed innocent blood in this place.\nFor this is what the Lord says concerning the house of the king of Judah: You are like Gilead to Me, [or] the summit of Lebanon, but I will certainly turn you into a wilderness, uninhabited cities.\nFor this is what the Lord says concerning Shallum son of Josiah, king of Judah, who succeeded Josiah his father as king: \"He has left this place-he will never return here again,\nTherefore, this is what the Lord says concerning Jehoiakim son of Josiah, king of Judah: They will not mourn for him, [saying,] Woe, my brother! or Woe, [my] sister! They will not mourn for him, saying, Woe, lord! Woe, his majesty!\nThis is what the Lord says: Record this man as childless, a man who will not be successful in his lifetime. None of his descendants will succeed in sitting on the throne of David or ruling again in Judah.\nBut if you say: The burden of the Lord, then this is what the Lord says: Because you have said, The burden of the Lord, and I specifically told you not to say, The burden of the Lord\n\"But as for the bad figs, so bad they are inedible, this is what the Lord says: in this way I will deal with Zedekiah king of Judah, his officials, and the remnant of Jerusalem-those remaining in this land and those living in the land of Egypt.\n\"This is what the Lord says: Stand in the courtyard of the Lord's temple and speak all the words I have commanded you to speak to all Judah's cities that are coming to worship there. Do not hold back a word.\nYou are to say to them: This is what the Lord says: If you do not listen to Me by living according to My law that I set before you\nthis is what the LORD says to me: \"Make restraints and yokes for yourself and put them on your neck.\nThen I spoke to the priests and all these people, saying, \"This is what the Lord says, 'Do not listen to the words of your prophets. They are prophesying to you, claiming: Look, very soon now the articles of the Lord's temple will be brought back from Babylon. They are prophesying a lie to you.\nIn the presence of all the people Hananiah proclaimed, \"This is what the Lord says: 'In this way, within two years I will break the yoke of Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, from the neck of all the nations.' \" Jeremiah the prophet then went on his way.\n\"Go say to Hananiah: This is what the Lord says: You broke a wooden yoke bar, but in its place you will make an iron yoke bar.\nTherefore, this is what the Lord says: 'I am about to send you off the face of the earth. You will die this year because you have spoken rebellion against the Lord.' \"\nFor this is what the Lord says: \"When 70 years for Babylon are complete, I will attend to you and will confirm My promise concerning you to restore you to this place.\nBut this is what the Lord says concerning the king sitting on David's throne and concerning all the people living in this city-that is, concerning your brothers who did not go with you into exile.\nThis is what the LORD says: \"I'm about to send the sword, famine, and plague on them, and I'll make them like rotten figs that cannot be eaten because they're so bad.\n\"Send [a message] to all the exiles, saying: This is what the Lord says concerning Shemaiah the Nehelamite. Because Shemaiah prophesied to you, though I did not send him, and made you trust a lie,\nthis is what the Lord says: I am about to punish Shemaiah the Nehelamite and his descendants. There will not be even one of his [descendants] living among these people, nor will any ever see the good that I will bring to My people\"-[this is] the Lord's declaration-\"for he has preached rebellion against the Lord.\"\nYes, this is what the Lord says: We have heard a cry of terror, of dread-there is no peace.\nFor this is what the Lord says: Your injury is incurable; your wound most severe.\nThis is what the Lord says: I will certainly restore the fortunes of Jacob's tents and show compassion on his dwellings. Every city will be rebuilt on its mound; every citadel will stand on its proper site.\nThis is what the Lord says: They found favor in the wilderness- the people who survived the sword. [When] Israel went to find rest,\nFor this is what the Lord says: Sing with joy for Jacob; shout for the chief of the nations! Proclaim, praise, and say: Lord, save Your people, the remnant of Israel!\nThis is what the Lord says: A voice was heard in Ramah, a lament with bitter weeping- Rachel weeping for her children, refusing to be comforted for her children because they are no more.\nThis is what the Lord says: Keep your voice from weeping and your eyes from tears, for the reward for your work will come- [this is]*The bracketed text has been added for clarity. the Lord's declaration- and your children will return from the enemy's land.\nThis is what the Lord says: The One who gives the sun for light by day, the fixed order of moon and stars for light by night, who stirs up the sea and makes its waves roar- the Lord of Hosts is His name:\nThis is what the Lord says: If the heavens above can be measured and the foundations of the earth below explored, I will reject all of Israel's descendants because of all they have done- [this is] the Lord's declaration.\nZedekiah king of Judah had imprisoned him, saying: \"Why are you prophesying, 'This is what the Lord says: Look, I am about to hand this city over to Babylon's king, and he will capture it.\nTherefore, this is what the Lord says: I am about to hand this city over to the Chaldeans, to Babylon's king Nebuchadnezzar, and he will capture it.\n\"For this is what the Lord says: Just as I have brought all this great disaster on these people, so am I about to bring on them all the good I am promising them.\n\"This is what the LORD says who made the earth, the LORD who formed it in order to establish it whose name is the LORD\n\"This is what the Lord says: In this place which you say is a ruin, without man or beast-that is, in Judah's cities and Jerusalem's streets that are a desolation without man, without inhabitant, and without beast-there will be heard again\nFor this is what the Lord says: David will never fail to have a man sitting on the throne of the house of Israel.\n\"This is what the Lord says: If you can break My covenant with the day and My covenant with the night so that day and night cease to come at their regular time,\nThis is what the Lord says: If I do not [keep] My covenant with the day and with the night and fail to establish the fixed order of heaven and earth,\n\"This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: Go, speak to Zedekiah, king of Judah, and tell him: This is what the Lord says: I am about to hand this city over to the king of Babylon, and he will burn it down.\n\"Yet hear the Lord's word, Zedekiah, king of Judah. This is what the Lord says concerning you: You will not die by the sword;\n\"Therefore, this is what the Lord says: You have not obeyed Me by proclaiming freedom, each man for his brother and for his neighbor. I hereby proclaim freedom for you\"-[this is] the Lord's declaration-\"to the sword, to plague, and to famine! I will make you a horror to all the earth's kingdoms.\nYou are to proclaim concerning Jehoiakim king of Judah: This is what the Lord says: You have burned the scroll, saying: Why have you written on it: The king of Babylon will certainly come and destroy this land and cause it to be without man or beast?\nTherefore, this is what the Lord says concerning Jehoiakim king of Judah: He will have no one to sit on David's throne, and his corpse will be thrown out [to be exposed] to the heat of day and the frost of night.\nThis is what the Lord says: Don't deceive yourselves by saying: The Chaldeans will leave us for good, for they will not leave.\n\"This is what the Lord says: 'Whoever stays in this city will die by the sword, famine, and plague, but whoever surrenders to the Chaldeans will live. He will keep his life like the spoils [of war] and will live.'\nThis is what the Lord says: 'This city will most certainly be handed over to the king of Babylon's army, and he will capture it.' \"\nHe said to them, \"This is what the Lord says, the God of Israel to whom you sent me to bring your petition before Him:\nThis is what the Lord says: I am about to hand over Pharaoh Hophra, Egypt's king, to his enemies, to those who want to take his life, just as I handed over Judah's King Zedekiah to Babylon's King Nebuchadnezzar, who was his enemy, the one who wanted to take his life.' \"\n\" 'This is what you are to say to him: This is what the Lord says: What I have built I am about to demolish, and what I have planted I am about to uproot-the whole land!\nThis is what the Lord says: Look, waters are rising from the north and becoming an overflowing wadi. They will overflow the land and everything in it, the cities and their inhabitants. The people will cry out, and every inhabitant of the land will wail.\nFor this is what the Lord says: He will swoop down like an eagle and spread his wings against Moab.\nAbout the Ammonites, this is what the Lord says: Does Israel have no sons? Is he without an heir? Why then has Milcomdispossessed Gad and his people settled in their cities?\n\"For this is what the Lord says: If those who do not deserve to drink the cup must drink it, can you possibly remain unpunished? You will not remain unpunished, for you must drink [it] too.\nAbout Kedar and the kingdoms of Hazor, which Nebuchadnezzar, Babylon's king, defeated, this is what the Lord says: Rise up, go against Kedar, and destroy the people of the east!\nThis is what the Lord says: I am about to stir up a destructive wind against Babylon and against the population of Leb-qamai.\nSearch Results by Versions\nSearch Results by Book\n- As At This Day\n- Cares Of This World\n- False Religion To This Day\n- Given Names To This Day\n- Not Reaping What You Sow\n- Noting What Animals Eat\n- Places To This Day\n- Relationships To This Day\n- Scripture Says\n- Statutes To This Day\n- Telling What People Did\n- Telling What People Said\n- This Generation\n- This Is Me\n- What Christian Should Do Always\n- What Do They Do?\n- What Do You Do?\n- What Does God Do?\n- What Else God Created\n- What Foreigners Are Like\n- What Foreigners Do\n- What God Does\n- What God Gives\n- What God's Will Is\n- What Have We In Common?\n- What Heaven Will Be Like\n- What Is God's Name?\n- What Is Not God\n- What Is The Matter?\n- What Is This?\n- What Kind?\n- What Manner?\n- What Sin?\n- What Value Is Man?\n- Where People Live To This Day\n- Who Is This?\n- Why Do Others Do This?\n- Why Do People Not Do This?\n- Why Do You Do This?\n- Why Does God Do This?\n- Why Does Jesus Do This?\n- Why Does This Happen?\n- The Dynasty Of David\n- God Will Cause Defeat\n- 18 more topics on This\n- 24 more topics on What\n- 1 more topics on Says", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "In verses 10-17 John continues to teach on what identifies a true Christian.\n10 In this the children of God and the children of the devil are manifest: Whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is he who does not love his brother. 11 For this is the message that you heard from the beginning, that we should love one another, 12 not as Cain who was of the wicked one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his works were evil and his brother’s righteous. 13 Do not marvel, my brethren, if the world hates you. 14 We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love the brethren. He who does not love his brother abides in death. 15 Whoever hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him. 16 By this we know love, because He laid down His life for us. And we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. 17 But whoever has this world’s goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him, how does the love of God abide in him? 1 John 3:10-17 (NKJV)\nHere John highlights the fruit of true conversion and provides a test to measure whether we are really born again. This once more takes us back to his refutation of the Gnostic heresy that teaches that what we do with our bodies does not really matter. John shows that if we are born again it will be manifested in love toward other believers. Not the love of saying “God bless you,” but the love of doing that ministers to the spiritual and material needs of others. We can know that we have passed from death to life, that is, we have been born again, if ‘we love the brethren.’ What does it mean to ‘love the brethren?’ having compassion on them and ministering to their needs. Which in practice is laying down our lives.\nIf we want to lay down our lives it helps to understand what it means. If we think in terms of military or law enforcement someone may lay down their life by losing it in the exercise of their duty. That is one aspect and a very significant one. Yet in most of our day to day lives we will never be in this situation. Yet Paul said, ‘I die daily.’ It helps to think of our lives as having a bank account with a set amount of money in it that we can spend. If we spend it on ourselves it is gone. If we spend it on others it is gone from our current account but is then deposited in an eternal bank account, an investment that goes on ahead. We choose where to spend our life but only one way of spending is a true investment. This does not mean spending every waking moment seeking to help others; that in general becomes legalism. It does mean living with a larger purpose so that all our time and energy is ultimately connected to a larger life purpose and goal, serving Jesus and His kingdom.\nIf we reflect on this, is there a better way to invest our lives?", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "For reaching the world with the Gospel of Jesus Christ.\nDonate from Canada\nIf you would like to make a financial contribution, you may send a cheque to ACCI at 89 Auriga Drive, Nepean, Ontario, K2E 7Z2, or you may fill in the form below to donate online through Canada Helps. ACCI attempts to use all gifts designated for a specific project for that project; however, ACCI may apply such gifts to its General Fund or to other missions projects as deemed appropriate by ACCI. You will receive a tax deductible receipt. We can receive donations worldwide, however, only Canada residents will receive a tax receipt. Again, thank you, and may God bless you!", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "What is the Magnificat?\nMagnificat is a spiritual guide to help you develop your prayer life, grow in your spiritual life, find a way to a more profound love for Christ, and participate in the holy Mass with greater fervor.\nIt is a monthly publication designed for daily use, to encourage both liturgical and personal prayer. It can be used to follow daily Mass and can also be read at home or wherever you find yourself for personal or family prayer.\nFrom now until December 1st you can renew your Magnificat order for $30!", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "As we’ve previously noted, as soon as the Fall occurred God promised to send Messiah, one who would deliver his people from their guilt, shame, sin—and from attacks from Satan, humanity’s enemy, that ancient serpent. For having deceived the woman and tempted the man, the devil, Satan, who came disguised as one of God’s creatures, was cursed and judged by God. As stated in Genesis 3:15 the LORD God said to the serpent, “I will put enmity”—active hostility—“between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel.” And so it was that from this point forward humans were given a choice to follow either in the way of the serpent’s offspring or in the way of the offspring of their Maker.\nLast week we saw how Abel chose the way of his Maker whereas his brother, Cain, chose the way of the serpent when he determined to murder his younger brother rather than receive the gentle correction and admonition given him by God. Whereas, as stated by the author of Hebrews, Abel “[b]y faith…was commended as righteous, when God spoke well of his offerings,” Cain, by his lack of faith demonstrated, as stated by the apostle John, that he “belonged to the evil one.” And so we see that following the account of Cain’s punishment, over the course of time his line, the line of the serpent, continued to perpetuate evil as Lamech, one of his descendants, killed a man who wounded him. As Cain had reacted disproportionately when he killed his brother, Abel, for having followed and then being commended by God, so now his descendant, Lamech, similarly acted disproportionately in killing a man who had merely injured him.\nCain’s rejection of God and monstrous choice to follow in the ways of the serpent meant that the line of the Messiah ended with the death of righteous Abel. Yet because God always keeps his promises, he graced Adam and Eve with another son, Seth, to continue Messiah’s line. As initially stated starting in verse 25 in chapter 4 of Genesis, “Adam made love to his wife again,”—also translated as “Adam knew his wife”—“and she gave birth to a son and named him Seth, saying, ‘God has granted me another child in place of Abel, since Cain killed him.’” Yet as we see in the transition to chapter 5, Seth’s birth wasn’t immediate. As stated in verse 3, it wasn’t until Adam was 130 years old that his third son was born. God is far more patient in keeping his promises than we are in receiving them, isn’t he? And that Seth became part of Messiah’s line is made clear in the third chapter of Luke’s Gospel which records Jesus’ genealogy beginning with, “23 Now Jesus himself was about thirty years old when he began his ministry. He was the son, so it was thought, of Joseph, the son of Heli.” And Jesus’ genealogy ends with “38 the son of Enosh, the son of Seth, the son of Adam, the son of God.” Thus we see that the Messiah’s line was preserved through Seth.\nNow at the end of Genesis 4, after noting that “Seth also had a son, and he named him Enosh,” we find this curious statement, “At that time people began to call on the name of the Lord.” Whereas prior to the time of the Fall, humanity’s relationship and fellowship with their Maker had been unbroken, even this early on in human history those from Seth’s Messianic line had need of calling upon God, of beckoning his name—something that no one from Cain’s evil line is recorded as having done. Yet humans, having been created in the image of God, were created to depend upon God, to call upon the name of the LORD. Another possible translation is that “people began to proclaim the name of the LORD.” In this case it would suggest that the reason for this need was because the serpent’s work was not yet done. As he would continue to seek to multiply his followers through the line of Cain, those who followed the LORD God through the line of Seth would need to reach out to them, proclaiming the goodness and greatness of God and the possibility of forgiveness of their sin by him even as followers of Christ Jesus, the promised Messiah’s line, continue to do today. In returning to 2 Corinthians 4 this morning, we were reminded yet again that the proclamation of the Gospel is necessary because from the beginning Satan, the devil, “[t] he god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel that displays the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.” This is why at the time of Seth continuing to now people have needed to call on and proclaim the name of the LORD.\nNow chapter 5 of Genesis provides both a reaffirmation of humanity’s beginnings as well as a selective presentation of Messiah’s lineage. Verses 1 and 2 essentially restate Genesis 1:27: “1 This is the written account of Adam’s family line. When God created mankind, he made them in the likeness of God. 2 He created them male and female and blessed them. And he named them ‘Mankind’”—or “Adam”—“when they were created.” Despite the disobedience of “Mankind,” both male and female, God’s blessing wasn’t withdrawn but instead was affirmed in this post-Fall presentation of Adam’s genealogy. Regarding this genealogy, Old Testament scholar Carol Kaminski notes, “It is a linear genealogy, meaning that only one son in each generation is named. Accordingly, even though Adam and Eve have three sons (and other sons and daughters, Gen. 5:4), only Seth’s name is given in the genealogy (Gen. 5:3). The genealogy lists ten generations, establishing an unbroken genealogical line from Adam to Noah, who is the tenth member.” In other words, in this initial genealogy we see [count out loud]:\n- God created Adam in the first generation (verses 1–2);\n- then Seth was born to Adam (verse 3);\n- then Enosh was born to Seth (verse 6);\n- then Kenan was born to Enosh (verse 9);\n- then Mahalalel was born to Kenan (verse 13);\n- then Jared was born to Mahalalel (verse 15);\n- then Enoch was born to Jared (verse 18);\n- then Methuselah was born to Enoch (verse 21);\n- then Lamech was born to Methuselah—obviously not the same Lamech who was Cain’s descendant (verse 25);\n- then Noah was born to Lamech (verses 28–29a);\nIn addition to being selective, the genealogy is formulaic in that it states how long people lived after they had their son and also comments upon other unnamed sons and daughters they may have had whose names are not recorded since they aren’t part of Messiah’s line. Hence, we read in verses 3–5: “3 When Adam had lived 130 years, he had a son in his own likeness, in his own image; and he named him Seth. 4 After Seth was born, Adam lived 800 years and had other sons and daughters. 5 Altogether, Adam lived a total of 930 years, and then he died.” In other words, we again see an editorial hand in what God has chosen to reveal in his Word. For what he has chosen to reveal, and what he will continue to focus upon, is the yet–to–come and promised Messiah who will one day crush the serpent’s head and thereby destroy all evil and sin.\nReturning to the opening verses in chapter 5, again as the LORD God created mankind in his own image—as also stated in Genesis 1:27—and in his own likeness—as stated in verse 1 of this chapter, so, too, we see in verse 3 that Adam’s third child was similarly, “in his own likeness, in his own image.” Now what immediately comes to mind in reading this is how children often physically look like their parents. I know that as I’ve looked back at photos of my own mother, I realize that I could pass as her sister when we were similar ages. What is more, I once observed how an image and likeness can be passed along to adopted children as well. Years ago, I commented to a boss how much a photo of his son he had hanging in his office looked like him. He smiled back at me and said, “Thank you. He’s adopted.” I was dumbfounded. Despite being adopted there was no denying the physical resemblance between father and son.\nHowever, given that God is Spirit, I believe that the way in which Adam and Eve bore God’s image was by reflecting his goodness in their spirit or soul. As we’ve previously noted, that God’s image and likeness was reflected in Adam and Eve is indicated in the fact that he made them “good.” For God who is goodness itself was only capable of creating a creation that was similarly good in every way. Yet when Adam sinned, when he disobeyed God by partaking from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, the good image in which God had made him was damaged. And this sullied image was now part of the “likeness and image” of Adam found in Seth. For as the representative head of all humanity, Adam passed along to Seth—and to all humanity that followed—his fallen nature. As the apostle Paul teaches, “sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all people, because all sinned.” Therefore “death reigned from the time of Adam to the time of Moses, even over those who did not sin by breaking a command, as did Adam, who is a pattern of the one to come.”\nIndeed, as the select chronology in Genesis 5 continues, we see that in each case, each person stated experienced the result of Adam’s disobedience in that they died:\nAdam died after 930 years;\nSeth died after 912 years;\nEnosh died after 905 years;\nKenan died after 910 years;\nMahalalel died after 895 years;\nJared died after 852 years.\nAll of these deaths are stark reminders of God’s promised judgment of certain death falling upon Adam should he transgress God’s command not to eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil in the Garden. Because Adam partook of this fruit, to Adam and his descendants, death certainly came.\nNow before going on I want to comment briefly upon the lengthy lives of each of those mentioned. Are these literal or figurative numbers? Scholars have argued for both. Those in favor of the figurative note that some of the numbers seem to have a symbolic significance. For example, Enoch’s 365 years in verse 23 is the same as the 365 days that exist in a year. Therefore, this may indicate that he lived full life. Similarly, Lamech’s 777 years in verse 31 may indicate completeness, 7 being the number of completeness in Scripture. However, this figurative interpretation doesn’t account for the many other ages listed that don’t provide any symbolic significance. Additionally, the ages listed all differ from one another, suggesting that they’re actual. For it’s possible that at this early stage in human existence people were granted lengthy lives in order that the creation mandate to be fruitful, increase, and fill the earth might be fulfilled. Too, as one commentator argues, “The traditional understanding is that the numbers should be taken at face value, often assuming that something changed in the cosmology of the earth or in the physiology of humans (or in both) after the flood, resulting in a rapid decline in longevity, finally stabilizing at a ‘normal’ life span in the range of 70 years or 80 years….” I, for my part, agree with this traditional understanding.\nReturning to the genealogy, I want to pause upon Enoch for as verse 22 states concerning him, “Enoch walked faithfully with God 300 years.” And verse 24 reiterates, “Enoch walked faithfully with God;…” Now the real shocker is what is stated at the end of verse 24, for after living a total of 365 years, unlike the others listed in the genealogy Enoch didn’t die. Instead the text says, “then he was no more, because God took him away.” Enoch is only one of two people named in Scripture who are said to escape death. The other is the prophet Elijah. As recorded in 2 Kings, as Elijah and Elisha “were walking along and talking together, suddenly a chariot of fire and horses of fire appeared and separated the two of them, and Elijah went up to heaven in a whirlwind.” The theological term for conveying someone who is still alive to heaven is “translate.” Both Enoch and Elijah were translated from earth to heaven. As to Elijah, there’s much we’re told about him in Scripture. As we’ve noted before, he is arguably the most important prophet in the Old Testament and he even appears in the New Testament, along with Moses, at Jesus’ transfiguration.\nYet in the case of Enoch, the only thing we’re told about him—twice—is that he walked faithfully with God. Referring to these verses Hebrews 11, the hall of faith chapter, states, “5 By faith Enoch was taken from this life, so that he did not experience death: ‘He could not be found, because God had taken him away.’ For before he was taken, he was commended as one who pleased God. 6 And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.” It’s reasonable to assume, then, that by believing in and earnestly seeking after God, Enoch walked in the image and likeness of his LORD.\nTo this end, I love Carol Kaminski’s observation about Enoch in her Casket Empty book. After noting, as we did earlier, that everyone in Adam’s genealogy dies, she states,\nIt is important to observe, however, that one person is exempt, namely, Enoch, who walks with God (Gen. 5:22–24), so he did not face death. Although not fully explained, this gives us a word of hope that walking with God is the solution to death…. Enoch’s escape from death points us in the direction of the living God, who alone has power to overcome death. In a mysterious way, walking with the Creator God is a journey toward life.\nIsn’t that awesome??!! If we live the way our gracious, almighty LORD created us to live, we have the hope of escaping and overcoming death. Enoch didn’t merely live. He walked with God throughout his life. To walk with God means that we live with God in both this life and the next. As Jesus similarly taught, because God is a living God, he gives his life to all who are his. For the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob is not the God of the dead but of the living. Therefore, all who are his live unto him.\nNext in line after deathless Enoch came Methuselah who lived an incredible 969 years before he died. Having lived so many years, he probably died in the year of the flood. Next was Lamech—again, obviously not the same Lamech found in Cain’s line—who was the father of Noah. As we know, and as we’ll see next time we return to Genesis, when the human race had completely and utterly turned against God by choosing to act according to its evil thoughts and heart, of all who were living at the time, only Noah “found favor in the eyes of the LORD.” Only he, as stated in verse 29, was able to “comfort us in the labor and painful toil of our hands caused by the ground the Lord has cursed.”\nWell, what can we learn from this brief genealogy? I think the most important lesson we learn is that we were made by the LORD God to walk in his image and likeness. The problem, however, is that Adam’s disobedience made this imaging far more difficult for the Fall resulted in our imaging Adam and Eve in our propensity to disobey God and in our vulnerability to being deceived by both the enemy and ourselves—rather than our imaging God as he intended. This is why God placed enmity, hostile opposition, between the woman’s seed and that of the serpent. And, again, that enmity came in the form of Messiah, the Christ, the eternal Son of God who in agreement with the Father and Holy Spirit determined, before the foundation of the world, to come to earth in human form so that he might save us from the effects of the Fall and from our ancient enemy, the serpent.\nNow if Adam as our head represents the Old Covenant that required regular sacrifices to atone, to make amends or reparation, for our sins, Jesus Christ as our head represents the New Covenant for he gave himself as the ultimate and final sacrifice to atone, to make amends or reparation for, the sins of all who believe in and receive him as their Savior. Paul puts it this way in Romans 5:\n15 But the gift is not like the trespass. For if the many died by the trespass of the one man, how much more did God’s grace and the gift that came by the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ, overflow to the many! 16 Nor can the gift of God be compared with the result of one man’s sin: The judgment followed one sin and brought condemnation, but the gift followed many trespasses and brought justification. 17 For if, by the trespass of the one man, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive God’s abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ! 18 Consequently, just as one trespass resulted in condemnation for all people, so also one righteous act resulted in justification and life for all people. 19 For just as through the disobedience of the one man the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the one man the many will be made righteous.\nTherefore, in Jesus Christ and in him alone can we find hope. For though we have been made in the image of God, as stated at the end of the 2 Corinthians 4:14, Christ is the image of God. So, too, does Paul teach in the passage from Colossians read earlier:\n15 The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. 16 For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him. 17 He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. 18 And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy.\nChrist came as the image of God incarnate, as the image of God in the flesh, in order that he, being God, might restore in us the godly image from which we fell. As the passage from Colossians continues, “19 For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, 20 and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.” The cross, the death of the Son of God, the blood shed by Christ Jesus, is how fallen humanity can be reconciled to God. For he who made the world and continues to sustain the world he made, died for his disobedient—and sinless—and hopeless image-bearers in order that they might be forgiven and enabled to become obedient—and holy—and full of hope as God created us to be. Christ Jesus, Messiah Jesus, died for sinful humanity in order that we might live the pure lives he intended. As stated by the author of Hebrews from the final New Testament passage read earlier, “The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven.”\nDear brothers and sisters, it is by—and because of—and through Jesus Christ alone, the last Adam, that you and I can be remade into the beautiful, living, eternal godly image from which we fell by—and because of—and through the first Adam in the Garden. Like Enoch, we were made not merely to live our earthly lives. No, we were made to walk with God. We were made to walk with him by faith this side of heaven as he restores the broken image and likeness from which we fell; and we were made to walk with him by sight when, having restored our broken image and likeness into the radiant image of his Son, he takes all who are his to be with him, to walk with him forevermore, for all eternity, in heaven. Let us, then ever call upon and proclaim the name of our gracious and merciful and kind LORD.\nLet us pray.\n See sermon preached on 01/26/20, God’s Compassionate Judgment on Genesis 3:14–24.\n Hebrews 11:4: By faith Abel brought God a better offering than Cain did. By faith he was commended as righteous, when God spoke well of his offerings. And by faith Abel still speaks, even though he is dead.\n 1 John 3:12: Do not be like Cain, who belonged to the evil one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his own actions were evil and his brother’s were righteous.\n Genesis 4:23: Lamech said to his wives, “Adah and Zillah, listen to me; wives of Lamech, hear my words. I have killed a man for wounding me, a young man for injuring me.”\n Luke 3:23, 38.\n 2 Corinthians 4:14.\n Genesis 1:27: So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them [or “him”]; male and female he created them.\n Genesis 5:4: After Seth was born, Adam lived 800 years and had other sons and daughters.\n Genesis 5:3: When Adam had lived 130 years, he had a son in his own likeness, in his own image; and he named him Seth.\n Carol M. Kaminski, Casket Empty: God’s Plan of Redemption through History, Casket Empty Media, 2012, p. 21.\n 1 This is the written account of Adam’s family line. When God created mankind, he made them in the likeness of God. 2 He created them male and female and blessed them. And he named them “Mankind”[Hebrew adam] when they were created.\n When Adam had lived 130 years, he had a son in his own likeness, in his own image; and he named him Seth.\n When Seth had lived 105 years, he became the father[Father may mean ancestor; also in verses 7-26.] of Enosh.\n When Enosh had lived 90 years, he became the father of Kenan.\n When Kenan had lived 70 years, he became the father of Mahalalel.\n When Mahalalel had lived 65 years, he became the father of Jared.\n When Jared had lived 162 years, he became the father of Enoch.\n When Enoch had lived 65 years, he became the father of Methuselah.\n Genesis 4:17–18: 17 Cain made love to his wife, and she became pregnant and gave birth to Enoch. Cain was then building a city, and he named it after his son Enoch. 18 To Enoch was born Irad, and Irad was the father of Mehujael, and Mehujael was the father of Methushael, and Methushael was the father of Lamech.\n When Methuselah had lived 187 years, he became the father of Lamech.\n When Lamech had lived 182 years, he had a son. 29 He named him Noah….\n John 4:24: God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.\n See sermon preached on January 12, 2020, Why Did God Create Us? on Genesis 1:26–30, 2:7–9.\n Psalm 34:8: Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in him.; Psalm 107:1: Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever.; Matthew 19:17: “Why do you ask me about what is good?” Jesus replied. “There is only One who is good. If you want to enter life, keep the commandments.”\n Genesis 1:4, 10, 12, 17–18, 21, 25, 31: 4 God saw that the light was good, and he separated the light from the darkness…. 10 God called the dry ground “land,” and the gathered waters he called “seas.” And God saw that it was good….12 The land produced vegetation: plants bearing seed according to their kinds and trees bearing fruit with seed in it according to their kinds. And God saw that it was good….17 God set [the greater and lesser lights] in the vault of the sky to give light on the earth, 18 to govern the day and the night, and to separate light from darkness. And God saw that it was good….21 So God created the great creatures of the sea and every living thing with which the water teems and that moves about in it, according to their kinds, and every winged bird according to its kind. And God saw that it was good….25 God made the wild animals according to their kinds, the livestock according to their kinds, and all the creatures that move along the ground according to their kinds. And God saw that it was good….31 God saw all that he had made, and it was very good. And there was evening, and there was morning—the sixth day.\n Romans 5:12.\n Romans 5:14.\n Genesis 5:5: Altogether, Adam lived a total of 930 years, and then he died.\n Genesis 5:8: Altogether, Seth lived a total of 912 years, and then he died.\n Genesis 5:11: Altogether, Enosh lived a total of 905 years, and then he died.\n Genesis 5:14: Altogether, Kenan lived a total of 910 years, and then he died.\n Genesis 5:17: Altogether, Mahalalel lived a total of 895 years, and then he died.\n Genesis 5:20: Altogether, Jared lived a total of 962 years, and then he died.\n Genesis 2:16: And the Lord God commanded the man, “You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; 17 but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat from it you will certainly die.”\n Zondervan NIV Study Bible note on Genesis 5:5.\n Genesis 1:28: God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground.”\n Crossway ESV Study Bible note on Genesis 5:1–32.\n See also Genesis 6:1–3 which indicates that a partial reason for the shortening of years of human life was due to the great evil humans had done: 1 When human beings began to increase in number on the earth and daughters were born to them, 2 the sons of God saw that the daughters of humans were beautiful, and they married any of them they chose. 3 Then the Lord said, “My Spirit will not contend with humans forever, for they are mortal”—or “corrupt”— “their days will be a hundred and twenty years.”\n 2 Kings 2:11.\n See sermons preached on June 23, 2019 (The Power of a Whisper on 1 Kings 19:1–15a and The Silence of God on June 19, 2016) and June 30, 2019 (How the LORD Answered Elijah’s Prayer on 2 Kings 2:1–18 and Preparing God’s Way on June 26, 2016).\n See Matthew 17:3: “Just then there appeared before them Moses and Elijah, talking with Jesus.”; Mark 9:4: “And there appeared before them Elijah and Moses, who were talking with Jesus.”; Luke 9:30: “Two men, Moses and Elijah, appeared in glorious splendor, talking with Jesus.” Peter and John later refer to their having borne witness to this miraculous event respectively in 2 Peter 1:16–18: 16 For we did not follow cleverly devised stories when we told you about the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ in power, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty. 17 He received honor and glory from God the Father when the voice came to him from the Majestic Glory, saying, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.” 18 We ourselves heard this voice that came from heaven when we were with him on the sacred mountain./John 1:14: The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.\n Interesting to note is that Enoch is seventh from the chronology recorded for Adam. As the Zondervan NIV Study Bible note on Genesis 5:24 observes, “Lamech, the seventh from Adam in the genealogy of Cain, was evil personified. But ‘Enoch, the seventh from Adam’ (Jude 14) in the genealogy of Seth, ‘was commended as one who pleased God’ (Heb 11:5).” The Reformation Study Bible note on Genesis 4:17, 18 similarly observes that whereas Lamech “inflicted death,” Enoch “did not die.” Finally, the Reformation Study Bible note on Genesis 5:3–32 (3rd paragraph) states, “The significant seventh generation of each genealogy marks a high point—the height of wickedness in the Cainite Lamech (4:18–24), and the height of godliness in the Sethite Enoch (vv. 18–24…).” Jude 1:14–16: “14 Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied about them: ‘See, the Lord is coming with thousands upon thousands of his holy ones 15 to judge everyone, and to convict all of them of all the ungodly acts they have committed in their ungodliness, and of all the defiant words ungodly sinners have spoken against him.’ 16 These people are grumblers and faultfinders; they follow their own evil desires; they boast about themselves and flatter others for their own advantage.” The allusion is to the Jewish Testament of Moses (~1st c. AD).\n Ibid., p. 21. Emphases added.\n In the account of the hypothetical woman who married a brother, was widowed, and went on to marry the next brother in line after being widowed seven times, the Sadducees—who didn’t believe in the resurrection—nonetheless asked Jesus whose wife she would be at the resurrection. Jesus’ response can be found in Luke 20: 34–38: 34 Jesus replied, “The people of this age marry and are given in marriage. 35 But those who are considered worthy of taking part in the age to come and in the resurrection from the dead will neither marry nor be given in marriage, 36 and they can no longer die; for they are like the angels. They are God’s children, since they are children of the resurrection. 37 But in the account of the burning bush, even Moses showed that the dead rise, for he calls the Lord ‘the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.’ 38 He is not the God of the dead, but of the living, for to him all are alive.”; Matthew 22:29–32: 29 Jesus replied, “You are in error because you do not know the Scriptures or the power of God. 30 At the resurrection people will neither marry nor be given in marriage; they will be like the angels in heaven. 31 But about the resurrection of the dead—have you not read what God said to you, 32 ‘I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’? He is not the God of the dead but of the living.”; Mark 12:24–27: 24 Jesus replied, “Are you not in error because you do not know the Scriptures or the power of God? 25 When the dead rise, they will neither marry nor be given in marriage; they will be like the angels in heaven. 26 Now about the dead rising—have you not read in the Book of Moses, in the account of the burning bush, how God said to him, ‘I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’? 27 He is not the God of the dead, but of the living. You are badly mistaken!”; All three passages reference Exodus 3:6: Then he said, “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob.” At this, Moses hid his face, because he was afraid to look at God.\n As noted in the Zondervan NIV Study Bible note to Genesis 5:27: “If the figures concerning life spans are literal, Methuselah died in the year of the flood (the figures in vv. 25, 28 and 7:6 add up to exactly 969).”\n Genesis 6:8.\n Ephesians 1:3–4: 3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. 4 For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight.\n This is what is understood by federal head, the governing systems in the Old and New Testaments (Covenants), respectively.\n Romans 5:15–19.\n Colossians 1:15–18.\n Hebrews 1:3.", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "John 21, 1-3\nSomething to read\nAfter these things Jesus showed himself again to the disciples by the Sea of Tiberias; and he showed himself in this way. Gathered there together were Simon Peter, Thomas called the Twin, Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two others of his disciples. Simon Peter said to them, \"I am going fishing.\" They said to him, \"We will go with you.\" They went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing.\nNew Revised Standard Version\nSomething to think about\nWhat is most interesting about Jesus, whom Christians confess as the incarnation of God and Second Person of the Trinity, is that his apostles are not sophisticated, not wealthy and not important.\nThey are ordinary peasants, fishermen, in Roman-occupied Palestine. Fishing was (and still can be) a dirty business, so dirty that Jewish fishermen of that time did not wear clothes while at work. They fished naked.\nThis seemingly salacious piece of information highlights the point: our last resurrection story of Jesus begins in a boat with five naked fishermen on a large lake in Galilee.\nIt has none of the solemnity we expect of the apostles, the way they are pictured in sacred art, in Roman togas and with luminous halos around their heads.\nHowever, with eighty percent of the world in poverty, we can see this story as illustrative of whom Jesus called to be his disciples – the poorest of men and women, who often did the jobs no one wanted.\nSomething to do\nWhen you see the homeless with inadequate clothing, when you see television images of poverty, think about the fact One of the Trinity took on flesh, dwelt with us, and chose as his apostles poor people who became the bearers of the Gospel to the world, and in whose name we build lavish cathedrals and shrines.\nSomething to pray\nRisen Lord Jesus, we remember your apostles were poor and yet you chose them to be your witnesses in the world to the Good News.\nHelp us to see in those who are poor, whom we have always with us, not helplessness or persons to be pitied, but people who bear the image of God and who are as dear to you as the apostles whom we hold in honour.\nHelp us to serve the poor, for it is in doing so – in being servants to those who are never served, that we serve you. Amen.\nToday's contributor is the Rev James Matarazzo Jr, a United Church of Christ (USA) minister from Boston, Massachusetts. He moved to London in 2007. Jim is a founding member of INERELA+ (International Network of Religious Leaders Living with and Affected by HIV and AIDS), a Christian Aid partner. He is now working on a DPhil in Systematic Theology at Oxford University.", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "The abandonment of faith or the concession of shaky faith on the part of Marty Sampson, the Hillsong songwriter leads to a discussion on romanticism and religion. The equation of authenticity to the intensity of emotional outpouring is a fatal mistake committed too often by the new generation. There is the false impression — The most emotionally expressive person is the most pious, holy, genuine, and committed person. That is the worldview of Romanticism. . .and it has infiltrated a great deal of modern religion in the western world. How would you gage authenticity of faith, if you were to leave music to the side?\nHomeschooled himself in the 1960's and 70's, Kevin Swanson and his wife, Brenda, are now homeschooling their five children. Since graduating from his homeschool and then serving as student body president of a large west coast university, he has gone on to other leadership positions in corporate management, church, and other non-profits.", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "The Committee on Home Missions and Church Extension and the Committee on Christian Education of the Orthodox Presbyterian Church sponsor a series of \"Readiness for Ministry in the Orthodox Presbyterian Church\" seminars each year.\nThis training and evaluation seminar is an enrichment opportunity for seminary students. A number of presentations are made on Reformed ministry and on the Orthodox Presbyterian Church. The seminar also proves to be helpful to seminary graduates from outside the OPC who are pursuing ministry in the OPC.\nExciting new developments and growth in OPC home missions continue. This provides many opportunities for ministry in the OPC. The OPC is also facing a growing number of pastors retiring. The Committee is investing a major portion of its home mission and church expansion efforts toward people who want to hear of ministry opportunities in our denomination, including opportunities for summer and yearlong internships.\nEach seminar participant gives a three-minute introduction of himself before the group. Also, he preaches a ten-minute exhortation before half the group. The exhortation is to be an exposition of a text of Scripture with appropriate application. Participation in several group exercises entitled, \"Problem Solving in Reformed Ministry,\" is also part of the seminar.\nThe program includes a personal feedback interview with one of the observers. The observations of the elders concerning your gifts and your church leadership potential will be discussed with you. All the observers are ministers or ruling elders of the OPC.\n2008 Readiness for Ministry in the OPC Seminars are scheduled for:\nFebruary 8–9 - Westminster Theological Seminary, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania\nFebruary 22–23 - Westminster Seminary California, Escondido, California\nMarch 7–8 - Mid-America Reformed Seminary, Dyer, Indiana\nIf you wish to come and explore the challenge of reformed ministry and the opportunities for service and internship in the Orthodox Presbyterian Church, contact Dick Gerber at firstname.lastname@example.org. You do not have to be a member of the OPC to be a participant in this day and a half training program. You do need a desire to better evaluate your gifts and strengths in general and your giftedness and readiness for church leadership in particular.\n© 2024 The Orthodox Presbyterian Church", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "From the beginning, NOLA Church has been built on a foundation of prayer, and each year we’ve seen Jesus do amazing things as our church family has leaned into prayer as a culture and lifestyle rather than just something we do.Pastor Monte has declared that 2019 is a Year of Prayer, so our church is now a 24/7/365 Prayer Room. Our goal is to have every hour of 2019 covered with prayer, and for there to be continual prayer at our building every day throughout the year. You can drop in any time of the day or night to spend some time in prayer, devotion and worship.\nThis is where you learn more about NOLA Church and become a member of our family, find a group where you can do life with other people on the same journey as you, and join a team where you can make a difference in your world.\nOur NEXT Steps class is available on the third Sunday of every month during the 11a Experience. If you’d like to find your place in the NOLA Family you can download the Church Center app or click on Take Your NEXT Step.\nBaptism is an important step of obedience that shows others we have personally trusted Jesus for our salvation. Jesus was baptized when He was on the earth, and we do this to follow His example. When Christians are baptized, they are submerged under water to identify with the death and burial of Jesus and raised out of the water to identify with His resurrection. Join us on last Sunday of each month where we will celebrate water baptism.\nThe mission of our Serve Team is to shine Jesus to our city. We feel this can be best done through consistent relationships and prayer. Serving not only impacts the people we serve, but it greatly impacts our own lives as well. It’s our honor to serve the forgotten, the unwanted, the elderly, the trafficked, the battered, the addicted, the ones who gave their all for our freedom, and those who are different from us. These simple acts of kindness radically impact lives and are beyond rewarding. We’re inviting you to join in the Mission to reach more!\nWe give generously because Jesus has been so generous to every one of us. Because we have received freely, we give freely. Giving generously is also the Nature of GOD, and because we are children of GOD, we have receive His Nature into our own lives… we’re simply imitating Jesus.\nWant to join us in our Mission of reaching people with the Life-giving message of Jesus? Your generosity enables us to help more and more people experience a life-changing relationship with Him. We are truly grateful for your donation and hope the convenience and simplicity of online giving will be helpful to you.\nOur Groups have one, simple purpose: to bring people together. We believe GOD created us to live in relationship with others and only then can we live the full life He intends for us. Sharing life through community is part of our design, but meaningful relationships aren’t always easy to find. That’s why Groups exist—to make these life-changing relationships relevant and accessible to you.\nCome Worship With Us\nPlan Your Visit\nWe believe that church should be fun… this is why every Sunday at NOLA is a party!\nMake sure to stop by the Café for a free coffee and a snack. Your kids will have a blast in NOLA Kids, and you’ll love the music in the main Worship Experience. You’ll meet some really great people who can’t wait to serve your family, and you’ll make some new friends.\nFirst time at NOLA Church?\nDon’t want to go alone? Or maybe you’ve been a few times but you’d like to ask a few questions, tour the property, or connect with some staff and leaders? Plan your visit and we will make special arrangements for you and your family!\n- A reserved parking spot will be prepared for you in front\n- We will meet you at the front door & introduce you around\n- Help you get your kids checked in to NOLA Kidz\n- Save seats for you in the worship experience", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "Advent II – December 7, 2014\nSt. Augustine’s Church – Wilmette, Illinois\nThere’s a voice in the wilderness, crying:\n‘I can’t breathe.’\nJohn the Baptist comes into the wilderness proclaiming a baptism of repentance. It’s one of those words, repentance…a word we can hear and then stop listening to anything else that comes after it. It’s a street corner preacher kind of a word. It’s a loaded, coded word. It’s a word that calls out for a placard and a bullhorn.\nI don’t mean that word, repentance, in the way you may anticipate hearing it. So I hope you won’t stop listening. I mean it, instead, in the way that it means to turn: to turn away from my own, from our own, perceived protection and safety and comfort…to turn toward the one who is my neighbor, but who looks entirely different than I do.\nAnd honestly, I would take that street corner today, right there next to the prophet Isaiah speaking to his people in exile in Babylon, right next to the prophet John the Baptist with his strange and itchy camel’s hair shirt and his leather belt and his bugs and his honey and all of it. I would take that street corner today, uncomfortable as it makes me. And I would take the placard, and the bullhorn. I would take them all.\nBecause there’s a voice in the wilderness, crying.\nBecause John the Baptist comes into that wilderness, proclaiming a baptism of repentance, a baptism of turning from, a baptism of turning toward. And as he baptizes those people in the Jordan, he tells them of the One who is coming, the One whose shoe he is not worthy to untie, the One who will baptize them, the One who will baptize us, with the Holy Spirit.\nRemember. Remember what happens when the Holy Spirit comes into the world. Creation happens: the Spirit broods over the waters, and Creation is born. And it is good. The Church happens: the Holy Spirit rushes into that room where the disciples are all locked up in their fear, a mighty wind that those followers of Jesus breathe in, and the Church is born. And it is very good.\nWhat if this is a moment of our creation, once again? Hear and claim the first line of today’s gospel: “The beginning of the Good News of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.” What if we are being called to breathe in the Spirit as those disciples did, to receive it together as co-creators with God, to begin again, to turn and make room in relationship with those who are our neighbors?\nWhat if our Advent is to watch for God’s messenger sent to us, to notice him, to recognize her, in a person most unlike ourselves, even in a person who challenges us, even in a person who makes us uncomfortable?\nWhat if we hear the voice of one crying in the wilderness, and instead of turning away, all locked up in our fear, in our hunger for safety, in our desire for protection…what if, instead, we turn toward that voice with the full breadth and depth of who we are? What if we join our voices with the one who cries out, calling out together, proclaiming that if one of us can’t breathe then none of us really can? What if we prepare the way of the Lord by walking on ahead, together with those who must, as those who must?\nWhat if that is the beginning of our Good News?\nAnd what if our baptism of repentance, our baptism in the Spirit, is to turn? To turn away from our own protection, from our own isolation, living and moving only among people who talk like we do and think like we do and who watch the same news channel and listen to the same music and share the same education and read the same books and eat at the same restaurants…to turn away from our own supposed safety, our own assumed comfort? What if our baptism calls us to turn toward neighbors who look entirely different than we do, whose stories we do not yet know, who do not talk like we do and think like we do and who watch different news channels and dance to different music and who have different education and who read different books and who eat different sorts of food than we do?\nWhat if our baptism in the Spirit calls us to take a deep breath and turn toward the stranger, trusting that we will not overcome our fears, we will not overcome all that separates and would divide us, by knowing about people, but by knowing and being known by them?\nWhat if our baptism of repentance, our baptism in the Spirit, is to turn toward neighbors we do not yet know, and there, in them, see God’s own face?\nOnly then. Only then will we have begun to prepare the way.\nIt’s Advent, dear friends. It’s Advent.\nAnd there’s a voice in the wilderness, crying.", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "|Inscription A048||Index||Area Plan||MI Plan A||< Prev.||Next >|\nCurved top headstone and footstone.|\nInscription on headstone.\nAffectionate Remembrance of\nwho died February 9\nAged 61 years\nAlso of JANE\nwho died December 29\nAged 73 years\n[_2 lines of small script heavily covered with lichen and unreadable__]\nInscription on footstone.\nBurial Register: A349, A406.\n|The Parish Church of St. James the Great, South Leigh, Oxfordshire.||Copyright © St. James the Great South Leigh Parochial Church Council, 2006|\n|Updated 22nd November 2005||Feedback|", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "Bart Gavigan, a writer for the film End of the Spear, once was Quoted in the book by Roy Petersons Set Free. He said “If I am going to write a movie about someone, I am going to find out what their deepest wound is, as that is where the flower grows.”\nLet me just repeat the gist of what he said… “deepest wound is where the flower grows.”\nGlory to God for this allegory “deepest wound is where the flower grows.” do you know what this means? What this is saying? At least how I am interpreting this…it is because of our pain,we can learn, grow and blossom. Our wounds, like our scars are reminders of our past. What we do in those circumstances can lead to flowers growing.\nMy biggest wound was my infertility.\nSpent 10 years believing science until I was reawakened by faith. I was accepting that scientific result not a final nail on my fertility coffin, but that my God, the God whom loves me even when i don’t deserve to be loved, that my God can show science who is king!\nTake your wound, with faith, knowing that the Lord Jehovah god got your back.\nTryst in god.\nTrust in his timing.\nRelieve his blessing and….\nWatch the flowers grow from those wounds.\nFather God I thank you for all that you do. I lift your name high. I thank you for these inspiring words that you provided me while I read. Thank you for allowing me to experience these wounds, so that my faith In you could grow. Thank you for blessing me and giving me flowers which grew within my wounds. My uterus was my wound, my children are my flowers. Only you, not science made this possible. Only you dear Lord. You allowed them to come into my life. I humbly thank you. Amen.", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "Council of Reformed Charities serves as a resource to the Reformed and Christian Reformed communities in direct Christian mercy. The collection consists of brochures, newsletters, minutes, correspondence, reports, articles of incorporation and bylaws. More information is available on their website <www.corc.org>.\nEffort that resulted in the creation of the Council of Reformed Charities in 1988 began during the 1950s as Meindert Bosch, the business manager at Bethesda Hospital in Denver, Colorado, began contacting staff at other similar institutions of “Christian mercy.” Over time these contacts led to regularly, annual meetings of representatives from such institutions. At the 2 Mat 1998 meeting of representatives of fifteen such individuals at Bethany Christian Services in Grand Rapids, Michigan, the council was incorporated, and officers were elected, to promote the delivery of human services from a Reformed perspective, with Bosch as its first executive director. The organization provides leadership and training in such areas as fundraising, compliance, outreach, administration, and volunteerism.", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "Join us at Noce on Sunday, February 19th at 6:30pm for our annual membership meeting. This will be a night of prayer and celebration as we present the Annual Ministry Report and share some very exciting news about the future! The meeting is open to everyone who attends The Gateway Church.\nDuring this meeting those who have completed the New Members Class and signed the membership covenant will be welcomed as members of The Gateway Church. We will also be welcoming three new Elders (Brad Bartlett, Nate Evans and Ryan Morrison) and voting to affirm three new members of the Board of Stewardship (Ben Anderson, Justin Davey and Grant Stokka).\nThe Elders serve as the spiritual overseers of our church, teach and preach the Word, protect the church from false teachers, exhort and admonish the saints in sound doctrine, pray for the sick and judge doctrinal issues.\nThe Board of Stewardship (BOS) serve as the official board of directors of the church, oversee all financial matters, and work in cooperation with the Lead Pastor and the Elders for the overall governance of the church.\nAccording to our bylaws (Article Thirteen, Section 2) BOS members shall be recommended by the Board Selection Committee and affirmed by a majority of the Covenant Membership.\nThis year Ben Anderson, Justin Davey and Grant Stokka have been recommended because of their faithfulness and love for The Gateway Church.\n1. Covenant Members who have a concern about the qualifications regarding any of the recommended candidates shall have the opportunity to express in writing their concern to the Selection Team prior to the Annual Covenant Membership Meeting.\n2. Board Candidates who have been duly presented, and have no valid objection to their qualifications, shall be affirmed by a majority of the Covenant Members present at a duly called Covenant Membership Meeting.", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "Parish Clergy: Fr Loughlin Brennan Fr. Tom Ryan\nTel. 386227 Mobile 087 9814051 Tel. 352223 Mobile 087 6291557\nChrissie O’Gorman , Ann and Jim Jamel and Gary Cobel 7pm this Saturday\nMaurice and Peggy Hassett 9am this Sunday\nBridie and Jerry Taaffe , John O’Brien,Mattie and Maureen Hoyne and Jim Berkery 11.30am this Sunday\nEamon Rainsford Months Mind and Matt Cuddy 7pm next Saturday\nJames and Mary Clarke ____________________________________________________9am next Sunday\nJohn Barron and deceased members of the Barron Family and Tommy and Mary Bartley______ 10am next Sunday\nMay They Rest in Peace\nEucharistic Ministers Next Weekend:\nBoher: Elizabeth O Connor.\nMurroe: Bridget Hayes 7pm, Willie Carey 9am, Margaret Holmes 11.30am\nMasses for coming week:\nBoher – Tuesday and Thursday at 9.30am.\nMurroe – Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 10am.\nMaranatha prayer Ministry invites you to our February Healing Retreat at St. Pauls Church, Dooradoyle, Limerick at 2.30pm through the Ministry of Bishop Fintan Monahan, Killaloe Diocese and Sr. Mary Bridget, Charismatic Renewal, Limerick next Sunday, 16th February 2020. Mass at 5pm. All welcome.\nThe Annual Pink Night will take place on Saturday 15th February 2020 at Kennedys Lounge, Rearcross – Music with the very entertaining “DJ Wilm” – All funds raised for Mid West Cancer Unit in University Hospital Limerick. A raffle will take place with lots of prizes including a Ladies County Jersey. A great night’s entertainment for a good cause. Support greatly appreciated. Everybody welcome\nSocial Dance in Millennium Centre Caherconlish on Friday 14th February. Music by Marveltones. Tea served. Admission €10.\nLotto Results for 2/2/20 -2,10,20,29- No Winner. €20 Dips Vinnie Callanan, Aine Cooke, James Buckley & Eoghan Tuohey. Next week’s Jackpot €8,900 Draw in Pa McGraths. Double Down lotto draw -12,16,17,22- €50 Dips Jimmy O’Brien, Sinead Murray & Megan Buckley.\nMurroe AFC Team News: Last weekend the A team had a fantastic 6-1 win away to Aisling Annacotty in the league, while the C team had a 5-0 loss to Nenagh Town, on Sunday.\nThis weekend on Sunday 8th February, the B team are at home against Janesboro at 2pm in Tubber, while the C team are away to Athlunkard Villa also in the league at 2pm.\nThe A team, and Youth team have no fixtures.\nReflection: Frequently we hear ‘experts’ say that too much salt is bad for us; this is probably true; too much of anything is not good for us. But food without any salt is bland, tasteless and just not very nice! Since ancient times salt has been used to purify, preserve, season and flavour food. At the time of Jesus, salt was very valuable and expensive. Roman soldiers were often paid with blocks of salt which they then traded. Salt was basically used as money! Hence the phrase, to be worth your weight in salt!\nWhat is Jesus saying when he calls and asks us to be salt to the earth? Salt makes a difference to food as we said. Without it, food cannot be preserved and at times cannot be eaten. Salt, used properly can brighten and enliven food. Can we say the same about ourselves as followers of Jesus. Do I make a difference to those around me through what I say, what do and how I live my daily life? By my living the gospel of Jesus, do I brighten and enliven the world around me? Am I worth my weight in salt?\nThen Jesus uses another powerful symbol to challenge us. He says to each of us; ‘You are the Light of the world… no one lights a lamp and then hides it under a basket, they put it on a lampstand and it gives light to the world. In the same way, your (own) light must shine before others.’\nI often find this statement from Jesus strange. In the start of John’s gospel it says; The Word was the real light, that gives light to everyone.’ Later in the gospel Jesus clearly says; I am the Light of the World. So through Jesus, the Light of God comes into the world to dispel all darkness. This has echoes of the great phrase; The people in darkness have seen a great light. Now Jesus very clearly says, You are the Light of the world. This is very encouraging and also very challenging. We now share the responsibility with Jesus of being people of light who shine brightly in and for the world.\nWhen Nelson Mandela became president of South Africa, he quoted a poem written by Marianne Williamson; from which this line is taken; We are all meant to shine; we were born to manifest the glory of God that is within us. It’s not just in some of us; it’s in everyone.\nToday, take a moment of silence and say, Jesus is the light of the world and so am I! – (Br Michael Moore OMI)", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "Dorothy KennedyDorothy Kennedy passed away on Monday, May 6, 2013 at Lakewood Health Systems in Staples. Funeral services will be on Friday, May 10, 2013, at 11:00 AM at Staples United Methodist Church, with Pastor Mark Bateson officiating. Visitation will be one hour prior to service at the church. Interment will be at Evergreen Hill Cemetery, in Staples.\nDorothy was born to Walter and Nettie (Kobbervig) Staples on October 5, 1927 in Morris, MN. She was united in marriage to Don Kennedy, on November 25, 1947 in Minneapolis, MN. Together they lived in Minneapolis until 1954 when they then moved to Staples. She worked as a homemaker, active member at United Methodist Church in Staples. She was part of the Alpha Chapter Eastern Star, a past Matron of the Orchid Chapter, and enjoyed all card games and spending time with her family.", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "Archdiocese of Philadelphia tamps down speculation of visit from Pope Francis\nBy DAVID O'REILLY\nPHILADELPHIA-Archbishop Charles J. Chaput told a North Dakota audience Thursday Pope Francis had assured him he will visit Philadelphia for three days next year, and the Vatican seemed to confirm it, but the Archdiocese of Philadelphia insisted Friday Chaput's remarks were off the cuff and unofficial.\n\"There has been no official confirmation by the Vatican or the Holy See of Pope Francis' attendance at the 2015 World Meeting of Families in Philadelphia,\" communications director Kenneth Gavin said in a statement Friday morning.\nEmail this to a friend!\nPope Francis, third from right, has lunch at the Vatican workers' cafeteria Friday when he popped in unannounced.\nFacebook Commenting Guidelines on The Hawk Eye:\n1. Comments from users that have private profiles are blocked by Facebook.\n2. Comments containing words in Facebook's blacklist will be held for moderation.\n3. Threaded comments on a comment held for moderation will not appear online.", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "THE BOOK OF MORMON, Second Edition: The Earliest Text\nThis second edition is the culmination of a scholarly project spanning more than 30 years that includes: 615 readings that have never before appeared in any standard printed edition, 251 readings that make a difference in meaning, 19 corrected spellings of names, 133 readings that make the text more consistent in phraseology or usage, and so much more.\nPublishing status: Current\nItem #: 1938347\nEND TIMES ANSWERS: 100 Real Questions from Real PeoplePaperbound$14.95 $19.99\nTHE HISTORY OF THE DEVILPaperbound$7.95 $12.99\nTHE VIRGIN MARY CONSPIRACY: The True Father of Christ and the Tomb of the VirginPaperbound$4.95 $18.00\nTHE DEVIL'S ATLAS: An Explorer's Guide to Heavens, Hells and AfterworldsHardbound$24.95 $29.95", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "The cardinal wrote that he “deeply” regretted Fr. Pfleger's public remarks that have “brought you to a moment of crisis that I pray will quickly pass.”\n“This conflict is not between you and me,” he clarified, “it’s between you and the Church that ordained you a priest, between you and the faith that introduced you to Christ and gives you the right to preach and pastor in his name.”\nAlthough “I have consistently supported your work for social justice and admired your passion for ministry,” Cardinal George wrote, “I am asking you to take a few weeks to pray over your priestly commitments in order to come to mutual agreement on how you understand personally the obligations that make you a member of the Chicago presbyterate and of the Catholic Church.”\n“With this letter, your ministry as pastor of Saint Sabina Parish and your sacramental faculties as a priest of the Archdiocese are suspended.”\nThe cardinal then named the Rev. Thulani Magwaza, the associate pastor at St. Sabina, as administrator during the suspension and the Rev. Andrew Smith, a priest at St. Ailbe Parish, as his assistant.\nFr. Pfleger did not react publicly the suspension, but one leader of the parish expressed anger at the decision.\n“He was ambushed,” said Kimberly Lymore, who is listed as “associate minister” on the church's website directory. Lymore told the Chicago Sun-Times on April 28 that Fr. Pfleger has “given his life to this community” and is “upset,” and “in shock, just as we all were.”\nCardinal George emphasized in his letter to the priest that if “you now formally leave the Catholic Church and her priesthood, it’s your choice and no one else’s.”\n“You are not a victim of anyone or anything other than your own statements,” he said. “To avoid misrepresentation and manipulation on anyone’s part, this letter will be released to the parish, which is to publish it in its entirety, and to the media after it has been delivered to you.”\n“You remain in my prayers, and I hope I remain in yours.”", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "Wednesday, March 21st, 2018 Testimony Meeting\nAt 8: 15pm EDT every Wednesday, we have a Testimony Meeting featuring readings from The Bible, Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, and Prose Works, as well as testimonies of Christian Science healing and wonderful music. All are welcome!\nThe Reader Prays — to work with when praying for our services!\nYouTube: Readings and Testimonies\nListen to the entire meeting here or on SoundCloud\nTheme: God answers righteous prayer\nReadings: Gary from NJ\nPsalm 6: 9\n9 The Lord hath heard my supplication; the Lord will receive my prayer.\nPsalm 66: 16-20\n16 Come and hear, all ye that fear God, and I will declare what he hath done for my soul.\n17 I cried unto him with my mouth, and he was extolled with my tongue.\n18 If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me:\n19 But verily God hath heard me; he hath attended to the voice of my prayer.\n20 Blessed be God, which hath not turned away my prayer, nor his mercy from me.\nMatthew 4: 17 (Jesus)(to 1st ,)\n17 … Jesus began to preach, …\nMatthew 5: 1, 2, 43-45 (to : )\n1 And seeing the multitudes, he went up into a mountain: and when he was set, his disciples came unto him:\n2 And he opened his mouth, and taught them, saying,\n43 Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy.\n44 But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;\n45 That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: …\nMatthew 6: 1-13\n1 Take heed that ye do not your alms before men, to be seen of them: otherwise ye have no reward of your Father which is in heaven.\n2 Therefore when thou doest thine alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.\n3 But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth:\n4 That thine alms may be in secret: and thy Father which seeth in secret himself shall reward thee openly.\n5 And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.\n6 But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.\n7 But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking.\n8 Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him.\n9 After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.\n10 Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.\n11 Give us this day our daily bread.\n12 And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.\n13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.\nJames 4: 3\n3 Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.\nJohn 4: 21 (to saith), 23 (the hour), 24\n21 Jesus saith …\n23 … the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him.\n24 God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.\nMatthew 6: 16-18\n16 Moreover when ye fast, be not, as the hypocrites, of a sad countenance: for they disfigure their faces, that they may appear unto men to fast. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.\n17 But thou, when thou fastest, anoint thine head, and wash thy face;\n18 That thou appear not unto men to fast, but unto thy Father which is in secret: and thy Father, which seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly.\nScience and Health with Key to the Scriptures\n1: 1-4, 6-14 (next page)\nTHE prayer that reforms the sinner and heals the sick is an absolute faith that all things are possible to God,— a spiritual understanding of Him, an unselfed love.\nPrayer, watching, and working, combined with self-immolation, are God’s gracious means for accomplishing whatever has been successfully done for the Christianization and health of mankind.\nThoughts unspoken are not unknown to the divine Mind. Desire is prayer; and no loss can occur from trusting God with our desires, that they may be moulded and exalted before they take form in words and in deeds.\nWhat are the motives for prayer? Do we pray to make ourselves better or to benefit those who hear us, to enlighten the infinite or to be heard of men? Are we benefited by praying? Yes, the desire which goes forth hungering after righteousness is blessed of our Father, and it does not return unto us void.\nGod is not moved by the breath of praise to do more than He has already done, nor can the infinite do less than bestow all good, since He is unchanging wisdom and Love. We can do more for ourselves by humble fervent petitions, but the All-loving does not grant them simply on the ground of lip-service, for He already knows all.\nNo and Yes\n39: 1-24, 28-7\nIt is a truism that we can think more lucidly and profoundly than we can write or speak. The silent intercession and unvoiced imploring is an honest and potent prayer to heal and save. The audible prayer may be offered to be heard of men, though ostensibly to catch God’s ear, — after the fashion of Baal’s prophets, — by speaking loud enough to be heard; but when the heart prays, and not the lips, no dishonesty or vanity influences the petition.\nProphet and apostle have glorified God in secret prayer, and He has rewarded them openly. Prayer can neither change God, nor bring His designs into mortal modes; but it can and does change our modes and our false sense of Life, Love, and Truth, uplifting us to Him. Such prayer humiliates, purifies, and quickens activity, in the direction that is unerring.\nTrue prayer is not asking God for love; it is learning to love, and to include all mankind in one affection. Prayer is the utilization of the love wherewith He loves us. Prayer begets an awakened desire to be and do good. It makes new and scientific discoveries of God, of His goodness and power. It shows us more clearly than we saw before, what we already have and are; and most of all, it shows us what God is.\nWhat but silent prayer can meet the demand, “Pray without ceasing”? The apostle James said: “Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, to consume it on your lusts.” Because of vanity and self-righteousness, mortals seek, and expect to receive, a material sense of approval; and they expect also what is impossible, — a material and mortal sense of spiritual and immortal Truth.\nIt is Truth and Love that cast out fear and heal the sick, and mankind are better because of this. If a change in the religious views of the patient comes with the change to health, our Father has done this; for the human mind and body are made better only by divine influence.\nScience and Health with Key to the Scriptures\nChristians rejoice in secret beauty and bounty, hidden from the world, but known to God. Self-forgetfulness, purity, and affection are constant prayers. Practice not profession, understanding not belief, gain the ear and right hand of omnipotence and they assuredly call down infinite blessings.\n16: 1-8, 20-23\nA great sacrifice of material things must precede this advanced spiritual understanding. The highest prayer is not one of faith merely; it is demonstration. Such prayer heals sickness, and must destroy sin and death. It distinguishes between Truth that is sinless and the falsity of sinful sense.\nOur Master taught his disciples one brief prayer, which we name after him the Lord’s Prayer.\nOnly as we rise above all material sensuousness and sin, can we reach the heaven-born aspiration and spiritual consciousness, which is indicated in the Lord’s Prayer and which instantaneously heals the sick.", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "Today’s Scripture Readings\nVespers, 1st Reading: Composite 2 – Proverbs 10, 3, 8\nThe memory of the righteous is with praise and the blessing of the Lord is upon his head. Blessed is the man who has found wisdom and the mortal who has understanding. For it is better to purchase her than treasuries of gold and silver. She is more precious than precious stones and all that is precious is unworthy of her. For length of days and years of life are in her right hand; and in her left hand are riches and glory. Out of her mouth proceeds righteousness and she bears law and mercy upon her tongue. Hear me, O child, for I will speak noble things. Blessed is the man who keeps my ways, for my ways are the ways of life, and in them is prepared favor from the Lord. Therefore, I pray thee, and utter my voice to the sons of men: For I, wisdom, have dwelt with counsel and knowledge and I have called upon understanding. Counsel and safety are mine, understanding and strength are mine. I love those who love me and those seeking me shall find grace. Understand craftiness, O you who are simple, and imbibe knowledge, you who are untaught. Hear me again, for I will speak noble things: I will open my mouth and from my lips shall come what is right. For my throat shall meditate truth; false lips are an abomination before me. All the words of my mouth are righteous; there is nothing in them that is twisted or perverse. They are all straight to him who understands and right to those who find knowledge. I shall instruct you in truth, so that your hope will be in the Lord and you shall be filled with the Spirit.\nVespers, 2nd Reading: Proverbs 10:31-11:12\nThe mouth of the righteous brings forth wisdom, but the perverse tongue will be cut out. The lips of the righteous know what is acceptable, but the mouth of the wicked what is perverse. Dishonest scales are an abomination to the Lord, but a just weight is His delight. When pride comes, then comes shame; but with the humble is wisdom. The integrity of the upright will guide them, but the perversity of the unfaithful will destroy them. Riches do not profit in the day of wrath, but righteousness delivers from death. The righteousness of the blameless will direct his way aright, but the wicked will fall by his own wickedness. The righteousness of the upright will deliver them, but the unfaithful will be caught by their lust. When a wicked man dies, his expectation will perish, and the hope of the unjust perishes. The righteous is delivered from trouble, and it comes to the wicked instead. The hypocrite with his mouth destroys his neighbor, but through knowledge the righteous will be delivered. When it goes well with the righteous, the city rejoices; and when the wicked perish, there is jubilation. By the blessing of the upright the city is exalted, but it is overthrown by the mouth of the wicked. He who is devoid of wisdom despises his neighbor, but a man of understanding holds his peace.\nVespers, 3rd Reading: Wisdom of Solomon 4:7-15\nBut the righteous man, though he die early, will be at rest. For old age is not honored for length of time, nor measured by number of years; but understanding is gray hair for men, and a blameless life is ripe old age. There was one who pleased God and was loved by him, He was caught up lest evil change his understanding or guile deceive his soul. For the fascination of wickedness obscures what is good, and roving desire perverts the innocent mind. Being perfected in a short time, he fulfilled long years; for his soul was pleasing to the Lord, therefore he took him quickly from the midst of wickedness. Yet the peoples saw and did not understand, nor take such a thing to heart, that God’s grace and mercy are with his elect, and he watches over his holy ones.\nMatins Gospel Reading: John 10:1-9\nMost assuredly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door, but climbs up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber. But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. To him the doorkeeper opens, and the sheep hear his voice; and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. And when he brings out his own sheep, he goes before them; and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. Yet they will by no means follow a stranger, but will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers.” Jesus used this illustration, but they did not understand the things which He spoke to them. Then Jesus said to them again, “Most assuredly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. All who ever came before Me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not hear them. I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture.\nEpistle, Saints Reading: Hebrews 7:26-8:2\nFor such a High Priest was fitting for us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and has become higher than the heavens; who does not need daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifices, first for his own sins and then for the people’s, for this He did once for all when He offered up Himself. For the law appoints as high priests men who have weakness, but the word of the oath, which came after the law, appoints the Son who has been perfected forever. Now this is the main point of the things we are saying: We have such a High Priest, who is seated at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens, a Minister of the sanctuary and of the true tabernacle which the Lord erected, and not man.\nGospel, Saints Reading: Matthew 5:14-19\nYou are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven. Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill. For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled. Whoever therefore breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.\nEpistle Reading: Acts 5:21-33\nAnd when they heard that, they entered the temple early in the morning and taught. But the high priest and those with him came and called the council together, with all the elders of the children of Israel, and sent to the prison to have them brought. But when the officers came and did not find them in the prison, they returned and reported, saying, “Indeed we found the prison shut securely, and the guards standing outside before the doors; but when we opened them, we found no one inside!” Now when the high priest, the captain of the temple, and the chief priests heard these things, they wondered what the outcome would be. So one came and told them, saying, “Look, the men whom you put in prison are standing in the temple and teaching the people!” Then the captain went with the officers and brought them without violence, for they feared the people, lest they should be stoned. And when they had brought them, they set them before the council. And the high priest asked them, saying, “Did we not strictly command you not to teach in this name? And look, you have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine, and intend to bring this Man’s blood on us!” But Peter and the other apostles answered and said: “We ought to obey God rather than men. The God of our fathers raised up Jesus whom you murdered by hanging on a tree. Him God has exalted to His right hand to be Prince and Savior, to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins. And we are His witnesses to these things, and so also is the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those who obey Him.” When they heard this, they were furious and plotted to kill them.\nGospel Reading: John 6:14-27\nThen those men, when they had seen the sign that Jesus did, said, “This is truly the Prophet who is to come into the world.” Therefore when Jesus perceived that they were about to come and take Him by force to make Him king, He departed again to the mountain by Himself alone. Now when evening came, His disciples went down to the sea, got into the boat, and went over the sea toward Capernaum. And it was already dark, and Jesus had not come to them. Then the sea arose because a great wind was blowing. So when they had rowed about three or four miles, they saw Jesus walking on the sea and drawing near the boat; and they were afraid. But He said to them, “It is I; do not be afraid.” Then they willingly received Him into the boat, and immediately the boat was at the land where they were going. On the following day, when the people who were standing on the other side of the sea saw that there was no other boat there, except that one which His disciples had entered, and that Jesus had not entered the boat with His disciples, but His disciples had gone away alone – however, other boats came from Tiberias, near the place where they ate bread after the Lord had given thanks – when the people therefore saw that Jesus was not there, nor His disciples, they also got into boats and came to Capernaum, seeking Jesus. And when they found Him on the other side of the sea, they said to Him, “Rabbi, when did You come here?” Jesus answered them and said, “Most assuredly, I say to you, you seek Me, not because you saw the signs, but because you ate of the loaves and were filled. Do not labor for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to everlasting life, which the Son of Man will give you, because God the Father has set His seal on Him.”\nSaints and Feasts celebrated today\n- Commemoration of the Founding of Constantinople\n- Hieromartyr Mocius the Presbyter of Amphipolis in Macedonia\n- Equals of the Apostles and Teachers of the Slavs, Cyril and Methodius\n- Venerable Sophronius the Recluse of the Kiev Far Caves\n- St. Joseph the Metropolitan of Astrakhan\n- St. Nicodemus the Archbishop of Serbia\n- St. Rostislav the Prince of Great Moravia\n- New Martyr Dioscorus\n- New Martyr Argyrus\n- Blessed Christopher, called Christesia\nToday’s Fasting Guidelines\nToday is Fast Free\nNo fasting restrictions", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "Zan Tyler was threatened with jail when she began homeschooling in 1984. After years of fighting for the rights of her family and other homeschoolers, Zan founded and presided over the South Carolina Association of Independent Home Schools for ten years. She has received several honors for her work advocating for homeschooling and parental rights, including the Chris Klicka Lifetime Service Award, as well as the Order of the Palmetto from the governor of South Carolina. Zan’s greatest privilege in life was the twenty-one years she and husband Joe spent homeschooling their three children from kindergarten through high school.\nMothers Are Kingdom Builders\nFrom teaching phonics to building faith, from changing diapers to graduating teens, our lives as homeschooling moms run the gamut from the very mundane to the very meaningful. In the midst of the mind-boggling demands of homeschooling and everyday life, we constantly need to remind ourselves that our work as homeschooling mothers has tremendous eternal significance—we are truly building God’s kingdom one child and one family at a time. As our culture deteriorates and our nation faces serious challenges, the stakes couldn’t be higher. By developing strong families and rich relationships, helping our children discover their gifts and callings in life, and providing stimulating academics with a biblical worldview, we are raising children who, by God’s grace, can change the world for His glory.\nHow to Cultivate Your Children’s Potential\nWhen you look at your children, do you see only little people making demands on your time? Or do you see what God sees—a landscape of limitless possibilities? Author and homeschool mom Zan Tyler wants to take you beyond the demands of everyday life to embrace a wondrous, life-giving vision for your children’s future. You will learn to recognize the signs of potential in your children’s lives—signs that are easy to miss yet ripe for cultivation. You will begin to see every facet of each child’s life through the eyes of faith and the lens of Scripture and to create a vision of hope and beauty. You will also look to the Master Gardener as you learn to use the tools He has given you for cultivating that child’s potential. Let Zan show you how to help your kids establish a godly identity, discover their purpose, develop a biblical worldview, and build leadership and communication skills. You will come away with a vision of child-raising so captivating and enthralling that you will know, come bedtime, it’s all been well worth the effort.\nRaising Children to Be Intentional Christians in a “Whatever” World\nOur children live in the midst of a secular culture and face a host of frightening problems that we never had to deal with at their age. Because they are not prepared to counter our culture, startling percentages of children raised in evangelical homes do not continue in their faith and beliefs into adulthood. For this reason, training our children to develop a strong biblical worldview is one of the most vital things we can do. Teaching them to think biblically about all areas of life equips them to become powerful thinkers, leaders, and communicators. Most importantly, it also gives staying power to their faith as they face opposition. In this session, Zan Tyler provides practical answers to the following questions:\n• What is a biblical worldview and why is it crucial for my children?\n• How can I teach worldview—especially if I don’t understand it myself?\n• How can I teach worldview to my elementary-aged children?\n• How can studying the life of Daniel change my teenager’s life?\nOur goal as Christian homeschoolers must be bigger and broader than turning out kids with exceptional talent and high SAT scores. By incorporating worldview training, we can better equip them to use their gifts to impact the world for Christ, help others by solving real problems, and bring glory to God in the process.\nHow Do I Teach My Elementary-Aged Children to Have a Biblical Worldview?\nTeaching our children to think biblically is one of the most important gifts we can give them. And we shouldn’t wait until the high school years to do this! Come to this workshop to find out:\n• Why the elementary years are so important in developing a biblical worldview\n• How to teach important theological truths to youngsters\n• How to train even young children to analyze the culture, literature, and music\n• How worldview training imparts longevity and vitality to faith\nTalk with Me: How Conversation Stimulates Learning\nIn the traditional school environment, students have an average of eight to ten individual interactions with their teacher each day. In your homeschool, these verbal interactions can number in the hundreds and thus greatly enhance the education your children receive at home. Zan Tyler shares how the simple, free tool of conversation can help your children replace boredom during lessons with a motivation to learn. Discover why parents make the best teachers and capitalize on these strengths. Explore ways to minimize conflict in your home and promote camaraderie and enthusiasm instead. Identify simple but profound ways to replace drudgery in learning with stimulating academics. Conversation is key!\nPraying Powerfully for Our Children: Lessons I Learned from My Dad\nIn our time together, Zan Tyler focuses on the powerful effects of parental prayer—prayer that changes lives and the course of history. We can learn how to be dynamic teachers, mentors, and advocates for our children through imitating Christ and following His example. Christ sacrificed Himself for us and now lives to advocate for us (Romans 8:34, Hebrews 7:25). As parents, our call is to lay down our lives daily for our children and to pray powerfully and meaningfully for them. Join Zan as she delves into Isaiah 45 to gain a vision for prayer and learn how to pray in a compelling way for your children. She also looks at the homeschooling journey itself as an integral part of intercessory prayer.\nLiving in the Fiery Furnace: How to Avoid Homeschool Burnout\nThe combination of great expectations and great demands that homeschooling places on parents often sets us up for an intense sense of failure and disappointment. Homeschooling doesn’t always go according to our plans. Even when we are doing our best to follow God and love our families, we find ourselves in the “fiery furnace.” In this workshop, Zan Tyler explores the causes of burnout and talks about ways to avoid them. She also explains what to do if you are already there—ready to throw in the towel and put your children on that appealing yellow school bus. This workshop contains many practical tips on streamlining your life, but it also focuses on developing a powerful, biblical vision of what you are ultimately trying to accomplish in the lives of your children through homeschooling—to sustain you through the hard times and difficult days.\nHow God Uses Our Weaknesses and Limitations as Homeschooling Mothers\nDo you ever have those moments of panic when you wonder if you are giving your children everything they need to succeed in life? Do you worry that you are inadequate for all that homeschooling requires of you? Do you ever wake up in the middle of the night plagued by the long list of important things that still need to be done—and know there will never be enough time in the day to accomplish them? Join Zan Tyler in this workshop and be encouraged by the Bible’s promises of hope, strength, power, and help for those of us who are weak, weary, and imperfect as we bask in God’s boundless resources, amazing strength, and infinite love.\nRunning the Homeschool Marathon: 10 Training Tips\nHomeschooling is more like a 26-mile marathon than a 100-yard dash. If you want to complete the race successfully, you must develop a training strategy that builds your strength, stamina, and vision and enables you to persevere until the end. Zan Tyler, who homeschooled her three children for twenty-one years, provides training tips that will help you complete the God-given task of homeschooling and help you “run with endurance the race that lies before us.”\nOverwhelmed? How the Bible Can Solve Your Homeschooling Challenges\nDo you ever struggle as a homeschooling mother? Come discover the hope and help the Word of God gives when it comes to the daily grind of homeschooling. In this workshop, Zan Tyler opens the Bible to answer these questions:\n• How can I overcome feeling overwhelmed, intimidated, or fearful when I think about homeschooling and the new school year?\n• Can studying the Bible help me with the practical problems that I encounter on a daily basis?\n• How can I seek God when I’m always surrounded by children?\n• I know the Word of God is living, active, and powerful, but can it really help me deal with the overwhelming responsibilities and demands in my life as a homeschooling mom?\n• I’m really struggling with homeschooling, choosing curriculum, and learning styles. Does the Bible get that specific?\nGod’s Word provides hope, encouragement, motivation, and comfort—and real help. Join Zan as we look to it today and find the Good News you have been seeking!\nCultivating a Servant’s Heart in Your Child\nLoving our neighbors as we love ourselves is the hallmark of being a Christian. According to Jesus, serving our neighbor is not optional. Most children do not intuitively know how to serve others—we first must model service for them and teach them how to serve. We must make service to others a priority in our homes, or it will likely never be a priority for our children. In a typical school environment, surrounded by peers, a child’s tendency is to fit in and be popular; this escalates to new dimensions during adolescence. Use the flexibility of homeschooling to build service projects into your school day and to remind your children of Jesus’ command to love your neighbor as you love yourself. In this workshop, Zan discusses many practical ideas to teach your children how to serve and love others.\nThe Best Years of All: Homeschooling in High School\nMost of us dread homeschooling during the high school years because it seems so overwhelming. The challenge of preparing our children for college, career, and life is daunting. But the high school years can be the best years of all—by far the most rewarding and enjoyable. Come to this workshop and find out why!", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "Janet L. Hartwick, 67, of Bedford died Jan. 13, 2014. She is survived by her children, Terry Hartwick, Wendy (Kevin) Bober, Melissa (Louis) Percarpio, Quentin Hartwick and Daniel (April) Hartwick. Funeral services were held at 10:30 a.m. Jan. 18, 2014 at the Holy Name of Mary Catholic Church, Bedford. Arrangements by Bedford Funeral Home.\nThe Guest Book is expired.\nBedford Funeral Home\n1039 Rock Castle Road Bedford, VA 24523-4104\nPublished in Bedford Bulletin from Jan. 22 to Jan. 23, 2014", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "If someone is pro-life (and Christians are called to be pro-life, as our Creator is), they value life in all forms, from conception to its end. That means supporting a pregnant teenager and a family with 6 kids. It also means supporting a family with 1 child and the 83-year-old lady who spent her life serving the Lord single in Indonesia. It means viewing each and every life as a precious miracle. No matter how many kids a couple has, each one is a miracle, whether or not the child was \"easily\" conceived or whether it took years of trying.\nI expressed similar thoughts when I wrote, \"300 Million, What A Blessing.\"", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "What Does it Look Like?\nA commonly recurring conversation these days centers on the question, “What does it look like to really actually live and be church this way?” If you aren’t sure about the setting of this conversation check out my recent post on Questions.\nSo, in my last post I referred to David Fitch who currently serves as one of the pastors at Life on the Vine Christian Community – a church he helped plant in the northwest suburbs of Chicago. He is also a professor at Northwest Seminary where he heads up the M.A. in Missional Church Ministry…I kinda wish I knew about that program 8 years ago when I started grad school…\nWell, it seems that Chris and I are going to have to take measures against David Fitch because he has apparently been eavesdropping on our conversations about being church in our community.\nDisclaimer: tongue planted firmly in cheek – in reality, we would be skipping gleefully if someone (anyone) thought our conversations were worth eavesdropping!\nAny-who, David’s most recent post on Instilling Missional Habits in a Congregation is worth reading. It is short and it is pretty much verbatim how we’re encouraging participants in the Christ Journey to see and function in this community. So, if you want to hear someone smarter than us speak with brevity on the issue check it out.\nThis way of living is so very difficult here in the Bible Belt because many people (even those with no church background to speak of) have firmly established concepts of church as place and church as a worship service. Transitioning to life shared in way of Jesus is counter-cultural – for both the “secular” and the “religious” cultures of our area.", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "What people are saying - Write a review\nWe haven't found any reviews in the usual places.\nRude Aggressive and Obnoxious\nEnglands Boat People\n15 other sections not shown\nabortion clinics airport Amendment American Angeles appeal arrest asked Atlanta authority basic believe biblical call to action campus child Chris Christ Christians civil disobedience classroom creation curriculum decision equal access establishment establishment clause evangelists example faith fight free exercise free speech God's guarantee hand out tracts high school home school homosexual involved issue Jews for Jesus Kindstedt magazines major ment ministry moral nation neutral P.O. Box parents percent Planned Parenthood pornography pray prayer proclaim the gospel prohibit protection public education public schools religion religious freedom rock music Rutherford Institute satanism satanists school board Scripture secular humanism secular humanists secularist separation of church sex education sexual sidewalk South Street Seaport spiritual street evangelism Supreme Court teachers teaching teen tell Terry textbooks things tian tion told U.S. Constitution U.S. Supreme Court values violate Washington", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "The Christmas Story - Grandma's Reading Corner\nDay 24 of our:\nHere we are at our last book of this heart-warming series of 24 Days of Christmas Books. We've made it! I pray that it has been a blessing to you and your family during this Christmas season.\nWe have kept this book until today because this is the book that tells THE story of Christmas - the story of Jesus' birth. There is no greater story around that this one!\n(affiliate links are used)", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "Marie and I have been very busy since we stepped away from the church. We have been staying with my parents in Hot Springs Village, Arkansas while we are looking for a motorhome to live in full-time. In just over 4 weeks we have logged something around 7000 road miles and a Cuba mission trip.\nWe went to Houston and on to California's Coachella Valley to visit our kids and grandkids over the holidays.\nThen on the way back to Arkansas we got called with an invite to go to Cuba. We diverted and went on to New Orleans to fly out with 2 days notice. In between these events we made a trip to Dallas, to Tulsa, to Bentonville, AR, to Branson, MO, to Okmulgee, OK and to Brandon, MS to look at motorhomes. We have seen a couple that we were interested in but we have not settled on anything yet.\nAs I write we are in Flowood, MS at the Vineyard helping Beau and Rachel Burnham navigate the accounting and end-of-year activities in the absence of Annell Bowman, Associate Pastor and church bookkeeper/office manager. Annell has been battling Covid pneumonia for 3 weeks and is still hospitalized. (Keep praying for full healing and recovery for Annell)\nWe are continuing to raise monthly support. We believe God has called us to go encourage and strengthen leaders and churches. We are so grateful for those who have already committed to our mission. If you feel God asking you to sow into this mission you can go to http://metronministries.org/giving.", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "The Old Catholic View of Authority in the Church\nPrepared by the Rev. Dr. M. Parmentier for the Fourth Synod of the Central Diocese, PNCC. Deals with the Old Catholic view of authority in matters of what is authority, what is the Church and Papal Primacy. Paperback, 29 pages.", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "YOUNGSTERS attending the Toybox Nursery at Deeside College have been full of the Easter spirit this week after taking part in a number of fun eggstraspecial activities.\nActivities on the Connah’s Quay campus included an Easter parade where the children showed off Easter bonnets they had made, an Easter egg hunt and cake making session.\nToybox nursery manger Ann Johnson said: “This event has proved to be a huge success. All of the children have thoroughly enjoyed themselves.\n“All of their Easter bonnets were fabulous; it was obvious that lots of work had gone into them.”", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "connecting people to the gospel\nSermons from First Baptist Church of St. Charles\nFirst Baptist Church of St. Charles\nSubscribe via RSS\nTotal Sermons: 44\nTotal Amens: 681\n\"He who has ears to hear, let him hear\". Great crowds came to see Jesus and hear Him speak. They also came to see the miracles. But only those who have faith and believe the Truth of His words are able to hear the Word of God and do it!. For the world His Words are parables that cannot be understood and put into practice.\nWe can hear Jesus' words and not be saved. We can pray earnestly and not be saved. The Pharisees did these things and Jesus rebuked them; even call them \"a brute of vipers\". If God's words do not cause us to change our ways, we have no part of the true church. There is a clear, true and sanctified church in Jesus' name. Members of this true church only follow Jesus Christ as their Lord, Savior and Authority,\nOften we hear today the phrase: \"I am not a sinner\". We (the church nationwide) often believe that God will conform to what we see as acceptable as a society. Make no mistake: we are all wretched, undeserved sinners in the eyes of our Lord. Our only chance of salvation is thru the blood of Jesus Christ.\nWhy do we gather this morning in a sanctuary? Because you are saved? You see it as an obligation? You are curious about God's Word? Or you have no idea why, but something told you to go. One thing is certain; we are gathered to worship God. He called all of us here together, no matter what our background is, to share His vision (Word) with all of us.\nHave you professed faith in Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, but sometimes ask yourself if He is truly the One? Do not be discouraged by this, as even John the Baptist had the same doubt at one point (Luke 7:19). John's (or yours) faith was not failing him; he just needed strengthening and affirmation of his faith. When you doubt, pray for strength and affirmation from our God.", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "Tyndale House & DaySpring team up to deliver timely message of hope & encouragement through Bible collaboration\nNLT DaySpring Hope & Encouragement Bible to Release in October\nCarol Stream, Ill., Aug. 23, 2021—In the midst of national concern over the economy, the ongoing pandemic, and mental health issues, Tyndale House Publishers and DaySpring have teamed up for the October release of the NLT DaySpring Hope & Encouragement Bible, a Bible designed to provide hope and encouragement during any season of life, but particularly during the trying times many are currently experiencing.\nThe NLT DaySpring Hope & Encouragement Bible includes a reading plan that amplifies 12 Indisputable Truths about who each of us is in Christ, including: you are known, you are not alone, you have a purpose, and you have a reason for hope. These truths equip readers to recognize and embrace their treasured place in God’s heart in order to face any challenge and step into even the toughest calling.\n“It’s a privilege to collaborate with DaySpring on the NLT DaySpring Hope & Encouragement Bible,” said Jim Jewell, senior director of marketing and communication for Tyndale House. “Our shared vision to bring the Word of God to people in need of renewed hope and fresh encouragement seems particularly relevant during this time in history.”\n“This year, DaySpring celebrates its 50th anniversary, and we’ve included our most encouraging and hopeful messages from the past five decades in the new NLT DaySpring Hope & Encouragement Bible,” said Joy Groblebe, content marketing director for DaySpring. “We’ve included content that has resonated most with our audience through the years as a companion to their Scripture reading.”\nDistinctives of the NLT DaySpring Hope & Encouragement Bible include:\n- Full text of the trusted New Living Translation\n- 52 full-page devotionals from bestselling DaySpring books\n- 250+ reflective DaySpring inspirations\n- 12 Indisputable Truths reading plans\n- Full-color interior, including 16-page Visual Overview of the Bible\n- Tyndale Verse Finder\n- Wide margins for journaling and note-taking\nNLT DaySpring Hope & Encouragement Bible\n(Tyndale House Publishers, ISBN: 978-1-4964-5292-4).\nHardcover: $37.49. LeatherLike cover: $44.99.\nAbout Tyndale House Publishers\nSince its founding in 1962, Tyndale House Publishers has been a voice to trust for generations of readers. Today, Tyndale is one of the largest independent Christian publishers in the world. Tyndale’s mission is to make the Bible accessible to as many people as possible in language that they can relate and respond to. Tyndale publishes the Holy Bible, New Living Translation (NLT) and offers nonfiction books that equip readers with Christ-centered insight, counsel, and life-improving stories. In addition, Tyndale publishes fiction from fresh new voices and celebrated authors alike, capturing the imagination of millions of readers. With a deep understanding of the importance of nurturing future generations, Tyndale also publishes children’s products that make God’s Word and wisdom come alive. Tyndale’s independent status allows it to follow its founding model, giving a majority of annual revenue—more than $110 million throughout its history—to charitable missions. With every book purchased, Tyndale readers help meet the physical and spiritual needs of people around the world.\nDaySpring, the world’s largest Christian-message product provider, was founded in 1971 with a single Christmas card. Today DaySpring offers more than 6,000 products—from greeting cards to home décor, specialty gifts to devotional books. In 1999, DaySpring was acquired by Hallmark Cards, Inc. DaySpring products are in Christian retail outlets, mass retail stores, card and gift shops and other outlets in the United States and 60 foreign countries. DaySpring is based in Siloam Springs, Ark., and employs a staff of more than 80 people. Visit www.dayspring.com for more information about the company, to find a local retailer, and to send a free e-card.\nDaySpring is a registered trademark of DaySpring Cards, Inc.\nMEDIA NOTE: For more information, or to arrange an interview about the NLT DaySpring Hope & Encouragement Bible, contact Laura McGowan at firstname.lastname@example.org or call (847) 347-5206.\nFOR INFORMATION, CONTACT: Laura McGowan (847) 347-5206, email@example.com", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "by: Pastor Isaias T. Songcuan Jr.\nIs it possible to live a Holy life in today’ s world? Every period of time and civilization in world History has always its temptation. In fact, temptation already begun in the time of Adam and Eve. However, each period there’s always a record of people who chose to be different by living for God.\nOne of these people who chose Godly living was Noah. During those time people practice wickedness and they did what is evil continually in the eyes of the Lord (Genesis 6 :11-12 ). In contrast with their actions, Noah chose to be different. He found grace and favor in the eyes of God. In Lot days, the nephew of Abraham (Genesis 11:27). The immorality had reached its peak with the general acceptance of homosexuality as a way of life (Sodom and Gomorrah, Genesis 19). However, Lot chose to be different. His soul was troubled daily with the deeds of the people.\nThe issue of the society being difficult to analyzed or understand today. It seems this is an excuse for continuing to sin, because these sins are being justified by the sinners They have always some alibis, grounds, and defense of continue living in sin. It is clear that in the History of mankind, there were attempts by man even today to call sin different names. In contents and practices, sin has not change. Sin is sin. Modern man in his complex society, may describe immorality as fun. Cheating as making some runs, Stealing as doing business, acts of fornication, adultery, covetousness, and greed.\nIs it still possible to live for God in today’s world? Every believer should bear and keeps inside the mind that God’s standard, and goal in life are different from the society. Our decisions, actions, and reactions in any situations should be guided by the word of God. Not by the ideas of people no matter how well- placed such person is or political circles. The Lord remains our perfect example. He is the one we must decide to follow and listen to. God’s grace will always be available to us as we are determined to obey Him in all circumstances of life.\nThe list of activities that can contaminate and destroy a believer’s life is plenty and superabundant. However, the believer of Jesus Christ can avoid or stay away from such things by-making up his mind to stay away from all appearance of evil. Take time to meditate these Bible verses: 1 Thessalonians 5:22, and 1 Corinthians 15:33, “Do not be deceived: Bad company ruins good morals (ESV).” Keeping company with evil inclined person breeds evil behavior.\nThese are 6 factors that will help us maintain holiness as the Lord’s representative and ambassadors in this world includes ;\n1). Regular prayer life.\nThe believer must have a regular and personal prayer life . He must develop a habit of praying . The Lord teaches that men ought to pray and not to faint.\n“Pray without ceasing (1 Thessalonians 5:17, ESV).”\n2). Studying the word of God.\nMany believers are lazy when it comes to reading and studying scriptures. Read your Bible, and pray everyday if you want to grow.\n“This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way (Joshua 1:8, ESV).”\n3). Submit yourself to God.\nWe must bear and keep in mind our God is supreme and ultimate power, and so He must be allowed to work out His plans and purposes in our lives as our sovereign God.\n“Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you (James 4:7, ESV).”\n4). Surrender everything to God.\nThe devil often brings temptations and trials to the believer. We should be grateful to God that we entered into His warfare against the enemy from the standpoint of victory. Let us remember that our master is Jesus Christ who conquered satan long ago.\n“He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him (Colossians 2: 15, ESV).”\n5). Maintain a Heavenly Focus.\nIt is important for us believers to always remember that our ultimate in life is to make it to heaven.\n“Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory (Colossians 3:2-4, ESV).”\n6). Let the Lord Jesus remain the Perfect example .\nIn all issues in faith and life, the Lord Jesus remains our perfect example. We should not make human beings our standard and reference point.\n“looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God\n(Hebrews 12:2, ESV).”\nAnother characteristic of a holy life is Contentment. The believer is content each day while He or she trust God for a better tomorrow. The benefits of living a holy life are numerous. Our Lord Jesus Christ gives us peace with God, and living in holiness guarantees peace of mind with our fellowmen. Most specially Holy living attracts God’s blessings (Deuteronomy 28:1-14).\nFinally, We are called to Holy living. A Holy lifestyle which includes loving God and loving one another, personal discipline, controlling our bodies, speaking truthfully, and humility. Every believer must accept holy living as a personal lifestyle for therein lies the secret of experiencing and seeing the Lord. To God Be The Glory!", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "Nestled in the middle of one the Bible’s most well-known passages is God’s definition of good. Megan Fate Marshman sits down with Rebecca Carrell and Liz Rodriguez to discuss what the world gets wrong about “good” and how God’s definition can set us free from life’s heaviest burdens.\nJoin the conversation! Follow us on our social media platforms:\nTwitter: @RebeccaACarrell ; @lizannrod ; @HeartStrongF\nInstagram: @rebeccacarrell ; @lizannrodriguez ; @heartstrongfaith\nLike what you hear? Please rate, review, and subscribe to the Honest Conversations Podcast.\nAs an international speaker at churches, conferences, and university chapels, Megan Fate Marshman is a leading voice to this generation. She has devoted her life to loving God and overflowing His awesome love to others.\nMegan is currently teaching at Willow Creek Community Church and the Director of Women’s Ministries at Hume Lake Christian Camps. She also shepherds women at her home church, Arbor Road. She also enjoys adventuring all over the globe with her family speaking and sharing the love of Jesus.\nShe authored the books “Meant for Good” and “SelfLess,” and co-wrote the book, “7 Family Ministry Essentials,” with Dr. Michelle Anthony. Megan also served as the Director of Student Resources for David C Cook Publishers, where she led a team in creating TruIdentity, a spiritually forming, Christ-centered, and family empowered youth ministry curriculum.\nMegan lives in Lakewood, California, with her husband Randy, and their two boys.\nListen to the full episode of the podcast below!\nAlso, make sure to subscribe, rate, and review the “Honest Conversations | HeartStrong Faith” podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, iHeartRadio, Spotify, and all the other platforms!\nYou can also access the podcast and many other great resources by clicking here!", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "What is Encounter Kids?\nEvery Sunday children ages birth to 5th grade are taught the Bible in a creative and relevant way. We take kids on a Christ-centered, chronological journey through Scripture. From praying over our infants to age-appropriate lessons for toddlers, preschoolers and elementary kids, eKids is kid-inspired with energetic worship music, interactive games , small groups, and super fun environments! Kids discover how the gospel unfolds from Genesis through Revelation. When kids truly experience the gospel, their hearts are transformed. It is Jesus, not good behavior, that changes everything.\nBible Adventure Club, our Wednesday evening gathering for kids in K-5th grade, is a club that strives to get kids into God's Word regularly. We learn and memorize His Word through activities, songs, mid-week booklets and games! We learn and grow by \"solving\" some of the Bible’s most popular and unpopular stories and applying that to our lives in a practical way.\nFor the younger ones, babies to preschoolers, we provide childcare on Wednesday evenings while parents attend eGroups.\nFirst Time Guests\nWe suggest arriving 20 minutes prior to the service starting time to check your child in. Our check-in desk is inside the front doors to your right. One of our leaders will walk you through the check-in process and lead you to your child’s age appropriate room.", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "It felt pretty surreal last week when Austin came into the living room to tell me that he added my book to his Amazon wishlist. He said it half-joking, knowing that we’d get our own copies from the publishing house when it is released. But he was also serious: Fix Your Eyes was actually available for preorder on Amazon. What?!?\nI’m not in the habit of googling my own name (barf, that sounds like the literal worst way to spend time), but I just had to type my name into the Amazon search bar – just to see it for myself. Sure enough, there was the finalized cover art and preorder like. Eeee! My stomach did three backflips and tripped over itself a little bit!\nThis book has been a labor of love from the start. Maybe you know the back story, and maybe you don’t, but it all began with a series of IG messages from you all – those of you wanting to find good theological resources that didn’t take you five years to read. Those of you wanting to avoid the harshness and abrasiveness that often comes in theological circles (and SHOULDN’T!). Those of you wanting to know how what you were learning about God in the Word actually intersected with your day-to-day life – how does it affect parenting and school and work and friendships and home and money and church?\nAll of these questions left me staring at a huge blank space in our Christian circles. I could see on my left a world of theology – and I loved it! And I could see on my right a world of worship and discipleship – also, LOVE! But right between the two was this massive gap, and I couldn’t take my eyes off it.\nAfter wrestling and reading and praying and researching I found the bridge that should connect the two, and are you as surprised as I was to find that the bridge is actually GOD HIMSELF? The thing that connects our knowledge of God with our worship of Him is actually, well, him. It’s GOD who pulls theology out of the abstract, making it a real study of a real God. And it’s GOD who grounds our worship in a God who has made himself known to us in his Word. What was missing between the two worlds was fixing our eyes on GOD, who brings both into focus.\nThat’s what this book is all about, and I can’t wait to share it with you!", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "For we walk by faith, not by sight [living our lives in a manner consistent with our confident belief in God’s promises]— (2 Corinthians 5:7,\nGod works with our Faith. This contain post about Faith. How to live our daily lives without fear.\nMake Room For Your Blessings\nGod makes everything happen at the right time. Yet none of us can ever fully understand all he has done, and he puts questions in\nThought for the Day: Faith Makes Things Possible (02.02.22)\nAnd the Lord said, “If you have [confident, abiding] faith in God [even as small] as a mustard seed, you could say to this mulberry\nIs There A Need In Your Life?\nOur God is a need-meeter. In a new day, we see the sun works, the earth revolves, enough oxygen for every Creature, water reaches us,\nYour Victory Over Storms\nWhy are you afraid? Do you still have no faith? (Mark 4:40, NLT) The Story (Mark 4:35-41) Jesus told his disciples that “Let’s cross to\n1 2 3 … 14 Next Posts»", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "Bishop Hope Morgan Ward and Bishop-elect Leonard Fairley address the NC Conference after the Wednesday evening session of SEJ 2016.\nThere is no place in Methodism that has seen more episcopal elections than Stuart Auditorium on the campus of Lake Junaluska. By the close of the afternoon session July 13, five new bishops had been elected in the historic building that has been the site of the Southeastern Jurisdictional Conference since 1956. Among the five… Continue Reading→\nLAKE JUNALUSKA, NC – Leonard Fairley, a native of Laurinburg and a district superintendent in the North Carolina Conference, has been elected a bishop of The United Methodist Church. The election was announced Wednesday afternoon, July 13, during the meeting of the denomination’s Southeastern Jurisdiction at Lake Junaluska. Delegates from nine Southern states began meeting… Continue Reading→\nThe NCC delegation announced Friday that the nominee for the office of bishop is the Rev. Leonard E. Fairley. Annual Conference members stood to endorse Fairley as nominee for the office of Bishop in the Southeastern Jurisdiction of The United Methodist Church. Election of bishops takes place during the SE Jurisdictional Conference this summer at Lake Junaluska. In… Continue Reading→\nThe opening worship All Saints Celebration celebrated the generous examples of giving and service offered by the clergy and the spouses of clergy who have transitioned to be with the great cloud of witnesses. We are reminded of their selfless dedication and service. In his sermon, the Reverend Leonard Fairley, District Superintendent of the Capital… Continue Reading→\nWith a clergy processional, the 2016 North Carolina Annual Conference of The United Methodist Church began with the All Saints Celebration and Memorial Service. Candles covered the altar and set an atmosphere of holiness and reverence. “As you are seated, look to your left and to your right and there you see the saints of… Continue Reading→\nDuring General Conference 2016, we are going to feature delegate stories from our NC Conference delegates, so you can learn more about them and the committees they will be serving. Here are the questions we asked: Tell us about how you came to know Jesus. Tell us about your committee. What do you feel is… Continue Reading→\nThe Rev. Leonard Fairley, superintendent of the North Carolina Conference Capital District, has been selected by the conference delegation to the General and Southeastern Jurisdictional Conferences as their nominee to be elected a bishop in The United Methodist Church. “Selected by the delegation, following the process approved by the Annual Conference, the delegation is delighted… Continue Reading→", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "Nigeria’s progress tied to leadership, says fellowship\nSpeaking during the opening s of the 2018 Lagos National Convention in Lagos with the theme, “An Open Door”, he noted that quality and great leaders were known to have godly principles\nOdedo therefore advised that as the 2019 general elections draw nearer, Nigerians should vote for candidates who have integrity, capacity and competence to work for the people.\nHe submitted that the country was in dire need of a set of leaders who had the genuine interest to deliver it from its multifarious challenges and put it on the part of glory, victory and economic enhancement.\nOn the theme of the event, he said: “The destiny of Nigeria is in God’s hands, and God who knows our hearts and the hearts of citizens of this nation. He hears the cry of the poor, the destitute, the needy, the afflicted, the widows, the orphans, and so many that have been displaced in this country, who are lamenting day and night before him.”\nThe occasion is the 87th convention of the global movement of laymen and the largest in the world. The national president said it comprised 3,500 chapters in Nigeria alone and about 6000 chapters internationally.\nHe said the gathering is an assembly of professionals, businessmen, prime ministers, presidents, governors, parliamentarians, high court judges and captains of industries among others.\nHe added: “We have come to Lagos from far and near, bringing men and women of this fellowship into the centre spot for us to be able to light a great fire, fire of integrity and transparency.”", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "- This event has passed.\nSeptember 12, 2022 @ 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm\nWe are excited to welcome back Barry Young for our annual Fall Conference. We are believing God for an outpouring of His favor, grace, and power in our lives and our church. We hope you will join us on Sunday, September 11, during one of our four Sunday services and Sunday, September 11- Wednesday, September 14 at 7:00PM in the Sanctuary and online. For more information, please contact the church office at 781.592.4722 or office@calvarychristian.", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "Once again, I (Maureen) see a Great Flame that I have come to know as the Heart of God the Father. He says: “Children, at your judgment, the soul's values are convicted in the Truth. What seemed so important in the world, he holds in the Light of Holy Truth in his heart. Everything that he accomplished in Holy Love* to please Me, now gives him confidence before My Son.** The sins he never repented for now seem as lodestones around his neck. The soul desires only to love Me and to be near Me.”\n“The soul's judgment is the accounting of his efforts to earn Heaven. It is in that brief moment all Truth of good versus evil is made known to him. There is no negotiating – no sugarcoating of the Truth. His salvation and/or damnation is determined by the state of his soul in his last breath. Each soul's guardian angel is with him as he stands in judgment. All opportunities to win My Son's favor are over. The soul sees clearly the state of his soul.”\n“Life is all about being prepared spiritually for that moment. It is about being worthy of Heaven. These things are true whether you believe or not.”\nRead Titus 2:11-14+\nFor the grace of God has appeared for the salvation of all men, training us to renounce irreligion and worldly passions, and to live sober, upright, and godly lives in this world, awaiting our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all iniquity and to purify for himself a people of his own who are zealous for good deeds.\n+ Scripture verses asked to be read by God the Father. (Please note: all Scripture given by Heaven refers to the Bible used by the visionary. Ignatius Press – Holy Bible – Revised Standard Version – Second Catholic Edition.)\n* For a PDF of the handout: ‘WHAT IS HOLY LOVE', please see: https://www.holylove.org/What_is_Holy_Love\n** Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "Bonclarken Conference Center\n500 Pine Drive,\nFlat Rock, NC 28731\n(T) 828.692.2223 (FAX) 828.697.1735\nFinally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.\nQuestions: Missy Honeycutt, email@example.com\nMail: The Singles Network Ministries, 638 Spartanburg Hwy Ste 70-113, Hendersonville, NC 28792\nTo help offset costs for the retreat and/or provide money for our scholarship fund with a tax break, make your check out to Kris Swiatocho Ministries, 638 Spartanburg Hwy, Suite 70-113, Hendersonville, NC 28792 or click below to donate online. If you need a letter to give out that shares what we are about, let us know.", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "Serving Christ by serving His church\n\"He has put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see and hear and put their trust in the Lord. Psalm 40:3\nVoice of Praise is a choral community in Christ, singing His praise, telling His story, encouraging His followers.\nWho is Voice of Praise?\nWe are a sacred community choir made up of people from local churches seeking an opportunity to join their many voices into one voice to sing for the glory of God and to serve his local church\nWhat is its purpose\nVoice of Praise will sing in area churches providing service music and leadership for worship services. It will also sing in larger community events.\nWhen will it sing?\nVoice of Praise will be scheduled to sing at participating churches about every six weeks.\nWhen does it rehearse ?\nVoice of Praise rehearsals are on Tuesday nights at 7:00 at Briggs Road Evangelical Free Church 4654 Briggs Road, Elkhorn, Wisconsin\nContact Tom Hilker at email@example.com or by phone 262-325-0762\nCalendar 2020 -2021 season will be starting on September 15th Our plans are to begin rehearsing with attention to social distsance in our seating. There will be guidlines for attendance at rehearsals so we can carefully begin again.\nRemember to think about these things that bring vitality to your singing:\nDiction, Rhythm, Melody and Line, Dynamics, Pitch", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "Chrysler's Lee Iacocca remembered for being a courteous family man\nFamily and friends gathered Wednesday morning to pay tribute to famed auto executive Lee Iacocca.\nIacocca died last week at his home in Bel Air, California. He was 94.\nThe funeral mass, which took place at St. Hugo of the Hills Church in Bloomfield Hills, was celebrated by Monsignor Anthony Tocco.\nAmong the readings during the funeral service was \"The souls of the just are in the hands of God” from the Book of Wisdom and \"If I have all the eloquence of men or of angels but speak without love I am simply a gong booming or a cymbal clashing” from the First Letter of Paul to the Corinthians.\nThe eulogy was delivered by Monsignor Howard Lincoln of Sacred Heart Church in Palm Desert, California, where Iacocca was a member of the parish.\n“For decades, Lee’s feet and hands moved mountains,” Lincoln told those at the service. “Lee always seemed to me to never really be down,” he continued. “Somehow, even at the darkest hours, I think he knew somehow even Chrysler would work out.”\nLincoln continued, “Lee knew that this life was his once in a lifetime opportunity and he wanted his life to matter. ... He was an elevating influence for our parish. I think he saw the importance of being kind and courteous to everybody. ... 'Yes', he said, 'I've had a wonderful and successful career but next to my family, it doesn’t matter at all.’ ”\nAfter remarks by family members recalling Iacocca's love of Christmas and family gatherings, the service concluded with the hymn \"How Great Thou Art\" with its refrain \"Then sings my soul, my Saviour God, to Thee, how great Thou art! How great Thou art!\"\nA great career\nDuring the height of his career in the 1980s, Iacocca was arguably the most popular business figure in the world. Pictures of him, often with his trademark cigar, were on magazine covers and TV screens.\nDuring his career, he was credited both with creating the iconic Ford Mustang and, later, for persuading Congress to bail out a bankruptcy Chrysler in the late 1970s.\nFiat Chrysler Automobiles, the successor to Iacocca's Chrysler, aptly called Iacocca \"one of the great leaders of our company and the auto industry as a whole. ... He also played a profound and tireless role on the national stage as a business statesman and philanthropist. Lee gave us a mindset that still drives us today — one that is characterized by hard work, dedication and grit.\"\nIacocca was to be buried at White Chapel Cemetery in Troy.", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "The Holy Family\nDecember 27, 2020\nOur Christmas liturgies carry our minds and hearts through time and space. The Readings we hear transport Christians around the world out of our parish churches to a dark field on the outskirts of an impoverished little village, where, in spite of the late hour, we are almost blinded by the light of a brilliant star that we’ve never seen before. Oblivious to the sounds and smells of the herd of sheep pressing against our legs, we become spellbound by angelic voices, singing so beautifully that we are overwhelmed with joy.\nFollowing the directions of these visitors from heaven, we find ourselves moving, drawn with a sense of urgency toward something in the distance. We arrive at a stable filled with livestock, standing calmly around a manger that appears to be glowing. We look down and see a baby wrapped in swaddling clothes and nestled in fresh straw. The child’s parents stand guard on either side of Him. The look on their faces is a mixture of fatigue and pure love.\nWe feel a touch on our shoulders, pushing us gently to our knees. Somehow, we know that we are on Holy ground, privileged to be invited to witness something miraculous…something sacred. And we do the only thing that seems right. We pray.\nWe pray with an intensity that we aren’t accustomed to. We pray without asking for anything. Our prayers spring up from deep inside of us. And, no matter what else is happening in our lives, we feel at peace. We are filled with joy, so much so that we wish we could stay in the moment. If only we could always feel this way. We ask ourselves: “Why can’t every day be like this? Why can’t everyday be Christmas?”\nThen we hear those words that break the spell: “Our Mass has ended…Go in PEACE!” And that gentle touch returns, only this time to lift us up, turning us towards the doors of our parish church. We carry all of those wonderful feelings we have just experienced to our cars, and we head home.\nFor some, this special Christmas Peace lingers for hours…days…maybe even for weeks. For others, it disappears the moment we turn the key in the lock and open the door to our home and family.\nAnd so, fast on the heels of our celebration of the Birth of Jesus Christ, the Church gives us The Feast of The Holy Family. Just like Christmas…The Liturgy of The Word that unfolds during the Mass celebrating The Holy Family also serves to transport us out of our parish churches. But, today, our journey through space and time is very brief…just a matter of a few miles and a few minutes.\nAs we hear God’s Word proclaimed…our minds travel from our church to our homes and our families. During this liturgy, we are given a shocking dose of reality. We can’t help but compare our relationship with spouses, parents, children, and siblings with what we hear proclaimed from The Table of The Word. We size up our family life and compare what we see to how we imagine that Jesus, Mary, and Joseph…The Holy Family…lived, once they returned to normal, day-to-day life. They set the bar so high that we inevitably feel that we have fallen short. It occurs to us that for them…Jesus, Mary, and Joseph…\nEVERY DAY WAS LIKE CHRISTMAS!\nIn fact, we know precious little about the day-to-day life of The Holy Family. Their home life is shrouded in sacred mystery. The few details that the Gospels do offer fuel our imaginations. But, when we do imagine life within this earthly home that GOD prepared specially for His only Son, we tend to do what we do at Christmas; we romanticize and dramatize. We risk forgetting what Simeon, inspired by The Holy Spirit, said to The Blessed Mother:\nThis child will be a sign that will be contradicted-and you, yourself, a sword will pierce!\nWe don’t know many details about how this family lived, but we can be certain of this much: For them…just like for us…not every day was Christmas. They faced and struggled with the very same challenges that many families deal with today.\nThey were forced to flee threats of violence. They were a refugee family. That meant that they dealt with things like food scarcity and the tragedy of being homeless. They even had to pay taxes.\nLife for them was not always “Christmas!”\nWe can only imagine how they coped. Today’s Gospel, however, reveals this important detail to help us to “keep it real.” The Holy Family was always faithful to God’s Law and was always inspired and guided by God’s messages delivered by the Prophets. With this as their foundation, they met every adversity with hope in God’s infinite mercy and unconditional love.\nThey that hope in the Lord will renew their strength, they will soar on eagles’ wings; they will run and not grow weary, walk and not grow faint. (Isaiah 40:31)\nOur hearts might well wish it, but our heads know that every day cannot be like Christmas. Our family lives, often the source of our greatest joy, for any number of reasons, can very quickly become the cause of our greatest pain. But, inspired by the Holy Family, we can be certain of this: If we place our hope in the Lord, our strength will be renewed…and we can run and not grow weary…until the day when we do soar like eagles.\nWith all the ups and downs of family life, it’s important for us to remember that our family homes are holy ground…because God has specially prepared them for us.", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "Matching aprons? Check\nObligatory glass of wine? Check\nOven on? Check\nChristmas music blasting? Check\nVarious tasty things to bake? Check\nAwkwardly self taken iPhone photo? Check\nPresents wrapped? Check\nPerfect Christmas Eve Day!!!\nI’ve been spending the day finishing getting stuff ready for Christmas. LOVE IT! Tonight it’s Christmas with G’s mom and brother and tomorrow it’s a Shaw/Welch/Orrom/Walsh/Renken/Nichols family Christmas! It truly is the most wonderful time of year. Merry christmas everyone!!!", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "Attention, would-be journalists and media professionals: We are looking for writers and photographers (and videographers!) with good reporting skills to cover a number of events that occur day in and day out throughout the vibrant communities that make up the Roman Catholic Diocese of Phoenix. Special events, sacred liturgies, personality profiles, what have you. We’ll even pay you. If this sounds interesting to you and if you love the Church, apply below.", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "Implementing Natural Church Development (iNCD), led by John and Lynn Chetcuti, is the NCD National Partner for the United Kingdom and Ireland and is about seeing released, the potential that God has invested in our lives. NCD’s church survey is based on research covering more than 70,000 churches, from all denominations, large and small, established and new plants, across all six continents. It identifies universal principles affecting church growth, regardless of culture or spiritual style.\nNCD takes the next step in the church development process. Imagine you have taken your church survey and identified which key factors are most limiting your health and growth. Ask yourself, “where do I go from here?”\nArmed with the knowledge brought by the survey, you will be able to move your church forward towards healthy growth. If you feel you would value some extra support, NCD provides training and coaching, customised for your needs. We are here to equip you with the tools you need to invest in your church’s health, community well being and growth potential.\nNCD’s consultants and coaches are focused on helping you develop the quality of your church; precisely what God intends for His leaders. As a result of increased quality, God always builds His church and so we consequently see numerical growth, that appears to happen – “all by itself.” This emphasis on church health has proved to be the key to ongoing growth and multiplication.", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "What do kids really need for Christmas? A man came home late from work to find his seven-year-old son waiting for him at the door. The first thing out of the child’s mouth was, “Daddy, how much money do you make an hour?” “Son, I make $50 an hour” said the dad. “Well, can I borrow $25?” the boy asked. “Yes, but for what?” replied the dad. Without saying a word, the little boy went to his room, removed some crumpled money from under his bed and added it to the money his dad gave him. He came back and said, “Daddy, now I have fifty dollars so can I buy an hour of your time?” It seems this is a generation of single parents and grandparents raising the children. It seems there are expensive gifts from technology to tricycles, but the greatest gift you can give is not a thing, but you. Your children need you more than anything you can give.\nBeing a godly dad and mother is a huge responsibility, but it is also one of life’s greatest joys.\n“If a child lives with…\nCriticism: He learns to condemn.\nHostility: He learns to fight.\nRidicule: He learns to be shy.\nShame: He learns to feel guilty.\nEncouragement: He learns confidence.\nPraises: He learns to appreciate:\nFairness: He learns justice.\nSecurity: He learns faith.\nApproval: He learns to like himself.\nAcceptance: He learns to live in this world.\nLove: He learns to love himself and others because you give unconditional love.\nGodliness: He learns to love God” — Unknown.\nGood parents are one of the most unsung, unpraised, unnoticed, and yet one of the most unparalleled valuable assets in our society. Dad and Mom the greatest special gift you can give your children are good parents and a happy Christian home. A home is a place where strife is shut out, and love is shut in. Your presence is needed more than your presents. You are the greatest gift you can give. Children need you more than things. Children will always need a “home” that is “there” for them. We are family and I love us! It seems this generation is passing to the next generation valuables but not values. Make this a good Christmas and build good family memories together. You will find in later years that your legacy will be the treasured times instead of temporal things. Loving moments make lasting memories. The best things in life are not things. Don’t love things, love people. Many would simply love to be loved this Christmas. Naturally, the best Christmas gift is Christ (John 3:16). Without Christ, there would be no Christmas. As Tiny Tim (Carol) said, “A Merry Christmas to us all; God bless us, every one!”\nThought: Why did the wise men smell of smoke? “They came from afar (fire).”", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "Knolan Antjuan Eugene Babb\nJuly 17, 2020 – July 17, 2020\nKnolan Antjuan Eugene Babb went to his Heavenly home, surrounded by his loving family on Friday, July 17, 2020.\nKnolan was born to his parents Ki'Chelle Henderson and Steven Ja'Ron Babb and his brother Ja'Ron Wayne Babb. Despite his short time on earth, he was deeply loved and brought immense joy to those around him.\nSaturday, July 25, 2020", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "On Sabbath August 8, 2015 SDBs from across East Africa met in Rwanda for worship. Brethren and pastors from five SDB Conferences: Kenya, Uganda, Burundi, East DRC and Rwanda came together to share experiences and offer encouragement to each other. It was reported that at this special Sabbath gathering activities included preaching and choir ministry, with over 250 SDBs and 60 visitors attending. Many unsaved accepted Christ and members left encouraged and revived.\n“Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.”\n– 1 Thessalonians 5:11\n- For downloadable form to share click HERE\n~ Garfield Miller, Missions Coordinator", "label": "Yes"}
{"text": "My name is Charlie, and I'm a compulsive overeater.\nI watched addiction kill last week.\nIt left a young woman husbandless.\nIt left two middle-school boys fatherless.\nHe had a disease. He could have gotten treatment. He should have gotten treatment. Last week, in his final week in the hospital, he was willing. He was planning to go to rehab. Unfortunately it was too late. He never got better. His organs shut down, one by one. He went into a coma. And then he died.\nAlcoholism turned a once-vibrant man, high school football star, life of the party, successful businessman into a yellow, empty shell.\nAnd no, I don't expect a memorial service to be a 12-Step meeting. But that doesn't mean I have to enjoy the collective denial we labored through.\nHe was such a great guy.\nHe was such a good father.\nHe was such a loving husband.\nHe really embraced life.\nHe wouldn't want us to be sad.\nLet's watch this slideshow of happy family memories...\nHe was so very sick.\nMany of us helped him to stay sick.\nWe thought someone else would finally get through to him.\nHis sickness kept him from seeing reality, from understanding the real cost of his refusal to get help.\nHis children will suffer with this for decades.\nAddiction killed a 42-year-old man last week. God rest his soul. God heal his family and bring peace, light, hope and recovery.\nAnd may I live in gratitude for the new life I'm finding and in service to those who still suffer. Amen.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "Great West Healthcare\nBlue Cross Blue Shield (BCBS)\nCoventry Health Care\nFirst Health (Coventry Health Care)\nAmerican Board of Pathology\nDoes Dr. Paul communicate via email or text?\nDoes Dr. Paul have a friendly staff?\nDoes Dr. Paul have evening appointments?\nDoes Dr. Paul have free onsite parking available?\nDoes Dr. Paul have weekend appointments?\nIs Dr. Wendy Paul accepting new patients?\nDoes Dr. Wendy Paul offer online booking?\nDoes Dr. Wendy Paul offer telehealth appointments?\nWhich language(s) does Dr. Wendy Paul speak?\nWhich board certifications does Dr. Wendy Paul have?\n2041 Georgia Ave Nw, Washington, DC 20060\n810 Vermont Ave Nw, Washington, DC 20420\n110 Irving St NW, Washington, DC 20010", "label": "No"}
{"text": "A collection of seven wonderful Christmas novellas, O Christmas Town is a trip into days of old where romance is peeking through. Each story is sweet and provides that feel good expectation of love at Christmas. I enjoyed each of the novellas and found them to be a delightful way to engage in the Holiday season. The stories were so different, romance, some suspense, all of them worthy of the time to read them.\nI received O Christmas Town from the authors and have provided my honest opinion here.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "As usual, your words open the window I have looked through at critical times in my life. The fact the I cling to my excuse of no time brings me shame in view of your soul-full narrative. I don’t know if I’m yet ready to bare my soul, to open closets of dry bones waiting to return flesh. But there’s much in words to enlighten those who care to read, and my trials might encourage others to take the other route. Thank you for showing me that glimpse of what even I am gifted to share.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "If you’re looking for the best things to do in Palm Springs, California, this 3-day guide will have you exploring all that this charming city has to offer. We spent a fun three days here and in this post, we’ll be giving you all the best things to do in Palm Springs. Palm springs things to do | things to do in palm springs | palm springs | travel aesthetic | palm springs photography | mid century modern | #travel #palmsprings #adventuretravel #travelblog #midcenturymodern\nSee what makes Palm Springs, California a bucket list destination for those who love the outdoors, mid-century design, endless sunshine, or a day spent by a resort pool. Are you looking to explore the amazing vacation spot of Palm Springs but have only 4 days in Palm Springs and are wondering where to go first?", "label": "No"}
{"text": "The NCAA Tournament has given us so many great memories. UCLA's greatness. Christian Laettner's magic. Magic vs. Bird. Glen Rice. All of them have a special part of this tournament in holding records that will never be broken. Take a stroll with us through the most interesting of those.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "In 1487, John Halyday sued Margaret Partrich to enforce a marriage contract they allegedly made in June 1486; all that survives is the defendant’s examination. Partrich acknowledged in her testimony that Halyday approached her with the intention of contracting marriage, but she says she declined his proposal.\n1487-02-07, LMA, MS DL/C/A/001/MS09065, fol. 13v\nTestimony of Margaret Partrich, Defendant, 1487-02-07\n7 February, in the home of the lord official and at two o’clock p.m.\nMargaret Partrich, sworn and re-examined concerning the positions etc. in order to inform the judge’s conscience. To the first and second positions, she says that on a certain day around the last feast of the nativity of St. John the Baptist [24 June], that is on that day on which John Lynyar and Hope and John Halyday spoke with her standing next to the […] of this witness’s dwelling-house in the parish of Hest[…], John Halyday talked with this witness about contracting marriage between them, and among the things said between them, he said to her thus, “I will have you to my wife,” and this witness responded to John that she did not want to have him as her husband. She swears these things are true by virtue of her oath, as she says.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "|Sacred Intentions – FREE eBook\nThe fourteen Sacred Intentions found in this book describe our primary life lessons and affirm the deep voice of our soul. Find your personal Sacred Intention that articulates your major life lesson and move from pain to deep healing and peace. This book softly and effectively guides us to be courageous, to trust intuition, to forgive ourselves, to reduce fear, to surrender to Divine Will, to lay down effective boundaries, to become our wise self, to learn from pain, and of course to live with effortless joy. As you silently read Sacred Intentions, your mind, body, emotions and spirit energetically commune and heal. The fourteen Sacred Intentions in this work communicate the deepest lessons and desires of the soul, lessons and desires that direct us to a life of self-acceptance, pleasure, contribution and service. Heal your life with Sacred Intentions.\nThe Masculine Heart: What makes men tick – FREE eBook\nA tour de force journey into the masculine heart. The undetected and behind the scene tragedies suffered by little boys and young men not only at home, but also in consumer culture, come to light. A holistic account of how men become wounded within the nest and outside of it. Distorted definitions of male success by corporate and media “profits before people” consciousness, sets the stage for this unraveling poetic tale of burned out, exploited and psychologically unsuccessful fathers and sons. In an uncommon and distinctive voice, Kandarjian invites the forces that perpetuate the development of the “false” male self to reflect upon the massive damage and consider brotherly options. Ultimately, a contemporary male narrative about self-possession: possession of emotions, intuitive instincts, reason, and drive. Finally, a book that redefines male power for the 21st century and competently anchors it into the charitable heart.\n|Life and Afterlife, Q & A – Book and eBook\nHave you ever wondered what happens to our unfinished life lessons and unresolved patterns and emotions after we die? Are you clear about what your major life lessons are in this lifetime and which negative patterns and emotions you are here to heal? By answering thirty-three questions about everyday life issues, relationships, and the healing processes that take place in the afterlife, Dr. Robert Kandarjian reviews in a practical and coherent fashion our journey toward personal healing and God. This treasure of a book takes the reader into a journey of mental, emotional and spiritual introspection and transformation. The questions are vulnerable and at times amusing, but they are always real. The answers are spiritually comprehensive and touch the different layers of personal stories. The approach and intention is always to heal and to connect the reader to their wise self and the result is a book you can’t stop reading.\n|All three books are available on Amazon Kindle eBook. “The Masculine Heart” is also available on Barnes & Noble NOOKbooks. To obtain a Sacred Intention CD, please contact us.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "This gallery contains 10 photos.\nLight. What would we be withoutht light? Would we be scared, confused, trapped in our own minds? What would enlighten us, make us see the world and recognize it’s beautifulness? Or is the light covering us from reality, making it … Continue reading", "label": "No"}
{"text": "And Home is where your heart is...Reminds me of another of my favorite Christmas songs:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H_04WT87e8s&feature=relatedHo Ho Ho, my friend,Kit\nWishing you and your family a very Merry Christmas, Deb!\nMerry Christmas Deb. I hope you and yours had a good one.\nHappy New Year to you and yours! Lovely photos! Jean\nHope Christmas was everything you hoped for Deb :-)\nPost a Comment", "label": "No"}
{"text": "Stayed just one night on business trip but could not be more impressed with hotel. Suri greeted us at check in and was friendly and helpful. You have to know we discussed her name being the same as the IPhone feature. She took all in stride and made us feel very welcome. Even suggested a local restaurant for dinner that... More\n- Also Known As:\n- Country Inn And Suites St. Paul Northeast Hotel\n- Country Inn And Suites St. Paul Northeast Hotel Saint Paul\n- Country Inn Saint Paul\n- Saint Paul Country Inn\n- Reservation Options:\n- TripAdvisor is proud to partner with Orbitz, Expedia, Travelocity, Priceline, Hotwire, Venere and Hotels.com so you can book your Country Inn and Suites St. Paul Northeast reservations with confidence. We help millions of travelers each month to find the perfect hotel for both vacation and business trips, always with the best discounts and special offers.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "A friend of mine shared a thought about the lesson some of us learned in our study of chess. A wise instructor will sometimes use the strategy of making us play without the queen. How frustrating it is to play without such a powerful piece on the board.\nHowever, without relying on the queen and her significant power, we gain appreciation for the capacity, capabilities, and strategic value of our other pieces. Once the queen is re-introduced, we realize that our game has risen to a new level.\nMay we as leaders make the most of the season as we learn to maximize other resources and strategies. If we can learn to thrive without in person gatherings, then when we finally reintroduce such, imagine our capacity!", "label": "No"}
{"text": "it's just math . . .\nMy mom bought me this little game called “Math Dice” for Christmas this year. Have you heard of it? I hadn’t, and truth be told, I’m not sure my mom realized it was a game she was buying it for me. 206 more words\n1 month, 2 weeks", "label": "No"}
{"text": "Here's a sample of our volunteer opportunities:VIEW AS\nSerenity House provides specialized care for the terminally ill, their families and loved ones. Comfortable and tranquil,it is an ideal alternative to hospitals, nursing homes and in-house care that focuses on controlling pain, and helping residents and their families come to terms with the emotional and spiritual issues of this part of life.\nAt Serenity house, residents gracefully live out their remaining days with peace and dignity, while families and friends learn to cope with thier loss.\nVolunteers will learn how to work with the dying resident and their familes. Our Volunteers provide hands on care including showers, meal preperation and simply holding a hand or listening. No medical background is necessary, compassion is the only skill required to make a difference in the life of those around you, including yours.\nComfort care home for the dying\nDo you work for this organization?\nRequest administrator status and update its information!", "label": "No"}
{"text": "While some people are gearing up for Halloween next week, in Mexico preparations are beginning for Dia de Muertos — a celebration of the lives of those who have passed away. From October 31st to November 2nd, families remember & honour their deceased loved ones in a joyful and colourful celebration of life. In recent years there has been a parade in Mexico City alongside the public celebration in the Zocalo, the main square in the heart of the historic city centre (pictured), which is one of Mexico's 35 UNESCO World Heritage Sites. See more amazing @unescoworldheritage sites in Mexico by heading to our story. Pre-order your copy of the NEW 8th edition of \"World Heritage Sites\" today. . . . .", "label": "No"}
{"text": "Our amazing team of regulars and part-time volunteers are committed to helping others. We take our convictions and turn them into action. Think you would be a good fit? Get in touch for more information!\nSeeing a need for disaster relief work in this area, we formed our organization to provide recovery and relief to those most in need following a disaster. We've consistently grown since then, all thanks to the helping hands of this amazing community!\nWe focus on making the maximum positive effort for our community. Our members and volunteers provide the momentum that helps us affect change. We provide assistance to those most in need and build relationships that last.\nYour support and contributions will enable us to meet our goals and improve conditions. Your generous donation will fund our mission.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "Be Proud! Be Responsible! Training of Facilitators\nThis training will introduce participants to the research-proven curriculum Be Proud! Be Responsible! Strategies to Empower Youth to Reduce Their Risk for HIV/AIDS. Participants will learn how to become effective facilitators of the curriculum and learn tips for responding to sensitive questions.\nSC Campaign Office\n1331 Elmwood Avenue, Suite 140\nColumbia, SC 29201\nRegistration: $120 (discount provided for DSS, PREP, and Duke grantees)", "label": "No"}
{"text": "This morning I woke up to silent darkness, as I do every day. But this day was different. I slipped quietly out of the bedroom, so as not to wake my roommate. I found my way in the dark to the slider opening to the small balcony outside our beachfront apartment on the 15th floor. The cool air and wind blew in, and I closed the door quickly. No sitting outside early today!\nMy writers’ group and I, four of us, are off on retreat in North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. Far from the cares and worries of the pandemic at home, we have come to write, to shop, to have fun and just to be together. Right now, I am smiling, because the others have gone to walk on the beach and I am alone, perfect for writing! I have already had my beach walk this morning.\nTime for reflection reminds me to look at all the joys in my life, things I take for granted every day, but which I cherish when I think about them. Appreciation. I am compelled to tell people of the joy they bring me by being part of my life. I do believe grief has made me vulnerable, so these feelings are new for me. I have always enjoyed my friends, but I never appreciated them in quite this way. A joy to hold onto.\nYesterday I told the other women in the writers’ group that I feel they have rescued me from the inmost depths of my loneliness since my husband died eight months ago, right before the pandemic hit. Just to be around people who know me and care about me takes me a long way to wholeness.\nIn addition, my book club has been meeting once a month outdoors for several months; we have been friends for years and it lifts my spirits just to be with them. There are nine of us regulars, and I smile and bask in the warm feelings.\nMy daughter, Stacy, has always been a blessing in my life, holding a place in my heart for her alone. I also value my relationships with my four siblings, though we are scattered and rarely see each other. I cherish all my family, those who were mine and those who were Jerry’s. We have a history of caring for each other, and they have been loving to me throughout. All of them are mine now.\nI am a second-time widow now, but I have loved two wonderful men who loved me back, and I knew it. How can I not be thankful for that? I will always cherish those memories.\nIn addition to the people in my life who make me happy is the joy I derive from writing my blog. It brings purpose and direction to my life and contributes immensely to my wellbeing and sense of identity, feeling wholly myself.\nI am in good health, something else to celebrate. I come from long-lived families on both sides, making me likely to live a long time. Not sure if that is such a good thing!\nI could mention the small pleasures I have found in my daily routine of living alone with my big black cat, Frankie. It grounds me and gives me hope that my solitary life will truly become joyful for me.\nI am hoping more joy will seep into me while I am here. If I look at the whole of my life, I can find more things to appreciate. I believe there are adventures ahead of me, and that thought is tantalizing. I need to be open to welcome my future story. I know it will be filled with joy.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "This was published under the 2010 to 2015 Conservative and Liberal Democrat coalition government\nThe UK's Minister for Africa has offered condolences on behalf of the British Government.\nThe UK’s Minister for Africa, Henry Bellingham, has offered his condolences on behalf of the British Government, following an oil tanker explosion in the village of Sange in the Democratic Republic of Congo.\n“Our thoughts are with the families and friends of those who have died in this tragedy. Our Embassy is working with the United Nations and other humanitarian agencies to see what assistance the international community can provide to the local authorities.”", "label": "No"}
{"text": "A Trança Feiticeira (pt)\nThe Bewitching Braid (en)\nRomantic story set in Macau during the 1930s. Rich, Portuguese man falls in love with poor, Chinese girl. Both families disown them and they begin a life together. Rich man now has to work for a living and eats Chinese food exclusively and the relationship gets stale...\nBooks and movies to discover Macau", "label": "No"}
{"text": "Sunday Farmhouse Supper for December 29, 2013\nMENU FOR SUNDAY 12/29\nAntipasto: ribollita: Tuscan minestrone\nPrimo: radiatore with prosciutto cotto and Ricotta cheese\nSecondo: braised rabbit thighs and red flint corn polenta\nPrix fixe $40.\nServed family-style. For groups of one to twelve. Whole table must order prix fixe menu.\n(Please note that wine and gratuity are not included.)\ncall 510-547-5356 or reserve online\nLarger parties: please let us know at the time of your reservation if your table will be ordering the Sunday Supper menu so that we can plan accordingly. Thanks!", "label": "No"}
{"text": "As my son and I sat on the porch, we began to wonder, as we had in the past, why the sky looks so bright in the east at sundown. Where does the light come from?\nRemembering a Friend with Thoughts of Love and Kindness\nAs I am remembering a friend, I think of her life that was marked by love. She will continue to inspire each of us for as long as we live.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "Change is the only constant.\nWe are living in a world that is constantly evolving and shifting. Our ability to adapt to change will enable us to continue moving toward the things we want to achieve.\nIn this episode, we chat about the changes we are seeing in the world right now, strategies on how to overcome change and how we need to look at change differently.\nThis is a good one. Enjoy.\nIG: @virtusperformance @virtuspodcast\nLachlan: @theexcellencecoach | www.lachiewallace.com\nSimon: @simoncoooper | www.simongcooper.com", "label": "No"}
{"text": "Dorothy Mary Baggett\nMost Recent to Oldest Entries\nAunt Dorothy touched our hearts and lives with love and caring. We will have those memories or her forever.\nWords fail me at a time like this. Our hearts and prayers go out to all of you. I deeply regret that I am unable to be with you at this time.\nOffering our deepest condolences during this difficult time.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "NAME Alexandra Constantine ’14\nHOMETOWN Commack, N.Y.\nAREAS OF STUDY English major, French minor, and environmental studies concentration\nWHERE SHE’S INTERNING World Farmers, a non-profit organization located in Lancaster, Mass., that provides immigrants and refugees with the means, marketplace, and training to establish themselves as farmers in the United States.\nINTERNSHIP DURATION May 22-July 31\nWHAT SHE’S MOST LOOKING FORWARD TO “Getting my hands dirty in the field I wish to work in after Holy Cross.”\nWHY SHE’S BLOGGING “As an aspiring writer, I want to reflect on my experience as a World Farmers intern from all angles. I would also like to share with students an honest perspective on the process of acquiring a ‘first internship’ and going through the experience.”\nCAREER GOAL “Use my writing to support sustainable agriculture and equitable commerce in the food industry.”\nABOUT SIP Internships through the College’s Summer Internship Program are developed through the strong network of Holy Cross alumni, parents, and friends throughout the country and are earmarked and designed specifically for Holy Cross students. This year 157 students have internships at 118 sites offered through the program.\nOpening Reception for 'Pulse: New Work by Faculty Artists'See More > 02/02/2015\nHoly Cross to Host Panel on Urban Education and AccountabilitySee More > 02/03/2015\nFirst Tuesday Lunch ConcertSee More > 02/09/2015\nVideo installation by Georgie Friedman: Opening ReceptionSee More >\n‘Rinklin alters perceptions in a new show at Zevitas Gallery’\nBoston Globe | WBUR (Boston's NPR station)\nCristi Rinklin, associate professor and chair of the visual arts department at the College of the Holy Cross, received a glowing review from the Boston Globe and WBUR for...12/19/14\nKiplinger’s Ranks Holy Cross No. 27 ‘Best Value’ Liberal Arts College\nKiplinger’s Personal Finance magazine has ranked the College of the Holy Cross No. 27 among all liberal arts colleges and No. 45 overall among all colleges in the country...12/17/14\n‘Pakistan School Attack: The Symbolism Is Unmistakable’\nIn his debut piece for WBUR’s Cognoscenti, Mathew Schmalz, associate professor of religious studies at the College of the Holy Cross, writes about the symbolism in the...", "label": "No"}
{"text": "Devotional service is dependent on the mercy of Krishna and His devotees. Unless we surrender to the lotus feet of a pure devotee, it is not possible to come to the platform of pure devotional service. By his own efforts a bee cannot taste the honey within a bottle. The bottle must be opened by a superior. If the bee simply licks the outside of the bottle, thinking “Now I am tasting honey,” then he is in illusion. Similarly, no one can enter into devotional service unless the door is opened by a devotee.\nFrom association with devotees is born faith. From faith is born pure knowledge. From pure knowledge is born meditation. From meditation is born devotional service, which pleases Lord Krishna and destroys all sufferings.\nOne should not be impatient in discharging devotional service, but should take instructions from the spiritual master and execute them with patience, depending on the mercy of guru and Krishna. The successful execution of Krishna conscious activities requires both patience and confidence.\nA pure devotee is the supreme transcendentalist and one has to receive his mercy for one's dormant Krishna Consciousness to be awakened. One has to associate with pure devotees. If one has firm faith in the words of a great soul, pure devotional service will awaken.\nThe flow of devotional service is so potent that any onlooker also becomes liberated from the influence of the modes of passion and ignorance.\nIf, by the grace of the Lord and the great-souled devotees of the Lord, a living being becomes fortunate enough to associate with the unadulterated devotees of the Lord and gets a chance to hear the unadulterated glories of the Lord, certainly the flow of devotional service takes place like the flow of a river.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "Council of Champions\nWhat is the Council of Champions?\nThe Council of Champions is made up of emeritus board members, alumni, parents, and friends of the Wenatchee Valley College who are seeking greater engagement with WVC. Be our champion to your network of friends and colleagues to increase the visibility of Wenatchee Valley College and to spread the word about all the great work the college and the foundation are doing in the community.\nWhat do Champions do?\n- Champions represent the foundation to the community, family, friends, and colleagues with college news via word-of-mouth, social media, letters to the editor, etc.\n- Volunteer opportunities will be made available periodically.\n- Champions may represent the foundation at community events.\n- Champions are invited to attend an exclusive thank you luncheon each year.\n- Champions receive a VIP invitation to the foundation’s Gala.\n- Champions support the foundation with a gift of your choosing each year.\nWhat benefits do Champions receive?\n- Champions receive a monthly newsletter.\n- Champions receive frequent public recognition.\n- Champions receive an annual VIP Parking pass to the college.\n- Champions receive invitations to foundation and college social events.\n- Champions receive invitations to special campus events.\n- Champions are welcome to attend foundation board meetings upon request.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "We are so grateful for Dr. Block. She was able to identify the root cause of a very complex medical issue for our family. Our entire household is benefitting from the advice we received for a single family member. Dr. Block is one in a thousand. Highly recommended.\nDr. Block has been a lifesaver for us with our daughter who has symptoms of bipolar caused by medical issues. She looks for the cause rather than covering it up with medications. She is compassionate and caring and truly listens to the parents and the patient. I am so grateful for you, Dr. Block!!!", "label": "No"}
{"text": "|Birth Day:||March 9, 1958|\n|Height:||in centimeters - N/A|\n|Weight:||in kg - N/A|\nHe played for the St. Louis Blues, Winnipeg Jets, and Detroit Red Wings during his 11 years in the NHL.\nPaul has three children, A.J., David and Erin, with his wife Sharon.\nCurrently, Paul MacLean is 64 years, 6 months and 18 days old. Paul MacLean will celebrate 65th birthday on a Thursday 9th of March 2023. Below we countdown to Paul MacLean upcoming birthday.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "As a response to the COVID-19 pandemic—and to do our part to help—the HPRC team has compiled articles and resources here we thought might be helpful to anyone looking for support during this challenging time. Some of these articles have been repurposed from their original intent to serve the military community, but we hope they can help healthcare workers and others coping with the current situation.\nAs always, we are here to answer your questions. If you can’t find what you’re looking for, please send us your question through our Ask the Expert feature. To make sure you reach the appropriate experts, please include “COVID-19” in the subject line of your email.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "School Nursing in Rural Nebraska\nI have the honor of working with the children and families in our small community every day, which is one of my favorite things about being a school nurse. Each day brings interaction with students regarding vision, hearing or dental screenings, assessing any health care issues they may be experiencing or providing first aid for playground injuries. Sometimes, I am just a person willing to listen to a child who needs someone to talk to. Every day, I represent a profession I am proud to be a part of.\nI am fortunate to be a part of a rural community and a rural health care system. Working in a small community, I have been able to establish positive relationships with those who provide health care services in our area. When confronted with community health issues, we work together as a team to provide the best care and guidance to all families we serve. The impact that we, as a team, have on our community is great.\nI love rural health because each member of the rural health team has a vested interest and a common goal: to provide the best health care possible to the members of the community that we serve. because rural Nebraska is my community. I love my community and have a passion for helping it.\nFreeman Public Schools", "label": "No"}
{"text": "Outpourings from the poor old porous mind of Steve Kittell\nWith the best of friends I could ever find.\nAnother wonderful evening’s now behind.\nSeeing the beauty to others unseen,\nplus all the kisses in-between.\nBonds being made to forever treasure.\nWhile tomorrow’s blossom bearing pleasure.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "We have just received the news that this Sunday will be the day for the AGM.\nThe meeting will commence at 11:30.\nThe original meeting was postponed originally following the news that Phil Parkin’s funeral was to be the same day (this Friday).\nWe apologise for the short notice and hope to see many of you there.\nIt also falls nicely into the England game which kicks off at 2. A perfect super Sunday!!\nUpdated 18:32 - 7 Aug 2019 by mike brown", "label": "No"}
{"text": "To become a member of PMSA, click here.\nRenew Your Membership\nMembership is $200/year.\nNote: Membership fees are recovered in the savings off the main conference non-member registration rate. The conference is held in April-May each year. Memberships are valid for one calendar year from the date of purchase.\n|Past conference agendas||X||X|\n|Industry Job Board||X||X|\n|Conference Photo Gallery||X|\n|Discounts to Annual Conference and Symposium||X|", "label": "No"}
{"text": "There is a lovely display of fresh fruit in our warehouse today. Below is our top pick of the Fruit & Flowers that were ordered yesterday.\nAn adorable Customer Creation Gift Basket is being sent as a congratulations gift on the arrival of your baby girl in Stanmore with love from Delaware, United States.\nA delicious Cheesy Overload is being sent as a birthday gift to a dear friend in Stockbridge with love from Queensland.\nAn entertaining Customer Creation Gift Basket is being sent as a thinking of you gift to London with love from Australia.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "Such a beautiful wedding day for the most awesome couple, I’m truly honoured to have been part of Danni and Kieran’s day! From the jaw-dropping, gorgeous flowers to the wonderful guests, the best bridal party, angelic bride, superb food and damn good music – this wedding was an absolutely fantastic, heartwarming celebration of a beautiful love story. Just so much love for these two, may you always build on the love and happiness of your beautiful wedding!\nVenue: De Uijlenes\nWedding Cake and Lighting: Husband Wife Team\nBouquet and Flowers: Holloway Floral Design\nWedding Dress: Robyn Roberts\nMake-up: Chane de Jager\nHair: Jenni Smit – Scar Hair", "label": "No"}
{"text": "|Mother||Miriam Sacket (1712-1785)|\nNotes & Citations\n- \"Massachusetts, Town Clerk, Vital and Town records, 1626–2001\", digital image, FamilySearch, \"Pell, Tamer, dau of John & wife Miriam born 27 Aug 1739.\"\n|Sackett line||5th great-granddaughter of Thomas Sackett the elder of St Peter in Thanet|\n|Charts||Line 3a (American)|\n|Last Edited||1 Dec 2019|", "label": "No"}
{"text": "As 2017 comes to a close, we reflect on this past year of growth, and look to 2018 with intentions to live our fullest life. We believe that living a full life means being surrounded by people that care for you, objects that inspire you, and travel that invigorates you.\nHere we've outlined our intentions for 2018, and how we plan to live our best life.\nWe set the intention for 2018 to adventure more. Whether it be to far away places or a new nook in our neighborhood, we challenge ourselves to live outside of the routine we have.\nWe set the intention for 2018 to live a passionate life. We want to explore art, music, and love with an open heart and open mind.\nWe set the intention for 2018 to be mindful and reflect on our contribution to society. To us, this means to contemplate and reflect on what we contribute and what we take, whether that be in the objects we collect or the energy we send.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "The phrase “our choices define us” has recently come to ring true for me.\nThere are so many people who will never be given a choice in most aspects o their lives. Be it those in poverty who will never choose education, those forced into marriage who will never choose love, those who choose paycheck over passion. Vice versa, there are those who choose to leave their educations, those who choose to take to a life of late nights and unkempt promises.\nWe become the results of our decisions. We are spiders and our decisions, our webs; some will be able to maneuver the surface of these webs while others become caught in a prison of their own making. Our webs are ever expanding and ever changing, and the remarkable thing is that though we create our webs, we do not always know where they will lead us, what becomes of the itsy bitsy spider who just wanted to survive a day of rain.\nI challenge you, reader, to keep climbing that water spout. We all have regrets, but it is what we choose to do about them which defines us. Success is a matter of choice, and therefore failure is as well. What will you choose?", "label": "No"}
{"text": "“With plows young men plough the field,\nsowing seeds in the earth.\nAs they nourish wife and children,\nyoung men find wealth.\nI have perfect morality,\nI follow the teaching of the Teacher,\nI am not lazy nor conceited,\nso why have I not attained Nirvana?\nAfter washing the feet,\nI observed the water,\nand noticed the foot-washing water\nflowing from top to bottom.\nFrom there I sought one-pointedness of mind,\nlike a good thoroughbred horse.\nLater, I took the lamp,\nand entered my dwelling.\nI checked the bed\nand took a seat on a mat.\nI took the needle\nand pulled out the wick.\nMy emancipation of mind\nwas like the going out of the lamp.”\nYou can also read the life story of Arahant Paṭācārā in the commentary to Dhammapada verse 113.\nRead this translation of Therīgāthā 5.10 Paṭācārātherīgāthā: Verses of the Elder Paṭācārā by Ayya Soma on SuttaCentral.net. Or read a different translation on SuttaCentral.net, SuttaFriends.org or DhammaTalks.org. Or listen on Voice.SuttaCentral.net.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "Su Mu, the fourth youngest son of the Su family, is driven out of the family because of a temporary loss of investment, and coincidentally becomes the Chen family’s superfluous son-in-law, who is despised by everyone. However, a tiger is a tiger and a dragon is a dragon. Until one day he is like a dragon and tiger, recovered overnight, those who insulted him kneel before him and beg for forgiveness, those who despise him are repentant…\nFollow the story with us and don’t forget to leave your comments. Hope that you will always support us <<teenmanhua.com>> thank you very much!", "label": "No"}
{"text": "Here is an update about this exciting project.\nAfter a sixteen year absence, Emmanuel Ntibonara returned to his home country – The Democratic Republic of Congo – and was moved by the level of poverty he witnessed. Since then, he has been on a mission to help Congolese natives by providing impoverished men, women and children with shoes. His efforts have gathered some national attention. Partnering with Gleaning For The World, Emmanuel intends to return this year with 100,000 pairs of shoes.\nWatch this brief video on this effort.\nThanks to these unique partnerships, thousands of men, women and children now have good shoes to wear in The Democratic Republic of Congo. But so many more people are still in desperate need. If you would like to help us further this project, donate today!", "label": "No"}
{"text": "Date(s) - December 24, 2019 5:00 pm\n5:00 pm - 7:00 pm\nStarting with a half hour of seasonal music by soloists, choir, and instruments, the service will cover themes of the season– peace, light, joy. We celebrate the traditions of Christmas,Hanukkah, and Solstice in word and in song, concluding with sharing the light by passing the flame from hand to hand until the darkened sanctuary is aglow with the love and light of the season.\nA reception follows immediately in the social hall. The service is open to the public.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "Thank you for your posts regarding Israel vs Palestine. As an American, I am bowing my head in shame knowing our government makes inexcusable and brutal mistakes. Most Americans are decent, caring people (I hope there are some people in the world who know that). Many of are deeply saddened by the situation in Israel and the choices our government has made. I have had a very good life in the US and wish a peaceful, safe and happy life to anyone struggling overseas.\nThank you for your message, it’s good to know that there is good people in this country and they are not like their government", "label": "No"}
{"text": "The love knot is formed by an infinite line that links a collection of four hearts representing our eternal bond with our four loves – our special love, love of self, love of family and love of friends.\nPair the Gem Drop Jacket with your own studs or with the Love Knot Studs (sold separately).\nRhodium plated 925 sterling silver\n8.8mm (Width) x 7mm (Height)\nFree local shipping\nWe offer complimentary shipping for all orders within Singapore.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "|Affilation||East Empire Company|\nBiography and AttireEdit\nAfter she fled, she lived the life as a blade-for-hire for those who can afford her services.\nIf asked of how she became incarcerated, she reveals that she was arrested by Solitude Guards for graverobbing.\nDaenlit, along with the other 3 mercenaries, is tasked in assisting the Dragonborn in hunting down the dragon Vulthurkrah, who is threatening the settlements in Wyrmstooth.\nAfter the dragon is defeated, Daenlit can be recruited once more by asking her to accompany the Dragonborn in their travels.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "Married my love 8/6/11\nAngel Baby 1/5/12, Baby Girl born at 34w on 12/3/12\nYay for you! The fingers are sooooooo cute! Can't you just see her grabbing ahold of yours now :) /tear.. soo sweet!\nmarried to the love of my life, S (33), since 06/07/08\nBaby E born 12/17/09", "label": "No"}
{"text": "- Happy Birthday Michael\n- Favorite Christmas Music?\n- Words and Deeds…\n- Resistance is NOT Futile!\n- Barton Fink\n- Quando Omni Flunkus Moritati\n- How Could We Know\n- Good News of Jeremiah 36\n- Quote of the Day – Thomas Jefferson\n- Quote of the Day\n- Good News of Proverbs 20\n- Quote of the Day – by Thomas Jefferson\nAuthor Archives: Lance Ponder\nI became a grampa for the first time 12/21/12. Spent a week with Baby Lennon. He is a miracle!\n23 Today. Congrats, Son!\nDo you have a favorite Christmas song? What is it? What makes it so good for you?\nWhat you do speaks so loudly that I cannot hear what you say. — Ralph Waldo Emerson For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live … Continue reading\nResistance is voltage divided by current.\nHas anyone else out there seen this movie? If you have, can you tell me why? I watched it because the cover said John Goodman and the write-up said it was a comedy. I’m sorry to say that’s two hours … Continue reading\nWhen all else fails, play dead. (Official Possum Lodge Motto)", "label": "No"}
{"text": "Your impression of the quality and value of our services is very important to us. We respectfully ask for your assistance in evaluating the services we provided, as this will enable us to provide the best possible care to others who turn to us in their time of need.\nWe want to hear from you...\nWe invite you to use the image to your right to leave your thoughts and comments for our testimonials.\nUpon reviewing, they will be added to the section below, where you can browse through all of our testimonials from the families we are proud to have been able to support during their time of need.\nWe appreciate your taking the time to write to us. Hearing success stories from the families we serve is what makes it all worthwhile!\nTestimonials - Cremation Society of Mid-Michigan\n\"Thank you for all of the advice preparing for my brothers out of town death. I would never have thought of all of the suggestions you gave me....no one else has ever given me all of the information that you did...you are an angel Mary!\"\n\"Thank you for all that you did for me and my family. It was very reassuring to me that everything would run smoothly because of you.\"\n\"Thank you for all of the help and for everything you did for me. Your love, concern, and kindness will be remembered. The candle with my husband's picture on it is a wonderful keepsake for me. You were all a great help. I appreciate having friends like you...you were a comfort.\"\n\"Dedication, dignity, compassion and trust are just a few of the words that can be used to describe the Cremation Society of Mid Michigan. There are not enough ways to express our sincerest thanks to Mark, Mary, Grace, and their staff. During a very difficult time, with a few unexpected turns, the Sayles family’s expert knowledge and honest guidance helped us navigate the road that came with our dads passing. Their dedication and support to our family went above and beyond meeting our needs...they surpassed all of our expectations during this extremely challenging journey. My father wanted a simple, dignified and economical cremation and from the very first pre-registration contact with the CSMM, to the heartfelt words said at his memorial service, dad’s wishes were met. The CSMM staff truly do reflect the professional standards of sincerity, quality and most of all the trust, that their mission emphasizes. Additional things that were valued was the kindness, respect and empathy that my sister and I experienced when meeting with the Sayles family. They made us feel important and took their time while explaining their optional services, never pressuring us from a sales standpoint. Mark was an amazing representative for the CSMM answering questions and giving us information to help us understand many things that were confusing during this sad time. His overall knowledge saved us many moments of stress and was very much appreciated. Mary was a wonderful administrative resource and Grace assisted us in obtaining a beautiful urn in our price range. Chris’ patience, answering all of my dad ‘s questions when he pre-registered, made the process go smoothly at the end. In this day and age, it is hard to find such a high degree of customer service anywhere! We highly recommend the CSMM and truly believe they will take the best possible care of your loved one when the time comes. We honestly and conscientiously give them a 5-Star rating, 10-out-of-10, Top of the List, and Best Reviews! Thank you for everything you’ve done for our family. Mark, Mary and Grace, your kindness, comfort and caring will always be remembered by the Joseph Lake family! God Bless!\"\n\"Thanks so much considering the circumstances you did a wonderful job. From the start myself and my Husband were treated with dignity and respect. You made what was the worst day of my life a little easier. You did Everything. I encourage you to join if you’re considering cremation. It’s not expensive and you will be glad you did. Thanks again for all you did. It's not just cremation, it's someone to guide you and make it so much easier for you.\"\n\"I have never met anyone more concerned about our needs and emotional support. They were very professional and caring. They helped our family by their caring attitude to cope with the death of our loved one. I would like to say THANK YOU. You made all the arrangements and consulted about everything.\"", "label": "No"}
{"text": "We will return on Sunday May 21, 2023.\nThe Star of Bethlehem Festival for Kids educates children in art, science and the performing arts. Our mission is to showcase and celebrate the diversity, culture and spirit of our community while providing learning experiences for children through hands-on participation. Enjoy a fun-filled day with live entertainment, raffles and giveaways, food vendors Voracious Deli and Heaven on a Bun, crafting, learning, and much more. Please visit and support our participating non-profit organizations. We are all doing good things for our community and welcome your support.\nWhere: 123 W Lehigh St, Bethlehem, PA 18018\nWhen: Sunday, May 21, 2023 from 12:00pm to 4:00pm\nThank you to our sponsors, patrons and especially our volunteers. Without you all we would not be able to provide a free educational event for the children. A special thank you to the children and their families for giving us the opportunity to educate while having fun. We hope to see you all next year on Sunday, May 21, 2023.\nPresenting an event takes hard work and dedication. We are seeking dedicated volunteers to help us bring wonderful family events to Bethlehem. Volunteers are the heart of any festival – without them there would be no event. Please sign up to have fun and work with us to bring new and exciting events to the area.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "While he was asleep, he saw a dream that a monk came to him and said,\"Don't end up your life. It is a sin. Tomorrow I'll visit your home, and you must hit on my head with a wooden stick, after that I'll change into gold and you will be rich again\".\nThe neighbor went to his home and said to himself, \"Tomorrow I will invite many monks to my house and will hit them on their head and they will turn into gold. In this way I will become the richest person of the village\". Next day he did the same. The monks were injured. They caught the man and informed the king about the incident.\nKing's soldiers came and took the man to the king. ''Why did you hit the monks ?''The king asked.\nThe man told the king,\"I went to my neighbor's home and saw him hitting the monk who turned into gold. I just copied him. It is all his mistake\".The king called the other man man and asked him to explain the whole matter. He told the king about his dream and the miracle. \" You can go, it's not your fault\". King allowed him to go.\nNow the king said to the man who had injured the monks, \" You are a foolish and greedy person. You just copied your neighbor without thinking and hurt the monks\". He put the man behind the bars.\nMoral Of the Story\n'Don't be a copycat'\nPanchtantra story retold by-Aunt Mary", "label": "No"}
{"text": "Every now and then a tv show surprises me in an unexpectedly good way. A recent Netflix binge brought me, happily, to THE GOOD PLACE!\nWhile our lives often seem like a twisted series of moral dilemmas (and then we die), most people would rather talk about death than mention the E (ethics) and M (morals) words in polite company. And, while we seem obsessed by entertaining visions of death and destruction in action, we are less comfortable discussing what happens after.\nSo imagine the challenge of taking on the two least comedic subjects for a “not-dark” comedy — the afterlife and ethics — and making them the pointed focus of a fast-paced, dialogue driven, and wholly entertaining half-hour series.\nWhat is THE GOOD PLACE like?\nImagine you’ve led a far from perfect life. Against all odds, you’ve made it to “the good place” but it is not what you thought. The people there aren’t all good and everything isn’t perfect. But, in order to not be sent to “the bad place” where the truly awful and horrifically evil reside, you have to not only be good, you have to be eternally ethical and moral.\nWould you, could you, forever forsake the likes of greed, vanity, selfishness, lying, and profanity for altruism, mutual respect, cooperation, equality and truthfulness?\nAnd how fast could you learn? Because, in the afterlife, the average resident has 1,222,821 points and the powers-that-be are keeping meticulous score.\nSo, welcome to eternal happiness… welcome to THE GOOD PLACE!\nBravo to writer/creator Michael Schur (Parks and Recreation) and team! THE GOOD PLACE is a smart and funny gem. May it run long and provoke much use and discussion of the E and M words!\nTHE GOOD PLACE starts it’s second season September 20th on NBC. The first season can be streamed on Netflix, Hulu and YouTube has episode highlights.", "label": "No"}
{"text": ": This image is a photograph of a cabinet card portrait of an unidentified infant. The glass plate negative of the photograph was badly scratched, and those flaws were reproduced in the print.\nThe Reverend Henry E. Cooke, son of the prominent American banker and financier Jay Cooke (1821-1905), may have been the photographer. Henry E. Cooke acted as the family historian and photographer. He compiled poetry, sketches, humorous anecdotes, and several thousand photographs of three generations of the Cooke family.\nRev. Henry E. Cooke (1857-1915) graduated from Princeton and had his first posting at Trinity Church in Manchester, New Hampshire. He later became the head of the Episcopal Church in San Francisco. After only a year, he returned to Ohio and eventually became head of the Church in Cleveland, Ohio. He married Esther Clarkson Russell (1863-1945) and had two children, Henry Eleutheros Cooke (Harry) and Russell Cooke.\nView on Ohio Memory.\n: AL06290 Subjects\n: Cabinet photographs; Portraits; Cooke, Jay, 1821-1905; Family history Places\n: Portrait of infant photograph", "label": "No"}
{"text": "How to Say Good night in Slovak\nGood night in all languages\nIf you want to know how to say Good night in Slovak, you will find the translation here. We hope this will help you to understand Slovak better.\nHere is the translation and the Slovak word for Good night:\nDobrú noc Edit\nDictionary Entries near Good night\nCite this Entry\n\"Good night in Slovak.\" In Different Languages, https://www.indifferentlanguages.com/words/good_night/slovak. Accessed 28 Jan 2023.\nCheck out other translations to the Slovak language:\nBrowse Words Alphabetically", "label": "No"}
{"text": "Gabrielle Rockwell (MPP ‘19)\nGabrielle Rockwell (MPP '19) currently serves as Community Engagement Representative for FirefighterAid, a 501(c)(3) managed by San Diego Fireman's Relief Association. FirefighterAid's mission is to provide charitable assistance to Firefighters and their families in times of need and to promote awareness of Firefighter health and safety issues and the impacts they have upon their families and communities. Whether it is delivering a comfort bag to an ill or injured Firefighter, helping a fire family battle a life-threatening kidney illness, caring for the Surviving Spouses that our Firefighters leave behind, or sharing our free Cancer Awareness and Prevention Program nationwide - FirefighterAid is there to support our daily heroes through it all.\n\"It's always been my mission to give back to those who care for us and help foster a greater sense of community wherever I live. FirefighterAid was the perfect way to stay true to my passions and spread some love across San Diego County to our Firefighter families.\"\nTo read impact stories, learn how to get involved, and donate to say \"thank you\" to our Firefighters, you can visit FirefighterAid.org", "label": "No"}
{"text": "Of Salvation – and Destruction\nThis Torah portion contains some of the best-known, and most moving, stories in Genesis. Toward its beginning, Vayera narrates the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, and it concludes with the akedah, the binding of Isaac, a very troubling episode. These accounts are often juxtaposed, as readers try to understand why Abraham bargained on behalf of the sodomites, insisting, “shall not the judge of all the earth deal justly?” (Genesis 18:25) while he was unwavering and unquestioning in his willingness to slaughter his son. In part, this question shows a misunderstanding of both biblical texts.\nAs Jon Levenson shows in “The Death and Resurrection of the Beloved Son,” in extreme circumstances human sacrifice was acceptable in some circles in ancient Israel and beyond. For example, in 2 Kings 3:27, when the Moabite king was losing a battle, “he took his first-born son, who was to succeed him as king, and offered him up on the wall as a burnt offering. A great wrath came upon Israel.” In other words, that king’s child sacrifice was efficacious. A less radical type of “sacrifice” is narrated at the beginning of Samuel, where the childless Hannah offers to dedicate a future son to the Lord as a permanent temple functionary. Within this cultural context, it is not surprising that Vayera suggests that God asked Abraham to offer up his child as a “gift.” Isaac was his child, under his control, and Abraham showed his commitment to God through his willingness to carry out the request, even though he was stopped at the last minute.\nVayera emphasizes the rewards that accrue to Abraham as a result of his willingness to offer up his son. Abraham and his descendants are blessed: “I will… make your descendants as numerous as the stars of heaven and the sands on the seashore; and your descendants shall seize the gates of their foes. All the nations of the earth shall bless themselves by your descendants, because you have obeyed My command” (Genesis 22:17-18). In addition, the text hints that the Temple, which would help Israel attain expiation, will be built on Mount Moriah, where Abraham was willing to offer up his son. Certainly this text is difficult from our moral perspective, since we believe that children (and mothers!) have certain rights, but we must be careful not to anachronize as we interpret the Bible.\nLike the akedah, the Sodom and Gomorrah story is also often misconstrued, in part because of the English use of the word “sodomize” and the associations it evokes. Genesis nowhere lists the sins of the residents of Sodom and Gomorrah, other than saying that their (Genesis 18:20) “outrage… is so great, and their sin so grave!” Though the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah is a common biblical theme, only once does the Bible offer specific details. Ezekiel 16:49 observes: “Only this was the sin of… Sodom: arrogance! She and her daughters had plenty of bread and untroubled tranquility; yet she did not support the poor and the needy.”\nOf late, several biblical scholars have helped us better understand the Bible by constructing counter-texts with alternate endings, assumptions or perspectives. One of my favorites imagines how Israelite history would have been told from a Philistine perspective. My counter-text to Genesis 18 is quite simple: After God informs Abraham of His plan to destroy the city, Abraham says, “Can’t one of us IM or send an e-mail to the few righteous people in the city, so that they will flee rather than being killed with the majority of arrogant and complacent residents who have not established an adequate social welfare system?”\nInstead, of course, we have the wonderful passage in which God and Abraham bargain, beginning with 50 and ending with 10. We do not know how many Sodomites and Gomorratites there were, and thus what percentage of the community these 10 righteous individuals might have represented. But Abraham and God view the community of these towns as wholes and not as composed of individuals, each with his or her own lot. This is a communitarian perspective, one that does not sit well with many of us, as we live in a time and place where individualism is so central. In part, it is our lack of sympathy to such a communitarian perspective that prevents us from appreciating what this text is saying. The Bible elsewhere takes individualistic perspectives, but the viewpoint of the Sodom story is that a “righteous” individual living in a society committing outrageous actions, even if these are “merely” acts of neglect, is not truly righteous and is killed along with the majority. Individual virtue is not enough — it is merely self-righteousness. The adage of the Talmudic sage Abaye (Sukkah 56) — “Woe to the wicked, and woe to their neighbors” — illustrates this narrative’s perspective. The story of Sodom and Gomorrah thus insists that we must be activists; if we find that our community’s values are untenable, we must try to change them, or we must move.\nMarc Zvi Brettler is Dora Golding professor of biblical studies in the department of Near Eastern and Judaic studies at Brandeis University. He was a co-editor of “The Jewish Study Bible,” which was awarded a National Jewish Book Award, and the author of “How To Read the Bible,” recently published by the Jewish Publication Society.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "Bhakti Marga is the path of devotion.\nA journey from the mind to the heart under the guidance of a living Master.\nParamahamsa Sri Swami Vishwananda is an enlightened, God-realized Master. His mission on Earth is to ‘open the hearts of mankind’. He is here to remind us all of the love of God and to show us how to experience and enjoy a uniquely personal, loving relationship with God.\nAs a God-realized Master and satguru, the innate wisdom of life and living that Paramahamsa Vishwananda provides is the most profound of all. He didn’t learn it; He was born with it.\nYou’re invited to a very special in-person Darshan with Paramahamsa Vishwananda in Elmira, New York!\nMeeting and receiving Darshan from a God-Realized Master is an incredibly rare opportunity. We hope you can make it for this incredible event!\nWatch Paramahamsa Vishwananda’s previously recorded satsangs and commentary.\nAs you have found your way here, you’re probably looking for something more in life. Something more meaningful. Something that can truly sustain you and help you rise above life’s challenges.\nTo achieve that, Bhakti Marga offers a unique and holistic four-armed approach deeply rooted in time-honored spiritual traditions. Each arm offers different practices to enjoy loving communion with God. Living in an elevated state is not only for yogis or saints anymore! It is a real possibility in this lifetime for all of us.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "“Beloved, please know that sometimes adjustments to the plan are needed. There is great freedom in releasing and allowing to the Divine Creator. Be open to the clues and changes that we send your way occasionally. Once done, the Divine Path will come clear as you trust that we always have the highest good of all in mind when we help with what it is that you have requested. ” – With Love, The Angels\nPlease share as you feel guided.\nMany Blessings Lisa C. Beachy Angel & Spiritual Intuitive Reiki & Adv. Theta Healer Connecting you with your Spiritual Team http://www.LisaBeachy.com", "label": "No"}
{"text": "Good Mothers and Fathers\n- :Husayn Ansarian\nA wife and husband who are adorned with goodness and cleansed of vices are a source of peace and security for each other. They are a source of development, perfection and peace and quiet for their children. They are never indifferent to their offsprings’ needs: the parents kindly and politely answer the request of their children for kindness, material expenses, education, visiting, recreation and marriage. If they cannot answer positively to some of their children requests, the parents persuade the children with good manners and patience. And the dignified children accept their parent's answers and explanations. Enlightened and good children refuse to do evil if their parents sometimes invite them to do so due to not paying attention to the children. They refuse their parents request respectfully and politely and do not deviate from the right way. At the time of the Prophet (Pbuh) there was a mother who did not like her children becoming Muslim and even she refused to eat any food. But when she heard that God approved of her child becoming a Muslim and did not value her disapproval, she broke her fast and remained silent before her children.\nO’ parents, the Prophet (Pbuh) pays strict attention to your aborted fetus; so much so that he stated when the fetus is told to enter heaven; it will answer in the negative saying: I will not enter until my parents enter heaven before me. [Vasa'il Al-Shiia, V.20, P.14, Al-i-Bayt Press]\nWhy don't you take especial care of your honorable offspring who are God's blessing and goodness. Taking care of offspring and paying good attention to them and their human needs is an affair that is very beneficial here and in the Hereafter.'\nAdopted from the book: \"The Islamic Family Structure\" by: \"Husayn Ansarian\"\nShare this article", "label": "No"}
{"text": "Peter C. Newton-Evans was born in Paraguay, raised in the United States, and has spent his adult life in Ecuador, where he lives with his wife and children. He studied educational psychology in the Catholic Univ. of Ecuador, took a masters degree in education at the Univ. of California, and has postgraduate studies in anthropology, social development and administration.\nAs an educator, Peter has been a textbook writer-editor, teacher trainer, school principal, and college professor. He spearheaded the ground-breaking Culture of Peace Program in Ecuador, focused on training agents of social change towards a culture of peace, which includes research, writing, teaching, and public speaking.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "“And thou shalt command the children of Israel, that they bring unto thee pure olive oil beaten [crushed] for the light, to cause a lamp to burn continually.” – Exodus 27:20, JPS 1917 Tanach\nH’Shem instructs Moshe to command B’nei Yisrael (the Children of Israel) to provide the olive oil that will be used for the seven-candled Menorah, residing in the Holy Place of the Mishkan (Tabernacle), outside of the paroches (curtain) that served as a veil, dividing the Kadosh Kadoshim (Holy of Holies) where the Ark of the Covenant was kept, from the Kadosh [Holy], where the Menorah, Showbread Table and Incense Mizbeach (Altar) were placed.\nThe light of the Menorah represents the light (ohr) that existed at the beginning of Creation; yet, this light was hidden after the sin of Adam, and reserved for the righteous in the Kingdom. Even so, there is a light that shines in the darkness of our lives, despite all of the years of oppression. “I will bear the indignation of H’Shem, because I have sinned against Him; until He plead my cause, and execute judgment for me; He will bring me forth to the light, and I shall behold His righteousness” (Micah 7:9).\nWe are likened to the olives that are crushed, until a drop of pure olive oil is produced, representing the transformation of our brokenness into a purity of heart that only occurs after surviving the many nisyanos (challenges) in our lives. Perhaps, this is why the people themselves were commanded by Moshe to bring the purest olive oil for the light of the Menorah that burns continually, i.e., to emphasize our plight in the world that would reveal the light that shines in the darkness on a continual basis – the ner tamid. For “H’Shem shall be unto thee an everlasting light” (Isaiah 60:19, JPS).", "label": "No"}
{"text": "Office Hours: 8:20 a.m.-4:20 p.m.\nMy name is Nicole Hicks and I teach 8th grade math, 8th grade math strategies, and 8th grade math resource. I love, love, love teaching math!I have a bachelors degree in accounting. I worked as a bookkeeper for 27 years prior to teaching. My personal hobbies include dancing, golf, and logic puzzles. I have been married for 26 years and have two boys, 11 and 17. Both attend Higley schools.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "Mary Grace Varman Varman (died 1771)\nBiography & Family History Add details\nMary Grace Varman Varman (died 1771) was born into the Varman family and married into the Beeson family. She died in 1771 in North Carolina.\nThis profile of Mary Grace Varman Varman's past is a collaborative effort by AncientFaces users like you Share facts about Mary to connect to the people who know her. Some things we would like to know about Mary's genealogy:\n- Where and when was Mary born?\n- Who was Marys family?\n- What did Mary look like? Add some photos of their life.\nFamily Tree & Genealogy\nAdd a partner\nAdd a child\nAdd a sibling\nYou can add or remove people from this genealogy by clicking here.\nHistory of Mary Grace Varman Varman Add details\nObituary Add details\nThere isn't any info regarding the obituary records of Mary Grace Varman Varman. You can add obituary information about Mary Grace Varman Varman by clicking \"Add Details\".\nShare your memories below with the rest of Mary's family. We'll notify anyone else who is searching for Mary of your message.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "Horse And Pony Shows, Daily Events, Blows Frogs:Dates With Sex Freaks, Sheri, Sima and Rachel Jarrot....Butches, Bitches, Snakes, Buffalo Girls, riding hard, local dogs in heat, good times, want to date, hackers, liars, and land whales, tricks to trade, Steven, Sima,,Sheri and Rachel Jarrot, cheap tricks on call, day jobs, to steal from veterans, cash rich cows. Girls to Date, Failures, Hackers, Snakes, Cows to buffalo girls. Lessons on looks, lessons on views, history to create. Bumps in the woods, trips to hell, spiders and snakes. Hung on the cross with jesus christ , saints alive, sheep and goats. Hate and love, horns to blow, goats and sheep, horns of love and hate.\nDances in the dark, dances with different family members first. Daddy, Steven Jarrot, 7608512267, host or travel, party and play, good times. RV campers, bring your own water, to wipe your ass, after sex, oral experts, day jobs. Blow jobs to go. Lots of fun, tasteful deli lights, cum suckers in line.\nPitchers to mount, gang bang rules, every night, dicks waiting in line. Sex Freaks, Rach Jay and Rachel Jarrot, Reese Smith. Bumps in the woods, trips to hell, spiders and snakes. Hung on the cross with Jesus Christ , saints alive, sheep and goats. Hate and love, horns to blow, goats and sheep, horns of love and hate.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "While Morse thanked God (\"What hath God wrought?\") for what the scientific work Hans Christian Oersted, Joseph Henry and Michael Faraday had wrought, the skeptical Edison credited the proper authorities.\nSimón Bolívar (1783) It was on this date, July 24, 1783, that South American liberator and president Simón José Antonio de la Santísima Trinidad Bolívar - Simón Bolívar - was born in Caracas, Venezuela. His parents were wealthy, but they died early. Bolívar inherited a fortune that assured him of a quality education, partly in […]", "label": "No"}
{"text": "Free essays from bartleby | and coretta scott got married daddy king (martin luther king sr) pronounced them a married couple although they had the lack. Young people of omaha inspired by the words and work of martin luther king jr are dreaming big for their own community. Dissertations for sale online dissertation proposal ac uk pay someone to do your essay uk essay on martin luther king jr a good introduction to an essay can. Thomas jefferson and dr martin luther king, jr essay thomas jefferson and dr martin luther king “i feel that you are men of genuine good will and that. Need help writing a good thesis statement essay writing workshop upsc civil services exam english essay paper dropped dissertation agreement form ncsu how to purchase.\nMartin luther king jr essays: over 180,000 martin luther king jr essays, martin luther king jr term papers, martin luther king jr research paper, book reports. In the following three essays, king wrestles with the role of martin luther king, jr embracing the true and the beautiful and consummated in the good. Martin luther king essay topics martin the ultimate tragedy is not the brutality of the bad people but the silence of the good martin luther king, jr and.\nMartin luther king jr this essay martin luther king jr and other 63,000+ term papers, college essay examples and free essays are available now on reviewessayscom. Free martin luther king, jr papers, essays, and research papers.\nIt is not only in the us where martin luther king jr civil disobedience essay samples find a special place in the hearts of many but all over the globe even. Martin luther king jr by cristin holmen martin luther king jr lost his life trying to better the lives of african-american people he was one of the greatest.\nMartin luther king jr essays: over 180,000 martin luther king jr essays, martin luther king jr term papers, martin luther king jr research paper, book reports 184. Included: martin luther king jr essay content preview text: to begin with, a hero is a person who is admired or idealized for courage, outstanding achievements, or. 100% free papers on martin luther king jr essay sample topics, paragraph introduction help, research & more class 1-12, high school & college.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "What If you began each morning not just being grateful for the gift of another day. What if you began each morning visualizing laying down at the end of this day and feeling overwhelming gratitude for the magic, the beauty, the love of this wonder filled day.\nHow do you think it would shape the experiences of your day to begin your day feeling overwhelming gratitude for all the wonderous gifts of the day. How do you think it would change the magic you experience in your day to go beyond simply being glad that you woke up to feeling gratitude for all of the love and beauty expressed for you in this day.\nWhat If...instead of beginning your morning with any number of other thoughts you began instead with experiencing deep feelings of gratitude for the gifts that will be offered to you in this day.\nJoin me in this challenge to discover how changing the way you begin your day changes how you experience your day. Post your comments below and share what changes you notice.\nHave a Magical Day ❤️", "label": "No"}
{"text": "PALS (People After Loss from Suicide) is a non-denominational support group for those whose loved ones committed suicide.\nPALS meets on\nthe third Tuesday of every month at 7 p.m.\nat St. Mark Catholic Center\n429 E. Grandview Blvd., Erie\nGuest speakers are offered at different times of the year and rap groups continue to meet throughout the year. No reservations are necessary and all are welcome. For further information, in Erie call (814) 824-1257.\nMany survivors feel misunderstood as they try to deal with their grief or feelings of guilt and shame. Still others face intolerance from those who have not experienced the pain of suicide loss, and just want the individual to \"get over it\". The group tries to identify obstacles that prevent them from growing, and offers unconditional acceptance. Many survivors comment on how they came to a deeper insight of the complications of depression due to their participation in PALS.\nDriving directions to St. Mark Catholic Center, Erie", "label": "No"}
{"text": "In Jerusalem, the occasional but universal human sensation of dreaming without being able to interpret the dream is stronger than it is elsewhere, and all the more so since the city actually does exist. But that is how it feels to be in exile. For exile is a type of dream. When the Psalm says that, in returning, “we will be like unto them that dream” (Psalms 126:1), it means it will be as if we were awaking from a nightmare.\nThe feeling that we are wandering in an unexplained dream becomes increasingly strong the more frequently we dream it. Jewish Law addresses this perfectly. It says that when we see Jerusalem for the first time, out of mourning we should tear our clothes, and when we see the ruins of the Temple, we should tear them again.\nFor the Jerusalem of today is not the real Jerusalem of our hopes and our yearnings. We speak so often of “return” in our liturgy and our poetry because a profound crisis occurred with our exile from Jerusalem. Not only were we expelled from our home, but the shechina, the presence of God, became exiled from us. One might think that this affects only Jews; after all, it was the Jewish Temple and capital that were destroyed, first in 586 BCE and then in 70 CE. But in reality, with this exile the entire world is in crisis, because the presence of God affects everyone, as does its absence.\nThe absence of God – the hiddenness of God, according to Kabbalah – has profoundly destabilized the world. When God returns to Jerusalem, the entire world will regain its stability. And so our thrice-daily prayer for God to rebuild Jerusalem really means “Put the world back in place.”\nA simple example expresses this concept well. We all use electronic devices. If we remove the batteries, nothing works; when we reinstall them, everything works perfectly once again. When we say, “May Jerusalem be rebuilt!” we are asking God to renew our connection – put in the batteries! – so that everything will start to work again. Returning to Zion is not a problem of geography but of connection. Reestablishing this connection will put the world back in place.\nSo we see that the resurrection of Jerusalem must occur on two planes – spiritual and material. With respect to streets and houses, it is easy to rebuild Jerusalem. But rebuilding it properly means body and soul – its buildings, streets, water and trees, and internally. As King Solomon said, “I have seen servants upon horses, and princes walking as servants upon the earth” (Eccles-iastes 10:7). Internal disarray is one of the definitions of the exile, and when the correct order is not respected, nothing is truly built. As real as the city may appear, it is but an imaginary construction. Hence our feelings that we are living in a dream, even when we are there.\nSo how can Jerusalem be truly rebuilt? Our liturgy gives us clues. First of all, we cannot speak of Jerusalem without speaking of love, in Israel’s feelings for the Holy City but also in the manner in which the return must occur. When we say in our daily prayer, “To Jerusalem, Your city, with compassion return,” we express our desire for the return to be gentle. For as Ezekiel reminds us, it could also be catastrophic – “I will rule over you with a mighty hand … and with outpoured wrath, as a storm may create a mountain.” (Ezekiel 20:33)\nThis is why Jerusalem is always a love story, as we see in so much of our liturgy and poetry as well. The great Spanish poet Judah Halevy calls Jerusalem “fullness of beauty” and affirms that all perfections are united in her. In another love song, his L’cha Dodi – “Come, My Beloved” – which we sing to welcome the Sabbath, Jerusalem is compared to a fiancee adorned with ornaments, awaiting our return.\nOur return to Jerusalem must also be a true reunion, and not just an encounter. Jerusalem is a very sensitive city – a city of peace, but also a place seething with anger, hence the constant risk of squabbling, which unfortunately lives on to this day! This irritability stems from the city’s hypersensitivity. Jerusalem is like the place where all the nerves come together. When you touch it, everything starts trembling.\nHandling any sensitive spot requires particular solicitousness. We must be careful there, with the city and with one another. Hence the Talmudic maxim: “Those who are born in Jerusalem will receive a special reward, but those who love Jerusalem will likewise receive it,” and the verse from Isaiah (66:10), “Rejoice with Jerusalem … all you who love her.”\nThird, the true reconstruction of Jerusalem implies reconstruction of the Temple. There is a progression. First, God will again inhabit Jerusalem; then, we will build His house and serve Him there. Perhaps that is why Isaiah compares Jerusalem and Israel to a sad woman, abandoned by her husband: first of all, come back home! After that, we’ll see.\nThen again, the abandoned woman can be us: When the abandoned wife goes out for a walk, when she is somewhere else, she feels her husband’s absence less. She feels it most strongly when she returns home. And so our yearning is greatest perhaps when we are physically in the city but the Shechinah still is not. The golden city arrayed in its incomparable light makes us yearn all the more for the light’s holy Source.\nFrom Jacob’s dream through the present, Jerusalem has always been between Heaven and Earth, a place where the sublime is in constant contact with the mundane. On the one hand, people spit on the ground; on the other hand, they live there as if in a perpetual dream. Both aspects are real; neither tells the whole story. For now, we live in exile and pray, still and again, for return.\nRabbi Adin Steinsaltz was hailed by Time magazine as a “once-in-a-millennium scholar.” More than two million copies of his Steinsaltz Talmud (Random House) have been sold worldwide. He has been a resident scholar at both Yale and Princeton, and in 1988 was awarded the Israel Prize, the country’s highest honor.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "٣٧. فَأَمَّا مَنْ طَغَىٰ\n37. Faamma man tagha\nSo as for he who transgressed\nThen he who had been rebellious\nthen as for him who was insolent\nThen as for him who waxed exorbitant,\nThen, for him who Tagha (transgressed all bounds, in disbelief, oppression and evil deeds of disobedience to Allah).\nAs for him who was defiant.\nThen for him who transgressed\nThen, as for him who rebelled\nas for him who has been rebellious\nthen as for whosoever was insolent\nThen as for him who is inordinate,\nanyone who has acted arrogantly\nThen, for such as had transgressed all bounds,\nQuran Surah An-Naazi'aat ( Verse 37 ) with English Translation فَأَمَّا مَنْ طَغَىٰ", "label": "No"}
{"text": "Kingswood College invites you to attend the TEACH! Conference 2017. The conference theme is Courageous Conversations.\n- Dates: 1-3 September 2017\n- Venue: Kingswood College High Performance Centre & Wyvern Club, Grahamstown\nThrough the TEACH! Conference we hope to reinvigorate the foot soldiers in the teaching profession.\nIf you would like to attend the Conference, please download and complete the attached registration form by 1 August 2017.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "Step back from the confusion, and see the beauty. Rise above the petty conflicts, and see the enduring beauty.\nSee the beauty, and you feel life's raw, authentic substance. See the beauty, and you will also see the most valuable, positive possibilities.\nWhere there is life and awareness, there is beauty. Where there is love, the beauty is overwhelming.\nSee the beauty, and be inspired. See the beauty, and be filled with positive energy.\nThere is great and meaningful beauty where you are. See the beauty, and let it lead you to life's best possibilities.\n-- Ralph Marston\nCopyright (c) 2011 Ralph S. Marston, Jr. From The Daily Motivator at http://greatday.com where you will find an archive of more than 4,500 positive messages plus books, CDs, motivational videos and more. Permission is given to post online only if this entire notice is included.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "About Us - Community\nEvery year Advance Auto Parts serves millions of customers in thousands of stores across the United States, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. But that is only the beginning of our commitment to customers. We also believe in being a good, responsible corporate citizen. In the towns and cities where we reside, we are more than a business - we are neighbors. We are ready to lend a hand where it's needed most.\nYou can see our commitment to service in many places: store windows filled with JDRF paper sneakers, disaster relief efforts provided by the Red Cross, after-school educational programs held by the United Way, and in homes provided to service men and women through Building Homes for Heroes. We have a strong, continuing desire to serve our neighbors. And we will do anything we can to help others live a healthy, successful life.\nIn order to strengthen our efforts to help others, Advance Cares, our corporate giving program is designed to serve our communities and make a positive impact on the lives of others. If your organization is interested in applying for support, click the link below to learn more.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "CANKUZO March 13th (ABP) – The governor of Cankuzo province, Boniface Banyiyezako, welcomed, in his office, the chairman of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC), Pierre Claver Ndayicariye, who came to explain the public hearing process on the truth of the 1972-1973 crisis foreseen in the days to come.\nIn an interview given to a check by ABP, the chair of the TRC indicated that those public hearings will be organized to enhance the activities of truth already carried out and to allow more witnesses to express themselves in front of the public. This could come out of globalization confusing personal responsibility and ethnic community group. He added that there will also be closed and thematic hearings so that Burundians understand that a man who killed must be considered the sole perpetrator and not the whole community. It is up to the culprit to prepare to ask for forgiveness to the nation and the family that lost.\nThis process will help Burundians understand that only the truth will liberate the country in order to have a message of truth but not of lie which has been conveyed for several years. We must engage in the truth that saves, that liberates and that which brings the whole nation together for reconciliation, Ndayicariye underlined.\nIn previous activities, according to him, it is evident that some people have not been able to speak out due to intimidation or other reasons. These public hearings will be carefully prepared so that everyone feels comfortable, he insisted, adding that the truth must come from all sides. Note that all provinces will be visited for the same purpose.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "Highway 169, entering St. Peter(both sides)\nSpeed limit drops from 55 to 35 what seems to be instantly. Local police wait on the border of St. Peter to nail those who are going over 35 mph, often those who are in the process of slowing down to the 35 mph speed limit. Speed limit on either side of St. Peter is 55 mph, making it a prime location to get nailed for a ticket\nVote for this Speedtrap below:\nYou need to register before posting a comment. This helps us protect the site from spammers. It's free, it only takes a few seconds to register, and your comments will remain anonymous.\nAlready have an account? Log in here\nAdd a Comment\nYou must be logged in to post a comment.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "|Nancy K Perry Children's Center Artwork|\nThis center and the others we are working with really need our help to assist the children they serve. A homemade gift given to them can give them the feeling of love and caring and is there when a loved one might not be able to be. As we narrow our focus to our state and ones close to us, we will do all that we can to help each group, but we need help. We can be the Hands of Hope - please join us - there is much to do and 2011 will be a growing year for the South Carolina Binky Patrol!! Email us at email@example.com - we are waiting hear from you.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "tatah samadhaya mano manisaya\nbabhasa etat pratilabdha-vag asau\ntatah—thereafter; samadhaya—controlling; manah—the mind; manisaya—by his intelligence; babhasa—spoke; etat—this; pratilabdha—recovering; vak—speech; asau—that one (King Citraketu); niyamya—controlling; sarva-indriya—of all the senses; bahya—external; vartanam—the wandering; jagat-gurum—who is the spiritual master of everyone; satvata—of devotional service; sastra—of the holy scriptures; vigraham—the personified form.\nThereafter, by controlling his mind with his intelligence and thus restricting his senses from external engagements, he recovered suitable words with which to express his feelings. Thus he began offering prayers to the Lord, who is the personification of the holy scriptures [the satvata-samhitas like the Brahma-samhita and the Narada-pancaratra] and who is the spiritual master of all. He offered his prayers as follows.\nOne cannot offer prayers to the Lord with mundane words. One must become spiritually advanced by controlling the mind and senses. Then he can find suitable words to offer in prayers to the Lord. Quoting the following verse from the Padma Purana, Srila Sanatana Gosvami forbids us to sing any song not sung by authorized devotees.\nThe words or songs of a person not fixed in Vaisnava behavior, not strictly following the rules and regulations and chanting the Hare Krsna mantra should not be accepted by pure devotees. The words satvata-sastra-vigraham indicate that the sac-cid-ananda body of the Lord can never be accepted to be made of maya. Devotees do not offer prayers to the Lord in an imaginary form. The existence of the Lordís form is supported by all Vedic literature.\nLink to this page: https://prabhupadabooks.com/sb/6/16/33", "label": "No"}
{"text": "The Jalopy Journal\nDiscussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by Ryan, Dec 25, 2009.\nMerry Christmas everyone,and thanks RYAN for everything you do.\nMerry Christmas everyone. It 52 degrees right now so I am gonna take my 55 out for a drive.\nMerry Christmas Hope Santa left all the cool and groovy stuff you wanted for the ride under the tree,Me I got a Hula chick for the dash of my 56.Ryan I gotta thank you and and your crew for the great job you do for all of us here,Even though we know we should be in the shop working on our rides,again thank El Jeffe.\nMerry Christmas everyone!!!\nMerry Christmas from the Davison family.\nMerry Christmas! My wife and I are snowed in for x-mas. We have between 8-12 inchs with an addtional 7-12 to come.\nmerry christmas fellow hambers! have a great holiday\nMerry xmas to all and a happy new year\nFELIZ NAVIDAD! INFIDELS!\nSeriously, I wish everyone a very Merry X-Mas!\nMerry Christmas from Brixton Hill Buick!\nA very Happy Christmas and a great New Year to all you HAMBERS, where ever you are..\nMerry Christmas HAMBers!\nRyan and all HAMBers, Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas and a very Happy New Year !\nDave and Bernice Austin\nMerry Christmas Ya'll!\nmerry christmas yall!!\nMerry Christmas to all....It's POURING rain here; in Michigan Kinda envious of you guys with snow!\nThanks RYAN, for giving all the HAMBERS a place to congregate & exchange messeges!!!!\nMerry Christmas & Happy New Year to ALL!!!!---------Don\nMerry Christmas Ryan\nand all Hambers around the world!\n/Per \"RPW\" Webb\nMerry Christmas to Ryan and the whole HAMB family.\nMerry Christmas HAMBers, and Happy New Year!!!\nMerry Christmas to all, and to all a good night!\nMerry Christmas to you all........\nMerry Christmas to you and yours.\nthank you for this place\nMerry Christmas from San Jose...\nMerry Christmas to all of the Hamb. Long live KUSTOMS. THanks for keeping part of them alive on this board.\nMerry Christmas everyone\nMerry Christmas to all!\nMerry christmas to the whole hamb family.\nryan merry xmas to your family from all of us here\nMERRY CHRISTMAS to Ryan , all our friends and family : from me , suzie , corina & kala ,the dogs , & the guys & gals @ GAMBINO KUSTOMS\nSeparate names with a comma.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "Jamain is an amazing person. He is stubborn but kind heart-ed. Anger could be an issue but the girl in his life can control that. He may come off sex oriented but deep inside He just wants to get close to a lady. Overall a Jamain is someone that you would need in your life. He is naturally funny and loves a good time. Jamains love music.\nMy favorite person is Jamain.\nThe Urban Dictionary Mug\nOne side has the word, one side has the definition. Microwave and dishwasher safe. Lotsa space for your liquids.\nBuy the mug", "label": "No"}
{"text": "At the June 9 Peninsula College Board of Trustees’ Meeting Resolution 2020-07 was passed, affirming the Trustee’s opposition to racially based inequity and violence, and affirming the college’s ongoing commitment to equity and inclusion.\n“The Board felt it was important to make this statement, but more importantly, to encourage our college community to take concrete actions to address systemic inequity and institutional racism,” PC President Dr. Luke Robins said. “I join them in inviting the college community to renew our efforts in this vital work.”\nThe resolution appears in its entirety below.\nSTATE OF WASHINGTON\nBOARD OF TRUSTEES, COMMUNITY COLLEGE DISTRICT NO. 1\nA resolution condemning racial bias and violence, and affirming the College’s commitment to creating an inclusive and equitable college community\nWHEREAS the Board of Trustees of Peninsula College are stewards of the college, with a mission of serving a diverse student body and a commitment to equity; and\nWHEREAS racism and violence against blacks and all people of color continues to plague our nation; and\nWHEREAS the killing of George Floyd has focused the nation’s attention on the persistent and often systemic nature of inequality; and\nWHEREAS our college Guiding Principles make it clear that racism and violence against any ethnic, religious, or cultural group is antithetical to our core values and mission, and must not be tolerated;\nNOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, The Board of Trustees of Peninsula College affirms that they stand with Peninsula College in condemning such racism and violence, and pledges to support the college and its faculty, staff, and students in pursuing actions that seek to dismantle systemic inequity and bias, confront hate and violence, and more fully practice the Guiding Principles towards all in our college community.\nADOPTED by the Board of Trustees of Peninsula College, District No. 1, on this ninth day of\nJune in the year 2020.\nSigned and Attested This Date:\nDr. Mike Maxwell, Chair June 9, 2020\nDr. Luke Robins, President June 9, 2020", "label": "No"}
{"text": "Where do people named Crystal Clair live?\n14% lived in North Carolina\n12% lived in Virginia\n12% lived in Iowa\n62% resided in other states.\nHow old are people named Crystal Clair?\nAverage age of 36-65 years old\n25% are between 18-35 years old\n75% aged 36-65\n0% are 66 years or older\nCrystal L Clair\nAge 50 years old Lived in Fulshear, Katy, Universal City, Schertz, Spring, and Cibolo, TX.\nLas Cruces, NM\nVirginia Beach, VA\nAbout Crystal Clair lived in Fulshear, Texas. We found 8 mailing addresses that could be used to contact Crystal.\nCrystal Dawn Clair\nAge 36 years old Lived in Collins and Colo, IA.\nAbout Crystal Dawn Clair was born 36 years ago and may have rented or owned properties in 2 different places including Collins and Colo, IA.\nCrystal H Clair\nAge 40 years old Lived in Rocky Mount, Penhook, Bassett, and Martinsville, VA.\nAbout Crystal Clair is a 40 years old . She has resided in Rocky Mount and Penhook, VA.\nCrystal K Clair\nAge 60 years old Lived in Englewood and Denver, CO.\nAbout Match #4 record's appeared in Englewood, Colorado.\nCrystal St Clair\nAge 6 years old Lived in Strasburg and Toms Brook, VA.\nAbout The 5th Possible Result is Crystal St Clair. This Crystal is 6 years old and activity was seen in Strasburg, Virginia.\nCrystal S Clair\nAge 40 years old Lived in Longmont, CO\nNew Virginia, IA\nAbout Crystal S Clair could have been associated with Wesley Paul St Clair.\nCrystal O Clair\nAge 40 years old Lived in Montgomery, Montandon, Milton, and Turbotville, PA.\nAbout Crystal O Clair could have been associated with Bonnie Janeen Dyer, Randy Ray Dyer, and Thomas J Oclair.\nCrystal D Clair\nAge Not Found Lived in Bethany and New Hampton, MO.\nCrystal D Clair\nAge 61 years old Lived in Loraine, Victoria, Oneida, and Mendon, IL.\nAbout Crystal D Clair could have been associated with Brad S King, Brian D King, Cathy Diane King, Darrell D King, M Darlene King, and Nicholas James King.\nCrystal St Clair\nAge 41 years old Lived in Olin, Statesville, Stoneville, Harmony, Stokesdale, and Madison, NC.\nAbout Crystal St Clair could have been associated with Brenda Anne Arms, Patricia Dove Ballard, Tameika Mo Beatty, Marvin Joyner, Teresa Hopkins Joyner, and Terry Brad Joyner.\nCrystal Lclair Clair\nAge 35 years old Lived in Points, WV\nAbout Crystal Lclair Clair could have been associated with Gregory Jason Black, Laura Patricia Black, Crystal M Blackman, Jane Clair Gertler, Amanda Ann Logsdon, and Sharon Gail Yates.\nCrystal Gail Canaii\nAge 39 years old Lived in Covington and Hampton, VA.\nAbout Crystal Gail Canaii could have been associated with Adam Wayne Loan, Donna G Loan, John Wayne Loan, and Mario Renot Stclair-Cana.\nCrystal Gayle Stclair\nAge 34 years old Lived in Mc Leansville, Greensboro, Goldsboro, and Durham, NC.\nAbout Crystal Gayle Stclair could have been associated with Antyuan Lorenzo Best, Brian Joseph St Clair, Randy Eric St Clair, Steven Glenn St Clair, Brian Eric St-Clair, and Karen Mary St-Clair.\nAge 42 years old Lived in Burgaw, Wilmington, and Tabor City, NC.\nAbout Crystal Clair could have been associated with Ashley Clair Batts, David H Batts, Jason Phillip Batts, Jeremy Bryan Batts, Rebecca Watts Bradshaw, and Joan Dale Masters.\nCrystal St Clair\nAge Not Found Lived in Gibsonia and Valencia, PA.\nAbout Crystal St Clair could have been associated with Ruth Ann Adams, Ronda Ann Davis, Catherine Josephine St Clair, Ronald A St Clair, Ronald Alle St Clair, and Ruth Ann St Clair.\nCrytal A Hunt\nAge 37 years old Lived in High Point and Greensboro, NC.\nAbout Crytal A Hunt could have been associated with Christina L Hunt, Delores W Hunt, Brian Joseph St Clair, Heather Christian St Clair, Brian Eric St-Clair, and Karen Mary St-Clair.\nCrystal A Clair\nAge 36 years old Lived in Spencer and Greenville, IA.\nAbout Crystal A Clair could have been associated with Susan Margaret Grabianowski, Edward Jay Lewis, Adam Levi Oclair, Benjamin Michael Oclair, Charles L Oclair, and Franklin Oclair.\nCrystal N Brattin\nAge 44 years old Lived in Panama City, FL\nAbout Crystal N Brattin could have been associated with April Mixon Brattin, Daniel David Brattin, Jaime Jamica Brattin, Melba Joan Brattin, Timothy Alexander Brattin, and Cathy Ann Lopez.\nAge 35 years old Lived in Bethesda, Hanover, and College Park, MD.\nBrooklyn and Bronx, NY.\nAbout Crystal Stclair could have been associated with Ernst J Jean-Louis, Pascale Lyne Jean-Louis, Mona Jean Louis, Valerie Jean Louis, and Robbin W St Clair.\nAge Not Found Lived in Panama City, FL\nAbout Crystal Stclair could have been associated with Amanda Joy St Clair, Crystal N St Clair, Mazie Lemieux St-Clair, and Roy Lee St-Clair.\nCrystal L St\nAge 47 years old Lived in Huntington and Lesage, WV.\nAbout Crystal L St could have been associated with Ronnette Elizabeth Bragg, Victoria S Miller, Chestle Lee St Clair, Deloris Yvonne St Clair, George St Clair, and George W St Clair.\nCrystal M Clair\nAge 35 years old Lived in Erie, PA\nCrystral Chynyetta Sinclair\nAge 38 years old Lived in Saint Pauls, NC\nAbout Crystral Chynyetta Sinclair could have been associated with Jauana Rae Pevia, Erma Rozier Sinclair, Javance Vance Sinclair, Legrant Sinclair, Lukie Sinclair, and Mary Lane Sinclair.\nAge 26 years old Lived in Mcdonough, GA\nAbout Crystal Sinclair could have been associated with Judette Andrea Fox, Kathia Samedy, and Winston George Antonio Sinclair.\nCrystal Price Trimble\nAge 45 years old Lived in Marlinton, WV\nGreensboro, Graham, and Washington, NC.\nLynchburg and Christiansburg, VA.\nAbout Crystal Price Trimble could have been associated with Allison Price Johnson, Kristina P Linkous, Allison Cornelia Price, Anna Marie Price, Aubrey Ivan Price, and Bessie C Price.\nCrystal U Belle\nAge 36 years old Lived in Lubbock, San Antonio, and Shallowater, TX.\nAbout Crystal U Belle could have been associated with Crystal Marie Belle, Hazel Reeves Belle, Robert Earl Belle, Tonya Gonzales Belle, Willie Aaron Belle, and Woodard Belle.\nCrystal Faith Clair\nAge 36 years old Lived in Chicago, IL\nChrystal Lee Colvin\nAge 44 years old Lived in Keokuk, IA\nAbout Chrystal Lee Colvin could have been associated with James Clifford Burgess, Janet Christine Colvin, Peggy Joyce Colvin, Perry William Colvin, Porsche L Colvin, and Michael John St Clair.\nKrystle Lynn Edwards\nAge 32 years old Lived in Indianola, IA\nAbout Krystle Lynn Edwards could have been associated with Alan Paul Edwards, David William Edwards, Krystle Edwards, Tina Marie Edwards, William L Edwards, and Cheryl Louise Lund.\nChrystal Lee Clair\nAge 40 years old Lived in Burlington, Battle Creek, Springfield, and Bellevue, MI.\nAbout Chrystal Lee Clair could have been associated with Patricia Jean Miller, Dale Albert Smith, M Smith, Matthew Allen Smith, Michael Dale Smith, and Michael David Smith.\nKrissy Joy St Clair\nAge 45 years old Lived in Chico, CA\nAbout Krissy Joy St Clair could have been associated with Jamie Lorraine Beltz, Sheryl Ann Foley, Danielle D Graeff, Jackie Roberta Graeff, Mary Elizabeth Graeff, and Nathan Scott Graeff.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "Have your say\nTrying to have a voice over the other can be justified, not to demand that anyone else have a say on the other, nor to censor or delete the other. But we can also be looked at us from the side we are looking at. Above all, it is necessary to pay attention to the power we have, the energy that we spend on ourselves, so that we can ask everyone to do so.\nIf a series that we watch a section of ours will lead us to other jobs and lead us to watch other parts of it, a drug that will help us to put life into a state of satisfaction, who will convince us to waive what?", "label": "No"}
{"text": "I’ve known Tamara (the baby sister of my friend Minnie, with whom I have been inseparable friends since Nursery School. Twenty three years ago my husband Eric, my mother, Phillis and I emigrated to Toronto. Tamara welcomed us, and extended her loving hospitality and she and I have been inseparable friends ever since. Our children all adored her.\nTamara was a light to many, cared for and counselled innumerable people in need of spiritual care. I am so grateful she was in my life.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "I love stories. Writing. Reading. Watching. They are our doorway to understanding what it is to be human. Social hedonist. Leftist atheist writer living in the Bible Belt. And pastry eater.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "2016 is coming to a close, and throughout the year, you may have interacted with LIM’s Ambassadors. With Christmas being celebrated across the World this Saturday, we handed over the blog to our LIMLegends to share their words of wisdom with the entire amputee community. Here’s what they had to say:\nTammy Myers words of wisdom:\n“You can still accomplish anything you want with a little creativity! Everyone travels at a different pace! Surround yourself with others like you. Knowledge is power! amputeecoalition.org. Your story could help someone else. Be proud of who you are!”\nPamela Selinski words of wisdom:\n“I recently have had the opportunity to speak with several new amputees and their first question is how long does it take. I’ve been telling them patience is not only a virtue it is a necessity when you have limb loss. Pearls of Wisdom = Be Patient”\nCarlos Gonzalez words of wisdom:\n“I am humbled by The grace of God, I have become an advocate for others who don’t have the courage. Allow me to be your voice by being a example of hope and faith. Walk on!”\nDoug Van Pool words of wisdom:\n“Don’t let amputation define you. We are so much more than that. Advocate, educate, elucidate. Lead others that share your fate. Be that shining light, like the morning star, always steady, always bright. And Never, Never quit!”\nDeborah Smith words of wisdom:\n“I’m fortunate to be part of the LIM team in the Midwest, and was fit with our TT socket in May. As an amputee one of the most rewarding aspects of my role with LiM is working with others with limb loss. When I became an amputee 1½ years ago I quickly realized I’d joined an incredible community of people. I’m grateful to hear their stories, learn from them, and help with journeys towards increased comfort and mobility.\nJust as we prepare and plan step by step for holiday celebrations, our incremental efforts each day toward our goals as prosthetic wearers can culminate in wonderful accomplishments and celebration. There are so many organizations out there to help us be as active as we can dream, whatever our physical challenge may be. Thank you dare2tri.org, juddgoldmansailing.org, adaptivegolf.org!\nMerry Christmas, Happy Celebrations, and New Year to all!”", "label": "No"}
{"text": "Create your own Word Search, and print copies for an entire class. All in 5 minutes.\nCreate my Word Search now\nYour Word Search will be in your hands in five minutes.\nYou can create these worksheets and puzzles:\ncree's is a boss! Word Search\npeople and pets Word Search\nMy Family Word Search\nMelchert Names Word Search\nDay of Our Lives Characters Word Search\nTo Kill a Mockingbird Crossword\nTo kill a mockingbird Crossword\nDRAKE FAMILY Word Search\nLaura's Puzzle Crossword\nFantastic Fourth Grade Word Search\nThe Outsiders Crossword\nWHO ARE YOU Crossword\nCreation of Israel Crossword Puzzle Crossword\nthe outsiders Crossword\nStarbucks Global Shared Services Crossword\nBohman Family Christmas 2016 Crossword\nUntitled Word Search\nCopyright © 2019 Nathaniel Story. All Rights Reserved.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "Have you had time to know what Excellent World International Organization stands for? This organization has something that concerns you. It has a very lofty vision for the world. It is a vision to rally the excellent people of the world like you together to make the world an excellent place for everybody to enjoy. Each person will not need to do much; just a little drop of water and together we make a mighty ocean.\nExcellent World International Organization is thus a worldwide online forum whose aim is to propagate, promote, and encourage ideas and activities geared towards making the world an excellent place for all to enjoy.\nDo you believe that the world can be an excellent place for all to enjoy? Do you believe that it is the duty of the people of the world to make the world an excellent place for everybody to enjoy? Do you acknowledge that by coming together and honestly working for an excellent world the excellent people of the world can make an immense contribution to the building of an excellent world? Are you ready to be part of a worldwide forum which is committed to promoting ideas and actions that can make the world an excellent place? If you are, as we believe you are, Excellent World International Organization is where you belong.\nThis is an organization for the excellent people of the world who have loving hearts and not only do they want to see an excellent world for everybody to enjoy, but they are also ready to work for it. Our mission is the pursuit of an excellent world. Our dream world is an excellent world. We are sick and tired of the world of hatred in which we find ourselves. Our vision is a world where love, peace and harmony prevail; a just world whose enormous riches are enjoyed by all; a world in which we all live decent lives; eat to our fill; have good roofs over our heads; relate excellently with fellow human beings.\nThis dream world is the world which our creator meant for humanity. Unfortunately, because of the work of the devil, greed and blind ambition, it turned into a world in which evil dominates. Whether we have a good world or an evil world depends on what we the inhabitants of the world do. Every evil act we carry out adds to the evil in the world and makes the world an evil world. Every good act we carry out adds to the good in the world and goes to make the world a good world. The more good we do, therefore, the better the world will be. The more evil we do, the worse the world will be. Thus, it is incumbent on those who want good to prevail over evil in the world to promote good and fight against evil. This is what Excellent World International Organization is out for; in fact, not only are we out to promote good; but to promote excellence. We want excellence to prevail in the world. We want an excellent world.\nIt is true that the world is full of evil people who enjoy doing evil and monopolize the riches of the world. They have no value for human life. They take delight in the suffering of others. They exploit, cheat and maltreat fellow human beings. Yet, there is still great hope for the world. Great days lie ahead. There are billions of excellent people who want a world of love, peace and harmony; a just world in which the dignity of the human being is upheld. These are the people to whom Excellent World International Organization belongs. If you have read up to this point, this is where you belong. So, dear friend, join the forum. Let us journey together and build our dream world.\nLittle drops of water make a mighty ocean. One good idea at a time, day in day out, will change the world. No matter the idea that you have, if you think it can make the world a better place, please, do not hesitate to share it to the world through this forum! It could be a quote, a sentence, a paragraph, an essay; it could be a poem, a song, a reflection, a story, a message or a letter, let it go round. Let us jointly make our world an excellent place for all of us to enjoy. That is our challenge.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "The beginnings of this village go back to the time when the tribe of the Alemanen settled in this area, as is proofed by the ending -ingen of its name. Gomaringen is mentioned for the first time in the 11th century in the chronicle of Berthold of Zwiefalten. After the extinction of the counts of Achalm in 1191, members of the local gentry, which took the name after the village Gomaringen, are first mentioned.\nThey were Friedericus and Hugo de Gomaringen who were in the service of the Markgraf of Tübingen. A fort with glacis, the present day castle and other rights and properties belonged to the Lords of Gomaringen. The Gomaringen coat of arms has the eagle on a red background. Stockach, which now belongs to Gomaringen, once belonged to the Lords of Gomaringen.\nFrom the 13th through the 15th century the rulers of Gomaringen frequently appear as spiritual rulers. The most significant representatives were Werner and Peter of Gomaringen who were both abbots of Bebenhausen, the local monastery of the Markgrafs of Tübingen. The economical decline of the family began shortly after the middle of the 14th century caused by frequent division through inheritance and in addition the preference for spiritual power and its associated gifts, particularly to the monastery of Bebenhausen.\nIn the second half of the 15th century, after various changes of ownership, the whole previous Gomaringen property with all its rights and liegemen was transformed to the then prosperous hospital of the imperial town of Reutlingen. For 150 years bailiffs ran the affairs of the imperial city in the castle.\nAfter the 30 Years War, whose hoorors also affected Gomaringen, Reutlingen, deeply in debt, sold in December 1648 “Gomaringen as its most noble village and castle” for 30.000 guildes to Count Eberhard III of Württemberg. Until 1807 Gomaringen remained directly answerable to the Prince and was administered by bailiffs of the castle.\nAfter that it was incorporated into the district o Reutlingen until 1973. The official description of 1824 reports that Gomaringen was “the poorest parish with the most children”. So it is not surprising that from the end of the 18th century till the end of the 19th century 821 people emigrated especially to the USA.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "Ink – Beneath the Stain, available on Amazon.\nA boy born with a giant birthmark faces the brutal challenges of a world fearful and judgmental of differences. Providence leads him to the eccentric and bizarre corner of life. Perhaps he has found his niche. But still people cannot see beneath the stain. Then he meets two others who have also endured terrible bias in their lives. Drawn to one another, the three form a charged and passionate relationship which hurtles towards tragedy, but in the end is saved by the power of love.\nOwl Manor – the Dawning, coming soon!\nThe hand of fate is ever present. We would believe we are in complete control, spend our lives trying to exercise that control, but sometimes the tide sweeps us in directions unimagined. And we have no choice but to swim towards the whatever that awaits us, and to wonder if it was meant to be.\nThis is the story of Eva. Stifled by the ignorant attitudes towards women in Colonial America, unable to reach her full potential, Eva lives a life of dissatisfaction and frustration. Fate leads her to the Rocky Mountains in 1859, and the shadow that lurks in the dark halls of Owl Manor, where she finds unforeseen fulfillment.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "Disclosing this on his Instagram page, he stated that, “Happy 40th birthday to me. Happy birthday to a man of peace and love. I thank God for letting me see this day in my life. I thank God for all His blessings.”\nHe added, “All the prayer points and wishes I had many years ago God has answered all of them and even more. And I’m grateful to Him.”\nThe star actor declared his ambition of becoming the president of Nigeria in 2023 last year, in which his father, Pete Edochie, who is a veteran Nollywood actor prayed for him.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "We want to clench onto life.\nIn our sayings, in our principles, in our lifestyle.\nWe want it to be something we can grab onto…so tightly.\nSomething we don’t want to let go of…ever.\nSo build a life where we never, ever let go.\nOf what we get.\nBut what we hold onto unravels. It breaks down.\nIt’s the way things go.? It’s the way life works.\nWe might be lucky however….and…\nWhat we grab might unravel along with our desire to hold on.\noriginal pen name “Sim___? Li__”\n(please reflect for 60 seconds)", "label": "No"}
{"text": "A fun, family concert with The Community Orchestra and special guests. Enjoy music from the shows, light classics, pop, standards and novelty numbers. Now in its sixth year the orchestra rehearses in the heart of Barney at St Mary’s Parish Church and enjoys a true community spirit, welcoming players of mixed ages and experience. Tonight our special guests are the school choir from Green Lane while Cream Tees will entertain you in the foyer pre-show.\nEntry: £8 Adult and £5 under 16s | student\nFurther Information and Booking Details: Click Here", "label": "No"}
{"text": "Fri, Jun 28|\nWomb Healing Intensive: Inner-Mother Archetype\nTime & Location\nJun 28, 2019, 6:30 p.m. – 10:30 p.m.\nGiggling Phoenix, 109 Wharhol Private, Nepean, ON, Canada\nAbout The Event\nJoin us for a sacred gathering of women for women.\nThis circle is a space for women to remember, to heal, to connect to their femininity and to be embraced by the Council of the Mother.\nTogether, we will experience a group attunement from the Divine Feminine and receive an energetic balancing of our womb systems. To welcome the season, we will offer an transmission of energy from the Council of the Mother to offer healing to the Inner-Mother archetype within each of us.\nPlease register by email to\n(registration is mandatory to confirm your space) or visit www.gigglingphoenix.com\nWomb Healing Intensive$60.00", "label": "No"}
{"text": "“The benefit of single life is the depth and brightness one observes in the dreams about love.”—Anu.\nThe burn of the love unsaid,\nThe tear in the extreme intimacy,\nThe obsessive comfort of the hopelessness,\nThe miracle of life,\nHope, joy, smile and you;\nAll are poetry.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "A letter to the editor:\nThe reader of your last post – who made the ugly comment about Vanguard – is no doubt referring to the possibility that, despite his willingness to teach the world a new way of thinking and behaving, he may need assistance overcoming hypersexual disorder.\nConsider this from a compassionate side: Vanguard has dedicated his life to guiding others, mentoring them, teaching them, training them, (and if need be punishing them in the interest of justice), sacrificing his heart, mind and sexual energies in noble fashion.\nMuch like Father Damian who caught leprosy aiding lepers, Raniere has contracted the women’s lust-disease.\nDuring Vanguard’s advent on earth – living among selfish, over-sexed women – plunging unselfishly into their bosoms, guiding their small brains, he has been entrapped.\nLike Adam ensnared by the coy one, Eve.\nHow selfish the women are – all of them demanding sex from Vanguard; he never had a chance to be celibate.\nWhile he shoulders the burdens of these sexified, selfish women, who takes his burden?\nWhere is there mention of how Raniere sacrificed his life to serve greedy sex pot harlots?\nYou mock him because his ex-girlfriend – the evil harlot Toni Natalie who broke his heart when she cuckolded him with Scott Foley – said he sleeps all day.\nAll day he must sleep to rest up for the evening. It is not enough to teach he must service the women he must train to revitalize humanity with his Rational Inquiry tools.\nOne more thrust of the pelvis for the one lying there and two more watching, waiting, and six more thinking at home nearby, and when he breezes by – looking at him with longing eyes.\nWho weeps for Vanguard?\nAnd which of the women wait for him with a veil?\n— Mary Anne Deluca", "label": "No"}
{"text": "Listening to me talk of Elise, he was convinced that this was the case with the two of us. We were bonded together, meant for each other, and nothing had ever sounded sweeter. I’d like nothing more for the rest of my life to start with Elise as soon as possible.\nEzra tired of listening to me speak endlessly of Elise, her smooth skin, her fiery hair, her hypnotic eyes… so he sent me out with a pad of paper to write down my story of Elise.\nSo here I sit on the stone by the pub entrance, scribbling all the things I can’t keep inside as I wait for Elise to arrive. Elise, my love, my true…\nAugust 17, 1852\nI hope this letter finds you well. My heart aches without you, but otherwise, this journey is setting alright with me. I’ll never learn to enjoy being at sea, but the boat ride from Dublin wasn’t that long, and I am grateful for that.\nAs I write this, we’re not yet to London, but I expect we will be soon. The carriage is jostling us about a lot, so forgive the mistakes and the ink on the paper. Ezra is sound asleep next to me, and I wish that I could travel like him.\nMaybe I would, but I can’t keep my thoughts from my last conversation with you. It’s that you said this time apart would be good for us both that has me so terrified.\nI know this only because you feel as though I’m rushing things, but I’m not. We have only been courting for three months, that is true, but I am certain that I want to be with you for the rest of my existence. My proposal isn’t that strange.\nEternity is a very long time, but I know what I am agreeing to with you. I lie awake thinking of you when I should be sleeping. Ezra complains because I say your name in my sleep, and it keeps him awake.\nWe are bonded together, just as he says we are, and we both feel it. Why can’t you trust that I love you? I’ve done nothing to dissuade you of that, have I?\nEzra and I bought the house down the road from you, so we can be near without being too near. I’ve enjoyed the few kisses you let me steal, and I never ask you for more. I respect your decision to wait until marriage, but that’s not what I am encouraging marriage.\nI love you, Elise. I love you, I love you, I love you.\nNothing can part me from you, my love, not even this distance between us. My heart still belongs to you, the way it always has, and always will.\nI still feel your lips pressed to mine, taste the salt on them from the tears in your eyes as you kissed me goodbye. I assured you it was only a month to do business, to make our lives better, and you told me the time apart would do us both good.\nThe night before I left, when we stood in the moonlight in the garden behind your house, my proposal felt hasty. I know. But it wasn’t. I’ve thought of it since I met you, but when I’m with you, the words come out all wrong. My tongue fumbles that which my heart is certain of.\nElise, you are my love, my world, my true. You are the compass that keeps me due north. You are the moon that tells me when to wake and the sun that tells me when to sleep. You are everything, and so much more than that.\nWhat I wanted to say to you, when your soft hand was cold in mine, and I saw you looking up at me with worry in your eye. You think I’ll go to London and won’t return – as if I could exist without you, as if I even have a choice not to come back.\nI want to pour my heart out to this paper, but I fear the paper cannot contain it all. My love is spilling down the edges, seeping to the ground, and out the carriage door. The wind will carry it back to you, carry my heart to you, to where it belongs with you.\nDo you not see that, Elise? You possess me, the way the Devil possessed Judas. Not that you are evil – but that you have taken over my soul, that you occupy my body, that my very being belongs to you.\nI am going to London for you, for us. I know you love the farm, that you love managing the land your father once churned. But the earth can dry up, it can turn on you, and you know this better than anyone.\nI want a life for us that is built on something far more stable. Ezra believes something is happening in America, something we should return to. He’s speaking of the gold rush in California, and sees that as an opportunity for us to grow. To have something, instead of scraping by. He wants to be a captain of industry, and on this, I agree with him.\nI can’t ask for your hand if I have no means for us to live. I’m not recanting my proposal, but I am working up to it. I must earn the right to be your husband, and I assure you that I will. When we return, I will have everything I need.\nUntil then, I will have the memory of you to spur me on.\nDo you remember our first kiss? You’d been dodging it for weeks, just as determined to keep your virtue as I was to steal it. I was meant to be helping you garden, but I spent more time distracting you than working.\nI took your hand, and you fell down laughing onto the grass. I lay above me, looking in your eyes, certain I’d never seen anything I’d ever want more. I bent down to kiss you, overjoyed when you let my lips touch yours.\nSomething surged between us, something deeper than passion or desire. My blood warmed, flowing like liquid fire through my veins. I could feel your heart in my lips, hear it pounding in my ears. It was if love had a physical manifestation.\nThis month will be agony without your kisses, I know it, but it is a necessity. It must be done, for the good of us both, and hopefully, you will understand how much I love you, how much I need you.\nUntil I return to you, remember you are my love, my life, my very self.\nMay 12, 1853", "label": "No"}
{"text": "The European Royals Message Board\n[ Post a response | The European Royals Message Board ]\nRe: JFK's ancestry\nUser logged in as fcgmvt\nIt was my assumption that those men sitting on the throne of Scotland were native Scots- Robert Bruce, Duncan, etc.. English kings or Kings of England began sitting on the throne of Scotland after the end of the Stuart reigns beginning with William of Orange and then on to the Hanovers.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "| Puff’s Bang Baby powers includes a potent breathe mist (that apparently has a pungent odor) and the ability to make her legs turn into a “puff” cloud, which allows her to float and drift in the air.\nPuff’s been known to hang out with Hotstreak, Carmendillo and even more so with Onyx.\nOnyx is her longtime friend and together they were exposed to the Big Bang gas. Onxy was transformed into a giant, purple strong man, who is able to crush and smash things in his way with very little effort. Onyx is usually more forgiving than Puff, but is willing to do what she tells him to in order to get the job done.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "Dec 16, 2014\nSarah Kerr is a Death Midwife and Ceremonialist in Calgary, Alberta. Her focus is on the spiritual and relational support of people who are at the end of life and guides them through this spiritual landscape. READ MORE.\nEnd of Life Care Certificate\nTraining and mentoring doulas, companions, guides and midwives since 2005", "label": "No"}
{"text": "“The District of Fort St. James is pleased to release our Senior’s Action Plan to the Community. Thank you to all who participated in the surveys and one on one interviews! Your participation allowed us to learn what it’s like to be a senior or elder in our community. You also let us know how we can do better. Find a link to the report below, on the District website, and in the Office for viewing” See Senior’s Action Plan here.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "|Becher of Howbury|\n|Fotheringhay College: the buildings as shown on a 16th century estate map.|\nHowbury Hall, Renhold, Bedfordshire\n|Howbury Hall: watercolour by Thomas Fisher, c.1815, showing the Jacobean house. Image: Cheffins Fine Art.|\n|Howbury Hall: engraving of 1851 showing the house with only one wing.|\n|Howbury Hall: the entrance front today|\nBecher family of Howbury Hall\n(1.1) Elizabeth Becher (c.1542-1612), born about 1542; married 1st, 5 October 1560 at St Christopher-le-Stocks, London, Clement Kelk (1523-93) of London, haberdasher and merchant adventurer; married 2nd, 7 January 1594 at St Helen, Bishopsgate, London, as his third wife, Thomas Harrison (1530-1602) of Finchampstead (Berks), surveyor of the staple; apparently died without issue and was buried at Finchampstead, 10 September 1612; will proved 1612;\n(1.2) Henry Becher (c.1544-1608) (q.v.);(1.3) Edward Becher (c.1545-1607?), of Allhallows, London; said to have been an esquire of the body to Queen Elizabeth I; possibly the man of this name admitted to Lincoln's Inn, 1595/6; married, 1580 (licence 5 October), the Hon. Frances (b. 1549), daughter of William Brooke, 10th Baron Cobham, and widow of Thomas Coppinger (d. 1580) of Davington (Kent), and had issue three sons; said to have died at Finchampstead, 1607;(1.4) Phane Becher (c.1546-92) [for whom see my post on the Becher family of Aughadown and Hollybrook](1.5) Mary Becher (c.1549-1600); married, 4 September 1569 at St Christopher-le-Stocks, London, Chideock Wardour (1542-1611) of Plaitford (Hants), Clerk of the Pells in the Exchequer and MP for Stockbridge (Hants), 1589 and Ludgershall (Wilts), 1593, and had issue one son and three daughters; died 19 September 1600 and was buried at Chiswick (Middx), where she and her husband are commemorated by a monument;(1.6) Margaret Becher (c.1551-1621); married, 23 July 1571 at Stratfield Saye (Hants), Sir Thomas Dabridgecourt (c.1546-1614), kt., of Stratfield Saye, eldest son of George Dabridgecourt (and whose sister Susan married her brother Phane), and had issue at least three sons and two daughters; buried at Stratfield Saye, 30 October 1621; her will was proved 29 November 1622;(1.7) Mabel Becher (b. c.1553); married, 3 February 1575/6 at East Tisted (Hants), Sir Richard Norton (c.1552-1611) of Tisted (Hants) (who m2, after 1598, Elizabeth, daughter of Richard Capell of Rudgwick (Sussex) and widow of Humphrey Adderley (1511/2-98) of Weddington Hall (Northants)), and had issue three sons and two daughters; died about 1590-95;(1.8) William Becher (c.1554-1631), born about 1554 (aged 16 in 1571); made free of the Worshipful Company of Haberdashers, 1577; admitted to the Inner Temple, 1597; married, 14 April 1578 at Islington (Middx), Judith (c.1561-1630), daughter of John Quarles of London, and had issue four sons and six daughters (including Sir William Becher (1581-1651), kt., MP, Clerk of the Privy Council and diplomat); buried at St Martin-in-the-Fields, Westminster (Middx), 21 October 1631;(1.9) Dorothy Becher (c.1555-58), born about 1555; died young and was buried at St Christopher-le-Stocks, London, 8 April 1558;(1.10) Bartholomew Becher (b. c.1556), born about 1556; educated at Peterhouse, Cambridge (matriculated 1572) and Middle Temple (admitted 1573; called to bar, 1589); barrister-at-law; married Alice Miller; living in 1592 but death not traced.\n(1) Jane Becher (1572-75), baptised at St Christopher-le-Stocks, London, 23 November 1572; died young and was buried in the same church, 16 August 1575;(2) Sir William Becher (1574-1640), kt. (q.v.);(3) Edward Becher (1577-c.1658), baptised at St Christopher-le-Stocks, London, 3 August 1577; educated at Peterhouse, Cambridge (matriculated 1592) and Lincoln's Inn (admitted 1596); died unmarried and was buried at Fotheringhay, 24 September 1658; will proved in the PCC, 15 October 1658;(4) Elizabeth Becher (1580-1652), baptised at St. Christopher-le-Stocks, London, 28 August 1580; inherited her father's property at Huntspill (Som.); married, 17 August 1602 at Fotheringhay, as his second wife, Thomas Anscell (d. 1623) of Great Barford (Beds), and had issue at least three sons and two daughters; lived latterly at Kempston (Beds); buried at Great Barford, 19 September 1652; will proved in the PCC, 7 May 1653;(5) George Becher (b. 1587; fl. 1640), baptised at St. Christopher-le-Stocks, London, 17 April 1587; lived at Clavering (Essex); married, 2 September 1618 at Battersea (Surrey), Elizabeth Whitney, and had issue at least two sons and two daughters; living in 1640 but death not traced;(6) Ursula Becher (b. 1589; fl. 1640), baptised at St. Christopher-le-Stocks, London, 5 January 1589; married, 26 February 1608/9 at Fotheringhay, Matthew Robinson (fl. 1647) of Longthorpe (Hunts), and had issue at least one son and two daughters; living in 1640;(7) Dorothy Becher (1590-1651), baptised at Southill (Beds), 25 October 1590; married, 27 November 1610 at Fotheringhay, George Kimpton (d. 1656) of Weston (Herts); buried at Weston, 9 June 1651.\n(1) Olive Becher (b. 1596), baptised at St Christopher-le-Stocks, London, 23 May 1596;(2) Oliver Becher (1598-c.1659) (q.v.);(3) twin, Dorothy Becher (1600-59?), baptised at Bletsoe, 15 April 1600; married 1st, 16 January 1626/7 at Fotheringhay, as his second wife, William Conyers (d. 1639) of Walthamstow (Essex), serjeant-at-law and 2nd, 8 August 1654 at Walthamstow, Stephen Harvey of London; probably the woman of this name buried at Toppesfield (Essex), 29 October 1659;(4) twin, Judith Becher (b. & d. 1600), baptised at Bletsoe, 15 April 1600; died in infancy and was buried at Bletsoe, 5 August 1600;(5) Henry Becher (1602-c.1660), baptised at Fotheringhay, 2 May 1602; married, 31 July 1623 at St Margaret, Westminster (Middx), Anne Silvester (fl. 1666), and had issue one son and six daughters; died between 1657 (when he was named in the will of an uncle) and 1666 (when his brother Francis' will says he was deceased);(6) Anne Becher (1603-59), baptised at Renhold, 9 October 1603; married, 26 August 1625 at Fotheringhay, Edmund Harding of Aspley Guise (Beds); buried at Aspley Guise, 10 August 1659;(7) Elizabeth Becher (1606-c.1655), baptised at Renhold, 9 March 1605/6; died unmarried and was described as 'lately deceased' in the will of her uncle Edward Becher in March 1655/6;(8) William Becher (b. & d. 1607), baptised at Renhold, 26 July 1607; died in infancy and was buried at Renhold, 17 November 1607;(9) Rev. William Becher (1608-61), baptised at Renhold, 20 November 1608; possibly educated at Oxford University; ordained 1636; rector of Woodford (Northants), 1638-61, and probably a Puritan as the owner of the advowson held Puritan views; died, probably unmarried, about September 1661;(10) Edward Becher (1610-c.1635), baptised at Renhold, 5 August 1610; educated at St John's College, Cambridge (matriculated 1628; BA 1631); said to have died in Germany before 1640;(11) St. John Becher (1611-59), baptised at Renhold, 14 November 1611; probably the man of this name buried at Renhold, 20 April 1659;(12) Judith Becher (b. 1612), baptised at Renhold, 29 November 1612; died unmarried;(13) Francis Becher (1614-97) [for whom see below];(14) Fane Becher (1615-c.1619), baptised at Fotheringhay, 21 December 1615; died aged about four years;(15) Katherine Becher (b. 1618), baptised at Renhold, 23 December 1618; living unmarried in 1655/6;(16) Howard Becher (1620-95), baptised at Fotheringhay, 29 June 1620; educated at Emmanuel College and Peterhouse, Cambridge (matriculated 1637; BA 1639; MA 1643); intruded as a Presbyterian Fellow of Peterhouse, 1644 and was one of the Taxors of the University, 1646, but was one of three Fellows ejected by the visitors in 1650; he transferred to Oxford, where he was incorporated in 1655; and died unmarried at the house of Samuel Clark in Oxford; will proved 16 March 1694/5.(17) John Becher (b. 1622), baptised at Fotheringhay, 9 May 1622; living in 1695, when he was executor of his brother Howard's will.\n(1) Sir William Becher (1628-94) (q.v.);(2) Oliver Becher (1629-80), born 4 July and baptised at Fotheringhay, 16 July 1629; educated at Middle Temple (admitted 1666); lived at Brill (Bucks) and later at West Lynn (Norfk); married, 15 December 1670, Sarah Wyan (b. c.1640) of London, but apparently had no issue; buried at Renhold, 16 October or 12 November 1680*;(3) Edward Becher (1630-35), baptised at Fotheringhay, 25 October 1630; died young, 13 December 1635 and was buried at Hardingstone (Northants);(4) Elizabeth Becher (1632-80), born 14 March and baptised at Renhold, 22 March 1631/2; died unmarried at the home of her brother-in-law, Oliver Williams, and was buried at St Faith by St Paul's, London, 25 April 1680;(5) John Becher (1633-34), born 30 July and baptised at Renhold, 20 August 1633; died in infancy, 28 February and was buried at Renhold, 1 March 1633/4;(6) Francis Becher (1634-97), born 2 August and baptised at Renhold, 10 August 1634; died unmarried, 3 January and was buried at Renhold, 12 January 1696/7;(7) Mary Becher (1635-59), born 12 September and baptised at Renhold, 13 September 1635; died unmarried and was buried at Renhold, 11 May 1659;(8) Judith Becher (1636-55), born 14 October 1636; died unmarried and was buried at St. Bartholomew the Great, London, 17 December 1655 'from the house of the Countess of Bolingbroke';(9) St. John Becher (b. 1637), born at Howbury, 8 November 1637; possibly the man of this name who married, 17 November 1670 at St Alphage, London Wall, London, Elizabeth Hunton, and had issue one son;(10) Catherine Becher (1640-1704), born 8 August and baptised at Renhold, 17 August 1640; married 1st, 6 April 1680, Oliver Williams (d. 1693) of London, apothecary, and 2nd, 8 April 1695 at St Dunstan, Stepney (Middx), Richard Becher (c.1653-1701) [for whom see below]; she died without issue and was buried at St Faith by St Paul's, London, 3 November 1704; her will was proved 6 November 1704.\n(1.1) Arabella Becher (1657-1700), born 17 January and baptised at Renhold, 30 January 1656/7; married, 1684 (licence 14 June), Thomas Huxley (c.1638-94), of North Mimms (Herts), the brother of her father's second wife, and had issue at least two daughters; buried at Renhold, 13 October 1700;(1.2) St. John Becher (1658-85), born 2 August and baptised at Renhold, 17 August 1658; educated at Queens' College, Cambridge (matriculated 1677) and Inner Temple (admitted 1678); died unmarried and was buried at Renhold, 17 March 1684/5;(2.1) William Becher (1661-1724) (q.v.);(2.2) Elizabeth Becher (1663-1701), born 4 March and baptised at Renhold, 12 March 1662/3; died unmarried, of smallpox, 17 April, and was buried at Renhold, 22 April 1701, where she is commemorated by monument attributed to Edward Stanton;(2.3) John Becher (1664-73), born 22 June and baptised at Renhold, 21 July 1664; died young and was buried at Renhold, 11 May 1673;(2.4) George Becher (1667-1740), born 28 October and baptised at Renhold, 11 November 1667; apprenticed to an attorney and educated at Inner Temple (admitted 1688); a member of the South Sea Company; lived at Stepney and Hammersmith (Middx) but latterly in London; died unmarried and was buried at Renhold, 12 November 1740; his will was proved 21 November 1740.\n(1.1) William Becher (1697-1751) (q.v.);(2.1) Jane Rachel Becher (1700-70), born 12 July and baptised at Kensington (Middx), 3 August 1700; married, 28 January 1719/20 at St James Piccadilly, Westminster (Middx), as his third wife, Thomas Lewis (1685-1732) of St. Pierre (Mon.), MP for Monmouthshire, 1713, 1715-22, and had issue two sons and five daughters; buried at St George-the-Martyr, London, 25 June 1770; will proved in the PCC, 26 June 1770;(2.2) Mary Becher (1702-03), born 3 July 1702; died of convulsions in infancy, 13 January, and was buried at Renhold, 17 January 1702/3.\n(1) Elizabeth Becher (c.1650-85), born about 1650; died unmarried and was buried in the family vault at St Stephen Walbrook, London, 7 March 1684/5; will proved 15 January 1686/7;(2) Richard Becher (c.1653-1701); grocer and druggist of London; married, 1st, 30 October 1676 at St Mary Woolnoth, London, Lydia (1653-94), daughter of William Marston of London, and 2nd, 1695 (licence 8 April), Catherine, daughter of Oliver Becher and widow of Oliver Williams, and had issue six sons and three daughters; buried at St Stephen, Walbrook, London, 30 December 1701;(3) Edward Becher (c.1654-1711) (q.v.)\n(1) Francis Becher (c.1681-82), born about 1681; died in infancy and was buried at St Botolph Bishopsgate, London, 10 July 1682;(2) Sir Edward Becher (1682-1732), kt., baptised at St Botolph, Bishopsgate, London, 2 March 1681/2; citizen and draper of London; Master of the Draper's Company, 1719-20; a director of the South Sea Company, 1724-32; common councilman for Bishopsgate Without Ward, 1711-18, and alderman, 1718-32 (sheriff, 1721-22; Lord Mayor, 1727-28); knighted, 8 May 1722; married, 6 May 1707 at St Saviour, Southwark (Surrey), Ann (b. 1684)*, daughter of James Becher, and had issue two sons and three daughters; died 2 September and was buried at St Botolph, Bishopsgate, London, 10 September 1732; administration of his goods granted 26 September 1732;(3) John Becher (1683-1744) (q.v.);(4) Mary Becher (1687-1766), baptised at St Botolph, Bishopsgate, London, 30 December 1687; married, 7 February 1709/10 at St Stephen, Coleman St., London, Richard Samborne (1684-1758) of New Inn and later of Hatfield, and had issue one son and one daughter; buried at Hatfield (Herts), 13 February 1766;(5) Unnamed son (c.1688-89), probably born in December 1688; died in infancy and was buried at St Botolph Bishopsgate, 1 January 1689;(6) Elizabeth Becher (1692-1746), baptised at St Botolph Bishopsgate, London, 25 February 1691/2; married, 14 April 1713 at St Anne & St Agnes, Aldersgate, London, Thomas Ange (d. 1733), and had issue one daughter; buried at Wanstead (Essex), 10 February 1745/6;(7) George Becher (b. 1693), baptised at St Botolph Bishopsgate, London, 17 October 1693; living in 1711, but no further reference found.\n(1) Jane Becher (1708-99), born and baptised at St Augustine, Watling St., London, 7 September 1708; said to have died unmarried, 6 November 1799;(2) Robert Becher (b. 1709), born and baptised at St Augustine, Watling St., London, 11 August 1709; apparently living in 1750 but died before 1766;(3) John Becher (1711-c.1779) (q.v.);(4) Edward Becher (1713-48), baptised at St Augustine, Watling St., London, 1 April 1713; said to have died in 1748;(5) Anne Becher (b. 1715), born and baptised at St Augustine, Watling St., London, 2 May 1715;(6) Mary Becher (1717-76), baptised at St Augustine, Watling St., London, 21 January 1716/7; died 31 December 1776;(7) William Becher (b. 1720), born 14 March and baptised at St Augustine, Watling St., London, 18 March 1719/20; died before 1748;(8) Richard Becher (1721-82) (q.v.).\n(1) Jane Harriot Becher (1745-51), born at Livorno, 25 November 1745; died young, 29 January 1751 and was buried in the English Cemetery at Livorno;(2) John Becher (b. 1747), born at Livorno, 1747 but died in infancy;(3) William Becher (b. 1748), born at Livorno, 2 June 1748; engaged with his father in business activities in Livorno by 1775; an officer in the Bedfordshire militia (Capt.), who ran up substantial gambling debts, paying off which may have cost his uncle the Howbury estate; he was living in France by 1790 and emigrated eventually to the West Indies, having married, 30 November 1778 at St Marylebone (Middx), Martha, eldest daughter of John Ford of London, by whom he had one son and one daughter; his death was erroneously reported in the press in 1770 but he was really dead by the time of his daughter's marriage in 1809;(4) A daughter (b. & d. 1749), born at Livorno (Italy), 2 September 1749 but died the same day;(5) Jane Harriot Becher (b. & d. 1751), born at Livorno, 20 June 1751; died in infancy, 28 August 1751.\n(1.1) Charlotte Becher (1754-56), baptised at Calcutta, 3 July 1754; died in infancy, 20 November 1756 at Fultah (India);(2.1) Richard Stephens Becher (1764-1846), born prior to the marriage of his parents, 15 March and baptised at St Andrew, Holborn, 17 March 1764; an official in the Bengal Civil Service (writer, 1781; commercial resident at Commercolly, 1790 and Bareilly, 1802; third member of the Board of Trade, 1805; salt agent at Tumlook, 1809; retired 1815); married, 12 August 1815 at St Marylebone, Frances Wyatt (1773-1855), but had no issue; however, he had four sons and three daughters born in India before his marriage whose mother(s) are unknown; died in Brighton, 9 April and was buried at St Nicholas, Brighton, 16 April 1846; will proved in the PCC, 1846;(2.2) twin, John Stephens Becher (1765-1830), born prior to the marriage of his parents, 21 June 1765; an official in the Bengal Civil Service (writer, 1781; paymaster of troops in Bengal presidency, 1791; judge at Moorshedabad, 1797; judge of court of appeal, 1804; retired 1805); after retirement he settled at Chancellor House, Mount Ephraim, Tunbridge Wells (Kent); he was unmarried, but had five illegitimate sons in India between 1790 and 1803, possibly by Jane, daughter of Major Thomas Reed, for whom he made provision in his will; died at Speldhurst (Kent), 28 March 1830; will proved in the PCC, 13 April 1830;(2.3) twin, Robert Stephens Becher (1765-1818), born prior to the marriage of his parents, 21 June 1765; an officer in the service of the East India Company, 1781-92 (Cadet, 1781; Ensign, 1781; Lieutenant, 1782); indigo manufacturer and merchant in Cawnpore, 1782-1808, when his production facilities were seized by Almas Ali Khan, the principal Amaldar of the Nawab Wazir of Oudh; married, 10 April 1801 at St Marylebone (Middx), Louisa (1781-1847), eldest daughter of Charles John Purling, and had issue six sons and two daughters; died at sea while returning to England, 8 August 1818;(2.4) Charlotte Becher (1767-1837), born 2 August and baptised at Calcutta, 8 September 1767; married, 31 October 1783 at Epsom (Surrey), Maj. Charles Marsack (1736-1820) of Caversham Park (Oxon), reputedly the illegitimate son of HRH Frederick, Prince of Wales by his mistress Margaret, Countess of Marsac, and had issue seven sons and four daughters; died at Caversham, 26 January 1837, and was buried at Speldhurst (Kent);(2.5) William Augustus Becher (1772-78), born in India, 26 September 1772; died young, 28 March 1778;(2.6) Charles Grant Becher (1777-1842), born 5 February and baptised at St Marylebone (Middx), 7 March 1777; joined the East India Company's service, initially in the military branch (Cadet, 1793; Cornet, 1794; resigned 1795), but transferred to Bengal Civil Service (Writer, 1795; Salt Agent for Cuttack, 1795-1826, when he was removed for corruption, possibly unjustly; Commercial Resident at Rungpore from 1826); married 1st, 9 January 1800 at Berhampore (India), Mary Penneck (d. 1805), daughter of Lt. Henry Reid, and had issue two daughters; married 2nd, 10 January 1807 at Calcutta, Charlotte (1790-1816), daughter of Richard Humfrays, and had further issue three sons and three daughters; died at Nice (France), 16 July 1842;(2.7) Sophia Becher (1779-83?), born 4 August and baptised at St. Marylebone, 14 August 1779; died young and was probably the child of this name buried at Putney (Surrey), 17 August 1783;(2.8) George Becher (1780-1837), born 1 September and baptised at Godstone (Surrey), 10 October 1780; an officer in the East India Company's army (Cadet, 1794; Cornet, 1795; Lt. 1800; Capt-Lt., 1805; Capt. 1812; Maj. 1818; Lt-Col., 1824; Colonel, 1829); married, 10 August 1807 at Dinapore (India), Harriet Geldart (1784-1870), daughter of John Barclay of Tain (Ross & Cromarty), and had issue ten sons and one daughter; died at sea while returning to England on furlough, 15 November 1837.\nLocation of archives\nCoat of arms\nCan you help?\n- Can anyone provide photographs or portraits of the people whose names appear in bold above, for whom no image is currently shown?\n- If anyone can offer further information or corrections to any part of this article I should be most grateful. I am always particularly pleased to hear from current owners or the descendants of families associated with a property who can supply information from their own research or personal knowledge for inclusion.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "Dead Sea Salt 1 pound\nDead Sea Salt\nLarge grain Salt Crystals harvest from the Dead Sea on the borders of Israel and Jordan. Excellent for baths and is very soothing for the skin.\n- Creation of Sacred Space\nPlease Note: Dead Sea Salt is not edible due to its high mineral content.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "Joyce Ann Armistead Lemonds, age 74 of Monroe, died on August 11, 2017. She was born on June 19, 1943 in Good Hope to the late Lewis Felton Armistead and the late Mary John Lowe Armistead. She was preceded in death by her son, the late David Lemonds.\nSurviving are: husband, Harry Lemonds of Monroe; daughter and son in law, Debbie and Jon Gattis of Social Circle; brothers and sisters in law, Billy Armistead of Monroe, Olin and Marie Armistead of Monroe, Timothy and Sybil Armistead of Monroe; grandchildren, David Russell and Claudia Lemonds, Nick and Nicole Malcom; great grandchild, Porter Malcom.\nFuneral services will be held on Monday August 14th at 2:00 P.M. at the Chapel of Meadows Funeral Home with the Rev. Earl Pirkle officiating.\nInterment followed at Peters Cemetery. Please sign the guestbook online at www.meadowsfuneralhomeinc.com\nReposted courtesy of Meadows Funeral Home.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "King Solomon was renowned for his wisdom. He was a man of great intelligence (eyw×gËv). His name and fame spread all over the world. The Queen of Sheba also heard about him. So, she wanted to test his wisdom.The Queen came to the court of Solomon and she brought with her two garlands of flowers- one natural and the other artificial. She placed them before the king and told him to take the natural one. Solomon was puzzled for a time. Suddenly a thought came to his mind and he told his one servant to open the window. After opening the window some bees came in from his garden and settled on the natural flowers. King Solomon told his men to open the window. Then the bees came in and sat on the garlands of real flowers. The King then pointed to that garland. The Queen of Sheba was greatly charmed (gy», AvK„ó Kiv) at his wisdom and went admiring the king’s wisdom.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "Loving, Serving and Investing in our Community\nRE-BUILDING LIVES WITH LOVE\nAn original piece by the artist, Lynne Pugh\nA month or so ago The Rusty Bucket’s Haven Youth Project was invited to join with the “Cornish Christmas Giving Catalogue”. Established by the Cornwall Independent Poverty Forum, the catalogue features 20 charitable organisation and all of Cornwall's Foodbanks, the catalgue provides an opportunity to give a gift of hope to someone in Cornwall this Christmas by giving a gift of love to friends and family.\nCOVID 19 UPDATE\nPRACTICAL HELP WITH SHOPPING, PRESCRIPTIONS ETC?\nCHECK THE LOOE TOWN COUNCIL COVID-19 WEBSITE\nTHE RB HAS CEASED FACE2FACE MEETINGS DURING THIS UNPRECEDENTED CRISIS.\nPHONE : Text 07896515334 & we will call you back.\nEMAIL: WE WILL RESPOND TO ALL REQUESTS ON THE DAY THEY ARE RECEIVED.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "Fadhil works as an accountant for the businessman Bashir, often repeating the phrase “It’s probably for the better”, commenting on everything that happens in his life and the lives of those around him, which sometimes annoys them. One day Bashir loses his most precious ring, and in the height of his tragedy Fadhil shocks him with the words \"It’s probably for the better\", Bashir heats up with anger and decides to lock him up. But was Bashir wise in this decision? And who is the real thief of the ring? What is the story behind Fadhil's repetition of \"It’s probably for the better”?", "label": "No"}
{"text": "Health and healing needs to be the highest priority for those in medical crisis – but that often comes at great expense. Online gifts may be made to benefit a specific individual/family fund or to the program’s Giving Fund to help many families.\nA gift to the Lend A Hand Giving Fund helps many families\nYour gift to the Lend A Hand Giving Fund will help many families worry less about medical expenses. Gifts to the Lend A Hand Giving Fund are matched by DMF and 100% distributed to families suffering from a life threatening medical condition.\nLend A Hand Forever Endowment Fund\nGenerous gifts of $5,000 or more made to the program’s Endowment Fund offer individuals and businesses unique tax advantages. Contact the Lend A Hand office at 701-356-2661.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "Sunday Services at CUU begin at 10:30 am. All are welcome to attend. We hope you will stay after the service for coffee and conversation.\nApril 29, 2018, Rev. Betty Jo Middleton, “Something Like April”\nRev. Betty Jo Middleton is a retired minister of Religious Education who has served eight congregations in the Greater Washington DC area and on the filed staff of the Unitarian Universalist Association. She is the author of a book, To Touch Inward Springs: Teaching and Learning Faith Development and religious education materials for all ages. She has taught courses at two theological schools: Wesley in Washington, DC, and Meadville Lombard in Chicago.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "We'd love to connect...\nTHINKING ABOUT PRIVATE SCHOOL? We invite you to LEARN MORE!\nPlease join us for an event to learn why St. Luke's School (SLS) has never been better positioned to help students thrive - now and into the future.\nSimply fill out the form on this page to register for one of the following events, or check out some additional resources further below:\nThe St. Luke's Experience (in person)\nDirector of Enrollment Management, Jason Giffen, hosts a discussion of St. Luke's mission and distinct approach to education. He is joined by Head of School Mary Halpin Carter, Head of Middle School Amber Berry, and Head of Upper School Liz Perry.\n- November 30, 9:15-11:00am - Both divisions\n- December 7, 9:15-11:00am - Both divisions\n- January 4, 9:15-11:00am - Both divisions\n- January 25, 9:15-11:00am - Middle School\nWelcome Webinar (virtual)\nIf you're unable to attend an in-person event, please join us by Zoom for a discussion of St. Luke's mission and distinct approach to education.\n- January 18, 7:00-8:00pm - Both divisions\nTake a virtual tour, schedule a call, connect with current families, and more when you visit our Admissions Center.\nPre-recorded Welcome Webinar\nListen in as members of our administrative team host a discussion of St. Luke's mission and distinct approach to education. Watch the webinar now.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "The vitality of a business is closely linked to the health of the markets and communities in which it operates. So it is important for us to care for the markets and communities we rely on to operate our business. This is the primary motivation behind our sustainability efforts, both for our own company and in support of our clients' sustainability objectives.\nBeing responsible corporate citizens is woven through Nielsen's DNA, everyday. Operating in a sustainable way by helping the citizens of the world and our environment is evident in how Nielsen:", "label": "No"}
{"text": "The most memorable – and shocking – thing said to us when we were about to have Gabriel was a doctor who said, “At this stage I don’t recommend babies should be treated because the results are so bad. If you give birth after midnight, I’ll be the one who comes, but my heart won’t fully be in it.”\nI was talking to another doctor yesterday about this, and he said, “Dear God, you were given a frontal cortex. Just because you think it doesn’t mean you say it.”\nI had to go look up what the frontal cortex does. But I think I’m going to like this guy.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "- The kind of priest they warned you about.\n- Nun anal gangbanged by five priests.\n- Nuns and priests perverted sex.\n- Two teen nuns fuck a priest.\n- Bulgarian lora row is fucked by her priest.\n- Hot slutty teen blows bad horny priests big hard cock through gl.\n- Wet snatch nun anal fucked by the priest.\n- Priest fuck schoolgirl in confession box.\n- Kurdish girl turkish boy priest pussypounding capture hair deep-throat first al.\n- Priest fucks slutty nikki delano outdoors.\n- Dirty priest seduces kinky young girl.\n- My priest teaches me how to play.\n- Hentai nun gets sucked bigcock and fucked by perverted priest.\n- Italian priest fucks a very nice blonde bitch.\n- 2 teen nuns fuck a priest.\n- Naughty priest bones a voluptuous brunette babe from spain.\n- Bootilicious babe takes a spanish priest into the dark side.\n- The priest.\n- Matador fucks priest.\n- Busty latina schoolgirl fucks priest.\n- Japanese priestess.\n- Ugly priest fucks euro chick.\n- Das priesterhaus.\n- Black priest convinced to join in group sex.\n- Priest to nun discipline.\n- Italian porn flick with dirty doctors, sick priests and randy nuns.\n© 2015 Nia Tube\nAll rights reserved.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "Most women caught up in the life of prostitution will be arrested at some point in their lives.\nFor many, this will be the only way out. If our help is requested, we will visit on a weekly basis, and upon release, that individual will have the opportunity to come with us and begin the journey of healing.\nApproved and trained volunteers visit women in the Bibb County Jail in teams of two. You have an awesome opportunity to cultivate a relationship by visiting and writing letters, and ultimately be a source of hope and encouragement.\nWe operate a 24/7 rescue hotline that can be called any time day or night by anyone wanting help leaving “the life.”\nOnce a call is received, our Hotline Team Responders coordinate a Rescue Team to go pick the Princess up in a safe meeting location and transport her to one of our safe homes.\nEach Rescue Team consists of one man and one woman that will ride together to pick up the Princess and drive to a safe home. The man’s role is to drive and be in prayer the whole time while the woman Rescue Team member sits in the back seat with the Princess to provide comfort and encouragement.\nA transition home will serve as step three to fill this gap and provide the additional support for the women to gain skills and confidence as they move gradually toward independent living.\nWe envision a home environment with support staff and volunteers to guide residents through phases individually programmed for each woman. Living together will help alleviate loneliness and provide opportunities for accountability. Our desire is for each woman to have a mentor who will commit to walk beside her on this journey.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "Town hall leaders across Lancashire have made calls for councils in the county to work together for the good of the region.\nFollowing the success of the Greater Manchester Combined Authority, which is at the heart of government plans to devolve power to the county, work has begun that could see Lancashire adopt a similar approach.\nThe set-up sees leaders of the 10 councils in the area meet regularly and work together on issues affecting the whole county.\nIn a report prepared ahead of Wyre Council’s full meeting on Thursday, leader Coun Peter Gibson wrote: “Greater Manchester has operated the combined authority model for a number of years and I am sure that was a deciding factor in the government’s decision to devolve powers.”\nProposals will be put to the group for a vote next month.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "A message from ACM Global Laboratories, DRUGSCAN and DSI Medical President, Brian Wright:\n“Today, despite our own challenges, we—as many—work diligently to deliver actionable clinical insights that can lead to therapies and treatments to provide health, healing, and hope to patients on a global scale.\nStill, the events we have witnessed in our nation and community these past few days are unfathomable, and difficult to describe. Already frayed by fighting COVID-19, we witnessed the brutal death of George Floyd—a horrific event, displaying sheer brutality towards another human being that, unfortunately, is not unprecedented. Then in our own Rochester and Philadelphia communities, peaceful protests have devolved into violence.\nEach member of our ACM, RRHL, and DRUGSCAN/DSI team is touched by these tragedies—more than 1,000 of us, along with our friends, loved ones, neighbors, and families have felt the tragic impact in an already challenging time. Although many members of our team were born and raised in either Rochester or Philadelphia, our team is global. We are diverse in every possible way—race, religion, gender, ethnicity, orientation, and cultural background. And our diversity is strength. It gives us resiliency and profound empathy for the amazing communities we serve across the globe—as well as the opportunity to serve as an example of inclusion, acceptance, empathy, and true collaboration.\nAs our core values state, “people are our priority”, regardless of race, gender, etc…and we stand united as a company—throughout every country—in our mission to deliver hope, healing, and health to all people around the world.\nToday we are united in our grief and our resolve. Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, we have affirmed that we will get through this together—those words mean more now than ever before. Together we can offer support to those around us knowing we will mend our hearts and communities into an even stronger example of humanity at its best.\nThank you for your resiliency, dedication, and for supporting each other unconditionally.”\nACM Global Laboratories | DRUGSCAN & DSI Medical", "label": "No"}
{"text": "Sessions School alum to gather Saturday\nPublished 10:00 pm Tuesday, October 28, 2008\nA Sessions School Reunion is planned for Saturday, Nov. 1 and all of those who attended the old school are invited to step back in time for a little while and share their memories of the good ol’ days.\nGail Jordan said most everyone who attended Sessions School has a soft spot in his or her heart for the old school that has been void of the laughter and learning of little children for many years.\nThe reunion will begin at 10 a.m. on Saturday at nearby Williams Memorial Presbyterian Church on the Needmore Road.\n“We’ll have a short welcoming program and then break up into groups for a time of sharing,” Jordan said. “We’ll start with the those who were members of the earliest classes in attendance. They’ll just gather sit around on the pews at the front of the church at share stories about their days at Sessions School.”\nEach group of “schoolmates” will have a “show and tell” session and everyone is encouraged to bring photographs and other memorabilia that would be of interest to others.\n“We’ll have lunch at the school for a small donation,” Jordan said. “Or, if there are those who would rather bring a dessert than make a donation, that will be fine, too. We just want everyone to come and have a good time together as we look back on our days at Sessions School.”\nJordan said Saturday is not too late to make plans to attend the Sessions School Reunion.\n“It would be helpful for those who are preparing the lunch to have some idea as to how many will attended but we don’t want anyone to stay away because they haven’t let us know,” Jordan said. “Everyone is invited and we hope to have a good crowd. There are still a lot of us around and this will be a great opportunity for us to get together.”\nThose who want to put their “names in the pot” may do so by calling Shirley Brabham, 566-3216; Linda Floyd, 243-5450 and Gail Jordan, 566-6035.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "\"There are many ways of going forward, but only one way of standing still.\"\nLately, my life has been moving so fast, with barely a minute to catch my breath or to take it all in, and exhale. Through this madness, being sick has been a blessing in disguise. It has forced me to be motionless at times, and fully appreciate this wonderful husband of mine. He has watched over me, cooked for me, cleaned for me, and has tucked me into bed on various occasions. He brought me lovely flowers to cheer me up and brighten up our apartment.\nThere are times when I have taken that for granted, but this time, I watch silently, with a prayer of gratitude in my heart, for the great joy he is in my life. He is my best friend, my soul mate, my love, and so much more.\nI love that there are so many ways in which we can go forward, but only one way of standing still—and I want to stand still by his side, for all eternity.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "It turns out that Ovie was actually Bob all along! Ovie went home yesterday to a couple that was overcome by his playful, loving attitude and wonderful ability to listen to commands and willingness to learn! When Ovie came off the track, the handlers were calling him Bob. He got renamed in his first home. Without knowing he was Bob before, his new family thought Bob was a fitting name. Guess he was Bob all along!! Bob's first report back was that he was slowly adjusting and slept through the night! Bob found his perfect forever home!!\n7 years ago", "label": "No"}
{"text": "Basilicata(Political Subdivision)Italian, English, Dutch, Spanish, Portuguese The origin of the name is uncertain: it may come from the Greek term βασιλικός (basilikos), a title given to the Byzantine governors of the region; it may be derived from the church of Acerenza, whose bishop had jurisdiction over the territory; or it may be connected to Basil II Porphyrogenitus, Byzantine emperor from 976 to 1025.... [more]\nFlorence(Settlement)English, Dutch, French, Latvian From Latin Florentia, derived from florens, (\"flowering\"), ultimately from flos, meaning \"flower\". This is the name of the capital city of Tuscany, in central Italy, as well as several settlements throughout the United States.... [more]\nKlein-Azië(Region)Dutch Dutch form of Asia Minor. It is literally a direct translation of the region's name, since it consists of the Dutch adjective klein meaning \"small, little\" combined with the Dutch noun Azië meaning \"Asia\".", "label": "No"}
{"text": "Our default is to see the negative. That is how the mind tends to work, unless you were brought up in a different culture. Our western culture is not trained to always think positively. My first thought in the morning is about the mild pain in my left hip and not how lucky I am to simply be alive.\nSo it's good we have a holiday like Thanksgiving - a day when we are thankful out loud. A day that gives us time to pause and remember all the things we DO have;\nThese are so much more than so many people in the world are granted and for that I am always thankful.\nWhat are you thankful for?", "label": "No"}
{"text": "I grew up in the Anoka, MN area where my love for staying active began. I have always been involved with activities from a young age, which culminated with 4 years of collegiate football at the College of St. Scholastica, where I also earned my Doctorate of Physical Therapy.\nSome of my favorite hobbies include golf, fishing, basketball, and spending time with family. My goal as a therapist is to give my clients the tools to feel better tomorrow, but also continue to feel better for life. I don’t believe aches and pains are something you \"just have to live with\" and they shouldn't stop you from enjoying your life to the fullest.\nDPT (Doctor of Physical Therapy) - The College of St. Scholastica\nBA (Bachelor's of Psychology) - The College of St. Scholastica", "label": "No"}
{"text": "We love shopping for these panels when we are in Europe. Our customers love to use them as featured wall hangings. I recently hung one atop a treasured painting to finish out the display.\nGreat for a den, library, or man cave. Almost anywhere where you want to add a splash of character.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "What if, when faced with uncertainty and change in our lives, we celebrated? What if, instead of trying to hang on to the familiar and the known, we learned to view tough situations as opportunities for adventure and for deepening our understanding of ourselves and the world around us? Yikes, right?\nThis is what #FiSaysYES is all about. It’s not about my saying “yes” to all the donuts there ever was (but some, of course), going out all the time, doing anything and everything anyone asks of me. It’s about finding the courage to face my fears, my change, and my truth. It’s about living with my heart rather than my mind, being in the moment, acting spontaneously, and being guided by love so that I can lead an authentic and fulfilling life.\nSure, my heart was broken. I’m going through a change. But this isn’t about that or him. I’m not struggling or crying for help. This is about my taking charge and finding me; letting go of certainty and living the life I’m supposed to be living.\nCome with me as I take risks, try new things, fall down, and live this life with open arms and an open heart. Come with me as I find “Fi.”Come with me as I say, “yes.” #FiSaysYES", "label": "No"}
{"text": "If you’d like a sense of genuine, ongoing transformation, and to be experiencing major breakthroughs, this quiz of ten questions will help you see what areas of your life might be holding you back.\nAlong the way, we'll throw in a personal tip or two in the areas you may be experiencing struggles.\nThe Clear Sky team\nRegular meditation forms the foundation of a strong spiritual practice. It helps us find the spaciousness in any moment–like this one.\nIf you'd like to invite more spaciousness into your inbox once a week, sign up to our mailing list.\nYou'll get a link to our guided meditations as a welcome gift.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "Our sincere thanks to our family and many friends who remembered us on our 60th anniversary.\nIt has been overwhelming, the beautiful cards, phone calls, flowers, gifts and best wishes we\nreceived. We feel blessed to have you in our life.\nDean and Celena Edwards\nSun., October 02, 2016", "label": "No"}
{"text": "We value all contributions and have a special place in our hearts for our sponsors. They are sincerely valued and appreciated.\nFor more info on sponsorship programs, email us email@example.com\nWe work hand-in-hand with Veteran's benefit Team Roping Foundation. They take care of our horses needs, without them we would not exist. There is not enough appreciation that we can give to Pete Miller and Veteran's benefit Team Roping Foundation. Hats off to the whole organization, we love you guys!", "label": "No"}
{"text": "The Right Attitude\nBy Paramahansa Yogananda\nThere are two kinds of\nseekers: those who are like the baby monkey and those who are like\nthe kitten. The baby monkey clings to the mother; but when she\njumps, it may fall off. The little kitten s carried about by the\nmother cat, content wherever she places it. The kitten has complete\ntrust in its mother. I am more like that; I give all responsibility\nto the Divine Mother. But to maintain that attitude takes great\nwill. Under all circumstances—health or sickness, riches or poverty,\nsunshine or gray clouds—your feeling must remain unruffled. Even\nwhen you are in the coal bin of suffering you don’t wonder why the\nMother placed you there. You have faith that She knows best.\nSometimes and apparent disaster turns into a blessing for you.\nWhen the Golden Lotus\nTemple went,* I at first thought it was a terrible catastrophe; but\nit turned out otherwise, because it made me go on to found other\ntemples and ashram centers.\nGloom is but the shade\nof Divine Mother’s hand outstretched caressingly. Don’t forget that.\nSometimes, when the Mother is going to caress you, a shadow is\ncaused by her Hand before it touches you. So when trouble comes,\ndon’t think that She is punishing you; Her hand overshadowing you\nholds some blessing as it reaches out to bring you nearer to Her.\nSuffering is a good\nteacher to those who are quick and willing to learn from it. But it\nbecomes a tyrant to those who resist and resent. Suffering can teach\nus almost everything. Its lessons urge us to develop discrimination,\nself-control, non-attachment, morality, and transcendent spiritual\nconsciousness. For example, a stomachache tells us not to eat too\nmuch and to watch what we eat. The pain from loss of possessions or\nloved ones reminds us of the temporal nature of all things in this\nworld of delusion. The consequences of wrong actions impel us to\nexercise discrimination. Why not learn through wisdom? Then you\nwon’t subject yourself to unnecessary painful discipline from the\nhard taskmaster of suffering.\n* The first Self-Realization Fellowship Temple, dedicated in 1938 on\nthe grounds of the SRF Hermitage in Encinitas, was on a bluff\noverlooking the Pacific Ocean. This temple was lost to the gradual\nerosion of the shoreline; it was later replaced by another SRF\ntemple in Encinitas.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "276: Fantabulous Family FunPosted: June 26, 2011 Filed under: 365 Life in the Bogs Challenge, Adventures in art, Adventures in Life, Earth, family, Fun!, goals, grandparenthood, home, nature, Photography, Quotes, Spirit, Summer, Walking, weather | Tags: Akron Zoo, art, bubbles, chalk drawing, family, fingerpainting, flowers, Photography, Picnik, postaday2011, wildflowers, Wilford A. Peterson 32 Comments\nI had a wonderful weekend. There is nothing like spending time with my family. Having the whole crew here (both sons, both daughters-in-law, and both granddaughters) was fantabulous. I am grateful to all of them for taking time out of their busy lives to get together with us here at Breezy Acres. I am mega grateful for the gift of having them all in my life.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "Press Play To Listen To This Channeled Message...\nWelcome - I am here to be of service, to share the loving energy of the Angels and Spirit who assist me on my\nspiritual path, along with my Guides, Teachers, Masters and The Lords of the Akashic Records\nI am in gratitude for the love and support of my spiritual team\n\"We think that we choose the path that we follow each day, but in actuality we chose it a long time ago.\nWe need to have faith that we will walk our path wisely, with the love and integrity that we\nintended to have when we set out on this journey that we call life\"\nCheck out my Etsy shop at www.thecelticoracle.etsy.com", "label": "No"}
{"text": "Clearwater City Council votes 5-0 to buy downtown parcel coveted by the Church of Scientology - 2017-04-20\nCLEARWATER — The City Council on Thursday voted unanimously to buy a vacant but high-profile downtown lot from the Clearwater Marine Aquarium, intercepting a crucial piece of land the Church of Scientology said it needed for its campus.\nA packed auditorium at City Hall greeted the 5-0 decision with applause.\nScientology leader David Miscavige had offered to bankroll a multi-million dollar revitalization of downtown if the city stepped aside and allowed the church to buy the lot, which borders its 13-story Oak Cove religious retreat. He pitched the idea last week to a select group of downtown stakeholders with help from Scientology celebrities like John Travolta, and was willing to pay more than three times what the city was offering.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "Michiko Saito “Virginia” Hanzawa, 92, of Kahului, a Toda Drug retiree, died in Honolulu. She was born in Paia, Maui. She is survived by son Kenneth; daughter Dawn Dvonch; brothers Akio, Fred and Shigeo Saito; sisters Ethel Miyahira and Grace Fujimoto; three grandchildren; and a great-grandchild. Private services.\nOur deepest condolences to the family and friends of the deceased", "label": "No"}
{"text": "Speaking one’s truth takes courage in a world where finger-pointing, shaming, and blaming are the favorite games of many. But the truth will be spoken. It may at times be drowned out by a cacophony of cynics, hate-mongers, and naysayers, but even whispers of truth will eventually be heard in the quiet moments of exhaustion or reflection. At those times, we all have a choice to make. May we choose wisely. One of the hardest truths to hear and to speak is that we may be guilty of much that which we condemn in others.\n- 110,077 hits\nThe Duck Who Flew Upside Down\nRusty Bear and Thomas Too\nClyde and Friends 3 Books in 1!\nSlices of Life\nFrom the Heart of a Grateful Man\nReflections of a Grateful Man\nTop Posts & Pages", "label": "No"}
{"text": "We know that we love the people we love. But the people we love only know we love them when they see, hear and feel evidence of that love. They don’t just psychically or magically feel good because of our thoughts and intentions.\nI was a shitty husband because I promised her in front of hundreds of people we knew that I would love and honor her all the days of my life. In good times, and in bad. And then I didn’t do that.\nShe didn’t want to be my mother. She wanted to be my partner, and she wanted me to apply all of my intelligence and learning capabilities to the logistics of managing our lives and household.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "Definitions, Translations, and Word of the Day\nWere They Real? See Which Historical Figures May Not Have Existed\nThe Strangest Roadside Attractions in Every State\nRoad trips are a blast, but sometimes you just need to break up the journey with a bit of roadside fun. Sure, you could spend your time going to some ...\nload more articles", "label": "No"}
{"text": "Our Impact, a Year in Review\nTogether our staff and our volunteers have excelled in building strong strategic partnerships, and developing and implementing a culturally-competent approach to programs. We are well-positioned to make a tremendous difference in the lives of our youngest learners. It’s our honor and a privilege to serve this community. Our kids do better when the community is behind them; every relationship, every interaction matters.\nWe hope you will enjoy this look back with our digital 2020/21 Annual Report.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "Review and halt california's use of the death penalty letter to the california commission on the fair administration of justice. California voters will have an opportunity this november 2012 to decide whether to pass the “safe california act” and abolish the death penalty in that state. Safe california initiative spells swift justice abolished the death penalty in and death in prison the safe california fund is a first giant step at .\nWe'll explore the pros and cons for having the death penalty in we are talking about the death penalty in california, i think one good review of the penalty . In november, the people of california will be voting on a ballot measure that could repeal the death penalty there â since it won a place on the ballot, theâ savings, accountability, and full enforcement for californiaâ (safe) â act has been a topic of discussion and debate among criminal justice reform activists. Says that he is sure that there are no innocent people on california’s death california’s death penalty safe) act, which will appear on california .\nSunday review subscribe log in how does the death penalty in america end the death penalty endgame order reprints . It's official the safe california act, the initiative to replace the death penalty with life in prison with no possibility of parole, has qualified for the november ballot. Concluded that “since reinstating the death penalty in 1978, california review in 2008 of the state’s death penalty safe california act .\nCalifornia had two death penalty initiatives judicial review of death penalty against the death penalty safe california - supporting a ballot . Fog city journal / opinion / abolish the death penalty, if passed, the safe california act would replace the death penalty with life without parole . Here is a summary of the pros and cons of the death penalty, california, colorado try and review all of the issues prisoners on death row also cost .\nProposition 66: death penalty which would have permitted the transfer of death penalty cases to the california courts review death penalty cases and up to . By: lily hughes proposition 34 (or the safe act), the ballot measure that would have replaced the death penalty in california with life without parole (lwop), was narrowly defeated there on november 6, 2012. After 11-year hiatus, could death penalty soon be carried out again in california by shelby grad here’s a review of the issue from the pages of the .\nThe california death penalty system costs life in prison without the possibility of parole keeps the public safe the califonia costs that you review . Research paper on death penalty by lauren during the course of this paper i will review the pros and cons of the use of the death penalty california (1971 . The united states court of appeals for the ninth circuit will review a ruling california death penalty, california over the death penalty, .", "label": "No"}
{"text": "Innocent like a little baby,\nAttractive like a little sequin,\nResplendent like a magnificent ruby,\nElegant like a beautiful queen.\nOh roses ! You match the traits of a majestic warrior,\nBunched together, you are an ambassador of best wishes and peace,\nYou transcend all religions and cross barriers with ease,\nYou are sublimity personified at His feet !!", "label": "No"}
{"text": "Small Scale Life Podcast\nLearn, do grow and be a little better everyday!\nWe found 10 episodes of Small Scale Life Podcast with the tag “family”.\nRemembering Barb Taylor Part 1 - S2E4\nMarch 2nd, 2017 | 22 mins 49 secs\ndeath, eulogy, family, life lessons, love, mindset, tribe\nIt has been a brutal month, as my mother-in-law Barb Taylor completed her final journey in her battle against lung cancer. This is the first of two articles and podcasts dedicated to Barb Taylor.\nWrapping Up Christmas 2016 - S1E23\nDecember 26th, 2016 | 19 mins 51 secs\nchristmas, difficult times, family, tradition\nIn this episode, I wrap up Christmas 2016. This was a lost track that I am posting as a listener appreciation podcast.\nTwas the Night before Christmas - S1E22\nDecember 24th, 2016 | 13 mins 41 secs\nchristmas, family, tradition, twas the night before christmas\nWhen I was young, my dad used to read \"Twas the Night before Christmas\" to our family on Christmas Eve, so in that fine tradition, I read and recorded it for you and your family on this episode.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "Before I leave for my Christmas holiday, I would like to take a moment to wish everyone joy. Joy is such a rare commodity sometimes, it is fleeting and as substantial as the wind. But it is but one of the many things that we need in life to create ourselves a world to live in. It joins love, lust, passion, strength, courage, and faith in elements that one must hold onto in this life.\nI actually have a tattoo on my chest that represents courage, strength, faith and love. I believe with everything I can feel that it is these four elements, and those that come with these elements that make the good in this life. They make it capable for us to find joy, to find happiness in the miracle that is this time of year.\nAnd this time of year isn’t a miracle because of your God, or because of Santa. It is because it is a time to stop, look around, and feel the good things that we are blessed with. In the candle’s light on Christmas Eve, I am not reminded of the God that gave me life, or the Jesus that gave his life for me, but rather I am reminded that it is the children’s laughter I hear everyday, the smiles in their eyes, and the absolute perfect love that my children represent that are true blessings. It is my child’s joy that makes this holiday special.\nIt is true that when we are children it is hard to see past the gifts and the Santa. But that is absolutely how it should be. It is once we reach adulthood that our focus should change; it is in our adulthood that we should recognize and learn what it is that we truly have.\nToo every parent suffering this holiday, I wish for you the peace of comfort. For every mother whose guilt over not being able to give great gifts to your children, I wish you a moment’s peace of comfort. To every child that fears, worries, or in any way can’t enjoy this incredible season, I wish you the gift a beautiful hug. One complete and warming hug. Everyone knows that this season isn’t about selfishness or receiving gifts, but I still wish that you get exactly what you need this holiday season. And remember to breathe, kids go back to school soon.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "Cast iron kitchen sinks\n✯ Crafty Mammaw ✯\nLast updated 37 weeks ago\nKitchens and Baths | Your place for all things Kitchens and Baths. Let us serve you today!\nThis is the sink that my Grandma used in her kitchen. I've saved it over the years and now that I'm renovating my own farmhouse I've had the joy of installing it in our own home. We had the sink stripped and refinished and I just love it! #kitchenstoveandsink", "label": "No"}
{"text": "- The Real Nazi Killers\n- The Eagle and the Mole\n- Some Things Wonderful\n- Last Week's Comet Mission Was Literally \"Touch and Go\"\n- The Parable of the White Whale and the Good Ship…\n- Hear the Lord Out of the Whirlwind: \"Where Wast Thou?\"\n- Sunday Meditation: The Try Works by Herman Melville\n- Let's Review 80: Old Cars and One-Liners", "label": "No"}
{"text": "Checking off your Christmas list one-by-one? Don't forget to send a fantastic gift to the uncles in your life! Our holiday selection includes seasonal sweets, live mini Christmas trees, and so much more. Order a Christmas gift delivery for your uncle today.\nWe’re sorry, there are no results available for your combination of Date and Zipcode.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "Caring: To love others, to be sensitve to the well-being of others, to help others.\n\"Where there is love, there is life.\" Gandhi\nHonesty: To tell the truth, to act in such a way that you are worthy of trust, to have integrity; making sure your choices match your values.\n\"Honesty is the first chapter in the book of wisdom.\" Thomas Jefferson\nRespect: To treat others as you would have them treat you; to value the worth of every person, including yourself.\n\"You don't have to be handicapped to be different. Everyone's different.\" Kim Peek\nResponsibility: To do what is right, what you ought to do; to be accountable for your behavior and obligations.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "« PrejšnjaNaprej »\nMAJOR-GENERAL GEORGE BRINTON MCCLELLAN was born in the city of Philadelphia, the seat of the Colonial Congress, the original capital of the American Union, the consecrated birthplace of our national greatness, on the 3d day of December, 1826.\nHis father, a physician of eminence, was a native of Connecticut, into which “land of steady habits” and of sterling men his ancestors had migrated from the mountains of Scotland, bringing with them the ancient Scottish love of liberty and of law, the just, tenacious nature of that hardy and heroic race which has bulwarked freedom and beaten back oppression on so many a hard-fought field from the days of Bruce and Wallace to our own.\nThe American people are not much given to inquiring into the ancestry of those who do the State service; but the faith which the republicans of old Rome held in the virtue of blood while still the Republic stood, was abundantly vindicated when the Roman people saw the shameless despotism of the worst of the Cæsars administered by men of base extraction and of corrupt birth. And wherever the permanence and the power of the commonwealth depend upon the virtue of its public servants, it should be no insignificant recommendation of a man to the confidence of his fellow-citizens that his", "label": "No"}
{"text": "Dear Millie, you were with us from a puppy until you were sixteen years old. You were a perfect dog with such a sweet personality. You fought so hard to stay with us . We miss you so much and will forever be in our thoughts and hearts . Rest in peace in doggy heaven .\nAnn Richards - Owner and mum", "label": "No"}
{"text": "Instructors: Guan-Cheng Sun, PhD & Lauri Amidon, YRCI\nLevel I Part 1 is the first part of the beginning Yi Ren Qigong Foundational Level I offered in seminar format only in the Fall of each by Yi Ren Qigong’s founder Dr. Guan-Cheng Sun, PhD.\nEach of the Foundational Levels is offered in a two-part seminar format by Dr. Sun. Level I Part 1 is November 2 and 3 and Level I Part 2 is December 7 and 8. Level I Part 2 registration priority will be given to the November seminar participants.\nBeginners welcome. No prerequisite.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "Be prepared for everyone to look at you. When you walk in this fly, how could they not? Throw on this Rebels tee today and you'll look better than ever!\n- 50% Cotton/37% Polyester/13% Rayon\n- Rib-knit collar\n- Distressed screen print graphics for a vintage look\n- Crew neck\n- Short sleeve\n- Tagless Collar\n- Officially licensed", "label": "No"}
{"text": "Super Run 5K and the Easter Parade\nIt’s a big weekend here in the ‘Ville. Not only is it the weekend of the Easter Parade on Frankfort Ave, but it is also the day of the Super Run 5k! Dress up as your favorite superhero, and run to support local nonprofits in the community. For more information, check out these links to their facebook event pages.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "Luke Willson is the starting Tight End for the Seattle Seahawks. Drafted in the 5th round of the 2013 NFL draft out of Rice University, Luke played in all 16 games for the Seahawks. Luke received tremendous phrase following his rookie regular season as he was graded as the second most valuable rookie Tight End in the entire league. Luke capped off his remarkable rookie year with winning Super Bowl XLVIII, catching two passes in the 43-8 victory against the Broncos.\nFor the latest news on Luke, please visit his personal website, www.lukewillson82.com.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "Note: [ralphroberts.ged] [chaas2.ged] 1. WFT Volume 7, Tree #3325 2. \"Ancestry of Homer Beers\" (Internet) Ref; Crispin and Macary, \"The Falaise Rolls\". pg 98. Ref: Burke, pg. 53: The oldest daughter, Countess of Warwick, died April 16 or 18, 1301 and was buried at the Grey Friars', Worcester. She married (1) Gerard de Furnival, Lord of Hallamshire, son of Thomas de Furnival, and grandson of Thomas de Furnival, slain by the Saracens in the Holy Land. This older Thomas de Furnival was the guardian of William de Mowbray, son of Roger de Mowbray, the Yorkshire baron. Maud and Gerard had a son, Thomas de Furnival, who in the 22nd year of Edward I., had summons, among other great men, to attend the king, in order to advise of the affairs of the realm. This Gerard de Furnival died before October 18, 1261. Maud married (2) William de Beauchamp, Earl of Warwick. He died at Elmley June 5 or 9, 1298. Maud FitzJohn, widow of Gerard de Furnival, who married (2) William de Beauchamp, 6th Baron de Beauchamp, of Elmsley, created Earl of Warwick, who died in 1298, leaving a daughter Isabel Beauchamp, who married Patrick de Chaworth, d.s.p.m., in 1282, son of Patrick, 4th Baron de Chaworth, and Hawise, his wife, daughter of Thomas de Londres, of Kidwilly, in Wales. The had a daughter Maud Chaworth, widow of Henry Plantaganet, 3rd Earl of Lancaster, who died in 1345. She married (2) Hugh Despencer.\nRootsWeb.com is NOT responsible for the content of the GEDCOMs uploaded through the WorldConnect Program. The creator of each GEDCOM is solely responsible for its content.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "I think of how the mystics read\nby the light of their own bodies.\nWhat a world of darkness that must have been\nto read by the flaming hearts\nthat turn into heaps of ash on the altar,\nhow everything in the end is made\nequal by the wind.\n— Timothy Liu, from “Vox Angelica,” The New Young American Poets (Southern Illinois University, 2000", "label": "No"}
{"text": "Stubenberg Castle is a castle in Stubenberg am See in Styria.\nSchloss Stubenberg History\nThe 13th century castle complex, expanded into a castle on the foundations of the Meierhof of the old castle in the 16th century, takes its name from one of the oldest and most important noble families in Styria, the Lords of Stubenberg.\nUntil the 17th century they provided five governors and when threatened from the east they had to rally more horses and fusiliers than the Archbishop of Salzburg.\nAs the Counts of Stubenberg turned to Protestant doctrine in the 16th century and Georg Sigmund emigrated to Bavaria with most of the family fortune, the family lost its influence.\nFrom 1925 to 1979 the convent of St. Joseph of the Franciscan Sisters was set up in the castle of Stubenberg. In 1980 it came into the private possession of the Margaritha family and Dr. Frank Schleicher and since 1981 the romantic arcaded courtyard and gallery hall are available for cultural events.\nThe recently restored Stubenberg Castle welcomes you to the hilly landscape of Eastern Styria. It is now a gallery, an arcade theater, a concert hall and a hostel at the same time.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "1. My lack of Thursday Thoughts last Thursday doesn’t represent a lack of thought on Thursday.\n2. So… baseball is finally over?\n3. Halloween put a damper on my regular weekly schedule.\n4. The Paul Finebaum Show is the church comment card of college football.\n5. Halloween night is the perfect night to teach your kids about our tax system.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "Today is Thanksgiving in America. It is a day filled with family, laughter, fun and lots of food. Unfortunately, it has not always been beneficial to all parties included though.\nHistorically, colonists celebrated Thanksgiving as an English harvest feast. During this feast, many Indians were invited to which they invited the local Wampanoag Indians. Unfortunately, this feast led to the betrayal some Native Americans.\nEven though the origins of this day were filled with betrayal and unfortunate events for many,\nI think Thanksgiving is a time to simply give thanks and express gratitude for all of good that is around you, in the world and all the good that is to come.\nBeing gratitude focused is about being appreciative and focusing on the good things in life and blessings of life.\nLife is filled with ups and downs, highs and lows. So, be grateful for and reflect on what you have learned from previous situations and focus on how the experience has helped you to grow. Remember, focusing your mind on lack, leads to lack and limitations; focusing your mind on opportunities and growth, leads to opportunities and growth.\nSo for this day, show gratitude for the blessings and the pitfalls of your journey.\nBeing gratitude focused helps you create a mindset of abundance. By embracing the feeling of love all around us helps us feel grateful. Often we focus more on what we need and desire, and take little time to focus on the good that exists in our world or even our accomplishments.\nSpecifically, take time throughout the day to reflect on one or more things that you are grateful for such as family, friends, home, water, etc. This helps you focus on what you have and aspire to be. Gratitude can also be directed toward the universe. We can show gratitude for the opportunity to live on Earth and experience life as it is now. We can show gratitude for the process of humanity and all the elemental forces that contribute to it.\nBeing of gratitude extends your thinking and way of life by promoting love and a sense of well-being.\nEnjoy your day of Thanksgiving!", "label": "No"}
{"text": "Give the Gift of Learning, Friendship and Community\nTo play, press and hold the enter key. To stop, release the enter key.\nHelp us to help seniors. Older adults in Winnipeg and rural Manitoba are in need of quality educational programs to keep their minds active, spirits alive and bodies healthy.\nCreative Retirement Centre has been providing lifelong learning opportunities to our community for over forty years. Like you, we are getting better with age! Our programs feature the best instructors, top-notch classes and an amazing community of learners.\nAll of this education comes at a cost for Creative Retirement. We have facilities to maintain, instructors and staff and all the costs of running an organization that serves thousands of individuals each year.\nThanks to the generosity of our sponsors and individual donors, we have been able to make ends meet and even improve our programs each year. Please help us to make the coming year our best yet. Your donation will help us to bring knowledge, community and joy to the many seniors who participate in our programs each year.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "How do we forgive ourselves? Our parents watch us so carefully when we’re children, desperate not to miss a first scream, a first step, a first word, never taking thier eyes off of us. Yet we do not watch them as carefully. They near the end of life in solitude. Even those who live right beside us die in solitude. And rarely do we catch thier own milestones, such as the last scream before the morphine settles in, the last walk before they cannot walk, or the last word before their throat seals up. But still, you can feel it, the sudden drop of the heart, wishing that you wathed them a little more careful.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "I am the father of Ciarra Joi \"CJ\" Rhodes. I am the man blessed to have 13 and a half years with my beautiful daughter. I am also the survivor of her teenage suicide. I miss her every minute of every day! I hope this site will keep her memory alive and maybe help others.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "٥٩. أَفَمِنْ هَٰذَا الْحَدِيثِ تَعْجَبُونَ\n59. Afamin hatha alhadeethi taAAjaboona\nThen at this statement do you wonder?\nAre you astonished at this news,\nSo are you surprised at this fact?\nDo you then marvel at this discourse,\nAt this discourse then marvel ye?\nDo you then wonder at this recital (the Quran)?\nDo you marvel at this discourse?\nWill you, then, wonder at this?\nDo you then wonder at this reci- tation\nMarvel ye then at this statement,\nWill you then wonder at this discourse,\nDo you marvel then at this discourse (the Koran)?\nDoes this statement seem strange to them\nDo you then wonder at this announcement?\nDo you then find these tidings strange?\nDo ye then wonder at this recital?\nQuran Surah An-Najm ( Verse 59 ) with English Translation أَفَمِنْ هَٰذَا الْحَدِيثِ تَعْجَبُونَ", "label": "No"}
{"text": "Series: Mike the Knight 8x8 Bks\nPenworthy Prebound Book\nWhen Evie says being a knight is easy, Mike decides to show her what knightly training is all about. But after the Vikings come to town, Evie realizes that being a knight might be harder than she thought!\nMike the Knight\nCharacter 2: Nickelodeon\nInterest Grade: PK- Grade 1\nPenworthy Release: 05-2016\nItem #: 35146\nknight, training, castle, viking, Literature, 8x8, fiction, Simon & Schuster\nMike the Knight is based on an animated series bringing the excitement and enchantment of medieval times into the life of the modern pre-schooler. In each action-packed story, children are transported to a world filled with marvelous missions, castles, dragons, Vikings and trolls, as the young hero-in-training, Mike, learns the power of responsibility and how to do things the right way.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "Judges and officials you are to provide for yourselves…they are to judge the people with fair judgements. You are not to cast aside a case-for-judgment, you are not to specially recognize anyone’s face, and you are not to take a bribe – for a bribe blinds the eyes of the wise, and twists the words of the just. Justice, justice you are to pursue… (Selections from Deuteronomy 16:18-20)\nWhen we appoint and elect leaders, judges, officials of any sort, our traditions teach us that we must hold them to a very high standard. To stand up for people is to accept upon ourselves a responsibility to pursue justice in all its forms, to aim past bias and favors, and to embrace the complicated way in which justice appears different from different people’s perspectives. Still we must limit our explorations of different viewpoints. Some indeed sentiments are beyond the boundaries of civil society. To advocate for the destruction of the very principles upon which our communities are based is to transgress against any reasonable tolerance of open-minded acceptance of differing views. As we navigate the hazardous waters of politics, community, and religion together, I hope to participate in helping us discuss, clarify, and continue to evolve, our senses of these boundaries as we uphold them together.\nRabbi Freirich serves as Rabbi at Temple Beth Zion\nCreate your own unique website with customizable templates.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "Can you relate to this?\nWhy is it that when I hit a stressful time in life, the very things – like meditation and exercise – that would help relieve stress, are the very first things to get bumped from the daily routine? It’s like something within me says, “there’s no time for this!” And so, I begin to shave these things from my daily routine. Then over time, I wonder why I am getting more stressed, having difficulty sleeping and focusing!\nIn reality, these are the most important things NOT to bump from the schedule in the midst of a difficult time. They are the very life-blood that keeps me grounded. Without them, all else begins to suffer – my work, my relationships, even my play time!\nI lay awake last night, once again, feeling the pent up energy in my body and my restless spirit as my mind whirled. I have not exercised in a while. No wonder I am having difficulty sleeping. So much pent up energy! I have not really given myself to meditation in a while. No wonder I have difficulty focusing!\nThe irony is this: when I bump meditation and exercise from the schedule, it seems I don’t have enough time. When I take the time to meditate and exercise, it seems as if I have much more time on my hands, time even to play!\nFirst things first. What are the REALLY important things that I need to maintain in order to live well, even in the midst of a stressful time?", "label": "No"}
{"text": "Scattered, the many pieces of body and mind thought and action. First shattered, then collected up and reassembled. Fractured again, put back together with glue and bloody minded persistence. Hope, optimism and longing agents of determination acting against annihilation care-taking as best they can. Each new devastation recalling the origin. A weakness in the whole sustained in the earliest of wounds. Left asking “What am I now but an amalgamation of parts?” broken and mended\nNever give up - you taught me that; about how truth is scarier than fiction. When I was optimistic you taught me caution, in giving my trust you taught me about loss. For these gruesome lessons I will try to thank you, for by taking them to heart I might know refrain.\nQuaking and vibrating in this body, mine giving myself permission, and if I just had words to capture it; if words were my only tool. And if it wasn’t you, it was love the earth that shook and the shattering cry we couldn’t bear to hear; fearing hard. “They say - love takes you through hell” I heard someone sing. I’m on the other side now missing you profoundly noticing your absence quietly in moments spent without. And I wonder about your life; father, son and boy from", "label": "No"}
{"text": "Students will need to read 6 short tales before they begin this activity. Then they will cut out each of the 18 squares. They will sort and match each tale with a coordinating lesson. Then they will add a blank evidence box to each row to fill in and show that they can find the evidence in the story to prove their reasoning with the text. All stories can be found here: http://www.kidsgen.com/moral_stories/index.htm.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "On November 11, 1918, World War I ended with an armistice. The armistice came at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month … 11am, November 11th, 1918.\nAt that time it was “The Great War”, and the war to end all wars … no one would have believed at that time the atrocities that were waiting for our great nation and our world.\nThe armistice was a temporary agreement at that point until the final treaty was signed in 1919 at Versailles.\nToday I honor all those who have served our country in our military. Those who returned home, those who made the greatest sacrifice, and those who remain missing to this day – but never lost in our hearts. I thank you for making this country great and for protecting the United States of America with great dignity, honor, and courage. God bless all who serve and who have ever served in our military, God bless their families, and God bless the United States of America.\nTomb of the Unknowns – Arlington National Cemetery\n“Here rests in honored glory an American soldier known but to God”.\n(original post date November 11, 2007)", "label": "No"}
{"text": "This is Bert Miller from http://WeaversDepartmentStore.com Mr. Weaver asked that I give you a short tour of Weaver's. I hope you like the tour and be sure to...\nJoin iMayberry Community\nThanks for the great items I've been able to purchase. I appreciate ya'll!!\nNoticed a roof in one shot, so we know it's still a \"proper structure\"!\nWelcome toiMayberry Community\nSign Upor Sign In\nSusan F. Hinton\nTwang My Buds\nBurke on Mayberry #146 – Barney’s Uniform\nBurke on Mayberry #145 – Man in the Middle\nTCNW 560: Mayberry Like It’s 1999\nTCNW 559: 2019 Mayberry Cruise Review\nTCNW 558: George Lindsey Please Stand\nTCNW 557: The eBullet November 2019\nTCNW 556: Mayberry Days Trivia Championship 2019\nMayberry Bible Study Podcast: Andy’s English Valet\nMayberry Bible Study Podcast: The Darlings are Coming\nMayberry Bible Study Podcast: Dogs, Dogs, Dogs\nMayberry Bible Study Podcast: The Rivals\nMayberry Bible Study Podcast: Opie and the Spoiled Kid\n© 2019 Created by Allan \"Floyd\" Newsome.\nReport an Issue |\nTerms of Service\nPlease check your browser settings or contact your system administrator.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "1 “To the angel of the church in Ephesus write: … 2 “I know your works … and your patient endurance. I know that you cannot tolerate evildoers … 3 I also know that you are … bearing up for the sake of my name, and that you have not grown weary. 4 But I have this against you, that you have abandoned the love you had at first … 5 Repent …7 Let anyone who has an ear listen to what the Spirit is saying to the churches. To everyone who conquers, I will give permission to eat from the tree of life that is in the paradise of God.\nThere’s a line in here that I love. It speaks to our call to be light in this season worldly anxiety. Jesus says to John, to the church in Ephesus, and really to all of us …\n3 I …know that you are …\nbearing up for the sake\nof my name\nI thought of doing a spiritual check-up based on today’s passage. On a scale of one to ten …\n- How is your “patient endurance”?\n- How are you at not compromising, not flirting with ungoldly practices, and “not tolerat[ing] evildoers”?\n- How are you “bearing up for the sake of [Christ’s] name?”\n- How is your spiritual strength vs. your emotional “wear[iness]”?\n- How is your exuberance in faith? Are you on fire like you once were? Are you on a plateau – neither really high nor low, but in a frustratingly average place? Or are you kind of “abandon[ing] the love you had at first”?\nNow that I’ve depressed 80% of you, that was what I was going to do! Here’s what I am going to do. I’m going to tell you that your God loves you, and he doesn’t want to leave you in places of spiritual mediocrity or discouragement. As you surely know, a spiritual uplift always begins with a yearning, a wanting to get back to the “love [joy, peace, hope, and devotion] you had at first.\nIf you want to get back and be lifted up, it starts with “repenting” (see verse 5). But here this: Yes, repentance surely involves turning away from sin; but that’s only part of it. Part two is second powerful part. Repentance isn’t just turning away from, it is turning toward something too. It’s turning to God! It’s embracing His ways! It’s discovering His blessings … again!\nOne of my favorite images is a choir singing a cappella. Gradually their singing grows flat. They need an occasionally pitch pipe to remind them of the true note they’re supposed to be on. When you did that “spiritual check-up” above, have you noticed that the note of your faith has maybe grown a little flat? This letter in Revelation is a pitch pipe. It’s a call to rediscover the love, joy, peace, and notes that we’re truly able to sing!\nI go to a retreat sometimes, and the question that they ask people is, “Do you like to sing?!” That’s are question today: “Do you want your heart to sing? Do you want to your spirit to rise? Do you want your faith to soar? Do you want more of the ‘love [joy, peace] you had at first?”\nHow do we get it? Look at that last question, that yearning for love, joy, and peace. Love, joy, and peace [along with patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control] are not fruits of Ed. I can’t truly produce them – no matter how hard I try, or no matter how hard I look for cheap substitutes in the world. Love, joy, and peace are fruits of the Spirit. And so if I want more patience, kindness, and generosity, then I simply need to align myself more with Holy Spirit who gives this fruit (instead of working at cross-purposes with God and his ways).\nIn other words, I surely need to turn away from some things, but I also turning toward somethings too – God and his ways. I need to “rejoice in the Lord always,” I need to let my “gentleness be known to everyone,” I need to “not [dwell on] worry about … but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving[, I need to] let [my] requests be made known to God, and [then] the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”\nA few of you are working harder than ever because of current shutdown. You probably need peace. Others of you have more free time than you’re accustomed to! In this season we’re called to be salt and light, “bearing up in [Christ’s] name.” How many of us have lamented being so busy. This is your chance to slow down … and turn.\nIn Christ’s Love,\na guy who’s heart turns with\nthe old hymn Simple Gifts:\nTis a gift to be simple, tis a gift to be free\nTis the gift to come down where we ought to be\nAnd we find ourselves in the place just right\nTwill be in the valley of love and delight.\nWhen true simplicity is gain’d\nTo bow and to bend we shan’t be asham’d,\nTo turn, turn will be our delight,\nTill by turning, turning\nwe come ’round right.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "The Little Christmas Tree\nBruce the Spruce was a Christmas tree\nHe lived on Christmas Farm.\nEach night he dreamed that he could bring\nCheer into someone's home.\nHe stretched his branches every day\nAnd squeezed his needles tight,\nSo he could be a perfect tree\nFor holding Christmas lights.\nEvery year at Christmas time\nBruce did as he was taught\nHe showed all of his Christmas charm\nHoping he would be bought.\nThe people came from miles around\nTo buy their Christmas Trees.\nThey pulled and tugged at branches\nAnd gave the twigs a squeeze.\nThey looked for trees just the right size,\nWith needles that would stay,\nAnd trees that gave a Christmas smell\nTo brighten Christmas day.\nBruce was a perfect Christmas tree;\nThe children seemed to love him.\nBut Bruce was small and other trees\nStill towered high above him.\nThe years went by and Bruce the Spruce\nEventually grew tall.\nHis branches spread and held their form;\nThey didn't droop at all.\nBut there were many Christmas Trees\nThat grew on Christmas Farm\nAnd no one ever seemed to pick out Bruce,\nWith all his charm.\nBruce grew so sad as years went by;\nIt seemed he'd grown too tall.\nIt seemed that he would never be\nA Christmas tree at all.\nAnd when the families came each year\nTo buy trees for their home,\nThey never looked at Bruce the Spruce;\nHe stood there all alone.\nBruce never forgot Christmas;\nIt brightened all his dreams.\nBut in the light of each new day\nHe lost his Christmas schemes.\nOne day a truck came to the farm;\nMen came with saws and rope.\nThey came to cut the tallest tree;\nBruce finally lost all hope.\n\"My time has come; I've grown too old, \"\nHis arms trembled in fear.\n\"I'm only good for firewood now;\n\"I''ve seen my final year.\"\nThey cut him down and tied him to\nThe flatbed truck they brought.\nThey drove away, while Bruce the Spruce\nLie weeping on the truck.\nBruce closed his eyes and fell asleep;\nHe dreamed of silent nights,\nOf children's smiling faces,\nOf gifts and colored lights.\nWhen Bruce awoke He couldn't hold\nBack all of his delight.\nBruce couldn't believe what he saw;\nHis branches all had lights.\nHis arms were filled with tinsel.\nChildren were gathered ‘round.\nAnd everyone was cheering\nAnd laughing on the ground.\nBruce looked around in ecstasy;\nHe couldn't help but stare.\nBruce had become the Christmas tree\nThat now adorned Times Square.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "VOH Kitwe is grateful for the relationship we have with our local Board. Whenever we need to consultation of any kind, our Board is always there to offer guidance and encouragement.\nThis week we invited them to review the 2021 grade 7 results, and they were happy to hear that all of the children passed with good marks. They also helped with some planning specific to the needs of our grade 8 students. We also enjoyed good conversations around the overall well-being of our Centre.\nWe were so pleased they were happy with what they saw, and we appreciate their wisdom and support!", "label": "No"}
{"text": "Matt Reynolds, Provo, Utah (Timpview HS), Sr., OL (Germany Munich)\nJordan Richardson, Idaho Falls, Idaho (Bonneville HS), Jr., DL (Brazil Belo Horizante)\nSkyler Ridley, Murrieta, Calif. (Murrieta Valley HS), So., WR (England Manchester)\nBrian Smith, Orem, Utah (Mountain View HS), So., K/P (Mexico Monterrey)\nJordan Smith, Salem, Utah (Spanish Fork HS), So., WR (Massachusetts Boston)\nDaniel Sorensen, Colton, Calif., (Colton HS), So., DB (Costa Rica San Jose)\nJustin Sorensen, South Jordan, Utah (Bingham HS), So., K (Georgia Macon)\nRiley Stephenson, St. George, Utah (Pine View HS), Jr., K/P (New Zealand Auckland)\nBrock Stringham, Highlands Ranch, Colo. (Mountain Vista HS), Fr., OL (Philippines Tacloban)\nMarco Thorson, Ramona, Calif. (Ramona HS), Sr., OL (Chile Rancagua)\nDalin Tollestrup, Raymond, Alberta (University of Calgary), Jr., WR (El Salvador West/Belize)\nTravis Uale, Hawaii Kai, Hawaii (Kamehameha HS), Sr., DB (Mexico Monterrey)\nUani Unga, Rochester, Calif. (Oregon State), Jr., LB (Guatemala)\nManaaki Vaitai, Euless, Texas (Trinity HS), So., OL (Nevada Las Vegas)\nSimote Vea, Hau'ula, Hawaii (BYU-Hawaii), Sr., DL (Mexico Puebla)\nJadon Wagner, Lethbridge, Alberta (LCI), Jr., LB (Colorado Denver)\nMichael Yeck, Keller, Texas (Keller HS), Fr., OL (Alabama Birmingham)\nTony Bergstrom, Salt Lake City (Skyline HS), Sr., OL (California Sacramento)\nGreg Bird, Mesa, Ariz. (Red Mountain HS), Sr., DB (Michigan Detroit)\nParker Cracroft, Salt Lake City, Utah (Snow College), So., DB\nDavid Fagergren, Salt Lake City (Highland HS), Jr., LB\nSean Fitzgerald, Mission Viejo, Calif. (Mission Viejo HS), Fr., WR\nKenneth Golloday, Mesa, Ariz. (Eastern Arizona), Sr., K\nMike Honeycutt, Cedar Hills, Utah (Lone Peak HS), So., DB\nGriffin McNabb, Pocatello, Idaho (Highland HS), Idaho, Fr., WR (Colombia)\nJake Murphy, Alpine, Utah (American Fork HS), Fr., TE (Australia)\nTrevor Reilly, Valley Center, Calif. (Valley Center High), Fr., DE (Sweden)\nGriff Robles, Spanish Fork, Utah (Sp. Fork HS), So., QB\nDallin Rogers, Placerville, Calif. (Union Mine HS), Jr., TE (Florida Tallahassee)\nTevita Stevens, Hemet, Calif. (Hemet HS), Jr., OL (New York)\nWestlee Tonga, Spring, Texas (Spring HS), So., TE/FB (Nevada Las Vegas)\nTauni Vakapuna, North Salt Lake, Utah (Hunter HS, Dixie State), Sr., RB (Philippines)\nTyler Whittingham, Salt Lake City, Utah (Brighton HS), Sr., DB (Brazil)\nJ.J. Williams, Aurora, Colo. (Layton HS), Sr., LB (West Indies)\nUTAH STATE (12)\nJefferson Court, Alta, Utah (Alta HS), Fr., LB (California Anaheim)\n- Pope's message of peace resonates with Syrian...\n- Retired pope thanks reigning pope for his...\n- The story of William Pitt and the Nauvoo...\n- Pope Francis: Christians should apologize to...\n- Politician who ignited controversy after...\n- Faith leaders respond to Supreme Court's...\n- She fled Russia with her family. Now, she has...\n- The Clean Cut: USA Olympians strive to 'serve...\n- Did Trump really just become a... 37\n- Long PBS piece calls Mormon welfare... 23\n- God? Meaning of life? Many Americans... 15\n- Pope Francis: Christians should... 12\n- Faith leaders respond to Supreme... 12\n- Evangelist Franklin Graham just issued... 12\n- Defending the Faith: 2 ways of taking... 9\n- U.S. government: Visitors to national... 7", "label": "No"}
{"text": "40 Unique Christmas Tree Decorations - 2017 Ideas For Decorating with A Christmas Decoration\nBest 25+ Ornament Tree Ideas On Pinterest | Christmas Crafts, Diy throughout A Christmas Decoration\n32 Amazing Red And Gold Christmas Décor Ideas - Digsdigs with regard to A Christmas Decoration\nXmas Decorations 3 Xmas Decorations | Merry Christmas | Inseltage throughout A Christmas Decoration\nChristmas Decoration Themes | Mojomums inside A Christmas Decoration\n40 Unique Christmas Tree Decorations - 2017 Ideas For Decorating intended for A Christmas Decoration\nHomemade Christmas Decoration Ideas | Bbc Good Food for A Christmas Decoration\nA Christmas Decoration\n5 DIY Christmas Recycled Decoration! Amazing DIY crafts for Christmas! In today's video I show you 5 recycled DIY for this Christmas! I hope you like it! ♡ If you enjoy my videos please...\nDIY ROOM DECOR! 15 DIY Projects for Christmas & Winter! Decorating ideas for a Frozen Room\nVery easy Christmas decoration ideas using plastic spoon 2017 | Artkala 332\nChristmas Decor Ideas | CEILING TWIGS AND ORNAMENTS (2016)\nDo You Like My Decorations?\nMinecraft: CHRISTMAS DECORATIONS! (CHRISTMAS SONGS, LIGHTS, WREATHS, & MORE!) Mod Showcase\n8 DIY Edible Christmas Ornaments / Christmas Pranks!\n10 DIY CHRISTMAS DECORATIONS! Room Decor DIYs For The Holidays!\nLisa's Home Decorated for Christmas (Full Length)\nQuick and easy paper Christmas decorations", "label": "No"}
{"text": "Sacred Phoenix CircleA Sacred Sisterhood Initiation\nA live gathering of 6 women meeting for 5 Sundays.\n- Are you experiencing overwhelm in this time of great upheaval?\n- Are you looking for a reciprocal support system with other like-minded sisters?\n- Do you long to bond and share your experiences with women who are at the same frequency?\n- In the Sacred Phoenix Circle, you will experience a deep connection and bond that social media can’t bring.\n- Through this sacred initiation, you will become spiritual Sisters.\n- You will learn to: heal yourself, your sisters, your community, and the Earth.\nContact me to see how you can experience the love that only a sisterhood group can give you. Call (541) 237-6500 or send me a message here:\nAllegra is a beautiful soul who is willing and able to go to the deepest dark places bringing the much-needed light with love and grace. Her words of wisdom and encouragement are a soothing balm. The honor is mine to know her and be a part of a shared circle of women.Lyn Britton\nI have the pleasure and great fortune to know and love Allegra, as we’ve been dear friends for over 15 years. Together, we open to our soul’s calling through a shared facilitation of our small group Sisterhood every month. Allegra has honed her skills of deep listening, honest reflection, and gentle prompting. I feel honored to be witnessed by her as she encourages me to acknowledge my own wisdom. I highly recommend Allegra for all that find themselves on a journey of personal growthJanelle Boyer\nI have known Allegra for over 10 years. In that time I have come to appreciate her resiliency, strength", "label": "No"}
{"text": "More from Christmas Party\nAbout YoYo Song\nListen to R.S. Chauhan YoYo MP3 song. YoYo song from the album Christmas Party is released on Dec 2020. The duration of song is 02:44. This song is sung by R.S. Chauhan.\nRelated Tags - YoYo, YoYo Song, YoYo MP3 Song, YoYo MP3, Download YoYo Song, R.S. Chauhan YoYo Song, Christmas Party YoYo Song, YoYo Song By R.S. Chauhan, YoYo Song Download, Download YoYo MP3 Song", "label": "No"}
{"text": "Do you enjoy people watching?\nIt may be safe to say we all enjoy doing some people watching.\nIn this week's episode Aaron breaks down what it means to W.A.T.C.H. those around us.\nOften times we being to become like those around us that we spend time W.A.T.C.H.ing.\nSpend a little time with Aaron this week as he shares with us some ways to W.A.T.C.H. those around us to ensure we watching those we want to become.\nBecome who you want to be by the ones you W.A.T.C.H.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "ITO-1(2), Bhopal Versus Dharmendra Pandit - 2012 (9) TMI 581 - ITAT INDORE - Income Tax\n......... documentary evidence can be produced by the assessee from the retail business is always not possible. No other documentary evidence was brought on record by the learned Assessing Officer except suspecting the deposits made by the assessee. Therefore, we find no justification to interfere with the findings of the learned CIT(A) and confirm the same. In view of the above, we find no merit in the appeal of the Revenue. 3. So far as the cross objection of the assessee is concerned, since we have affirmed the stand of the learned CIT(A) by dismissing the appeal of the Revenue, the cross objection has remained for academic interest only. Even otherwise, the cross objection is in support of the impugned order. Therefore, the cross objection is also dismissed being infructuous. Finally, the appeal of the Revenue as well as the cross objections of the assessee are dismissed. This order was pronounced in the open Court in the presence of ld. Senior DR at the conclusion of the hearing.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "314 Market St. Tomball, TX 77375\nMonday-Saturday: 10am - 5pm\nShopping for someone else but not sure what to give them? Give them the gift of choice with a Turquoise Door Tomball gift card.\nGift cards are delivered by email and contain instructions to redeem them at checkout for ONLINE SHOPPING ONLY. Our gift cards have no additional processing fees.\n**If you would like to purchase a gift card to us in our shop and not online only. Please call to purchase and we can mail it to you! 281-255-4255", "label": "No"}
{"text": "1 - 5 of 5 Videos\nPeñaranda Benevolent Focus Forum:\n\"PeñarandaBFF will outlive all of us.... but long after we are gone, future generations of Budang Galing Iskolars in our hometown and around the world, will remember us by the things we have done, .....NOT BY THE THINGS WE HAVE NOT.\"\nJoin Us In Our Journey For Charity... Click here for Inquiry.\nWe thank our \"Partners For Charity\"....\nbusiness establishments, local government units, people's organizations and other charity groups like us, in the Philippines and around the world. With your help and unselfish support and donations, together, we are able and will continue to extend a helping hand to more of our deserving Budang Galing Kabayans, their families and their children.\nYou all are Guardian Angels, answering the hopes and prayers of those in need in our hometown of Peñaranda.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "Tags Invest in justice\nTag: invest in justice\nCivil law, intended to protect the vulnerable in our society, has been shown to be extremely effective at protecting the housing, property, family and employment rights of our neighbors when utilized. Sadly though, poor people in our society are almost never able to use the civil law to protect their rights. Simply put, this is because there aren’t enough trained lawyers available to help the poor, vulnerable and oppressed enforce their civil rights.\nThe call to action here is to, while outraged, spend some time and energy focusing on what we have, who stands for us, who needs our help. So YES to #BoycottBlackFriday and yes to #InvestInJustUs. Let’s acknowledge and support our justice-seeking institutions who labor to defend us 365 days a year.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "Your cart is empty\ngive the gift of choice. give a gift card. click here for your e-gift card\nA great go to top. In a large variety of colors and sporting a sweet balloon sleeve, it’s the perfect staple piece to have in your little one’s closet.\n85% cotton 15% Polyester", "label": "No"}
{"text": "Revelation 10 Authorized (King James) Version (AKJV)\n10 And I saw another mighty angel come down from heaven,\nSome mighty angels and some not so mighty – different Angels – different administrations\nclothed with a cloud: and a rainbow was upon his head, and his face was as it were the sun, and his feet as pillars of fire:\nThis angel sounds more like the Holy Spirit to me, but if is it not this angel sure is different – this one is so bright in righteousness that His Aurora was so much more noticeable than the others it made John write it down and clothed with a cloud… A cloud of what? To me Righteousness. Full of Light as bright as our Sun and feet of pillars of fire. To me that is Pillars of Fire going down as will as up. Fire going down…. Interesting….\n2 and he had in his hand a little book open: and he set his right foot upon the sea, and his left foot on the earth, 3 and cried with a loud voice, as when a lion roareth: and when he had cried, seven thunders uttered their voices.\nCould it be that the seven thunders have not started, and all these items coming to Earth are luminaries who should not be coming to Earth? In the book of Jubilees the Luminaries that do wrong (i.e. Comets, stars. planets and constellations) receive 10,000 years of punishment!\nTherefore the Thunderings that are listed on this site may not be part of the 7 thunders listed here in verse 3….\n4 And when the seven thunders had uttered their voices, I was about to write: and I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Seal up those things which the seven thunders uttered, and write them not.\nGod did not want satan to know and us to know what these secrets were, after all you don’t let the opposition know all the secrets and so the LORD GOD, is a God of War when has to be.\nExodus 15v 3 kjv The LORD is a man of war: the LORD is his name.\nNotice the numbers 15 v 3. 3 for God head and 5 for Death or Grace over Death. 3 persons times 5 = 15. LORD GOD is a man of War, and if you are not on His side Death is coming your way!\n5 And the angel which I saw stand upon the sea and upon the earth lifted up his hand to heaven,6 and sware by him that liveth for ever and ever, who created heaven, and the things that therein are, and the earth, and the things that therein are, and the sea, and the things which are therein, that there should be time no longer: 7 but in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he shall begin to sound, the mystery of God should be finished, as he hath declared to his servants the prophets.\nNotice the Non Believers don’t Hear or See the mystery of God! He that have ears to Hear and Eyes to See let them see and hear. Matthew 13 v 8 kjv\nBut blessed are your eyes, for they see: and your ears, for they hear.\n8 And the voice which I heard from heaven spake unto me again, and said, Go and take the little book which is open in the hand of the angel which standeth upon the sea and upon the earth. 9 And I went unto the angel, and said unto him, Give me the little book. And he said unto me, Take it, and eat it up; and it shall make thy belly bitter, but it shall be in thy mouth sweet as honey. 10 And I took the little book out of the angel’s hand, and ate it up; and it was in my mouth sweet as honey: and as soon as I had eaten it, my belly was bitter. 11 And he said unto me, Thou must prophesy again before many peoples, and nations, and tongues, and kings.\nAnd so John has now in this book “The Holy Bible” for 1900 years prophesying to many people, nations, tongues and kings!", "label": "No"}
{"text": "Each year on Father’s Day, I like to take a moment and reflect on the memories I have with my family, specifically with my son Hawken. Being a father to Hawken has been, and always will be, the most meaningful role in my life. He has made me a proud father. His determination, kindness, and passion for life are what motivate me and bring me a daily source of inspirational strength.\nWhen we first received news that our little boy had an incurable, devastating disease, I was overcome with emotion and grief. As a father, I did not know what I could do in this moment to help my son. However, something quite surprising happened. Hawken inspired us all with his tenacity, unrelenting strength and bravery in response to his diagnosis. To this day, I draw on that strength and strive to achieve even an ounce of it each day.\nAs my wife and I embarked on our mission to find a cure through CureDuchenne, we never could have imagined the families and individuals that would come together and support this cause. All of you whom I have met through CureDuchenne continually inspire me to be courageous for my son and my family. We are in this battle together as fathers, as family, and as a community. My hope is that we continue to build each other up and find courage to march on to find a cure.\nTo my fellow dads, I not only thank you for inspiring me, I encourage you to take time on Father’s Day to recognize the important role that you have in staying strong and supporting your families. Take a moment to appreciate all that you have done and continue to do for your sons and your families. May you enjoy your day surrounded by the ones you love. Happy Father’s Day!", "label": "No"}
{"text": "Hospice of Haines' Light the Night Remembrance Luminary Walk\nHospice of Haines invites you to\nLight the Night:\nRemembrance Luminary Walk\nFriday, October 19, 2018\nat Port Chilkoot Dock\nLight the Night provides a special opportunity for each of us to remember and celebrate those who have died, but remain forever in our hearts. We hope you will join us as we walk around a lighted path lit by personalized luminary lights celebrating the life of your loved one.\n23/10/2018 (1 day)", "label": "No"}
{"text": "Welcome to the website of the writer, James J. Harris.\nIn this realm of mine, I hope to excite your senses to a level beyond the norm. Only those open minded enough are welcome. Those who have closed minds, please kindly wait outside for the rest of us to return from our journey.\nThose willing to come with me, can rest assured that you will have an interesting experience ahead of you. I for one will be enjoying it, I hope you do too.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "What the mind attends to, the mind considers. What the mind constantly considers, the mind believes. What the mind believes, the mind eventually does.\nWe often say we love with our heart and think with our mind. Yet our minds encounter and process both thoughts and feelings. Our minds give shape to what we say and how we act.\nOur head may be telling us one thing while our heart is nudging us toward another. Some people lose the mind and get caught up in the heart. Others forget about the heart and become wrapped up in the mind. Neither way is good.\nWe need both - the heart and the mind working together. No matter how your keep your mind busy, it will still find space for you to think of what your heart has been missing.\nWhat you are thinking, what shape your mind is in, is what makes the biggest difference of all.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "Testimonial - Donovan Strydom\n“We really had a good time in General, but if it were not for the friendly, helpful just great staff you have, it would not have been the same.”\n- Our services: Outstanding\n- Our Vessel: A little small but OK\n- Our Staff: Your staff were out of this world and we will only ask for them again.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "Nils A. Berglund, a poultry expert well known in the East End farming community in part because of his years as an agent with Suffolk’s Cornell Cooperative Extension, died of complications of heart disease at home in Swanton, Vt., on Oct. 22. He was 62.\nMr. Berglund raised his own poultry stock and showed it in national competitions. “He was always there to answer a question for someone else about the raising of poultry,” friends said. “He loved raising chickens, ducks, geese, quail, homing pigeons, and Devon and Guernsey cattle.” Friends said they would remember him as a happy-go-lucky person with a terrific sense of humor.\nHe was a 1973 graduate of the University of Vermont, and in 1976 he earned a master’s degree in agriculture at the University of Connecticut. He was a former chairman of the American Livestock Breeds Conservancy, a past president of the American Milking Devon Cattle Association, and a former senior warden at St. Luke’s Episcopal Church in St. Albans, Vt., where a funeral service was held last Thursday. Another was held Saturday at the Church of the Redeemer in Mattituck.\nMr. Berglund was born in Southampton on Jan. 6, 1951, to Leigh Berglund and the former Gertrude Okerstrom. He grew up in Southampton. The Okerstrom family had a farm off Mecox Road in Water Mill, not far from the old St. James Hotel.\nFor a time Mr. Berglund ran a duck farm in Riverhead. He moved to Vermont about 17 years ago.\nHe is survived by his partner of 17 years, Donald Fournier of Swanton, and by a brother, Leigh Berglund Jr. of Sag Harbor.\nMemorial contributions have been suggested for the American Livestock Breeds Conservancy, P.O. Box 477, Pittsboro, N.C. 27312.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "Source: The San Diego Union-Tribune\nMore than 200 Christians, Muslims, Jews and other faithful from around the county gathered yesterday at Balboa Park to work for a common good. They cleaned up the place.\nAlong the way, they got to know each other better and drew wisdom from their experiences.\n“The differences of our faiths should never be an obstacle in the way of coming together, especially when it comes to helping the environment of our beautiful San Diego,” said Iman Taha Hassane of the Islamic Center of San Diego.\nThe Rev. Molly Vetter of First United Methodist Church in Mission Valley said the volunteers planted seeds of hope. “There’s tremendous ground we can build on,” she said.\nThe second annual Day of Service was originally scheduled for January on theMartin Luther King Jr. holiday, but it got rained out. “We decided not to give up. It didn’t dampen our spirits,” said Karen Shein of University City’s Congregation Beth Israel, one of the organizers.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "For Full & A WEEK Veggie, Fruit, & Cheese Shares: Distribution will be Wednesday, July 17, from 5pm – 8pm at First Presbyterian Church (FPC) at 124 Henry St. Distribution will be outside to the right of the church if you are facing FPC. If it’s raining, it will be in the front entryway of the church. You will enter through the right side door (as you are facing the church).\nVEGGIES: 1 bunch RADISHES, 1 bulb KOHLRABI, 1 bunch SCALLIONS, 2 FIELD CUCUMBERS, 1 bunch CELERY, 1 lb ZUCCHINI, 2 small heads RADICCHIO, 1 lb STRING BEANS, 1 bunch BEETS\n3lb bag PEACHES from Briermere Farms in Riverhead, NY\n1 wedge ST STEPHEN TRIPLE CREAM from Four Fat Fowl", "label": "No"}
{"text": "Thank you to everyone who joined us on Saturday for Go the Distance for Cincinnati Children’s. Your support of the event, and the families we care for, means so much. Together, we’re creating brighter futures for children.\nIt’s not too late to contribute. Help us reach our fundraising goal by making a gift today.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "Shop Christian Paul watches for men and women and receive a discount with these promo codes.\nChristian Paul discount codes and coupons\nPopular Christian Paul coupon codes\n|Last checked||Code description||Code|\n|28 Jul 2017||FREE worldwide shipping||********|\nAbout Christian Paul Coupon Codes\nChristian Paul is a Sydney-based watch label designing minimalist timepieces that are classic and on-trend. Customers can opt to design their own combination of dial, strap and buckle or shop directly from the line.\nChristian Paul Review | Pros and Cons\n- Free worldwide delivery. On all orders throughout Australia and internationally on orders over $199.\n- Afterpay available. Australian customers can choose afterpay at the checkout and provide payment in four interest-free installments.\n- Sign up for more. Enter your email address and subscribe to the Christian Paul newsletter for exclusive access to special offers and product updates.\n- Live chat. Customer support via live chat is available 9am–5pm AEST.\n- Return shipping applies. If you make a change of mind return you’ll need to pay for the return shipping.\nHow can I get free shipping from Christian Paul?\nDelivery is complimentary on orders over $199 (the average price of one Christian Paul watch) throughout Australia and internationally. Accessories and items that are less than $199 are shipped for a flat $10.99 to Australian addresses and $19.99 to international addresses. Shipping takes approximately 1–3 business days to most Australian addresses.\nWhat forms of payment does Christian Paul accept?\n- American Express\nWhat is the Christian Paul returns policy?\nReturns are accepted within 100 days from the date of your order. Items must be returned in brand new condition to be accepted with all original packaging, including protective seals on the face and backing of the watch intact. Return shipping costs for change of mind returns are the responsibility of the customer.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "Self-Portrait, Aged 51 by Rembrandt\n- Friday, 29th August 2014, 12.45-1.15pm\nGallery (Scottish National Gallery)\nAndrew Paterson, art historian, will discuss Rembrandt's possible motivations for making this and his many other self-portraits, and ways in which the painting might be interpreted in the light of the artistic and religious culture of 17th century Holland.\nNo booking required: free, unticketed.See all events", "label": "No"}
{"text": "The captions of similar Bubley photos indicate that the image was taken on a Sunday afternoon as she was following sightseeing servicemen around The Mall taking pictures for the Office of War Information Service.\nAnother garden scene from my day of walking around London last week. . .\nThis meadow-style planting is outside the walls of St. James’s Palace, along The Mall. The strip of ground outside the walls around Buckingham Palace (at least on the north side) is planted in the same way.\nIn addition to Queen Anne’s lace (Daucus carota), there were some very dark red-purple tulips and pale blue Camassia.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "Daily Recovery Readings\nJuly 2, 2022\nTHE HEART OF TRUE SOBRIETY\nWe find that no one need have difficulty with the spirituality of the program. Willingness, honesty and open-mindedness are the essentials of recovery. But these are indispensable.\n— ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS, p. 568\nAm I honest enough to accept myself as I am and let this be the “me” that I let others see? Do I have the willingness to go to any length, to do whatever is necessary to stay sober? Do I have the open-mindedness to hear what I have to hear, to think what I have to think, and to feel what I have to feel?\nIf my answer to these questions is “Yes,” I know enough about the spirituality of the program to stay sober. As I continue to work the Twelve Steps, I move on to the heart of true sobriety: serenity with myself, with others, and with God as I understand Him.\nFrom the book Daily Reflections\nCopyright © 1990 by Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, Inc.\nBig Book Quote\n“Every day is a day when we must carry the vision of God’s will into all of our activities. “How can I best serve Thee, Thy will (not mine) be done.” These are thoughts which must go with us constantly.”\n~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, Into Action, pg. 85~\n24 Hours a Day – The Little Black Book\nThought for the Day\nIn the association with members of the A.A. group to which we belong, we have the advantage of sincere friendship and understanding of the other members who, through social and personal contact, take us away from our old haunts and environments and help to remove in large measure the occasions of alcoholic suggestion. We find in this association a sympathy and a willingness on the part of most members to do everything in their power to help us. Do I appreciate the wonderful fellowship of A.A.?\nMeditation for the Day\n“Except ye become as little children, ye cannot enter the kingdom of heaven.” In this saying it is urged that all who seek heaven on earth or in the hereafter should become like little children. In seeking things of the spirit and in our faith, we should try to become childlike. Even as we grow older, the years of seeking can give us the attitude of the trusting child. Not only for its simple trust should we have the childlike spirit, but also for its joy in life, its ready laughter, its lack of criticism, and its desire to share. In Charles Dicken’s story, A Christmas Carol, even old Scrooge changed when he got the child-spirit.\nPrayer for the Day\nI pray that I may become like a child in faith and hope. I pray that I may, like a child, be friendly and trusting.\nThe Language of Letting Go – Codependency\nWho Knows Best?\nOthers do not know what’s best for us.\nWe do not know what’s best for others.\nIt is our job to determine what’s best for ourselves.\n“I know what you need.” . . . “I know what you should do.” . . . “Now listen, this is what I think you should be working on right now.”\nThese are audacious statements, beliefs that take us away from how we operate on a spiritual plane of life. Each of us is given the ability to be able to discern and detect our own path, on a daily basis. This is not always easy. We may have to struggle to reach that quiet, still place.\nGiving advice, making decisions for others, mapping out their strategy, is not our job. Nor is it their job to direct us. Even if we have a clean contract with someone to help us – such as in a sponsorship relationship – we cannot trust that others always know what is best for us. We are responsible for listening to the information that comes to us. We are responsible for asking for guidance and direction. But it is our responsibility to sift and sort through information, and then listen to ourselves about what is best for us. Nobody can know that but ourselves.\nA great gift we can give to others is to be able to trust in them – that they have their own source of guidance and wisdom, that they have the ability to discern what is best for them and the right to find that path by making mistakes and learning.\nTo trust ourselves to be able to discover – through that same imperfect process of struggle, trial, and error – is a great gift we can give ourselves.\nToday, I will remember that we are each given the gift of being able to discover what is best for ourselves. God, help me trust that gift.\nTouchstone – Men’s Meditation\nFair play is primarily not blaming others for anything that is wrong with us.\nAs adults, we accept responsibility for our feelings and our circumstances. We haven’t chosen our own troubles, but we have the job of dealing with them. If a man falls and breaks a leg, he might say to someone, “It’s your fault, and I’ll make you pay for this!” But that won’t fix his leg. The healing still has to come from within.\nOur impulse to blame others is an attempt to escape our responsibilities. We become overcritical. We want someone else to take the rap for our pain and our misdeeds, but this only delays our wholeness as men. There is no point in blaming ourselves either. When we first confront our discomfort directly and accept responsibility for dealing with it, we feel an inner urge to escape again. If we stay with the discomfort a while, a new stage begins – the healing and acceptance stage. A feeling of wholeness comes, a feeling of being a real person, of having reached our full size.\nMay I not indulge in blame today – toward myself or anyone else. Instead, may I be a strong, responsible man.\n“If I destroy you, I destroy myself. If I honor you, I honor myself.”\n–Hunbatz Men, MAYAN\nIt is said, when we need love the most is when we deserve it the least. Whenever I have secret thoughts about someone else, it will put bad feelings inside myself. I will hurt myself. If I secretly hold a grudge or resentment against my brother or sister, I will be a slave to that person until I let them go. Let me remember to look at my brother in a sacred manner. Today, let me think like a Warrior. Let my thoughts toward my brothers and sisters be good thoughts. Let me remember that You are in charge. If I get upset at another person today, let me remember that the most important thing I can do is to first talk to You because when I am right with You, it is impossible to be out of harmony with my brothers and sisters.\nMy Creator, take my hand and guide me through today.\nDaily Horoscope – Cancer\nA lack of direction could entice you to spend money on the wrong things. You might be influenced by others to splash out on a new business venture or a gadget that’s supposed to improve your life. Afterward, you may end up realizing that that wasn’t something that was right for you just because it was right for them. You’re being asked to take a look at your own current goals and values before you jump headfirst into someone else’s dreams.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "At last, the Queen visits the Republic of Ireland\nHer Majesty the Queen (aka ‘Elizabeth Windsor’ to Gerry Adams and his ilk) commences a visit to Ireland today. She is the first British monarch to visit the South since King George V, exactly a century ago, and she is the first ever to visit the Republic. Not, of course, out of indifference or irrational ideological preference – Her Majesty has patiently travelled to many nations and greeted hundreds of odious heads of state – but because of ancient grudge and enmity, civil strife and bloodshed. Over the centuries, the narrative has become one of Irish Roman Catholic subjugation to the Protestant English Crown; oppression and exploitation by an absentee landlord who deigns to return periodically to inspect his/her Irish territory, partitioned since 1921. The Monarch is the symbolic head of the murderous British military, and the Crown has historically patronised the persecuting constabulary and been chief prosecutor of Ireland’s ‘freedom fighters’. This is about victimhood and vassalage.\nThose who subscribe to this crass and simplistic narrative began to fall into two main camps: the armed resistance of the ‘Irish Republican Army’ and the more defensive ‘Loyalists’ who fought for a British Ulster. And so professing Catholics and Protestants bombed each other to bits, both oblivious to the command to love one’s neighbour and pray for one’s enemies: the Catholic IRA was at war with the Protestant RUC, and there was no common ground to be found. But eventually, through numerous treaties, agreements, appeasements and reforms, the paramilitaries were defused, the RUC disbanded and military operations largely ceased. Inevitably, perhaps, splinter groups arose – specifically the ‘Real IRA’ – and they are pledged to continue the armed conflict until ‘British occupation’ is over. And ‘Continuity IRA’, who are closely associated with Sinn Féin, ‘haven’t gone away’. After a decade of relative peace, we have once again returned to the summary execution of members of the PSNI because all British police and security are ‘legitimate targets’. It is not so much the individual identity or faith of policemen and women (which now include a significant number of Roman Catholics), but the symbolism of the uniform they wear: British rule in ‘Ulster’.\nThe ultimate and supreme symbol is, of course, the Queen. And so there are snipers, bombs and rumours of bombs, for the Irish Republican who manages to assassinate the British Monarch will go down in history as the supreme avenger, the one who vindicates generations of martyrs and freedom fighters. She is Chief of Staff of the British armed forces – they occupy Ireland in her name. She remains, as Gerry Adams has so frequently said, ‘a legitimate target’.\nOf course, most Irish people – on both sides of the religious and political divide – would be appalled at the thought of an assassination attempt on the Queen. But terrorism has always been a minority ‘fringe’ pursuit. No matter what cultural, linguistic, economic and historical connections exist between Ireland and the United Kingdom, it is that which divides and separates which has made a Royal visit impossible. It has perhaps taken too long for Ireland to elect a president who grasps the link between Catholicism and kingship. Or perhaps it is because she is married to an Englishman that ‘reconciliation’ may now take place. Or maybe because the Republic has abandoned its historic constitutional claim on the North and accepted the principle of democratic consent.\nWhatever, we must be grateful that centuries of bloodshed, sectarianism, corruption and decades of cultural waste are largely put behind us. The economic hardship continues, but that can hardly be laid at the door of Her Majesty. We are a family of nations, and the Crown will always be a greater friend to Ireland than any prince or potentate from Brussels.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "A Christmas Carol (Unabriged)\n- 28498 Words\n- Ages 6 and up\nA Christmas Carol\nis a novella by English author Charles Dickens. It tells the story of bitter old miser Ebenezer Scrooge and his transformation resulting from supernatural visits by Jacob Marley and the Ghosts of Christmases Past, Present and Yet to Come. The novella met with instant success and critical acclaim.\nThe tale begins on a \"cold, bleak, biting\" Christmas Eve exactly seven years after the death of Scrooge's business partner Jacob Marley. Scrooge, an old miser, is established within the first stave as \"a squeezing, wrenching, grasping, scraping, clutching, covetous, old sinner!\" He hates Christmas, calling it \"humbug\"; he refuses his nephew Fred's Christmas dinner invitation, and rudely turns away two gentlemen who seek a donation from him to provide a Christmas dinner for the poor. His only \"Christmas gift\" is allowing his overworked, underpaid clerk Bob Cratchit Christmas Day off with pay – which he does only to keep with social custom, Scrooge considering it \"a poor excuse for picking a man's pocket every 25th of December!\" [more]\nKeywords: a christmas carol, charles dickens, a chistmas story, ghost story, satire, scrooge, classic literature", "label": "No"}
{"text": "For some time now From Guestwriters is trying to bring some interesting articles which appeared on the net, by different bloggers as well from our own community.\nToday we are still looking for writers who would not mind joining us to inspire people. Perfection is not required of anyone, but we would love to give a platform for remembering the power of your words and actions which is a must. We are convinced there are enough readers here who also could have some words on the tip of their tongue. They just should know that here there is a place where they can let those words roll from their pen or typewriter in a welcoming surrounding.\nWe’d be honoured to have you write for our site and interact with our great audience. We are convinced that such action, of you taking part in our guest-writing, will not only enrich this blog, but also enable you to spread the treasure trove of knowledge and life experiences that you possess, through your ideas. You also should know that what can be interesting to talk about could also be interesting for someone else to read about. Our blog will amplify your thoughts for readers within our reach and also give our website a boost.\nPreferred Topics and Subjects ~\nLifestyle, humanity, life-lessons, wisdom, morality, family, kindness, compassion, gratitude, mindfulness, forgiveness, love, parenting, friendship, homelessness, gentleness, non-violence, humility, loss, grief, meditation, physical and mental health.\nMay we all be an inspiration to someone else to give them hope and to teach them to be loving to themselves and others.\nAlso, when you have already a WordPress-blog and would not mind having certain articles re-blogged, please, let yourself known.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "Nana Gnome Christmas Shirt Game Of Gnomes Christmas Is Coming\nNana Gnome Christmas Shirt Game Of Gnomes Christmas Is Coming – Nana Gnome Merry Christmas Shirt, Gnome Xmas Shirt, Christmas Gnome T-Shirt. The stunning shirt features the image of three gnomes and the quote: “Game Of Gnomes Christmas Is Coming”. Best shirt for nana, grandma, mom, Gnome lovers, fans of Gnome, game lovers, or anyone who loves Christmas, cute things.\nGnome Xmas Shirt Merry Christmas Shirt\n- A great whole family matching Christmas apparel for your family and friends. This funny Gnome design with nana gnome will be the perfect game lover gift, for your Christmas gift collection.\n- If you have any concerns or encounter any difficulties, you can contact customer service for assistance.\n- YOU ALSO LOVE: Teacher Christmas Tree Shirt Just A Teacher Who Loves Christmas Xmas Tree\nBuy Now Nana Gnome Christmas Shirt Game Of Gnomes\n- Material: 100% Cotton\n- Print Type: Direct to Garment printing\n- Imported From USA\n- Machine Wash\n- Our shirts are packed with love, great care, and fast shipping to you anywhere in the world.\n- We are confident that you will be unique and express your personality in this design with the right amount of stretch, as well as feeling soft and comfortable when wearing it on.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "Doberman Funny T-shirt\nMine bloom a few times a year! & is blooming so beautifully right now! it loves it on top of Doberman Funny T-shirt there’s a lil light that we put on nearly every evening keeps it’s roots nice and cozy! Due to the lil hairs on each side of where bloom would be looks like mine are Easter Cacti! Thanks for the posts all!!\nDoberman Funny T-shirt,youth tee, hoodie, sweater and V-neck t-shirt\nI actually just saw an illustration of the Doberman Funny T-shirt. The Thanksgiving, Christmas and Easter plants have different shaped leaves. The Thanksgiving has sharp points on the leaves. The Christmas leaves are gentle points and the Easter have little hairs on either side of where the blossom would be. Hope this helps someone.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "CSTO Secretary General Stanislav Zas, within the framework of the organization's mission to Armenia, met with the country's Prime Minister and Chairman of the CSTO Collective Security Council Nikol Pashinyan in Yerevan today.\nAccording to the CSTO Press Service, Zas informed Pashinyan about the preliminary results of the CSTO Mission, discussed in detail its work and the current situation in the region.\nThe CSTO mission headed by the Secretary General was sent to Armenia in accordance with the decision of the extraordinary session of the CSTO Collective Security Council held on September 13, 2022. The Mission consisted of representatives of the CSTO member States, who are members of the Organization's working bodies.\nThe CSTO Mission is tasked to monitor and study the situation on the ground in certain border regions of the Republic of Armenia and to make proposals for further steps. Based on the results of the work of the Mission, a report is prepared for the heads of the CSTO member states on the situation in the region and proposals for the normalization of the situation.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "The upturn in organ donors proved to be a lifesaver for singing heart patient Vincenzo Avanzato.\nHe spent 13 weeks on an urgent list awaiting an organ - knowing every day in hospital could be his last - before receiving the greatest Christmas gift of all.\nCraig Boden was told he would not survive without a new liver.\nBut a new organ preserved his life with his partner and two young daughters.\nMore top news\nEx-Spitfire pilot Allan Scott, 94, said he was told off by the Queen when he first met her in 1943 when she was just 16.\nLast minute preparations are going on at the Church of St Mary Magdalene where Princess Charlotte will be christened.\nPrincess Charlotte is being christened on Sunday at Sandringham in Norfolk in only her second public appearance since she was born.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "Think Usborne and Kane Miller only publish baby books? Think again! Shopping for pre-teens and older children can feel challenging. What do they really need? What would they actually love? There's no reason to leave them out of the Easter Basket fun! Here are some great books and activities older children (and adults) will love… Continue reading Easter Basket Stuffers for All Ages!\nEaster Basket Stuffer Sale!\nAre you ready for the best candy-free Easter gifts? This year, stuff your child's basket with books! Take a look at some amazing Easter and Spring Break Titles the readers in your life are sure to love!! Which would be the perfect fit for your family? Easter Books: https://youtu.be/VYAUtztv51I Spring Favorites: https://youtu.be/XAUz9hPIu8c Buy 5 mini… Continue reading Easter Basket Stuffer Sale!\nBooks to Fill Your Easter Basket\nStuff those Easter baskets with books this year! These are my top choices for babies, toddlers, and preschoolers from Usborne Books and More! Books for Babies & Toddlers Are you there little bunny? From babies to preschool, children will love trying to “spot” the bunny through a hole on each page. Except...when they turn the… Continue reading Books to Fill Your Easter Basket", "label": "No"}
{"text": "Remarkably Mark #61\nRemarkably Mark #61: Further Reflections\nAs a follow up to Remarkably Mark #59, My Ex-BF Michael and I reflect together on the phone after our dinner on Sunday, sharing our thoughts about friendship, healing, moving on, and new possibilities. A real unusual podcast.\nTheme Music: \"Viva Remarkably Mark!\" by John Ong. www.onglinepodcast.com\nVoice Mail line: 1-646-797-3196\nRemarkably Mark, podcast, chef, qpodder, queercaster, Chef Mark", "label": "No"}
{"text": "Please, give me hope, for I am hopeless! I need you, I want you, I can taste you at night, in my dreams in the morning, I can feel you close beside me, I can hear you in the air around me; I need something good, something wholesome, I need encouragement, I need meaning, I need inspiration, condemnations, a cardinal glory, original sins, I am a tree and I need water, I am a dog and I need murder, a scholarship, a tanking expectation, instant damnation, please, give it to me, give me all that I need, or at least give me something – In the north, in the south, in the west, underwater – propel me, console me, send me reeling skywards, stuff me full and beat me dry, cull me for my golden veins, exonerate me, exorcise my demons, warm my cold cold hands inside you, flatten the grass in the grassland before me, force my hand for me, my fate for me, show me money, give me money, take me screaming, kick me, screaming, while I yawn, and send me away, walk me off to the edge of existence and abandon me. Please, just indulge me – save me, be my savior, pray for me, bind to me, whip me out of mercy – cut me open, see me writhe! Wrap me in wool when I”m shivering, milk me my fruit when I need to be milked, cultivate me, invest in me, ride me through a winding canyon, sail with me into the sea – remind me why I’m feeling this, just what it is I’m feeling – remind me why we’re here. Please, keep me breathing, prop me up, give a shoulder, dress me up when I’m nude, dress me down when I’m not; teach me how to glisten, how to be beautiful, teach me my face full of scars, teach me listening, teach me dreaming, teach me murder, like a lamb – fool in folly, star in heat – tranquilize me – stiffen me – give me strength – make me drink – see me aching – kiss my lips and watch me die!", "label": "No"}
{"text": "|SO Accession:||SO:0002013 (SOWiki)|\n|Definition:||A sequence variant that causes the reduction of a the 5'UTR with regard to the reference sequence.|\n|Synonyms:||5 prime UTR truncation, Jannovar:5_prime_utr_truncation, snpEff:UTR_5_DELETED|\n|DB Xrefs:||SO: ke|\nIn the image below graph nodes link to the appropriate terms. Clicking the image background will toggle the image between large and small formats.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "Los Angeles News\nLocal news for Los Angeles, CA continually updated from thousands of sources on the web.\n40 Celebrities Who Had Abortions\nDid The Pope Perform a Miracle in Naples?\nFed Judge Strikes Down California's 10-Day Gun Waiting ...\nUpdated: Mon May 04, 2015 05:08 pm\nCopyright © 2015 Topix LLC", "label": "No"}
{"text": "The Drummer – Weekly Beats – July 14, 2017\nJuly 14, 2017\n• Summer Series Sunday Service\nJoin us this Sunday the next in summer service series, where we will discover humanism with Worship Weaver Jennifer Winschel.\n• UUA Common Read 2017-2018\nTwo books have been selected for the 2017-2018 UUA Common Read. One focuses on the work of dismantling white supremacy culture within today’s Unitarian Universalism, and the other provides a vision and guidance for some of our work in the public square.\nCentering: Navigating Race, Authenticity, and Power in Ministry, edited by Mitra Rahnema (Skinner House, 2017).\nDaring Democracy: Igniting Power, Meaning, and Connection for the America We Want, by Frances Moore Lappé and Adam Eichen (Beacon Press, 2017)\nCentering is available now at inSpirit: The UU Book and Gift Shop, and Daring Democracy will be available in early September. We invite you to read both and to work with others to organize discussion groups in your UU community. A discussion guide for each book will be available in October.\n• Tuesday Evening Taize Prayer Service\nAre you looking for some time for quiet contemplation? Are you looking for a worshipful experience in which there is no sermon and no one telling you what to believe before you are sure you believe it? Then the Service of Taize Evening Prayer may be for you.\nThis 30-minute service is inspired by the worship of the international ecumenical monastic community of Taize, France. The service consists of simple, modern chants sung repetitively or in a round, a brief reading of Scripture, a long period of peaceful silence and some time for intercessory prayer.\nThere is no preaching, no monetary collection, no attempt at recruiting church members; it is simply a time to come together in song and prayer. People who have attended often comment on the rich spiritual atmosphere of the service. Its serenity and simplicity provide a wonderful midweek opportunity to feed one’s soul.\nEvery Tuesday at 7:00\n• This Week in UU History\n7/15/1558 Giovanni Gentile was condemned to be beheaded for Unitarian teachings in Geneva, Switzerland, by order of John Calvin. To escape this fate, Gentile, who was advanced in years, prepared a series of apologies and recantations. When the court insisted on further public humiliations, he fled but was recaptured and beheaded in 1566. Gentile said he would die for the glory of God, not of Christ.\n7/17/1887 Dorothea Lynde Dix, an American teacher and social reformer who was heavily influenced by Unitarianism, died at age 85.\n7/19/1860 Florence Buck was born. She was headmistress of a school in Kalamazoo, Michigan, and a lifelong friend of the Unitarian minister there, Marion Murdock. Eventually she and Murdock moved to Meadville, Pennsylvania, where Murdock did graduate work and Buck studied for the Unitarian ministry. After a year, they went to live in London, where Buck studied at Manchester College and then Oxford University. She was ordained in Chicago at All Souls Church during the World Parliament of Religions in 1890. She and Murdock were called as co-pastors of Unity Church in Cleveland, Ohio and had a joint ministry there for six years. They were the first women to hold a joint ministry in the United States. In 19o0, Buck became minister in Kenosha, Wisconsin and Murdock took a ministry in Geneva, Illinois. Florence Buck died on October 12, 1925.\nUUCGB Building Schedule for this week:\nSunday 7/16, 10:00 Sunday Service\nTuesday 7/18, 7:00 Taize Service\nWednesday 7/19, 7:00 Choir Practice\nSunday 7/25, 10:00 Sunday Service\n7/16, “Humanism” with Worship Leader Jennifer Winschel\n7/23, “Origins of UUism” with Worship Leader Virginia Smith\nPlease send any items you would like listed in next week’s Weekly Drummer Beats to email@example.com by Friday at 9 am! The weekly email is sent every Friday at noon!\nUnitarian Universalist Church of Greater Bridgeport\n275 Huntington Road, Stratford, CT 06614", "label": "No"}
{"text": "Jude broke the news of the wahala in P-Square’s camp. Then the whole media went agog with news of their imminent breakup.\nAfter much said and done, it seems there’s about to be peace and calm once again.\nHow did we know? That’s because Paul just broke the silence, exposing the situation of things at the moment.\nAccording to him, he hopes there will be calm after the brouhaha.\n‘After the storm comes the calm. Hoping for better days ahead as one family. God’s intervention‘, Paul Okoye wrote on his wall.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "Stop being so dramatic, please? You dont like me and I dont like you. A lot of people dont. Stop acting like a roadside whore and letting every passerby fuck you up.\nEither let me live you in peace or just go away. Or yeah just go away.\nYou annoy me like a recently dumped sensitive girl.\nRipple vs Flake\n1 year ago", "label": "No"}
{"text": "The story of Bilal al-Habashl, who embraced death with joy\nThe story of Bilal al-Habashi, who embraced death with joy: Sufi story from Masnavi by Maulana Rumi\nWhen weakness made Bilal grow as thin like the new moon, the colour of death fell on his face.\nHis wife saw him in this state and cried, “O’ Sorrow!” Then Bilal said to her, “No, no! Say, ‘O joy!’\nUntil now living has caused me pain and suffering: how should you know how delightful the death is, and what it is in reality?”\nBilal’s wife said to him, “This is the separation, o’ man of fine qualities.” “No, no,” he said, “It is the union, the union with God.”\nThe wife said, “Tonight you will go to a strange country, you will become absent from your family and relatives.”\n“No, no,” he replied; “on the contrary, tonight in reality my spirit is coming home from a strange country.”\nShe said, “Where shall we see your face?” He answered, “In God’s chosen circle.”\nHis chosen circle is close to you, if you look upward, not downward.\n“Grief!,” she said, “this house has been ruined now.” “Look at the moon,” Bilal said. “do not look at the cloud.\nHe [Allah] has ruined it in order that He may make it more nourishing: my relatives were many and the house was too small.\nI was a beggar in this dungeon-like house; now I have become a emperor: a palace is needed for a king.”\nTruly, palaces are the place for spiritual kings to reside in; for him who is spiritually dead a grave is a sufficient house and dwelling.\nTo the Prophets this world seemed small: like kings, they went into the world of spacelessness.\nMasnavi Volume 3, Verses 3517 – 3538\nTransliteration based on English translation by our dear brother Wazir Dayers, with permission and compliments.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "There’s no right or wrong answer\nIf I always listened to only my heart, I’d probably weigh a gazillion pounds. My decisions would be based on what feels right at that moment. I would try more things—and not play it safe. I would give more, even if the resources weren’t there.\nIf I always listened to only my head…I’d probably have a headache! My decisions would be well thought-out. Life would be structured. I wouldn’t get disappointed or hurt.\nGranted, these comparisons are not based on anything scientific. But there is truth in my self-reflection.\nMy heart lets me feel, emote, and connect. My head lets me evaluate, reason, and synthesize data. When I combine the two…life becomes more passionate, playful, and realistic.\nIf I want to live passionately, paying attention to who I am called to be, and what I am called to do, I will follow my head and my heart. I will not always play it safe. I will take the risk, knowing the potential consequences. I will not always give and take simply because I feel like it. My choices will be thought-out while honoring my heart’s desires.\nThere will be times I follow my heart against what my mind tells me I should do. And there will be times when I do “the right thing,” feeling an ache in my heart when I’m giving up something I want. It’s called life.\nCelebrate the mind and spirit\nOne of the things I love most about SheTaxi.com is what it brings together. Each of the resource areas nurtures a part of our lives. We can’t live in just Mind and Spirit…we also need to remember our Health, Relationships, and Work.\nSimilarly, we need to listen to our hearts and our minds. As long as we are physically able to do so, we live most fully when we honor and respond to the messages we receive from each.\nIt’s what creates a rich life.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "We love our US Army Soldiers! A warm thank you to all the soldiers who have served and soldiers who are serving! All soldiers and their families make a huge sacrifice to keep the United States the best nation in the world!\nThank you troops! July Happy of July! Thank you for your service! Pray for our nation. Pray for America! Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord. The face of prayer has changed. The need for prayer has not.\nThousands of blacks served in the Confederate Army willingly. It wasn't about slavery, but about a way of life and states' rights. To this day nearly of blacks in the south support the confederate flag. So much for the liberal narrative.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "True to his name, Ryan Holliday loves Christmas, as proclaimed by the tinsel and lights adorning his bar, Bangers and Mash. Sadly, the town Grinch, Paige Taylor--a woman who's locked him in the friend zone—missed the memo. When he notices her mood unaffected by the trimmings, he makes it his mission to help her find her holiday spirit. Who knows? His good deed might even coax St. Nick into granting Ryan's long-held Christmas wish to win her affection.\nAny joy Paige Taylor might've known during the holidays had been killed by years of tense family events and phony joy. For her, this was merely a season of stress and artifice with her highly dysfunctional family. So, when Ryan, the sexy owner of the local bar sets his sights on her and insists she needs a visit from the ghost of Christmas present, she protests only half-heartedly. I mean, who wouldn't want to spend time with a sexy man? He'd grow bored with her, a history professor before long.\nRyan seduces her over Christmas trees, cookies and shopping but will the Christmas magic they find together last beyond the New Year?\nPas de note", "label": "No"}
{"text": "During our Phoenix visit where our two younger daughters, Kim and Karma, live with their families, we were thankful to enjoy time with them all. Above is a photo of our oldest granddaughter, Raquel, holding her little cousin, Jason-Paul.\nRaquel is a loving and attentive older cousin, and loves playing with the baby of the (entire) family.\nOur oldest grandchild, Antonio, is now eleven, and a kind and gentle young man.\nAntonio also loves his little cousin, and enjoys every opportunity to hold him. Jason-Paul is fortunate to have cousins who love him so much!", "label": "No"}
{"text": "Christian Wilde and Bobby Rail\nWell, after waxing lyrical about the exploits of Christian and Bobby in their scorching hot action set, how could I not deliver on their even more wank-tastic video. Get ready to be blown away by this gym-set fuckfest. What i'd give to run my hands down either one of their finely-tuned physiques!\nPosted on: October 09, 2010", "label": "No"}
{"text": "Murder At Mount Vernon\nA Founding Fathers Mystery\nde Muller Robert J Muller; Ilustração: Swanson Mary L Swanson\nSobre o livro\nAt Mount Vernon in March 1789, retired General George Washington finds one of his slaves murdered. The political and moral decisions the General faces on his journey toward honor and justice imperil the very survival of the nation he has fought so hard to create.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "In memory of Judge Raphael B. Maganga\nDied 16th August 1986\nDad, days come by sunrise and end by sunset. Indeed, days have today turned into 30 years since you answered God's call on that fateful morning of 16th August 1986 and yet it seems like it's only yesterday when we had you in our midst. To others you are gone and forgotten but to us your legacy lives on.\nDad, Many may think that after 30 years the wounds are completely healed. But little do they know of the scars that lie in the hearts concealed. The memories you left are beautiful though the sorrow too great to be told to those who loved you. The years may wipe out many things but the memory of you they will wipe out never!!!!. Dad, in our hearts you live still, and as we loved you, so we miss you. You are not forgotten nor ever shall you be; as long as life and memory last we shall remember thee, our great mentor.\nAs we fondly this day we celebrate years of life that was lived with grace, integrity, honour and humility. We miss you Dad.\nFondly remembered by your beloved children Nelly, Gerald, Louisa, Alice, Susan, Andrew. Your son in laws Pascal, Rikard, Peter, Alvin, your grand children Jadden, Nelly, Andrew, Simon, Mercy and Michayla.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "Sometimes when you are browsing the School Resources Collection, it’s easy to forget that there is so much more to find online! We have a growing collection of children’s fiction eBooks, perfect for when you are out on placement or looking for something to read on the go. You can use our eBooks from anywhere, … More Fantastic eBooks and Where to Find Them\nSemester One is nearly over, but we understand you may still need access to the Library and its resources over the Christmas period. Here’s when we’re open… Hope you all have a well-deserved rest over the Christmas Vacation, and see you for Semester Two in the New Year! Merry Christmas from Martial Rose Library!", "label": "No"}
{"text": "Dear teacher, I know that I was always a difficult case for you. You have had the worst time teaching me. But, trust me I always followed what you said and did that. Today when I get good grades, I realize it was all because of your hard work and strong determination that I stand so tall in life. I want to tell you sorry for silly things and a big thank you for always being there for me. You are the best teacher.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "Man is a social animal and relationships play a very important role in life. Life becomes very difficult without any relationship.\nIt is only the strength of relationship that keeps the motivation to live and enjoy life to the fullest.\nEvery person has many ups and downs in their lives but the only thing that helps sustain life is the strength that a relationship provides in all situations of life.\nSending some relationship inspirational messages across to someone is a special way of showing that you care for them.\nSample Relationship Inspirational Messages\n[blockquote]Relationships are like budding plants the more you nurture them the more they bloom.[/blockquote]\n[blockquote]The very foundation of a lasting relationship is the element of trust that it is filled with.[/blockquote]\n[blockquote]Relationships helps double up the joy of life between both of us.[/blockquote]\n[blockquote]One of the most important factor that holds a relationship forever is the feeling of love and trust and I hope you will always cherish it with me.[/blockquote]\n[blockquote]Sharing and caring are the two necessities of a happy relationship.[/blockquote]\n- There can’t be anything more important in life for a person than a loving relationship.\n- Relationship is an inherent part of life that should always be respected.\n- Caring for a relationship is the beginning of caring about oneself.\n- [notice noticeType=”info” ]Life is not bed of roses but it can be transformed into one when there is support of relationships in one’s life.[/notice]\n- Relationship reflects the inner most feelings of having love in one’s life.\n- Relationships can be fulfilling with a little bit of love and respect for each other.\n- Not everyone realizes the importance of a relationship in one’s life till it is lost from their lives.\n- [notice noticeType=”attention” ]Relationship is not about knowing each other but the fact of accepting each other the way they are.[/notice]\n- Great relationships begin with great sacrifices.\n- The best way to discover oneself is to be in a long lasting relationship.\n- A relationship is the element that showcases the mirror image of one’s true self.\n- [notice noticeType=”info” ]One of the best things about being in a relationship is to know its worth.[/notice]\n- Life becomes meaningful with relationships that are truthful.\n- One of the biggest moments of any person’s life lies in sharing it with someone together.\n- [notice noticeType=”attention” ]Just as clapping takes place with two hands it requires the endeavor of two people to build a relationship.[/notice]", "label": "No"}
{"text": "Explore Dublin city’s oldest parish church still in use in the heart of the old medieval city\nCollege set to showcase work from its continuous education programme\nANONYMOUS by Mark Richardson – ‘I am homeless. I have no name.’\nSave the date for a packed and fun week in Dublin 8 as the Liberties Festival returns\nDublin Vegfest 2018 promises to be the largest vegan food and drink event in Ireland.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "Moody Fund For The Arts Continues Support for a Second Year!\nThank you, Moody Fund For The Arts, for supporting The Artist Outreach programs in Dallas!\nWe will be able to serve Dallas ISD students through our STREAMliners programs as well as introduce our drum circle program, Rhythm For You, for our Veteran community battling PTSD.\nThese programs will be performed from August through the fall. Thank you, Moody Fund For The Arts!!", "label": "No"}
{"text": "In these chapters we get into what the first amendment really means to us as journalist. we are protected by freedom of speech and freedom of the press but that freedom does have limits. We can publish any story of fact of truth but people still have a right to sue or try to bring the story down if it hurts government process or is slander. In these cases the right of freedom of speech doesn’t stand up.\nHe uses ethics to view how we should use our journalistic abilities. He uses the phrase “just because we can doesn’t mean we should.” a example of this in journalism would be having details of a CEO’s affair. Just because we can make a story doesn’t mean we should be the ones to publish it and expose them.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "2020 was a year of global crisis. During this time, I experienced crisis on a very personal level. For me this coincided with the beginning of the pandemic, when my older brother developed a kind of dementia. In this text, I briefly explore a few philosophical issues relating both to the spread of COVID-19 and to my brother’s disease. Reflecting on themes such as anxiety, uncertainty, grief, privilege, vulnerability, social distancing, and misfit bodies—mainly through critical phenomenology—I attempt to give sense to the experience of personal crisis in times of global crisis. I conclude by embracing “misfit bodies” in a sincere attempt to recognize the pervasiveness of sickness and absurdity—but also in hope for solidarity and empathy to persist.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "After a short break, Dalmatino will reopen its doors on February 14th.\n”The date seemed appropriate as we at Dalmatino are all about LOVE”- noted Robert, the owner, with a smile. “Love for cooking, good food, for good wine and good service is what keeps us going.\nFor Valentine ’s Day weekend (February 14th and 15th) we have prepared a variety of special surprises for our guests. We hope to see both couples and singles, enjoying Dalmatino’s warm and friendly atmosphere and sharing our love for gastronomy.“", "label": "No"}
{"text": "Welcome to Destination St. John\nOne of St. John's oldest and most respected vacation villa rental companies on St. John, US Virgin Islands.\nDestination St. John offers you an exclusive assortment of exceptional St. John accommodations, from affordable vacation homes to luxury villas, rental homes and other lodging in the beautiful US Virgin Islands.\nYou will not find Destination St John villas on any other website, as our St John property rentals and villa specials are unique and exclusive – just like you - with our main goal to exceed your St John vacation expectations with our unmatched guest services.\nHere you will discover how easy it is to make your dream St. John vacation villa holiday a reality.\nNEVER PAY EXTRA FEES… EVER!\nNo booking fee, No service fee, No Credit Card fee.\nYour St John vacation memories start here…\nSave with our current Special Offers\nLatest from our Blog…\nNovember 28, 2016Hiking: The Johnny Horn Trail\nHiking is one of our favorite things to do on St. John. With nearly 3/4 of the island being National Park, there is an abundance of great hiking. The views, wildlife and plants are spectacular and we highly suggest making sure to do at least one hike during your stay! Johnny Horn Trail is one […]", "label": "No"}
{"text": "People who chose to be doctors, psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers and nurses do so because they want to help people. People who chose to work in the mental health system do so because they feel an affinity for those who suffer with a mental illness, they want to help people. Everyone including the admin assistant and the bookkeeper, are moved to make things better for those who suffer. Too often those who work with people with BPD confront the discrimination and stigmatisation of people with lived experience and their families in their own workplaces.\nStigma and discrimination is a result of lack of knowledge and understanding on many levels. Our BPD Community looks to those who work with BPD to be leaders in their workplace, to shine the light of knowledge and understanding.\nPeople who work in this challenging field need up to date, accurate information and education and training. BPD Community provides training for people working in the field. Contact us at firstname.lastname@example.org .", "label": "No"}
{"text": "Ok, I know it sounds better to say... Top Five but I have six favorite Christmas songs and I just couldn't knock one off the list. Ha!\nI love listening to Christmas music. Have you ever listened to Pandora Radio? Well you can make a Christmas channel and listen all day. :)\nI thought I would share my favorites with you.\n1- Brenda Lee...Rockin around the Christmas Tree ( This song will get you dancing...)\n2- Josh Groban... Believe ( I just love his voice)\n3- Faith Hill... Where are you Christmas ( We love watching How the Grinch Stole Christmas movie with Jim Carrey.)\n4- Celine Dion... O Holy Night ( That lady can hit some high notes...)\n5- Darlene Zschech....The First Noel ( Love this song..)\n6- Mariah Carey... All I want for Christmas is you ( Me and my daughter can sing and dance to this song all day long)\nI hope you like my list!! What are your favorites??", "label": "No"}
{"text": "MARY E. NELSON\nDied Nov. 3, 2008\nMrs. Mary Elizabeth House Nelson, 92, died Monday.\nA graveside service will be conducted Saturday at 11 a.m. in Riverside Christian Church Cemetery.\nShe was preceded in death by her husband, Joseph Clayton Nelson; a son, two sisters; and eight brothers.\nShe is survived by her daughter; grandchildren; 10 great-grandchildren; and sisters.\nThe family will receive friends immediately following the service.\nOnline condolences at www.wilkersonfuneralhome.com.\nPublished in Obituaries on November 5, 2008 1:47 PM", "label": "No"}
{"text": "VIA VB8003 BOARD VIA TECHNOLOGIES VB8003-16\nVIA VB8001 16 BOARD VIA TECHNOLOGIES VB8001-16\nVIA VB7007 MOTHERBOARD VIA TECHNOLOGIES VB7007-10E\nShowing 1 - 12 of 13 items\nOur sales and customer service staff is comitted to helping you and we want to thank you for you continued trust in our abilities to serve you.\nCarrollton, TX 75006", "label": "No"}
{"text": "“That is of the tidings of the ruined cities that We relate to thee; the ruins of some are visible and others have been obliterated altogether. We did not wrong them, but they wronged themselves….they only augmented their ruin, Such is the chastisement of thy Lord which He inflicts upon corrupt cities.” Suratul Hud -QN11:100-102\nAnd this is how “My Lord embraces all things in Knowledge. Will you not then consider and remember, and retract” Surah Al-Anaam- QN6:80\nPray with me: O Allah! Purify our hearts from hypocrisy, our deeds from any kind of disbelieve, our tongue from lying and our eye from treachery; for indeed You Alone know what lies within us.\nO Allah! Please whatever You have granted us from what We love, make it a means of strength for us to use in the way You love. O Allah! Whatever love of things You have removed from us then grant in its place the love of things that You love.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "I care ‘cause I know\nit’s the right thing to do\nto make the world better\nfor me and for you.\nI care for all creatures because they’re alive,\nbecause every life has a right to survive.\nWe all have one right\nthat is solid as granite;\nwe all have the right to say, “THIS IS MY PLANET!”", "label": "No"}
{"text": "One of my life signatures involves an inherent tendency to seek out alternative ways of considering—well, everything.\n“I have only slipped away into the next room. I am I and you are you. Whatever we were to each other, that we still are.”\n* Quoted from “What is Death?” by Henry Scott Holland", "label": "No"}
{"text": "These scholarships don’t only go to support religious schools, but other types as well. Take New Hampshire mom Melissa Cogan, who homeschools her children Hope and Hunter. She told The Friedman Foundation, “We are a large family with very limited resources for supplies, books, workbooks, and electronic technology. The generosity of the Network for Educational Opportunity has made it possible for us to purchase everything we needed to become a successful homeschooling family.”\nCelebrate the 4th of July with IEW and enter to win a $50 gift certificate.\nThousands of parents who were forced to homeschool during the COVID-19 pandemic have opted to continue educating their children at home.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "I am a mum of 2 kids who I affectionately call Sew Mama, living life to the full of sewing, creating, handmade gifts for the loved ones in your life. I really hope you find something that you love❤\nFind me/ FB page: http://www.facebook.com/SewMamaHandmade\nFollow me/ Instagram: @sewmama.maki\nThanks for visiting!!", "label": "No"}
{"text": "I love them! Super soft and absorbent, when I wet the sponge to apply foundation . Gives a picture perfect flawless finish. I especially love the container they come in. My favourite is the bear container. It reminds me of Easter eggs or eggs in a cartoon but they’re make up sponges ❤️ LOVE LOVE LOVE! Thank you Cavallilash.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "I am feminine,attentive and kind tender,caring and loving.\nPleasures_Bloom, 46 y/o\nMy heart, my body, my senses are hunger for your taste!..\nDiana_Si, 24 y/o\nI want to start serious relationships with strong and tender man\nTasteOfAffection, 38 y/o\nCatch my sunrays! :D\nSunnyIrishka, 44 y/o\nInspire me to new achievements!\nDivine_Lady_Elena, 26 y/o", "label": "No"}
{"text": "My eyes may be failing, yet I have seen enough.\nI speak today of both awe and of sadness.\nOf a duality of desperation and reverence.\nFor I’ve seen man’s glorious despair.\nI’ve heard man weep in celebratory sadness.\nI’ve heard man morn in majesty.\nLook around you, Comrades.\nWe live in an amazing and maddening world.\nIn an astonishing time of wonder and woe.\nAnd we’ve come so far, yet have barely moved.\nWe possess the resources to feed the hungry.\nWe have the space to give shelter to those without.\nWe possess the technology to give us all clean light and heat.\nWe can build the machinery to lighten the load of the worker.\nWe have the knowledge to heal the sick.\nWe have the ability to educate the masses.\nWe have the power to bring happiness and balance to the world.\nWe can bring this world closer together.\nBut, it is for nothing, if it is only to benefit the few.\nThese few, who hold our lives in their hands.\nThese few, who send our children to war for resources, profit and power.\nThese few, who make laws to imprison the marginalized.\nThese few, who own governments and armies.\nThese few who divide us against ourselves.\nAnd our workers toil for their gain.\nOur politicians dance to their music, despite the common suffering.\nWhile they prosper beyond their barricades and walls, the poor cry out.\nPeople freeze, fight, starve, and die needlessly on our streets.\nThey destroy the land and leave us to rot in the wake of their greed.\nThey work us until our bodies break, and if we stand up against them, their enforcers beat us until we bleed.\nAnd in their churches, our ministers exalt their names.\nThey justify greed and avarice.\nThey demonize the least of us.\nThey divide and condemn.\nThey drive us to toil, saying that it is God’s will.\nFalse teachers, serving the elite.\nDid God will poverty?\nDid God will starvation, while food rots on the shelves?\nDid God will homelessness, while buildings stand vacant?\nInjustice for those righteous?\nMarginalization and death at the hands of the state?\nFamilies torn apart?\nMothers, burying their children?\nThe young, left motherless and without a home?\nWars for profit and land?\nCultures wiped out?\nMarketed and sold?\nHuman beings locked in cages, mutilated and tortured in the unholy name of their legislated, fake, puritan morality?\nProuvaires and provocateurs of poison holding power?\nThese teachers of the law who devour the houses of widows?\nThese carnivalesque, con men of capitalism, cannibalizing the emotions of those still kind enough to care?\nDrawing upon their hope only to drown in their money?\nIs that truly God’s will?\nI say no.\nI say they’ve sold their souls, and are trying to barter and bargain with ours.\nI say the time is drawing near for those few to step aside.\nTime for those few to relinquish their grip on our throats.\nThis world could be.\nWe can build a new world.\nA good world.\nA world of equality and prosperity.\nA world where progress benefits mankind in its entirety, rather than those few.\nA world where people are valued for their soul, rather than their ability to produce.\nA world where the sick are healed, and the hungry fed.\nA world that doesn’t wage war for profit.\nA world where every child has a safe and welcoming home.\nA world where knowledge is shared by all, and benefits all.\nA world where the worker doesn’t have to work until they die.\nA world where people can enjoy their lives, and raise their families.\nA world where greed cannot win over the common good.\nA world where the words of division hold no weight.\nA world where ideas of racial and religious purity fall on ears unwilling to listen.\nA new and better world.\nWe must, for the sake of our children,\nCome together to topple the system.\nA system that reaps from us, our compassion and love.\nThat requires poverty to survive and grow.\nThat needs Racism to prosper and maintain.\nThat plants the seeds of division and hate in our collective soil\nOnly to harvest from us, the fruits of our disdain.\nTo bleed us dry while we blame each other.\nTo bring us to our knees in eternal subservience.\nWe must not fight their wars.\nWe must not play their game.\nBy their rules.\nWe, the common.\nWe the many.\nOf every race and religion.\nOf every gender and orientation.\nWe must unite.\nWe must stand together.\nFor if we can succeed.\nFascism will fall.\nCapitalism will crumble.\nThe wealthy will bend and bow.\nAnd those who seek to profit from our misery will break.\nSo rise now, good comrades.\nFamily and folk.\nLift up your neighbor.\nStrike now for righteousness.\nDefend the downtrodden.\nStand with the oppressed and marginalized, and fight for the common good.\nFor the cause of humanity, and for this earth, of which we are but stewards.\nSo that, from the ashes of division and fear,\nWreck and ruin.\nHatred and bigotry.\nWe can create hope and unity.\nWe can succeed together\nWe have that power\nWe have that right.\nWe have that duty and debt.\nOwed to those still not yet born.\nIn the name of decency and true liberty for all.\nWe shall prevail.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "That smile of yours sweeps my feet away,\nYour hug, like an assurance of being safe,\nYour eyes that hold so much love,\nAre like diamonds shining bright,\nThe way you walk,\nFeels like a definition of grace,\nThe way you talk,\nFeels like a melody so sweet,\nNo matter, how much I try,\nThankyou won't ever be enough,\nFor, everything you do is way too special,\nAnd talk about paybacks?\nThat is'nt even possible!\nThis is a dedication to a person, who is generous, gracious and kind, who I love and admire and respect ALOT, who has a HUGE importance in my life. And As I have said.. Thankyou will never be enough. Today was special, Alhumdulillah!", "label": "No"}
{"text": "Child Care and Families\nIBRC welcomes attendees to bring their family to Austin for the duration of the conference. The conference will have amenities in place to support attendees with young children and those who are nursing. The city of Austin offers a numerous indoor and outdoor of activities for families and children of all ages.\nIBRC is committed to supporting parents as they continue their care-giving duties throughout the conference. We are pleased to have a designated nursing room available throughout the conference. A family restroom is located in the conference center in addition to men/women restrooms.\nLocal Austin Child Care Providers\nFamily Activities in Austin\nThe city of Austin offers diverse activities for families with children of all ages. Please see the Visiting Austin page for an extensive list of local activities. Additional attractions geared toward children will be updated shortly.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "When you love, any time of day is perfect for you to express your love and want happiness. It is in the small gestures that we demonstrate our feelings, as simple and simple messages full of love. Let those you love sighing with these beautiful quotes of good afternoon with love.\nGood afternoon quotes with love to leave anyone in love\nGood afternoon, my love. May the rest of your day be amazing, just like you.\ngood afternoon, honey. I’m hoping that time pass quickly so I can find you at night and fill you with kisses!\nGood afternoon, my love! May everything work today and that this rest of the day is wonderful.\nYou are a unique and very loved person. Never forget that! Good afternoon!\nI love every detail of yours. Each craze and every centimeter. I am feeling homesick. Good afternoon!\nGood afternoon, love. I see you in every detail of my life and I think of you every minute of my day. You are everything to me.\nOnly you have the power to leave my day wonderful. Good afternoon, my love!\nEnjoy the rest of the day today, love, he is beautiful. Good afternoon!\nYou deserve only the best. Never forget that. Good afternoon!\nGood afternoon! You are the best part of my life and my day.\nWhenever I think of you, I remember how much I love you and all I want is to have you close to me. Good afternoon!\nLove is the most beautiful feeling we can dedicate to someone else. Your part will always be kept in my heart. Good afternoon!\nGood afternoon, my love! May the second part of your day be full of smiles and happiness!\nToday everything is running, I didn’t appear in the morning, but I never forget you. Have a good afternoon, my love.\nI know we have been going through difficult times, but I will always be by your side every day, in the morning until nightfall. Good afternoon!\nFinding you were one of the greatest gifts of my life. Good afternoon, my love!\nThe radiant sun this afternoon reminds me of the beauty of your smile. Good afternoon, love!\nI know you are able to achieve amazing achievements! Have a good afternoon of work, love!\nMy love for you increases every second of the day. Good afternoon, honey!\nWhenever I think of you, I feel the butterflies inside my belly dance. Good afternoon, love!\nI love you from the first moment I saw you, you bring meaning to my days. Good afternoon, honey!\nEach time we said goodbye, I miss you. Good afternoon, love!\nI can barely wait to get the end of the day and meet again. Good afternoon, love!\nAll I want is to fill you with pampering and affection every day and at all times. Good afternoon, love!\nAll the love songs I hear sing about you. Good afternoon, honey!\nYou never tire of surprising me with your love. Good afternoon, dear!\nYou are the only one right in the middle of my uncertainty day. Good afternoon, my love!\nGood afternoon, honey! I need your hug so much today.\nFor me, there is no more beautiful art than your smile. Good afternoon, love!\nI like the feeling of comfort I find inside your hug. I love you, good afternoon!\nLife has been sad lately, but when I think of you in the middle of the day, the hope of happiness fills me. Good afternoon, my love!\nI found happiness in your smile and love by your side. Good afternoon, honey!\nWhen I am with you, what is good becomes extraordinary. Good afternoon, love!\nWith you, I live in an eternal and beautiful dance. Good afternoon, I love you!\nI put your sweatshirt to feel embraced by you. I wanted you here with me. Good afternoon, love!\nIn the middle of the day I remembered how happy you make me completely. Good afternoon, my love!\nEvery time I talk to you, my heart gets warmer. Have a good afternoon with a lot of love!\nWhen I think of you, I’m sure our future will be great. I love you! Good afternoon!\nI took a minute of my day to wish you an afternoon full of love and affection!\nand in the middle of the day gave me a huge longing for you. Good afternoon, love!\nThere is no sweeter feeling than making the day of those you like most special. Keep warming the heart of your love with these beautiful quotes of declaration of love!", "label": "No"}
{"text": "Elfin BoyLyrics by Beverley Leslie\nMusic by Chris Kennish\nCall to you each night, call to you each day,\n'Til the voice in my mind grew weary.\nHoping you'd hear my voice as clear,\nAs the vision of you I could see\nA full moon rose on a night so clear,\nI hoped and prayed that you'd hear.\nA gypsy knight, you sprang from the woods,\nAnd brought me to sanctuary here.\nAnd the rainbow haired elfin boy smiled,\nWith his eyes like a child.\nGraceful his fingers, they waltzed on the strings,\nGentle the songs, that he sings.\nYou tell me to\nrest, then Prince though you be,\nYou ask of me what you can do.\nFood you bring me and drink and clothes,\nThat I should be giving to you.\nWhat have I to give but my songs and my love,\nMy dreams they are yours to share.\nGive you myself and part of my world,\nFor both of us offer one prayer.\nBells soft ring in the breeze from the woods,\nThe last dying breath of the night.\nSleepy birds singing their trembling warning,\nSoon it will be daylight.\nCome wake gentle elfin boy,\nLet love grow once more and then,\nTeach me your songs for me to keep,\nAnd sing our dreams over again.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "|Reviews for Green Eyes|\n| Caladela chapter 6 . 6/14\nThis reminds me of Crybaby by Melanie Martinez\n| Xyori Nadeshiko chapter 1 . 11/14/2016\n| KKM chapter 28 . 8/29/2016\nThis story was great! Your oc fir right in and I love that Harry and Draco got second chances. Thanks for the good read! :)\n| Guest chapter 28 . 6/17/2016\n| nightpurr1 chapter 14 . 5/17/2016\nI really like your story. I hope to fine out why a wizard wanted to kill her brother & leave no memory of him ever being alive.\n| Lamatadora chapter 28 . 12/15/2015\ngreat story, I love it :p\nbut it would have been great if we have seen Draco and Harry learn that they had an other life before and sea their reactions :) (and sorry for my english :p)\n| thephoenixandthedragon4ever chapter 28 . 11/29/2015\nAmazing story, just amazing. Love idea of using Doctor Who character names but love Rory and wish you had used his name too.\n| Mari Wollsch chapter 28 . 7/15/2015\n| FIGHTTHEFAIRIES chapter 28 . 7/1/2015\n*squeal* THAT WAS SO CUTE!\n| t42n24t2 chapter 28 . 3/21/2015\nLovely story... every word of it.\n| Dreams-Twilight chapter 1 . 2/25/2015\nHi ! My name is Johanna, I'm french.\nI would like to translate your story in french, so do you agree?\nI wait for you answer. Thanks for you story I like it !\n| marthapreston4 chapter 9 . 9/1/2014\nI just got the amelia williams reference because I am slow...lol ilike it\n| roni2010 chapter 28 . 8/17/2014\ncute seeing the boys older, at hogwart.. draco still has a crush on rose.. great ending..\n| roni2010 chapter 11 . 8/17/2014\nlove severus's neighbor, amelia's personality\n| roni2010 chapter 10 . 8/17/2014\nlike the plot, so much.. great idea that draco & harry drunk de-age potion & severus is father11", "label": "No"}
{"text": "Map Source: People Group Location: Omid. Other geography / data: GMI. Map Design: Joshua Project\n|People Name:||Jat (Muslim traditions)|\n|Primary Language:||Punjabi, Western|\n|Christian Adherents:||0.00 %|\n|Online Audio NT:||No|\n|People Cluster:||South Asia Muslim - Jat|\n|Affinity Bloc:||South Asian Peoples|\nAfter 1858, under the British Raj, the Jats were known for their service in the Indian Army, being categorized as a \"martial race\" by the British. Today the Jat peoples are one of the most prosperous groups in India on a per capita basis. As a general rule, it's the more prosperous and well-educated peoples from South Asia who are allowed to immigrate to Canada. Jat farmers are also known to be experts at producing a high yield, so these people are also welcome in other parts of the world.\nIslam is a formidable obstacle to the gospel, even in the West.\nFor Muslim Jats to be willing to consider the claims of Christ, they will need the community \"gate keepers\" to see that Christ has much to offer them. There are believers in Canada who can do this if they are willing to be patient and persevere.\nPresently there are no known followers of Christ in Canada who have a Muslim Jat background.\nPray for the Holy Spirit to give Jat Muslims in Canada the spiritual hunger necessary to seek and find the Savior. Pray for the Lord to penetrate entire Muslim Jat families and clans so that they can enjoy the blessings of being children of the King of kings. Pray for a movement of Jesus to heal and strengthen Jat communities.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "Bartholomeus Molenaer (1618 – 1650) was a Dutch Golden Age painter. Molenaer was born and died in Haarlem. According to the RKD he was the brother of the painters Nicolaes and Jan Miense Molenaer. He became a member of the Haarlem Guild of St. Luke in 1640. He was a genre painter who painted many peasants in interiors, often with a shadow in the lo...\nWikipedia link: Click Here", "label": "No"}
{"text": "Our Mission and Values\nBayCare Health System will improve the health of all we serve through community-owned health care services that set the standard for high-quality, compassionate care.\nThe values of BayCare are trust, respect and dignity and reflect our responsibility to achieve health care excellence for our communities.\nWatch a video about BayCare's mission and values.\nSearch jobs now. If you are a BayCare team member, please sign in to the BayCare Intranet to apply for a job.\na united family of coworkers who strive to better the community by giving the best possible care to those in need in our community.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "P.O. Box 1406\nDenver, CO 80201-1406\nThe mission of The Delores Project is to provide a safe, comfortable overnight shelter and services to adult single women who are homeless and have limited resources. Our model of service is one of hospitality, respect and regard for the dignity of each guest. In order to serve marginalized persons, those who do not easily access mainstream services, attention is given to simplifying admission and program requirements. The primary goal of The Delores Project is to provide safe shelter and supportive services to 400+ homeless women in 2007.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "Where does creation begin and where does creation end? In other words, What is the expanse of creation? The Torah teaches, Creation began with Mie/Who and ends with Mah/What––who created creation and what is creation? These two questions are repeated by each generation at a very early age asking, What is reality and who made all this? The modern answer is: creation created oneself in a big bang. These questions are fundamental to life yet often dismissed as unanswerable. Even scientists agree, the probability of life spontaneously happening anywhere in the universe is nil.\nYet, from the Earth we see the stars racing away from us as if we are the center of the universe, where the human being, able to articulate thoughts into salient speech, proclaims our place in the universe by asking––Who created this? The answer to this question is essential to the second question––What is creation. These two questions is the germinated seed of each life; from this germination grows a tree and from the tree comes a fruit––some bitter and some sweet. Before we die, each one of us will answer for ourselves––who created this and what is it?", "label": "No"}
{"text": "Real knowldge arises through confrontations with real things. Work, then, offers a broadly available premonition of philosophy. Its value, however, does not lie solely in pointing to some more rarefied experience. Rather, in the best cases, work may itself approach the good sough in philosophy, understood as a way of life: a community of those who desire to know.\n--Matthew B. Crawford, Shop Class as Soul Craft", "label": "No"}
{"text": "[Mr Kurz] 樋口円香のBad Ending (アイドルマスター シャイニーカラーズ) [中国語]\n#408821 - Talk to him? Very good, said Lisa. They seemed like ordinary schoolgirls again, some gossiping in the halls and others listening to music on their iPods, lost in their own private world. Her friend looked disappointed that I hadn't chosen her and stepped over to a man seated nearby.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "That heavenly breeze returns once more, carrying with it the fragrance of hope and love. Hardened hearts begin to open, as softened ones prepare to blossom with all their splendour. It is as if the curtain of the Heavenly Kingdom begins to slowly be parted, permitting the inhabitants of the earth to glimpse the realms of purity and light.\nThe call of ‘Ayna Rajabiyyūn’ echoes from the Throne of Glory, inviting the servants to the Banquet of the King. With humbled hearts and outstretched hands, they respond with their entire beings:\n‘Oh One in Whom I hope for every goodness\nAnd am safe from His anger at every evil!’\nThese nightly winds bring with them a different feeling; gently caressing the children of Ādam, with the love of a mother waking her child, they murmur:\n‘Has the time not come for those who believe, that their hearts become humbled at the remembrance of Allāh…?’ (57:16)\nThe days too display a different brilliance, tempting man to capture each one through ‘patience’ and join the caravan of lovers that is congregating.\nYes, the month of Rajab has arrived at last, perfumed in the `Oud of the Immaculately Perfect. As a herald of the Banquet to come, bearing glad tidings of forgiveness and mercy, it enchants the people of Reason, inviting to a kingdom that lies beyond Reason. All are invited to this magnificent reception. The only etiquette is to arrive empty handed.\n‘Oh people! You are those who stand in need of Allāh and Allāh – He is the Self Sufficient, the Laudable’ (35:15)\nNo hopelessness is permitted beyond this position. The garments of despair, dejection and despondence must now be removed… to be forever left behind. This door is the threshold of absolute glory… yet open to all, dutiful and loathsome.\n‘The doors of the kings are guarded by soldiers,\nBut Your door is open to all who ask’\nEvery soul is to be given to the measure of it’s pitcher. And no vessel will be returned unfilled.\nThe aroma of Lailatul Qadr captivates the hearts of the midnight strangers, as the drafts of Sahar raise their lowered whispers. A year they have awaited the coming of that blessed hour – the night in which absolute light descended upon absolute light – to journey the distance of a thousand months in a single night. That Night is the Gem of this fortress and Rajab is it’s gate.\nSo ‘where are the Rajabiyyūn?’\nThe time has come to conclude decisively. The chance to realise your furthest dreams now knocks upon your door. The deepest wishes of your heart… are just a decision away. The heavens have now opened, anticipating your answer. This is the month of Rajab.\nThus ‘enter it in peace, safe and secure’ (15:46)", "label": "No"}
{"text": "The Ronald McDonald House of San Francisco, Inc. (RMH-SF) provides a safe haven for critically ill children and their families.\nWe believe in the importance of helping families stay together during the critical illness of a child. We offer a home away from home, home-cooked meals and supportive services for families while their children receive specialized medical treatment in San Francisco hospitals.\nAt Ronald McDonald House, family members draw strength and comfort from a caring community of staff, volunteers and families like themselves, coping with their child’s illness. We also take “the best of Ronald McDonald House” into the hospital, providing programs that help families get to know each other, volunteers and staff, building a support network to help them through this difficult time. We serve over 27,000 family members annually through these programs.\nOur caring staff and volunteers have been helping families since opening our doors in 1989. Today, Ronald McDonald House of San Francisco operates two Ronald McDonald Houses – our original House on Scott Street, near Japantown, and our new House inside UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital at Mission Bay.\nWe would be honored to have you join us in fulfilling our mission and we would love to hear from you.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "Title: Assessing the Environmental Impact of Industrial Activities: A Case Study\nIndustrial activities have played a pivotal role in shaping modern societal development, contributing to economic growth and prosperity. However, the unforeseen environmental consequences of these activities have become increasingly apparent over time. As such, it is crucial to conduct comprehensive assessments of the environmental impact associated with industrial processes to ensure sustainable development. This study aims to assess the environmental impact resulting from a specific industrial activity through the utilization of a case study approach.\nTo conduct this study, a case study approach encompassing various analytical methods was employed. The chosen industrial activity under scrutiny involves the production of chemical compounds known as XAD resins. XAD resins are widely used in various applications, such as water purification, air filtration, and pharmaceutical processes. Several potential environmental impacts associated with XAD resin production were identified, including air emissions, water pollution, and solid waste generation.\nTo gather relevant data, site visits were conducted to the manufacturing facility where XAD resins are produced. During these visits, data on process inputs, outputs, and emissions were collected. Additionally, interviews were conducted with both management and workers to understand the manufacturing process and associated environmental control measures. Secondary data, such as production records and environmental permits, were also reviewed to supplement the primary data gathered during the site visits.\nLife cycle assessment (LCA):\nTo comprehensively evaluate the environmental impact of the XAD resin production process, a life cycle assessment (LCA) was conducted. LCA is a widely accepted method for assessing the environmental impact of a product or process throughout its entire life cycle, including raw material extraction, manufacturing, use, and disposal stages. The LCA approach enables the identification of potential environmental hotspots and aids in the development of effective mitigation strategies.\nIn addition to the LCA, an input-output analysis was conducted. This analysis aimed to quantify the material and energy flows associated with XAD resin production. By tracking the inputs and outputs of the system, it was possible to identify potential areas of inefficiency or waste.\nEnvironmental impact assessment:\nTo evaluate the environmental implications of the XAD resin production process, an environmental impact assessment (EIA) was conducted. The EIA focused on the potential impacts in various environmental categories, including air quality, water quality, soil contamination, and waste management. The results of this assessment were compared to local environmental standards and regulations to determine compliance levels.\nPreliminary findings from the LCA reveal that the manufacturing process of XAD resins is energy-intensive, contributing to a significant carbon footprint. Additionally, the production of certain chemicals used during the manufacturing process has been found to have adverse effects on aquatic ecosystems. The input-output analysis identified opportunities for material and energy efficiency improvements, which would not only reduce environmental impacts but also enhance overall production efficiency.\nFurthermore, the EIA identified deficiencies in the waste management practices of the facility, particularly related to hazardous waste disposal. This finding emphasizes the need for improved waste management strategies to minimize negative impacts on the environment and human health.\nThe preliminary results of this case study shed light on the significant environmental impacts associated with XAD resin production. The findings indicate the importance of implementing sustainable practices and addressing potential hotspots within the production process. By incorporating the LCA, input-output analysis, and EIA, a holistic understanding of the environmental implications surrounding industrial activities can be achieved, thereby facilitating the development of effective mitigation strategies and ensuring the long-term sustainability of industrial operations.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "Symptoms of High Blood Sugar (Hyperglycemia)\nHyperglycemia (high blood sugar) occurs when your body doesn't have enough insulin or can't use insulin properly. High blood sugar is a major cause of diabetes complications.\nEarly symptoms of high blood sugar include:\n- increased thirst\n- frequent urination\n- blurry vision\nThe best way to avoid hyperglycemia is to check your blood sugar often. Treating high blood sugar may involve exercising regularly or making changes to your diet or medication regimen. If left untreated, high blood sugar can turn into a diabetic emergency. Extremely high blood sugar levels can lead to Diabetic Ketoacidosis (DKA) or Hyperosmolar Hyperglycemic State (HHS).\nDiabetic Ketoacidosis (DKA)\nKetoacidosis (or DKA) occurs when blood sugars become elevated (over 249 mg/dl, or 13.9 mmol/l) over a period of time and the body begins to burn fat for energy, resulting in ketone bodies in the blood or urine (a phenomenon called ketosis). A variety of factors can cause hyperglycemia (high blood glucose), including failure to take medication or insulin, stress, dietary changes without medication adjustments, eating disorders, and illness or injury. This last cause is important, because if illness brings on DKA, it may slip by unnoticed since its symptoms can mimic the flu (aches, vomiting, etc.). In fact, people with type 1 diabetes are often seeking help for the flu-like symptoms of DKA when they first receive their diagnosis.\nSymptoms of diabetic ketoacidosis may include:\n- Fruity (acetone) breath\n- Nausea and/or vomiting\n- Abdominal pain\n- Dry, warm skin\n- Breathing problems\n- Excessive thirst\n- Frequent urination\n- In extreme cases, loss of consciousness\nDKA is a medical emergency, and requires prompt and immediately treatment. A simple over-the-counter urine dipstick test can check for ketones (i.e., Ketostix); anyone who has blood glucose levels above 240 mg/dl (13.3 mmol/l) should test their urine for ketones. There is also at least one glucose meter on the market that tests blood ketone levels. It's normal to occasionally have trace amounts of ketones in the urine, but you should call your healthcare provider immediately if you experience moderate to heavy ketones. Treatment for DKA involves administering insulin to lower blood glucose levels and restoring fluid balance to the bloodstream with an intravenous (IV) saline drip. Electrolytes may also be given via IV.\nTomato Soup with Veggies Cracker Pizzas Salisbury Steak with Green Pepper Sauce Braised Pork Medallions with Apples Honeydew Soup Sweet Potato Pancakes Shrimp Pasta Spicy Peanut Butter Dip Citrus Sauteed Shrimp Beef and Pepper Fajitas\nOne of the \"parents' business\" items on our current trip to Virginia was a visit by a case nurse from an agency that is trying to get the Out-Laws additional personal and health assistance. While the old folk found her questions intrusive, they were reasonable follow-ons based on the OutLaws' current states of cognitive and physical health. One of the sets of questions was about their medications. A list of them was posted on the door to the den. The case nurse assumed...", "label": "No"}
{"text": "American Flags near Mc Rae.\n100% Made in America!\nThe United States flag is a solid icon of American identity as well as national pride. Likewise called Old Glory, the United States flag has a colorful background and has undertaken lots of adjustments starting from the first main flag of 1777.\nToday the flag consists of thirteen straight stripes, seven red alternating with six white stripes. The shades of the flag are symbolic as well: red symbolizes strength and also valor, white represents pureness and virtue and also blue represents vigilance, willpower as well as justice.\nOver time, some have associated slightly different definitions to the three shades, for instance, the shade red representing the bloodshed spilled to protect our liberty, but the essence of the original definition has been rather consistent from 1782.\nHow did the American flag turn into what it is today?\nIt is so much more than the 3 shades or a “decoration”. Think of the places around the globe that the American flag has actually flown, consider the transformation it has actually undergone throughout the years on American land. It is really humbling to consider all that was given and given up to ensure that the American flag could fly openly across this nation.\nThe flag that began with only 13 stars grew to 50 with the addition of other states to the Union. The number of stars on the flag progressively rose to its existing number today wherein a brand-new star would be included in the blue field on the 4th of July after the date of each new state’s admission.\nThe variety of alternating horizontal red as well as white stripes has remained at thirteen except from 1795 to 1818 when fifteen stripes appeared on the flag to note the admission of Kentucky and also Vermont to the Union. In 1818, it was decided that including a stripe to the flag for each and every brand-new state would not happen as it will certainly make the flag look crowded and also it would make the flag unwieldy. It was agreed then that the flag would certainly go back to having just thirteen stripes to stand for the original colonies.\nThe American flag is a symbol not just of strength, valor, purity, innocence, vigilance, perseverance and justice; it is a sign of freedom. Freedom that has been combatted so hard for over the decades. Liberty that has cost this nation and also the families within so much, and yet it is still a beacon to those wishing they had the liberty that the nation has.\nFolding up the American flag.\nTraditional flag rules suggests that before an American flag is kept or raised, its handlers ought to two times fold it in half lengthwise; after that (from the end opposite the blue field) make a triangular fold, remaining to fold it in a triangular patter up until the other end is reached. This makes a triangular “pillow” of the flag with only heaven starred field revealing outside, and also it takes thirteen folds to produce: two lengthwise folds and also eleven triangular ones.\nThe flag isn’t really folded in this fashion because each of the folds has a special symbolic significance; the flag is folded in this manner due to the fact that it provides a sensible ceremonial touch that distinguishes folding a flag from folding an ordinary object such as a blanket, and since it results a visually pleasing, easy-to-handle form. This thirteen-fold treatment was an usual method long before the development of a ceremonial assignation of “suggesting” per of the steps.\nAn intricate flag folding ceremony including these meanings has actually from then on been designed for special events such as Memorial Day as well as Veterans Day. These meanings are “real” in the sense that they imply something to individuals who take part in the event, yet they are not the reason that a flag is folded in the typical thirteen-step manner.\nThis is America and its icon is the American Flag. This respectable icon has actually been targetted at, burned, spew upon as well as stomped on, and yet she rises repeatedly. Even though several Americans near Arkansas state happily fly the flag outside their homes and businesses every day, it is fitting that we, as a nation, have alloted one certain day yearly to honor our flag as well as to bear in mind that it represents the ideals and also values that we should make every effort to uphold. May God bless America and also those who protect her.\nMc Rae ZIP codes we serve: 72102", "label": "No"}
{"text": "Our intervention stems back from the fact that computer knowledge is a major tool for a sustainable society. Therefore YCWL, understanding the acute gap in information and communication technology; and related skills that are required for individuals to get access and maintain jobs, especially so for our females who are mostly perceived as the slowest, lazy sets on the job market, is providing the opportunity for to eradicate such deficiency.\nOur goal is to provide an opportunity for high school students and university girls to experience the use of computers for the first time and to improve on their skills in a more practical and fun environment.\nAcknowledging the fact computer literacy is not the sole required ability for the challenging job market, our program is inclusive of Leadership Skills Development, Office Procedures, Resume & CV development; Youth Entrepreneurship among others at our refurbished Lab.\nYouth in ICT graduates are incorporated in one of our programs of their choice as volunteer or ambassadors of YCWL projects in their community or Institution; this helps to provide hands-on learning environment.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "When environmental scientist Jane Lubchenco served as administrator for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration from 2009 to 2013, the U.S. was experiencing the most extreme four years of weather in its history. With 770 major tornados, 70 Atlantic hurricanes, 6 major floods, 3 tsunamis, record-breaking snowfall, drought, heat waves and wildfires, climate change started to become part of the conversation. “I think that that extreme weather actually changed a lot of peoples’ opinions,” said Lubchenco, a marine ecologist at Oregon State University. Scientists then began looking at how human intervention in the climate system changes the likelihood of weather events. While some researchers say it’s difficult to connect the dots between extreme weather events and human fingerprints, Santer said it’s clear the fingerprints are there, increasing the intensity of such occurrences. “I think a lot of people have difficulty wrapping their minds around some of the language that scientists use to describe events like this,” Lubchenco said. “We're honoring Steve Schneider tonight and he was one of the champions of trying to find the right analogies to describe things.” “I think there is increasing evidence that the very, very large heat waves that we are seeing, we expect to be seeing more of those and lasting longer,” she said. “And I think the attribution for those is stronger.” When Santer was asked what he says to people who deny climate change because it’s cold outside, he replied, “That’s a phenomenon we climate scientists refer to as winter.” “There seems to be this incorrect expectation that as human-caused burning of fossil fuels has increased levels of carbon dioxide and other heat-trapping greenhouse gases in the atmosphere that we expect each year to be inexorably warmer than the previous year and we expect winter to go away,” Santer said. “That never was our expectation.” When Santer testified in front of Congress in 2010, he first heard the contrived narrative that global warming had stopped. Because the claim didn’t have any actual scientific evidence, Santer described it as “science by eminence of position.” Listen and Learn More Here.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "Do you have children with cell phones? If you do, or if you are planning on giving them a cell phone soon, or wondering about whether or not you should get them a phone, here are some talking point ideas pulled from a lesson I have permission to share (with a few bracketed additions of my own).\nBegin a discussion about cell phones by:\n- Asking your [children] what they already know about cell phone safety. Get a baseline for what they have knowledge of, what they hear about or see at school.\n- [In age-appropriate ways], ask them what their feelings and opinions are about cyber-bullying, harassment to send provocative photos [sexting is more common than we might want to think; be sure to be educated about the facts (including the fact that it can put your child in legal jeopardy to participate in sexting) and get educated about apps like Snapchat, especially if you have a teenager], and being contacted by people they don’t know. Let your child tell you what they do when they perceive something is dangerous or bad. Once you have a feel for where they stand, remind them how much you care about them and want to make sure that they are safe from any potential problems.\n- Explain how you feel about cell phones and what your family wants to use them for (staying connected as a family, for use in emergencies, family support, and using technology to encourage dialogue, not replace it).\n- Negotiate with your children what is an acceptable amount of time and money spent on mobile phones. Let your child know you will be monitoring your cell phone bill for acceptable use. The goal is to establish healthy media habits.\n- Time spent on mobile phones, while useful and fun, is time not spent focusing on other important activities, such as studying, working, and improving mental and physical health.\n- Discuss with them about the apps kids choose to download in order to help them learn to choose wisely. The apps should not violate your family’s personal media standards. Tell them you will be checking ratings for music, games, or app purchases.\n- Let them know that you have investigated several programs that keep dangerous people from contacting teens on the phone, indecent websites from being accessed, and help filter any harmful material or websites. [And have conversations about how any information shared through technology needs to be assumed to not be private.] [Help your child understand that] there are people, even friends, who could try to do damage to their reputations [or who may inadvertently cause harm by sharing information when they shouldn’t]. Let them know that the reason you have decided to install different safety controls on their phone, or monitor periodically their cell phone usage is to continue fulfilling your obligation as their parent to keep them safe.\nIf you are an LDS parent, I would also add that one way to discourage unhealthy use of technology is to remind your children of why God has given us technology in the first place. All the other content in this post is more secular/non-denominational in nature but I firmly believe that when children are raised to consecrate some of their tech time to truly worthy causes, it can help keep the purpose of technology in perspective. See, for example, Elder Bednar’s warnings (video and full talk) and also his invitation to youth.\nHere are a few videos that explore how to talk about cell phone use with children; how to draw boundaries about cell phone use; and parental controls that are available on the iPhone. There is also a video that can help parents know some tips for talking about hard things (like finding pornography on a cell phone or computer).\n(Jeff Ford’s Five Cs are also very helpful…also found on the same YouTube channel or on our Pinterest page.)", "label": "No"}
{"text": "SSRL angiogram, 5/1986\nThe first synchrotron radiation coronary angiogram recorded on a human subject occurred in May 1986 at the Stanford Synchrotron Radiation Laboratory (SSRL). The study is believed to have been the first synchrotron radiation imaging procedure performed on a human being. As of 2002, some 500 intravenous coronary angiograms had been recorded at SSRL, NSLS, DESY, and ESRF, all without complication. By 2010, the American Heart Association reports that over 600,000 such procedures are being performed annually in the United States. (In the angiogram, the following structures are identified: AO, ascending aorta; LV, left ventricle; IMA, internal mammary artery; LAD, left anterior descending coronary artery; RCA, right coronary artery.)\nThe team of experimenters present at the time of the first human coronary angiography procedure, conducted on SSRL beamline 4-2 in 1986; (left to right) Bill Thomlinson, John Otis, Bob Hofstadter, John Giacomini, Al Thompson, Herb Zeman, George Brown, and Ed Rubenstein.\nNote: Some links on this page open pdf files, which require the free Acrobat Reader.\n-- Return to top --", "label": "No"}
{"text": "Retired U.S. Navy sonar experts have helped create a novel portable device to detect, diagnose, and monitor strokes. The brain-imaging system uses a simple headset and laptop--and decades of submarine technology--to home in on brain activity that signifies trouble.\nThe headset is equipped with six highly sensitive accelerometers. Instead of peering out through the rounded bow of a submarine, they are oriented inward toward the brain.\nThe brain's machinations (veins expanding and contracting, aneurysms wobbling) each have their own unique vibrations that cause slight skull pulsations. The headset sensors measure these movements to look for irregular blood flow in much the same way submarines measure motion and generate signals that are processed, analyzed, and matched to objects.\nData on the type and location of brain vascular abnormalities is then rapidly sent to the PC.\n\"As sonar sorts out whales and other objects from vessels, the device sorts out cerebral abnormalities such as aneurysms, arteriovenous malformations (AVMs, an abnormal connection between veins and arteries), ischemic strokes, and traumatic brain injury from normal variations in physiology,\" said Dr. Kieran J. Murphy, director of research and deputy chief of radiology at the University of Toronto and University Health Network in Toronto, in a release (PDF).\nMurphy is presenting trial data on the device--developed by Mountain View, Calif.-based Jan Medical--at the Society of Interventional Radiology's 36th Annual Scientific Meeting in Chicago this week.\nIn a pilot study at Johns Hopkins Hospital that involved 40 stroke patients and 30 normal controls, a prototype system correctly identified stroke in 97.3 percent of cases and correctly ruled it out in 98.8 percent of normal patients. It was also able to separate patients with specific stroke conditions or vascular abnormalities into unique categories like ischemia, hemorrhage, aneurysm, stenosis, and arteriovenous malformations, according to Jan Medical. Its founder and CEO, Paul Lovoi, named the company after his wife, Jan, who died from a stroke at age 55.\n\"The system is very simple in principle, yet it yields exceedingly rich data,\" Murphy said.\nA stroke occurs when a blood clot blocks an artery or a blood vessel breaks, interrupting blood flow to part of the brain. With the sonar device, the initial diagnosis is said to take place within a couple of minutes--a selling point, researchers say, as time is widely understood to be of the essence in preventing permanent damage once a stroke has occurred.\nThose working on the device say it's ideal for field emergency care and ambulances and on military battlefields and sports fields where CT scanners aren't readily available. They say they hope the technology can eventually be adapted for use in other areas of acute care, such as open heart surgery, where stroke is a concern.\nSubsequent studies--and funding--will be needed before the device can hit the market.\nMeanwhile, the last couple of years have seen several promising technological developments in the diagnosis and treatment of strokes. Among them, researchers in Italy developed awhose movements could help stroke survivors re-learn how to use their hands, arms, and even shoulders. Recent research has suggested that may help recovering stroke patients improve their motor function. And new promise to reduce the risk of stroke and heart disease.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "Learning from our past for a healthier future\nWhat’s happening today\nThe COVID-19 crisis caught the world largely unprepared.\nThe medical research community is working urgently to understand the coronavirus’s cellular mechanisms and search for effective therapies and vaccines while racing against the virus’s spread.\nThough it’s nothing any of us wants to think about today, scientists estimate there could be over a million viruses in nature with potential to progress in a similar manner as SARS-CoV-21, the novel coronavirus that causes COVID-19. Therefore, epidemiologists assume the current viral threat won’t be our last.\nWhile it takes roughly 10 years and upwards of $10–$100 million on average to discover one new material with specific properties, it can take up to $2.6 billion and more than 10 years for a new drug to reach market2. A third of this overall cost and time is attributed to the drug discovery phase in which researchers need to synthesize thousands of molecules to develop a single pre-clinical lead candidate3.\nOne way to more quickly generate treatments for emerging viruses like COVID-19 is identifying potential therapies from drugs already on the market, which have been tested and proven safe for humans — jumpstarting subsequent research to help enable more rapid clinical trials and regulatory review.\nSolutions for the future\nA combination of AI, analytics and data can potentially help with the rapid analysis of real-world medical evidence to suggest new candidates for drug repurposing and speed clinical trials.\nThe process can scale the systematic reuse of digitized medical data, including its aggregation, analyses and interpretation. The goal will be to help the medical community identify new patterns amid the medical records of millions of de-identified patients and generate insights about the epidemiology of infectious diseases and potential treatments for them.\nIn the context of COVID-19, researchers used these technologies with real-world evidence to suggest the use of two existing drugs, one approved for specific immunological and endocrine disorders, seen to be effective in reducing mortality of hospitalized COVID-19 patients, and the second one in use for treating prostate cancer, found to protect against complications of COVID-19 after performing a widespread retrospective study in Spain4.\nDevelopments at IBM Research\nWhile many of these repurposing studies start as anecdotal observations or informed scientific hypotheses, real-world evidence can be systematically mined and brought to scale with the accelerated discovery cycle—allowing researchers to move beyond current correlation studies. In the future, these tools may reach widespread adoption across industries, effectively becoming one of the means of rapidly responding to global, life-threatening viruses.\nOver the next five years, medical researchers can identify new opportunities for drug repurposing at a greater scale and prioritize them for clinical trials based on available evidence, helping to reduce time spent in the drug discovery process.\n- Live Science, Why Scientists Are Rushing to Hunt Down 1.7 Million Unknown Viruses, February 23, 2018; https://www.livescience.com/61848-scientists-hunt-unknown-viruses.html\n- PhRMA, https://www.phrma.org/en/Advocacy/Research-Development/Clinical-Trials\n- DiMasi, J.A.; Grabowski, H.G.; Hansen, R.W., 2016. Innovation in the pharmaceutical industry: New estimates of R&D costs Journal of Health Economics. 2016. 47:20-33\n- Pagano, F., Ragazzi, E. and Prayer-Galetti, T., 2020. Androgen-deprivation therapies (ADTs) for prostate cancer and risk of infection by SARS-CoV-2: a population-based study", "label": "No"}
{"text": "Water primrose is an invasive non-native plant. Since 2009, the Environment Agency has coordinated the eradication of water primrose and progress has been made. Water primrose has the potential to profoundly damage wetlands and waterbodies, degrading the environment and our enjoyment of it. Early intervention is essential. Please read the poster below for more information and how to report sightings.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "However the tack has at least changed slightly. The reason, says The Task Force On Shale, is that gas can provide a bridge to a low-carbon future. This is a something of a recurring meme these days from the fracking industry, and it has legs because it's a complicated argument to debunk. But debunked it needs to be.\nFirst, what the Task Force got right. When burnt in a power station fracked gas gives off approximately half the carbon dioxide of coal. This is good, although not good enough to prevent dangerous climate change, which requires use to cut our carbon use by 90% or more. However The Task Force at least admits this and is only advocating shale as a bridge to cleaner and greener technologies.\nNow here's the bad news, starting with the length of the bridge. Even if all the anti-fracking groups packed up and went home, and even if the British geology behaves and gives the frackers a clean run, shale gas will take time to develop. It is the fuel of the next decade, not this. New gas power stations will need to be built to burn it. They will have a lifetime of thirty years and there is no precedent for shutting down profitable stations early.\nThat means four more decades of carbon fuelled power in this country. This essentially 'business as usual' scenario, if followed worldwide, could, in a worst case scenario, see us committed to a global temperature rise of 4 degrees by 2050 according to the IPCC. This is a point that's easy to misunderstand - Emma Thompson recently came a bit of a cropper with it - so let's be clear: we won't see a temperature rise of 4 degrees by 2050, but we will have burnt enough fossil fuels to make such a catastrophic change in the climate inevitable by 2100, even if we don't burn another lump of coal or cylinder of gas in the second half of the century.\na 4 degrees rise could occur as early as the 2060s. This is scary as I might still be alive then, although two thirds of the world's plant and animal species probably won't be.\nThe Task Force would argue that a 'dash for gas' would avert a worst case scenario, but there's another factor they haven't considered. Whilst we might not be burning any more coal - in fact we definitely won't be burning any more coal if we don't build any more coal fired power stations, as the ones we have will be almost all retired by the end of the decade - but, in the absence of a global deal, there's no reason why other people won't burn our coal for us. That's what happened in America. Fracking reduced their domestic coal use, but coal mining actually increased. They just exported more.\nSo instead of replacing coal, fracking just adds another fossil fuel to the mix to be burnt alongside the black rocks. Dress it up any way you like, this is not good. The solution, as the divestment people will tell you, is to Leave It In The Ground. Fracking is only better than coal if the coal stays in the earth. At present there is no way the fracking industry, or its government supporters, can guarantee that.\nThe problems though don't stop there. Once of the biggest unknowns about fracking is the amount of the gas, methane, than leaks out, either during production or on the way to the power stations.\nMethane is a far more potent greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide, and this is only partly offset by its\nshorter life in the atmosphere. Overall the IPCC considers methane to be thirty times more potent than carbon dioxide, so the leakage rate is very important. Industry funded studies show very low rates, but independent studies have produced leakage rates of 12% or more. As a rate of just 3.6% would be enough to wipe any gains from the cleaner combustion of methane, these figures are worrying.\nIncidentally, it's very easy to get yourself confused on this issue to. Methane is much heavier than carbon dioxide, so 3% of a certain amount of methane weighs a lot more than 3% of the equivalent amount of carbon dioxide. The House of Lords committee managed to confuse just about everyone by claiming Greenpeace had got this figure wrong, when it appears it that it was them who were confusing people.\nThen there is the very real threat that fracking will up all the money the government has allocated to 'low carbon' energy, leaving solar, wind and energy conservation stranded.\nAll of this means that even if fracking was clean and safe, and even if there were hundreds of communities queueing up to welcome the rigs, its contribution to climate change would rule it out as a future energy source.\nThe Task Force would no doubt reply that I'm not being realistic, that the renewable alternatives just aren't there. But I would reply to them by asking: why aren't they there?\nIt is a funny sort of 'realism' that ignores the physics of the problem in favour of the economics and the politics.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "As children head back to school, they may be expanding their minds but there is a good chance they’re also damaging their bodies. Back pain, historically an adult affliction, is now becoming common among school-aged children and studies show a direct correlation between backpacks and back pain in children.\nIn a recent study by Children’s Hospital Los Angeles and the Keck School of Medicine at the University of Southern California, 37% of the children studied reported back pain, with 82% of these kids believing their backpack either caused or worsened their pain. Of the children reporting back pain, 34% limited their activity due to the pain. The study also found children with lockers reported less back pain.\nSeparate studies have also found that girls suffer back pain more often and more intense than boys, and the onset of pain often correlates just prior to the onset of puberty.\n“Probably most disturbing about these findings is the fact that back pain in children and adolescents is very likely a precursor to low back pain as an adult,” said Anthony Carey, founder and CEO of Function First, a company that helps people eliminate back pain, joint pain and chronic pain through a form of exercise called corrective exercise. “It also concerns us that back pain is limiting activity in children. Children need structured exercise programs just like adults. We need to look at the relationship of back pain in kids with the increase in childhood obesity and sedentary lifestyles,” added Carey.\nThe study findings identify two changes to address the problem: 1) increasing the availability of school lockers; and 2) lighter backpacks. Carey also points out that The American Physical Therapy Association, American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons and the American Chiropractic Association provide backpack weight limit guidelines. Recommendations are based on the child’s weight and are as follows:\n– A 60 lb. child can carry a maximum backpack weight of 5 lbs.\n– 60-75 lbs. can carry 10 lbs.\n– 100 lbs. can carry 15 lbs.\n– 125 lbs. can carry 18 lbs.\n– 150 lbs. can carry 20 lbs.\n– 200 lbs. can carry 25 lbs.\nAnthony Carey, M.A., CSCS, CES is the author of “The Pain-Free Program” and the founder and CEO of Function First, Inc. Function First provides a variety of corrective exercise products and services that provide pain relief for those with back pain, neck pain, joint pain and chronic pain. Carey, a continuing education provider for the American Council on Exercise, the National Strength and Conditioning Association, the American College of Sports Medicine, and the National Academy of Sports Medicine also trains health and fitness professionals in his methods of corrective exercise. For more information about Anthony Carey and Function First, please visit FunctionFirst", "label": "No"}
{"text": "Tuesday, August 25, 1987 began like any other day for Luis Felipe Vélez, president of the teachers union of Antioquia, Colombia’s most populous state. Shortly after 7 AM, Velez said goodbye to his wife and three young children and headed to the union’s office in downtown Medellín.\nBut as the thirty-three-year-old was about to enter the modest adobe-brick building, two assassins leapt out of a green Mazda 626 and opened fire, riddling his body with bullets. Velez died two hours later.\nWord spread quickly among human rights activists, teachers, and Vélez’s colleagues in the Association of School Teachers of Antioquia, and by 5 PM a large crowd had gathered at the union office for a vigil.\nAmong the throng were Hector Abad Gomez and Leonardo Betancur, two well-known human rights leaders. As Gomez and Betancur entered the union office, two men jumped off a motorcycle and walked toward the crowd. One shot Gomez six times; the other chased Betancur into the office and killed him.\nIt was a bloody day in a bloody period. During the 1980s and ’90s, assassinations were an everyday reality for union and human rights activists in Colombia. And violence, while on the wane, continues to this day.\nAccording to Colombia’s National Union School (ENS), more than 1,000 teacher union leaders were killed between 1977 and 2014 — the equivalent of 7,000 teacher union leaders being murdered in the US. The ENS has also documented over 14,000 incidents of violence against labor activists, ranging from assassinations to beatings, kidnappings, and torture. The perpetrators have only been brought to justice in 1 percent of the cases.\nThis campaign of intimidation and murder (in combination with neoliberal restructuring) has taken a toll on Colombia’s labor movement. Union membership is 4.4 percent of the national workforce today, down from 17 percent three decades ago.\nAs the movement has shrunk, public educators have become increasingly important. Teachers in Colombia now make up about half of the membership of the Central Union of Workers, Colombia’s main federation of unions.\nAnd they have one more thing in common with teacher unionists in the US: they’re fighting neoliberal reforms tooth and nail.\nGlobal Front Lines\nThis past December, during a long visit to Colombia to study Spanish and learn about the situation in the country, I walked into the same teachers union office where Vélez was assassinated. On the wall hung portraits of Vélez and the sixty-six other teacher union leaders in Antioquia murdered since 1977. Above the pictures, a wooden sign read (in Spanish): “Here we are and here we will be forever in the heat of the struggle in defense of human rights.”\nSeeing the dozens of portraits of slain teachers was chilling, a stark contrast to the congratulatory plaques lining the office walls at my own union, the Milwaukee Teachers’ Education Association.\nI had been aware of the danger facing private-sector union activists in Colombia — especially those organizing against multinational sugar cane, banana, and mining companies — but the pictures drove home the importance of public-sector workers to the struggle for justice and human rights in Colombia. Elites in the country literally had them gunned down to try to weaken popular resistance.\nWhile the situation outside Columbia is less dangerous, public-sector unionists across the world have emerged as a bulwark against efforts to eviscerate public services. From Chicago to Colombia, teachers have leveraged their position in society to fight the privatization and disinvestment national governments and international institutions are pushing.\nTeachers and schools are in nearly every town and city in the world. Urban and rural teachers are in daily contact with impoverished and disenfranchised communities. And despite anti-union attacks and growing privatization, teacher unions remain among the largest in the world. (In the United States, the National Education Association and the American Federation of Teachers have some 4.5 million members, making K-12 public education one of the country’s most unionized sectors.)\nEducational International, the global federation of teacher unions, has launched an international campaign against the commodification of education. But much more is needed.\nTo be successful, teacher unions must take our struggle beyond the schoolhouse door and fight for more than just the rights of our members. We must struggle for a more genuine democracy, a more expansive social justice.\nColombian teachers, many of whom have given their lives, are on the front lines of this struggle.\nCulture of Fear\nThough separated by thousands of miles, my conversations with teachers and union activists in Colombia underlined the commonality of our struggles.\nTeachers from Colombia and the US alike decry the growing emphasis on standardized testing, the tendency to blame teachers for not solving problems created by pervasive poverty, the top-down commands that devalue teaching as a profession, and the narrowing of the curriculum, which edges out all-important issues such as social justice and critical thinking. They object to corporate reforms that privilege private schools and defund public education — reforms that, at their heart, represent an attack on democratic rights.\n“We are fighting privatization of our public schools,” said John Avila, a former social studies teacher and current head of research for Colombia’s Federation of Educators (FECODE) in Bogotá. “The neoliberal agenda . . . is strong in Colombia.”\nLast spring, the federation led a fifteen-day national strike that focused on two issues — meager pay and a new teacher evaluation system that consisted of a single, written test. The union made gains on both, winning a 12 percent pay increase over three years and a more sophisticated evaluation system that does not include a written test.\nIndeed, despite right-wing violence and a culture of fear, despite limits on organizing, despite the prohibition of agency fees, Colombian educators have persevered — roughly 70 percent of the country’s teachers are union members.\nThe pending peace accord between Colombia’s government and leftist guerrillas is raising hopes that teacher unions will be able to bring even more people into their ranks. As Carlos Lotero — longtime labor leader and now the director general of the National Union School — put it: “It’s a lot easier to organize for worker rights if leaders are not routinely murdered.”\nTwo decades ago, peace talks between the government and the guerillas led to the formation of the Patriotic Union, a left political party. But both the Patriotic Union and the peace process collapsed when the ruling oligarchy and paramilitaries launched a campaign against the nascent party. According to the House of Memory in Medellín, nearly five thousand members of the new party were “assassinated, disappeared, or massacred” between 1984 and 1997.\nToday, the peace process enjoys much broader support and is attracting more international scrutiny. The negotiations began in 2012 in Havana, Cuba and a tentative pact was announced in September 2015. The Colombian government and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) continue to make progress on the details of a final peace agreement, although they did not complete the accord by the hoped-for deadline of March 23. Their intention is to have an agreement soon, followed by a referendum in October.\nEvery educator and teacher union leader I spoke with supported the peace process, in the hopes that it it will rein in paramilitary death squads and provide space for organizing and social transformation.\nAs the peace process in Colombia moves forward, the unions have developed a broad agenda to fight for worker rights. And because of Washington’s continued involvement in the country, Colombian union activists say the solidarity of US progressives and unions is essential.\nLotero spoke in particular about provisions in the US-Colombia free-trade agreement, which was signed in 2011. Because of pressure from the US and Colombian labor movements, the pact included a Labor Action Plan intended to safeguard worker rights. Now Colombian unions are fighting to make sure that language is put into practice.\nProvisions of the Labor Action Plan include: establishing a ministry of labor, ending subcontracting designed to prevent unionization, opening an office of the International Labor Organization in Colombia, and changing legal codes to expand and enforce basic labor laws.\nThe plan also calls for measures to prosecute perpetrators of anti-labor violence and increase protection for activists, including government funding for bodyguards and armored cars. Intimidation is an ongoing concern. According to the US Department of Labor, “threats against labor leaders and activists have increased significantly, in the form of text messages, phone calls, letters, emails and other forms.”\nBut as I spoke with teachers and union leaders in Colombia, I was struck by their matter-of-fact perseverance — a persistence examined in a book that all union activists in Medellín seem to have read: Tirándole libros a las balas, or Throwing Books at Bullets. The book chronicles the history of violence against teachers in Antioquia from 1978 to 2008.\nFernando Ospina, president of the Antioquia teachers union, explained the title’s significance.\n“Teacher unions have been targeted by violence and bullets,” Ospina said. “Our response has been with education, social research, and social justice. They shoot bullets. We throw books.”", "label": "No"}
{"text": "Permanent brain damage from a stroke may be reversible thanks to a developing therapeutic technique, a USC-led study has found.\nThe novel approach combines transplanted human stem cells with a special protein that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration already approved for clinical studies in new stroke patients.\n\"This USC-led animal study could pave the way for a potential breakthrough in how we treat people who have experienced a stroke,\" said Jim Koenig, a program director at the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, which funded the research. \"If the therapy works in humans, it could markedly accelerate the recovery of these patients.\"\nBerislav Zlokovic, senior author of the Aug. 22 Nature Medicine study, and his colleagues identified a protein that spurs neural stem cells to become functional neurons: 3K3A-APC, a variant of the human protein \"activated protein C.\"\nThe created compound is being tested as a neuroprotectant. Researchers in a National Institutes of Health-funded Phase II clinical trial administer 3K3A-APC to patients who have very recently (within a few hours) suffered from an ischemic stroke, when a clot blocks blood from reaching the brain. About 87 percent of all strokes are ischemic, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.\nHowever, Zlokovic, director of the Zilkha Neurogenetic Institute at the Keck School of Medicine of USC, said he and his colleagues are the first to use 3K3A-APC to produce neurons from human stem cells grafted into the stroke-damaged mouse brain.\n\"We showed that 3K3A-APC helps the grafted stem cells convert into neurons and make structural and functional connections with the host's nervous system,\" said Zlokovic, a scientific founder of ZZ Biotech, a company devoted to developing therapeutics using variants of activated protein C. \"No one in the stroke field has ever shown this, so I believe this is going to be the gold standard for future studies.\"\nAlthough other researchers have experimented with grafting stem cells into injured brain areas, they have met with limited success -- partially because transplanted stem cells diminish with time. The therapeutic compound stops that from happening.\nEvery year more than 795,000 people in the United States have a stroke, according to the CDC. These debilitating seizures reduce mobility in more than half of stroke survivors age 65 and older.\nMore than 70 percent of stroke survivors live with substantial neurological symptoms such as muscle weakness or paralysis, according to Yaoming Wang, co-lead author of the study and a senior research associate at the Zilkha Neurogenetic Institute at the Keck School.\n\"The need for an efficacious, practical and late treatment of stroke remains unmet,\" Wang said. \"Regenerative medicine with stem cells holds great promise for the treatment of stroke.\"\nHow combination therapy works\nA week -- the equivalent of several months in humans -- after scientists induced a stroke in mice, the researchers placed human neural stem cells next to damaged brain tissue. Then they administered the immunosuppressant cyclosporine and four doses of 3K3A-APC or a placebo solution over a span of seven days.\nThe transplanted stem cells matured into neurons and other brain cells. Mice treated with the special compound had 16 times more human stem cell-derived neurons than those who were treated with the placebo.\n\"Functional deficit after five weeks of stroke were minimized, and the mice were almost back to normal in terms of motor and sensorimotor functions,\" Zlokovic said. \"Synapses formed between transplanted cells and host cells, so there is functional activation and cooperation of transplanted cells in the host circuitry.\"\nTo test whether the injected stem cells caused the observed motor and sensorimotor improvements, USC researchers used an assassin toxin to exterminate neurons that developed from human stem cells. They found that these mice lost improvements in motor or sensory tests, suggesting the neurons that grew from implanted stem cells were necessary for recovery from stroke-induced disability.\nThe motor and sensory tests\nResearchers tested motor functions by having mice walk forward on a rotating rod without falling off. They tested sensory and motor function by placing tape on the mouse's forepaw and observed how long it took the mice to remove the adhesive.\nRodents given human stem cells and treated with 3K3A-APC performed much better on these performance tests, said Zhen Zhao, co-lead author and an assistant professor of research physiology and biophysics at the Zilkha Neurogenetic Institute.\nTo test the brain's circuitry after the stroke, researchers labeled stem cells with an indicator of neuronal activity and then stimulated the paws of the mice with a mechanical vibration. They noted the injured area in 3K3A-APC-treated mice was activated much more than in mice treated with the placebo. Moreover, the response time was much closer to that of uninjured mice.\nThese results suggest that neurons which grew from the stem cells are functionally integrated into the host's brain circuitry.\nThe future of stem cell therapy\nIn June, Stanford University researchers drilled a hole into the skulls of people whose motor and sensory abilities had been compromised because of stroke. Then they injected stem cells harvested from the bone marrow of adult donors. Although the study involved only 18 patients, researchers noted meaningful recovery, such as the ability to walk again. Stanford researchers said the stem cells seemed to trigger a biochemical process that enhanced the brain's ability to regenerate neurons. The transplanted stem cells themselves did not become neurons.\nIn contrast, researchers in the USC-led study were able to stimulate transplanted stem cells to becoming neurons in a mouse study.\nZlokovic and his team now hope to pursue a new Phase II clinical trial to test whether their combination therapy that stimulated the growth of neurons in mice can be replicated in human stroke patients. If the trial succeeds, they plan to extend the neural stem cell grafts and 3K3A-APC treatment to other neurological conditions, such as spinal cord injuries.\nThe study was supported by the National Institutes of Health, National Natural Science Foundation of China, Adelson Medical Research Foundation, New York State Stem Cell Research Board, Novo Nordisk Foundation, Lundbeck Foundation, National Multiple Sclerosis Society and the ALS Association.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "Friday October 10 2008\n“Honey has been found to be better at aiding burn recovery than standard treatments used by the NHS,” the Daily Mail reported. The newspaper said that scientists had pooled data from 19 trials involving more than 2,500 patients with various wounds. They found that mild to moderate burns took less time to heal when honey was applied than some widely used dressings.\nThis review was carried out by the Cochrane Collaboration and is a very thorough investigation of the existing research on the use of honey in treating wounds. It found that honey might improve healing times in some types of burn (thin burns which are mild to moderate, superficial and of partial thickness) compared with some conventional dressings. The researchers say this finding should be treated with caution, however, and that \"Health services should invest in treatments that have been shown to work\". Other supposed applications of honey proved to be less effective. For example, honey dressings used under compression bandages did not significantly increase leg ulcer healing after 12 weeks. The authors suggest that this practice should stop, and that there is insufficient evidence to guide clinical practice for other wound types.\nWhere did the story come from?\nDr Andrew Jull and colleagues from the Clinical Trials Research Unit at the University of Auckland in New Zealand carried out the systematic review. There were no external sources of support for the study. The study was published in the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, a publication of the Cochrane Collaboration.\nWhat kind of scientific study was this?\nThis was a systematic review of trials, which aimed to determine whether honey increases the rate of healing in acute wounds (burns, lacerations and other traumatic wounds) and chronic wounds (venous ulcers, arterial ulcers, diabetic ulcers, pressure ulcers and infected surgical wounds).\nAs background, the researchers note that honey is a sticky “supersaturated” sugar solution derived from nectar gathered and modified by the honeybee and used since ancient times as a remedy in wound care. Recent trials have evaluated the effects of using honey to help wound healing, but it was not known if it helps both new wounds, such as burns and lacerations, and long-term wounds, such as venous leg ulcers and pressure ulcers. How honey works is also unknown, although recent research has concentrated on the antibacterial activity of the many varieties of honey, rather than their effect on wound healing. One theory is one that Manuka honey (from New Zealand and Australia) has unique antibacterial activity independent of the effect of honey’s general peroxide (an anti-bacterial property) activity and its osmolarity (its thickness and stickiness).\nThe researchers first searched recognised literature databases for studies published before May 2008. The search included the Cochrane Wounds Group Specialised Register, a controlled trial register called CENTRAL, and several other electronic databases. This list of trials was supplemented with any studies listed in reference lists and any unpublished trials from the manufacturers of dressing products.\nIn order that only high-quality trials were included, the search was restricted to randomised and quasi randomised trials, those that had evaluated honey as a treatment for any sort of acute or chronic wound, and those where wound healing was the main outcome that was measured. Studies were included irrespective of where they were published, their date of publication or language.\nWhat were the results of the study?\nThe search identified 19 trials with a total of 2,554 participants to be included in the review. Three trials evaluated the effect of honey on acute lacerations, abrasions or minor surgical wounds. Nine trials evaluated the effect of honey on burns. Two other trials evaluated the effect of honey on venous leg ulcers, and there was one trial each on pressure ulcers, infected post-operative wounds, and Fournier’s gangrene. Two trials recruited people with mixed groups of chronic or acute wounds.\nIn the trials of partial thickness burns, the researchers found that honey reduced healing time to healing by 4.68 days compared with some conventional dressings (95% CI -4.28 to -5.09 days).\nIn chronic wounds, honey dressings used under compression bandaging did not significantly increase healing in venous leg ulcers (RR 1.15, 95%CI 0.96 to 1.38).\nThere was insufficient evidence to determine the effect of honey compared with other treatments for burns or in other acute or chronic wound types.\nWhat interpretations did the researchers draw from these results?\nThe researchers say that “honey may improve healing times in mild to moderate superficial and partial thickness burns compared with some conventional dressings”.\nThey also say that when honey dressings are used under compression bandaging, there is no significant increase in leg ulcer healing at 12 weeks, and there is insufficient evidence to guide clinical practice in other areas.\nWhat does the NHS Knowledge Service make of this study?\nThe researchers acknowledge that the poor quality of most of the trial reports means the results should be interpreted with caution. The exception to their overall conclusion is for venous leg ulcers, where they are confident that honey dressings used under compression bandaging is not justifiable or worthwhile. There are other points to note about this review:\n- The researchers report that all nine burns trials that were included originated from a single centre – the department of surgery at a medical college in Maharashtra, India, and up until 1999 have the same single author, Dr M Subrahmanyam. The researchers warn that this may have an impact on whether or the studies could be replicated, meaning that there may be specific details regarding how the honey dressings were applied in this centre that may not be repeatable in other centres.\n- Some of the trials included were quasi-randomised, meaning that in some cases the participants were allocated to alternate groups based on the day of attendance at the hospital. This can affect the reliability of the findings from these trials as it is possible for bias to occur. For example, the investigators could have influenced who went into which group.\n- The researchers had to use the outcomes reported in the trials, and these were usually the average (mean) time to healing. They say that this is not the most appropriate method of analysing this sort of ‘time to event’ data, and that survival analysis would have been more appropriate.\n- Pooling of results for analysis can be a controversial area in systematic reviews, and these authors comment that two of their analyses had highly significant heterogeneity. This means that the trials were different enough from each other to suggest that combining the results may be problematic. They justify the pooling of results on clinical and methodological grounds, and said that to do otherwise would have breached the protocol that they had already decided upon.\nThis is a thorough review, which by its design will have identified the major trials of honey treatment for wounds. The researchers were particularly thorough in that they attempted to contact authors where data was missing. Several avenues for future research are identified by the researchers. Where there is still doubt about the effectiveness of honey as a dressing for thin burns, they welcome more well-designed randomised trials.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "The elections are the main way how citizens can impact on the authorities. Whether it's worth to vote or not? It is our choices that decide how we live, which government we have, our economy, and our politics. Everyone should consciously and responsibly approach to this event. We should not think that our voices are not counted. If we want the state to respect its citizens, we must respect the state. Besides, you can also find the answer in these wise quotes about voting.\nWise Quotes on Voting to Tell You Why We Should Vote\nParticipation in elections is a measure of civic maturity, an independent political position, an important contribution to shaping the future.\nIn the conditions of modern democracies, elections are pivotal mechanism, the main form of manifestation of the sovereignty of the people, its political role as a source of power.\nEvery citizen of our country has the right to a better future, and it is possible to realize that right by voting.\nThrough the elections, we will show that we have the cooperation of government and society and thus can achieve a lot.\nThe main reason why we have to go to the elections is the desire to improve our lives, our society.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "The black kite is a very common hawk that occurs widely throughout Australia, Africa and Asia. They are gregarious and opportunistic, with large flocks sometimes gathering around cattle yards, slaughterhouses and refuse dumps where they scavenge for scraps. Black kites will also rob nestlings, steal food from other birds, as well as prey on small birds and insects. They are excellent soarers, and occasionally cross the Tasman Sea to New Zealand.\nThe black kite is a medium-sized dark brown hawk with longish rectangular, harrier-like wings, with pale brown across the shoulders. It has a long distinctly forked tail, and the legs and feet are short and weak. The soft parts including eyes are yellow. They are commonly seen gliding, soaring, or quartering the ground in search for food. Their flight is very distinctive and buoyant, the tail is continually opening, closing and flexing with the air-currents and when gliding, the carpal joint is often well forward with the wingtips slightly drooped.\nVoice: a high pitched quavering “kwee-err”; a staccato “keee-ki-ki-ki” including whistles and squeals.\nSimilar species: the black kite is similar to the much more common swamp harrier. Unlike the harrier, the black kite does not soar with its wings held in a shallow V, but has a more flattened profile. It also lacks the harrier’s distinctive pale rump and long legs.\nDistribution and habitat\nWidespread and common throughout southern Europe, Africa, Asia and Australia.\nNew Zealand records\nThere are eight widely scattered records from both the North and South Islands: Renwick, Marlborough (1992-1994, and again 2000-15), Glentanner, Lake Pukaki (1994), Wanaka Airport (1996), various South Auckland localities (2001-2003), Pirinoa, Wairarapa (2002), Inglewood, Taranaki (2009), and near Mercer (2016-17). The single vagrant black kite seen near Renwick in 1992-94 is likely to be the same bird reported there in 2006. This bird was still present near Renwick in early 2015, having presumably been in the area some 23 years, roosting in a group of gums off the Waihopai Valley Road. This area of Marlborough has an open landscape and warm climate, similar to areas where these kites live overseas.\nBehaviour and ecology\nBlack kites prefer open plains and countryside, in warm to dry, semi-arid to arid areas. They are typically gregarious, and are often seen in small to very large flocks. They are able to soar effortlessly to great heights. When walking, they appear to shuffle along on short legs with their tails held horizontally off the ground. In New Zealand, reports of the Renwick black kite indicate that the bird was quite sedentary. The decades-long presence of this bird shows that black kites can survive long-term in parts of the New Zealand landscape.\nThe black kite is a very opportunistic and successful hawk. Its diet is mainly carrion but it also includes human refuse, shellfish, fish, small mammals, reptiles, insects and birds. It will also steal food from other birds. In their native lands, they take advantage of rodent and insect plagues, as well as capturing small birds, mammals and insects fleeing from bush fires and agricultural burn-offs.\nCupper, J; Cupper, L. 1981. Hawks in focus, a study of Australia’s birds of prey. Jaclin Enterprises, Midura, Australia\nMarchant, S.; Higgins, P.J. (eds). 1993. Handbook of Australian, New Zealand and Antarctic birds. Volume 2: raptors to Lapwings. Melbourne, Australia: Oxford University Press.\nMiskelly, C.M.; Crossland, A.C.; Sagar, P.M.; Saville, I.; Tennyson, A.J.D.; Bell, E.A. 2017. Vagrant and extra-limital records accepted by the Birds New Zealand Records Appraisal Committee 2015-2016. Notornis 64: 57-67.\nOlsen, P.; Crome, F.; Olsen, J. 1993. Birds of prey and ground birds of Australia. Angus and Robertson, Sydney, NSW, Australia.\nOlsen, P. 1995. Australian birds of prey; the biology and ecology of raptors. University of New South Wales Press, Sydney, Australia.\nHyde, N.H.S.; Bell, M.; Seaton, R. 2013 [updated 2017]. Black kite. In Miskelly, C.M. (ed.) New Zealand Birds Online. www.nzbirdsonline.org.nz\n- Breeding season\n- Egg laying dates", "label": "No"}
{"text": "INTRODUCTION TO RECEIVERS\nOLD FRIENDS AND NEW\nYour first contact with radio probably was with a\nRECEIVER in your living room at home. Most likely your\nknowledge of what made the radio \"tick\" was limited.\nBut you could turn it on and twist the knobs to bring in\nthe ball game or dance band you wanted to hear.\nWhile the home receiver is simple in design, and easy\nto tune in comparison to the Navy types, both are essentially the same kind of gear. Each is designed to PICK UP\nthe electromagnetic wave sent out by a transmitter, and\nfinally reproduce the sounds in the earphones or loud\nThe comparison of the home and Navy receivers is\nmuch like the relationship of the Piper Cub to the F7F\nTiger Cat. Both planes are designed to fly, only one is\nmade for slow leisurely flights, and the other is a fighter.\nJOBS OF A RECEIVER\nAll receivers have five definite jobs to do-\nPick up signals|\nSelect the desired station\nAmplify the weak signals\nDemodulate or detect the carrier wave\nReproduce the audio signal\nIf any of the five are omitted, you do not have a receiver,\nbut just a collection of wires and vacuum tubes. But\nwhen your gear does these jobs, in the order listed, you\nhave a radio receiver.\nPICKING UP SIGNALS\nThe RECEIVING of the signal takes place in the ANTENNA.\nThe antenna may be a whip rising out of the top of your\ncar, a loop of wire built into a portable radio, or a strand\nof wire strung between two masts on your ship.\nThe antenna and the magnetic field from a transmitter\nact together to form an a.c. GENERATOR. Earlier in this\nbook you learned that if you have together a conductor\nand a magnetic field and a relative motion exists between\nthe two, you have an a.c. generator which will induce a\nWell, the antenna is the conductor, and the carrier\nwave from the transmitter is the magnetic field. Thus,\nwhen a radio wave from a transmitter CUTS ACROSS the\nantenna, an emf will be induced in the antenna. The\ninduced emf is of exactly the same frequency and contains\nthe identical VARIATIONS that were present when the carrier wave left the transmitter's antenna.\nThe size of the emf induced in an antenna depends upon\nthe LENGTH of the antenna and the STRENGTH of the carrier wave.\nWhen the carrier wave leaves the transmitter's antenna,\nit is strong. As it travels, it gradually loses its strength,\neventually dying out completely. If your ship is near a\ntransmitter, the carrier strength-FIELD STRENGTH-is\ngreat. But a thousand miles away, the same carrier\nwave will be very weak.\nIn the last chapter of this manual you will learn that\nfactors other than distance influence the FIELD STRENGTH\nof a carrier wave, but for the time being you can consider\ndistance as the only factor.\nA carrier wave's FIELD STRENGTH is measured by the\nemf, in microvolts, that is induced in an antenna one\nmeter (39.4 inches) long. For example-transmitter A\ninduces an emf of 100 microvolts in an antenna one meter\nlong. Transmitter B, which is nearer, induces an emf\nof 1,000 microvolts in the same antenna. By comparison,\nthe field strength of the transmitter B is ten times that of\ntransmitter A. Thus, if the field strength of a certain\ntransmitter is 100 microvolts per meter, an antenna three\nmeters long will have an induced emf of 300 microvolts.\nThe minimum field strength necessary to produce good\nreception depends upon the kind of receiver and the\namount of noise interference in the neighborhood of your\nThe sensitivity of a receiver is a measure of HOW WELL\nit can amplify weak signals. The average home radio\ncan amplify the signals only a few hundred times, but\nthe receivers used aboard your ship are capable of amplifying a signal millions of times. Because of this great\namplification, a communications receiver can operate on\nweaker signals than a home receiver.\nA receiver that STARTS with a SMALL signal and FINISHES with a LARGE signal has HIGH SENSITIVITY.\nIt you are in an area of strong local interference, you\nneed strong signals to produce good reception. When the\nlocal interference has a FIELD STRENGTH of 100 my. per\nmeter, you will need a signal strength of 500 to 1,000 my.\nper meter to drown-out the noise. But the same receiver,\nfree from local interference, may give good reception\nwhen signal strength is less than 10 mv. per meter.\nAlthough it is difficult to state the exact minimum field\nstrength that is needed to operate a receiver satisfactorily,\nmany communication receivers under ideal conditions are\nable to operate on a signal strength that is considerably\nless than 1 mv. per meter.\nGETTING YOUR STATION\nYou TUNE your receiver by adjusting the variable condensers until the RESONANT FREQUENCY of tank circuits\nin the receiver is the same as the FREQUENCY of the station\nyou wish to hear. Figure 123 is a TUNING CIRCUIT,\nFigure 123.-Tuning circuit.\nUsually two or more stages of tuning are needed to separate the stations that are transmitting on neighboring\nAs shown in figure 124, the condensers are mounted\n(ganged) on the same shaft so that both are tuned with\none twist of the knob. The greater the number of circuits used, the sharper will be the tuning. A receiver\nthat tunes SHARP is said to be SELECTIVE.\nSome types of communication receivers may be more\nselective receivers than others. A receiver used for\nFigure 124.-Two-stage tuning.\nC.W. code can be more selective than a voice receiver.\nA communications voice receiver is designed to tune\nmore sharply than a common broadcast receiver that\nyou'll use to pick up Dinah Shore and Benny Goodman.\nIn general, communication receivers do not make good\ninstruments for receiving music. The reason why is\nillustrated in figure 125.\nFigure 125.-Band widths of various types of receivers.\nCarrier waves from commercial broadcast stations\ncontain SIDE-BAND FREQUENCIES which extend five kc on\neither side of the RESONANT FREQUENCY. That means, if\na station is transmitting on a frequency of 1,140 kc, the\ncomplete carrier wave will contain frequencies from\n1,135 to 1,145 kc. If a receiver tunes too sharply, the\nhigher side band frequencies will be lost. For this\nreason, broadcast receivers can furnish high-fidelity reception only if they tune broad enough to include BOTH\nFigure 125 shows the best TUNING CURVE for a broadcast receiver The top is broad and flat and the sides\nare steep. Most cheap broadcast receivers have tuning\ncurves as shown by the broken lines. This design permits a lot of station interference resulting in low fidelity\nThe band width necessary for a satisfactory VOICE\nCOMMUNICATION may be narrower than for the broadcast bands. Clear and intelligible messages can be obtained on bands that extend only one kc on either side of\nthe resonant frequency. The voice may sound unnatural,\nbut it will get through.\nTransmissions for c.w. code messages contain no side-bands-just the r.f wave alone. Therefore c.w, receivers can tune very sharply.\nVERNIERS AND SPREADERS\nThe first time you try to tune a Navy receiver you\nprobably won't bring in a thing. You are accustomed to\nusing broad-tuning home receivers, and you'll have to\ndevelop the touch-get that old safe-cracker's feel in\nyour finger-tips-before you'll be able to tune a shipboard receiver. A hair's breadth movement of the dial\ncan take you past a station without even hearing a good\nAnd that brings up the tuning aids you'll find on communications receivers-VERNIERS, BAND-SPREADERS, TUNING EYES, AND TUNING METERS-all put on to help you\nfind the station you want.\nThe VERNIER DIAL is the most common device. Many\nvernier dials have two or even three speeds. You use\nthe COARSE adjustment to bring in the station, then the\nMEDIUM and FINE speeds to polish up the tuning.\nOther receivers use a system of BAND-SPREADING. You\nput a small variable condenser having about one-tenth\nthe capacity of the tuning condenser in parallel with the\ntuning condenser, as shown in figure 126.\nFigure 126.-Band spreaders.\nWhen using BAND-SPREADING, you adjust the large tuning condenser to approximately the correct capacity and\nthen complete the tuning by adjusting the small variable\ncondenser. The small capacity of the band-spreader\ncondenser permits wide movement of the dial and gives\nthe appearance of spreading the station channel wide on\nSome receivers have a SWITCHING ARRANGEMENT\nwhich permits preliminary tuning to be broad, and the\nfinal adjustment to be sharp.\nMany receivers have TUNING EYES or TUNING METERS\nto indicate the presence of automatic volume control\n(A.V.C.) voltage, and this voltage appears only when a\nstation is tuned in. You'll hear more about this later.\nR. F. AMPLIFICATION\nLook back at figure 124. In addition to the tuning\ncircuits, you have TWO STAGES OF R.F. AMPLIFICATION.\nThe amplifier circuits are similar to those you learned\nback in chapter 15. The tubes are PENTODES and the\nstages are COUPLED together by r.f. transformers.\nTHE DETECTOR STAGE\nThe DETECTOR follows the last r.f. amplifier stage. It\nis in this stage that the a.f. wave is separated from the\nr.f. component of the carrier wave The r.f. component\nis cast aside and the a.f. portion is sent on to the audio\nstage for more amplification.\nAUDIO FREQUENCY AMPLIFIERS\nMost receivers have TWO a.f. amplifier stages. The\nfirst is a voltage amplifier used to drive the output\nPOWER AMPLIFIER stage. It is in the POWER AMPLIFIER\nthat the power of the a.f. wave is stepped up to a strength\nsufficient to operate the LOUD SPEAKER or EARPHONES.\nThere are a great number of receiver circuits being\nused to do the five jobs listed back on page 172. But the\nmajority of Navy receivers fall into two classes-the\nTUNED RADIO FREQUENCY, and the SUPERHETERODYNE.\nBoth receivers operate by having an emf induced in the\nantenna and by transforming this signal to a sound from\nthe loudspeaker. But the WAY the two circuits perform\ntheir duties between the antenna and loudspeaker is quite\nTUNED RADIO FREQUENCY RECEIVER\nThe TUNED RADIO FREQUENCY receiver, T.R.F., is simpler in design than the superheterodyne.\nFigure 127.-Block diagram of a T.R.F. receiver.\nThe block diagram in figure 127 divides the T.R.F.\nreceiver into its three major parts. The first part is the\nr.f. sections, containing one, two, or even three, stages\nof r.f. amplification. It is in these stages that the tuning\nof the receiver takes place.\nFollowing the r.f. amplifiers is the DETECTOR, in which\nthe a.f. component is separated from the r.f. portions of\nthe carrier wave.\nThe a.f. wave is sent on to the third part-the audio\nfrequency amplifier-where further amplification takes\nplace. The last step is completed when the audio signal\nfinally appears in the earphones (or loudspeaker) as a\nLook back again at figure 127 and trace the progress\nof the carrier wave through the receiver. In the beginning\nFigure 128.-Block diagram of a superheterodyne.\nthe carrier wave induces a FEEBLE emf in the antenna. Each stage amplifies this feeble voltage until it\nenters the detector with considerable strength. In the\ndetector the r.f. and a.f. components are separated. The\nr.f. portion is carried to the ground, and the a.f. part\ngoes to the a.f. amplifier stage.\nTHE SUPERHETERODYNE RECEIVER\nThe SUPERHETERODYNE receiver contains all the major\nunits of the T.R.F.-with THREE ADDITIONS. In figure\n128 the r.f. amplifier and detector of the T.R.F. have\nbeen cut apart, and the three additional units (MIXER,\nLOCAL OSCILLATOR, and INTERMEDIATE FREQUENCY AMPLIFIER) are inserted.\nThe operation of the r.f. detector, and a.f. stages is\nexactly the same as in the R.T.F. receiver, but new units\nchange the basic operation of the circuit completely.\nThe object of placing the additional units in the circuit\nis to produce a SINGLE CONSTANT RADIO FREQUENCY.\nThis constant frequency is called the INTERMEDIATE FREQUENCY. Here is the story-\nThe carrier wave from the r.f. amplifier is FED into the\nvacuum tube of the MIXER STAGE. A second higher r.f.\nis produced by a LOCAL OSCILLATOR, and fed into the\nSAME vacuum tube. In this tube, the r.f. signal BEATS\nagainst the local oscillator signal and produces a THIRD\nfrequency, the INTERMEDIATE FREQUENCY.\nHow does all this come about? The word BEAT is the\nclue to the answer.\nWHAT ARE BEATS?\nDid you ever hear two persons playing musical instruments that were slightly out of tune with each other?\nCertainly you have. DISCORDS were produced, and those\ndiscords were BEAT NOTES.\nBeat notes are produced when two wave motions of\nslightly different frequency strike, or beat, against each\nother. For example, suppose two notes, one of 1,200\ncycles and the other of 1,500 cycles, BEAT against each\nother. Part of the time the two will work against each\nother, and part of the time they will work together. This\nproduces TWO NEW NOTES, in addition to the two original\nnotes. One equal to the sum of the original frequencies-\n1,500 + 1,200 = 2,700 cycles\nThe other is equal to the difference between the original\n1,500 - 1,200 = 300 cycles\nThe 2,700- and 300-cycle notes are BEAT NOTES. In the\nsame way, beat notes always appear when two unequal\nfrequencies are mixed together. One of the new pates is\nequal to the SUM of the two frequencies and the other is\nequal to their DIFFERENCE.\nHOW THE INTERMEDIATE FREQUENCY IS PRODUCED\nNow go back to the superheterodyne, in which you wish\nto produce a SINGLE CONSTANT INTERMEDIATE FREQUENCY.\nSuppose the I.F. desired is 500 kc. You could produce\nit by mixing ANY two frequencies whose SUM or DIFFERENCE is equal to 500 kc. But in practice you would use\nonly the DIFFERENCE to produce the WANTED frequency.\nRemember, ANY two frequencies whose DIFFERENCE\nequals 500 kc. will do. Thus if the incoming CARRIER\nWAVE is 2,200 kc., the OSCILLATOR frequency must be\n2,700 kc. to produce an I.F. of 500 kc. Or you may use\nany number of other combinations such as-\n|Carrier ||Oscillator ||Difference\n|Frequency ||Frequency ||(I.F.)\n|2,400 kc. ||2,900 kc. ||500\n|3,150 kcs. ||3,650 kc. ||500\n|7,230 kcs. ||7,730 kc. ||500\nAnd you could go on and fill the rest of this manual with\nother combinations whose differences are equal to 500 kc.\nNotice the oscillator frequency. It is 500 kc. MORE\nthan the incoming CARRIER WAVE.\n2,900 - 2,400 = 500\n3,650 - 3,150 = 500\nOr turn it around-the oscillator frequency is equal to\nthe carrier frequency PLUS the intermediate frequency-\n2,400 + 500 = 2,900\n3,150 + 500 = 3,650\nTo sum it up-in a superheterodyne receiver the oscillator generates a frequency that is always the I.F.\nHIGHER than the incoming carrier wave. The DIFFERENCE\nbetween carrier and oscillator frequencies will always be the intermediate frequency.\nThe condenser that tunes the oscillator is connected, or\nganged, to the SAME shaft that tunes the r.f. sections of\nthe radio. And by turning a single knob, the oscillator\nis automatically tuned to the I.F. HIGHER than the incoming r.f. carrier wave.\nSince the I.F. signal is a COMBINATION of the local oscillator and the carrier wave signals, it will be MODULATED and have the same characteristics as the carrier,\nonly at a lower frequency.\nLook back again at figure 128. The output from the\nmixer stage is sent into the I.F AMPLIFIER, where the\nvoltage of the I.F. is still further strengthened. And\nthe output of the I.F. amplifier is sent into a detector\nwhere the r.f. and a.f. components are separated, just as\nthey are in the T.R.F. receiver.\nSometimes you will hear the MIXER stage called the\nFIRST DETECTOR and the other detector stage the SECOND\nDETECTOR. Don't let it trouble you. The term FIRST\nDETECTOR comes from the fact that the production of beat\nnotes is sometimes called HETERODYNE DETECTION.\nWHY THE EXTRA PARTS\nYou may wonder why all the extra parts are added to\na T.R.F. receiver to form a SUPERHETERODYNE when the\nT.R.F. does a good job. That is a sensible question.\nThe answer is-the superheterodyne does a BETTER job.\nIncreased SENSITIVITY and SELECTIVITY make the superheterodyne a much better receiver for the reception of\nweak signals. That is reason enough.\nPractically all Navy receivers are made to tune over\nseveral BANDS of frequencies. The RBB/RBC receivers\nhave four bands; the RAK has six and the RAL has nine.\nTo change from one band to another, it is only necessary\nto rotate a switch to the band you wish to use.\nWhen you are operating near the TOP of one band,\nyou may find that you also receive the same station near\nthe BOTTOM Of the, upper band. EXPERIENCE will tell you\nwhich setting gives the best results with your particular\nSome receivers, especially the T.R.F. types, have TRIMMER controls that are adjusted each time you change\nfrequency bands. This is done by opening the TUNING\ncondensers to their widest mesh at the high end of the\nfrequency band, and then adjusting the trimmer controls\nuntil the noise level is maximum.\nThis control is necessary because, in spite of the greatest care in manufacturing, coils have slight differences in\ntheir windings. This causes variations in the resonant\nfrequencies of the several tuning stages. The trimmer\ncontrols correct these variations.\nThe CALIBRATION of a receiver is only the RECORD of the\ndial settings indicating where you can find a station of a\ncertain frequency. As an example, if you lived near\nChicago, you knew that WGN could be picked up by\nsetting the dial at 720. Maybe your receiver was a little\nout Of adjustment and you got the station by setting the\ndial at 710 or 730. You didn't write these numbers down,\nyou just remembered them. That is a rough example of\nMost Navy receivers have several dials to be set for\neach station you receive. To save time wasted in hunting\nall over the band, and in trying to remember the proper\nsettings, you will RECORD the positions of ALL the dials\nfor EACH STATION you listen to. The resulting chart is\nthe calibration of your receiver.\nTo calibrate a receiver properly you must very carefully check the settings of the dial against known frequencies. Then, when you are instructed to listen to a\nstation transmitting on 2,120 kc, you can turn to the\nchart and find the exact setting for each dial.\nIn addition to the TUNING knobs, all Navy receivers\nhave several other dials and controls to help you in\noperating the set.\nThe VOLUME CONTROL is the most familiar. With it\nyou increase or decrease the volume of sound to the desired level. Your receiver at home has one of these\nThe r.f. GAIN CONTROL, sometimes called sensitivity\ncontrol, is closely related to the volume control. You\ncan raise and lower the output sound level with it, but\nthat is not its prime purpose. This gain control is\nusually located in the first r.f amplifier stages. When a\nvery weak station is being received, this control is turned\nall the way up; but if you are tuned to a strong station, the\ncontrol is turned DOWN to prevent OVERLOADING the r.f.\ntubes. This is necessary since overloading causes SERIOUS DISTORTION in the signal.\nAUTOMATIC VOLUME CONTROLS\nThe AUTOMATIC VOLUME CONTROL, AVC-sometimes\ncalled AUTOMATIC SENSITIVITY CONTROL, ASC-serves to\nkeep the output volume at a constant level. This saves\nyou the job of continually turning the manual volume\ncontrol up and down each time the stations being received FADE and. REAPPEAR in strength.\nMost AVC systems have two controls, an OFF-ON switch,\nand an AVC LEVEL regulator. It is the usual practice\nto turn the AVC off while tuning the receiver. When\nthe receiver has been tuned, the switch is turned ON, and\nthe LEVEL is adjusted for the desired operation.\nThe AVC system in most Navy receivers is too rapid\nand pronounced to permit its use with voice reception.\nSo the AVC usually will be OFF when you are receiving\na voice message.\nNOISE SUPPRESSORS AND OUTPUT LIMITERS\nThe high sensitivity of all communication receivers\ncauses them to pick up a lot of local interfering noise\nand natural static. This is especially objectionable when\nreceiving code messages, because a crash of static may\ncause you to miss several letters in a code group.\nThe NOISE SUPPRESSOR works much the same as a TONE\nCONTROL in a home receiver. When this control is turned\nfor DEEP or BASS reception, much of the noise is FILTERED\nOFF and is not permitted to reach the earphones. But\nthe noise suppressor also reduces the volume. So on\nvery weak, signals, it may be necessary to turn the switch\nthat cuts it out of the circuit.\nThe OUTPUT LIMITER prevents sudden crashes of static\nfrom bursting your ear drums. There are several ways\nthis can be done, but all work as a safety POP-OFF valve.\nWhen the output volume of sound reaches a certain level,\nthe output limiter goes into action and prevents the sound\nfrom rising any higher.\nSome receivers have circuits called SILENCERS, designed to keep the receiver silent when no signal is being\nreceived. This is very useful when you are standing by\nto receive a message.\nMost output limiters and silencers have OFF-ON\nswitches, and an OUTPUT LEVEL adjustment. The specific\nname used for these controls depends upon the particular\nmake of the set.\nMany receivers use a meter to show the level of SOUND\nOUTPUT. It is also useful as an aid in tuning the receiver,\nespecially where you are SEARCHING for a station that\nis not on the calibration chart.\nThese meters are made to indicate the presence of a\nstation even when the sound is considerably below the\nminimum level your ears can hear. Once the presence\nof a station is indicated by the meter, the volume can be\nbrought up to audible level by turning up the sensitivity\nMost output meters are calibrated in DECIBELS. A decibel is the SMALLEST difference in sound your ear can\ndetect, and ZERO decibels is the LOWEST level of sound your\near can hear. For most references, ZERO decibels is\nnumerically equal to 6 milliwatts (0.006 watts).\nThe output meter is used by the Electronic Technician's\nMate when he is aligning, or tuning up, your receiver.\nWith this meter he will be able to tell whether a station\nwith a certain signal strength can be heard.\nSome receivers have two other meters-one to indicate\nthe FILAMENT VOLTAGE, and the other the PLATE VOLTAGE.\nA control accompanies each meter, so that if the voltages\nare incorrect, you can correct them.\nBEAT FREQUENCY OSCILLATOR\nThe BEAT FREQUENCY OSCILLATOR, B.F.O., is a part of\nevery communication receiver designed to receive C.W.\nmessages. When the receiver is being used to receive\nI.C.W., modulated C.W., or voice messages, the B.F.O. is\nalways turned OFF.\nWith each B.F.O. is a TUNING control, sometimes\nmarked A.F. TUNING. With this control, you adjust the\nPITCH of the audio note to the desired frequency.\nThe B.F.O. is usually connected to the detector tube in\nthe T.R.F. receiver and to the second detector in the\nThe frequency of the B.F.O. is about 1,000 cycles less\nthan the incoming carrier wave with the T.R.F., and\n1,000 cycles less than the I.F. in the superheterodyne\nreceiver. For example, if the carrier frequency being\nreceived by a T.R.F. is 4,720 kc., the B.F.O. will be tuned\nto approximately 4,719 kc., so the BEAT note produced\n4,720 - 4,719 = 1 kc. (1,000 cycles)\nIn a superheterodyne, if the I.F. is 500 kc., the B.F.O.\nwill be tuned to about 499 kc. This also will produce a\nbeat note of 1,000 cycles. By adjusting the B.F.O. you\ncan raise or lower the pitch of the beat note to a frequency\nslightly above or below the 1,000 cycle note.\nA four position switch usually accompanies the B.F.O.\ntuning control. It is usually marked B.F.O.-ON, MOD-C.W., I.C.W., or VOICE. When using the receiver you will\nturn this control to the position that matches the type of\nmessage being received.\nA CRYSTAL FILTER control is used in connection with\nmany B.F.O.'s. Its purpose is to prevent interfering\nnoises and notes from blotting out the tone of the C.W.\nsignal. The filter has two controls, an OFF-ON switch,\nand a REJECTION control. Sometimes, the OFF position\nof the switch is marked BROAD, and the ON position, SHARP.\nThe REJECTION CONTROL is adjusted for beat reception\neach time the filter is turned on.\nDon't be surprised to find controls other than those\njust described. Almost every receiver has some special\nknob all its own. You can find all this specialized information in the manufacturer's instruction books.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "Cognitive Neuroscience is a branch of Neuroscience, which is concerned with the scientific studies of neural network and its mechanisms underlying cognition. It has a special focus on the neural network and their connections within the brain which are involved in mental processes.\nSometimes Cognitive Neuroscience overlaps with cognitive psychology. The method used in Cognitive Neuroscience includes the experimental procedures from cognitive psychology, psychophysics, affective Neuroscience, functional neuroimaging, behavioural genetics, and cognitive genomics.\nCognitive Neuroscience combines the computational neuroscience modelling and cognitive psychology to give birth to new theories about the brain. It is an emerging field of Neuroscience in which we are trying to control the functioning of our brain by studying the behaviour of the brain.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "Program 3: The Jupiter Mission\nLIVE: October 12, 1995, 14:30-17:00 Eastern\nThis live program will join the KAO in flight, somewhere over Florida or the Gulf of Mexico. The Kuiper will have left NASA Ames that morning, to be on station for observations of Jupiter and its moons, which can be studied even during the daytime. Live video uplinks will include the National Air and Space Museum in Washington, D.C., the Adler Planetarium in Chicago, Fernbank Science Center in Atlanta, Georgia, the Houston Museum of Natural Science, Booneville Middle School in Mississippi and Kalani High School in Hawaii. Each site will feature live on-camera interactions with the astronomers, crew, teacher and student on board the KAO, demonstrations of hands-on activities relating to the KAO mission, and on-line collaborations over the Internet with the other live sites. The Air and Space Museum, for example, will use paper airplanes to show some of the aeronautical principles involved in flying the KAO in the stratosphere. Students around the country will record data on Jupiter and its moons, track the KAO and plot its path, and see the human dimension of research.\nThe KAO will land in Houston, at Ellington Air Force Base, just before 17:00 Eastern.\nPlease note the date (and see Rowan-Robinson's poem, Cosmic Landscape, page 3): \"This Columbus Day, discover a whole new Universe.\"\nThe Jupiter Mission\nStudent Learning Objectives\nThis unit prepares students to gather data from what they see and hear during the electronic field trip. After completing these activities, students will be able to\nSummary These activities are designed to accompany the KAO daytime observing mission. Working with these activity pages, students can make predictions about what the KAO will observe and record observations as they are relayed from the plane. activity 3A shows students how images are digitally created, and how large images are built up from a composite of smaller images. Through this activity students are introduced to the different apparent sizes of the varied objects being observed. Activities 3B and 3C prepare students to make observations of Jupiter and its moons.\nWhen things go wrong...\nEditor's note: this is why we have a Contingency Announcement.\nJuan Rivera--Airborne Telescope Operator\nOff the ground at 06:55 Z (Ed. note: \"Zulu\" or aeronautical time = U.T.)\nOn board tonight we have a total of 13 people: 3 Flight Crew, 5 Scientists, 1 Mission Director, 2 Computer Operators, 1 Tracker Operator, 1 Telescope Operator (Me)\n07:09 Z We're passing through 26,000 feet already. I've shut off the flow of liquid nitrogen which is used to pre-cool the telescope cavity. We do this for several reasons: First of all the nitrogen boils off to a very cold, dry gas which displaces the moist air in the cavity. We want the atmosphere in there to be free of any water vapor so it won't fog up the optics and freeze there. Also, we cool the cavity with a huge portable air conditioner and the liquid nitrogen so that it will be cold when we open the aperture door and expose the optics to the ambient temperature at altitude. The mirror started out...Oops...Gotta run!!!\n07:49 Z Hmm... Well I spent the last 20 minutes or so attempting to repair a problem with our oscillating secondary mirror. It has been very unreliable lately. Tonight when I turned it on, it blew the main fuse in one of the power supplies that power it. All I could really do in flight was to re-seat all the circuit boards and hope that the problem was being caused by an intermittent connection. Last time this happened I was a hero because I was able to save the mission.\nThis time I was not so lucky. We are now headed back home and the mission has been aborted. Last time this happened I found two wires that had been pulled out of the back of a connector on the rear of the chassis. The only problem was that neither wire had anything to do with the problem! It was like trying to find out why your car wouldn't start and finding a loose wire that went to the tail lights. It's nice that I found it, but... Anyway, by the time the two broken wires were fixed the problem had...mysteriously gone away. It's very very difficult to fix a problem that won't stay bad. We call those \"intermittents\". Maybe this time the OSM will stay bad. We call that \"inoperative\", or \"inop\" for short.\n08:09 Z Time to bag this and secure all the loose equipment and prepare\nfor landing. More next time...", "label": "No"}
{"text": "This chapter details an overview of the meat goat industry in the United States and the different production\nsystems where meat goat can be utilized. The chapter then describes the necessary planning steps needed to help create a sustainable meat goat operation.\nThis chapter describes several different breeds of meat goat that are being used in the U.S. for meat goat production.\nEach breed's attributes and potential weaknesses are discussed. Breeds discussed are Spanish, Boer, Kiko, Savanna, Tennessee Fainting Goats (mytonic), Pygmy, and Nubians.\nThis chapter describes the economically beneficial traits of meat goats and discusses how to measure and compare the different animals of the herd. Also included are detailed descriptions and illustrations of proper and improper udder structure.\nThis chapter discusses how to prepare for the birth of the kids and the kidding process. Also detailed illustrations are shown about normal and abnormal birthing presentations and how to assist in the kidding process.\nThis chapter describes the common diseases that affect goats and the available vaccination programs for goats. Also discussed are the different internal and external parasites that affect goats and the preventative programs used to prevent problems in the goat herd.\nThis chapter describes how to develop a marketing plan for a meat goat operation. Also discussed is the price differences in the seasonal pattern of goat prices and the holiday schedule that influences that seasonal pattern.\nThis chapter describes the different methods of predator control that can be used in a meat goat operation. Options discussed are guardian animals such as dogs, donkeys and llamas, trapping and lethal methods of removing predators.\nThis chapter goes over the general herd management practices that are not discussed in other chapters. Topics covered this chapter are ear tagging, castrating, hoof trimming, disbudding, tatooing, and body condition scoring. Also included is a general herd maintenance calendar.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "|Your Child and Gang Awareness|\nSheriff Fontoura Says Gang Awareness Can Save Your Child\nGangs bring fear and violence to our neighborhoods as they traffic in drugs, destroy property and recruit new members. Gangs can be organized around race or ethnic group, money-making activities or territory.\nYoungsters join gangs to belong to a group, for protection, to earn money, for excitement, and to be with friends. Gangs signal their existence and solidarity through their clothing and head coverings, a special vocabulary, tattoos, hand signs and “tagging” their territory with graffiti.\nSigns That Your Child Might Be in a Gang\nThese include changes in type of friends or dress habits, such as wearing the same color combination all the time, gang symbols on books or clothing, tattoos, secretiveness, extra cash from unknown sources, carrying a weapon, declining interest in school and family, and being detained by police.\nMake Sure Your Child Doesn’t Need a Gang\nShow your child love and reassurance. Talk with and listen to your child. Supervise your children’s activities. Help them become involved in wholesome activities that interest them. Know about your child’s friends and their families. Put a high value on education. Do everything possible to prevent your child from dropping out of school.\nWhat Communities Can Do to Keep Gangs Out\nDevelop positive after-school, weekend and summer alternatives. Provide activities where youngsters can learn, expand their world and have fun. Encourage parents to talk to one another through school forums, social events, networks, parenting classes and support groups. Cooperate with police and other law enforcement agencies. Report suspicious activity, set up a neighborhood watch or citizen patrol, volunteer to clean up graffiti. Get organized and show gangs that your neighborhood has zero tolerance for their activities.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "Let us now consider Olympics history in general.\nThere is a reason why in 394 AD the Roman emperor Theodosius I ordered the Olympic games to cease; they are a Pagan ritual to Greek gods. This is no conspiracy but merely history. The Olympic opening and closing ceremonies (rituals) are becoming more and more openly occultic and this is only to be expected as that is whence they came.\nThe Olympic games revived in the late 19th century AD by a French aristocrat named Baron Pierre de Coubertin:\n“Though Coubertin was not the first to propose the revival of the Olympic Games, he was certainly the most well-connected and persistent of those to do so…Coubertin organized a meeting with 79 delegates who represented nine countries. He gathered these delegates in an auditorium that was decorated by neoclassical murals and similar additional points of ambiance.”\n“Exactly when the Games were first held and what circumstances led to their creation is uncertain. We do know, however, that the Games were a direct outgrowth of the values and beliefs of Greek society. The Greeks idealized physical fitness and mental discipline, and they believed that excellence in those areas honored Zeus, the greatest of all their gods…the earliest recorded Olympic competition occurred in 776 B.C.”\nAlthough, “It is almost certain that this was not the first time that the Games were held.”\nThe Olympiad is a “four-year period by which the Greeks recorded their history.”\nSee a series of images on the theme of the Olympics’ Pagan roots at this link and at the attached video\n“According to legend, the ancient Olympic Games were founded by Heracles (the Roman Hercules), a son of Zeus.\n“It was said Zeus once fought his father, Kronos, for control of the world. They battled atop a mountain…After Zeus defeated his father, a temple and immense statue were built in the valley below to honor him. This valley was called Olympia, and soon religious festivals developed there as people came to worship Zeus and to approach as nearly as possible his great strength. It is believed that these religious festivals eventually led to the famed Games of the Olympics.”\n“The games were dedicated to the 12 Olympian Gods and were hosted on the ancient green plains of Olympia, the place was famous for its magnificent great temples of the two gods Zeus and his wife Hera. The games initially had a very religious character combined by a number of ancient sport events, which many of those were based on the ancient Greek mythology.”\n“The Olympic Games were closely linked to the religious festivals of the cult of Zeus, but were not an integral part of a rite…the Olympic Games owed their purity and importance to religion…The official award ceremony would take place on the last day of the Games, at the elevated vestibule of the temple of Zeus.”\n“The oldest myth which concerns the beginning of the Olympic Games is that of Idaios Daktylos Herakles…Hera was the sister and wife of Zeus…She was thus also called \"Argeia\"”\n“the priestess of Demeter, goddess of fertility, was given a privileged position next to the Stadium altar.”\n“cessation of hostilities…known as the Olympic peace or truce….is a modern myth because the Greeks never suspended their wars. The truce did allow those religious pilgrims who were traveling to Olympia to pass through warring territories unmolested because they were protected by Zeus.”\n“The myth continues that after Heracles completed his twelve labors, he built the Olympic Stadium as an honor to Zeus.”\nRead all about twelve labors of Heracles on this fascinating essay: The Location of the 12 Labors of Herakles on the Temple of Zeus at Olympia.\n“the Olympic Flame is lit in Olympia in a ceremony that reflects ancient Greek rituals. A female performer, acting as a priestess, ignites a torch by placing it inside a parabolic mirror which focuses the sun's rays; she then lights the torch of the first relay bearer, thus initiating the Olympic torch relay that will carry the flame to the host city's Olympic stadium…the flame has been an Olympic symbol since 1928, the torch relay was introduced at the 1936 Summer Games, as part of the German government's attempt to promote its National Socialist ideology.”\n“The Olympic symbol, better known as the Olympic rings, consists of five intertwined rings and represents the unity of the five inhabited continents (Africa, America, Asia, Oceania, Europe).”\nIn short, the Olympics can be viewed as an art of war aspect of establishing a new world order. The term art of war refers to waging a war, of whatever sort, on every conceivable level; economically, culturally, militarily, politically, spiritually, etc.\nThe Olympics are a Pagan ritual in honor of false gods and which seeks to bring humanity together in that common ritualistic worship.\nGrolier Online’s New Book of Knowledge, “Origin and History of the Olympic Games”\nAthens Guide, “History of the Olympic Games - A brief history of the Olympics”\nJennifer Rosenberg, “History of the Olympics - Creating the Modern Olympic Games”\nWikipedia, “Olympic Games”\nFeel free to take advantage of the free subscription to this page so that you will get an email notification when something is posted herein—see subscribe link above, next to my name…or just CTRL+F and search for “subscribe.”\nFind us on:", "label": "No"}
{"text": "The devastating death figures for the American Civil War are well-known. On the two sides, at least 620,000 soldiers died from diseases and wounds; that is equivalent to 2 percent of the entire population. Two percent of Americans today equals 6 million people. Southerners perished disproportionately: In the Confederacy, at least 18 percent of white males of military age died between 1861 and 1865, three times the rate at which Northern white men died. \"The young [white] men of South Carolina were annihilated,\" the state's governor told Northern minister Henry Ward Beecher in April 1865. In many places in the state, he said, there were no white men left between the ages of 20 and 50.\nThis Republic of Suffering: Death and the American Civil War, by Drew Gilpin Faust, the president of Harvard University since 2007 and for decades a leading historian of the American South, provides plenty of numbers that are less well-known. Thirty thousand Northerners and 26,000 Southerners died in prisoner-of-war camps—almost 10 percent of all Civil War fatalities. As many as 50,000 civilians perished from war-related causes. And the dead, civilian as well as military, were black as well as white. About 35,000 of the 180,000 black soldiers who served the Union lost their lives, for the most part to disease. \"Contraband camps\" set up by the Union Army for African-Americans fleeing slavery (especially for women, children, and the elderly) experienced mortality rates up to 25 percent.\nMost stunning of all: About half of the soldiers who died during the war—over 40 percent of the Yankees and a majority of Confederates—died as \"unknown soldiers.\" These were often \"men thrown by the hundreds into burial trenches; soldiers stripped of every identifying object before being abandoned on the field; bloated corpses hurried into hastily dug graves; nameless victims of dysentery or typhoid interred beside military hospitals; men blown to pieces by artillery shells; bodies hidden by woods or ravines, left to the depredations of hogs or wolves or time.\" The two armies' record-keeping—and even their interest in identifying individuals no longer capable of fighting—lagged far behind their firepower. Americans reeled at the number of deaths, but also at the threat sudden wartime death posed to individual identity. They were sickened by the prospect that young men might \"die like dogs,\" as one woman volunteer put it, without the communal recognition of a marked grave symbolizing their departure for an eternal life with God.\nThe assault on identity, and the quest to recover it, is the fascinating theme Faust tackles as she digs into the archives for evidence of Americans' experiences of death, including their own postwar efforts to unearth and rebury their soldiers. As a historian who came of age in the 1970s—the era of a \"new social history\" placing women, laborers, and minorities center stage—she naturally highlights differences of gender, class, and race, along with region, but she also sees more at work in the postwar memorializing that consumed so much American energy. Faust astutely argues that in spite of their many differences, Northerners and Southerners, male and female, black and white, experienced a deep cultural unity through their common rituals and beliefs concerning death. This common culture of death did not prevent regional animosities—in effect, dueling nationalisms—from persisting after Appomattox. And glaring inequalities persisted, even as Southern women found a new public role in the reburial endeavor. The memory of the 35,000 dead black Union soldiers faded all too quickly from Northern white consciousness. At the end of the century, it was Northern and Southern whites who had joined hands in hailing their fallen ancestors, thereby creating a new overarching American nationalism.\nNineteenth-century death practices could hardly have been more radically disrupted than they were in the 1860s. Americans expected dying family members to expire at home, not in hospitals, and certainly not in other states. Adapting as best they could to the general yearning for final sentiments, comrades and nurses on the battlefield and in camps and hospitals promised to relay last words to dying men's families. If a soldier died without a terminal act of reflection, friends might even try to infer his final state of mind from his facial expression, letting the body speak for the soul. Embalmers trooping through the battlefields with newly effective chemical solutions offered to preserve the \"natural\" facial expressions of the dead and to ship them back to families for ex-post-facto deathbed vigils. Slaves, too, played a role as preservers, risking their lives to minister to their masters' bodies, even when they were dead.\nAt Gettysburg, for example, where 7,000 men lay dead after three days of fighting, thousands of Northerners soon arrived to hunt for their missing men. As many as 1,500 Yankee dead were embalmed and sent home when lucky relatives with sufficient means managed first to find them, then to locate a metallic coffin required for shipment. The national cemetery dedicated by Lincoln four months later arranged the dead democratically, not by rank, but the bodies of many officers from well-to-do families had already been expressed home rather than left for burial with the mass of soldiers. As for the Confederate fallen, the luckier of them, too, were not left to molder. Faust notes that as Robert E. Lee's forces retreated in haste, some of the 6,000 African-Americans who had accompanied the troops to the Pennsylvania battlefield managed to retrieve their masters' bodies and shepherd them at least part of the way home.Even when they took social inequality for granted, Faust implies, Americans of all backgrounds still shared identical expectations about the proper deathbed experience, the decent burial, and the hoped-for heavenly destination.\nOver the last generation, professional historians downplayed the Civil War as the key pivot point in 19th-century American development, stressing instead the growth of industrialism before the war and the rise of large-scale organizations and nationally based professional identities (like that of historians themselves) after the war. Political and military events took a back seat to social change. Having always kept the war in her own scholarly sights, Faust offers a compelling reassertion of its basic importance in society and politics alike. Civil War death so profoundly challenged conventional rituals and identities, she argues, that it helped spark political and cultural support for the larger organizations, public and private, of the late-19th century. In the process, the federal government \"assumed the unprecedented role of the citizen's friend,\" as the nation built up a new sense of unity out of the memory of young men's sacrificial deaths. In the North, Clara Barton's \"Friends of the Missing Men of the United States Army\" was soon joined by a major government initiative to identify and rebury the dead in national cemeteries—perhaps, writes Faust, \"the most elaborate federal program undertaken in nearly a century of American nationhood.\"\nAt the same time, as Faust subtly shows, Northerners and Southerners kept on building separate collective identities, after the fighting stopped, as they honored their fallen men. Each region kept revitalizing its own nationalism in counterpoise with the other. Lacking the material resources commanded by Northerners, Southern white women in cities and towns alike mobilized to rebury the Confederate dead. In Winchester, a town in northern Virginia that had seen numerous battles throughout the war, women took the lead in gathering 2,500 bodies that lay within a 15-mile radius of the town and placing them in Stonewall Cemetery, built adjacent to a national cemetery for Yankee dead. They succeeded in identifying almost 1,700 men; the remaining 800 were buried together in a central mound encircled by the marked graves. Through this symbolically powerful public work, Southern women helped create the mythic Confederate nation that grew out of the ashes of the actual Confederacy.\nThe Civil War ended slavery and formally reunited the country, but as This Republic of Suffering makes abundantly clear, a more or less unified white American identity could follow only a generation later. Northern and Southern whites had to embark first upon their separate quests to memorialize their dead—campaigns based upon the same cultural assumptions about death but vastly different organizational strategies and resources. And before Northern whites could reconcile themselves with a post-Reconstruction, segregated South, they needed to forget the tens of thousands of African-American soldiers who had died for liberty and union too. That process required time, since black veterans did all they could after the war to remind the nation of their service. The irony is that the fallen white soldiers whom both sides had labored so tirelessly to identify and rebury as individuals passed into 20th-century American memory as collectivities of white Southern and white Northern heroes, sacrificed for a politically rejoined yet still racially divided nation.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "Scientist says human penises are shrinking due to pollution\nLondon — Environmental scientist Dr. Shanna Swan has warned in her new book titled Count Down that human penises are shrinking as well as becoming malformed because of pollution.\nThe cause of the shrinkage, which Swan believes is an existential crisis humanity is facing as a result of declining fertility rates, is due to the presence of phthalates commonly found in manufactured plastics.\nPhthalate esters impact human genitals by altering the hormone-producing endocrine system, and as a consequence, has led to more baby boys being born with small penises.\nIn humans, Swan found that male babies exposed to the chemical in the womb were more likely to have a shorter anogenital distance, which is correlated with expected penile volume.\nIn a previous academic study published by Swan in 2017, it was found that sperm levels have dropped by more than half in the last 40 years, based on an examination of 185 studies.\nSwan believes that most men will be unable to produce viable sperm by 2045.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "In chapter 7 of Understanding Comics Scott McCloud explains how comics are considered art, especially whith such broad deffinition. He also explains how everyday things we do can be considered art as long as they do not relate to the humans two basic instincs, survival and reproduction. McCloud analyses how a group of bored cavemen are actually making art. One man is beating a simple rhythm, another one is kicking dirt and a little girl sings. these are considered art since art is any way of self expression so we can say the first man is making music, the guy kicking dirt is dancing away frustration and the girl is singing. In this chapter McCloud states that any form of art has six steps it must follow. the six steps consists of 1.) idea/purpose 2.) form 3.) idiom 4.) stucture 5.) craft and 6.) surface. He also explains how artists can eather say something through their art or say something about art itself. If the artists concentrates on form then he sets himself to be an explorer, he is focused on discovering what art is capable of. If the artist's main goal is the idea or purpose then he uses his art as a tool, and becomes a storyteller.\nChapter 7 was interesting because i would of never thought that bored cavemen can be considered art. I agree with McCloud because art can be any way of self expression meaning that pretty much everything we do is a form of art. This chapter was interesting since i never knew art had steps one must follow.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "Probably one of the most frequently asked questions about dog’s vision is whether dogs can see in colors.\nIt is a common myth that dogs can only see in black and white but they can actually see colors – just not as vividly as humans.\nThe eyes of both people and dogs contain special light catching cells called cones that respond to color.\nDogs have three eyelids, an upper cap, a lower cap, and a third called Nictitating membrane which helps to protect the eye and keep it moist.\nDogs are able to see in the dark,that’s because the eyes contain a special membrane called the “tapetum lucidum” which allows them to see in the dark\nThey only have two cones in their eyes to detect colors, whereas humans have three. That means dogs see colors on a blue and yellow scale but cannot distinguish between red and green. On the other hand, they have better night vision than humans.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "by Frank Wilczek\nWe usually think of the human brain as a single organ, but it is a complex assembly of modules that process different kinds of information in quite different ways. Somehow, we construct a rich world of objects out of the two-dimensional images projected onto our retinas through two tiny irises effortlessly, and in real time. Human abilities here still far outstrip even the most powerful computers. Analytical processing of more abstract symbolic information, such as mathematical formulas or logical schemas (like family relationships, recipes or computer programs), occurs elsewhere. Visualization is the art of getting those two systems to speak a common language, so they can pool their strengths. Family trees are a humble but eloquent example.\nHistorically, innovations in visualization have powered scientific advances. Take the memorable story of August Kekulé, the 19th-century German scientist and creative dreamer who was one of the great visionaries of theoretical chemistry.\nIn the 1850s, Kekulé developed the familiar chain-like representation of molecules using letters—indicating the constituent atoms—joined by lines representing “chemical bonds.” In 1865, he proposed the ring structure of benzene. That involved taking his abstract representation of molecules seriously, as a model of their geometry—a crucial step toward modern organic chemistry. By suggesting the possibility of new compounds and reactions, Kekulé’s visionary molecular hoops led almost immediately to important practical applications.\nAt a meeting of the German Chemical Society to celebrate the 25th anniversary of that discovery, Kekulé reminisced about the two crucial breakthroughs in his career. He associated both with unusual states of consciousness. The chaining of atoms, he said, occurred to him as he fell into a daydream while riding a horse-drawn London omnibus: “Lo, the atoms were gamboling before my eyes! I saw how, frequently, two smaller atoms united to form a pair…I saw how the larger combinations formed a chain, dragging the smaller ones after them but only at the ends of the chain.’’\nAs for the benzene ring, Kekulé recalled nodding off by a fire to find atoms again “gamboling before my eyes. This time, the smaller groups kept modestly in the background. My mental eye, rendered more acute by the repeated visions of the kind, could now distinguish larger structures of manifold confirmation: long rows, sometimes more closely fitted together, all twining and twisting in snake like motion. But look! What was that? One of the snakes had seized hold of its own tail, and the form whirled mockingly before my eyes.”\nKekulé’s snake-dream has become an iconic story of science, psychology and the sources of creativity. Carl Jung connected its power to the archetype of Ouroboros, the self-eating snake, which figures in metaphorical representations of rebirth and eternal return across several cultures.\nSeveral other huge scientific breakthroughs were also breakthroughs in visualization. Descartes’s invention of analytic geometry, which translates between equations and geometric shapes, is a brilliant example. Through it, algebra bends, loops and generally comes to life while, conversely, shapes get boiled down to symbols that our minds can easily juggle.\nEinstein’s 1905 special theory of relativity became more popular and far easier to use after Hermann Minkowski’s 1908 address “Space and Time,” in which Minkowski showed that the theory is best pictured by regarding time as a new, fourth dimension. In modern physics, Richard Feynman’s versatile visualizations of elementary processes—Feynman diagrams—are an essential mind-tool. They map the mathematics of space-time processes in quantum theory to simple, flexible wiring patterns. (They’ve changed my life more than once.) None of these breakthrough visualizations, unfortunately for Jung, involves snakes.\nToday, at the frontiers of quantum theory, we routinely work in spaces and space-times of high dimension. Modern “big data” collections, depending on many variables, also define structure in high-dimensional spaces. They aren’t what our brain’s visual processors evolved to cope with. Yet in coping with vast and unfamiliar complexity, more than ever, we need to tap vision’s power—and to expand the intersection of art and science.\nDr. Wilczek, winner of the 2004 Nobel Prize in Physics, is a professor of physics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. His most recent book is “A Beautiful Question: Finding Nature’s Deep Design.”\nThis article appeared in The Wall Street Journal", "label": "No"}
{"text": "What is a Motherboard:- A Motherboard is an electronic PCB (Printed Circuit Board) also called system board, is a main-board in a computer system.It is made by Epoxy glass material. As,it is the origin of each and every board, so that it is called motherboard. Some Motherboard Manufacturers are:- 1. Asus 2. ASRock 3. Biostar … Continue reading What is Motherboard?", "label": "No"}
{"text": "June 18, 2020\nThriving under Harsh Conditions Pumping Asphalt, Part 1\nThree screw pumps and non-timed twin-screw pumps have replaced traditional centrifugal and timed twin-screw pumps in refinery asphalt services.\nPumping asphalt from its origin at the refinery to a terminal has been attempted by several different technologies over the years. Throughout its transition from refinery to terminal, asphalt experiences several temperature changes that present an insurmountable challenge for most pumping technologies.\nBeginning at the refinery, asphalt is typically hot (above 350° F) and pumped with centrifugal pumps or timed twin-screw pumps. The asphalt is then stored in heated tanks until it is loaded into railcars, barges or trucks.\nOnce the asphalt is allowed to cool slightly, centrifugal pumps become very inefficient and unreliable due to the increased viscosity. Many of the timed twin-screw pumps utilized were first installed 35+ years ago. They have product-lubricated timing gears and bearings and up to four mechanical seals. Since the gears and bearings are lubricated by asphalt, these components tend to wear relatively quickly and lead to other more expensive repairs, such as new mechanical seals and rotor sets.\nThe evolution of three screw pumps over the years has enabled them to replace traditional centrifugal and timed twin-screw pumps in refinery asphalt services.\nThree screw pumps have one power rotor and two driven rotors. The rotors are gas nitrided (hardened to approximately 62-Rc) and torque is transmitted from the power rotor to the driven rotors via a rolling contact. The pumped product creates a liquid film that prevents metal-to-metal contact of the rotors.\nThe rotors run in a liner that acts as a journal bearing that provides support for the rotors throughout the entire length of the pumping chamber. During operation, a liquid film supports the rotors and prevents contact between the rotors and the liner.\nThree screw pumps do not require product-lubricated timing gears, as torque transmission is achieved through rolling contact of the rotors. This simplified torque transmission system eliminates a significant maintenance item on timed twin-screw pumps with product lubricated timing gears.\nHydraulically balanced three screw pumps do not require thrust bearings or thrust plates, meaning only one bearing is required for positioning of the rotor set. Bearings are typically re-greaseable and should never rely on the pumped product for lubrication.\nSince three screw pumps have only one shaft penetration, they require only one mechanical seal. The mechanical seal is normally a bellows type with a steam quench to prevent the faces from cementing together during down periods.\nBy design, three screw pumps are relatively simple machines with only a few rotating elements: rotor set, bearing and mechanical seal. This proven technology – when compared to a timed twin-screw pump (product lubricated) that has a rotor set, multiple bearings and seals and timing gears– offers a significantly lower installed cost, as well as a lower overall cost of ownership.\nThree screw pumps are positive displacement machines (conforming to API 676) that are not affected by viscosity swings. These same viscosity swings normally force centrifugal pumps to operate at some point on the curve other than their best efficiency point, thus lowering the overall reliability of centrifugal pumps in asphalt service.\nSince all of the rotating elements of a three-screw pump are normally contained in a cartridge, the casings are normally fabricated of welded steel, which can accommodate a built-in heating jacket. The flexibility of fabricating the casings allows operators to replace misapplied asphalt pumps with a drop-in replacement that does not require any pipe or baseplate modifications.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "Emirgan Hamid-i Evvel Camiisi (Mosque Emirgan Hamid-i Evvel)\nThe Emirgan Hamid-i Evvel Mosque – commonly known today as the Emirgan Mosque – was commissioned by Adülhamid I in 1781 in memory of his son Mehmed, who died at a young age, and his wife Hümâşah. The mosque was constructed on the site of an impressive armory, which had been built by Emirgüneoğlu Yusuf Paşa. The structure we encounter today was actually rebuilt during the reign of Mahmud II. Of the original structure commissioned by Abdülhamid I, only the inscription survives.\nThe mosque, located in a wide courtyard, was built of cut stone. Built on a square plan, the mosque’s two rows of large windows provide interior lighting. Its one-tiered minaret is decorated with acanthus motifs and other decorative features.\nNext to the mosque is the Hünkar Kasrı, or Ruler’s Summer House, which was built for the Sultan.\nMosque is a place of worship for Muslims. It comes from the Arabic word 'masjid' which literally means \"a place for prostration\". Mosques are also places where Muslims come together for different purposes such as education, social gatherings, public meetings, exhibitions, lectures etc. Although there is no specific requirement for mosques in terms of their architecture, one can see some common features inside and outside of many mosques such as minarets, domes, ablution areas, prayer niche (mihrab), pulpit (minbar) and so on.\nMuslims are obliged to perform the ritual worship 5 times a day. They are not required to attend a mosque for each of these prayers however in order to interact with the community they are encouraged to pray in congregation. Friday noon is the only time in a week when Muslims must definitely join the congregational prayer in a mosque after which they can continue their work, education or other commitments.\nAzan or the call for prayer is a vocal announcement that one can hear from minarets 5 times a day. The call to prayer is made live -even early in the morning- by a person called 'muazzin'. The muazzins are usually chosen from people with loud and beautiful voices and trained over years to make this announcement beautifully and invite people to worship.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "Everett, Wash. April 29, 2010--Getting people outside to experience nature up-close requires a bit of ingenuity, determination, and a dose of estuary soup. And although the day started in typical Seattle fashion, rainy and overcast, more than a 100 people visited the first Migratory Bird Festival at Padilla Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve last Saturday.\nSeveral natural resource agencies sponsored the outing for elders and youth from the International District in downtown Seattle and youth with the Kulshan Creek Neighborhood Kids program, which exposes Hispanic kids to the outdoors and careers in natural sciences. “The appreciation of nature is the connection I want them to go home with,” said Jim Chu, international programs specialist with the Forest Service and one of the sponsors.\nTo help make those connections, festival workers set up three stations for visitors to learn about the estuary and wildlife, showing different aspects of a healthy ecosystem. Festival goers viewed shorebirds at the dike trail and learned about the importance of a healthy forest for migrating birds at the forest trail. The migration station was a hit, with water, salt, detritus, eel grass, and the remaining ingredients crowded onto a chefs cart to create “Estuary Soup.”\nBut the recipe is only as good as the ingredients, according to the head chef, Glen Alexander, education director of the Padilla Bay Interpretive Center. “Every estuary needs three things: salt water, fresh water, and land partially surrounding it. The water has to be healthy. Forests act as a natural filter for water entering. But you need to be careful about what goes down the drain. We all want healthy shrimp, clams and salmon to eat,” he said.\nAlexander described how the bottom of Padilla Bay is very shallow, flat and muddy from sediments deposited by the Skagit River, making for the perfect growing environment for eelgrass. Nearly 8,000 acres of it grows in the bay, providing a home and nursery for many forms of wildlife such as salmon, crabs, perch and herring. Millions of worms, shrimp, clams and other invertebrates fill the bay and become food for a variety of predators like blue herons, eagles, otters, humans and more.\nThe forest trail gave families a small glimpse of the forest ecosystem providing food and habitat for animals. “Birds play a key role in keeping our forests free from insect infestations,” said Libby Mills, festival instructor. “If trees leaf out before birds arrive, insects can damage the leaves, harming and killing the trees,” she said.\nWalking along the trail kids spotted coyote scat, a banana slug and signs of bird habitat. One young man shouted, “It smells so outside,” producing a laugh from the group. One youth commented that he learned more about estuaries in 10 minutes then sitting through an entire classroom lecture.\n“It is very nice in the forest,” said Irene Situ, a student from the International District. “I enjoyed the stories and won’t forget how to spot western hemlocks or the fire-resistant qualities of the Douglas fir,” she said.\nJeff Giesen, education director with North Cascades Institute, said that is the awareness he wants the festival to build. “We want them to transfer what they see up here to their homes and communities. By exposing families to the benefits of nature, connections and understanding develop,” he said.\nMultiple agencies developed and conducted the festival: North Cascades Institute, Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest, National Parks Service, Washington State Department of Ecology, National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration, the City of Mt. Vernon, International District Housing Alliance, and Seattle Parks and Recreation.\nFor more information about outreach and partnerships on the Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest go to: http://www.fs.fed.us/r6/mbs/", "label": "No"}
{"text": "In this post, I plan to give a brief historical sketch of the movement from nineteenth century absolute idealism to twentieth century analytic philosophy. In a follow-up post, I will survey the response Cornelius Van Til gave to absolute idealism, and then examine the analytic tradition in light of Van Til’s Reformed insights.\nAbsolute idealism held a tempestuous sway over philosophy in Britain, America, and the European continent during the nineteenth century. This philosophical system was initiated by the prominent German philosopher G. W. F. Hegel (1770–1831), and then further developed by philosophers like F. H. Bradley (1846–1881), J. M. E. McTaggart (1866–1925), and Josiah Royce (1855–1916). Absolute idealism’s central tenet was that all of reality is a single mental subject. The absolute idealists’ metaphysic—their theory about the nature of ultimate reality—was tied to a distinctive epistemology or theory of knowledge. They believed that reason was the proper source of knowledge, not empirical observation. Whenever we sensibly experience an object as having spatiotemporal location or some other physical property “we are perceiving it more or less as it really is not.” Rationally consider any particular thing, the absolute idealists taught, and you will rather find that that thing is necessarily involved in a higher, all-inclusive, organic thought-complex.\nJust as soon as absolute idealism reached its highest point of influence, two of its most promising young practitioners, G. E. Moore (1873–1958) and Bertrand Russell (1872–1970), proposed a decisive revolt. This revolt at the start of the twentieth century constituted the beginnings of what is known today as the analytic school of philosophy.\nAnalytic philosophy’s defining characteristic was its rigorous commonsense philosophical method. Analytic philosophers usually dealt with individual problems, and attempted to solve those problems by appealing to logic, intuition, and experience. For example, G. E. Moore in his essay, “Proof of an External World,” famously argued that he had two hands by gesturing with them while saying, “Here is one hand and here is another.”\nAnalytic philosophers also put a premium on linguistic clarity, primarily because of the ambiguity that they thought riddled the writings of absolute idealists. Analytic philosopher John Searle points out that as a result “for most of the twentieth century the philosophy of language was ‘first philosophy.’ Other branches of philosophy were seen as derived from the philosophy of language and dependent on the results in the philosophy of language for their solutions.”\nNear the end of the twentieth century, another philosophical shift occurred, this time from within analytic philosophy itself. The philosophical method of analytic philosophy remained, but, to use once more the words of John Searle, “the center of attention has now moved from language to mind.” One of the many reasons Searle gives for this recent development is that numerous philosophers “working in the philosophy of language see many of the questions of language as special cases of questions about the mind.” Searle also mentions another likely culprit for the recent reorientation of the philosophical disciplines:\nFor many of us, myself included, the central question in philosophy at the beginning of the twenty-first century is how to give an account of ourselves as apparently conscious, mindful, free, rational, speaking, social, and political agents in a world that science tells us consists entirely of mindless, meaningless, physical particles. (p. 7)\nAlthough it should be debated whether empirical science truly supports the weighty doctrine of materialism, many analytic philosophers follow Searle in thinking that it does. So, in Searle’s circles, he has sufficient justification for writing his book, Mind, wherein he attempts to give a materialistic explanation of the mental. Searle’s whole project is to account for how we can have meaningful mental capabilities as purely material agents, and this requires for Searle to account for human freedom. But Searle cannot account for human freedom, he says so himself: “We really do not know how free will exists in the brain, if it exists at all. We do not know why or how evolution has given us the unshakable conviction of free will. We do not, in short, know how it could possibly work. But we also know that the conviction of our own freedom is inescapable. We cannot act except under the presupposition of freedom” (p. 164).\nAs has been the case throughout the history of philosophy, we have come full-circle. At the beginning of the twentieth century, analytic philosophers revolted against absolute idealism, along with its insistence upon the mental nature of ultimate reality, in order to follow the dictates of commonsense and to account for material reality. At the end of the twentieth century, analytic philosophers like Searle have followed their intuitions and gained their material world at the seeming expense of meaningful human mental activity.\nSources — The quote in the first paragraph is from J. M. E. McTaggart, “Time,” in Metaphysics: The Big Questions (eds. Peter van Inwagen and Dean W. Zimmerman; 2nd ed.; Malden, MA: Blackwell, 2008), 123. McTaggart used this phrase in reference to our experience of things as in time, but the phrase also captures the way many absolute idealists addressed our experience of things as having any distinctively physical property. All quotes from Searle appear in his Mind: A Brief Introduction (New York: Oxford University Press, 2001). Other sources I consulted were E. D. Klemke, ed., Contemporary Analytic and Linguistic Philosophies (2nd ed.; Amherst, NY: Prometheus, 2000) and Frederick Copleston, Modern Philosophy: Empiricism, Idealism, and Pragmatism in Britain and America (vol. 8 of A History of Philosophy; New York: Image Books, 1994),", "label": "No"}
{"text": "Contents body Singing\nIs it that bad?\nYou’ve probably yawned a couple of times when singing and found it pretty embarrassing. You’ve probably wanted to vanish right then and there, thinking Why do I yawn when I sing?\nBut come to think of it, is yawning really that bad?\nIn this article, you’ll learn something really surprising about yawning and singing. But first, lets discuss the basic.\nWhy Do You Yawn When You Sing? breath\nScientists have yet to come to a conclusion.\nOne of the earliest theories can be attributed to Hippocrates who is known as the father of medicine.\nHe hypothesized that yawning is the body’s way of getting rid of bad air, particularly before a fever.\nBy the 17th and 18th century, yawning was linked to alertness and motor function.\nPeople thought that it can increase heart rate, blood pressure, and blood oxygenation.\nThis explains why a lot of athletes tried to yawn before their games at that period.\nAnd then theres the theory of contagious yawning.\nYou’ve probably wondered about it, too.\nAccording to research and studies, like this one, 42 to 55% of people yawn while or after seeing another person repeatedly yawning.\nIt activates the part of the brain related to motor imitation and social behavior.\nNow, a more recent theory is this:\nYawning cools the brain body\nWhen you yawn, it stretches the jaws, boosting the flow of blood to the neck, face, and head.\nIt also forces down spinal fluid and blood from the brain.\nThe air you breathe in cools those fluids.\nBy now, you’re probably wondering: Why do I yawn when I sing?\nThere are a lot of theories about that one, too.\nOne of them involves the amount of air that goes in, particularly when you’re practicing your breathing.\nIt confuses the brain so you are forced to yawn.\nSinging can take up a lot of lung power and breath, too.\nWhen theres not enough oxygen, you’ll obviously yawn.\nA more logical link, however, is the way your mouth, soft palate, and the muscles of your pharynx and larynx work when you’re singing.\nAs you sing, the back of the throat expands a bit. Your soft palate raises, contracting the muscles of your pharynx and pushing your larynx down.\nIf you’ll notice, that’s exactly what happens when you start yawning. And while you’re not really intending to yawn, the brain perceives it that way and you end up yawning.\nHow to Stop Yawning When Singing\nNow, although theres nothing wrong with yawning while singing, it can still be uncomfortable and embarrassing at times.\nSo, instead of compromising your performance, its best if you can learn the best techniques on how to control yawning.\nThe first thing you need to do is to breathe deeply before you sing. Try to do this for 5 to 10 minutes.\nFirst, breathe in 6 seconds, hold it for a second and then release for 4 seconds.\nThis breathing pattern can help oxygenate your lungs so you are less likely to yawn while singing.\nYou should also try to breathe in as much as you can while singing.\nThis isn’t the easiest thing do, particularly when you’re trying to do long notes or you are doing a really fast song.\nOne trick you can use is to work in more breaths each time the song pauses.\nMake sure to exhale quickly first before breathing in to get rid of as much old air as possible.\nAnd don’t think about yawning. Since its contagious, you wouldn’t want to be near someone who is yawning.\nWhat Makes Yawning Good For Singing?\nBelieve it or not, yawning isn’t entirely bad for singing.\nIn fact, its the other way around.\nYawning helps you relax your mouth and jaw, allowing you to sing better.\nThere are two phases of yawning in terms of breathing.\n1)The first phase is the part where you breathe in. As you breathe in, your belly goes outwards and your rib cage widens.This is a good start for singing.\n2)The second phase, on the other hand, is where you breathe out. In this part, your belly will start to move inwards.\nThese movements of the abdominal muscles are great for singing.\nTake note, however, that when you sing, the abdominal muscles and your belly shouldn’t push outwards.\nEven if you feel the tension, the movement has to be inwards.\nIn addition to training your abdominal muscles, the act of yawning can also help you relax your throat.\nThis is critical when you are trying to reach a high note.\nJust be careful when you use yawning for that. Its easy to have your tongue move backward and that wont help you sing properly.\nHow to Yawn While Singing?\nNow that you know how yawning can help with your singing, can you do it voluntarily?\nThe answer is yes.\nThere are a few things you can do to initiate a yawn and use it to exercise your throat and singing muscles.\nSince yawning is contagious, just watching other people yawn can make you do the same thing.\nYou can observe other people or watch videos online.\nAnother trick is to imagine you are yawning. This tricks the mind to do a complete yawn.\nTry opening the back of your throat. Once you have opened your mouth that wide, you’ll be able to make yourself yawn.\nYou can also try stretching, tiring your eyes out or opening your mouth wide to let a big gulp of air in.\nDoing yawning exercises will eventually make you learn how to relax your voice muscles.\nYawning while singing might make you feel uncomfortable. It can make you look like you have really poor breathing skills.\nIn reality, however, yawning will improve your singing.\nOnce you’ve mastered it and you practice it regularly, you’ll be able to train your voice muscles to relax so you can reach your high notes better and easier. For more info click here.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "The beginning of November means there is still time to add winter color for you and berries for the birds to your landscape. You can add or transplant trees, shrubs and hardy vines in the landscape as long as the ground is not frozen.\nLast week’s column was controversial as it suggested we stop putting out bird seed but instead provide plants to feed the birds. Bird seed encourages rats, squirrels, weeds and nuisance birds, such as starlings and pigeons, and bird feeders can spread disease. The Audubon Society does not ban feeding birds, but does have this information about keeping wild birds healthy on their website:\n“Bringing birds together like we do at feeders and bird baths is unnatural, and increases the chances for them to spread disease or for waste to accumulate and breed diseases.”\nThe Audubon Society also suggests spreading feeders and baths out so that there are several sources of food and water in different parts of the yard to reduce competition and the concentration of birds. It is also important to keep feeders clean should you offer seed or suet. Remove old seed and bird waste and disinfect bird baths and feeders with a weak bleach solution.\nNever miss a local story.\nHere are some of the trees and shrubs that will provide a natural food source for the birds this winter.\nMaple trees (Acer Family): used by finches, nuthatches, warblers, wood peckers.\nNot only do maples add fall and summer color, but they also attract insects that will feed the birds all year-round. In our climate, both the smaller leaf maples such as the Japanese maples and the larger leaf maples such as the spectacular Sunset maple will thrive despite hosting a population of aphid, borers or beetles that are natural protein sources for birds. Maple trees also offer seeds, nesting sites and nest building material.\nOregon grape (Mahonia): used by cedar waxwing, robins, towhees.\nThis native plant is now easy to find at local nurseries and there are several new varieties with larger blooms and more robust growth. Oregon grape is an excellent evergreen for dry shade and the holly-like leaves offer a safe winter haven for birds while the berries provide nourishment.\nSnowberry (Symphoricarpos): used by cedar waxwings, grosbeaks, robins, thrushes, towhees.\nShowy white berries stand out on the bare branches all winter long and this native plant thrives on rainfall alone, making it a great choice for a landscape without a sprinkler system. The fruit is not as tasty as other options, so the birds will save this meal until the dead of winter when not much else is hanging around. Snowberry has small spring blossoms that provide nectar for hummingbirds.\nHoneysuckle (Lonicera): used by chickadees, finches, robins, cat birds and thrushes.\nEvergreen and deciduous versions of the honeysuckle vine are of great value to the birds that use their flowers, fruit and insects. Honeysuckle also provides winter shelter amidst the tangle of the vining limbs. The fragrant summer flowers will attract hummingbirds while the winter and fall berries feed small birds all winter.\nViburnums: used by cardinals, grosbeaks, robins, sparrows, thrushes and towhees.\nViburnums are a wide-ranging family of shrubs that come in evergreen and deciduous forms, and they love to grow in the naturally acidic soil and wet winter weather of Western Washington. All but the snowball type of viburnum will provide winter berries and the evergreen viburnums offer dense foliage for winter shelter. Viburnums also host insects in the spring and summer to provide more bird food – plus they are attractive shrubs that come in many different forms and varieties.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "It was the first major war in which the newly established countries fought, and it was one of the first times that Australian troops fought as Australians, not just subjects of the British Crown. In March 1917, demonstrations in Petrograd culminated in the abdication of Tsar Nicholas II and the appointment of a weak Provisional Government, which shared power with the Petrograd Soviet socialists. The shooting was reported to the media by American citizens who were on board the Nicosia, a British freighter loaded with war supplies, which was stopped by U-27 just minutes before the incident. In 1918 the Germans smashed through the defence lines in three great attacks: Michael, on the Lys, and on the Aisne, which displayed the power of their new tactics. Though many participants did not share in the experiences of combat or spend any significant time at the front, or had positive memories of their service, the images of suffering and trauma became the widely shared perception. Events of 1917 proved decisive in ending the war, although their effects were not fully felt until 1918. Italy opposed the proposals. On 24 September an assault by both the British and French came within 3 kilometres (2 mi) of St. Quentin. Yet Wilhelm insisted that the German army should not march into Luxembourg until he received a telegram sent by his cousin George V, who made it clear that there had been a misunderstanding. Mark, Joshua J. German and Austro-Hungarian diplomats, however, scored a coup by persuading Bulgaria to join the attack on Serbia. World War I, also called First World War or Great War, an international conflict that in 1914–18 embroiled most of the nations of Europe along with Russia, the United States, the Middle East, and other regions. The war also gave rise to epic refugee flows in much of Eastern Europe, particularly in Russia, a process aggravated even further by the outbreak of revolution there in 1917. Serbia accepted all the terms of the ultimatum except for article six, which demanded that Austrian delegates be allowed in Serbia for the purpose of participation in the investigation into the assassination. The legend of the \"stab in the back\" and the wish to revise the \"Versailles diktat\", and the belief in an international threat aimed at the elimination of the German nation persisted at the heart of German politics. During the six hours between the signing of the armistice and its taking effect, opposing armies on the Western Front began to withdraw from their positions, but fighting continued along many areas of the front, as commanders wanted to capture territory before the war ended. As many as 8.5 million soldiers and 13 million civilians died as a result of the war. Germany was far ahead of the Allies in using heavy indirect fire.  Artillery was responsible for the largest number of casualties and consumed vast quantities of explosives. The German advance into France was halted at the Battle of the Marne and by the end of 1914, the Western Front settled into a war of attrition, marked by a long series of trench lines that changed little until 1917 (the Eastern Front, by contrast, was marked by much greater exchanges of territory). Believing that the Serbs’ cause would be served by the death of the Austrian archduke Franz Ferdinand, heir presumptive to the Austrian emperor Franz Joseph, and learning that the Archduke was about to visit Bosnia on a tour of military inspection, Apis plotted his assassination. The Balkan Wars virtually eradicated the Ottoman presence in Europe, but led to violent strife among the victors. As for the Nazis, they waved the banners of domestic treason and international conspiracy in an attempt to galvanise the German nation into a spirit of revenge. \"War in Ancient Times.\" The details were contained in the Treaty of Saint-Germain and the Treaty of Trianon. And even if there was no front in the Americas, there was fighting almost everywhere else. Although they were reportedly not personally close, the Emperor Franz Joseph was profoundly shocked and upset. This offensive opened with great promise for the Allies, before bogging down in the October mud. When the delivery was announced, on July 24, Russia declared that Austria-Hungary must not be allowed to crush Serbia. But this is to ignore the First World War at sea, which saw engagements off the Coronel and Falkland Islands, as well as the war's disruption of American shipping across the Atlantic. Thus, both sides urgently sought a decisive victory.  The friction between the King of Greece and the Allies continued to accumulate with the National Schism, which effectively divided Greece between regions still loyal to the king and the new provisional government of Venizelos in Salonica. , After the Battle of Vimy Ridge, where the Canadian divisions fought together for the first time as a single corps, Canadians began to refer to their country as a nation \"forged from fire\".  On 2 August, Germany occupied Luxembourg, and on 3 August declared war on France; on the same day, they sent the Belgian government an ultimatum demanding unimpeded right of way through any part of Belgium, which was refused. It has been acknowledged that British generals were often capable men facing difficult challenges, and that it was under their command that the British army played a major part in the defeat of the Germans in 1918: a great forgotten victory. But the war was clearly global in reach, whether it was the first to be so or not. In exchange, the Central Powers recognised the sovereignty of Romania over Bessarabia. However, throughout this period, British, French, and German tactics constantly evolved to meet new battlefield challenges. Weekly quiz: Who wore a balaclava at MTV's Europe awards? Along with the war chariot, bronze weapons, and new tactics, the Hyksos brought the advance of the composite bow. VideoIs American democracy in crisis? Publications at all critical of the government were removed from circulation by postal censors, and many served long prison sentences for statements of fact deemed unpatriotic.  The nature of submarine warfare meant that attacks often came without warning, giving the crews of the merchant ships little hope of survival. However, the pro-German King Constantine I dismissed the pro-Allied government of Eleftherios Venizelos before the Allied expeditionary force arrived. In 1917, Russian Grand Duke Nicholas assumed command of the Caucasus front. Because Russia's European ports were not safe, the corps was evacuated by a long detour via the port of Vladivostok. In return, the Germans would finance Mexico's war and help it recover the territories of Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona. Communist and fascist movements around Europe drew strength from this theory and enjoyed a new level of popularity. For the first ten months of 1915, Austria-Hungary used most of its military reserves to fight Italy. The last of the German reserves were exhausted as 10,000 fresh American troops arrived every day. The Balkans came to be known as the \"powder keg of Europe\".  In Germany, food was scarce, but only 5% died.. On 1 August, after the Russian response, Germany mobilised and declared war on Russia. The German offensive in the West was officially titled Aufmarsch II West, but is better known as the Schlieffen Plan, after its original creator. , Italian nationalism was stirred by the outbreak of the war and was initially strongly supported by a variety of political factions. In all nations, the government's share of GDP increased, surpassing 50% in both Germany and France and nearly reaching that level in Britain. Gross domestic product (GDP) increased for three Allies (Britain, Italy, and the United States), but decreased in France and Russia, in neutral Netherlands, and in the three main Central Powers. World War I began after the assassination of Austrian archduke Franz Ferdinand by South Slav nationalist Gavrilo Princip on June 28, 1914. Meanwhile, the French introduced the first tanks with a rotating turret, the Renault FT, which became a decisive tool of the victory.\nAging And Disability Resources, Examples Of Ambience In A Restaurant, Basic Kitchen Tools, Royal Enfield Interceptor 750 For Sale, Wrights Lake Cabins For Sale, How Much Caffeine Can A Teenager Have, Pizza Twist Restaurant, Special K With Peaches, What Size Beam For A 35 Foot Span, Hokkaido Fresh Milk Singapore, Powerade Causes Cancer, Cyclopentanone Molecular Weight, Butterhead Lettuce Nutrition Information, Keto Coconut Cookies No Flour, Cake Mix Doctor Vanilla Cake, Bowling Green Sheep And Goat Sale, Dr Oetker Chocolate Pudding Instructions, Fillmore West Reopening, Journaling For Mental Health, Printable 1200 Calorie Diet Plan, How To Cook Refrigerated Udon Noodles, Seamless Session 5, Blue Sky Sentence, Eurovision 2009 Postcards, 300 Hour Yoga Teacher Training Online Yoga Alliance,", "label": "No"}
{"text": "By J. Sharon Batteate\nCamouflage, or protective coloration, in horses and other animals has taken many forms. Before proceeding into the types of striping seen in domestic horses today, some background information on camouflage may be of interest. In general, animals from forest or woodland environments tend to be darker, often with sections of the coat forming into spotted or striped patterns which mimic the effect of light filtering through trees. Animals from desert environments tend toward the yellowish, tan, or red hues, often with an agouti pattern in which each individual hair is striped or banded (rather than entire sections of the coat being striped), so that the animal now appears a non-striped, single color (monochrome), which blends better with sandy soils. Generally, there seems to be a tendency toward the non-striped agouti/monochrome coloration. Animals also migrate into different environments from which the root stock originally evolved. In these cases, the adults may eventually evolve and develop protective coloration to match their surroundings, but the young are often still born with the original primitive patterns from which they evolved. An example of this is the tapir, a living relative of the horse. Adult tapirs appear non-striped, but the young are born with light stripes on the body. Young lions are born with spotted and striped patterns, but become single/monochrome colored when they mature. Similarly, sometimes horse foals are born with primitive patterns and striping, which they loose as they mature.\nStriping is believed to be the most ancient form of camouflage, and is believed to precede both spotted and monochrome type pattens. A striped appearance can be caused in several ways. One is by the clumping of darker pigmented areas into streaks, as seen in the stripes of tabby cats and tigers, and also in the dorsal stripes and barring on the legs of donkeys and dun factor horses. A striped appearance can also be achieved by the introduction of lighter or white bands of hair, as seen in zebras, as seen in nyala, okapi, and other types of antelopes, and in some roan horses.\nSpotting patterns are produced from the disintegration or breaking up of stripes. Often spots are clearly arranged in rows, so you can still see the pattern of the original stripe. Civet cats are good examples of this, and often have stripes on the head, but spots on the body (see previous photo). In some leopard appaloosa horses, the spots also seem to form broken up stripes. The Quagga, an extinct form of zebra, was characterized by having stripes primarily only on the head and neck. On the body, the stripes were broken down into a wavy or mottled pattern, and then finally became a reddish brown monochrome pattern.\nMonochrome and agouti like patterns result from the further breakdown of spots and stripes, so the body of the animal now appears to be mostly a single uniform color, although the face and back may still show some evidence of mottling or striping. Abyssinian cats are good examples of this process, as well as the above mentioned Quagga. Most of our horses today also exhibit monochrome type patterns, although on dun factor horses, some of the primitive striping still remains on the legs and down the back. The rest of the body, however, has gone the way of the Quagga, with any primitive striping having disintegrated into a monochrome pattern.\nAnother ancient camouflage technique is countershading. The animal is colored darker along the topline, and paler below, in order to counteract shadows caused by natural overhead light (which lights the top but causes shadows on the underside making the animal look three dimensional). Even on Zebras, the stripes are widest on the back, and smaller as they move toward the underside, so they exhibit countershading as well as disruptive striping for camouflage. In horses, the darker topline seen on mahogany bays and in the \"seal brown\" patten, and the colored back and sides, but almost white belly of the \"blond sorrel\" pattern, are examples of countershading. There have been no studies that I know of, to determine if one or several different genes may be involved in producing these different countershading patterns. \"Mealy\" (also called Pangare') may produce the blond sorrel, mealy muzzled bay and seal brown countershading patterns. \"Sooty\" (also called Smutty) may produce the sooty chestnut and palomino, smutty buckskin and dun, and mahogany bay and brown, countershading patterns.\nThere is not much genetic information available on striping for horses, but in mice, there are at least 6 different locus which produce striping patterns (usually called mottling in mice). At the \"A\" (Agouti) locus, striping has appeared in viable yellow, mottled agouti, and agouti suppressor mice. At the \"C\" locus, striping has appeared in chinchilla mottled mice. At the \"P\" locus, striping has appeared in pink eyed mottled and p unstable mice. Striping has also appeared in mice at the \"Silver\" locus, and \"Pearl\" locus. Striping also appears at the \"Mo\" locus (responsible for Mottled, Blotchy, Dappled, Brindle, and Tortoiseshell patterns), and the nearby \"Ta\"(Tabby) locus. Whether any of these genes may be similar and account for striping patterns in horses remains to be determined.\nIn 1988 Mary Jagow of Silver Cliff, Colorado, began organizing the International Striped Horse Association in order to collect information and register horses with striped patterns, and to study the various striping patterns in horses. The registry plans to catalog the unique striping patterns found among strains of domestic horses, with each breed having a separate code.\nMary Jagow, (719) 783-2683, can be reached at PO Box 209, Silver Cliff, CO 81249. They are currently working with four different types of striping ---- The registry was closed in 1999.\nThis is the type of primitive striping down the top of the back (also called dorsal stripe, spinal stripe, list, eel stripe, line back), accompanied by barring on the legs (also called leg bars, tiger, or zebra stripes), that is often associated with \"dun\" horses. The stripe down the back may be the remnant of a dorsal \"mane\", which the nyala antelope has to this day. This type of striping is often referred to as \"dun factor markings\" or \"zebra markings.\" Most feel both the striping and dilution are a result of the same gene. However, there have been reported cases of \"dun factor markings\" without dilution. Most of these cases are probably mistaken examples of seal brown (darker) duns, or of countershading striping, which is not commonly recognized, and is often confused with dun factor markings. However, if some cases of dun factor markings without dilution are confirmed thru a study, it would mean the striping is probably actually inherited separately from the \"D\" dilution gene, but is somehow closely linked, for they are usually inherited together. The Dun factor gene changes black and dark brown into one of the many grulla shades (gray or brownish gray in which each hair is gray, not a mixture of white and dark hair which also looks gray). Various shades of bay become various shades of dun (if its a yellow body with black points, some people think of the color as buckskin). Sorrels and Chestnuts become apricot or red duns (some people call these colors claybank duns). Click here to see dun factor foal coat colors. Use Back Button (top of browser window) to return to this article from the link location.\nA number of horses with the sooty/ smutty type of countershading pattern will also exhibit a form of striping. Some countershaded horses are so dark along the topline, that any sign of striping would be difficult to see. However, in some lighter seal browns, mahogany bays, smutty buckskins, etc. a form of striping along the topline can be seen that is different from Dun Factor striping. Sometimes the stripe is almost as distinct as a dun factor type stripe, but usually the stripe is more of a shaded stripe, sometimes only a partial stripe, and is usually not associated with leg barring. I have seen some cases of countershading striping that also have a faint leg shadowing that is best seen if shaded from direct sunlight, and is thus usually missed, and is very difficult to photograph. It is not the same as the barring seen on the legs of dun factor horses. Countershading striping does not have to be accompanied by a dilution as the dun factor type usually is. Sometimes the flank areas and neck areas show faint striping that can be seasonal. The dapple pattern may also break the countershaded areas up into streaked as well as splotched patterns. If foals are born red bay with this type of striping down their back, they usually mature mahogany bay or dark bay. Some retain the countershading stripe, but most seem to loose it as they mature, in contrast to the dun factor type of striping discussed above, which is permanent. Foals born a smokey pale gray color with countershading striping, will usually mature brown or black. They are often mistakenly registered as grulla. Foals born sorrel with countershading striping down their back, will usually mature a darker shade of chestnut. Click here to see countershading foal coat colors. Use Back Button (top of browser window) to return to this article from the link location.\nNot all roans exhibit striping. Roan (varying amounts of white hair mixed into haircoat, except on the face, lower legs, mane, and tail) and Roaning (a ticking of white hairs in the coat, often originating in the flanks or top of the tail) seem to be genetically distinct. Roan has been assigned to the \"Rn\" locus as a dominant gene. Roaning (white ticking, rabicano) has had no studies done that I know of. Some have said it may be a variation of the \"sabino\" spotting pattern, or it may turn out to have its own locus.\nIn one type of Roan Striping, there appears to be faint thin vertical stripes on the sides of the ribs in which the white hairs do not appear. It is usually accompanied by a coon/squaw/skunk tail showing horizontal bands of striping at the top of the tail. This type usually seems to be associated with roaning/rabicano types of roans. Sometimes the pattern is very minimal, with only a sprinkling of hairs in the flank and at the top of the tail.\nWe also see another type of striping in not only roan, but also in appaloosa, and sometimes gray horses. They don't have bands of striping in the tail, and the stripes over the ribs seem to be broader, similar to stripes seen over the ribs of some dun factor horses. Thus, this type of roan striping may eventually prove to be the interaction of roan with other types of primitive striping that have partially disintegrated.\nBrindle seems be the rarest stripe variation in horses. Brindle also appears in dogs and cattle, although apparently due to different causes. Some dogs only exhibit slight brindling, others are profusely marked. The origin in horses is unknown, although examples have reportedly been found in Arabians, Thoroughbreds, Mustangs, Quarter Horses, Bavarian Warmbloods, Spanish horses, horses in the Netherlands, and one specimen in Russia was considered so unique that when he died he was preserved and put in a museum. For more information on the brindle pattern, click highlighted type to visit the site for Brindle Horses at http://members.aol.com/brindlehos/index.htm\nThis article was originally published in 4-BEAT MAGAZINE (SPRING 1993) vol.3-no.1,pg 30. 4-BEAT MAGAZINE, PO Box 1079, Three Forks, MT 59752.\nThis article was revised for this web site © Feb 1997, J. Sharon Batteate, (209) 477-1536, PO Box 8535, Stockton, CA 95208 USA. e-mail firstname.lastname@example.org\nThe pictures and information on this site are for informational purposes, in order to educate people on various forms of striping and primitive patterns. The pictures and information on this site are copyrighted. All rights reserved. No part may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior permission of the copyright holders.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "Vitamins And Minerals And Their Roles\nVitamins are somewhat controversial as there are two sides to an argument as as to whether our diets in North America have enough vitamins or not. It turned out that the volunteers with the bottom B12 and C Levels scored worst on the reminiscence take a look at. Vitamin A deficiency will lead to the drying, scaling, and follicular thickening of the pores and skin. Vitamin D Vitamin D can be one kind of vitamin that’s present in animal meals, reminiscent of fish, eggs, milk, and different dairy products, like cheese.\nIf you take the suitable vitamins along with your eating regimen – you’ll find that your well being and energy will all the time will remain at their high levels of performance. If you happen to choose your vitamins and supplements wisely – you may discover them to be the right addition to a healthy diet. This manner, you possibly can select your vitamin supplements accordingly – and know surely that there will probably be no long run unwanted effects or problems. Many of these vitamins are supplied by taking a very good every day multi-vitamin and from eating a nutritious diet.\nVitamin D might help calcium metabolism and mineralization skin will soon produce vitamin D when exposed to sunlight (ultraviolet rays). Together with preventing cholesterol from damaging the body, vitamin C additionally helps vitamin E with it’s capabilities – equivalent to protecting your arteries and your heart.\nVitamin B2, also called riboflavin, deficiencies are related to an elevated production of sebum (oil produced by the hair follicles). Subsequent time you walk down the skincare aisle on the retailer, take a look to see if these four helpful vitamins are components of your favorite merchandise.\nThe very first thing most health professionals will let you know to do in an effort to preserve your skin healthy is to limit your exposure to the sun’s dangerous ultraviolet (UV) rays and wear protecting sunscreen when you’re exposed to daylight.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "The rhino population of South Africa has been in danger for years because of poachers killing for horns. Criminal groups are hunting down these endangered animals because an average rhino horn can fetch upwards of $150,000, or six times the price of a bar of gold.\nIs Dehorning the Answer?\nThe horns are mainly being purchased by Asian countries like Vietnam, who falsely sell the ground up horns as a cure for cancer, enhanced virility, or even as a hangover remedy. While the rhino population keeps decreasing in numbers, conservationists have decided to take a drastic step forward — by cutting off horns before poachers can get to them. Rhino horns are made up of keratin (same protein that makes up human hair and fingernails) and will eventually grow back over time, so this practice will not hurt the rhinos. Park rangers are tranquilizing the rhinos, blindfolding them, and then sawing of their horns in hopes that it will deter poachers from killing them.\nBanning Sales Would Be Better\nThere is also another major issue affecting the fate of the rhinos right now. Recently, the South African Supreme Court of Appeal overturned a moratorium on the sale of rhino horns domestically. Reversing a seven-year ban on domestic rhino horn sales, the court ruled in favor of rhino ranchers who wish to sell their stockpiles within the country. While an international ban is still in place on the sale of horns, the ruling still has many activists concerned that this decision will only open the door further to poachers looking to cash in on the precious horns.\nTo hold up the ruling of the Supreme Court, Minister of the Department of Environmental Affairs Edna Molewa appealed the Supreme Court’s decision on June 8, 2016, which has temporarily put a stop to the court’s decision to lift the moratorium.\nAnother concern is the border between Mozambique and South Africa at Kruger National Park. Mozambique is where the majority poachers are coming from. The fence at the boundary separating the two countries has been trampled by elephants and rhinos, which rangers are saying is making Kruger into a “poacher’s paradise.”\nWhile it seems like there is nothing but bad news, there are also positive things happening. A group of 26 women called the Black Mambas are helping armed guards patrol the Balue reserve to stop poachers. Since 2013, the Black Mambas have had an important role in the 76% reduction of the poaching inside the reserve.\nThere is also a man with a big vision to help save the rhinos in an unconventional way. Ray Dearlove, a former South African retiree who emigrated to Australia 30 years ago, is in the process of airlifting 80 rhinos to Australia. He is hoping that an ocean between poachers and rhinos will help save the population, and also allow for the population to grow bigger numbers without poachers.\nThe latest news from South Africa’s rhino population may seem depressing, but activists, rangers, and organizations alike are stepping up efforts to stop poaching. From dehorning rhinos before the poachers can get to them, to the Black Mambas patrolling the Balue, I hope that over the next few years I will be able to write positive news about our beloved rhinos.\nClick here to read my previous article on the issue of rhino poaching in South Africa.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "transformations in the system of landownership and land tenure.\nIn a number of West European countries, agrarian reforms were carried out during the bourgeois revolutions of the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries. They were a serious blow to feudal relations; in certain countries—England and France, for instance—feudal vestiges were completely eliminated, and thus the path to capitalist development of agriculture was cleared. But in many countries the revolutions did not completely liquidate these vestiges, and it became necessary to carry out agrarian reforms in the course of capitalist development. In many East and Central European countries the reforms were carried out “from above,” in the interests of the ruling classes—for example, the reforms of 1807–11 in Prussia, the peasant reform of 1861 and the Stolypin agrarian reforms of 1906–16 in Russia, and the reform of 1864 in Rumania.\nThe necessity for agrarian reforms is dictated by the demands of the economic and political development of the country and by the peasants’ powerful movement for land. The degree of radicalism of the reforms is determined by a combination of social and economic conditions in the given country, the correlation of class forces, and the nature of the regime.\nV. I. Lenin emphasized the direct connection between agrarian revolution and the struggle for political power: “Agrarian revolution is an empty phrase, if its victory does not presuppose the conquest of power by the revolutionary people. Without this last condition, it would not be an agrarian revolution but rather a peasant rebellion or a Cadet agrarian reform” (Poln. sobr. soch., 5th ed., vol. 12, p. 366).\nAgrarian reforms were carried out in tsarist Russia under the pressure of the peasants’ revolutionary actions. The reforms in Central and Southeast Europe after World War I—in Rumania (1919–21), Czechoslovakia (1919), Yugo-slavia(1919), Hungary (1922–24), after the fall of the Soviet republic, Poland (1920), and Bulgaria (1921)—were halfway measures and brought no fundamental changes to the agrarian systems of these states. Landlord estates were limited somewhat, and the lands alienated for a high redemption fee became concentrated in kulak farms. The bulk of the peasantry could not obtain land because of its high price.\nThe Stolypin agrarian reform in Russia aided the development of agricultural capitalism. The legislative measures adopted in this period were intended to liquidate communal peasant landownership and to strengthen the kulak sector as a social support for the autocracy, while preserving the gentry’s latifundia. The Great October Socialist Revolution in Russia resolved the agrarian question in the fullest and most consistent manner. By the Decree on Land adopted by the 2nd All-Russian Congress of Soviets, Oct. 26 (Nov. 8), 1917, landlord land was liquidated without any redemption, and the land was declared the property of the whole nation. The system of land tenure was established by the decree of the All-Russian Central Executive Committee of Feb. 9, 1918, “On the Socialization of the Land.”\nThe victory of people’s democratic revolutions in a number of countries of Europe and Asia after World War II was the most important prerequisite for the implementation of agrarian transformations in the interest of the toiling peasants. Agrarian reforms were carried out in socialist countries in the period of people’s democratic revolutions and had the character of agrarian revolutions. They responded to the fundamental interests of the toiling peasants and laid a firm economic base for the alliance of the working class and the peasantry. The determining condition for the resolution of the agrarian question in the countries which now form the world socialist system was the establishment of the power of the people, led by the working class.\nThe overwhelming majority of foreign socialist countries in Eastern Europe had been agrarian or agrarian-industrial with a large peasant population. The question of whom the peasantry would follow essentially determined the fate of the revolutionary movement. In Hungary, Rumania, Poland, Czechoslovakia, and East Germany, large landed property of the feudal and bourgeois landlord type dominated. Only in Bulgaria were agrarian relations characterized by a predominance of peasant landownership. In Cuba and in Asian countries—Korea and the DRV—there was a high proportion of colonial landed property. In the latter two countries, feudal landlord estates constituted the dominant structure. In the People’s Republic of China, the bulk of land was held by feudal landlords and the upper strata of the peasantry; feudal, commercial, and usurious methods were also widely used to exploit the peasants.\nIn foreign socialist countries, agrarian reforms were carried out by different methods and over different periods due to the socioeconomic and historical peculiarities of each country. Basic reforms included the abolition of large-scale landlord estates and the transfer of landlord lands to those who worked them. Agrarian reforms led to fundamental changes in the class and socioeconomic structure of the countryside. Landlord property, and thus the economic conditions for the existence of landlords as a class, was liquidated. The proportion of middle-sized peasant farms increased as did the average size of the land allotments of poor peasants and small peasant holdings. At the same time, agrarian reforms did not affect the bulk of kulak farms.\nThe methods of agrarian reform in China were original because class membership—that is, landlord, kulak, middle peasant, or poor peasant—was determined not only by the size of landholdings but directly in the course of the reforms by the decision of general assemblies of the residents of each village.\nIn Hungary before World War II, peasant farms of up to 20 holds (1 hold = .57 ha), making up 94.4 percent of all farms, held only 40.5 percent of the arable land. In 1947, after the agrarian reforms decreed in March 1945, 70.7 percent of all the country’s arable land belonged to peasant farms, whose proportion had increased by an insignificant amount to 95.9 percent of the total.\nAs a result of agrarian reform in Poland—decreed in September 1944 and for reunited lands in September 1946—the middle peasant became the basic figure of the countryside. In 1931 peasant farms with land strips from 5 to 10 ha constituted 18.9 percent of the total number of farms; in 1950 the figure was 26.8 percent.\nIn Czechoslovakia, as a result of the legislative measures of June 1945, June 1947, and March 1948, the number of farms with land allotments of from 5 to 20 ha increased, and the number of farms with allotments of up to 5. ha decreased.\nThe implementation of agrarian reform in China, decreed in June 1950, improved the economic situation of approximately 300 million peasants, or 60–70 percent of the rural population of the country. In European countries lands, regardless of the size of the holding, as well as buildings, equipment, livestock, and inanimate inventory, belonging to German subjects, war criminals, enemies of the people, individuals who collaborated with German fascist invaders, and so on, were subjected to confiscation in the first order of business. In Asian socialist countries, the DRV and the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, an immediate measure in the implementation of agrarian reform was the confiscation of landed property belonging to French and Japanese colonialists. Another category of landholding subject to alienation—in certain countries, with redemption—were farms which exceeded the land maximum established by the agrarian reform laws. In Bulgaria the maximum was 20 ha for the country as a whole and 30 ha for Southern Dobruja; in Hungary, 57 ha; in East Germany and Poland, 100 ha; in Rumania and Czechoslovakia, 50 ha; in Yugoslavia, 25–35 ha (from 1953, 10 ha); and in Cuba, 67 ha (5 caballerias).\nWith the exception of the Mongolian People’s Republic, agrarian reforms in socialist countries have not provided for the nationalization of all land. As a rule, an insignificant portion of the cultivated land passes to the state, which organizes farms on it; the major portion of state land comprises woods, mineral deposits, water, and the land on which are located industries, enterprises, cities and settlements, transportation arteries, and so on. Only in Cuba has agrarian reform resulted in the state sector holding approximately 70 percent of the country’s cultivated area.\nIn most socialist countries, the overwhelming portion of agricultural land becomes part of the supply for apportionment among the peasants; the lands are given over to them as private property, since in these countries the development of private peasant landownership—and hence the attachment of the peasants to the land—proceeded significantly further than in Russia. This has been reflected in the conditions of distribution of land to the peasants. The agrarian laws of these socialist countries have provided for payment for land received. This redemption was insignificant in size; usually it was equal to the value of one or two harvests from the strip of land received. The overwhelming mass of land apportioned to the peasants has been free from payment. Different forms of debt dependency have been written off for the peasants, and they have received the land free of debts and other financial obligations to the previous owners. To all intents and purposes, the distribution of land to the peasants has proceeded without compensation. Agrarian reforms have established a certain minimum land plot which has been the basis for land allotment to peasants. For example, in Bulgaria the average for private working farms was set at 8 ha for Southern Dobruja and 5 ha for the country as a whole; for East Germany, 5 ha and where the land is of poor quality, 10 ha; in Poland, 5 ha and for gardens and truck farms, 2 ha; and in Hungary, 8.5 ha and 1.7 ha for gardens and vineyards.\nThe implementation of agrarian reform in socialist countries proceeded amid bitter class struggle. Supporting the revolutionary resolution of the agrarian question, the working class urged the peasants to decisively seize and distribute landlord lands. The direct participation, activity, and independence of peasant masses is characteristic of the implementation of revolutionary agrarian reforms in socialist countries. As agrarian revolution unfolded, the working class based itself on the poorest strata of the countryside. As a rule, the middle peasant was an ally of the working class. Kulak farms, with the exception of those which belonged to people who collaborated with foreign invaders, were not subject to expropriation.\nAs a result of the redistribution of land property in all socialist countries, new peasant farms arose and a certain portion of households increased their land allotment. In Bulgaria, 128,000 landless and land-short peasants received 140,000 ha of land; in Hungary 1.9 million ha of arable land were distributed among 642,300 agricultural workers and landless and land-short peasants; in Poland approximately 7.3 million ha of land passed into the hands of farm laborers and poor peasants; in Czechoslovakia over 1.7 million ha of land were distributed among 400,000 landless peasant families; in Rumania peasants received 1.6 million ha of land, 400,000 new farms were created, and over 500,000 farms increased their land plots; in Yugoslavia 316,400 peasant families received land; in the People’s Republic of China approximately 47 million ha of land were distributed among the poorest strata of the countryside; and in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea over 1 million chô (1 chô = .992 ha) of arable land were given to the farms of 17,000 farm laborers, 443,000 landless peasants, 270,500 land-short peasants, and 4,000 others. The poor peasants’ newly established farms also received agricultural inventory and draft animals confiscated from the landlords along with the land. During and following the period of agrarian reform other measures in defense of the interests of the toiling peasants—for instance, credit and taxation policy, pricing, and so forth—were carried out in socialist countries, and the cooperative movement in the country was encouraged. The transformation of relations of land property on the basis of agrarian reforms, in essence broadly popular, opened the path for the further progressive development of these countries on the path to socialism. The next step in the revolutionary resolution of the agrarian question was the construction of socialist production relations in the countryside based on the creation of state agricultural enterprises and peasant production cooperatives.\nIn developed capitalist countries After World War II, agrarian reforms were carried out in a number of economically developed capitalist countries and in most countries that had attained national independence. Agrarian reforms are particularly important in developing countries, where they are inseparably tied to the national liberation movement. Agrarian reform is the essential condition in overcoming economic backwardness and ensuring these countries’ political and economic independence.\nAgrarian reform was extremely radical in postwar Japan, where the landlord class occupied an important place in the social and political structure of society, including the command positions in the army. To a large extent the radical character of agrarian reform was determined by the military and political defeat of Japanese militarism during World War II. It also resulted from the powerful upsurge of the peasant movement for land and the political maturity and fighting ability of the working class and other progressive forces. The necessity for agrarian reform was dictated by the backwardness of agriculture and the striving of monopoly capital to broaden the internal market. American imperialists occupying the country viewed reform as a means of strengthening the capitalist regime. An agrarian reform law, adopted in 1946, was essentially completed in March 1949. Its basis was the redemption of land from the landlords and its subsequent sale to land-short peasants, granted to them on a 30–year installment plan at 3.2 percent per year. Agrarian reform provided for the complete liquidation of the landlord holdings system. Having liquidated feudal relations in the countryside, the agrarian reform cleared the way for the development of capitalism in agriculture, where the concentration of production and of landed property takes place on a capitalistic basis. Agrarian reform did not save the Japanese peasants from ruin nor from intensified oppression by capitalist monopolies.\nLaws on agrarian reform were adopted in Italy in 1950 (the first, the Legge-sila, in May and the second, the Legge-stralcio, in October). In December a law on agrarian reform in Sicily was adopted. To implement these laws, committees were created—in southern Italy, the state monopolistic organization, Cassa del Mezzogiorno. Agrarian reform was based on redemption—the government paid the landlords the value of the land alienated from them and then resold the lands to the peasants, who were to pay for them over a period of 30 years. The reform struck a serious blow against large-scale landed property in latifundia, but it preserved large-scale capitalist land property. During the period 1950–62, a total of 113,000 peasant families received approximately 1.2 million ha of land. The problem of apportioning the land to the Italian peasants was not, however, fully resolved. The agrarian reform was implemented basically in the interests of state monopolistic and large-scale agrarian capital.\nAfter World War II, attempts to limit large-scale land-holdings in favor of the peasantry were undertaken in several West European countries. In West Germany the agrarian reform envisioned by the Potsdam agreements was in effect frustrated. The ruling circles of West Germany carried out agrarian reforms aimed at curtailing the number of small farms with the subsequent transition of their lands to large landed proprietors.\nThe ruling circles of Greece were also obliged to carry out agrarian reforms. A law on agrarian reform was published in 1952, but it was limited in nature. Holdings of over 50 ha of arable land were subjected to expropriation with redemption.\nAgrarian reforms were not carried out in the other countries of Western Europe or in the USA. But the ruling circles of Spain, France, Sweden, Holland, Denmark, and other European capitalist countries have carried out individual measures aimed mainly at the “modernization of the agrarian structure” by concentrating landholdings and creating profitable farms. Since, on the whole, feudal vestiges occupy a small place in the agrarian structures of the countries of Western Europe, the goal of these measures is to accelerate the development of agricultural capitalism at the expense of the small-scale peasant sector.\nIn developing countries By the time independence was won in these countries, there were three basic forms of agricultural property, whose survival was an obstacle to the development of agricultural capitalism. They were (1) feudal relations, (2) patriarchal tribal relations, and (3) colonial land property, belonging to the state, the planters, and the capitalist farmers. These structures played varying roles in the economies of different countries. Feudal and semifeudal relations were most widespread in Asia and Latin America, while patriarchal tribal relations were characteristic of the countries of tropical Africa. The different correlation of these economic forms in the agrarian structures of different countries has influenced the forms and methods of agrarian reform. But in the final analysis, despite some differences, the reforms pursue the same end: to clear the way for the establishment of a bourgeois order in agriculture.\nUnder pressure from the peasant movement for land and constant social and political ferment, the ruling circles of a number of Latin American countries—including Mexico, Venezuela, Guatemala, Bolivia, and Colombia—were forced to have recourse to agrarian reforms. All of them are bourgeois landlord in nature; their goal is the alleviation of the onerous consequences of the latifundia system and the amelioration of the sharp social contradictions in the countryside. With the exception of Mexico, where agrarian reform has a long history, the reforms began in the 1950’s and 1960’s.\nA law on agrarian reform in Mexico was published in 1915, when a revolutionary situation existed in the country. Under this law, latifundia were liquidated and their lands were distributed among the landless and land-short peasants. Land expropriated from the landlords was transferred to peasant communes (ejidos). Gradually, agrarian reform came to be implemented increasingly in the interests of large landowners. As early as 1921, a decree provided for an increase in the sizes of landholdings. Agrarian reform was implemented slowly by stages. The greatest results were achieved in the period 1935–40, when the number of large farms of a thousand ha or more decreased from 15.5 thousand to 9.7 thousand and their land area decreased from 108.9 million ha to 79.9 million ha. Agrarian reform did not liquidate large-scale landownership; as before, its position was strong. Large landowners, with holdings exceeding 1,000 ha, have concentrated 75 percent of all the land in their hands.\nIn Bolivia a decree on agrarian reform was published in August 1953; its execution began in 1955. The goal of the reforms was to liquidate both latifundia and the most backward forms of leasing relations—that is, working off the obligation, and so on. By July 1964, 5.6 million ha of land had been distributed with redemption among 158,000 peasant families. A large part of the land—28.5 million ha—and the better quality land was retained by the landlords.\nAn agrarian reform law was adopted in Colombia in December 1961. It has been implemented in an atmosphere of tyranny and of peasants’ free seizure of land, the so-called violencia. The ruling classes—the latifundists and the national bourgeoisie—have been forced to recognize the rights of the peasants to the lands they have occupied.\nAn agrarian reform law was adopted in Guatemala in June 1952 amid the upsurge of the national liberation and democratic movements; it was relatively radical in nature. The military intervention of the USA in June 1954 and the subsequent state coup suspended the execution of this agrarian reform and produced a “counterreform”—the agrarian decree of February 1956.\nAgrarian reform in Chile and other Latin American countries in the 1950’s and 1960’s confirmed the “colonization” of the land, or the distribution of fallow and unworkable land from the state pool—the so-called nobody’s lands—among landless and land-short peasants. For the most part, these were the worst lands.\nA comparatively democratic law on land reform was adopted in Venezuela in March 1960. It provided for the distribution of land to the peasants without compensation, and it banned feudal forms of leasing. Reactionary forces managed to direct reform toward land colonization and not toward liquidation of large landed property in latifundia. Large landowners obtained high compensation payments for the alienation of their poor lands. In the countries of Latin America agrarian reform only limited feudal vestiges slightly; it did not eliminate the high degree of concentration of lands in latifundia.\nAgrarian reform has been relatively more radical in the developing countries of Asia and North Africa. With the exception of Turkey and the Philippines, feudal landlord landownership has been significantly limited in these countries. As a result of the redistribution of land, the small-scale system based on peasant property has come to be of major importance in the agrarian structure. Feudal and patriarchal tribal relations no longer are dominant in these countries.\nIn the Eastern countries where agrarian reform has not essentially been carried out, except for partial measures, precapitalist and transitional relations predominate as before in the agrarian structure; these countries include Libya, Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Afghanistan, Nepal, Laos, Cambodia, the “outer provinces” of Indonesia, and the autonomous Burmese states.\nIn Morocco, Ceylon, and Malaysia, where the systems of land tenure were not changed, a large-scale capitalist agricultural sector, including plantations run by foreign and national capital, has formed, and it plays a guiding role in the agriculture of these countries. The multifaceted agrarian economies of Sudan and Lebanon are similar in nature.\nDespite the differences resulting from economic and sociopolitical factors, agrarian reform in all these countries has aimed at the gradual transformation of the feudal agrarian structure into a bourgeois structure. Its essence is the slow transformation of semifeudal landlords and the upper elements of the peasantry into capitalist agricultural entrepreneurs, while the majority of the peasantry is gradually proletarianized. The distinctive aspect of this type of agrarian revolution in the developing countries of Asia and North Africa is that while the landlords are preserved as a class, most former landlord lands are alienated, usually for redemption, and the mass of former feudally dependent lease holders are turned into small property owners. A small-scale structure is formed—the point of departure for the changes proceeding in the countryside of Eastern countries. As a result of the agrarian reforms already carried out, feudal leasing has ceased to be the main form of peasant land tenure in most of these countries, and bourgeois elements in their agriculture have grown stronger.\nAgrarian reforms in the United Arab Republic have been democratic in nature. The first law on agrarian reform was adopted in 1952 and the second in 1961, when a decree liquidating foreign landholdings was also promulgated. In March 1964 a new law was adopted, providing for the expropriation of landlord holdings without compensation, the reduction by three-fourths of redemption payments for land distributed to peasants on the basis of the agrarian reform law of 1952, and the release of peasants from interest payments. The agrarian policy of the UAR government aimed at the complete liquidation of feudal land tenure. Much attention was given to peasant cooperation.\nAgrarian reform laws were published in India in 1950–51. They were executed in the period 1952–61; during 1952–58 agrarian reforms were carried out in the area of land tenure and leasing, and during 1959–61 measures limited feudal landlord property through the establishment of “maximum sizes” for individual holdings. The most important aspect of agrarian reform in India was the legislation liquidating the zamindar system, which gave special rights to zamindar landlords. As a result of agrarian reform, lands belonging to zamindars and leased out by them passed to the state; redemption was provided. Material damage was thus inflicted only on the upper elements of the zamindars. Agrarian reform with respect to leasing was still more limited in nature. Thus, agrarian reform in India has not resolved the agrarian question either; it has struck a blow only against the large zamindars, while the small and middle zamindars have strengthened their positions. Agrarian reform has strengthened the capitalist sector in agriculture.\nAgrarian reform was carried out separately in East and West Pakistan. In East Pakistan it was implemented during 1950–58. The law of 1950 established a maximum for land-holdings: 100 bigas (13.5 ha) of land per family. An enormous indemnity was established for alienated lands. In April 1956 the government was forced to adopt a supplementary decree accelerating the implementation of land reform. In West Pakistan a law on agrarian reform was adopted in January 1959. Redemption was to be provided for the alienated land. Agrarian reform affected only the upper elements of the landlord class, the large absenteeists.\nThe first law on agrarian reform in the Philippines was promulgated in September 1955. “Surpluses” of land above the established maximum—300 ha for individual holdings and 600 ha for corporations—were redeemed from the landlords. In August 1963 the government published a more radical agrarian reform law which was to be carried out over some 30 to 40 years. The maximum land holding was considerably decreased to 75 ha. Provision was made for the distribution of land to about one million peasants. The redemption of land was to be carried out by stages.\nThe agrarian reform law in Indonesia was preceded by a series of laws whose purpose was to increase agricultural production in the country and resolve the land problem by resettling families from densely populated areas on the island of Java to thinly settled areas. In September 1960 the “Fundamental Agrarian Law” was adopted. It recognized two forms of land property, state and private. The right of private property was declared to be a fundamental institution of land law. A special enactment in 1960 abolished mortgaging of land; when the seventh mortgage period expired, land was to return to the cultivator without redemption. In January 1961 the dimensions for landholdings were set at 15 ha of irrigated rice fields and 20 ha of unirrigated land. It was projected that land reform would be finished by 1966. After the state coup of Sept. 30, 1965, the execution of agrarian reform was halted.\nA law providing for the nationalization of the land and the creation of small peasant property was promulgated in Burma in 1948, but it was purely nominal in nature. The lands of the landlords were subjected to alienation with redemption. A maximum for landholdings was established.\nThe law of 1953 provided for the curtailment of agrarian reform. The quantity of land subject to alienation was decreased from 10 million to 6.2 million acres (1 acre = .4 ha). In March 1962 a new stage of agrarian transformation began, determined by the country’s entry into a non-capitalist path of development. In March 1963 the “law on the protection of the rights of peasant leaseholders” and the law “on the leasing of land” were issued in the interest of toiling leaseholders. The decree of Apr. 5, 1965, abolishing rental payments for land and striking a serious blow against feudal landed property, was significant. In effect, 2.8 million ha of land passed into the hands of lessees. Much attention was devoted to cooperation in agriculture, mechanization, irrigation, and the democratization of agricultural credit procedure.\nThe document, “The tasks of the struggle against imperialism during the present stage and unity of action of communist and workers’ parties and all anti-imperialist forces,” adopted by the International Conference of Communist and Workers’ Parties in June 1969, emphasized the great importance of agrarian reform in developing countries. “In the majority of the independent states of Asia and Africa, along with the task of strengthening and defending political independence and sovereignty, to overcome economic backwardness, to establish an independent national economy including native industry, and to improve the people’s standard of living have become the central problems of social development. The resolution of these problems presupposes profound socioeconomic transformations, the implementation of democratic agrarian reforms in the interests of the toiling peasantry and, with its participation, the abolition of obsolete feudal and prefeudal relations, the abolition of the dominance of foreign monopolies, the radical democratization of social and political life and the state apparatus, the revitalization of the national culture and the development of its progressive traditions, and the strengthening of revolutionary parties and the creation of such parties where they do not exist. The pressing problems of social development in these states are now the objects not only of sharp struggle between the peoples of those states and the neocolonialists but also of internal social conflicts. The establishment of friendly relations and of active collaboration with the socialist countries is important for the independent states of Asia and Africa” (International Conference of Communist and Workers’ Parties, 1969, p. 312).\nREFERENCESAgrarnye reformy v razvivaiushchikhsia stranakh i stranakh vy-sokorazvitogo kapitalizma. Moscow, 1965.\nOsnovnye zakonodatel’nye akty po agrarnym preobrazovaniiamν zarubezhnykh sotsialisticheskikh stranakh, issues 1–5. Moscow, 1957–60.\nPetrushov, A. Sotsialisticheskoe stroitel’stvo v sel’skom khoziaistve evropeiskikh stran narodnoi demokratii. Moscow, 1951. (Section on agrarian reforms.)\nNedorezov, A. I. Agrarnye preobrazovaniia v narodno-demokraticheskoi Chekhoslovakii. Moscow, 1954.\nKotov, G. G. Agrarnye otnosheniia i zemel’naia reforma v Germanii. Moscow, 1956.\nSotsialno-ekonomicheskie posledstviia agrarnykh reform i sotsial’naia struktura derevni v razvivaiushchikhsia stranakh Azii i Severnoi Afriki. Moscow, 1966.\nMezhdunarodnoe soveshchanie kommunisticheskikh i rabochikh partii: Dokumenty i materialy, Moskva, 5–17 iiunia 1969 g. Moscow, 1969.\nB. P. KUZNETSOV and V. N. STARODUBROVSKAIA", "label": "No"}
{"text": "\"All teachers must start somewhere, but teaching that first class can be tough. While college instructors are usually trained extensively in their specific disciplines, they are seldom trained in how to deal with the actual classroom. The authors try to remedy that situation with this manual. Although meant primarily for beginning teachers, this work is so packed with useful information that experienced teachers could also benefit from reading it. Included are the basics, such as how to plan courses and implement lessons, as well as little-known tips. . . . Preparing a syllabus, leading classroom discussions, lecturing, avoiding cheatingit's all here!\"Library Journal\nThe Chicago Handbook for Teachers:|\nA Practical Guide to the College Classroom\nAlan Brinkley, Betty Dessants, Michael Flamm, Cynthia Fleming, Charles Forcey, and Eric Rothschild\nThis book has a very simple purpose. It is designed to offer practical advice to teachers of college courses-advice on how to navigate many of the most common challenges they are likely to face in and out of the classroom. We expect it to be particularly helpful to beginning teachers; but we believe experienced teachers will find the book useful and rewarding as well.\nThe project had its origins in a conversation about teaching at a meeting of the Executive Board of the Organization of American Historians several years ago, when two of the authors were members of the board. There was general agreement among the experienced scholars and teachers present that day that most beginning college instructors-graduate students having their first experiences as teaching assistants, new Ph.D.'s starting their first teaching jobs-received little or no training in how to deal with the classroom before they entered it. Primary and secondary school teachers ordinarily receive teacher training in education schools or departments. College and university teachers, by contrast, are usually trained intensively in their disciplines (history, English, economics, physics, and so on), but seldom in the craft of teaching itself. There is a growing, and heartening, movement in some graduate programs to incorporate teacher training into the traditional curriculum. But it remains the case that many, perhaps most, new college teachers design their courses and enter their classrooms for the first time without very much guidance from anyone. This book was written with them in mind. We call it a \"handbook\" because, while we think many teachers may wish to read it in its entirety, we believe others may wish to consult it periodically for help in dealing with particular questions or problems.\nWe do not claim here to present a coherent theory of teaching or learning. There are many such theories, and they are the subject of a large and valuable literature produced by scholars of education and others. Our goal, however, is the simpler one of answering common logistical questions and using our own experiences in the classroom to offer ideas and lessons that we think other teachers might find useful. In ten relatively brief chapters, we have tried to present practical suggestions for dealing with some of the basic aspects of college teaching: designing a course, preparing for the first class, leading a discussion, managing classroom dynamics, delivering a lecture, supervising research and writing, giving and grading exams, evaluating your own teaching, dealing with diversity issues, and making use of new electronic resources.\nThere are, needless to say, many issues related to teaching that this book does not address, and many ideas, techniques, and innovations for the classroom beyond those we have included. Both new and experienced teachers have many other resources from which they can draw as they try to improve their students', and their own, classroom experiences. We suggest some such resources in our brief bibliography, but there are also many others.\nOne problem that all teachers face to which we cannot offer any simple solutions is the problem of time. People outside the academic world often think of college or university teachers as people who live uniquely leisured lives. Those of us who actually work in academia know otherwise. Many of us enjoy more extended vacations than do people in most other professions, it is true. But during the teaching year, we are often compelled to balance an overwhelming number of commitments and responsibilities within a painfully short period of time: teaching classes, advising, grading, serving on committees, commuting, meeting obligations to families and communities, and so forth. Some teachers have very heavy course loads and can find very little time for each of the many preparations demanded of them. Other teachers have part-time jobs, sometimes several of them, and must scramble to find new work even as they are finishing the old. Many college teachers have to balance their teaching obligations against the pressure to do research and to publish, which are often prerequisites to professional survival.\nNo one will have time to implement all the suggestions in this book-let alone the many other ideas and suggestions available in other sources. Some people will have little time for any of them. We realize, therefore, that our prescriptions for teaching successfully will, in the world most teachers inhabit, need to be balanced against what is possible in pressured and difficult professional lives.\nBut teaching is a cumulative art. We learn over time, just as our students do. Things you have no time to try one year may be possible in another. A course that begins shakily may improve after two or three tries, and as you slowly incorporate new methods and techniques into your teaching. You should not be discouraged when the realities of your professional life make it hard to enhance your teaching quickly. Do what you can in the time you have, and over several years-if you keep working at it-your teaching will get better.\nAll of the authors of this book are historians, and our common experience in a single discipline has undoubtedly shaped the way we think about teaching. Teachers of English or psychology or chemistry or any other discipline would undoubtedly produce a rather different book. But almost everything we present here is, we believe, applicable to teaching in other fields-certainly to other disciplines in the humanities and social sciences, much of it also to the natural sciences and to the professional fields.\nTeaching, particularly for the first time, can be a lonely and intimidating experience. We hope that the material we present here will make the experience less daunting and more rewarding-both for instructors and for their students.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "Extroverts and introverts why do some people enjoy parties, talking in public and meeting people while others abhor these social situations?\nAccording to the Model of the 5 Factors of Personality, there are fundamental differences between people whose most predominant feature is introversion and those who are more extroverted.\nExtroverts and introverts\nIt was probably Carl Jung in 1923, who first wrote about introversion and extroversion. He suggested that everyone has an extrovert and an introverted dimension, although one is more predominant than the other. This theory is based on the fact that people’s behavior varies depending on the different situations.\nIn the model of the 5 Personality Factors, the feature of extraversion influences much of the behavior of individuals. Why do people differ in this dimension? There is a very interesting theory proposed by the psychologist Gray in 1970 that deals with the neurological factors that seem to contribute to this dimension of the personality.\nGray found a relationship between neurological factors and extraversion. The main difference between extroverts and introverts is that the former are less susceptible to “fear” in social situations; Do not anticipate as many negative events as frustration, pain or failures.\nBecause they perceive no danger in social situations, extraverts are usually more impulsive. They are not sensitive to potential situations of humiliation\nNeurological differences between introverts and extroverts\nGray suggests that the brain structures mediating the ability to anticipate negative events are the mid septal nucleus, the hippocampus, and the orbitofrontal cortex. The hypothesis is that this area is different in extraverted people.\nAlso Read : Effects of Marijuana Use on Young People\nIn one experiment, rats were given a drug that decreased the activation of such areas. After the injection, the emotional responses to frustration and avoidance decreased considerably.\nOther studies have shown that people who have injuries to the frontal parts of the brain , obtain worse results in tasks of passive avoidance; It appears that the frontal regions of the brain play an important role in inhibitory processes such as reducing impulsivity .\nIn addition, lesions in monkeys in the septal area produce extraverted behaviors. Thus it appears that there are three brain regions related to extraverted behavior: mid septal nucleus, hippocampus and orbitofrontal cortex.\nAnother important finding is from the scientist Funder in 2010; That introverts respond more to stimuli than introverts. This makes sense given the avoidant behavior of the introverts, due to an overstimulation of the nervous system.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "The Mokala Interpretation Centre\nThe Mokala National Park is not just where endangered species roam but also where history comes alive.\nThe Interpretation centre was officially opened on 9 September 2013. The reason behind this initiative was to capture the history of the place and showcase how the beautiful landscapes evolved over time. This forms part of the Park's Interpretive Programme in support of tourism and multi-disciplinary conservation education. The primary role of the interpretation Center is to engage and educate the community. The centre gives an insight of how people use to see themselves as part of the ecological web. Visitors get to see the rock engravings and ancient artefacts used by the inhabitants of the land. Illustration was one way by which inhabitants could delineate their beliefs.\nBy visiting the centre visitors will embark on a transitional journey of how the people developed over the years. The artefact displays play a huge role in educating the public about the rich cultural heritage facet of the area and lifestyle of the people. It's also a great place to learn about the biodiversity of the Mokala National Park with animals on exhibition alongside descriptive information about animal and plant species found in the vicinity of the park. Day and overnight visitors can go on a tour, which showcases the amazing landscape that the Park has to offer.\n|Weekdays:||09:00 - 16:00|\n|Weekends & Public Holidays||10:00 - 16:00|\nHave a question? Why not ask on the forums?", "label": "No"}
{"text": "Car journeys with children: some helpful tips\nHere are some helpful tips that will make your car journeys safer, and a little less stressful.\n- Prepare games and activities to keep children occupied in the car (e.g. I-spy, counting lorries, or even some singing along to the radio).\n- If you’re on a longer journey, decide where you’re going to stop for a rest/toilet break in advance.\n- Make sure children understand that once in the car, you need to concentrate fully on driving.\nSeatbelts: the rules and regs\nEveryone in the car should wear a seatbelt. There are some laws that are in place to protect children in particular:\n- It’s an offence to drive with a passenger under 14 years old who is not wearing a seatbelt or a child restraint (car seat) in the front or the back of the car.\n- A child should start to use an adult belt when they reach 135cm or on their 12th birthday.\n- All other children must use a car seat/booster designed for their current weight.\nCar or booster seats\nBefore you buy a car or booster seat:\n- Measure your child’s height and weight.\n- Always look for the United Nations ECE R44.04 mark.\n- Try it in your car before you buy it, because not every seat fits every car.\n- For more information about buying and fitting a car seat, visit Good Egg Safety.\nToday’s kids are tomorrow’s drivers\nRoad safety is not just about keeping children safe now. The way they see you behave in the car is likely to shape the type of driver they will grow up to be. This is one of the reasons why it’s important to always:\n- Drive within the speed limit – making sure your speed is appropriate for the road conditions.\n- Wear your seatbelt.\n- Keep your cool and set a good example.\n- Put your phone away.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "Large holdings of at least 500 hectares (a hectare equals about 22 acres) are indispensable to the profitable pursuit of extensive agriculture.\nIn 1902 it was officially estimated that the public land available for permanent agrarian cultivation, including forest lands, was only 186,967 hectares (416,995 acres), almost wholly in the province of Oriente.\nThe state of war with Soviet Russia, however, continued until the Peace Treaty of July 12 1920, whereunder the Lithuanian claim to Vilna and Grodno was recognized by the Bolsheviks and Lithuania received three million rubles in gold and 100,000 hectares of forest land for exploitation.\nOf the last-named class 30% owned less than 3 hectares, 60% from 10-50 hectares, 3% from 3-to hectares, 5% from 50-100 hectares, while 17% of all the villagers were landless.\nIn 1920 the territory administered by the Lithuanian Government (5,200,000 hectares out of 8,500,000 hectares) yielded As regards live-stock raising there were in 1920 in the same area: Forests.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "Sanitation and clean drinking water are serious issues. And what better way to convey such a serious message than with the help of humorous plays? This is exactly what the Public Health Engineering Department (PHED) in Assam has undertaken to spread awareness about their programs and involve the intended beneficiaries.\nThese plays do not have a written script and adapt to the place where they are staged. They are also enacted with the help of local talent at the particular venue, so as to connect better with the people. Robin Chandra Das, an assistant executive engineer with PHED has conducted several such plays, and talks of its success to Teresa Rehman of Tehelka:\n“We have few other staff members who assist me in staging the play. And in any locality, we often go hunting for local talent a few hours before the play is actually staged. We urge the women and children to participate in the play and once it is over, we hold an interactive session on sanitation. The humour in the play manages to strike the right emotional chord,” says Das.\nThe play also incorporates local dialects and even a few Assamese songs with the sanitation theme keeping the audience hooked. Another scene has a mother walking in with a boy who plays truant. The mother complains, “Earlier he used to skip school complaining of stomachache. But now that I have built a toilet at home with my savings, he cannot play around with the same excuse. Today, I heard something move. I thought that our neighbours had come out to defecate in the open but, instead, I saw my son perched on a tree near the bamboo grove.” She then explains to Jadu’s mother on the benefits of having a toilet at home and how it helps keep flies away.\nThe plays are a part of Total Sanitation Campaign (TSC) – a comprehensive program to introduce proper sanitation facilities in all rural areas with the broader goal of eliminating open defecation practice. In Assam, PHED is responsible for enforcing TSC and ensuring hygienic practices are followed, along with safe drinking water in all schools in rural areas. The government of India has been active in encouraging as well as recognizing their efforts.\nThe main goal of the GOI is to eradicate the practice of open defecation by 2010. To give fillip to this endeavour, GOI has launched Nirmal Gram Puraskar to recognise the efforts in terms of cash awards for fully covered PRI (Panchayat Raj Instituitions), and those individuals and institutions who have contributed significantly in ensuring total sanitary practices in their area of operation.\nIn the past two years, Assam has bagged eighteen Nirmal Gram Puraskars. Nareswar Kakati, Secretary, PHED, Assam told TEHELKA, “Our main target is to initiate behavioural change in the people using innovative means, paying special attention to whether they belong to the hilly terrain or the plains” The play is a small step in this direction but the sanitation campaign in Assam still has a long way to go.\nThe joint efforts of the state and central governments have given a tremendous boost to the sanitation program in Assam, and its results are plain to see. We hope that this serves as a lesson on how co-operation and initiative can help governments and men in power to clean up the country’s act.\nRead the complete article here.\nImage Courtesy: Ministry of Rural Development", "label": "No"}
{"text": "Back to results\nThe Church and the Modern World - Human Rights\nThe Conference endorses the proposed Convenant on Human Rights, now before the United Nations, and declares it necessary for full religious freedom that:\n- every person shall have the right to freedom of religion, conscience, and belief, including the right, either alone or in community with other persons of like mind, to hold and manifest any religious or other belief, to change his belief and to practice any form of religious worship and observance, and he shall not be required to do any act that is contrary to such worship and observance; and that\n- every person of full age and sound mind shall be free, either alone or in community with other persons of like mind, to give and receive any form of religious teaching, and in the case of a minor the parent or guardian shall be free to determine what religious teaching he shall receive.\nThe Conference believes that the above rights should be subject only to such limitations as are internationally recognised as necessary to protect public order, morals, and the rights and freedoms of others. Any such limitations should be clearly defined by law, and there should be appeal concerning them before impartial courts of justice.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "What is peripheral vascular disease?\nPeripheral vascular disease, or PVD, is a condition in which the arteries that carry blood to the arms or legs become narrowed or clogged, interfering with the normal flow of blood. The most common cause of PVD is atherosclerosis (often called hardening of the arteries). Atherosclerosis is a gradual process in which cholesterol and scar tissue build up, forming a substance called “plaque” that clogs the blood vessels. PVD may also be caused by blood clots.\nWhat are the symptoms of PVD?\n- Leg or hip pain during walking\n- The pain stops when you rest\n- Weakness in the legs\n- Burning or aching pain in feet or toes when resting\n- Sore on leg or foot that won’t heal\n- Cold legs or feet\n- Color change in skin of legs or feet\n- Loss of hair on legs\nThe disease, which affects both men and women, often goes undiagnosed and many people mistakenly think the symptoms are a normal part of aging.\nThe most common symptom of PVD is called intermittent claudication, a painful cramping in the leg or hip, particularly when walking. Intermittent claudication occurs when there is not enough blood flowing to the leg muscles during exercise. The pain typically goes away when the muscles are given a rest.\nOther symptoms may include numbness, tingling or weakness in the leg. In severe cases, you may experience a burning or aching pain in the feet or toes while resting, or develop a sore on the leg or foot that does not heal. People with PVD may also experience a cooling or color change in the skin of the legs or feet, or loss of hair on the legs. In extreme cases, untreated PVD can lead to gangrene, a serious condition that may require amputation of a leg or a foot.\nIf you have PVD, you are also at higher risk for heart disease and stroke.\nWho is at risk for PVD and intermittent claudication?\nAs many as 10 million people in the U.S. may have PVD. It is estimated that 4 million of those suffer leg pain symptoms. Those who are at highest risk are:\n- over the age of 50,\n- people who do not exercise, or\n- people with high blood pressure or high cholesterol.\nA family history of heart or vascular disease may also put you at higher risk for PVD.\nHow is PVD diagnosed?\nThe most common test for PVD is the ankle-brachial index (ABI), a painless exam in which ultrasound is used to measure the ratio of blood pressure in the feet and arms. Based on the results of your ABI, as well as your symptoms and risk factors\nfor PVD, the physician can decide if further tests are needed. PVD also can be diagnosed noninvasively with an imaging technique called magnetic resonance angiography (MRA), or with computed tomography (CT) angiography.\nHow can PVD be treated?\nThe best treatment for PVD depends on a number of factors, including your overall health and the severity of the disease. In some cases, lifestyle changes are enough to halt the progression of PVDand manage the disease. Your physician may prescribe drugs when lifestyle changes are not enough. Procedures that open clogged blood vessels also are used to treat PVD.\nLifestyle changes. Most treatment plans will include a low fat diet and a program of regular exercise. If you are a smoker, it is absolutely essential that you stop the use of all types of tobacco. If decreased blood flow to the legs is causing injury to the feet and toes, a foot care program to prevent sores or infection may be prescribed. This may include referral to a podiatrist.\nMedication. Medications that lower cholesterol or control high blood pressure may be prescribed. Medication also is available that has been shown to significantly increase pain-free walking distance and total walking distance in people with intermittent claudication. Other medications that help prevent blood clots or the build-up of plaque in the arteries are available, as well.\nWhat can be done to treat PVD when lifestyle changes and medications are not enough?\nThere are a number of ways that physicians can open blood vessels at the site of blockages and restore normal blood flow. In many cases, these procedures can be performed without surgery using modern, interventional radiology techniques. Interventional radiologists are physicians who use tiny tubes called catheters and other miniaturized tools, and X-rays to do these procedures.\nProcedures performed by interventional radiologists include:\n- angioplasty – a balloon is inflated to open the blood vessel.\n- thrombolytic therapy – clot-busting drugs are delivered to the site of blockages caused by blood clots.\n- stents – a tiny metal cylinder, or stent, is inserted in the clogged vessel to act like a scaffolding and hold it open.\n- stent-grafts – a stent covered with synthetic fabric is inserted into the blood vessels to bypass diseased arteries.\nSometimes, open surgery is required to remove blockages from arteries or to bypass the clogged area. These procedures are performed by vascular surgeons.\nHow can I find out if I have PVD?\nIf you suspect that you may have PVD, it is important that you see your personal physician for an evaluation.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "Luke 2:10-12: Joy to the World\nChristmas time is supposed to be a time of great joy. But many people are sad. You have heard of S.A.D., seasonally affected disorder. This usually describes people who react badly to winter weather because there is less sunshine, but many are affected by the approaching Christmas season as well. There are the usual reasons for feeling sad, maybe it is separation from loved ones, or the loss of a loved one. Maybe it is coming to the end of a rough year where many expectations went unmet and many hardships surprised us. There are added troubles this year as we have another Covid Christmas. The world is more joyless than usual at this time. There has been a 28% rise in Covid related depression, 53 million cases. There has been a 26% rise in Covid related cases of anxiety, 76 million new cases. There has been a 15% rise in eating disorders among young people during Covid. There has been an increase in domestic violence. On and on we could go, we live in difficult times.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "Abdominal sounds (Bowel Sounds)\nAbdominal sounds are the noises made by the intestines.\nAbdominal sounds (bowel sounds) are made by the movement of the intestines as they push food through. Since the intestines are hollow, bowel sounds can echo throughout the abdomen much like the sounds heard from water-pipes.\nThe majority of the bowel sounds are harmless and simply indicate that the gastrointestinal tract is working. Abdominal sounds are evaluated by listening to the abdomen with a stethoscope (auscultation).\nWhile the majority of bowel sounds are normal, there are some instances where abnormal bowel sounds provide valuable information about the health of the body.\nIleus is a condition in which there is a lack of intestinal activity. Many medical conditions may lead to this but it is important to evaluate it further because gas, secretions, and intestinal contents can accumulate and rupture the bowel wall. The doctor may be unable to hear any bowel sounds when listening to the abdomen.\nReduced (hypoactive) bowel sounds include a reduction in the loudness, tone, or regularity of the bowel sounds. They indicate a slowing of intestinal activity. Hypoactive bowel sounds are normal during sleep, and also occur normally for a short time after the use of certain medications and after abdominal surgery. Decreased or absent bowel sounds often indicate constipation.\nIncreased (hyperactive) bowel sounds are sometimes heard even without a stethoscope. Hyperactive bowel sounds reflect an increase in intestinal activity. This can sometimes occur with diarrhea and after eating.\nAbdominal sounds are always evaluated in conjunction with symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, presence or absence of bowel movements, or gas. If bowel sounds are hypoactive or hyperactive, along with abnormal symptoms, continued evaluation by a health care provider is important.\nFor example, absent bowel sounds after a period of hyperactive bowel sounds are significant and can indicate that rupture of the intestines, or strangulation of the bowel with subsequent death(necrosis) of the bowel tissue may have occurred.\nCommon Causes Of Bowel Sounds\nMost of the sounds you hear your stomach and intestines make are due to normal digestion and are no need for concern. Many conditions may cause hyperactive or hypoactive bowel sounds. Most are harmless and require no treatment.\nThe following are a list of more serious conditions that can cause abnormal bowel sounds.\nHyperactive, hypoactive, or absent bowel sounds:\n- Mechanical bowel obstruction is caused by hernia, tumor, adhesions, or similar conditions that can physically block the intestines.\n- Blocked blood vessels prevent the intestines from getting proper blood floow. For example, blood clots can cause mesenteric artery occlusion.\n- Paralytic ileus is a problem with the nerves to the intestines. Reduced nerve activity can result from infection, overdistended bowel, trauma, bowel obstruction, vascular obstruction, and chemical imbalances such as hypokalemia.\nOther causes of hypoactive bowel sounds:\n- Drugs that reduce intestinal movements such as opiates (including codeine), anticholinergics, and phenothiazines\n- General anesthesia\n- Spinal anesthesia\n- Irradiation of the abdomen (radiation therapy for cancer)\n- Surgery in the abdomen (may cause reduced bowel sounds for 1 to 5 days)\nOther causes of hyperactive bowel sounds:\n- Crohn's disease\n- GI bleeding\n- Ulcerative colitis\n- Food allergy\n- Infectious enteritis", "label": "No"}
{"text": "Early on in the Society's history it was realised that knowledge about the cultivation of Australian native plants was very limited and there was little published information available. One way to help overcome this deficiency was to set up specialist Study Groups whose aim was to record the successes (and failures) of growing Australian species in various localities. Over the years these Groups have contributed valuable data which is assisting today's growers. But there is still a great deal to learn...\nStudy Groups undertake the study of some particular aspect of Australian plants (usually a genus or a related group of genera) and there are currently 18 Study Groups Australia wide. The number of Study Groups may increase or decrease depending on the level of interest in a particular genus or group. Some groups are active for just a few years while others exist more or less permanently.\nEach Study Group consists of a leader, active members who participate in any studies and (sometimes) a number of passive members who receive Group newsletters but take no active part in the Group's activities. Study Group leaders usually charge a small fee to cover expenses such as newsletter production and postage.\nMembership of a Study Group can vary from a few members to over 200. All members of Study Groups must be members of an ANPSA-affiliated Regional Society. Study Group leaders report to the ANPSA Study group Coordinator.\nActive members collect information on the plants being studied and forward their observations to the leader who collates and publishes the information, usually in a newsletter or in other Society publications. The type of observations recorded can be any aspect of cultivation, propagation and ecology of the plants under study. All Study Groups are expected to publish at least two newsletters per year.\nNot all Study Groups have meetings. The Study Group leader may reside in one Region and members may be spread over a number of Regions. Where there are a number of members in close proximity to each other they may conduct up to four meetings a year amongst themselves. Some large Groups have meetings in more than one Region. These meetings are usually in members homes where there maybe a guest speaker with a digital presentation, a exchange of cutting material, a demonstration on propagation, a garden inspection, discuss items from or for Study Group newsletters or discuss growing conditions and arrange further field or home garden inspections.\nSome Study groups have excursions in the form of visits to members gardens, public gardens or field trips to investigate particular plant species in the wild. Occasionally a Study group will be invited to put on a display at a flower show or plant sale.\n|Left: Brachychiton discolor. Right: Banksia heliantha (syn. Dryandra quercifolia)\nPhotos: Brian Walters\nStudy Groups allow members with specific interests to develop that interest to the fullest extent and to contribute in a practical way to the body of knowledge on the Australian flora.\nPhoto: Brian Walters\nPhoto: Brian Walters\nFor further information on each current Study Group, please use the following links.\nThe following Study Groups are now closed, or are temporarily in recess, but the Groups' newsletters are available for download. Newsletters of other closed groups will be added if they become available:", "label": "No"}
{"text": "As a geoscientist you investigate the earth’s natural processes such as its soils, oceans and atmosphere. Your results are then used to help solve environmental problems and inform government policies to improve the quality of human life.\nWhat the job looks like\nstarts at $51,521 up to $173,731+\n- Working outdoors\n- Constantly learning about how the earth works\n- Helping to solve environmental problems\n- Potential to travel\nThe not so good\n- Spending time away from friends and family on field trips\n- Working in all kinds of weather\nGeoscientists work to understand the natural process of the Earth, atmosphere and other planets. This research is then used to reconstruct the past and forecast the future in areas such as climate change, sustainability and managing waste.\nAs a geoscientist you will travel to all kinds of locations as part of a field trip where you will collect information and samples to inform your research. You will need to have a thorough understanding of the Earth which includes all sciences. Geoscientists rely on physics, biology and chemistry to help answer some of the questions that pose real problems for our society.\nMath skills are also important to record and interperet data, take accurate measurements and make predicitions about the future based on scientific evidence. You also need to be a good writer and speaker to inform other people about your research findings.\nIf you like solving problems and can think analytically, then a career as a geoscientist could be for you.\nIt’s a dream job, I am pursuing a hobby and you can’t get better than that.\nPathways to this career\nSubject suggestions for the HSC\nChoosing your HSC subjects from this list could really help with your career. Think carefully about what you want to study after school as you might need to choose specific HSC subjects for that course and to count towards your ATAR (Australian Tertiary Admission Rank). An ATAR is your academic rank in relation to other HSC students and helps with University admission.\nSome subjects will count towards your ATAR, others will not. Check with your career advisor before making subject selections.\n- English (Advanced or higher)\n- Mathematics (2 unit or higher)\n- Earth and Environmental Science\nWhat can I do after I have finished school?\nStudying one of these degrees can help with your career.\n- Bachelor of Science\n- Bachelor of Environmental Science\n- Bachelor of Geology\n- Focus on geoscience for school assignments where possible\n- See if there are any local organisations with a geoscience focus that you can meet with or ask to take you on a tour\n- Lead a healthy lifestyle as fitness is important to be able to work in various environments\n- Go to career expos and events like university Open Days for information about what you will study", "label": "No"}
{"text": "At a Glance This fun book is a perfect way for young children to learn about letters. Features and benefits for ELC Wipe Clean Alphabet Book This fun book is a perfect way for young children to learn about letters. Children are encouraged to draw over the dotted lines to finish the letters in each brightly-illustrated scene. Each page is wipe-clean so that children can write on them with the special pen over and over again. Warning: Not suitable for children under 36 months because of small parts. Choking Hazard. Ink from pen may not be washable.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "MINNEAPOLIS / ST. PAUL--In a discovery that opens the door to understanding--and designing drugs to treat--virulence in infectious yeast, University of Minnesota scientists have found a way to induce the yeast, Candida albicans, to mate. Sexual mating was previously unknown in the yeast, which ranks among the top five causes of infections in immunocompromised or debilitated patients. The process of mating is a necessary basis for genetic experiments that could reveal the genes involved in virulence and allow development of new drugs to counteract those genes. The work will appear in the July 14 issue of Science.\n\"We've been looking for this phenomenon in all the 20 years we've been working with Candida albicans,\" said Beatrice Magee, first author of the report and a senior scientist at the unversity. \"We've been able to take important findings from other laboratories and synthesize them to make our discovery.\" Her co-author is P.T. Magee, profressor of genetics, cell biology and development.\nCandida albicans causes a variety of infections, including vaginitis and a life-threatening infection common to AIDS patients that prohibits swallowing. If it gets into the bloodstream, it can grow in kidneys or heart valves, especially artificial valves, and cause heart failure, P.T. Magee said.\nThe scientists induced yeast cells, which normally are diploid--that is, they have two sets of each chromosome--to fuse, forming cells with four sets of each chromosome. But in order for scientists to see patterns of inheritance that allow genes to be mapped, a second step must occur. In that step, called meiosis, each cell would split into two daughter cells that receive two copies of each chromosome in random combinations.\n\"This step almost certainly exists,\" said P.T. Magee. \"We're working hard to find it, and when we do, it'll be easy to make all kinds of yeast strains that will help us find out what genes are important in virulence.\" Once the genes and their functions are identified, scientists can work on designing drugs to counteract those functions.\nCandida has eight chromosomes, and the ability to mate is governed by a gene on chromosome 5. That gene comes in two forms, \"a\" and \"alpha.\" Most cells isolated in clinical settings have both forms, one on each copy of chromosome 5. Such \"a/alpha\" cells cannot mate. Sometimes, however, a cell loses one copy of a chromosome. The University of Minnesota team found that they could screen for cells that had lost one copy of chromosome 5. Such cells carry either the a or the alpha form of the gene, and so can be mated--but only with cells carrying the opposite form.\nWhen scientists get Candida cells to carry mating to completion--that is, through meiosis--it will be possible to sort out genes suspected of playing a role in the yeast's ability to cause illness, P.T. Magee said. For example, it may be that several genes perform similar functions, but whether those functions play a role in causing illness will only be testable when the individual genes are separated, through mating, into different progeny clones. Once those genes are identified and characterized, drugs can be designed to target them.\n\"Such drugs will save the lives of many debilitated patients and will make procedures like heart transplants much safer than they are today,\" said P.T. Magee.\nCite This Page:", "label": "No"}
{"text": "A group of Iroquois people.\nThe Iroquois Indians, also called the Iroquois Confederacy or the Iroquois League, were actually a group of smaller tribes (also called nations). There were originally five nations: the Cayuga, Mohawk, Oneida, Onondaga, and Seneca. In the 1700's, the Tuscarora, the sixth nation, joined the Iroquois League. The Iroquois League was founded to keep peace among its members. Each nation functioned on its own and had slightly different cultures and traditions.\nThe Iroquois grew corn,\nbeans, and squash.\nThe Iroquois originally lived in present-day New York, but at one point, they had conquered parts of northeastern United States and eastern Canada. Because they chose to side with the British in American Revolution, about half of the Iroquois were forced to flee to southern Ontario in 1779, where most of their descendants live today.\nIroquois traded with settlers for\nguns, such as the rifle shown\nin the picture above.\nThe Iroquois had a matrilineal system, which meant that property was passed down from mother to daughter. Though the Iroquois lived mostly off of crops the women grew, including corn, beans, and squash, the men also hunted animals such as deer, elk, and fish. Though they were a very fierce tribe, the Iroquois traded a lot with their neighbors by the time the first settlers came. The first settlers were the French, who began to set up a fur trade in the area. The Iroquois gave the settlers furs and in return, the French gave them guns and steel and other materials.\nIroquois chiefs, in charge of\nthe military and negotiation,\ncould only be men.\nThe Iroquois government had a complex system of checks and balances that influenced America's own Constitution. The Iroquois also had a council, resembling the United States' Congress, which consisted of a certain number of male representatives from each nation, who were chosen by the women of the nation. Women in the Iroquois nations were in charge of agricultural and property decisions, but the tribe's chiefs, who were in charge of the military and negotiations, had to be male.\nIroquois men had\ndifferent hairstyles. Many\npreferred a \"Mohawk\".\nThe Iroquois built and lived in longhouses, which were made of wood and could end up being around one hundred feet! One clan, usually sixty or so people, lived in each longhouse. Men wore breechcloths and women wore skirts and tunics. Both men and women wore moccasins and heavy robes in the winter. Many Iroquois men would shave their heads completely except for a line down the center. This hairstyle came to be called the \"Mohawk\".\nUsually, the Iroquois filled\ntheir drums with water, giving\nit an interesting sound.\nThe Iroquois used mostly the flute and the drum in their music. Usually, they would fill their drums with water to give their songs a unique touch. The Iroquois were famous for their beadwork and mask-carving, which they considered a sacred art. They also became famous as the inventors of lacrosse. Lacrosse was considered a test of strength and stamina, and the Iroquois used it for various reasons, ranging from mere entertainment to celebrating religious festivals.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "Confused about plastic?\nIf the number in the triangle is a 3, 6, or 7, skip it.\nNumber 3 plastics are easy to remember by the 3 letters PVC (or vinyl). This plastic often contains lead, cadmium, phthalates, and DEHA – all of which are toxic to humans. PVC makes the rounds, appearing in toys, shower curtains, cling wrap, some plastic squeeze bottles, plumbing, and furniture. Fortunately, we have noses that can help tip us off as PVC has a distinct plastic-y smell.\nNumber 6 plastics or polystyrene contain styrene, which is toxic to the brain and nervous system, and additives in number 6 plastics act like estrogen, which may be linked with breast cancer. Avoid this plastic in styrofoam, egg cartons, cups, carry out containers, and opaque plastic cutlery.\nPolycarbonate plastic (7) contains bisphenol A (BPA), another chemical which mimics estrogen and linked with breast cancer. Hard, shatterproof bottles often contain this. Switch to stainless steel or glass bottles to reduce exposure.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "Our Iceberg Is Melting: Changing and Succeeding under Any Conditions\nMost of the denizens of the Antarctic penguin colony sneer at Fred, the quiet but observant scout who detects worrying signs that their home, an iceberg, is melting. Fred must cleverly convince and enlist key players, such as Louis, the head penguin; Alice, the number two bird; the intractable NoNo the weather expert; and a passle of school-age penguins if he is to save the colony. Their delightfully told journey illuminates in an unforgettable way how to manage the necessary change that surrounds us all. Simple explanatory material following the fable enhances the lasting value of these lessons.\nOur Iceberg Is Melting is at once charming, accessible and profound; a treat for virtually any reader.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "The type of information about space that is interesting to children includes the number and nature of the planets, the different objects in the universe and the size and nature of the sun. Children find it fascinating to learn that the sun is actually a star that sits at the centre of the solar system. The sun's diameter is 110 times bigger than the earth's and that the sun alone makes up over 99 percent of the solar system's mass.Continue Reading\nMore interesting solar system information for kids includes the number of objects that go around the sun, the reason why these objects orbit around the sun and when the solar system was formed. Objects that orbit the sun are the eight planets, asteroids, comets, meteoroids and moons. These objects orbit the sun because of the sun's gravity. Scientists believe that the solar system was formed over 4.6 billion years ago.\nThere are many moons in the solar system. Planet earth has one moon, Venus and Mars have no moons while the rest of the other planets combined have more than 160 moons. The first person to set foot on the earth's moon was Neil Armstrong. The moon orbits the earth every 28 days. Saturn is the planet with three rings around it. Jupiter, Uranus and Neptune also have rings around them.Learn more about Universe", "label": "No"}
{"text": "Build a resilient infrastructure, promote broad-based and sustainable industrialization and support innovation\nThe Agenda 2030\nSDG 9 focuses according to the UN (2015, pp. 21-22) on the establishment of a resilient infrastructure, the advancement of a wide-ranged and sustainable industrialization and the support of innovations. SDG 9 addresses the economic sphere of sustainability with its main pillars while a sustainable transformation of the infrastructure, sustainability-oriented R&D and innovation are strongly considered as enablers for the fulfillment of several other SDGs as well. Due to the increasing influence of the megatrend “circular economy” on European economies and market conditions, SDG 9 is embedded in its larger context (acatech, 2020).\nThe main research question within Target 9.1 is how the infrastructure can be transformed to enable a sustainable development of enterprises and how the infrastructure itself can be designed and operated more sustainably. The high importance of target 9.1 for Austria is underlined by the strong dependence of society, economy and connected sustainable developments on a sustainable and highly developed infrastructure.\nTarget 9.5 focuses on a qualitative shift towards sustainability-oriented R&D and innovation in science and industry. This shift should assist the priorization of innovations and technologies that contribute towards solving the challenges posed by sustainability, whereas those that obstruct this development should be abolished or prevented. The described steps create the basis to develop and implement new sustainable products, technologies, processes, business models and organizational structures.\nSDG 9 Targets:*\n9.1 Develop quality, reliable, sustainable and resilient infrastructure, including regional and transborder infrastructure, to support economic development and human well-being, with a focus on affordable and equitable access for all\n9.2 Promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and, by 2030, significantly raise industry’s share of employment and gross domestic product, in line with national circumstances, and double its share in least developed countries\n9.3 Increase the access of small-scale industrial and other enterprises, in particular in developing countries, to financial services, including affordable credit, and their integration into value chains and markets\n9.4 By 2030, upgrade infrastructure and retrofit industries to make them sustainable, with increased resource-use efficiency and greater adoption of clean and environmentally sound technologies and industrial processes, with all countries taking action in accordance with their respective capabilities\n9.5 Enhance scientific research, upgrade the technological capabilities of industrial sectors in all countries, in particular developing countries, including, by 2030, encouraging innovation and substantially increasing the number of research and development workers per 1 million people and public and private research and development spending\n9.a Facilitate sustainable and resilient infrastructure development in developing countries through enhanced financial, technological and technical support to African countries, least developed countries, landlocked developing countries and small island developing States 18\n9.b Support domestic technology development, research and innovation in developing countries, including by ensuring a conducive policy environment for, inter alia, industrial diversification and value addition to commodities\n9.c Significantly increase access to information and communications technology and strive to provide universal and affordable access to the Internet in least developed countries by 2020\n*The targets in italics will be scientifically examined by the UniNEtZ and options to fulfill this target by 2030 will be developed. The Targets 9.2, 9.3, 9.a, 9.b and 9.c will not be considered, as the UniNEtZ has no expertise in this area.\nSituation in Austria\nThe situation of SDG 9 (Sustainability-oriented transformation of industry, innovation and infrastructure), is as follows in Austria:\nWith respect to developing quality, reliable, sustainable and resilient infrastructure (target 9.1), total freight transport increased strongly, whereas the portion of railroad transport decreased in recent years. Regarding the reuse, recycling and waste infrastructure, approximately 3,100 waste processing and elimination facilities were operated in Austria in 2018 (BMK, 2020). Infrastructure for a separate collection of waste and reusable materials is already well-established. However, high-tech sorting facilities are missing.\nConcerning the enhancement of scientific research and the upgrade of technological capabilities of industrial sectors (target 9.5), the R&D expenses accounted for 12.69 billion euro (2019). The R&D quota (proportion of R&D expenses of the Austrian GDP) is 3.18 %, which lies within the leading group of Europe (BMBWF, BMK, & BMDW, 2020). Strengths within the Austrian R&D environment are the collaboration with various partners or the number of patent applications. Weaknesses exist about the employment levels within research-intensive areas or the creation and advancement of a research-friendly environment (European Commission, 2019).\nThe challenges for Austria in SDG 9 are the increasing volume of freight transport together with the decreasing importance of rail traffic. Moreover, modernization and digitization of reuse and recycling structures play an essential role in supporting a transformation towards a circular economy.\n(based on the options report to be published)\nThe options elaborated by the SDG groups are to serve as a means of communicating to the federal government which concrete options can be set by Austria in order to implement the 2030 Agenda with its 17 Sustainable Development Goals. The options report will be published on 02.12.2021.\n- Option 9.1: Development and advancement of a sustainability-oriented freight transport infrastructure (“from roads to rails”)\n- Option 9.2: Establishment and modernization of a sustainability-oriented reuse and recycling infrastructure\n- Option 9.3: Advancement of sustainability- and circularity-oriented R&D\n- Option 9.4: Circular Economy Innovation & Technology Roadmap\nacatech – Deutsche Akademie für Technikwissenschaften (2020). Circular Business Models: Overcoming Barriers, Unleashing Potentials: Report of the Working Group on Circular Business Models, Circular Economy Initiative Deutschland. Executive Summary and Recommendations. acatech – Deutsche Akademie der Technikwissenschaften e.V. (acatech); Circular Economy Initiative Deutschland (CEID); SYSTEMIQ Ltd., Munich, Germany.\nAbgerufen von https://en.acatech.de/publication/circular-business-models-overcoming-barriers-unleashing-potentials/\nBundesministerium für Bildung, Wissenschaft und Forschung (BMBWF), Bundesministerium für Klimaschutz, Umwelt, Energie, Mobilität, Innovation und Technologie (BMK), Bundesministerium für Digitalisierung und Wirtschaftsstandort (BMDW) (Hrsg.) (2020a). Österreichischer Forschungs- und Technologiebericht 2020. Lagebericht gem. § 8 (1) FOG über die aus Bundesmitteln geförderte Forschung, Technologie und Innovation in Österreich. Wien.\nAbgerufen von https://www.bmbwf.gv.at/Themen/Forschung/Forschung-in-%C3%96sterreich/Services/FTB.html\nBundesministerium für Klimaschutz, Umwelt, Energie, Mobilität, Innovation und Technologie (BMK) (Hrsg.) (2020). Die Bestandsaufnahme der Abfallwirtschaft in Österreich: Statusbericht 2020. Wien.\nAbgerufen von https://www.bmk.gv.at/themen/klima_umwelt/abfall/aws/bundes_awp/bawp.html.\nEuropäische Kommission (EC). (2019). European Innovation Scoreboard 2019.\nAbgerufen von https://ec.europa.eu/docsroom/documents/36281\nVereinte Nationen (UN). (2015). Resolution der Generalversammlung, verabschiedet am 25. September 2015 – 70/1. Transformation unserer Welt: die Agenda 2030 für nachhaltige Entwicklung. Deutsche Fassung.\nAbgerufen von http://www.un.org/Depts/german/gv-70/band1/ar70001.pdf", "label": "No"}
{"text": "On January 23rd 2014, McKissick Museum is showcasing an exhibition that celebrates the history of South Carolina’s rural counties in a casing called Photography of the Rural South. The exhibit is comprised of photographs taken by USC students from a newly established southern studies course provided by the University of South Carolina. This course gives a chance to students with no prior experience in photography to express themselves visually while providing viewers a glimpse of geographic beauty that is often overlooked. Throughout this course students traveled through various parts of South Carolina gathering footage, meeting residents, and capturing history, and in the process turned a mere elective course into a class to remember.\nOriginated by Kathleen Robbins, a USC photography professor, this course embodies the pure essence and nature of documentary photography. From establishing a composition to changing the ISO and shutter speed to their preference, these students have been able to take their lens and make it an extension of their sight and mind. After walking through the gallery with Edward Puchner, Curator of Exhibitions, I couldn’t help but pay more attention to subtle beauties that surrounded me, to the things I couldn’t catch in the fast-paced life that our society is so deeply submerged in. I don’t want to use the cliché, “a picture is worth a thousand words,” if only because some of them were worth more. Photographs of dilapidated houses on a scattered street tell a story of towns that use to be festive and active. Now, they’re just a solemn reminder of when things were very different.\nWhile making my way around the exhibit, Puchner explained to me the significance and history that some of these photographs possess. The Orangeburg Massacre, a protest in South Carolina history that will never be forgotten, took place at a bowling alley near SC State University and resulted in the death of three with nine injured. Citizens were protesting the absurdity of South Carolina’s segregation laws. Though half a century has passed since then, a student’s photograph taken of the alley’s worn and tattered sign serves as a reminder of where South Carolina was and how far it has come.\nCapturing beauty in its simplest form can be difficult due to how fast society is evolving around us. Everything is just a pocket reach away when the “world” can be accessed in one’s phone. Rarely does one walk through a park to take in the atmosphere or stroll through a garden to absorb its aesthetics. However, walking around the McKissick Gallery reminded me of subtler times when one could just be their self because it was the only thing that life demanded.\nWesley Young, Jasper Intern\nMcKissick Museum will be opening Photography of the Rural South on Thursday, January 23, 2014, with a reception from 5:30 – 7:30 pm. The exhibition runs through May 10, 2014.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary\n) Rennet. See Reed\n2. (imp. & p. p.) of Read.\n3. (v. t.) To advise; to counsel.\n4. (v. t.) To interpret; to explain; as, to read a riddle.\n5. (v. t.) To tell; to declare; to recite.\n6. (v. t.) To go over, as characters or words, and utter aloud, or recite to one's self inaudibly; to take in the sense of, as of language, by interpreting the characters with which it is expressed; to peruse; as, to read a discourse; to read the letters of an alphabet; to read figures; to read the notes of music, or to read music; to read a book.\n7. (v. t.) Hence, to know fully; to comprehend.\n8. (v. t.) To discover or understand by characters, marks, features, etc.; to learn by observation.\n9. (v. t.) To make a special study of, as by perusing textbooks; as, to read theology or law.\n10. (v. i.) To give advice or counsel.\n11. (v. i.) To tell; to declare.\n12. (v. i.) To perform the act of reading; to peruse, or to go over and utter aloud, the words of a book or other like document.\n13. (v. i.) To study by reading; as, he read for the bar.\n14. (v. i.) To learn by reading.\n15. (v. i.) To appear in writing or print; to be expressed by, or consist of, certain words or characters; as, the passage reads thus in the early manuscripts.\n16. (v. i.) To produce a certain effect when read; as, that sentence reads queerly.\n17. (v. t.) Saying; sentence; maxim; hence, word; advice; counsel. See Rede.\n18. (v.) Reading.\n19. (v.) imp. & p. p. of Read, v. t. & i.\n20. (a.) Instructed or knowing by reading; versed in books; learned.\nStrong's Hebrew7123. qera -- to call, read out or aloud...\n<< 7122, 7123. qera. 7124 >>. to call, read\nout or aloud. Transliteration:\nqera Phonetic Spelling: (ker-aw') Short Definition: read\n. ... /hebrew/7123.htm - 6k\n7121. qara -- to call, proclaim, read\n... << 7120, 7121. qara. 7122 >>. to call, proclaim, read. Transliteration: qara Phonetic\nSpelling: (kaw-raw') Short Definition: call. Word Origin a prim. ...\n/hebrew/7121.htm - 7k\n3045. yada -- to know\n... notice (2), observe (2), perceive (1), perceived (1), possibly know (1), predict\n(1), professional mourners (1), provided (1), raped (1), read* (1), realize (1 ...\n/hebrew/3045.htm - 8k\n5612. sepher -- a missive, document, writing, book\n... books (2), certificate (3), deed (6), deeds (3), illiterate* (1), indictment (1),\nletter (14), letters (15), literate* (1), literature (2), read* (1), scroll (6 ...\n/hebrew/5612.htm - 6k", "label": "No"}
{"text": "2002 WORLD BOOK ENCYCLOPEDIA\nHinduism, the major religion of India, is one of the oldest\nliving religions in the world. The roots of Hinduism date to prehistoric times\nin India. About 750 million people practice the religion. Although most Hindus\nlive in India, Hindu literature and philosophy have influenced people throughout\nThrough the centuries, Hinduism has been the most important influence on the culture of India. For example, the caste system of India is a basic part of Hinduism. The caste system determines the way of life of most Hindus, including what occupations they enter.\nBeliefs of Hinduism. Hinduism developed gradually over thousands of years, and many cultures and religions helped shape it. Many sects (groups) arose within Hinduism, and each developed its own philosophy and form of worship. Like most religions, Hinduism has basic beliefs about divinities, life after death, and personal conduct.\nSacred writings. Hinduism has no single book that is the source of its doctrines. But it has many sacred writings, all of which have contributed to its fundamental beliefs. The most important include the Vedas, the Puranas, the Ramayana, the Mahabharata with its section called the Bhagavad-Gita, and the Manu Smriti.\nThe Vedas are the oldest Hindu scriptures and are older than the sacred writings of any other major religion. The teachings of the Vedas existed for centuries before they were finally written down. There are four Vedas--the Rigveda, the Samaveda, the Yajurveda, and the Atharvaveda. Each has four parts--the Samhitas, the Brahmanas, the Aranyakas, and the Upanishads. The Samhitas contain prayers and hymns and are the oldest part. The Brahmanas deal with ritual and theology and include explanations of the Samhitas. The Aranyakas and the Upanishads are works of mysticism and philosophy written as dialogues.\nThe Puranas are long verse stories that contain many important Hindu myths about Hindu gods and goddesses and the lives of great Hindu heroes. They also describe the Hindu beliefs about how the world began and how it periodically ends and is reborn.\nThe Ramayana and the Mahabharata are long epics. The Ramayana tells of Prince Rama and his attempts to rescue Sita, who has been kidnapped by the demon king Ravana. The Mahabharata describes a conflict between the Pandavas and the Kauravas, two families who are cousins. Generally, the Pandavas are considered to be morally and ethically superior to the Kauravas.\nThe Bhagavad-Gita, a philosophical work, forms part of the Mahabharata. In it, the god Krishna and the Pandava warrior Arjuna discuss the meaning and nature of existence.\nThe Manu Smriti (Code of Manu) is a basic source of Hindu religious and social law. Part of the Manu Smriti sets forth the basis of the caste system.\nDivinities. Early Hindus worshiped gods that represented powers in nature, such as rain and the sun. Gradually, some Hindus came to believe that, though divinities appear in separate forms, these forms are part of one universal spirit called Brahman. These Hindus believe that many divinities make up Brahman. The most important ones are Brahma, the creator of the universe; Vishnu, its preserver; and Shiva, its destroyer.\nOne of the most important Hindu divinities is Shiva's wife, who has several names. She is best known as Durga, Kali, Parvati, or Uma. As Parvati or Uma, she is the beloved goddess of motherhood. As Durga or Kali, she is the feared goddess of destruction. For many Hindus, these contrasting natures of the goddess represent the way in which time and matter constantly move from birth to death and from creation to destruction. Many Hindus find great religious truth in this symbolism and worship the goddess as their most important divinity.\nAccording to Hindu doctrine, animals as well as human beings have souls. Hindus worship some gods in the form of animals. Cows are sacred, but Hindus also revere monkeys, snakes, and other animals.\nThe six schools of philosophy. Many schools of Hindu thought have developed through the centuries. Six of these schools have become especially prominent. In their traditional order, they are (1) nyaya, (2) vaisheska, (3) sankhya, (4) yoga, (5) purva-mimamsa, and (6) vedanta.\nNyaya deals with logic. Vaisheska concerns the nature of the world. Sankhya examines the origin and evolution of the universe. Yoga is a set of mental and physical exercises designed to free the soul from reliance on the body so that the soul can unite with Brahman. Purva-mimamsa categorizes Vedic texts and rituals. Vedanta interprets especially the Upanishads, the Bhagavad-Gita, and the Brahma Sutra.\nCaste is India's strict system of social classes. The caste system may have existed in some form before Aryan invaders from central Asia attacked India about 1500 B.C. The Aryans or their descendants gradually gained control of most of India. They used the caste system at first to limit contact between themselves and the native Indian people. Later, the caste system became more elaborate and one of the teachings of Hinduism. The Hindu castes are grouped into four main categories, called varnas. In order of rank, these hereditary groups are (1) Brahmans, the priests and scholars; (2) Kshatriyas, the rulers and warriors; (3) Vaisyas, the merchants and professionals; and (4) Sudras, the laborers and servants. The caste system includes thousands of castes, each of which has its own rules of behavior.\nFor centuries, one large group, the untouchables, has existed outside the four varnas and has ranked below the lowest Sudra caste. The untouchables traditionally have had such occupations as tanning, which Hindu law forbids for a member of any caste in the four varnas. The Indian constitution of 1950 outlawed untouchability and gave the group full citizenship. But discrimination against untouchables has not been eliminated.\nThrough the years, the caste system has weakened somewhat, but continues to be a strong influence in Indian life. Some social distinctions have been abandoned, especially in the cities. Many educated Hindus of different castes intermix and work with one another. Formerly, they would have dined with and would have married only members of their own caste.\nReincarnation and karma. Hinduism teaches that the soul never dies. When the body dies, the soul is reborn. This continuous process of rebirth is called reincarnation. The soul may be reborn in an animal or in a human being, but Hindu doctrine is not clear on this point.\nThe law of karma states that every action influences how the soul will be born in the next reincarnation. If a person lives a good life, the soul will be born into a higher state, perhaps into the body of a brahman. If a person leads an evil life, the soul will be born into a lower state, perhaps into the body of a worm. A person's reincarnation continues until he or she achieves spiritual perfection. The soul then enters a new level of existence, called moksha, from which it never returns.\nWorship in temples. Hinduism considers temples as\nbuildings dedicated to divinities. Its followers worship as individuals, not as\ncongregations. Most Hindu temples have many shrines, each of which is devoted to\na divinity. Each temple also has one principal shrine devoted to a single\nimportant god or goddess.\nThe shrines portray the divinities in sculptured images. Hindus treat these images as living human beings. Every day, for example, priests wash and dress the images and bring them food. Hindus do not consider this custom idol worship. They believe the divinities are actually present in the images.\nHindu temples hold annual festivals commemorating events in the lives of the divinities. Huge crowds gather for these festivals. They come to worship, to pray for assistance, and to enjoy the pageantry of the event. Millions of Hindus visit temples along the Ganges River, the most sacred river in India.\nWorship in the home. Many observances of Hinduism take place in the home. Most homes have a shrine devoted to a divinity chosen by the family. In most homes, the husband or wife conducts the daily family worship. A number of important ceremonies are performed at home, including the one in which boys officially become members of the Hindu community. Other religious ceremonies include marriage ceremonies and rituals that are connected with pregnancy and childbirth.\nWorship of saints. Hindus worship both living and dead men as saints. Some saints may be yogis (men who practice yoga), and others may be gurus (spiritual teachers). Hinduism has many local and regional saints, rather than official saints for all its followers. A Hindu village, tribe, or religious order may elevate its own heroes or protectors to sainthood. Many Hindu monks and nuns have joined together in religious orders under the leadership of a saint.\nContributor: Charles S. J. White, Ph.D., Professor Emeritus of Philosophy and Religion, The American University.\nFlood, Gavin. An Introduction to Hinduism. Cambridge, 1996.\nKlostermaier, Klaus K. A Survey of Hinduism. 2nd ed. State Univ. of N. Y. Pr., 1994.\nPowell, Barbara. Windows into the Infinite: A Guide to the Hindu Scriptures. Asian Humanities, 1996.\nSharma, Arvind. Hinduism for Our Times. Oxford, 1996.\nSullivan, Bruce M. Historical Dictionary of Hinduism. Scarecrow, 1997.\nViswanathan, Ed. Am I a Hindu? The Hinduism Primer. Halo Bks., 1992.\nWORD FAITH INDEX\nCATHOLIC CHURCH INDEX", "label": "No"}
{"text": "Thomas Paine, Rights of Man\nIt was the Greek heritage of Democracy and the Roman Republic that inspired the American thinkers and revolutionaries not the Judeo-Christian Kings & the Dark Ages of Christian Europe. It was the Roman Republic of Cicero that was the inspiration not Christian Europe that ushered in more Kings and Church state power.\nDr. Joe Wolverton II\nCicero lived from approximately 106 B.C. to 43 B.C. John Adams, in his Defense of the Constitution, said of Cicero: “All of the ages of the world have not produced a greater statesman and philosopher united than Cicero…” First as a lawyer, then as a consul and senator, Cicero boldly defended the republic against the rise of dictators.\nJohn and Abigail Adams wrote over a thousand letters to each other during the months (sometimes years) that John was away from home helping found a new nation.\nAs was the custom of the time, they adopted pen names:\n- Abigail was Diana, after the Roman goddess of the moon and later she adopted the pen name, Portia, wife of the great Roman politician Brutus.\n- John adopted the name, Lysander, after the Spartan war hero.\nGeorge Washington was sometimes called an American Cincinnatus because he too held his command only until the defeat of the British and, at a time when he could have chosen to exercise great political power, instead returned as soon as he could to cultivating his lands. After the end of the Revolutionary War, a group of former officers in the (now) American army formed The Society of the Cincinnati, taking the name from the Roman general. The city of Cincinnati was named after this organization, and a statue of Cincinnatus stands there today.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "Angela Fernandez, University of Toronto Faculty of Law, has published Tapping Reeve, Nathan Dane, and James Kent: Three Fading Federalists on Marital Unity. Here is the abstract.\nTapping Reeve wrote in his treatise on the law of husband and wife, Baron and Femme (1816), that husband and wife were not one person in law. His rejection of Blackstone’s maxim is not as well-known as it should be. Yet, his position was not idiosyncratic, as it was also adopted by Nathan Dane in his important General Abridgment and Digest of American Law (1823). However, James Kent did not follow it in his Commentaries on American Law (1826-30). This paper explores whether Dane’s agreement with Reeve in rebelling against marital unity was based on their New England background (Reeve lived in Connecticut and Dane in Massachusetts), which Kent (from New York) simply did not share. Reeve, Dane, and Kent were all “Fading Federalists,” using their legal expertise and their position as law book writers and law teachers as a way to continue to exert influence lost to them in the political world. They turned to the creation of an American common law as a way to continue to have influence on what America would become. Like Reeve, Dane was involved in various moral campaigns, including the temperance movement, which was an early kind of women’s movement. He was also religious like Reeve and against slavery -- according to some, Dane was responsible for the anti-slavery clause in the North West Ordinance. Kent was not interested in these causes or interests and, indeed, considered those who were to be fanatics or zealots. This helps explain why, when he wrote about married women he was inclined to choose the traditional English approach, Coke and Blackstone, over the indigenous position that jurists in New England were cultivating that sought to emphasize the rights of married women.Download the paper from SSRN at the link.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "(see: juvenile RA menu)\n- definition: < 4 involved joints.\n- most frequently encoutered subgroup, accouting for 30-40% of JRA;\n- peak age is 2-4 years\n- more common in girls (4x)\n- differential dx\n- begins w/ incidious onset which can be painless\n- swelling, warmth, and restriction of motion are common sx;\n- knee, ankle, and elbow (& wrist) may be involved (initial involvement of hip or neck is uncommon);\n- systemic signs are absent;\n- chronic iridocyclitis:\n- is a common symptom (20-35 %) at the time of diagnosis\n- w/ iridocyclitis, ANA will usually be positive;\n- may precede or follow the arthritis;\n- note that incidious blindness may occur 2nd to adhesions.\n- posterior synechiae: deform the pupil;\n- cataract formation;\n- ref: Prevalence and outcome of uveitis in a regional cohort of patients with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis.\n- ESR and WBC are frequently normal;\n- RF is rarely positive (if RF is positive then consider polyarticular arthritis);\n- 1/2 of patients have a positive ANA\n- however positive titers are not exceedingly high ( < 1:320)\n- if test is negative, note that it may become positive w/ time;\n- good prognosis: 70% will be in remission 15 yrs after onset.\n- < 15% have severe joint destruction or disability;\n- subluxation of the knee may occur;\n- disease may last several years;\n- leg length inequality may occur (either larger or smaller)\n- usually occurs w/ knee involvment.\n- if JRA occurs before age 9, tend to get overgrowth (< 3cm)\n- affected hip jont: in young patient there is premature growth arrest of the acetabulum and the femoral head)\n- if JRA occurs after age 9, may get premature closure which may cause subtanial shortening ( > 6 cm)", "label": "No"}
{"text": "Originally Memorial Day was called Decoration Day - the tradition began on May 30, 1868 with decorating graves of Civil War soldiers with flowers, wreaths and flags. The name was changed to Memorial Day in 1950 calling on Americans to observe each Memorial Day as a day of prayer for permanent peace and designating a period on that day when the people of the United States might unite in prayer. In 1971 President Nixon changed it to a National Holiday in order to honor the men and women who died in all wars.\nSome of the ways to honor our Veterans include:\nPutting flags or flowers on the graves of men and women who served in wars\nFly the U.S Flag at half-staff until noon\nVisit monuments dedicated to soldiers, sailors and marines\nParticipate in a National Moment of Remembrance at 3 pm local time\nMarch in / attend a parade\nSo thank you to our Veterans - those who served so bravely. We thank the families of those who gave their lives for our country. Thank you to our Veterans and our current men and women in all branches of the military - we thank you for the fact you are willing to lay down your lives for our country. May you stay safe.\nWe honor these brave men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice. Your sacrifice was not in vain.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "Study: Speech processing requires both sides of our brainJanuary 15th, 2014 in Neuroscience /\nA new study by Cogan et al proposes that speech processes occur on both sides of the brain and are distinct from language, which occurs on one side, typically on the left. This suggests a revision to the standard model of how speech is linked to language with some processes going through a \"bilateral sensory-motor interface\". Credit: Greg Cogan and Bijan Pesaran\nWe use both sides of our brain for speech, a finding by researchers at New York University and NYU Langone Medical Center that alters previous conceptions about neurological activity. The results, which appear in the journal Nature, also offer insights into addressing speech-related inhibitions caused by stroke or injury and lay the groundwork for better rehabilitation methods.\n\"Our findings upend what has been universally accepted in the scientific community—that we use only one side of our brains for speech,\" says Bijan Pesaran, an associate professor in NYU's Center for Neural Science and the study's senior author. \"In addition, now that we have a firmer understanding of how speech is generated, our work toward finding remedies for speech afflictions is much better informed.\"\nMany in the scientific community have posited that both speech and language are lateralized—that is, we use only one side of our brains for speech, which involves listening and speaking, and language, which involves constructing and understanding sentences. However, the conclusions pertaining to speech generally stem from studies that rely on indirect measurements of brain activity, raising questions about characterizing speech as lateralized.\nTo address this matter, the researchers directly examined the connection between speech and the neurological process.\nSpecifically, the study relied on data collected at NYU ECoG , a center where brain activity is recorded directly from patients implanted with specialized electrodes placed directly inside and on the surface of the brain while the patients are performing sensory and cognitive tasks. Here, the researchers examined brain functions of patients suffering from epilepsy by using methods that coincided with their medical treatment.\n\"Recordings directly from the human brain are a rare opportunity,\" says Thomas Thesen, director of the NYU ECoG Center and co-author of the study.\n\"As such, they offer unparalleled spatial and temporal resolution over other imaging technologies to help us achieve a better understanding of complex and uniquely human brain functions, such as language,\" adds Thesen, an assistant professor at NYU Langone.\nIn their examination, the researchers tested the parts of the brain that were used during speech. Here, the study's subjects were asked to repeat two \"non-words\"—\"kig\" and \"pob.\" Using non-words as a prompt to gauge neurological activity, the researchers were able to isolate speech from language.\nAn analysis of brain activity as patients engaged in speech tasks showed that both sides of the brain were used—that is, speech is, in fact, bi-lateral.\n\"Now that we have greater insights into the connection between the brain and speech, we can begin to develop new ways to aid those trying to regain the ability to speak after a stroke or injuries resulting in brain damage,\" observes Pesaran. \"With this greater understanding of the speech process, we can retool rehabilitation methods in ways that isolate speech recovery and that don't involve language.\"\nMore information: Nature paper: dx.doi.org/10.1038/nature12935\nProvided by New York University\n\"Study: Speech processing requires both sides of our brain.\" January 15th, 2014. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2014-01-speech-requires-sides-brain.html", "label": "No"}
{"text": "Make this spyglass telescope and you will be the first to discover the new world from your make believe perch in the crowsnest of the Santa Maria or spot pirates roaming the seven seas.\nThis spyglass is a little more difficult than the easy spyglass version and would be appropriate for ages 6+ but will require adult assistance/ supervision.\n- Two paper tubes, one which will fit inside the other. -- we painted one of ours (the thinner one) purple before we started\n- Construction paper\n- Wooden sticks (stir sticks or popsicle sticks)\n- scotch tape\n- x-acto knife\n- Optional: plastic wrap\n- You should have two paper tubes that will slide together. We used two toilet paper tubes but you could use paper towel or gift wrap tubes for a longer spyglass.\n- Optional: Take a small square of plastic wrap and cover one end of the outer tube. Secure the plastic wrap with tape. This is the glass lens for your spyglass. Don't worry if it is not neat because you will be covering the edges of the plastic wrap in the next step.\n- Cover the outside of your paper tubes with construction paper (you choose the colors). On the outer tube, add a narrow strip of yellow around the end that has the glass (plastic wrap).\n- Put one tube completely inside the other and use a little bit of tape over one end to keep them together.\n- Note that the tubes we used are not covered to make it easier to see what we have done in the next steps.\n- Make four marks at equal distances around the outside of the tube.\n- Using the a book as a straight edge and the marks you just made, draw four lines down the length of the tube starting and ending about a half inch from the ends.\n- ADULT: Stand the tube up (with the plastic wrap end down) and very carefully cut four slits along the lines you just drew. Make sure that your knife goes through both paper tubes.\n- Push a wooden stick into one of the slits and pull it out of either one of the slits next to it. Do the same for the other side.\n- Trim the wooden sticks so that there is only a little more than a quarter inch exposed on each end.\n- Slide the inner tube out as far as you can. Make sure the the sticks are positioned at the end of the outer tube that is opposite from the glass (plastic wrap).\n- Put a piece of tape beside each stick on the outer tube to close the slit. This will prevent the sticks from moving when you are extending your telescope.\n- Initially, the tubes will not slide very easily. As you use your spyglass it may loosen up and allow the sticks to fall out. To prevent this, you may want to put a small ball of play dough or play clay on the ends of each stick to prevent them from falling out.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "The possibility of a catastrophic asteroid on course to slam into Earth is extremely rare – but, experts say it’s just a matter of time before this threat becomes a reality.\nTo prepare for such an event, NASA has teamed up with the Federal Emergency Management Agency for a series of exercises intended to simulate an asteroid emergency.\nIn the most recent exercise, the experts prepared for a hypothetical object 300-800 feet wide approaching far too quickly to be redirected, necessitating a mass evacuation of the metropolitan Los Angeles area with 100 percent chance of impact.\n‘It’s not a matter of if – but when – we will deal with such a situation,’ said Thomas Zurbuchen, Associate Administrator for NASA’s Science Mission Directorate in Washington.\n‘But unlike any other time in our history, we now have the ability to respond to an impact threat through continued observations, predictions, response planning and mitigation.’\nThe simulation was carried out on Oct 25 in El Segundo, California, and allowed the planetary science community to demonstrate the ways in which it would collect, analyze, and share data about an asteroid predicted to collide with Earth.\nAnd, emergency managers explored the ways in which this data could be used to prepare and warn the public, and respond to a potential threat.\nThe exercise included experts from NASA, FEMA, NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, the Department of Energy’s National Laboratories, the US Air Force, and the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services.\nThe initial estimates stated that the impact could happen anywhere on a long stretch of Earth, including a band that crossed the entire US.\nBut in the fictitious scenario, observations with ground-based telescopes tracking the object for three months determined the chance of impact would actually be 65 percent.\nSubsequent observations were then delayed four months due to the asteroid’s positon relative to the sun, and when they resume in May 2017, the hypothetical impact probability had jumped to 100 percent.\nBy November of that year, the researchers say the fictitious asteroid would strike somewhere along a path between Southern California and the coast of the Pacific Ocean.\nThis scenario describes a timeframe that’s too short to feasibly conduct a deflection mission, meaning the emergency managers must evacuate the region.\nTo do this for the hypothetical emergency, the researchers presented models of the predicted impact footprint, population displacement estimates, and data on the infrastructure damage that would result.\n‘The high degree of initial uncertainty coupled with the relatively long impact warning time made this scenario unique and especially challenging for emergency managers,’ said FEMA National Response Coordination Branch Chief Leviticus A. Lewis.\n‘It’s quite different from preparing for an event with a much shorter timeline, such as a hurricane.’", "label": "No"}
{"text": "Esophageal cancer is relatively common and one of the most deadly of all the associated diseases.\nAs recent as 1998, 12,000 of the 12,300 new cases died of their disease.\nThis is partly because of the location within the body.\nIt’s hard to watch television for more than a few minutes without seeing a commercial about some pharmaceutical product to control heartburn or acid reflux.\nAcid reflux, or stomach acids rising into the esophagus and damaging cells (known as squamous cells), is the leading cause of this disease. These damaged squamous cells lead to more than 80% of all esophageal cancers.\nIt’ll make you think the next time you eat greasy ribs and then reach for the anti-acids.\nWhen damaged squamous cells reproduce and make more abnormal cells, they grow, and invade more of the esophagus.\nOncoming symptoms can be: difficulty swallowing, also known as dysphagia.\nOften times, without realizing it, the victim will change eating habits to compensate for difficult swallowing. They may eat softer foods, less meat, and less bread.\nWhen the problem gets worse, the person may again change their eating habits to compensate. This time they may stop eating solid foods altogether, and change to a liquid diet.\nThe body seems to make excess saliva at this time, and many victims complain of bringing up lots of thick mucus or saliva.\nPain is an additional symptom. This can range from heart burn, to pressure, or burning in the chest. Pain can also be present during, or immediately after, swallowing when food seems to get caught part way down to the stomach.\nBecause of difficult or painful swallowing, many victims lose body weight. It becomes hard to maintain their previous weight when they can't eat as usual.\nSometimes the area around the disease will bleed. When this blood passes through the digestive system, it can cause dark or black stools. Dark stools should always alarm the person that something is wrong somewhere.\nThis takes proper testing to diagnose esophageal cancer.\nIt can involve a barium swallow followed by x-rays. It could also take test to include computed tomography (CT) scans, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), positron emission tomography (PET) scan, or insertion of an endoscope to view the area and take a tissue sample for a biopsy.\nStaging is set as stage 0,1, 2, 3, 4, or recurrent.\nStage-3 usually includes invasion of the lymph nodes, while stage-4 means it has spread to distant sites, organs, or tissues.\nThese include surgery, radiation therapy, and chemotherapy; with surgery beng the most common treatment used.\nDuring surgery, only the cancerous portions and neighboring lymph nodes can be removed, called Esophagectomy...\nThe surgical procedure can remove the entire esophagus and the top portion of the stomach, called Radical Esophagectomy.\nIf the last procedure is used, things get really complex and costly because a new esophagus will need to be constructed of something. They often remove a part of the intestine for this purpose.\nBoth of the above procedures are most likely followed by chemotherapy.\nA newer therapy called Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is sometimes used instead of the above. This therapy uses laser-sensitive Porfirio sodium, a chemical, injected into the tumor site. After injection, a laser beam targets the chemicals to destroy the tumor.\n5-Year rates are as follows:\nWhen the cancer is Localized: 38%: Regional: 20%; and Distant: 3%\nEven including the worst cases, the clinic this author went to in Mexico reports an awesome 85%, 5-year success ratio.\nThis statistic means 5-years after natural treatments for esophageal cancer, 85% of patients were still living and were clear of cancer, or cancer is in remission and causing no symptoms.\nMy Name is Peggy Sue Roberts, the author of this website.\nIn 2007 I lived in Riverside, California, USA when I was diagnosed with stage-4 cancer and told I had as short as 3-months to live.\nOncology almost killed me with chemo, and then sent me home to die.\nI researched the internet, talked to friends, networked, shopped, and found a wonderful Mexican Cancer Clinics which was recommended by a American nationally known investigative reporter.\nHe had researched over 300-natural clinics worldwide and recommended this one particular clinic in Tijuana, BC, Mexico.\nThis clinic has an impressive 85%, 5-year success rate which I’m positive you’ll want to go to!\nAfter a few weeks of non-painful, natural treatments, I walked out of the clinic clear of cancer and ready to live again. I’m sure you can too if you get there in time for them to help you.\n“My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.”\nThe Bible, Hosea 4:6\nThank you for visiting my website. I wish you and your family the best of health and happiness.\nPeggy Sue Roberts, Southern California, USA\nReturn from Esophageal Cancer\nback to Home page.\nRequest Mexican Clinic Contact Information\nWhat to do now:\n1. Complete the request for information located just below.\n2. Receive, and read, the email which will be returned to you immediately after completing the form below (it will be sent to the email address you provide).\n3. If you would like: Call and speak with me and/or my husband, Peggy Sue & Jim Roberts. We have 7-years’ experience with Mexican clinics. Our phone number and email address will be provided in our emails.\n4. Also, if you would like: Call the clinic to obtain a 'Free Confidential Medical Evaluation'.\n5. If you are accepted as a patient, we urge you to reserve your space, and go to this wonderful Mexican Clinic.\nWhat you'll receive\nafter submitting the 'Request' below . . .\n· clinic name\n· doctor’s name and contact info\n· patient coordinator contact info\n· phone numbers\n· website and email addresses\n· my personal referral to the doctor\n· treatment fees for first 3-weeks (as an out-patient)\n· average length of treatment stay at the clinic\n· Much more info, ie: hotel accommodations, travel arrangements to and from the clinic, funding options, safety of the Tijuana business district, statistics of treatment success\nRequest Clinic Mexican Contact Information\n(Please double check your filled-in information for accuracy.)\nI became cancer-free after 3-weeks of natural treatments.\nHi. My name is Peggy Sue Roberts, the author of this website. This is my personal account of surviving stage-4 cancer in 2007.\nI was diagnosed with 22-tumors in my upper body, pronounced that I had terminal stage-4 cancer, and oncology declared that I had as short as 3-months to live.\nWithout giving me a chemo sensitivity test, he then treated me with aggressive high doses of chemo. I had an allergic reaction to the second dose, and it almost killed me in the chair.\nMy oncologist then stated he couldn't do anything else for me, and sent me home to die.\nBy this time I was in late-stage-4 cancer with intense pain. My husband, Jim Roberts, did an exhaustive, wide-spread search to discover natural, alternatives cancer treatments at a Mexican Cancer Clinic. The treatments were non-invasive and not painful in any way.\nThe doctor explained he has a two-pronged approach:\nFirst - he builds up the immune system.\nSecondly - he kills cancer cells at a pace the cancer patient can keep pace with and eliminate them from the body.\nI went to the clinic in March 2007, had 3-weeks of natural, alternative treatments and returned home to California cancer-free.\nMy amazing recovery astonished all my friends and family who were expecting to receive my funeral announcement.\nGo to Request Clinic Contact Information, and I’ll send you the complete contact information of the clinic.\nViewed 5-Year Results: Since 2007 Jim and I have kept track viewing 726 patients surviving 5-years or longer from this clinic.\nMuch like me, you’re here looking for natural, alternative cancer treatments at a Mexican cancer clinic for you, or for a loved one. I am more than confident that this is the clinic and doctor you're searching for.\nThis Mexican clinic has my blessing and my confidence.\nDonations are used for the upkeep of this website. Thank You.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "The right move\nThe discovery of a giant transposable element may lead to breakthroughs in gene therapy\nNematodes, sea urchins and clawed frogs have something in common with the scrumptious Dover sole served up in pricey restaurants, and no sense making you guess. Their genomes are all full of Mavericks, a newly discovered, giant-sized transposable element.\nTransposable elements, or transposons, are mobile genetic elements that jump around in genomes. Biology Assistant Professor Ellen Pritham likens a genome to an ecosystem. Each chromosome is a distinct geographic locale teeming with populations of these mobile elements.\nIn science, the honor of naming goes to the discoverer. Because the bold and distinctive little movers were discovered at UT Arlington, Dr. Pritham and her husband, biology Assistant Professor Cédric Feschotte, named them after UT Arlington’s mascot.\nNearly every organism’s genome has active transposable elements. About half of the human genome is made up of these “jumping genes.” The transposon’s movement may or may not affect genes. If it does, the impact can be positive or it can lead to disease, including cancer.\n“Transposable elements are thought to have no function,” Pritham said. “They are just the baggage carried along by the genome.”\nShe and Dr. Feschotte were working on the genome of a disease-causing organism called Trichomonas vaginalis when they discovered the new group of mobile genetic elements.\n“One very distinctive feature is their size,” Pritham said. “You could safely say they are eight to 10 times bigger than any other mobile element ever reported. So big, in fact, that together they comprise one-third of the Trichomonas genome.”\nThe missing link?\nThe professors and undergraduate student Tasneem Putliwala published a journal article in the August 2006 issue of GENE that detailed how they used computational tools to pinpoint the presence of Mavericks in the genomes of animals as diverse as worms, beetles and fish and in the human parasite Trichomonas vaginalis, where they amount to more than 1,000 copies.\nWhile Mavericks do not inhabit the human genome, their presence in Trichomonas vaginalis is responsible for one of the most widespread sexually transmitted diseases worldwide, trichomoniasis.\n“What we learn about transposable elements in the genome of Trichomonas could help us understand how pathogens can change quickly and how they can become resistant to drugs and chemicals,” Pritham said.\nMavericks appear to be evolutionary and related to adenoviruses, which infect humans and other mammals and have been harnessed as a promising tool for gene therapy. Studying the way Mavericks move within the genome will likely give researchers much more information about adenovirus replication in humans. Pritham and Feschotte further hypothesize that Mavericks represent a missing evolutionary link between seemingly disparate invasive DNA elements such as adenoviruses, plasmids and bacteriophages, the viruses that infect bacteria.\nThe first transposons were discovered in the 1940s by Barbara McClintock, the third woman elected to the National Academy of Sciences. Dr. McClintock’s work on the structure, formation and function of cells (cytogenetics) of corn led her to theorize that genes can move around, an inference she drew by observing changing patterns of coloration in corn kernels.\nMany scientists gave little credence to the theory or thought it had no implications for anything but corn. Eventually, other scientists confirmed McClintock’s breakthrough and expanded her findings to many organisms. She received the Nobel Prize in 1983.\nResearch takes flight\nFeschotte and Pritham, who met at the University of Georgia and married in 2004, may be the only husband and wife team focused on transposon research. The partnership assures that work is not left behind at the end of the day. One evening they were sitting on the couch after dinner perusing a scientific journal when they read an article by a scientist identifying—incorrectly, they believed—a new family of genes.\n“We were up all night, identifying elements,” Pritham said. Turns out the researcher was indeed incorrect. The DNA sequences were not new genes, but part of giant and selfish mobile elements.\nLately, the duo’s research has focused on bats. In the Feb. 6 issue of Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, they report on their latest discovery: the massive proliferation of rolling-circle transposons, or Helitrons, in a small brown bat, Myotis lucifugus, also called a vesper bat. Helitrons are another newly recognized group of transposable elements that previously had been identified only in the genomes of plants, invertebrates and zebrafish.\n“This is the first time that Helitrons were discovered in a mammalian genome,” Feschotte said. “This is exciting because these types of elements are known in plants to cause numerous chromosomal rearrangements and to shuffle genes around as they move within the genome.”\nPritham and Feschotte got to name those elements as well, christening them HeliBats. In their preliminary analysis of the bat genome sequence, they found an amazing quantity of HeliBats—more than 115,000 distinct copies, the largest number of Helitrons ever reported in any species. It was not an overnight invasion. Sequence divergence and cross-species analysis indicate that HeliBats have amplified within the last 30 million-36 million years and are restricted solely to the lineage of vesper bats.\nFeschotte said the mammalian transposable element landscape has been finely delineated for the genomes of humans, mice, rats and dogs. With graduate student John Pace, he recently established the first comprehensive catalog of human DNA transposons. The study published in the April issue of Genome Research shows that the human genomic landscape is rich in varied types of DNA transposons, but no Helitrons have been identified.\nFurthermore, only retrotransposons are known to be recently active in humans and rodents. There has been no evidence of any primate DNA transposons jumping within the last 50 million years. In contrast, Helitrons and many other DNA transposons have exploded in the vesper bat lineage.\nAmong mammals, only rodents are more speciose than bats. Among bats, the vesper has the largest number of species as well as the broadest geographic distribution.\n“The impact that HeliBats may have played in altering the genome organization and contributing to the extraordinary diversification of bats is a fascinating question that we are now actively pursuing,” Feschotte said.\nAnd one that may impact gene therapy.\n— Sue Stevens", "label": "No"}
{"text": "Ou, Ow, Ew Words\nMore Lessons for Grade 3\nVideos, stories and songs to help Grade 3 students learn about Ou, Ow and Ew words with fun.\nOW Phonics Sound Lesson Story\nEW Phonics Sound Lesson Story\nSix sounds of ou\nRotate to landscape screen format on a mobile phone or small tablet to use the Mathway widget, a free math problem solver that answers your questions with step-by-step explanations.\nYou can use the free Mathway calculator and problem solver below to practice Algebra or other math topics. Try the given examples, or type in your own problem and check your answer with the step-by-step explanations.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "Natural Moisturizing Factors (NMFs) are multiple natural substances found in the outermost layer of skin that keep the skin hydrated and help prevent water loss. This blog we will explain all the substances NMFs have.\nCeramides are a type of lipids that are found in the stratum corneum. These lipids help to maintain the skin's barrier function and keep it moisturized.\nThe ceramide content of your moisturizer will vary depending on what ingredients it contains, but you'll want to look for products containing at least 10% ceramides (or higher).\nCholesterol is a waxy substance that is produced by the body. It's found in your skin, as well as your outermost layer of the epidermis and dermis. This natural moisturizer helps maintain elasticity and helps protect against premature aging of the skin.\nFatty acids are a type of lipid (fat) that are found in the stratum corneum and epidermis. They also occur naturally in human skin, where they help to maintain its elasticity, hydration and strength. Fatty acids form bonds with other molecules such as proteins and carbohydrates to create an oil-like substance called sebum. Sebum lubricates your skin so it can move freely without friction or uncomfortable rubbing against itself; it helps protect against environmental damage like windburns or sunburns; it moisturizes your skin by keeping it hydrated at all times; and lastly, it helps keep bacteria from growing on the surface layers of your epidermis\nGlycerol is a humectant, which means it helps retain moisture. It can also be absorbed into the skin and help heal dryness. The glycerin in moisturizers is derived from plants or animals, so it's natural and safe for you to use on your face.\nGlycerin occurs naturally in the human body, but we must first break down fats before they become usable by our cells; this process is called metabolism. When we eat foods high in fat like meat or dairy products (which contain large amounts of cholesterol), our bodies produce an enzyme called lipase that breaks down the fat molecules into smaller pieces called fatty acids or triglycerides—and these smaller lipid chains go through several rounds of oxidation before being used up by other parts of our bodies like cell membranes or nerve endings!\nHyaluronic acid is a naturally occurring polysaccharide that has been found to help the skin retain moisture. It’s also known as hyaluronan and can be found in the skin cells, where it helps keep them hydrated by holding water between the cells. The substance is produced naturally by all mammals, including humans.\nHyaluronic acid works to keep your face looking healthy and youthful by keeping it hydrated throughout each day—and even when you've been outside for hours! That's because as we age, our skin loses its flexibility; this makes us look older than we really are because wrinkles appear more easily on mature faces than young ones do. Hyaluronan helps maintain this elasticity so that wrinkles are less noticeable by keeping your face plumped up with moisture while also making lines disappear faster when they appear on other parts of your body such as lips or hands.\nLactate is a natural moisturizer that is found in the outermost skin layer. It's a byproduct of the breakdown of amino acids, which occurs when you sweat or exercise. Lactate helps keep your skin hydrated and smooth by attracting water from wetness on your body's surface to its interior, where it can then be used for lubrication and protection against friction damage.\nPCA is a humectant that's naturally found in the skin. It's also a natural moisturizing factor (NMF), which means it helps retain moisture in the skin and keep it healthy.\nit has been shown to improve elasticity, increase hydration levels and boost collagen production. The molecules help bind moisture molecules together so that they can work more effectively.\nAs we can see, there are many different kinds of NMFs. They all serve their own unique purpose and have a different effect on the skin. When choosing an NMF moisturizer, you should consider which one is best for your needs and skin type. NMFs are made up of ceramides, fatty acids, glycerol, hyaluronic acid, lactate and PCA. They work together with moisture in your skin to keep it healthy. This layer is called the stratum corneum or just \"skin.\"", "label": "No"}
{"text": "While browsing the Internet today, I came across some fascinating videos that connected upper-level math concepts with real-life applications in an engaging, easy-to-understand way. The videos explore such varied examples as making fireworks and oil production–along with MUCH more!\nThe series are secular series, and I do not agree with some of the examples chosen and ideas presented in the videos, but they do contain very clear, helpful examples of math in action if you discern through some of the conclusions. It might be wise to discuss them together with your students afterward, and explore together what the Bible says about the various topics (the environment, health, etc.)\nIf you’re interested in the videos, I would suggest watching them soon, as the site dropped another video series on math they used to have, and purchasing the DVDs are VERY expensive. I think they rotate the content periodically.\nAnyway, here are the links!", "label": "No"}
{"text": "Is it yesterday's NAV or today's or tomorrow's?Asked\nNet Asset Value or NAV is the fund’s market value per unit. It is the total value of assets being managed in a mutual fund divided by the number of units of the mutual fund. Mutual funds collect money from investors and invest in various investment vehicles such as stocks, bonds, etc. The sum total of the current value of all the assets (stocks, bonds, etc) and the cash they have is called Asset Under Management or AUM. As the price of stocks changes with time, total value of AUM changes and as a result NAV varies.\nNAV= (Total AUM) ÷ (Total Number of Units)\nIf an investor is willing to invest in mutual funds, the amount required is the NAV of the fund multiplied by the number of units purchased by the investor. For example if person A owns 10 units and person B owns 20 units, the amount paid and profit or loss accumulated by the person B will be double to that of person A. NAV of a fund is calculated on the basis of the closing prices at the end of the trading day.\nA person can invest in mutual fund on any business day of the year, but one may or may not get the same day’s NAV. It could be yesterday’s, today’s or tomorrow’s NAV. It depends on the time you submit your application and transfer the money to the fund house. This time is known as cut-off time in a mutual fund and it differs for different types of funds.\nCut off timings for types of funds:\nType of funds - Cutoff timing\nLiquid funds - 2 pm\nEquity funds - 3 pm\nDebt funds - 3 pm\nLiquid funds: The cut off timing for liquid fund is 2 pm. If an investor submits the application and transfer funds before 2 pm, he gets the NAV of the previous day. If he fails to transfer before 2 pm, NAV of the same day on which amount is received by the fund house is applicable.\nEquity and Debt funds: The cut off time for both equity and debt funds is 3 pm. If an investor submits the application before 3 pm, he get the NAV of the same day and submitting it after 3 pm will make him eligible for the next day’s NAV. For these type of funds, transferring the amount before cut off time is not required. The only exception to the above mentioned rule is that if investment amount is more than Rs. 2 lakh, both the application and transfer should completed before the cut off timing.\nCut off timings are not important to investors planning for long term or starting with a small amount but it matters to individual investing large amount of money. Even one or two percent change can bring a lot of difference to these investors.\nIn India, people do attach a lot of importance with the NAV of a mutual fund. If you are planning to invest in mutual funds, NAV shouldn’t be paid much attention to. The other factors such as Asset Under Management (AUM) size, past performance, alpha, beta and other financial factors should be given importance.\nNAV or the Net Asset Value of a mutual fund is the cost at which a single unit of the mutual fund can be bought by an investor. It is equivalent to the MRP of any product. If a mutual fund has an NAV of Rs.500, then that is what the investor will have to pay to acquire one unit of that mutual fund. Conversely, if an investor decides to invest Rs.20,000 in a mutual fund whose NAV is Rs.500,then that investor will be allotted 40 units of that fund.\nThe NAV of any mutual fund is calculated and revised at the close of every trading day. However, the NAV of the mutual fund, that is the price you will have to pay to acquire a unit in the fund, depends on the time of submission of application as well as the time of making the payment. Accordingly, although you can invest in a mutual fund on any business day of the year, you may not always get the same day’s NAV.\nThere are separate rules for calculation of NAV for Liquid Funds and Equity or Debt Funds.\nIf you want to invest in Liquid Funds, the cut off time is 2pm contingent on both, having placed the application as well as transferring funds to buy units in the mutual fund before 2pm. If both these conditions are met, then the investor will be allotted units of the scheme at the NAV of the previous day. SEBI mandates that both the application form as well the payment should be completed before the cut off time of 2pm. Therefore, it is advisable to undertake the transfer using Real-Time Gross Settlement (RTGS) or National Electronic Funds Transfer facility (NEFT).\nIf you want to invest in Equity or Debt Funds, the cut off time is extended to 3pm. However, investors investing under Rs.200,000 need to only place the application and not actually transfer funds to the fund houses's account to be able to purchase/sell units of a mutual fund at the previous day's NAV. However, it is pertinent to note here that if the investor wishes to invest more than Rs. 200,000, then the cut off timing rules will apply as per the timing when the amount gets deposited in the fund house's account.\nThough it is good to know the cut off timings, where the amount to be invested is small, missing out on buying/selling units of the mutual fund at the desired NAV should not be a cause of worry. Because Mutual Funds are meant for long term investment, a day's difference here and there should not make a large difference. However, where the amount to be invested is huge, the NAV does play a signifcant role in the decision making criteria for purchase/sale of units.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "Though it may be hard to believe for visitors and younger residents, Northwest New Jersey was once home to an abundance of railroad systems, criss-crossing the countryside between every point of commercial significance. 1946 saw the peak of rail mileage in the United States; powerful locomotives and glorious double tracked lines bound from the heartland for our major cities. But that was 30 years after an obscure short line stretching from Whitehouse in Hunterdon County to the outskirts of Morristown had carried its last load.\nThe Rockaway Valley Railroad was about 25 miles long and lasted for about 25 years. It was constructed predominantly to ship peaches, and although it also saw other freight and passenger traffic, Hunterdon County orchard owners were responsible for the railroad's commencement in 1888. John Melick, who grew up in Hunterdon County, and whose family name is still prominent in county agriculture and politics, was the railroad's builder. The prime financier, until his death in 1899, was James Nelson Pidcock, who had built the Georgia Northern Railroad, served in Congress, and returned to Whitehouse to resume agricultural pursuits.\nFrom the beginning, the Rockaway's story is one full of twists and turns, trials and tribulations, as the railroad sought its way in a transportation industry dominated by giants. In his fascinating history of the railroad, Tom Taber III writes, \"Its travail against adversity is a classic; the unavailing efforts against the realities of business. It is a colorful story of the hopes and work of people to establish and then keep going a railroad that possibly should never have been built; a railroad that needed five corporations to construct its meager twenty five miles and saw four different ownerships within its short lifespan.\" The cost of building the line was nearly half the standard estimates of the day, and due to the moderate grading along the line, the railroad earned the nickname \"Rockabye Baby\" for the swaying motion made by trains as they rode the light gauge rail around the many turns through Hunterdon, Somerset, and Morris counties.\nThe Rockabye Baby began at Whitehouse Station, where it broke away from the Central Railroad of New Jersey (now NJ Transit) heading north through Readington into Tewksbury Township, passing through Oldwick, which at the time was called New Germantown. Turning east, it crossed the Black River/ Lamington River entering Somerset County's Bedminster Twp, and then north into Pottersville. Continuing on in a generally eastern direction, the line also passed through Gladstone, Ralston, Mendham, Washington Valley, and Watnong, two miles from the center of Morristown. The trains promised prosperity to the little towns along the route.\nRecord peach crops kept the railroad afloat in the 1890s, even as the financial picture for the company clouded. Unfortunately, before the little railroad had an opportunity to turn a profit, the peaches were infected with blight, and the Hunterdon orchards passed their prime. Although its future looked as dire as that of the peaches, the line struggled on carrying coal, farm goods, and other merchandise. In fact, there was less business than the prospectus forecast, and carloads were not even full. Trains ran picnickers from Morristown out into the Black River wilderness. And they ran folks from out of town into Morristown on special Shopping Day excursions. Though it was proposed to connect the line to the Delaware, Lackawanna, and Western's main line in Morristown, the connection was never made. A great deal of construction work was done on the proposed extension, but never reached further than Speedwell Lake. No connection was made either in Gladstone where the Rock-A-Bye-Baby passed near the DL&W. Since beginning its construction, the Rockabye Baby had already filed for bankruptcy three times by 1912.\nEven the arrival of the Morris County Traction Company at Morristown in 1910 could not help the struggling railroad complete a long awaited extension to Speedwell Avenue. The line was sold off to Frank B. Allen in 1913 after the Watnong Station was destroyed by fire. Under the new name of the Pennsylvania and New Jersey Railroad, efforts were made to improve grades, buy more equipment, and refurbish bridges. Sadly, hope was given up in 1917, and the remains of the railroad were removed using Allen's Model T and sold for scrap and World War I salvage.\nMuch of the Rockabye Baby has been forgotten, it's right-of-ways eroded or farmed beyond recognition, while other parts have been absorbed into parklands and multi-use trails. Patriot's Path, an ever-growing trail system throughout Morris County, has incorporated a great deal of the right of way which varies from unimproved narrow hiking pathways to crushed stone surface or pavement. The longest continuous section of the trail stretches from Ralston to Speedwell, following the railroad bed as closely as possible, diverging from the route a few times where land has been developed, or where it meets impassable marshlands. The most significant detours made by the trail are at Lewis Morris County Park where the Patriot's Path takes to the top of a hillside, and near Speedwell where a sewage treatment facility has been constructed.\nRemnants of the railroad can be seen throughout the course of the trail. Aside from the leveled grades, ties can be seen at times, and where ties have long since rotted away, roots of trees in some places grow around where the ties once lay. Where the Patriot's Path crosses Lake Road and the Whippany River, there is still a bridge under the road near the trail, which has been almost completely filled in, as well as a significant rocky cut for the tracks visible from the road. Further southwest, another section of Patriot's Path makes use of the right of way through Willowwood Arboretum to Daly Road and Route 206. In addition, a new municipal park in Bedminster incorporates a beautiful section of the right of way along the Black River, parallel to Black River Road.\nIn nearby Hunterdon County where Vliettetown Road reaches the Black River, a section of the Black River Road has been constructed aligned on the right of way. In Whitehouse Station, the railroad's western terminus, some of the right of way between municipal ballfields and the site of a trestle over the Rockaway Creek is used often as fishing access. Many other sections are now recognizable only because fiber-optic wire has been laid under the rail bed. The tracks crossed what is now US Rt. 22 in the short section where it is co-aligned with County Route 523 at Whitehouse Station.\nThe Little Railroad That Couldn't lives on, if only for hikers, cyclists and patrons of local lore. Take a walk and imagine the slow moving locomotive rocking back and forth on its way through the countryside.\nThanks to reader Gerry Geisler who sent us these photos from his collection.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "It is very difficult to find information or studies about cerebral palsy in Asia. In fact, the most concrete data found, regarding the prevalence of cerebral palsy in Asian communities came not from the continent of Asia itself, but from birth records collected on native Asians that had moved to California.\nThe Californian study showed that the rate of cp in Asians was lower, overall, than that of whites. However, that range varied greatly. In Thai children, the rate was 0.61 out of a thousand, while Samoans showed a similar rate to Caucasians at 2.08 in 1000. The study adjusted for things such as maternal age, birth weight, and other factors, but even after adjustments, the rate still remained lower.\nYou can find the study here.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "Eyes on the Prize: America's Civil Right Years: Episode 6 Bridge To Freedom 1965\nselect film size\nCATEGORIES OF THIS FILM\nAfter ten years of effort, what had changed? From Selma to Montgomery, this program captures some of the movement's most crucial protests, and follows the fight for voting rights to the highest corridors of power. Climaxing with the signing of the voting rights act, the program celebrates the promise that the movement made famous: \"We Shall Overcome.\"\nWhen Eyes on the Prize premiered in 1987, The Los Angeles Times called it \"\"an exhaustive documentary that shouldn't be missed.\"\" The series went on to win six Emmys and numerous other awards, including an Academy Award nomination, the George Foster Peabody Award, and the top duPont-Columbia award for excellence in broadcast journalism.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "- 1 English\n- 2 Czech\n- 3 Slovak\n- 4 Swedish\nOld Norse víking (“marauding, piracy”) itself is from Old Norse vík (“inlet, cove, fjord”) + -ing (“one belonging to, one who frequents”) (the -r is the nominative desinence). Thus, “one from or who frequents the sea’s inlets”.\nThe Old English and Anglo-Frisian form, existing since at least the eighth century, could also have been derived from or influenced by Old English wīc (“camp”), on account of the temporary encampments which were often a prominent feature of the Vikings’ raids.\nViking (plural Vikings)\n- (historical) One of the Scandinavian or other Northern European seafaring warriors that raided (and then settled) the British Isles and other parts of Europe in the 8th to the 11th centuries and, according to many historians, were the first Europeans to reach North America.\n- (by extension) A stock character common in the fantasy genre, namely a barbarian, generally equipped with an axe or sword and a helmet adorned with horns.\n- (colloquial) A Norseman (mediaeval Scandinavian).\n- (colloquial, humorous, mildly offensive) An ethnic Swede, Norwegian, Dane, Icelander or Faroe Islander.\n- (American football) A player on the Minnesota Vikings NFL team.\n- “Viking” listed in the Oxford English Dictionary [2nd Ed.; 1989]\n- Viking in Slovak dictionaries at korpus.sk\nViking c (genitive Vikings)\n- A male given name.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "China has started to build a joint Chinese-Russian livestock agricultural complex. A hundred thousand cows are planned to be bred in a project costing one billion Yuan [~US$161 million]. The farm is being set up in the Chinese city of Mudanjiang [Heilongjiang province],with production supplied to the Russian market, Zhang Chuntszyao, chairman of the Association of Applied Economics of the Heilongjiang Province told Interfax on Monday [29 June 2015]…Full Article: Russia Today June 2015\n- The agricultural complex will developed by China’s Zhongding Dairy Farming and Russia’s Severny Bur, with approximately 100,000 ha of Russian and Chinese land to be used to grow animal feed.\n- In June 2015, a Zhejiang-based company was granted permission to lease 115,000 hectares of uncultivated land in Russia’s Transbaikal region (i.e. Zabaykalsky Krai). The Chinese company plans to use the land to grow vegetables, wheat, and other agricultural commodities, as well as raise livestock.\n- In 2004, the Sino-Russian agricultural joint venture “Armada” was established. The agricultural JV covered an area of 40,000 hectares in Russia’s Primorsky Krai region.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "A fun day at the beach means plenty of sun, which naturally gives your body vitamin D. But excessive and prolonged sun exposure can cause sunburn, skin damage, premature skin aging, skin cancer (the most common form of cancer), cataracts, uneven pigmentation of skin and heat stroke. Take the right precautions to avoid these hazards and enjoy the sunshine in a safer way.\nPart One of Five:\nChoosing a SunscreenEdit\n1Select an appropriate SPF level. Contrary to popular belief, the SPF, or \"sun protective factor\" number, does not signify how strong the SPF is. It tells you how long it will keep you protected from ultraviolet B (UVB) rays––at least theoretically. It is calculated by how many minutes it would normally take for your skin to burn multiplied by the number (SPF value) that tells you how long it should last. So, if you burn in 5 minutes of sun exposure without any protection, SPF 30 will keep you protected for 150 minutes (in theory).\n- The American Academy of Dermatology recommends an SPF of 30 or higher. It is not recommended to use higher SPF formulas because they give a false sense of security in the sun and a higher dose of chemicals on your skin. In fact, experts now say that sunscreen with values above SPF 50 do not provide any more real protection than sunscreen with values below SPF 50.\n2Look for both UVA and UVB coverage. UVB rays are what cause sunburn. However, UVA rays also cause skin damage, including signs of aging like wrinkles or spots. Both types of UV light increase your risk of skin cancer. Look for sunscreen that provides broad spectrum protection, meaning that the sunblock will protect against both kinds of damaging ultraviolet light.\n- The SPF factor refers only to the sunscreen’s ability to block UVB rays. The “Broad spectrum” label refers to the ability to block both.\n3Look at the ingredients. Some chemicals are allergens (like parabens), potential hormone disruptors (such as oxybenzone), or just plain unnecessary (like fragrances and other inactive ingredients).\n- Retinoids (a form of vitamin A) are a common inactive ingredient in sunscreens. Canadian studies suggest that these additives can increase your sensitivity to UV light from the sun.\n- Oxybenzone is believed to be a hormone disruptor. It can mimic estrogen in the body and has been shown to alter sperm production in males and may cause endometriosis in women.\n- Octinoxate is another ingredient believed to be a hormone disruptor. Octinoxate can mimic hormones and has been shown to affect the reproductive system and the thyroid in laboratory studies. It can also cause an allergic reaction on some users' skin.\n- Homosalate is a commonly-reported hormone disruptor that may also be toxic when broken down inside the body.\n- Octocrylene has a relatively high rate of reported skin allergies in some users.\n- Paraben chemicals are commonly used as preservatives in sunscreen. Butyl-, ethyl-, methyl-, and propyl-parabens are believed to be linked to allergic reactions, hormone disruption, and toxicity in the body.\n- Look for a PABA-free sunscreen. Para-aminobenzoic acid, or PABA, was used in sunscreens for a long time, but it can cause an allergic reaction in some people, and has been linked to severe liver toxicity at high doses.\n- Avoid sunscreens with added insect repellent. Added insect repellent can actually reduce the effectiveness of sunscreen, and added sunscreen can increase the toxicity of chemicals in an insect repellent. For this reason, experts recommend using two separate products: an effective sunscreen and a safe insect repellent.\n4Choose a water-resistant sunscreen if you're going to be swimming or sweating a lot. Remember, no sunscreen is truly waterproof, so you should reapply the sunscreen frequently, according to package instructions.\n- Recent updates to FDA regulations have changed the way water resistance may be labeled on sunscreen in the United States. Labels must now indicate water resistance according to one of two categories: 40-minute protection or 80-minute protection.\n5Choose a sunscreen form that suits you. Wearing sunscreen need not be unpleasant, so try different sunscreen brands and styles to find the one(s) that are best suited for you.\n- Some daily sunscreens aren't as gooey or smelly as some of the heavy-duty outdoor sport formulations.\n- Some sunscreens come in spray-on, roll-on, and stick formats. However, experts warn that spray-on and powdered sunscreens may cause lung irritation due to the risk of inhalation of the chemical contents. Additionally, these formats may not be as effective at protecting your skin as a liquid-based sunscreen.\n- However, spray sunscreens may be helpful for hairy areas, such as the chest or head. Alcohol or gel-based sunscreens may be more effective for people with oily skin.\n- For those who wear moisturizer, many daily moisturizers contain sunscreen protection. However, if you are using both a moisturizer and sunscreen, add the moisturizer first, then add sunscreen. This helps maximize absorption and protection.\n6Choose sunscreen appropriate for children. Mineral-based UV filters like zinc and titanium are considered least likely to cause an allergic reaction in children and people with sensitive skin, but they may be less effective than chemical-based UV filter sunscreen. Most sunscreens are fine to apply on children older than 6 months.\n- It's generally recommended that you avoid using sunscreen for babies under 6 months of age. Experts say that shade is the best preventative measure (natural, or from an umbrella). If you must use sunscreen on a baby under 6 months of age, consult with your child's pediatrician to decide a safe course of action.\n- Spot test any sunscreen on children. Children's skin is more sensitive and likely to react to sunscreen, so make sure that your child won't have an unpleasant reaction to a tiny amount before applying it all over.\nPart Two of Five:\n1Check the expiration date. In the US, sunscreen must remain effective for at least 3 years after it is manufactured. However, you should always note and follow expiration dates to ensure that you get the best protection.\n- If the bottle does not have an expiration date when you buy it, write the date of purchase on a label and put it on the bottle. That way you will know when it’s time to buy new product.\n2Apply sunscreen before you head outdoors. It takes about 30 minutes for the chemical agents in sunscreen to fully bind to your skin and offer protection. Apply sunscreen before you go outside, about 30 minutes before you’ll be exposed to the sun.\n- Don’t forget your lips! Apply a lip balm with SPF 45-60 minutes before going outdoors.\n3Apply the sunscreen generously. If you're using a cream, the amount of sunscreen you should use is about the size of a regular golf ball, or 1 ounce (about the quantity it would take to fill a shot glass).\n- Use more than you think you need. During an extended beach outing, you should plan on using between a quarter to half of an 8-ounce bottle.\n- Be sure to cover the most vulnerable areas of your body––the entire face and forehead, especially the nose and tips of your ears, as well as your scalp, the back of the neck, backs of your knees and hands, and arms. Don't forget the tops of your feet, if you're wearing sandals - sunburned feet can be very sore! Any skin that will be exposed to sunlight should be covered.\n- Don't just grease it on. Put a little on and rub it in. Then do it again and again, until you have a deep, penetrating layer of sunscreen. Do it right and you won't notice it at all, and it will truly protect you from the sun.\n- Have a friend help with hard-to-reach spots like backs and shoulders.\n4Reapply sunscreen often. Factor in conditions like sweating and/or swimming. As sweat or water washes away the sunscreen you've applied, you will usually need to reapply more sunscreen more quickly than the quoted SPF value would indicate.Advertisement\nPart Three of Five:\nCovering Up with ClothingEdit\n1Cover up. Light layers of clothing with a tight weave work best. Try a shell or tank top, and then wear a light long-sleeved camp shirt open over that. Long pants will offer more protection than shorts. Natural fibers like cotton are coolest.\n- Although light clothing does not absorb heat as much as dark clothing, dark clothing offers more sun protection.\n- Very thin clothing, such as a white t-shirt, does not offer much sun protection. Apply sunblock under your clothes if you’re wearing light, loosely-woven clothes.\n- If you’re going swimming, consider a long-sleeved swim shirt, or “rash guard.” These can help you avoid burning while you’re in the water.\n2Choose clothing with a rated ultraviolet protection factor. A lot of clothing, especially that from outdoor activity stores, will carry a label indicating the UV protection level of the clothing.\n3Wear the right hat. Choose a hat with at least a 3-inch (8 cm) brim all around.\n- Baseball caps leave the ears and neck exposed, so they're not the best choice for sun protection.\n- A hat will also help to protect your eyes from glare.\n- Make sure children wear sun hats as well. Choose hats that shade the face and the neck.\n4Wear sunglasses. Choose sunglasses that block UV light and wrap around to block light from the sides, too. Long term exposure to UV light can lead to cataracts and may expose the skin of your eyelids to UV radiation. Wear sunglasses in conjunction with a hat to optimize your eye protection.\n- If you're not sure whether your old sunglasses adequately block UV rays, ask an optometrist to have them checked.\nPart Four of Five:\n1Stay hydrated. Water is the best choice for keeping hydrated on warm and hot days (and cold days too!). Experts recommend that males consume around 13 cups (3 liters) of fluids per day, and females should consume about 9 cups (2.2 liters) of fluids per day.\n- Experts recommend that you drink about 1 cup of water every 15-20 minutes if you are doing moderate activity outside in the heat.\n- Experts advise that water can usually hydrate you better than sports drinks, despite the touted benefits of electrolytes. That's because most sports drinks have high levels of sugar and sodium. Although these are electrolytes, sugar also contains a lot of calories and salt can dehydrate you. If you’re concerned about your electrolyte levels, grab a handful of pretzels or nuts to help restore them.\n2Avoid caffeine and alcohol. Both can dehydrate you, and are best avoided. The occasional cold soda is unlikely to cause dehydration, but it’s best to stick to water for hydration purposes. \n- Additionally, alcohol can impair your judgment and increase response time. Up to 70% of deaths in adults and teens that occur during water recreational activities are linked to alcohol. If you do have the occasional summer beer, make sure to drink at least twice as much water as alcohol.\n3Drink water even if you're not thirsty. Thirst occurs in the human body after dehydration has already occurred, so it's important to sip water throughout the day to avoid thirst altogether.\n4Remember that babies get dehydrated too. If you have an infant, make sure s/he stays well hydrated by giving him or her at least the usual amount of breast milk or formula while you’re outside. In addition, check with your doctor to see when your baby can have small amounts of water, juice, or infant oral electrolyte solution such as Pedialyte or Enfalyte in addition to formula or breast milk.\n- Because babies don’t sweat the same as adults, they are at greater risk of becoming overheated and dehydrated when outside. Keep a careful eye on your child to make sure s/he is safe and comfortable.\nPart Five of Five:\n1Check the UV index. The National Weather Service uses weather forecast information to create a daily index that assesses the risk of damage caused by UV exposure. Knowing in advance what the index predicts for that day can help you avoid getting burned.\n2Stay out of the sun. This is especially important between the peak hours of 10 AM and 2 PM; UV is at its highest around the middle of the day, when the sun is directly overhead. If you are outdoors during this time, stay in the shade. You can still sunburn in the shade (or even on overcast days), but shade will help protect you.\n- Create your own shade. As well as using a hat, carrying an umbrella or parasol and making use of it to keep off the sun is a very good way of keeping you safe.\n- If you have heavy physical activity to perform outside, try to do it in the morning or evening, not the heat of midday. If you do have to work midday, take plenty of breaks and drink at least 1 cup of water every 15-20 minutes.\n- When walking babies and children outdoors, choose the coolest parts of the day. Use a shade canopy over a baby's stroller and ensure that children are adequately covered with clothing, hats, sunglasses and sunscreen when out in the heat of the day.\n3Watch your shadow. UV intensity is correlated with the angle of the sun relative to your position on earth. If your body is casting a short shadow, you may want to retreat into the shade.\n4Cool off if you start to feel overheated. Spending too much time in the sun can cause heat exhaustion in addition to sunburn. Wet a towel with cool water and place it on your forehead or neck to help you cool down.\n- Take a swim. Submerging your body in cool water can help lower your body temperature--but don't let it drop too low. Body temperatures can drop 25 times faster in cold water than in cold air, and if your body temperature drops below 95 degrees Fahrenheit, you may experience hypothermia. Knowing the water temperature and air temperature forecasts in advance can help you avoid extreme swings in body temperature.\n5Be cautious of sun exposure while driving. Roll up car windows and run the air conditioning rather than dangling your arm out the window. Glass blocks UV light reasonably well, but you should still apply sunscreen to yourself and any passengers.\n- If you’re lucky enough to drive a convertible, make sure to apply sunscreen and wear a protective hat.\n6Know the signs and symptoms of heat exhaustion and heatstroke. If you experience any of the following symptoms, get out of the sun (preferably someplace cool) and drink plenty of fluids:\n- skin that is hot to the touch\n- excessive sweating\n- dizziness or disorientation\n- nausea or vomiting\n- rapid heartbeat\n- dark and/or infrequent urination\n- If symptoms do not improve after a half hour, seek medical attention immediately.\nHow many degrees is the heat index increased by standing on black top in the full sun?Answered by wikiHow Contributor\n- When the sun is shining and the outdoor temperature is 90 degrees F in the shade, the blacktop will range from 120F-135F if exposed to the sun. I have checked this many times with my temperature gun.\nIs it a bad idea to get your head wet when in the sun?Answered by wikiHow Contributor\n- People do it all the time when they're swimming outdoors. The biggest drawback is that any sunscreen you've applied to, say, your hairline, will wash off, thus leaving you vulnerable to a sunburn on your scalp.\n- Take a water bottle with you when you go outside.\n- Although some people are concerned about oxybenzone, a common ingredient in sunscreen, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and other rigorous studies have not found any link between oxybenzone and adverse health effects.\n- When skiing or snowboarding, it is common to get a sunburn on your face. If you are planning to have some fun on the mountains, in any season, put on your sunscreen!\n- It is possible to get burned through clothing. Clothing typically has between a 3-10 SPF. Wet clothing has even less. To be safe, apply sunscreen underneath clothing, or launder clothes with a wash-in protective product that can provide an UPF (Ultra-Violet Protection Factor) of 30 to clothes and lasts for up to 20 washes.\n- Sunscreen can highly irritate your eyes. Do not apply sunscreen too closely to your eyes. If contact occurs, immediately wash the sunscreen out of your eyes thoroughly with water.\n- If you experience watering eyes, reddening skin and other skin or body reactions when applying sunscreen, you may be suffering from an allergic reaction. Switch to a more sensitive sunscreen or talk to your doctor.\n- It's possible to get sunburned on a cloudy day, and it's possible that the clouds will clear up during the day. Take and use sun protection even if it's cool and cloudy when you leave.\n- If possible, you should purchase a sunscreen that is paraben-free. Used as a preservative for products with a long shelf life, parabens have been linked to breast cancer and may cause skin allergies or rosacea in susceptible people. However, the cosmetics industry considers parabens to be a safe addition, and more studies remain to be done.\n- There is no “safe” way to tan. If you want a golden look, consider using a quick-tanning product rather than sun exposure. Quick-tan products contain dihydroxyacetone (DHA), a chemical that temporarily and artificially darkens your skin tone. Some researchers caution that using a spray-application of DHA may cause lung damage and could cause cancer if the fumes are inhaled.\nThings You'll NeedEdit\n- Appropriate sunscreen (preferably SPF 30+)\n- Clothing, hat, and sunglasses\n- Hydration methods (carry a water bottle with you)\n- Umbrella for sun protection\nAbout this wikiHow\nReader Success Stories\nNC\"Since my skin is really white, I should always be careful. Reading articles like this are really helpful!\"\nJB\"Interesting pictures and useful tips. \"", "label": "No"}
{"text": "Entrance to Riga\nJewish Population over the years\nSynagogues and Rabbis\nUniversity of Latvia Center for Jewish Studies in Riga\nJewish Museum of Riga\nSynagogues of Latvia 1918-1940\nSir Isaiah Berlin\nof Old Riga\nRiga Picture Gallery\nReligious Life in the Riga Ghetto -\nTestimony of Karl Schneider\nRiga in Encylopedia of Jewish\nLife before and after Holocaust-copyright Yad Vashem.\nMaccabi Riga 1918-1933 Text and pictures from Malz Archive\nNames in Text translated from Yiddish to English\nMaccabi Riga Text and Pictures from\nLatvian side of book\nTopographic Maps of Eastern Europe -\nHistory of the Pale of Settlement and links to other very interesting articles\nHoldings at the Latvian State Historical Archives\nThis is a listing of the records held by the ArchMaccabiives and is not a searchable database. Researchers will be able to gain some knowledge of whether their ancestors records are still available.\nRiga was founded in 1201 by the Teutonic Order. In the 15th and\n16th centuries Jews had economic ties with Riga. They were allowed\nto come to Riga to work for limited periods of time but could not\nlive in the city permanently. In 1638 a hostel was opened for them\nand in 1725 they received permission to establish a Jewish\ncemetery. There were about 70 Jews in Riga at this time and they\nleft in 1743 when the Jews of Russia were banished. In 1764 some\nrich Jewish families were classed as \"Protected Jews\" and were\nconsidered as guardians of the \"foreign Jews\" who had come to the\nhostel .In 1765 a Chevra Kadisha was officially founded. In 1785\nJews traded in Riga but had to register in a small town called\nSloka.(Schlock) not far from Riga. In 1813 they were granted\npermission to live in Riga and there were 736 inhabitants\ncomprising Protected Jews,Foreign Jews and Schlock citizens. In\n1858 they were allowed to own real estate.The area around Moscow\nRoad was known as \"Moscow Vorstadt\" and was a main area of Jewish\nsettlement. The Russians evacuated the population of Kurland in\n1915 while retreating from the advancing Germans. They started\nwith the Jews in March or April of that year.At the end of the\n19thC some Jews moved out and lived in the centre of the City In\n1941 they were forced back into the Moscow area which became the\nRiga Ghetto.There were Jewish intellectuals, professionals, and\ntradesmen but between the 2 world wars about 10% of Latvian\nJews were paupers.\nIn 1940-1941 leading Jews were arrested and perished in Stalin's Gulag. The NKVD deported 14,000 inhabitants of Latvia on June 14th 1941 including about 5000 Jews, half from Riga. After the war some survivors returned and some Jews from the USSR settled in Riga. 23,000 Jews were registered in Riga in 1989.. There are at present about 9000 Jews in Riga.\n1918-1934: Establishment of the Latvian Republic. Saima Period\n15th May 1934 -1940: Karlis Ulmanis' presidency\n1940-1941: Soviet occupation\n22nd of June 1941 - 13th October 1944: German occupation\n1944-1990: Soviet occupation\n1990: Establishment of the Latvian Republic.\nJewish Population over the years\nKurland \"mitnaggedim\"spoke German and in 1881 half of Riga Jews considered their spoken language to be German. A strong German cultural influence dominated. Little by little others came from Belorussia( White Russia),Lithuania and Poland and spoke Yiddish. At the end of the 19thC Russian was added. During the 1920's and 1930's the youth learned the Latvian language.Hebrew was mastered as Zionism spread. According to the 1925 census,85% of the Jews in Latvia considered Yiddish to be their mother tongue. Yiddish was the language of Primary schools.\nSynagogues and Rabbis\n\"Alt Neue Schul\" was opened in1850.\nThe Great Choral Synagogue \"Kar Schul\" 25 Gogola Street was consecrated in 1871. In 1941 300 Lithuanian Jewish refugees sheltering in the synagogue,entire Jewish families from the neighbourhood and passers-by in the street were burnt alive in the synagogue. Ruins and a grey memorial stone carved with a Magen David serve as a monument.\nIn 1873 a Soldiers Synagogue was founded.\nBy 1915 there were about 40 synagogues.\n1873-1893 Rabbi Aharon Pompiansky\nRabbi Shlomo Pucher\nRabbi Leib Kantor\nExtracts from text by Marger Vestermanis Director of Jewish\nMuseum in Riga. Fragments of the Jewish History of Riga.\nExtracts from text held at Kibbutz Shefayim by Association of Latvian and Estonian Jews in Israel.\nThe Jewishgen Latvia Database has information from a number of different sources. Data has been drawn from Family Lists for Riga,Courland and other shtetlach in Latvia, Recruits Enlistment registers, Duma Voter's lists, Donations to Schools in Riga, Business and Telephone Directories, Vedomosti (Russian Empire daily newspapers) and many other sources. The latest additions include a database of passport registration names from all over the Russian Empire. Visitors to Riga for any length of time had to register their passports with the police. It is thus a great source of information as relatives visiting Riga can be identified. It is not a passport application database. We have also included the first databases from the 1897 All Russian Census with census names from Rezekne and Krustpils. The 1897 database will be added to at intervals.\nHaMelitz index of Lithuanian and Latvian donors to charitable\nYizkor Book Translations\nPoor Jews Temporary Shelter-click on arrow\nPlease use back on your Browser to return to Riga\n|Compiled by Arlene Beare\nSuggestions or Comments?\nContact: Arlene Beare\nCopyright©1998-2015 Arlene Beare\nUpdated February 2015\nThere have been visits to this page since November 1998", "label": "No"}
{"text": "Summer 2009, Vol. 15 No. 3\nMeasuring Unmeasurable Land-Use Changes from Biofuels\nMeasuring Unmeasurable Land-Use Changes from Biofuels\nBruce A. Babcock\nThe debate over whether biofuels are good for the environment used to hinge on the credibility of studies published by David Pimentel, professor of ecology at Cornell University, who concluded that it took much more energy or fossil fuel to grow, transport, and process corn into ethanol than the ethanol could ever hope to replace as transportation fuel. A preponderance of other studies on the issue found the data and methods used by Pimentel to be suspect, and most concluded that biofuels generally, and corn ethanol specifically, have a positive net energy balance, and their use as a replacement for gasoline leads to a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions.\nThe debate about whether biofuels are a good thing now focuses squarely on whether their use causes too much conversion of natural lands into crop and livestock production around the world. The worry is that the loss of carbon stocks on the converted land would more than offset the direct reduction in greenhouse gas emissions caused by lower gasoline use. The California Air Resources Board (CARB) has concluded that corn ethanol causes such large amounts of land conversion that it does not qualify as a low-carbon fuel. In its recent analysis of greenhouse gas emissions from biofuels, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates that corn ethanol and biodiesel made from soybean oil cause enough land-use changes to call into question whether these biofuels meet required greenhouse gas reductions.\nThe debate over land-use changes caused by biofuels has two main threads. The first is a policy question focusing on whether the United States should even account for land-use changes in other countries when considering greenhouse gas regulations of biofuels. The second is on the actual measurement of land-use changes and whether the models used by CARB and EPA are accurate enough to support regulations that have billion-dollar consequences on the biofuels industry.\nMost of the audience in the debate over measurement of the land-use impacts of biofuels has little understanding of the approach that is used by CARB and EPA to estimate land-use changes from biofuels. Hence, it is difficult for most to judge whether the approach is accurate enough to justify its use. An overview of the procedures used to estimate indirect land use should help clarify the most important issues involved.\nWhy Are Economists Doing the Measuring?\nThe three groups that have been most involved in estimating land-use changes from biofuels are economists at Iowa State University, Texas A&M University, and Purdue University (see the Editor's note at the end of the article). Economists are involved because land-use changes from biofuels expansion is a response by farmers and other landowners to a change in the supply of crops available to meet non-fuel demands. The economic story for corn ethanol is as follows. Expansion of U.S. corn ethanol production increases the demand for corn. This demand increase causes the market price of corn to rise. The increase in the price of corn causes U.S. farmers to grow more corn. Growing more U.S. corn can be done by increasing yields on existing land, by allocating more land to corn and less to other crops, and by creating more farmland. Cutting acreage to other crops can lead to price increases for these crops also. Because agricultural commodities are traded worldwide, the price changes for corn and other crops seen in the United States will also be seen by farmers in other countries, thereby affecting their agricultural supplies. Those farmers around the world who see higher market prices will also increase yields, reallocate land among crops, and bring new land into production.\nEach step of this corn ethanol story requires an economist to estimate the likely response of farmers, livestock producers, the food industry, other industrial users of agricultural commodities, and non-farming landowners to a change in market price. The key factors that influence how much land is converted to cropland include the following:\n- Which crops will U.S. farmers decrease in response to higher corn prices?\n- How much U.S. pasture and forest land will be converted to crops?\n- How much will farmers increase yields in response to price?\n- How much will prices, demand, and production change in each important producing or consuming country in response to a change in U.S. production and exports?\nEconomists understand that the answers to each of these questions depend greatly on how much time passes before the response is measured. For example, a $1.00-per-bushel increase in the price of corn will cause almost no U.S. land to be converted from pasture or forest to cropland after a single year. But a sustained $1.00-per-bushel increase for five years will likely result in some land being converted. Similarly, supply and demand in other countries will respond a great deal more after five years than after one year.\nEconomists also understand that the precision with which these responses can be measured depends greatly on the quality and availability of data. We have a fairly good idea of the response of U.S. livestock producers to higher feed costs: given enough time, livestock supplies will be reduced, resulting in higher meat and dairy prices. But economists' ability to estimate how Brazilian cattle ranchers will respond to the resulting increase in demand for Brazilian beef is less precise. The Brazilian cattle sector is simply less well understood than the U.S. livestock sector (even by Brazilian economists). The sector has had less scrutiny, and data measuring its performance and structure is much less developed.\nMore often than we want to admit, economists face situations in which we do not have adequate data to make precise estimates of the response of a sector to a price change. The backup strategy is to rely on economic theory to determine the direction of the response, and then to make a reasonable assumption about the magnitude of the response. For example, as anybody who has taken Econ 101 knows, supply curves slope up. This means that the quantity supplied to the market will increase if market demand increases. Thus, economists know that the Brazilian cattle herd will increase by some amount if U.S. meat supplies decrease. But an informed judgment about the magnitude of the change will rely on a trade economist looking at Brazilian trade policy to determine the extent to which a change in U.S. meat supplies will affect Brazilian prices. Then an experienced agricultural economist will know something about the cattle cycle and estimate how long it might take for the Brazilian cattle herd to respond to a price increase. A dedicated Brazilian agricultural economist with detailed knowledge of Brazilian environmental enforcement mechanisms will then make an estimate of the extent to which pasture can expand in frontier forests. This estimate will then be linked with the cattle cycle and the price transmission to come up with an informed estimate of the timing and extent to which the Brazilian cattle herd will change in response to an increase in feed prices caused by biofuels expansion.\nMost of the parameters used to capture supply and demand responses to price changes that populate the models economists use to estimate the impact of biofuels on land are based on less detailed knowledge than the given example assumes. Rather, estimates are based on previous work (the applicability and quality of which is typically not addressed), insight of the analyst, and overall \"reasonableness\" with respect to the problem at hand. Economists need not apologize for constructing models in this manner: it simply is the only way to proceed because of a lack of data and specialized knowledge about agricultural and food systems around the world.\nOne implication of this reliance on a combination of theory and judgment is that it is quite difficult to construct confidence intervals around model predictions. The distribution of most model parameters is not known because most are not estimated statistically. Furthermore, those parameters that are taken from the original studies in which they were estimated are generally not directly applicable to the new use for which they are being gathered. Thus, there is no way that model predictions can be tested statistically.\nModelers will conduct sensitivity analyses in recognition of the uncertainty underlying key model parameters. The parameters are varied from what might be considered reasonable lower and upper bounds on their values, and then model predictions over the parameter range are calculated. Although useful as a way to identify which model parameters are most important in determining outcomes, this procedure cannot be represented as a statistical test of the model.\nWhy Model Predictions Will Not Be Consistent with History\nOne criticism of the models used by CARB and EPA to estimate indirect land use is that their predictions of land-use changes seem not to track with the actual changes in land use that we have observed in the last few years in response to sharply higher biofuels volumes. One might hope that the land-use changes we have seen could be used to validate or discredit the model predictions. For example, two recent studies (Tokgoz et al. 2007 and Hertel et al. 2009) of the impact of expanded biofuels on U.S. and world agriculture both estimate that expansion of corn ethanol would be accompanied by a large increase in corn production, a large decrease in soybean production, and significant decrease in corn and soybean exports. History differs from these predictions. Since 2005, corn ethanol has increased by about six billion gallons. Corn acreage has increased by about 6 percent, which is consistent with predictions. But soybean acreage has increased by more than 7 percent, corn exports are projected to be flat in the 2009/10 marketing year, and soybean exports are projected to increase by more than 25 percent. The model predictions completely missed the large expansion in U.S. soybean production that has accompanied corn ethanol expansion and the ability of the United States to maintain or expand its exports of corn and soybeans.\nThe problem with comparing actual outcomes with model predictions is that they are not comparable. The impacts of biofuels are estimated by modelers relative to what their models predict will be the agricultural situation under a baseline volume of biofuels, and under a set of assumptions about future macroeconomic growth, growing conditions, crop yields, exchange rates, and government policies. The models are then re-run with a higher biofuels volume and the same set of conditioning assumptions. By subtracting the model results with higher biofuel volumes from the baseline model results, modelers hope to isolate the effects of biofuels expansion because all other factors that affect the agricultural economy are held constant.\nBut of course, economic growth, weather, yields, exchange rates, and policies change every year. Thus, the projected agricultural situation will never line up with what actually occurs. The hope of modelers is that estimates of the change in production and market prices caused by biofuels expansion relative to baseline projections of production and prices are robust to changes in the conditioning assumptions. So even if the commodity boom and bust, the worldwide recession, and the major drought in Australia have moved agriculture away from its projected path, modelers assume that their estimated impact of biofuels on production and prices remain valid.\nOne advantage that modelers have is that their estimates are largely irrefutable because the world that they use to make their projections is never actually observed. For example, the expansion of U.S. soybean acreage since 2005 would seem to refute model predictions about how U.S. farmers would adjust their acreage in response to expansion of corn ethanol. But we will never know because we cannot re-run history with lower ethanol volumes. If we could, it may well be that U.S. soybean acreage would have been much larger than it actually was, in which case the model predictions would be correct. Because model predictions cannot be refuted by past data, the credibility of models relies on submitting the models and results to peer review, being transparent about model assumptions and parameters, and putting in place a process by which the models reflect the latest knowledge about agricultural and food systems.\nNew Uses for Agricultural Models\nPerhaps economists' greatest social contribution is their ability to anticipate unintended consequences of seemingly good policy ideas. A classic unintended consequence is the market response of producers and consumers to a price change. When agricultural intervention is large enough to affect prices, then we must anticipate that there will be a response. And if the affected prices are for commodities that are traded, then some of the response will occur in other countries. The fact that the world will respond to a U.S. policy that diverts 30 percent of an expanded U.S. corn crop from other uses to biofuels is not surprising. Predictions that expanded biofuels will cause expansion of cropland are not new. For example, in 1992, researchers at the Center for Agricultural and Rural Development conducted a study on the implications of increased cellulosic biofuels production and concluded that \"higher crop prices in the biomass scenarios induce a conversion of nonagricultural land to crop production\" (Reese et al. 1992).\nWhat are new are legislative mandates to quantify the response of the world agricultural system to U.S. biofuels policy, with severe financial consequences for those biofuels having estimates of unintentional consequences deemed too great. The models that have been employed to estimate changes in domestic and international crop acreage have not traditionally been used in a regulatory context. Rather they have been used to give policymakers an idea of the likely consequences of changes in agricultural and trade policy. As a guide to policy development and understanding, these models have proved invaluable in facilitating policy agreements. The jury is still out on their use as a regulatory tool.\nEconomists know that agricultural supply curves slope up and that expanded agricultural production will require some additional land. This means that expansion of U.S. biofuels will result in more land being devoted to crop production on an aggregate worldwide basis. However, given all the forces that affect agricultural production decisions, it is impossible to attribute any given agricultural development project to U.S. biofuels expansion, which is why CARB and EPA have to rely on models that attempt to isolate the effects of U.S. biofuels.\nThe financial stakes involved in the estimation of land-use changes from biofuels have created a large incentive for interest groups to know more about the models and the approaches that are used. Those whose interests have been harmed by model estimates will have an incentive to identify and change model assumptions and approaches that will serve their interests. Given the lack of data and detailed knowledge about exactly how the world's producers and consumers will respond to a change in U.S. policy, the models used to estimate land-use changes are populated with parameters that reflect judgment calls, modeler insights, and economic wisdom rather than hard data. Thus, these models, like most economics models, are ripe ground for aggrieved parties.\nAs we look to agriculture and forestry as a means of offsetting carbon at low cost, the demand for economic models of land use will increase. If greater investment in data and knowledge of agriculture around the world occurs, then the precision with which these models can estimate the impact of biofuels on the quantity of land brought into production, where the land-use expansion will occur, what the land will be planted to, and how the new lands will be managed will only improve. ♦\nResearchers in the Center for Agricultural and Rural Development at Iowa State University have worked for the last 18 months with EPA staff and other academic modelers at Texas A&M University and Purdue University to estimate the impacts on agriculture from expanded biofuels. EPA staff then used the results of this analysis in their life cycle assessment of biofuels.\nHertel, Thomas W., Alla A. Golub, Andrew D. Jones, Michael O'Hare, Richard J. Plevin, and Daniel M. Kammen. 2009. \"Comprehensive Global Trade Analysis Shows Significant Land Use Change GHG Emissions from U.S. Maize Ethanol Production.\" Manuscript, Center for Global Trade Analysis, Purdue University.\nReese, Randall A., Sateesh V. Aradhyula, Jason F. Shogren, and K. Shaine Tyson. 1992. \"Biomass as Sustainable Energy: The Potential and Economic Impacts on U.S. Agriculture.\" CARD Working Paper 92-WP 92, April 1992, Center for Agricultural and Rural Development, Iowa State University.\nTokgoz, Simla, Amani Elobeid, Jacinto F. Fabiosa, Dermot J. Hayes, Bruce A. Babcock, Tun-Hsiang (Edward) Yu, Fengxia Dong, Chad E. Hart, and John C. Beghin. 2007. \"Emerging Biofuels: Outlook of Effects on U.S. Grain, Oilseed, and Livestock Markets.\" CARD Staff Report 07-SR 101, July 2007, Center for Agricultural and Rural Development, Iowa State University.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "She is one of the Twelve Olympians.\nThe Mourning Athene is a moving bit of ancient Greek sculpture the illustrates Athene’s concern for her people. Cassandra … Free the words in our story and hold the ideal as our voice. Some people in Greece still worship Athena and pay homage to her at the Acropolis.\nAlternatively, Neith and Athena once formed a trinity with Medusa.\nIn the classical Greek story of Athena’s birth, She was born from Zeus’s head. This caused the goddess Athena to get mad and challenge Arachne to a weaving contest.\nA Roman Emperor stole the statue in the fifth century CE; its whereabouts are unknown. Both Athena and her brother, Poseidon wanted to be the patron deity of Athens. The chariot – Athene is said to have invented the chariot.\nWhen Metis was pregnant, Zeus was afraid that she would bear a son who would be greater than he, so he swallowed Metis.\nMeat offerings: fish. Athene Ergane While he is not the god of death (that's the implacable Thanatos), Hades welcomed any new subjects to his kingdom, the Underworld, which… Hephaestus split his father's skull open to relieve the pain, and out popped Athena, fully grown and clad in her new robe and helmet. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.\n- Athena rejects sexuality, marriage and motherhood. The form collects name and email so that we can add you to our newsletter list.\nAthena may be the primordial Eye Goddess whose staring eyes appeared throughout the Neolithic world. Athena is often depicted in the company of the Goddess Nike.\nLet the Circle be adorned with winter's... read more, by Mz.\nPoseidon struck the ground and caused a spring of water to gush forth. I have many Owl figurines and images around my home of owls. An oracle warned him that any child produced of the union would be greater than he and so he swallowed his wife to prevent this eventuality.\nThe name Athene probably means something like “The mind of God” or “divine intelligence”. She is the Goddess Athena, Goddess , Mother and Sister to all women.\nMedusa was known as the most beautiful mortal who lived in Athens. This is where the Parthenon temple got its name. She who leads the battle.\nMy birthday is April 3rd, my birth year ends in 7, I come from a strong military family, I love owls and have always been associated with them along with snakes and my name means olives or olive branch.\nHe gave her the Gorgon’s head which she wears upon her shield, the aegis.\nORIGIN: Greek .\nYes some of the myths were not so nice and that is life I guess but her strength and wisdom were very appealing to me.\nPatrons and matrons (or just ‘patrons’ when referring to both) are the specific God (s) or Goddess (es) a Wiccan honors and works with. Her connection of water/wisdom stay with her today. Athena’s symbols are the olive tree and the owl. The fact that her own Father was frightened of her power, that she was a warrior Goddess but a Goddess of wisdom as well. :spades: :crown: ᴋɪɴɢᴅᴏᴍ :crown: :clubs: No biological children, but Erichthonius of Athens was her adoptive son, Geranium, Tiger Lily, Oak, Cypress, Olive Tree, Hellebore, Citrus Trees, Onyx, Ruby, Star Sapphire, Ivory, Gold, Lapis Lazuli, Turquoise, Gold, Orange, Yellow, Emerald Green and Royal Blue, Patchouli, Dragonis Blood, Musk, Indigo, Orange Blossom, Cinnamon and Cedarwood. She also has a shield called Aegis, which was a present given to her by Zeus. Poseidon’s gift, a spring of salt water was beat by the gift of an olive tree from Athena.\nHow To Transfer Tattoo Stencil To Skin, Misster Ray Net Worth, Elvis Patriotic Songs, Honda Civic Alternator Voltage Output, Acer Practice Papers, Coolpad Legacy Hotspot, Usa Hire Assessment Score, Hawks Mha Cosplay, Research Year Radiation Oncology, Enter Nowhere Plot Explained, Sonji Roi Now, Grim Dawn Classes, Lion Actor Who Has A Black Belt, British Army Recruitment Posters 2020, Rude Quotes For Him, Planet Zoo Hippo Water Not Working, Daily Tv Ratings, July And Ansheng Ending, Phoenix Gazette Obituary, Wot Player Stats, Tracfone Unlock Apk, Garmin Striker 4 Hacks, Connor Gibbs Now, Smiling Dog Quotes, Iodine Lewis Dot Structure, Dash Mcanally Baum, Airlift 3p Controller Not Turning On, How To Watch Letterkenny In Canada, Zombie Apocalypse Weapons Uk, How Much Does The Voice Of The Geico Gecko Make, Jme Sarah Adenuga, Latin Word For Moon, Tanner Smith Obituary, A Level History Coursework French Revolution, Radio Tab Announcers, Neem Leaves To Get Pregnant, Hairy Bikers Dundee Cake,", "label": "No"}
{"text": "World Blood Donor Day is marked annually on June 14 to raise awareness of the importance of blood donation. The goal of the observance is to encourage people to donate blood, but also to celebrate those who do it voluntarily, without reward.\nThe day was instituted by the World Health Organization (WHO) in 2000, with the name of World Health Day and the slogan “Blood Saves Lives”.\nThe date was chosen in homage to Austrian immunologist Karl Landsteiner, awarded the Medicine Nobel Prize in 1930 for having discovered the blood types. He turned blood transfusions into a medical routine.\nMost of the world’s population has no access to blood. Around 80 million units of blood are donated yearly, but only 38% of it is collected in developing countries, where 82% of the world’s population lives. Patients in many countries depend on blood donated by family and friends.\nIn 2022, the slogan of the World Blood Donor Day is: “Donating blood is an act of solidarity. Join the effort and save lives”.\nPhoto credit: Facebook / Mănăstirea Putna\nFollow our English-language News in Brief on Telegram: t.me/basilicanews", "label": "No"}
{"text": "The Tumultuous Sixties: 1968 Around The Globe\nIn 1964, the Free Speech Movement at UC Berkeley achieved national visibility with a series of student protests responding to the administration’s decision to ban information tables regarding the Civil Rights Movement. They mark the first time that the civil disobedience tactics of the Civil Rights Movement were brought to a college campus and served as a foundation for future protests such as those against the Vietnam War.\nWhile student protests gained momentum in the U.S., protest movements were also on the rise throughout Western Europe. They reached their culmination in the year 1968, a watershed year that brought about radical political and social changes throughout the world. The beginning of these movements can be traced back to the post-Second World War-era of the 1950s. The significance of the protest movements of this period varied according to the historical context of each country. In West Germany, for instance, the student uprising was the first time that a younger generation confronted its elders and questioned their role during the 12 years of Nazi dictatorship; in Africa, Southeast Asia, and Latin America protests focused on decolonization.\nIn this public lecture, Visiting Scholar at UC Berkeley, Christina Gerhardt, will contextualize the tumultuous sixties in post-war society and politics, its importance for the US and Western European countries as well as its alignment with international liberation and solidarity movements. She will also address the question of how and why the protest movements of the sixties are still relevant today.\nAbout the speaker:\nChristina Gerhardt is Visiting Scholar at the University of California at Berkeley and Associate Professor of Film and German Studies at the University of Hawaii at Manoa.\nShe is author of Screening the Red Army Faction: Historical and Cultural Memory (Bloomsbury, 2018), about which Kristin Ross wrote: “This informative and well-documented study of the changing representations of the Red Army Faction is a welcome model for how to go about de-provincializing our understanding of the post-war German experience.”\nRelated to the topic of 1968, she has co-edited the following publications: 1968 and Global Cinema (Wayne State UP, 2018); Celluloid Revolt: German Screen Cultures and the Long 1968 (Camden House, 2019); and 1968 and West German Cinema, a special issue of The Sixties 10 (2017).\nShe has held fellowships from the Fulbright Commission, the DAAD (German Academic Exchange Service) and the National Endowment for the Humanities. She has held visiting appointments at Harvard University, the Free University in Berlin and at Columbia University and at the University of California at Berkeley, where she taught previously.\nHer writing has been published in the journals Cineaste, Film Criticism, Film Quarterly, German Studies Review, Humanities, Mosaic, New German Critique, Quarterly Review of Film and Video and The Sixties.\nLight refreshments will be served.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "Identified through genetic studies in drosophila. • Highly conserved in evolution and are very important in animal development\nWnt • Notch • Hedgehog • NFB\nWnts • Wnt proteins released from or presented on the surface of signaling cells act on target cells by binding to Frizzled (Fz)/LDL-related protein (LDR) complex at the cell surface. • Receptors • Frizzled receptors, like GPCRs, are transmembrane proteins that span 7 times the plasma membrane. • Their ligand-binding site is exposed outside the surface of the cell. • Their effector site extends into the cytosol.\nLigands • Their ligands are Wnt proteins. These get their name from two of the first to be discovered, proteins encoded by • wingless (wg) in Drosophila and its homolog • Int-1 in mice.\nFz receptors transduce signals to intra-cellular proteins including Dsh, GSK-3ß, Axin, APC and ß-catenin • Nuclear ß-catenin interacts with lymphoid enhancer-binding factor 1/T cell-specific transcription factor (LEF/TCF) to affect transcription.\nIn vertebrates, Wnt proteins are inhibited by direct binding to either secreted frizzled-related protein (SFRP) or Wnt inhibitory factor (WIF). • SFRP is similar in sequence to the cysteine-rich domain (CRD) of Frizzled, one of the Wnt receptors.\nGSK-3b dependent phosphorylation, ubiquitination and complex formation with the proteins axin and APC are important to regulate the cytoplasmic stability of beta-catenin protein in the wnt-signal transduction pathway\nInteraction with TCF transcription factors and the transactivation domains of beta-catenin are instrumental to activate/derepress wnt-target genes in the nucleus.\nComplex formation with cadherins and alpha-catenin at the plasma membrane is essential for the role of beta-catenin in cell adhesion. • In vertebrate development, loss of a single Wnt gene can produce dramatic phenotypes that range from embryonic lethality and CNS abnormalities to kidney and limb defects • These diverse phenotypes indicate that the Wnt pathway has distinct transcriptional outputs. • In many cases, the cell, rather than the signal, determines the nature of the response, and up- or down-regulation of Wnt target genes is cell-type specific.\nWNT SIGNALING IN CANCER AND HUMAN DISEASE • In adults, mis-regulation of the Wnt pathway also leads to a variety of abnormalities and degenerative diseases\nFrom crypt physiology to colon cancer • Current evidence indicates that the Wnt cascade is the single most dominant force in controlling cell fate along the crypt-villus axis. • In Tcf4 -/- neonatal mice, the villus epithelial compartment appears unaffected but the crypt progenitor compartment is entirely absent, implying that physiological Wnt signalling is required for maintenance of the crypt progenitor phenotype.\nThe Wnt pathway in colon cancer • The APC gene was originally discovered to be the culprit in a hereditary cancer syndrome termed familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP). • FAP patients, inheriting one defective APC allele, develop large numbers of colon polyps, or adenomas, early in life. • Individual polyps are clonal outgrowths of epithelial cells in which the second APC allele is inactivated.\nMutational inactivation of APC leads to the inappropriate stabilization of b-catenin, implying that the absence of functional APC transforms epithelial cells through activation of the Wnt cascade. • In some cases of colorectal cancer in which APC is not mutated, the scaffolding protein axin 2 is mutant, or activating (oncogenic) point mutations in b-catenin remove its N-terminal Ser/Thr destruction motif.\nMultiple studies have used a candidate gene approach to address the nature of the Tcf4 target gene programme in colorectal cancer.\nNon-canonical wnt signaling • Involved in different development processes, but its intracellular mediators are ill-known. • In vertabrates, Wnt-11 & Wnt-5a can activate Wnt/JNK pathway (planar cell polarity?) • Wnt/Ca2+ pathway (described only in Xenopus & Zebrafish) • Additional wnt pathways (described only in drosophila)\nIn drosophila, non-canonical wnt signaling regulates “cell motility” through focal adhesion kinase (FAK)Planar cell polarity involved in tissue engineering • In vertabrates, non-canonical wnt signaling regulates “gastrulation” through protein kinase C (PKC)Planar cell polarity involved in tissue engineering • Wnt/Ca2+ signaling regulates dorso-ventral axis patterning (Wnt5aCa2+CalcineurinNFATActivation of target genesNegative regulation of canonical wnt signalingVentralization)\nA brief history • In 1917, Thomas Hunt Morgan described a strain of Drosophila with notches at the end of their wing blades, which result from haploinsufficiency • Notch gene was cloned in the mid-1980s\nNotch is an essential gene encoding a signalling receptor that is required throughout development to regulate the spatial patterning, timing and outcomes of many different cell fate decisions in both vertebrate and invertebrate species. • Notch is a single spanning transmembrane protein,which has a modular architecture.\nLigands: Delta1, 3 and 4; Jag1, 2 • Receptors: Notch1-4\nNotch signaling has effects in many different organs • •Notch signalling can maintain stem cells or precursor populations in an undifferentiated state • •Notch signalling influences binary cell-fate decisions via lateral or inductive signalling • •A third property of Notch is its ability to influence differentiation and cell-cycle progression\nThe best known role of notch signaling is in nerve cell development • Nerve cells arise within an epithelial sheet of precursor cells. • Each future nerve cells signals to its immediate neighbours not to develop in the same way at the same time • Lateral inhibition\nLateral inhibition is a contact-dependent signaling that is mediated by the ligand delta. • Delta displayed on the surface of future neural cell binds to notch on neighbours • If the signal is defective, excess production of neurons at the expense of epidermal cell causes lethality.\nProcessing and Activation of Notch • S1 cleavage occurs within the secretory pathway so that a processed heterodimeric form is transported to the cell surface (furin protease in the golgi apparatus.\nProcessing and Activation of Notch • S2 cleavage occurs following ligand binding by Delta or Serrate(Jagged in mammals) through their DSL domains (Delta/Serrate/Lag2), and releases a membrane tethered form of the Notch intracellular domain. • The latter is a constitutive substrate for the S3 cleavage, which releases the soluble intracellular domain of Notch (NIc).\nNIc is translocatedto the nucleus where it binds via the RAM domainand ankyrin repeats to a transcription factor, Suppressor of Hairless (Su(H)), or CBF1 in vertebrates. • In the absence of a Notch signal, Su(H)/CBF1 can repress transcription through the recruitment of a histone deacetylase (HDAC)\nBinding of NIc displaces HDAC and allows recruitment of histone acetylases and the nuclear protein Mastermind,which together activate transcription\nThe signal is terminated through ubiquitination of NIc by a complex including Sel-10, followed by proteosome-dependent degradation.\nThe NICD-RBP-Jk complex up-regulates expression of primary target genes of Notch signaling such as HES in mammals, and E(spl) (for Enhancer of Split) in Drosophila. • The HES/E(spl) family is a basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH) type trancriptional repressor and acts as Notch effectors by negatively regulating expression of downstream target genes such as tissue-specific transcription factors. • Consistent with this view, HES1 and HES5, for instance, were shown to be upregulated by NICD and necessary to prevent neuronal differentiation of neural precursor cells from mouse embryos\nModulators of Notch signalling • Fringe: regulate notch • Numb: notch inhibitor • Neuralized (E3 ubiquitin ligases): regulate ligand Delta. • Mib (mindbomb): (E3 ubiquitin ligase): function on Delta\nFringe • Fringe encodes a glycosyltransferase that adds O-fucoseglycans to the Notch EGF repeats. • Fringe proteins might differentially modulate the response of Notch receptors to different DSL (Delta,Serrate and LAG2) ligands. Fringe can enhance Delta binding to the notch receptor. Whether fringe modification of Notch inhibits Serrate/Jagged binding is much less certain. Function autonomously\nNumb • Numb domains: • 1. PTB domain; N-terminal phosphotyrosine binding domain • 2. proline-rich C-terminal region. • In vitro studies have shown that Numb binds directly to NICD. The Cterminal half of the PTB domain and the N-terminus of Numb are required to inhibit Notch. Numb also has two motifs associated with endocytic proteins. • mammalian Numb (mNumb) localizes to clathrin coated pits and early endosomes, might target endocytosed NICD for proteosomal destruction. • Numb acts either upstream of S3 cleavage site of Notch or inhibit the endocytosis of membrane-bound activated Notch.\nHedgehog Signaling • Sonic • Desert • Indian Hedgehog\nProcessing of Hedgehog (Hh) precursorprotein • Adding cholesterol to a glycine residue, • Splitting the molecule into two fragments, • Leaving the N-terminalsignaling fragment with an attached hydrophobiccholesterol moiety. • Addition of a palmitoyl group to the N-terminus", "label": "No"}
{"text": "Overcoming Drug Dependency\nhat do you want for your birthday?\" friends of one middle-class fifteen-year old asked.\n\"Let's do crack,\" he said.\nWithin a week this young teenager was smoking $50 worth of crack a day. Soon he was stealing money from his parents to support his habit. He began skipping school classes, and with friends began breaking into homes to steal cash, jewelry and anything that would sell.\n\"You are willing to do anything to get it,\" he said. \"We just had to get more.\"\nOne couple I read about, who tried sniffing cocaine at a party eight years ago, developed a $250,000-a-year habit and ended up selling $80,000 worth of coke a month to support themselves. They came close to destroying themselves.1\nAccording to Mark Gould, M.D., founder of the toll-free National Hotline for cocaine users and victims, \"An incredible twenty-two million Americans—one out of every ten—report that they have used cocaine at least once! Every day some 5,000 teenagers and adults try it for the first time!\"2\n\"Twelve million use it a least once a year; almost six million are current users. Young professionals are mortgaging their futures on it, lying and embezzling to assure one more high. Mothers-to-be are sacrificing their unborn babies for the powder's lean pleasure. In the streets, men kill, maim and rob to get another crack at crack. In five years, cocaine-related deaths and emergency-room visits have tripled.\"3\nNot long ago, heroin was the bondage of inner-city users, marijuana was smoked by rebellious middle-class youth, and cocaine was sniffed at high-society parties. Not any more.\nMen kill, maim and rob to\nget another crack at crack.\nDoctors, airline pilots, lawyers, engineers and other highly skilled and professional people are now being caught in the trap of cocaine. The results are tragic. Babies are being born brain damaged. People are experiencing excruciating death, strokes and heart attacks. \"But the most chilling characteristic of the drug is the phenomenon called cocaine psychosis, in which people just go crazy.\"4\nEven more alarming is that cocaine \"has been boiled down to hard and mean little pellets of crack, giver of euphoria, taker of lives.\"5\nCrack, which is extremely addictive and extremely dangerous, has been described as a vicious cancer, a dread disease that is affecting all levels of society.\nThe question is, when drugs are so extremely addictive and dangerous, why do people use them? Not only hard drugs but also other drugs such as analgesics, tranquilizers, cigarettes and alcohol? Experts point to a number of deep-seated causes behind the national craving for drugs.\nFirst. The unparalleled breakdown of family life and the emotional pain this causes are taking a huge toll on our society. People turn to drugs to escape their pain.\nSecond. Our materialistic society, which measures success largely in terms of wealth and possessions, leaves little time for meeting our deeper emotional and spiritual needs.\nThird. Our culture has taught many of us to deny and repress our deeper emotions including the emotion of awe. This is the emotion that appreciates the beauty of nature, life and simple things, and puts sparkle into life. When this emotion is repressed, it leaves us feeling empty and bored with life. We then seek the lost sparkle in substitutes—such as fancy cars, houses, materialistic possessions, or alcohol and drugs.\n5. All articles on the ACTS International website are by Richard (Dick) Innes unless otherwise noted.\nAll pages in this site © Copyright 1990-2021 by ACTS International\nP.O. Box 73545, San Clemente, California U.S.A. 92673", "label": "No"}
{"text": "Fast, Energetic Predator\nThe blacktip shark inhabits shallow coastal waters near coral reefs as well as estuaries and offshore surface waters. Their favored habitats are muddy bays and island lagoons. During summer some blacktip sharks migrate to cooler waters. This shark gets its name from the pointed snout and black tips on its fins. Blacktip sharks are very social and mostly found in large groups. They tend to be very shy and timid towards other predators.\nThe blacktip shark can grow up to 8 feet in length - or as long as two 4 year old kids lying head to toe in a straight line. It can weigh up to 300 lbs which is as much as the weight of three thirteen year old boys taken together. The blacktip shark is an extremely fast, energetic predator. With a sleek body and speedy tail, it sneaks up on its prey with ease. It feeds mainly on fish but supplement its diet with skates, stingrays, squids, and some crustaceans. A small group of blacktip sharks often hunt down schools of fish together. They work together to enclose the fish into a tight ball and then attack the trapped prey. Coastal development and commercial fishing are the main threats faced by blacktip sharks. In spite of this, their population has remained fairly stable.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "Parents & Friends of Lesbians & Gays (PFLAG)\n1972 with the simple act of a mother publicly supporting\nher gay son, PFLAG is the nation's largest family and\npeople who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and\nqueer (LGBTQ) with families, friends, and allies, PFLAG\nis committed to advancing equality through its mission\nof support, education, and advocacy.\n400 chapters and 200,000 supporters crossing multiple\ngenerations of American families in major urban centers,\nsmall cities, and rural areas in all 50 states, the\nDistrict of Columbia and Puerto Rico. This vast\ngrassroots network is cultivated, resourced, and\nserviced by PFLAG National, located in Washington DC,\nthe National Board of Directors, and 13 volunteer\nGay Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD)\nGLAAD is a\nUS non-governmental media monitoring organization\nfounded by LGBTQ people in the media. Before March 2013,\nthe name GLAAD had been an acronym for \"Gay & Lesbian\nAlliance Against Defamation\", but became the primary\nname due to its inclusiveness of bisexual and\nmission, in part, is to amplify the voice of the LGBTQ\ncommunity by empowering real people to share their\nstories, holding the media accountable for the words and\nimages they present, and helping grassroots\norganizations communicate effectively.\nFormed in New York City in 1985 to protest against what\nit saw as the New York Post's defamatory and\nsensationalized AIDS coverage, GLAAD put pressure on\nmedia organizations to end what it saw as homophobic\nOn March 24, 2013, GLAAD announced that it had formally\ndropped the \"Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation\"\nfrom their name and would now be known only as GLAAD to\nreflect their work more accurately. The name\nchange is a commitment to incorporate bisexual and\ntransgender people in their efforts to support the LGBTQ\ncommunity in its entirety.\nGay Lesbian Straight Education Network (GLSEN)\n(pronounced \"glisten\") was founded in 1990 by a small,\nbut dedicated group of teachers in Massachusetts who\ncame together to improve an education system that too\nfrequently allows its lesbian, gay, bisexual,\ntransgender, queer and questioning (LGBTQ) students to\nbe bullied, discriminated against, or fall through the\ncracks. Over 25 years later, that small group has grown\ninto the leading national education organization focused\non ensuring safe and affirming schools for LGBTQ\nWe face a pervasive problem with a set of new\nchallenges. 8 out of 10 LGBTQ students are still\nharassed at school each year because of who they are. We\nare working to change that. At GLSEN, we want every\nstudent, in every school, to be valued and treated with\nrespect, regardless of their sexual orientation, gender\nidentity or gender expression. We believe that all\nstudents deserve a safe and affirming school environment\nwhere they can learn and grow.\nWe accomplish our goals by working in hallways across\nthe country (from Congress and the Department of\nEducation to schools and district offices in your\ncommunity) to improve school climate and champion LGBTQ\nissues in K-12 education.\nNational LGBTQ Task Force\nThe National LGBTQ Task Force advances full freedom,\njustice and equality for LGBTQ people. We’re building a\nfuture where everyone is free to be themselves in every\naspect of their lives. Today, despite all the progress\nwe’ve made to end discrimination, millions of LGBTQ\npeople face barriers in every aspect of their lives: in\nhousing, employment, healthcare, retirement, and basic\nhuman rights. These barriers must go. That’s why the\nTask Force is training and mobilizing millions of\nactivists across our nation to deliver a world where you\ncan be you.\nFounded in 1973, we are the country’s oldest national\nLGBTQ advocacy group. 40 years ago, most states\nhad anti-sodomy laws on the books (and enforced them).\nThat’s what the Stonewall raid was all about. Besides\nhaving laws against it, being lesbian or gay had a\nprofound stigma and homosexuality was still considered a\nmental illness. It was common for parents to send their\nchild to a mental institution after finding out the\nchild was gay.\nThe Task Force played a critical role in the campaign to\neliminate the sickness classification of homosexuality.\nIt worked to lift the prohibition on federal civil\nservice employment for gays and lesbians. It strove in\nthe 1970s to make the Democratic Party responsive to the\ngay community. It took the lead in the 1980s in national\norganizing against homophobic violence. As AIDS began to\ndevastate gay male communities, the Task Force shaped\nthe first serious efforts in Washington to address the\nepidemic. It was a founding member of the Military\nFreedom Project, which prepared the ground for the\ngays-in-the-military debate of 1993. It has worked with\nthe administrations of presidents from Carter to\nHuman Rights Campaign (HRC)\nRights Campaign represents a force of more than 1.5\nmillion members and supporters nationwide. As the\nlargest national lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and\nqueer civil rights organization, HRC envisions a world\nwhere LGBTQ people are ensured of their basic equal\nrights, and can be open, honest and safe at home, at\nwork and in the community.\nAs the largest civil rights organization working to\nachieve equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender\nand queer Americans, the Human Rights Campaign\nrepresents a force of more than 3 million members and\nsupporters nationwide — all committed to making HRC's\nvision a reality.\nHRC envisions a world where lesbian, gay, bisexual,\ntransgender and queer people are embraced as full\nmembers of society at home, at work and in every\nSouthern Poverty Law Center (SPLC)\nis dedicated to fighting hate and bigotry and to seeking\njustice for the most vulnerable members of our society.\nUsing litigation, education, and other forms of\nadvocacy, the SPLC works toward the day when the ideals\nof equal justice and equal opportunity will be a\nSPLC was founded in 1971 by civil rights lawyers to\nensure that the promise of the civil rights movement\nbecame a reality for all. Since then, we’ve won numerous\nlandmark legal victories on behalf of the exploited, the\npowerless and the forgotten.\nOur lawsuits have toppled institutional racism and\nstamped out remnants of Jim Crow segregation; destroyed\nsome of the nation’s most violent white supremacist\ngroups; and protected the civil rights of children,\nwomen, the disabled, immigrants and migrant workers, the\nLGBTQ community, prisoners, and many others who faced\ndiscrimination, abuse or exploitation.\nPride represents the leading national organization for\nstudent leaders and campus groups working to create a\nsafer college environment for LGBTQ students. The\norganization is a volunteer-driven network “for” and\n“by” student leaders. The primary objective of Campus\nPride is to develop necessary resources, programs and\nservices to support LGBTQ and ally students on college\ncampuses across the United States.\nIt was founded in the Fall of 2001 and launched a year\nlater in October of 2002. our purpose is to build\nfuture leaders and safer campus communities.\nOur mission is to serve LGBTQ and ally student leaders\nand campus organizations in the areas of leadership\ndevelopment, support programs and services to create\nsafer, more inclusive LGBTQ-friendly colleges and\nuniversities. It exists to develop, support and give\n“voice and action” in building future LGBTQ and ally\nCampus Pride envisions campuses and a society free of\nanti-LGBTQ prejudice, bigotry and hate. It works to\ndevelop student leaders, campus networks, and future\nactions to create such positive change.\n1998 by the creators of the Academy Award-winning short\nfilm Trevor, The Trevor Project is the leading\nnational organization providing crisis intervention and\nsuicide prevention services to lesbian, gay, bisexual,\ntransgender and questioning (LGBTQ) young people ages\nEvery day, The Trevor Project saves young lives through\nits accredited, free and confidential phone, instant\nmessage and text messaging crisis intervention services.\nA leader and innovator in suicide prevention, The Trevor\nProject offers the largest safe social networking\ncommunity for LGBTQ youth, best practice suicide\nprevention educational trainings, resources for youth\nand adults, and advocacy initiatives.\n│ LGBTQ Information Network │ Established 2017 │", "label": "No"}
{"text": "Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) is a type of arthritis that inflames the joints (vertebrae) of the spine. The most commonly affected area of the spine is the sacroiliac (SI) joints in your lower back. This is the joint where the spine connects with the pelvis. The condition affects other joints in the body in some cases including the ribs, shoulders, knees, hips, and feet. AS causes pain, stiffness, and discomfort along the length of the spine. Rarely, AS involves the bowels, eyes, lungs, and heart. Many people who have AS have mild, intermittent pain. Some have constant, severe pain. Some people experience a loss of flexibility in the spine due to AS.\nAS is the most common condition belonging to a family of related arthritic conditions known as spondyloarthritis. Other less common names for ankylosing spondylitis are Marie Strumpell disease and Bechterew disease.\nMost people first develop AS in their teens or as young adults. Most people with the condition develop it before age 30. About two times more men develop AS than women. Most people who have AS have a gene called HLA-B27. On the other hand, people with the gene do not always get AS. Other genes, including ERAP1 and IL23R, also confer a genetic risk for AS.\nLow back pain and stiffness are two of the most common early symptoms of AS. They often develop gradually over weeks or months. Most people with AS describe the pain as diffuse and dull. Pain and stiffness tend to be worse at night, after being sedentary, and in the mornings. Early symptoms include loss of appetite, fever, and discomfort. Light exercise tends to make pain feel better. Rest makes pain feel worse. Eventually the pain may spread up the length of the spine and into the neck. Shoulder blades, ribs, thighs, hips, and heels may eventually be affected.\nAn enthesopathy is a disorder that affects locations where ligaments and tendons attach to bones. Enthesitis is inflammation of these areas that occurs with AS and causes pain and swelling. Commonly affected areas include the heels, pelvis, sacroiliac joints, and the front of the shinbone. When ribs are affected, a patient may have trouble breathing because it hurts to expand the chest. If enthesitis occurs in the feet, it may make it difficult to walk. The Achilles tendon in the back of the heel is one location that may be affected. Another area that may be affected is the plantar fascia at the base of the heel.\nThe effects of ankylosing spondylitis go beyond the spine. AS may include joint involvement of the knees, shoulders, and hips. AS may degrade bone leading to osteoporosis. Fatigue is a common in ankylosing spondylitis. Pain and discomfort can interfere with sleep, leading to fatigue. Inflammatory molecules, or cytokines, released in AS make people tired. Cytokines may also lead to anemia. If inflammation impacts the gastrointestinal tract, colitis may occur and lead to weight loss. AS may also cause inflammation that affects the heart, lungs, and eyes. Approximately 33% to 40% of people with AS experience eye inflammation, iritis or anterior uveitis. Rarely, inflammation of the aorta (aortitis) may occur.\nThe prognosis of ankylosing spondylitis varies. Some people have minor pain and few limitations due to their disease. Some people experience more severe pain and other effects. Almost everyone who has AS experiences periods of exacerbation of symptoms and remissions. People who have other health problems, physically demanding jobs, and those who smoke are more limited by AS. People with severe disease may experience fusing of vertebrae and stiffening of the spine, which may severely limit function. When completely fused vertebrae are visible on an X-ray it is known as bamboo spine. When vertebrae are fused, they are said to be ankylosed. Bony outgrowths (syndesmophytes) may be visible along the spine in areas of inflammation of the ligaments that attach contiguous vertebrae.\nSymptoms of ankylosing spondylitis often tend to develop slowly over the course of weeks or months. Sometimes, AS emerges more quickly. Early diagnosis and treatment can help prevent damage and preserve function. If you experience lower back pain or pain in the hips or buttocks for more than a few months, it's a good idea to see the doctor for an evaluation. Inflammation of the SI joints, sacroiliitis, causes pain in the lower back and upper buttocks. Other telltale signs of potential AS are back pain that feels worse in the morning. Pain that is worse with rest, but is better with exercise may also indicated AS. If you are experiencing red, painful eyes, blurry vision, or sensitivity to light, see your ophthalmologist.\nDiagnosis of AS may take some time. The doctor will evaluate you, perform a physical exam, and take your medical history. The doctor may order blood tests to check for inflammatory markers and the HLA-B27 gene. The doctor may order imaging tests like X-rays to view the spine and sacroiliac joint or an MRI to view soft tissues and bones. Imaging tests are also useful after diagnosis to monitor the progression of the disease. Inflammatory damage due to spondylitis may be visible on these imaging studies. A rheumatologist is a specialist that diagnoses arthritis and related conditions, including ankylosing spondylitis.\nAS is a lifelong condition that cannot be cured. Treatment can provide relieve and help prevent severe complications from spondylitis. Early diagnosis and treatment provide the best opportunity for the most favorable outcome. Ankylosing spondylitis is treated with a variety of medications and lifestyle changes. Exercise, good posture, and adequate sleep can help. Many find physical therapy to be helpful. Gentle stretches, hot and cold packs, and warm baths can ease pain.\nA variety of medications are used in the treatment of AS:\nNonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) alleviate swelling, pain, and stiffness by blocking prostaglandins. This class includes naproxen, aspirin, and ibuprofen.\nCorticosteroids are medications that alleviate inflammation. They may be taken orally or injected. Doctors may inject corticosteroids directly into the sacroiliac joint, knee joint, or hip joint.\nDisease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs) block inflammation and change the way the immune system works to prevent joint destruction. Common DMARDs used to treat AS include methotrexate and sulfasalazine.\nBiologic medications are targeted agents that inhibit inflammation that drives disease processes like AS. Etanercept, infliximab, adalimumab, certolizumab, secukinumab, and golimumab are biologics for the treatment of AS. They are either injected or infused.\nEating right and being physically active are helpful to relieve symptoms of AS. Some find that avoiding starchy foods (potatoes, bread, and rice) helps their symptoms. Make sure your diet provides you with adequate protein. Eat lots of fruit and vegetables.\nUsing weights and other strengthening exercises to build muscles can help because strong muscles support joints better. Do range-of-motion exercises to increase flexibility and improve movement. These exercises can reduce joint stiffness. Exercises that involve stretching and extending the spine may help prevent long-term disability. If exercising is painful for you, try exercising in a pool with warm water.\nAnkylosing spondylitis can affect your posture. You can help your condition by maintaining good posture. Check how you stand in the mirror. Stand sideways and glance at yourself. Do you lean forward or backward? Do you slouch? Straighten yourself up and notice the feeling in your muscles when you stand up straight. Straighten your posture whenever you notice that you are not standing up straight. Maintaining good posture may help prevent some of the potential complications associated with AS. Have an ergonomic set up at work to keep strain off your spine.\nWhen you have AS, it's important to keep your spine straight and supported while you sleep. Choose a firm mattress that is not too hard. Sleeping in a non-bent position is best. Avoid using lots of pillows that may overextend your spine and neck. It can be helpful to sleep on your belly without a pillow. If you sleep on your back, use no pillow, a thin pillow, or even a rolled-up towel to support your head and neck. Do not curl your legs up. It is best to keep your legs stretched out straight. Many people who have AS report waking up at night and needing to walk around to get some relief. Tell your doctor if AS interferes with your ability to fall asleep or stay asleep.\nOne of the big dangers with AS is a loss of flexibility. This, in turn, affects body posture and the function of the spine. If loss of spinal mobility happens early in the course of the illness, AS has a worse prognosis. Physical therapy is a useful way to preserve spinal flexibility and fitness. Regular physical therapy can help prevent postural deformities, increase range of motion, and build muscle strength. Each of these helps decrease pain. Physical therapists also provide patient education and coaching about maintaining good posture and the best positions to sleep in.\nBoth heat and cold may help relieve AS symptoms. When do you use heat and when do you use cold? Heat is good for stiff joints and tense muscles. If you wake up in the morning and feel stiff, take a warm bath or a shower to loosen tense joints and tissues. Gentle stretching can help, too. Apply a heating pad or an electric blanket to stiff areas. Cold is best used for inflammation, local pain, and swelling. Take a break between icing so you do not damage tissues.\nSitting for long periods of time is not good for anyone, but it's especially hard on people with AS. Sitting in an awkward position increases stress on your back, neck, legs, and arms. This can add pressure to discs in the spine and back muscles. Slouching may lead to strained discs and overstretching ligaments in the back. Ensure you have a good ergonomic set up at work. Sit with your feet flat on the floor. Maintain a 90-degree bend in your elbows. Sit with your buttocks touching the back of your chair. Your chair should have adequate lumbar support to help prevent slouching and strain on your back. Raise your computer screen so your eyes can see the middle of screen when looking straight ahead. Take frequent breaks. An adjustable workstation that allows you to sit or stand when you work can be a good option. Seek help from an occupational therapist if you need advice about how to set up your work space so that it is safe for you. He or she may be able to recommend certain devices to make it easier for you to do your job.\nMany people with AS do not have a problem driving. If AS affects your range of motion, it might be hard to turn your head when backing up or looking side to side while driving. If that is the case, there are special mirrors that can help you see without having to turn your head so much. Make sure your headrest is at the proper height for you. It should be at least level with the tops of your ears. On long car trips, pull over and take breaks so you can get out of the car and walk around for several minutes.\nPain and stiffness with AS may make it more difficult to have sex. Medications may help relieve pain. Chronic inflammation of the SI joints or lumbar spine can make sex painful. Try different positions that are more comfortable and place less strain on your back. It's important for you to communicate with your partner openly. Let your doctor know if AS symptoms interfere with sexual function. He or she may be able to prescribe medications to help.\nIMAGES PROVIDED BY:\n- PDSN / Medical Images\n- Medical Images\n- Science Source\n- Arthritis Foundation: “Using Heat and Cold for Pain Relief.”\n- Arthritis Research UK: “Driving and Ankylosing Spondylitis (AS),” “Sex, Pregnancy, Children and Ankylosing Spondylitis (AS).”\n- National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases: “Questions and Answers about Ankylosing Spondylitis,” “What Is Ankylosing Spondylitis?”\n- Spondylitis Association of America: “Exercise & Posture,” “How Is a Person Affected?” “Most Common Symptoms,” “Physical Therapy and Surgery.”\n- Therapeutic Advances in Musculoskeletal Disease: “Axial Spondyloarthritis: Is There Treatment of Choice?”\n- UCLA Spine Center: “Ergonomics for Prolonged Sitting.”", "label": "No"}
{"text": "Z-Wave is a wireless communication protocol used primarily in smart home networks, allowing smart devices to connect and exchange control commands and data with each other.\nWith two-way communication through mesh networking and message acknowledgment, the Z-Wave protocol helps alleviate power issues and brings low-cost wireless connectivity to home automation, offering a lower-power alternative to Wi-Fi and a longer-range alternative to Bluetooth.\nHow Z-Wave works\nA Z-Wave network consists of internet of things (IoT) devices and a primary controller, also known as a smart home hub, which is the only device in a Z-Wave network that is usually connected to the internet. When a Z-Wave hub receives a command from a smart home application on a user's smartphone, tablet or computer, it routes the command to its destination device across networks of up to 232 devices -- including the hub.\nUsing source-routed mesh network technology, Z-Wave signals can hop through other Z-Wave devices to reach the device a user intends to control. Each Z-Wave network accommodates a maximum of four hops.\nThe Z-Wave protocol operates on the low-frequency 908.42 band in the U.S. and the 868.42 MHz band in Europe. Though interference with other home electronics, such as cordless phones, is possible, the protocol avoids interference with the 2.4 GHz band where Wi-Fi and Bluetooth operate.\nZ-Wave offers transmission rates of small data packets using throughput rates of 9.6 kbps, 40 kbps or 100 kbps. The Z-Wave PHY and MAC layers are based on the ITU-T G.9959 global radio standard, and the protocol uses GFSK modulation and Manchester encoding. It also includes AES 128 encryption, IPv6 and multichannel operation.\nIn terms of identification and authorization, each Z-Wave network is identified by a network ID and each end device is identified with a node ID. The unique network ID prevents, for example, one Z-Wave-equipped house from controlling devices in another similarly equipped house.\nCommunication between devices ranges from 98 to 328 feet; the 500 Series has a range of 130 feet and the 700 Series 328 feet. Because walls and other dense building materials limit the range, the general deployment best practice is to place Z-Wave devices 50 feet or fewer apart for maximum signal strength.\nUsing a Z-Wave repeater -- an additional Z-Wave device between other devices -- or using line-powered -- not battery-powered -- devices in the network can also strengthen the signal and help it reach its destination. The maximum range with four hops is estimated to be 600 feet.\nIn regards to battery life, some 700 Series Z-Wave devices can last up to 10 years on a coin cell battery, while many other battery-powered devices last a year or longer.\nAll Z-Wave technology is backward-compatible.\nTo bear the Z-Wave branding, smart home products must become Z-Wave certified. This involves meeting a number of requirements and, most importantly, being interoperable with all other Z-Wave-certified devices.\nFirst envisioned by Danish company Zensys, the Z-Wave protocol began as a light-control system for consumers and evolved into a home automation network mesh protocol implemented on a proprietary system-on-a-chip (SoC). The company aimed to make a simpler, less expensive alternative to existing smart home protocols. Zensys was acquired by Sigma Designs Inc. in 2008.\nIn 2001, the 100 Series chipset was released, followed by the 200 Series in 2005. In 2013, the 500 Series, also known as Z-Wave Plus, was released, offering a 50% improvement in battery life, 67% improvement in range and 250% more bandwidth, as well as plug-and-play capabilities and standardized, over-the-air updates.\nThe Z-Wave Alliance, a consortium of industry leaders, manufacturers and integrators aimed at developing and expanding Z-Wave applications and capabilities, was founded in 2005 when members from Intermatic Inc., Leviton Manufacturing Co. Inc., Wayne Dalton, Danfoss and Universal Electronics met with Zensys to discuss the state of home automation protocols. The more than 700 current members include D-Link Systems Inc., Honeywell International Inc., LG Electronics and Verizon, among others.\nIn 2016, some Z-Wave technology was made open source. Sigma Designs added an interoperability layer to the Z-Wave open source library with the aim to give software developers, manufacturers, hobbyists and academics, among others, the ability to read, use and comment on how Z-Wave works without joining the Z-Wave Alliance or purchasing a Z-Wave development kit. Prior to this, nondisclosure agreements were required, and the specifications were only available to Z-Wave Alliance members and Z-Wave development kit holders.\nSigma Designs also released the Z-Wave S2 security specification, the Z-Wave over IP Specification for transporting Z-Wave signals over IP networks and Z-Ware middleware in 2016.\nIn 2017, Sigma Designs announced Z-Wave SmartStart, a combination of the Z-Wave protocol and Z-Wave gateway software layers, allowing for preconfiguration and eliminating the need to manually add devices to a Z-Wave home network, as they can automatically connect when powered on.\nThe 700 Series was announced at the 2018 Consumer Electronics Show and will be available later in the year. This iteration offers a device-to-device range of more than 328 feet and a mesh range of more than 1,312 feet. It also uses a 32-bit Arm Cortex SoC, unlike previous versions that used the 8-bit Intel MCS-51/8051-compatible foundation.\nIn 2018, Sigma Designs sold Z-Wave to Silicon Labs.\nZ-Wave adoption and popularity\nIn 2002, a reported six Z-Wave-certified devices were available on the market. In 2012, that number rose to 1,000. Currently, in 2018, more than 2,400 Z-Wave-certified devices are available from the more than 700 members of the Z-Wave Alliance.\nZ-Wave's website claims it has the largest selection of smart products available across widely recognized brands, and that more than 100 million Z-Wave protocols have been sold for smart homes worldwide.\nToday, Z-Wave-certified devices are used for remote control and management in a variety of smart home and IoT devices and applications, including smart thermostats, smart locks, smart lighting, smart sensors, smart plugs and outlets, and smart home hubs.\nZ-Wave-certified products are available from brands including ADT, GE, Honeywell, Kwikset, Schlage and SmartThings.\nEarly on, Z-Wave had a bad security reputation. While it offered AES encryption, there were a number of security incidents involving Z-Wave largely due to implementation errors by manufacturers or manufacturers not using the recommended security in the first place.\nIn a 2013 Black Hat presentation, hackers demonstrated how to use the Z-Force packet interception and injection tool to identify a critical implementation vulnerability in the Z-Wave security layer. They showed how to compromise an AES-encrypted Z-Wave door lock, which turned out not to be a flaw introduced by Z-Wave, but by the door lock manufacturer. In response, Sigma Designs added additional security test cases to its certification processes.\nIn a 2016 ShmooCon presentation, two hackers demonstrated how the open source EZ-Wave penetration testing tool could be used to destroy lights and physically damage Z-Wave-certified devices. In their research, the hackers found that only nine of the 33 devices they tested supported AES. In turn, the Z-Wave Alliance made AES 128 encryption mandatory for a device to become certified.\nThe Z-Wave Alliance mandated Z-Wave-certified devices follow the Security 2 (S2) framework beginning in April 2017. This modified the process from a three-step process in the previous S0 framework to a one-step process in S2.\nIn an attempt to mitigate man-in-the-middle, distributed denial-of-service and brute-force attacks against Z-Wave devices, S2 uses elliptic curve Diffie-Hellman cryptography and requires a QR or PIN code at the device level for authentication. S2 also implements strengthened cloud communication by tunneling all Z-Wave over IP traffic through a secure TLS 1.1 tunnel.\nIn May 2018, researchers from Pen Test Partners found a five-year-old software vulnerability in the Z-Wave protocol dubbed Z-Shave, which affected an estimated 100 million SoCs in smart home devices manufactured by more than 2,400 vendors.\nIn the attack, one device is tricked into believing the other does not support Z-Wave's S2 framework, so it downgrades the device's security to the S0 framework for compatibility. As S0 uses a hardcoded encryption key, hackers in range can potentially intercept communication and smart lock keys to unlock home doors.\nSilicon Labs refuted the ability of the attack, claiming that this attack requires close physical proximity to the device during the pairing process, which is done during initial installation or reinstallation. This means the user would have to be present at the time of the attack and would be made aware of a device running S0. The company also stated that it is updating the specification to ensure users get a warning any time a device is downgraded to S0. The user would have to acknowledge and accept the warning to run the system.\nZ-Wave vs. Zigbee\nZ-Wave and Zigbee are two of the biggest names in smart home communication protocols. Both use short-range, low-power radio signals and mesh network technologies, and both are secured using AES. However, there are some notable differences.\nZ-Wave operates on the low-frequency 908.42 band while the Zigbee protocol operates at 2.4 GHz. While the higher frequency allows Zigbee to transmit more data faster -- 40-250 kbps to Z-Wave's 9.6 to 100 kbps -- it reduces the range of the signal. Z-Wave's range of 98 feet is greater than Zigbee's 32-foot range. As an open standard run by the Zigbee Alliance, Zigbee chips are available from multiple vendors, while Z-Wave chips are only available from Silicon Labs.\nZigbee is often perceived as more complex due to its multiple protocols; for example, it offers specifications for smart energy, healthcare, gateways and more -- which historically do not communicate well together. However, the release of Zigbee 3.0 aims to address this issue and address the complexity.\nA Zigbee network, which doesn't have a maximum number of allowed hops, can support more than 65,000 devices, while a Z-Wave network, limited to four hops, supports a maximum of 232 devices.\nOften considered an either/or situation, many smart home hubs today, including Samsung SmartThings and Wink Hub, support both standards, allowing Zigbee and Z-Wave devices to communicate with each other, so there is no need to choose one over the other.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "Kentia palms are one of the most beautiful plants in my opinion. They are native to the Lord Howe island. Currently they are being kept both indoors and outdoors and if provided with proper conditions, they will thrive in both. Lets have a closer look at them.\nThe soil should be kept moist mostly, so water very regularly and faithfully. However allow it to dry partially before watering it again.\nLike most palms, the soil should be well drained and sandy.\nFertilize in the growing season, do not overdo the fertilizer.\nIt is not very good at tolerating cold. Temperatures below 23 degrees Fahrenheit for extended periods can easily harm your Kentia palm.\nThe scientific or botanic name of this palm is Howea forsteriana.\nSome of its common names are:\nand the famous Kentia palm\nKentia palms can easily be propagated by seeds. Just soak the fruit in warm water for a couple of days and then remove the fruit from seeds. Now make sure the seed does not have any fruit particle and place them in growing tray that has rich, well drained soil mix and peat moss. Plant the seeds in soil so that just one third to half of each seed goes below the surface. Now for the germination to occur you must keep the soil moist all the time. Keep it moist, not wet, wet soil can cause seedlings to rot.\nKentia Palm Pictures\nHere are some pictures of Kentia palm plantations...", "label": "No"}
{"text": "In the late 19th century, filmmakers had a problem they couldn’t have anticipated: how to make a film that lasted more than a few seconds without tearing. In film’s earliest days, this had hardly been an issue. Film was a novelty, and brevity was part of the appeal. It offered spectacle, like glimpses of Annie Oakley shooting or prizefighters competing in the ring—sights people would never be able to see in person.\nBut after the initial shock wore off, the public wanted something more. They began to understand what it was film had to offer: The seeds of fiction were planted in these short, performed events.\nBefore film was art, it was machinery. It took years for film to get the kind of legal protection that the other, more prestigious arts enjoyed. In the early days, it was technology, protectable only by patent. As a result, film, as a product, was strange and vulnerable, subject to duping, sabotage, and all kinds of strange patent traps set by Thomas Edison to keep independent filmmakers from gaining power.\nEdison hadn’t invented the technology behind the moving picture. In the 1880s, the photographer Edward Muybridge created a sequence of images that, if viewed together in rapid succession, simulated movement. The first functioning camera and projector likewise didn’t come from Edison, but the Lumière Brothers. Edison refined and commercialized their invention, turning film’s focus toward storytelling and away from documentary. He also thought globally. By the mid-1900s anyone with a camera could produce—or just copy—films. Distributing them was another matter. That, Edison knew, was where the money was.\n* * *\nEnter the Lathams—a father, Major Woodville (a Confederate) and his hard-living sons Otway and Gray. In their quest to film a boxing match and screen it for a paying audience, they invented the Latham Loop, a way of pulling film through the threading device of the camera gently enough not to tear the sprockets—and more importantly, a device that enabled the film to gently spool over from back to front, allowing for longer films. Their projector was called the Eidoloscope, and it had the instant advantage over Edison’s competing product.\nFrom 1891 onward, Edison had tried to corner the new, lucrative market for films. By 1894, he turned to the Lathams, who had asked for financial help in creating a device allowing for longer pictures, with the aim of projecting filmed boxing matches for admission. In 1895, they were successful. In May of that year, as Dan Streible documents in his book Fight Pictures: Boxing and Early Cinema, the Lathams screened a fight between “Young Griffo” and Charles Barnett in New York City in a widescreen format.\nThe Lathams continued to screen spectacles for the public, until the money ran out. Edison’s protégé, W.K.L. Dickson, distanced himself from both the Lathams and Edison in 1895, just in time to form his own company. He’d call it Mutoscope, soon to be known as Biograph, the studio that would produce some of the most influential narrative films of the early century, among them Birth of a Nation in 1913.\nEdison didn’t like competition. His nickelodeons, or “peep shows,” were all the rage in the early aughts, before the problems of screening films for large audiences had been fixed to anyone’s satisfaction. But when the competition started heating up, Edison turned to his patents to squeeze the market. He’d intimidated filmmakers out of competing against him in previous years, so much so that there were more French films on American screens from 1906 to 1909 than American ones.\nEdison went further in 1908, by creating the Motion Picture Patents Company, or Film Trust. By joining forces with the other big studios of the day (Dickson’s Biograph excluded) he’d hoped to exert his power against burgeoning independent filmmakers by patenting every part of the film camera down to the sprocket holes. Independent filmmakers didn’t have much in the way of legal recourse against the Edison machine. The Sherman Antitrust Act had passed in 1890, before the earliest films had an audience. Copyright laws wouldn’t take motion pictures under protection until 1912.\nBut Edison had forgotten something: Dickson’s long-held grudge. Dickson side-swiped Edison, coming up against him with his ownership of the Latham Loop, which Edison, in his rush to power, had somehow forgotten about.\nBy 1908, the Loop was integral to any film projector and camera—as it remains today. It had been patented by 1902 by Woodville Latham, only to be then sold on the cheap to Ansco (Anthony and Scoville Co.) when the Lathams were running low on money. In 1908, Dickson and Biograph bought up the patent and used it to beat Edison and the MPPC at its own game.\nIt was a bold move in an increasingly cutthroat industry on the verge of incredible growth—and it meant war.\n* * *\nAlong with the loop patent, Dickson had also devised a “friction feed,” the answer to Edison’s patented sprocket holes. Dickson’s camera punched its own holes as the film wove through the machine. With these innovations, Dickson had proved a match for Edison. They combined forces, forming a powerful conglomerate.\nAfterward, the Latham Loop became a pawn in Edison’s battle against independents. In conversation with the author and director Peter Bogdanovich, whose 1971 book Who the Devil Made recorded conversations with early filmmakers, the director Allan Dwan said that it was akin to “selling an automobile and not letting anybody else drive it because you have a patent on putting your foot on the pedal.” Non-compliant competitors found themselves subject to intimidation. When these companies moved out West, according to Dwan, Edison sent gangsters across the country to follow them.\n“They always shot at the cameras,” recalled Dwan. “Most companies only had one. Sometimes they’d wait until a fellow was cleaning the camera … and take a shot at it. Anything to destroy it.”\nEven when it didn’t work, Edison’s toughs could take as well as they could give. “In La Mesa,” Dwan told Bogdanovich, “a rough-looking character got off the train and looked me up. He said he was sent out to make sure me and my company got out of there and quit making pictures. We took a walk up the road to talk it over. I wanted to get him far enough out of town to see if I couldn’t beat his brains out.” The pair competed at shooting cans off a rock. Dwan bested him, and the tough left town that day. Bound to become the art of the masses, film couldn’t be controlled with the same ruthlessness as big business.\n* * *\nFights like those, Dwan recalls, didn’t just set the context for filmmaking, they also provided the setting for the films that would be made in the new climate of the West. Once the independents got used to defending their territory in the West, they found that the setting was conducive to filmmaking on a grand scale. Hollywood was a wilderness at the time—a suburb of Los Angeles that counted on the larger city for its water supply. The town’s climate was ideal for filmmaking: dry heat, open spaces, and consistent, beautiful weather. In the early 20th century, a renegade culture still drove filmmaking, one germane to the West.\nThe lawless wilderness stuck with film, helping invent one of its earliest and most enduring genres: the Western. By 1909, Westerns (shot in the East) already dominated the big screen. Their appeal would only grow as the industry grew, inside the very climate that had inspired the genres’ tales of greed and lawlessness.\nD.W. Griffith was one of the first filmmakers to capitalize upon the myth of West artistically. The first film to be shot completely on location was Griffith’s In Old California, which he made for Biograph in 1910. To Griffith, the West still contained the mythos of American naturalism, first born in the works of Jack London and Frank Norris. For a filmmaker defined early on by his attention to atmosphere, nature, and sunlit outdoor scenes, centering his company in California was obvious.\nIn a different time, Griffith could have laid claim to intellectual property and made a fortune. After all, he’d invented the close-up. Instead he ended up drunk and dissipated, abandoned by the art form to which he gave life. Griffith’s taste in subject matter, too, ended up betraying him. He’d made films that brought the art form into a kind of maturity, but whose politics left them stuck, of necessity, in the past. His Birth of a Nation remains his defining work—at once a great achievement and shameful embarrassment.\nBy 1909, a year into the patent wars, Griffith would produce and release A Corner in Wheat the first film to use a narrative technique completely unique to the screen: cutting between scenes not just to advance the story, but to make an intellectual point. “Wheat” was about a tycoon whose greed causes him to die at the hands of his own unfeeling, mechanical creation. In the new decade, Biograph’s influence would fall away, and so would Edison’s, as more and more filmmakers and companies set up in the West. By the 1920s, Hollywood had become something close to what we know it as today—the capital of film production, a place where dreams were shot, cut, and processed. A place into which went blood and sweat, and out of which came the glamorous mandates of a budding American culture, in almost equal measure.\nThis article appears courtesy of Object Lessons.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "Excerpts from Editing Historical Documents: A Handbook of Practice by Michael E. Stevens and Steven B. Burg (Altamira Press, 1997)\nThe authentic words of men and women from the past offer a way to experience the real thing. Historical documents, carefully selected, clearly explained, and presented in a readable format, provide an immediacy not otherwise found in conventional narratives. Reading the words of men and women who do not know how their own particular lives will play out helps avoid the sense of inevitability found in many history books. First-person historical accounts are equally powerful when ordinary men and women tell their own stories–versions that do not usually make it into history books. They reinforce the idea that history belongs not just to politicians, generals, or doers of great deeds. The publication of historical documents, or documentary editing, is an effective way of making history vivid. (p. 17).\nPeople edit and publish historical documents because they believe these materials have enough significance to merit the time, energy, and money needed to make them accessible to a wider audience. Whether intended as research tools, study aids, or simply pleasurable reading, the basic mission of historical editions is to provide easy access to the unique information contained in original documents. Editors reproduce documents through the creation of facsimiles or transcriptions, make them understandable by providing annotation, facilitate access to them through devices such as indexes, and publish these documents via microforms, computer networks, CD-ROMs, or the printed page. Historical editors do not simply reproduce texts; they also provide readers with the information needed to understand the content of the historical documents. (p. 25)\nHowever small or grand a project, from a single document in a historical journal to a multivolume book edition or a multireel microform edition, documentary editors begin by defining the scope of the project. Whatever the topic, the editor should articulate a clear and well-defined statement of scope that includes a definition of who or what is being documented, the dates under consideration, and the reasons for undertaking the project. By clearly specifying a project’s scope, editors use resources more efficiently and bring coherence to the work of collecting, editing, and publishing documents. (p. 25)\nEditors should identify their intended readers and consider the knowledge and expectations they are likely to bring to their work. Accounting for the specific needs of different kinds of readers affects decisions editors make about the selection, annotation and presentation of documents.\nEditions aimed at scholars and professional communities will often be tailored toward a knowledgeable audience well versed in the language and background of the subject. Scholarly and professional audiences use documentary editions as research tools and therefore require full and authenticated texts, notes that provide information beyond common historical knowledge, and exhaustive indexes. For scholars, the narrative flow and readability of an edition are secondary to the information contained in the documents. (p. 32)\nEditions aimed at audiences of students and general readers are characterized by brevity, readability, and a preference for using narrative rather than academic forms of annotation. Editors of documents aimed at students and general readers strive to make the works readable without sacrificing the accuracy of their content. (p. 33)\nForms of Publication\nEach editor decides the form of publication most appropriate for the selected materials, including both the medium in which the documents will be published and whether the documents will be presented as facsimiles, as transcriptions, or in both forms.\nEdited documents can be distributed through several different media. Printing documents in a historical magazine or another type of periodical makes them accessible to a wide audience, although the number of publications willing to print historical documents is limited, and they must of necessity limit the quantity of documentary materials. Self-publishing one or more documents in a pamphlet is a fairly easy and affordable way to reach an audience, especially for an institution like a library or a historical society that has a gift shop.\nEditors of larger projects may want to publish the results of their work in a book edition, be it a single volume or multivolume set. Book editions are easy to read, compact, and portable and may be read without expensive viewers or computer hardware. When produced on acid-free paper they can have a shelf-life of hundreds of years. Yet books are expensive to produce and require a publishing house willing to take on the costs of printing and distributing the work. (p. 31)\nMicrofilm editions provide a compact and less costly means of reproducing and preserving large numbers of documents, but viewing microfilm can be hard on the eyes, can produce images that are difficult to read and copy, and furthermore, requires the use of machines. Editors may also consider using computer and scanning technology to put their documents onto computer disks, CD-ROMs, or the World Wide Web (the Internet). The immediate appeal of electronic media is their ability to store vast amounts of information that can be disseminated at a low cost. However, electronic media have an uncertain shelf life, with carefully stored disks and electronic tapes holding data for ten or fewer years and CD-ROMs predicted to last from fifty to 100 years. Furthermore, the fast rate of change in computer technology threatens all electronic media with rapid obsolescence.\nWhether publishing documents on the printed page, on microform, or via electronic media, editors must decide whether documents should be presented as facsimiles, as transcribed texts, or in both forms. While many microform and electronic editions present only facsimiles–thus saving the time, labor and expense of transcribing and annotating documents–these editions can be hard to read, difficult to understand, and impossible to search unless the editors mark the texts or provide thorough indexes. Each user, in essence, approaches the documents afresh, without the experience of the editor. In editing documents, the greatest service editions can provide readers is a clean, readable transcribed text, followed closely by a convenient method for gaining access to the information in the documents and explanatory annotation. (p. 32)\nBefore proceeding too far, you should determine whether the documents are protected by copyright and who holds it. Copyright of unpublished documents is a complex issue, and legislation governing it continues to be revised. As a general rule, it is good to remember that copyright does not reside in the owner of the document but rather in the writer and the writer’s heirs. It is the editor’s responsibility to obtain permission to publish the materials.\nEditors decide which documents collected by their projects will be published, and should consider a number of criteria in doing so. On some occasions the choice may be obvious–for example, a short, well-written diary or autobiography; but for many topics a decision must be made between publishing all the collected documents or only a selection. Comprehensive editions provide an invaluable historical resource capable of presenting important documents as well as details of day-to-day life that are seldom available in selected editions. However, not all editors will want or be able to produce comprehensive editions. Editors may produce selective editions as a result of time and financial constraints, space limitations, copyright restrictions that prevent the use of certain documents, or a desire to present only the most interesting or historically significant documents. In deciding whether to produce a comprehensive edition or a selective one, editors should remember that most topics receive treatment in documentary editions only once. Some important figures or topics might have more than one documentary edition, but usually no more than one in a single generation. The existence of an edition may preclude others from securing the requisite financial backing or publishing support and thus may prevent revisitation of the topic for decades. Whenever feasible, editors should seek to produce editions that are as comprehensive as possible and that will make the greatest contribution to modern scholarship. Whether a project publishes all the documents it collects or only a small portion, editors should clearly explain to the readers how the documents that appear in the final work were selected. (p. 41)\\\nTranscription is the process of converting textual and nontextual elements of original documents into readable, publishable, typescript form. In so doing, editors strive to represent original documents faithfully. All transcription, however, is a form of translation and requires editors to make innumerable decisions about how to present documents. Editors make choices about standardization of the form of the documents (placement of datelines, uniform indentation of paragraphs, etc.) as well as how to emend the text (capitalization and punctuation, etc.). In the past, the typesetting of textual footnotes such as superscripts, subscripts, canceled passages, interlineations, marginalia, drawings, and other marks was costly, and these features were reproduced for only the most important texts or were represented by editorial symbols. Modern typesetting and printing techniques have reduced the difficulty and expense of reproducing unusual textual characteristics, and, as a result, cost is no longer the primary consideration. Instead, editors evaluate the types of documents they will be transcribing, consider the needs of the audience, and then select the form or forms of presentation that best convey the information contained in the document. Transcription methods should be presented in an introductory statement and then consistently implemented. (p. 71)\nProofreading is the process of comparing a transcript of a document against the original text for accuracy of all the textual details, such as correct wording, phrasing, spelling, punctuation, capitalization, paragraphing, and consistent emendation. Proofreading is an essential step in the editing process. Editors must ensure that all parts of the edition, including documents, notes, quotations, headings and titles, have been accurately presented. The text must be rechecked for accuracy whenever errors might be introduced into the final texts. (p. 82)\nMost editors standardize the presentation of parts of their documents, creating datelines, placelines, signatures, salutations , or complimentary closings whose placement is consistent from document to document. Uniform presentation helps the reader locate important information such as the dates and recipients. It also helps editors avoid the difficulty and expense of reproducing the irregular physical layout of many documents, elements that are not important to most users and that are best studied in the original manuscripts. Within each document, editors also need to decide to what extent they will emend the text to facilitate its presentation. Some editors intervene only minimally, presenting a near-literal transcription of the text, while others standardize many parts of the document and make significant emendations to produce a text with a modern, standard appearance. The variety of possibilities within expanded transcription requires editors to explain to their readers exactly how they have standardized and emended the documents they publish. (p. 121)\nAnnotation, the information added by editors to improve the readers’ understanding of historical documents, can serve several different functions. Editors may explain the history of documents; supply missing parts of the text such as a date, place or word; or offer editorial commentary that helps the reader understand the text. Annotation may appear as bracketed insertions in the text, footnotes, endnotes, headnotes, microform targets, or supplemental materials, such as tables, illustrations, charts, glossaries, directories, and introductory essays. Annotation makes the text of documents more readable, clarifies unusual terms, offers background on events and people, supplies missing information, and provides readers with historical context.\nThe quantity and specificity of annotation will be determined by the needs of the audience, the characteristics of the documents being edited, the resources available for researching and printing annotation, and the judgment of the editors. Editors of complex documents many nee to provide extensive annotation to assist their readers, while easily understood documents may require little annotation. Editions produced for academic audiences may assume a high level of background knowledge and thus provide readers with more technical information, while editions for general audiences may assume their readers have little historical background and thus use their annotation to contextualize and clarify documents. Editors balance the value of providing useful annotation that will enhance the accessibility of documents with the cost of producing and printing notes. Furthermore, excessive annotation may preclude the printing of additional documents and can diminish an edition’s readability by cluttering the page. (p. 157)\nEditors carefully design their editions to offer easy access to the documents. For book editions, indexes are the most important tool editors can provide, although document numbers and running heads can also help readers find their way around an edition. Modified indexes and contents lists lead users of microform editions to the desired documents, while electronic links and computerized search engines provide access to electronic editions.\nAn index includes headings describing the names, places, and major subjects covered within an edition, usually presented in alphabetical order and subdivided into logical subheadings. An indexer should balance the necessity to save space with the need to provide full access to the varied material contained in the edition. Editors strive to provide access to all subjects covered within an edition, even those that may not be related to the main subject of the volume. (p. 199)\nFor much more on these and other topics, as well as practical examples from a variety of editing projects, consult Editing Historical Documents in its entirety.\nThe above excerpts from Editing Historical Documents were reprinted with the permission of Altamira Press. (http://www.altamirapress.com)", "label": "No"}
{"text": "In the Mongolian taiga, it takes a multi-day off-road trek by car and horse to get to an area called Mengebulag. The boreal forest ecosystem there is home to the Tsaatan people, one of the last groups of nomadic reindeer herders in the world, and both the humans and their animals rely on its ice patches for water and cooling. Today, as the once-stable ice patches melt away, marshy soil comes to the surface, and with it long-preserved archaeological remains—that will quickly degrade once exposed. Now, research published in the journal PLOS One examines the problems that emerge as the ice disappears.\n“As the climate is warming, the size of these ice patches is shrinking, and the location at which they are perennial—permanent or recurring—is going up in latitude and elevation,” says William Taylor, an archaeologist affiliated with the Max Planck Institute for Human History in Germany and the University of Colorado, Boulder, and lead author of the paper. “This ice has never melted in known memory.”\nMongolia’s average temperature has increased by about 4 degrees Fahrenheit since 1940, and precipitation has decreased by seven percent, according to a Green Climate Fund report. The decline of the ice patches—which differ from glaciers in both size and the propensity to move—is one of the most obvious impacts of this.\nFor the Tsaatan, the ice patches provide a reliable source of water, and help keep their reindeer, which are susceptible to overheating, cool and healthy. The vanishing of the ice patches threatens a way of life that has persisted for thousands of years—and with it the record of that history.\n“Before animal domestication, Mongolia was a difficult place to live,” Taylor says. “Animal domestication—sheep, goat, cow, camel, but in particular horses, and here, reindeer—really changed the region from a marginal, difficult place to be into an absolute heartland for world civilization and culture.\n“The ice is one of these incredibly rare snapshots into the past where things that fall into the ice, especially organic materials that otherwise would disappear in a matter of decades, can make their way into the present day and give us insights,” he adds. “Even though we have this sort of ice patch all over the world, in Mongolia its loss is that much more significant.”\nTaylor’s team has so far identified a number of wooden hunting implements, including a willow fishing pole now at the National Museum of Mongolia in Ulaanbataar, that have melted out of ice patches. Documenting even a fraction of these remains is a race against time. Taylor’s team returned to survey the Mongolian portion of the Altai Mountains this year, and hopes to find and document as much as they can before the sites are completely gone, and those deep-frozen organic remains decompose. It’s a sort of windfall for archaeologists—much of this archaeological material would never have been visible otherwise—but for Taylor it comes with a measure of guilt.\n“The results are great, but it doesn’t give you excitement because it’s paired with the effects of the melt on people and cultural heritage,” he says. “It’s with a heavy heart that you do the work. Unlike other work we’ve done, this has a sort of moral imperative to it.”\nYou can join the conversation about this and other stories in the Atlas Obscura Community Forums.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "Human kind has inhabitted Earth for thousands of years but until industralisation both, nature and mankind, have lived in perfect armony. Since then, we have enslaved the enviroment and exploited it. Now, we pay the price for our selfishness and we seek for redemption by creating conventions such as environmental awareness. However, the damage is already done, but this doesn’t mean we should ignore it, it means we have to work harder to make The World a kind of heritage for future generations, and that is what The Kyoto Protocol is about.\nTo get started, we marked ourselves some objectives:\n- Every government should undertake to reduce its CO2 emissions\n- The industralised countries should reduce in a 40% its emissions for 2020, taking the emissions of 1990 as reference.\n- The most developed countries should help the less developed countries to evolve by using renewable energies.\n- Although it will affect their growing, these countries in process of development will also have to contribute by developing in a “clean” way.\n- By 2020 there should be a document to stop deforestation.\nThese are just some of the many objectives the protocol put up to the ones who signed it.\nThere are many ways to reduce the CO2 emissions but one of the most effective one is introducing the nuclear energy which barely uses carbon dioxide but also has its drawbacks and it isn’t socially accepted, however, it is proved to be a very effective solution.\nWatch the video below for more information about this global issue.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "Date of this Version\nIn his introduction to Hard Places, Richard Francaviglia admits that \"mining landscapes may not be especially pretty to look at.\" Beauty is in the beholder's eye, and many people would probably agree with the statement; others of us see in these hard places doorways to the past and a better understanding of the present. He goes on to say, \"Across the country, mining has left its legacy on the landscape. Mining, in fact, creates its own distinctive topography that may last for thousands of years\" (xvii).\nWithin those statements is the heart of this pioneering study, an analysis of America's mining landscapes. Landscape is defined broadly, as the author explains in his Introduction, a part of the book that must be carefully read. Hard Places successfully addresses three issues: identification of sites; interpretation of processes or forces that shaped the landscape of a mining area; and perception, \"what do mining landscapes mean to us as Americans?\"", "label": "No"}
{"text": "Bicycle riding is a fun recreational activity that can be enjoyed by young and old alike. Unfortunately, many kids do not wear a helmet while riding their bikes because they think that they don’t look cool and will be teased by their friends if they wear a helmet or because it is uncomfortable. This can have tragic consequences to a young life. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that there are about 26,000 children under the age of 20 who sustain traumatic brain injuries in bicycle related accidents.\nIt does not take an accident with a motor vehicle to result in these severe head injuries. A child can sustain a traumatic head injury simply by falling off a bike and striking his or her head on the ground.\nIn order to minimize the unnecessary risk of a traumatic brain injury, it is imperative that children, and all bicycle riders for that matter, wear a properly fitted helmet while out enjoying a bike ride. In New Jersey, this is what the law requires. Under New Jersey law, anyone under the age of 17 shall not ride a bicycle unless they are wearing a properly fitted helmet at all times while riding a bicycle on any property opened to the public or used by the public for pedestrian and vehicular purposes. N.J.S.A. 39:4-10.1. A parent can be fined $25 for the first offense and $100 for subsequent offenses if they failed to exercise reasonable supervision or control over the child’s conduct.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "Winner, 2021 Glenda Laws Award given by the American Association of Geographers\nThe first lesbian and queer historical geography of New York City\nOver the past few decades, rapid gentrification in New York City has led to the disappearance of many lesbian and queer spaces, displacing some of the most marginalized members of the LGBTQ+ community. In A Queer New York, Jen Jack Gieseking highlights the historic significance of these spaces, mapping the political, economic, and geographic dispossession of an important, thriving community that once called certain New York neighborhoods home.\nFocusing on well-known neighborhoods like Greenwich Village, Park Slope, Bedford-Stuyvesant, and Crown Heights, Gieseking shows how lesbian and queer neighborhoods have folded under the capitalist influence of white, wealthy gentrifiers who have ultimately failed to make room for them. Nevertheless, they highlight the ways lesbian and queer communities have succeeded in carving out spaces—and lives—in a city that has consistently pushed its most vulnerable citizens away.\nBeautifully written, A Queer New York is an eye-opening account of how lesbians and queers have survived in the face of twenty-first century gentrification and urban development.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "To avoid lead poisoning if you have a job or hobby that may expose you to lead:\n- Wash your hands a lot, and don't eat or drink around possible lead sources.\n- Follow the Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety (CCOHS) guidelines for protection from exposure to lead at work. Your employer should provide these guidelines. For more information, go to www.ccohs.ca/oshanswers/chemicals/chem_profiles/lead for the CCOHS information on lead.\n- Shower and change clothes and shoes at work before getting in your car or before you come home, to prevent bringing home lead dust on your clothes and hair. Wash work clothes at your workplace if possible. If washing clothes at work is not possible, wash your clothes separately, and avoid contaminating your car and home.\n- Move your hobby work space to a place away from your home, and wash and change clothes before getting in your car or returning home.\nCurrent as ofDecember 12, 2018\nAuthor: Healthwise Staff\nMedical Review: John Pope, MD - Pediatrics\nBrian D. O'Brien, MD - Internal Medicine\nR. Steven Tharratt, MD, MPVM, FACP, FCCP - Pulmonology, Critical Care Medicine, Medical Toxicology", "label": "No"}
{"text": "Higher Cancer Rates In Under-18 Cell Phone Users (The Philadelphia Bulletin)\nTuesday September 8th, 2009\nThe great cell phone cover-up may be coming to an end. A new report may finally wake the public up to the brain-cancer risks of cell phones and force necessary preventive measures.\nA new report, endorsed by a prestigious group of international scientists, finds that there is a risk of brain tumors from cell phone use, that industry studies underestimate this risk, and that children have much greater risks than adults. The report, therefore, sends a message to four billion users worldwide and to the $4 billion cell phone industry that they may be facing the same kind of bad news that first burst on the scene for the tobacco industry.\nThis cancer threat of cell phone use has been recognized by some scientists and critics for decades, but has, essentially, been covered up by the cell phone industry and by much of the mainstream media. I asked the primary author of the new report, Lloyd Morgan, a member of the Bioelectromagnetics Society, whether he would describe what’s been going on for so many years as a cover-up. Mr. Morgan told me he would describe it as a spin that amounts to a cover-up.\nCell phones emit electromagnetic radiation - more specifically, radio frequency electromagnetic radiation, which may cause damage to the DNA and may lead to cancer or other medical problems. The study focused on cell phones, but electromagnetic radiation is also produced by many other sources including cordless (or portable) phones, walkie-talkies, ham radio transmitters, and baby monitors. And, there’s also the laptop computer, which, according to Mr. Slesin, should not be kept on your lap. In fact, four years ago, he wrote an article entitled “Keep That Laptop off Your Lap.” He adds any radio frequency (RF) transmitter away from your body.\nThe report, entitled “Cell phones and Brain Tumors: 15 Reasons for Concern; Science, Spin and the Truth Behind Interphone,” was produced by a group called the International EMF (Electromagnetic Field) Collaborative. The endorsements of the report to date are listed in the report and will be updated on five web sites including that of the Radiation Research Trust, www.radiationresearch.org.\nThe primary author of the report, Mr. Morgan, put the issue into perspective: “Exposure to cell phone radiation is the largest human health experiment ever undertaken, without informed consent, and has some 4 billion participants enrolled. Science has shown increased risk of brain tumors caused by the use of cell phones, as well as increased risk of eye cancer, salivary gland tumors, testicular cancer, non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma and leukemia. The public must be informed.”\nAnother noteworthy statement appears in the report from Chris Woolams, editor of Integrated Cancer and Oncology News: “In a world where a drug cannot be launched without proof that it is safe, where the use of herbs and natural compounds available to all since early Egyptian times are now questioned, their safety subjected to the deepest scrutiny…the idea that we can use mobile telephony, including masts, and introduce WiFi and mobile phones without restrictions around our 5 year olds is double-standards gone mad. I speak, not just as an editor and scientist that has looked in depth at all the research, but as a father that lost his beloved daughter to a brain tumor.”\nHow does the cell phone industry respond to this report? I thought it would have a detailed rebuttal of the report on “Cell phones and Brain Tumors.” Instead, the Cellular Telecommunications Industry Association (CTIA), which represents 275 member companies, sent me an e-mail which contained only general statements on cell phone safety from various government agencies and international organizations. I called CTIA back and left a message that I would like to discuss the specifics of the report and the rebuttal, if any. I have not heard from CTIA as of this writing.\nI have been following the issue of cell phone safety for about 20 years with the help of Louis Slesin, the editor of Microwave News, which has been publishing since 1981. It now appears on the web at www.microwavenews.org. I always found Slesin to be a reliable source and he is certainly one of the world’s leading authorities on the subject. He has devoted his life to the study of cell phones and has to be considered one of the foremost heroes in the battle for product safety. He maintains his web site as a public service and relies on voluntary donations to support that work.\nHe convinced me that we should not discount the possibility that cell phones pose a significant risk and a high priority should be given to efforts to eliminate, control, and minimize the risk. In about 20 years of covering the story, I also got the impression that the industry was not forthcoming about the safety issues and their spokesmen and pronouncements always left me with an uneasy feeling that they were not telling the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. To this day, I am struck by the responsibility of the critics of cell phone safety and by the irresponsibility of the cell phone industry and the regulatory agencies that are supposed to protect us, such as the FDA.\nMr. Slesin has a perfect summary of the cell phone controversy. He told me we couldn’t be certain that cell phones pose a brain tumor risk, but there is enough evidence that we should take immediate action. He says no one is trying to take away anyone’s cell phone, but it would be easy and virtually cost-free to take precautions. Slesin says the special problem with cell phones is that they are held against the brain. This is magnified by heavy use of cell phones, sometimes hours at a time. And, the risk is greatest for children, who are more vulnerable to damage by cell phones. Slesin recommends they not even be used by children under perhaps 15 years of age. And, this problem is being compounded by the practice of many phone users to drop landline phones, that is, wired phones and rely exclusively on cell phones.\nThis report being reviewed provides more evidence that the industry is simply not leveling with the public and that many of the industry-financed studies reach suspect results. As to the industry’s not leveling with the public, consider the Interphone study that it is sponsoring. It was promised to be completed four years ago, but is still not done. The European Parliament found the delay was “deplorable.” The design of the study is fundamentally flawed, as well-documented by “Cell Phones and Brain Tumor.” For example, users of cordless phones only were treated as unexposed. But, two independent studies found users of cordless phones had an increased risk of brain tumors. So, excluding such users underestimates the risk of brain tumors. This flaw suggests either ignorance or dishonesty on the part of the researchers running the Interphone Study. Then, there’s the suspicious finding from some parts of the Interphone Study which concluded the use of a cell phone for less than ten years lowers your risk of brain tumors. This suggests the bias was so strong it eliminated enough tumor risk to show decreased incidence. The Interphone studies did find more brain tumor risk after more than ten years of cell phone use. The report notes that the risk was so great it could not be camouflaged even by the bias of the study.\nThe report lists eight simple steps to substantially reduce your or your children’s exposure to cell phone radiation. They include:\n• “When on a call, use a wired headset - not a wireless headset such as Bluetooth - or use in speaker-phone mode, or send text messages.”\n• “Keep the cell phone away from your body - particularly pant/trouser or shirt pockets - or use a belt holster designed to shield the body from cell phone radiation, when not in use (stand-by mode).”\n• “Avoid use in a moving car, train, bus, or in rural areas at some distance from a cell tower (AKA mast or base station) as any of these uses will increase the power of the cell phone’s radiation.”\n• “Use the cell phone like an answering machine. Keep it off until you want to see who has called. Then, return calls, if necessary, using a wired headset or a corded land-line phone, whenever possible.”\n• “Avoid use of cell phones inside of buildings, particularly with steel structures.”\n• “Do not allow your children to sleep with a cell phone beneath their pillow or at the bedside.”\n• “Do not allow your children under 18 to use a cell phone except in emergencies.”\nI checked daily newspapers the day after the report came out. I could not find one, according to a Google search, that even mentioned this report and not one that put it on the front-page - other than The Bulletin.\nHerb Denenberg has served as the Loman Professor of Insurance at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, the Pennsylvania Insurance Commissioner, and a member of the Pennsylvania Public Utilities Commissioner. He was elected to the Institute of Medicine of the National Academy of Sciences, and co-authored major legislation including the Social Protection Act of Puerto Rico and much of the insurance code of Nevada and Wisconsin.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "Aluminium is an incredibly useful metal, being lightweight, malleable, and non-corrosive. Its uses range from parts for aeroplanes to packaging for soft drinks. Aluminium does not exist in the familiar metallic state in nature although it is abundant. What is turned into pure aluminium by refineries is bauxite. Bauxite is basically a mixture of aluminium oxides in mixed in with other materials such as silicon and iron oxides as the main impurities in various combinations.\nBauxite is one of the most valuable mineral reserves a country can have, given the modern day demand for aluminium. The countries with especially plentiful supplies include Australia, Vietnam, Guinea and Brazil; although it is common is most tropical and subtropical areas.\nBauxite is usually mined by open cast or strip mining. Rather than tunnelling into the earth these methods involves extracting minerals from an open pit. All the earth covering the minerals is removed by heavy machinery. As you might expect this as an immediate and starkly visual impact on the environment.\nThe exact effects of bauxite mining are quite specific to the site. It nearly always involves some habitat destruction, soil erosion, loss of biodiversity, or water pollution. These effects can be reasonably short term, and followed by regrowth, or severe and permanent.\nSince some of the countries with the most bauxite are also those countries with the greatest biodiversity in tropical forests there can be a substantial trade off between immediate economic gain and good sustainable practices. Unsurprisingly most countries opt for the immediate economic gain of extracting the bauxite as quickly as possible.\nHabitat destruction, especially of rainforests, may be the most obvious impact of bauxite mining but it is not the only one. It is not even necessarily the greatest as most bauxite mining is not done in rainforests.\nOpen cast mining involves the removal of the top layer of soil in order to get at the ores underneath. The resultant soil erosion means that it may be very difficult for vegetation, whether natural or crops, to re-establish itself. This is especially the case if the removed soil is not replaced soon after the mining operation is finished. Some mining companies have a better record of minimising soil erosion than others.\nThe deforestation and soil erosion can lead to problems associated with flooding, including wastewater being swept into the drinking supply. Associated aluminium refineries, which produce the end product, can render the drinking water supply hazardous. In some cases, usually in colder regions such as Hungary, the mining may be deep enough to interfere with the water table.\nJust how destructive bauxite mining will be depends a great deal on the location and how responsible the company concerned is. In the worst cases it can wreck the environment and the lives of local people. In the best cases the land can recover fairly well afterwards.\nThis of course doesn’t take into full account the environmental cost of refining the ore to turn it into aluminium, which can be equally, if not more, devastating. Bringing the whole thing on to a personal level, these are some very good reasons to recycle. Or, preferably, not buy aluminium cans in the first place.\n(By Judith Willson)", "label": "No"}
{"text": "Good Shepherd Early Childhood Center\nGSECC is housed in the extensive facilities of the Irvington Presbyterian Church. Our non-profit, non-sectarian programs presently serve about 90 students. The programs are based on the Common Core Foundational curriculum of New York State. We also promote learning through play. This well-established early childhood philosophy has always allowed young children to use their inherent sense of curiosity and excitement in a stimulating, intentional and purposeful learning environment. GSECC’s goal is to develop the young child’s social and cognitive skills, self-confidence, and love of learning, thus laying the groundwork for Kindergarten and beyond.\nClick on the articles and links below for more information:\n• Scientists Say Child's Play Helps Build A Better Brain\n• Play and Children's Learning in the Classroom\n\"Good shepherd has exceeded our expectations for the kids. They have learned so much all while making great friends and having fun.\"\n– Mrs. Christine Lavers, mom of 4 year old\nGood Shepherd Early Childhood Center's curriculum is approved by The National Association for the Education of Young Children and is based on NYS's Foundations of the Common Core. We follow the child-centered model of early childhood education. It is accepted that for young children learning and knowledge is best acquired through the experience of exploration and discovery.\nConcept development takes place through the child's own actions as he/she interacts with the materials, teachers, and peers in the classroom. Our aim is to enhance learning in all areas; i.e., cognitive, linguistic, social/emotional, physical and moral.\nThe local elementary school, Dows Lane Elementary School, is routinely consulted to ensure our students will be ready for the next leg of their educational journey.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "Digestion and Absorption\nSo far, we have spent quite a bit of time discussing what to eat, and how much we should consume from each food group. However, it is equally important to understand how our body physiologically reacts to our food and portion choices. After viewing the Digestive System video, use the outline below to discuss the purpose and function of the human digestive system:\n- The Digestive Tract\n- Appraise the purpose and components of the digestive system during digestion and the absorption of nutrients.\n- The Mechanical Aspect of Digestion\n- Discuss the key mechanical processes involved with the digestion of a food item of your choice.\n- The Chemical Aspect of Digestion\n- Distinguish the mechanical and chemical digestive processes and discuss the role of enzymes and other gastric fluids in digesting sugar, starch, fiber, fat, and protein.\n- A Letter From Your Digestive Tract\n- Review the letter on page 92 of your textbook. Assess the correlation between food choices and digestive disorders and explain how to avoid such disorders.\nThis assignment must be a minimum of three pages in length (excluding title and references pages) in APA format as outlined in the Ashford Writing Center. Use subheadings to help organize your paper. Include a minimum of two scholarly sources, in addition to the course text, cited according to APA format as outlined in the Ashford Writing Center. At least one of your sources must be from the Ashford University Library.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "The most demanding period for acquiring speech and language skills is the first 3 years of life, when the brain is developing and maturing. These skills are best developed in a world that is rich with sounds, sights, and consistent exposure to the speech and language of others.\nThere are certain critical periods for speech and language development in infants and young children. This is the period when the brain is best able to absorb language. If these periods are missed without exposure to language, it will lead to learning difficulties.\nMilestones for speech and language development\nWhen an infant learns that a cry will bring food, comfort, and company that is when the first signs of communication occurs. Newborn babies begin to recognize key sounds in their environment, such as the voice of their mother or primary caretaker. Babies begin to sort out the speech sounds that compose the words of their language as they progress in growth. Most babies recognize the basic sounds of their native language by 6 months of age.\nThe development of speech and language skills in children differs. They follow a natural advancement or timetable for mastering the skills of language. There are certain milestones which help doctors and professionals determine if a child is on track or if the child may need extra help. Sometimes a delay may be caused by hearing loss, while other times it may be due to a speech or language disorder.\nHow to nurture your baby’s language development?\n1. Talk, talk, talk. …\n2. Read, read, read. …\n3. Enjoy music together. …\n4. Tell stories. …\n5. Follow your child’s lead. …\n6. Never criticize your child’s articulation or speech patterns. …\n7. Use television and computers sparingly. …\n8. Treat ear infections thoroughly.\nLanguage development varies considerably between children, even within the same family. However, they tend to follow a natural progression for mastering the skills of language and there are certain ‘milestones’ that can be identified as a rough guide to normal development.\nChildren develop their speech at an individual rate but there are certain milestones to be aware of.\nDevelopment of speech over time\nBabies need to learn how language sounds before being able to learn how to speak.\nAlthough children improve at their own rate, there are some general patterns:\n- From 1-3 months of age, babies cry and coo\n- At 4 to 6 months of age, babies sigh, grunt, gurgle, squeal, laugh and make different crying sounds.\n- Between 6-9 months, babies babble in syllables and start imitating tones and speech sounds.\n- Between 12 months, a baby’s first words usually appear, and by 18 months to 2 years’ children use around 50 words.\n- Between 2-3 years, sentences extend to 4 and 5 words. Children can recognize and identify almost all common objects and pictures.\n- Between 3-5 years, conversations become longer, and more abstract and complex.\n- By the time a child turns 5, they usually have a 2,500-word vocabulary and talk in complete, grammatically correct sentences. They ask a lot of ‘why?’, ‘what?’ and ‘who?’ questions.\nHow can parents help?\n- making faces and noises and talking about your activities from the day they’re born\n- playing interactive games like peek-a-boo and singing nursery rhymes\n- looking at books from an early age – you don’t have to read the words, just talk about what you can see\n- talking slowly and clearly and using short, simple sentences.\n- avoiding testing, such as asking ‘What’s this?’, as children learn better without pressure\n- not criticizing wrong words and instead saying the word properly – for example, if your baby points to a dog and says ‘do!’ say: ‘Yes, it’s a dog\n- letting your child lead the conversation and help them expand on their thoughts\n- giving your child lots of opportunities to talk, with plenty of time to answer your questions\nWho is a late talker?\nA “Late Talker” is a toddler (between 18-30 months) who has good understanding of language, typically developing play skills, motor skills, thinking skills, and social skills, but has a limited spoken vocabulary for his or her age.\nWhen to seek medical help?\n- By 12 months, your child is not trying to communicate with you (using sounds, gestures and/or words), particularly when needing help or wanting something\n- By 2 years, your child has not started combining words.\nIf your child hasn’t mastered most of the speech and language development milestones for his or her age or you’re concerned about any aspect of your child’s development seek help immediately. Speech delays occur for many reasons, including hearing loss and developmental disorders. Depending on the circumstances, your child’s doctor might refer your child to a hearing specialist or a speech-language pathologist.\nIn the meantime, talk to your child about what you’re doing and where you’re going. Sing songs and read together. Teach your child to imitate actions, such as clapping, and to say animal sounds. Practice counting. Show your child that you’re pleased when he or she speaks. Listen to your child’s sounds and repeat them back to him or her. These steps can encourage your child’s speech and language development.\nEncouraging your toddler to talk\nTalk to your toddler as much as possible as you go about your daily routine and when you are out and about. The more you talk to your toddler, the newer words she’ll learn, and the better she’ll get at talking.\nChat to your toddler as you change diapers, feed, or bathe her. But make sure you give give her time to respond with a smile or eye-to-eye contact. Use everyday activities to help your toddler to make connections between actions and objects and the words that represent them. Point out things you see when you’re out and about.\nSimplify your speech when you talk to your toddler. Use short sentences and emphasize key words. This will help your toddler to focus on the important information.\nTry talking to your toddler from time to time in sentences that are about one word longer than the sentences she is using. So if your child uses two-word sentences, use lots of three-word and four-word sentences when talking back to her. For example, if your toddler says “a bird”, you could say, “yes, a big bird.”\nYou can increase your child’s vocabulary by giving her choices, such as “Do you want an apple or a pear?”. You could even show your child both an apple and a pear. This helps your toddler to store a picture of the word in her mind.\nIt will help your toddler to learn how to talk if you make time to sit in front of her and talk to her. You could even sit in front of her when you read a book, rather than have her on your lap, so she can watch you talking.\nLook at books with your toddler regularly. Even if you don’t follow the story as it unfolds, your toddler will learn by listening to you talk about the pictures.\nI recently came across a site that helps you check if your child is on track. http://www.talkingpoint.org.uk/\nThey have different choices of months which can be selected. It’s basically a quiz for the parent with their child’s development.\nSo mommies get going and do the talking.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "Parents who send children to schools have many concerns. Will their kid get along with others? What should they pack for lunch? Would they be able to keep up with the lessons? Perhaps the most crucial, however, is that of safety. Are my children safe?\nA good school is prepared to keep its students safe, even from veiled threats. For example, one of the most insidious of health hazards in many Australian schools is asbestos.\nOur staff has made an effort to learn about asbestos and the dangers it poses. At the same time, the school has hired professionals to remove any fibres or sheets from all areas of the school. In fact, you can contact the people we hired if you click here.\nAsbestos poses many dangers, especially to children.\nThe fibres are small enough that they can be hard to see except in small clusters. The naked eye can spot individual ones, but it isn’t easy.\nWhen someone breaths it in, the body can’t break it down. Instead, it lingers in the lungs. The damage isn’t apparent early on, as it can take years to manifest. The fibres begin to tear at the lining of the lung, causing it to produce fluid in an attempt to remove the irritant.\nAs time progresses, the damage develops into a cancerous tumour. Depending on the severity of exposure, it could be anywhere from five to ten years before symptoms manifest. By that point, the damage has a high rate of lethality.\nAsbestos can be found in many areas.\nDamaged floor tiles, old walls that have let the underlying structure become exposed, and even some pipes may have the fibres or sheets.\nIn most cases, as long as the material is intact, it is safe. It’s only if the fibres come loose due to damage that they can be breathed in. It may also be in the ground, as a consequence of construction methods that were typical of the time asbestos was legal to use.\nOur school took great pains to secure and prevent any children from being exposed. Professional crews were called in to seal off contaminated areas, as well as inspect the rest of the grounds. A full sweep was conducted for safety reasons, and the work areas were sealed to prevent spread.\nAsbestos is a grave, unseen danger. We spared no expense in making sure all of our students were safe.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "Good journalists file clean copy. But what does that mean? This article gives journalists the basics they need to know to ensure that every character, word, sentence, and paragraph they intended to write gets correctly saved and reproduced on computer systems, and ultimately online and in print. You’ll learn enough to avoid the dreaded borked Unicode.\nWriting clean copy\nClean copy is an established concept in print journalism. Conservatively, the term refers to text that is spelled and punctuated correctly and makes sense. As an editor who was formative in my development, the late Sid Adilman of the Toronto Star, put it, the goal is to write an article that “reads well.” Clean copy is a prerequisite for that.\nBut I want to expand the definition to encompass character encoding. Your copy can’t be considered “clean” unless and until it is stored and reproduced correctly. Getting character encoding right is an absolute necessity for working print journalists, which is all well and good except for the fact that nobody has ever bothered to teach journalists what character encoding is.\nWhat you’re going to learn\nBy the time you’re done reading this article, you’ll gain knowledge of character encoding that leads to confidence that you can write clean copy and muscle memory and good habits to actually do it.\nSidebars to this article\nLater (probably the week of 2011.11.21), I’ll divide this article up into a shorter main article with sidebars – to make it more digestible and to make linking to this information easier. (Does you colleague just need to know how to write “Skarsgård”? Link them just to the right page.)\nThe concepts involved in producing clean copy can extend way out to the horizon, but journalists don’t need to worry about expert-level details. Here is the complete list of facts you need to know.\nComputers store characters as numbers. That includes visible characters like letters and numerals; whitespace characters like spaces and tabs; and invisible characters like optional hyphens. At root, they’re all numbers. A system of enumeration of characters is called character encoding.\nIn the past, there were dozens of conflicting sets of numbers used to enumerate characters. Those have all been superseded by a single numbering system, Unicode.\nUnicode does not include every conceivable character, but every character you the journalist will need is available in Unicode. Corollary: There is no such thing as a “special character.” (Really, there isn’t.)\nTo write clean copy, everything you write, edit, pass on to someone else, receive from someone else, and publish has to use Unicode from start to finish.\nUnicode is a large specification that can be expressed in a variety of ways, but in the normal course of events the only variation you need to know about is UTF-8. You don’t even have to know what that stands for.\nIn essentially every case, you just type, insert, or paste the actual character you want – just as with characters you find noncontroversial. In rare cases, you will refer to characters by their Unicode number. (That’s called using a character entity or escaping a character.)\nThere. Now you’re up to speed. For the working hack, it really is that simple.\nJust type the character\nThe most important advice is the easiest: Just type the character you want. You may need to learn how to type it, but I’m going to teach you how. You may need to copy and paste it from another source. But the point is use the character you want right in your document. And do that everywhere – hed, dek, body copy, in RSS, on Twitter.\nThere are rare exceptions to this rule. When the character your system displays can be confused with something else or is simply invisible, as in the case of whitespace or non-breaking hyphen (see below), you need to enter a character entity, which uses a sequence of other characters to escape the character you actually want. In these cases, you’re specifying the character by an agreed-upon name or by its Unicode number. You do that by starting the name or number with an ampersand and ending it with a semicolon. Some examples, purely for illustration purposes:\n&for ampersand &\nYou have to know this troublesome implementation detail because it is the only way to reliably enter and edit the few characters that demand this approach. Absolutely do not use this method to enter what you think are “special characters” in the day-to-day run of your work as writer or editor.\nWhat can go wrong?\nI want to make sure you know what I’m talking about, so I’m going to show you a few errors of character encoding. After you finish this article, you will be in a position to avoid borked Unicode like this for the rest of your career.\nA mismatch in server and browser settings means the browser can’t figure out the character encoding and uses the wrong characters.\nCharacters are saved as numerical references instead of the actual character, but that process goes wrong.\nThe character may exist in the file, but it’s so badly encoded the browser can’t even guess what it is. (The question mark in a diamond is a character from the Apple Last Resort font. It’s widely seen in this scenario but it isn’t any kind of “standard.”)\nAccented characters just disappear.\nSmart quotes never live up to their name and simply go crazy.\nIf you need a poster child for character encoding, this is it\nIn the English language, the giveaway character that can conclusively prove your copy is dirty is this: ‘ (opening single quotation mark). Why?\nIf it’s missing or replaced by ' (neutral apostrophe), that means someone can’t type the character or thinks downstream systems can’t accept it, or those downstream systems changed it behind your back.\nIf it’s replaced by apostrophe (’), it means someone relied on so-called smart quotes and didn’t double-check for errors.\nIf it’s used where it shouldn’t be – a common occurrence, as in rock ‘n’ roll or ‘90s grunge rock – it means someone didn’t know the difference or (again) foolishly trusted smart quotes.\nIf you can’t get opening single quotation mark right, you probably can’t get anything right that isn’t a nice easy letter or a number.\nStart using a good editor\nYou can bang out copy in Microsoft Word if you want. With modern versions of MS Word, that copy will always use Unicode. Problem solved? No, because Word is borderline useless when it comes to fixing someone else’s copy.\nAt a minimum, you need to be able to do all of the following:\nSave and reopen files of unknown or incorrect encoding. (Goal: Always yield UTF-8 plain text or markup like HTML. Never yield word-processing formats like\nRemove carriage returns from inside paragraphs and other places.\nReliably change neutral quotes to correct quotes (including when nested).\nReliably change any of the countless incorrect analogues of en and em dashes to the real thing.\nEscape the rare characters that need them.\nYou can gin up macros to do most of these things in MS Word, but you have better things to do.\nMaybe you associate writing on a computer with “word processing,” and associate word processing with the market leader, MS Word. But here I am strongly recommending you update your workflow to use a real text editor. You may not even know this category of software exists, but it does, and it is mature and can do everything you need.\nWindows options: You shouldn’t be using Windows to edit clean copy. If you have no choice, consider Notepad++; Sublime Text; Dreamweaver. (Absolutely not the built-in Notepad utility, not even for emergency usage; it accepts Unicode handily but is too underpowered and inconvenient.)\nUnreadable onscreen type leads to copy errors. Always use nice big fonts (16 pixels minimum in typical cases), and unless you know you need to, don’t use monospaced fonts, especially not Courier.\nWhat characters do people get wrong?\nApostrophes and quotation marks\nNeutral versions of either of those (' and \") do not cut it anywhere, at any time, outside of programming and markup.\nWhen consecutive quotes follow each other, or when an apostrophe sits inside a quotation mark, you have to use at least a thin space to separate them, as described below.\nAccents and diacritics\nBy consensus, we don’t have to write foreign words in their own script if it isn’t Latin script. We don’t have to write Москва for Moscow and 日本 for Japan. Foreign proper nouns with accepted English spellings, like Cologne (for Köln, Germany), don’t have to be changed.\nBut one source of unclean copy is the belief that a word that contains accents or diacritics is weird and foreign and that the accents are optional. Wrong. Accents or diacritics are intrinsic to correct spelling. Just as cant and wont are words that differ from can’t and won’t, resume and résumé are two different words.\nIn case I’m not making myself clear, leaving out accents means you’ve misspelled the word.\nTo write clean copy, you have to know what accents are called. You can’t use fake French names for accents; all of them already have English names. You cannot use vague, impressionistic, guaranteed-to-be-misunderstood descriptors like “the one that goes from left to right.”\nWhy learn the right terminology? You can’t work in ignorance, first of all, but more importantly, you have to be able to correct someone’s copy, or instruct someone on how to enter text correctly, over the phone, in person, or via chat – anywhere you can’t actually draw a character on a printout. (“No, the first letter is cap E acute. You sent me grave accent. Fix it.”)\n- Acute (just the word “acute,” not faux-French “aksã aygoo”): Áá\n- Grave (just the word “grave” that rhymes with “save,” not “aksã graav”): Àà\n- Circumflex: Ââ\n- Dieresis: Ää (“umlaut” is a term applied solely to German; an umlaut is also a dieresis)\n- Cedilla (not “sedee”): Çç (Șș and Țț have a comma, not a cedilla, under them)\n- Tilde (it’s two syllables, like Swinton): Ãã (Ññ is just n-tilde and is not called “enya”)\n- Háček (“hatchek”) or caron: Čč (but Ď/ď, Ľ/ľ )\n- Macron: Āā\n- Breve (“breev”): Ăă\n- Double acute: Őő\n- Ogonek: Ąą\nImportant single letters from other languages:\n- Nordic languages (Swedish, Danish, Norwegian, Icelandic), when viewed all together, use these letters:\n- A ring Åå\n- AE digraph (not “ligature”) or “ash” Ææ\n- Slash O Øø\n- Thorn Þþ\n- Eth Ðð (that’s a voiced consonant at the end of the word eth, as in breathe)\n(I’ve grouped these letters for convenience. None of these four languages uses all of them.)\n- Turkish: Dotless Iı; dotted İi; Ğğ\nThat isn’t the full list of diacritics or letters, but the point is you must be able to name these letters and accents on sight, cold, without a cheatsheet. Do you think they’ll never come up in the copy you write? Well, maybe they won’t, but they’ll come up in copy you read and possibly in copy you edit.\nWhat if the Icelandic banking system collapses? Who won the Turkish election?\nIf you’re an arts writer and think this sort of thing is never going to come up because it’s “too technical,” well, don’t half your friends work at Condé Nast? Then again, they can’t get that name right either:\nAnd I assume you’ll someday have to name-drop the family of actors named Skarsgård, or review popular mystery writers like Jo Nesbø and Arnaldur Indriðason, or write a thinkpiece about cinéma vérité or causes célèbres.\nAnd tell me: What kind of restaurant critic can’t spell chèvre?\nThe idea that accents are not really an integral and mandatory component of good copy – it’s just so passé.\nHyphens and dashes\nYou need to know when to use and how to enter an en dash (between these letters: a–b) and an em dash (between these letters: a—b).\nStyle guides may insist you use an em dash not surrounded by spaces, but that usage does not work online (browsers break lines unpredictably) and barely works in print. Use space-endash-space by preference.\nTypewriter-style fake em dashes -- (two hyphens possibly surrounded by spaces) have to be converted. Don’t ever use hyphen-hyphen as a claimed em dash. First of all, it isn’t, and second of all, some system will surely come along and break a line between the dashes.\nSpace-hyphen-space is not an em dash and needs to be converted.\nYou have to manually inspect copy for en dashes errantly replaced by hyphen. I’m talking about copy that might have been correct in the original but was dumbed down for the Web by someone or some system who didn’t understand Unicode – e.g., converting New York–style pizza to New York-style pizza or New-York-style pizza.\nNon-breaking hyphen is available and should be used, especially in small alphanumeric sequences (IRS W‑8B form) or in words that begin or end with a hyphen (left‑ and right-hand drive; free-speech and ‑assembly rights). As with whitespace (see below), you need to escape the character – enter it as\nYour system may mis-encode the regular visible hyphen any number of ways, including as a non-breaking hyphen that is immediately followed by a displayed optional hyphen or as two hyphens.\nThe standard wordspace (what you get when you whack the spacebar on your computer) is noncontroversial in the hack context. (Behind the scenes, it causes a lot of trouble, but that isn’t your problem.)\nAmong the many available whitespace characters:\n- Em space (between these letters: a b)\n- En space (between these letters: a b)\n- Thin space (between these characters: ’ ”)\n- Non-breaking space (in the middle of this postal code: M5W 1E6)\nThese space characters are tricky enough that you should use character entities for them. Why? So you can identify them with certainty in source code. Two normal wordspaces look a lot like an em space. Of course no one writes two consecutive spaces in normal English prose, but HTML source code and many other contexts permit two consecutive wordspaces. To tell those apart from an intended em or en space, use a character entity for them.\nFor regular Web pages, just use\nfor em and en space. Thin space is, not surprisingly;\n. Non-breaking space is\nDozens of arrow characters exist in Unicode and you should never use sequences of punctuation in their place. To show four of many options:\n- Leftarrow ← not <--\n- Rightarrow → not -->\n- Uparrow ↑ not ^ (caret)\n- Downarrow ↓\nMany commonly-used fractions are available as predefined Unicode characters. There is no reason to write something like 3 1/4 ever again. (Also inadvisable because, somewhere along the way, a line will break between the integer and the fraction.)\n- ½ · ⅓ · ¼ · ⅕ · ⅙ · ⅐ · ⅛ · ⅑ · ⅒\n- ⅔ · ⅖\n- ¾ · ⅗ · ⅜\n- ⅚ · ⅝\nSubscripts and superscripts\nDo not try to fake subscript or superscript numerals by using smaller font sizes. Also don’t give up and just write a normal number inside parentheses or brackets. Use the actual Unicode numerals:\nSuperscribed and subscribed letters and other characters are barely available in Unicode. This is another way of saying you can rely only on sub/super numerals, not letters or anything else.\nIt shouldn’t surprise you that basic symbols exist in Unicode. As with arrows, you shouldn’t use other characters to fake them.\nCurrency: $, £, and ¢ are easy ones, but nearly 20 years after the introduction of the euro (not “Euro”), hacks still write currency values like “20.99 euros” instead of using the available € symbol (€20.99).\nLegal: ©, ®, and ™ but not (C), (R), and (TM); servicemark ℠ and music publishing ℗ are available. ¶ and § can and should be used instead of “para.” and “s” or “S.”: ¶2, ¶¶7–8, §A2, §§1–3.\nHeart: I♥NY as much as anybody, but I do not [heart] it or <3 it.\nMath: The letter eks is not a multiplication sign; × is. (Hence no one buys a stack of “2x4s” at the lumber yard.) An opinion poll may be valid ±3 points 19 times out of 20, but it isn’t valid “+/-” 3 points.\nAnd at the very least use an en dash for a minus sign in reporting temperatures and other figures. (We can discuss the vagaries of Unicode in this regard some other time.)\nMuscle memory and habits\nYou can easily find guides on the Web about typing “special characters.” These won’t help you at all. True, you do need to learn the technical basics about how to enter a character that isn’t printed on your keyboard. But what all those online guides don’t tell you is you need to develop muscle memory and habits.\nIf you can touch-type, you need to be able to touch-type common characters like accents and dashes. You can’t stop to think about it; that’s the kind of barrier that makes people think “To hell with it!” and just enter an incorrect substitute character.\nWhen typing isn’t an option, you have to develop reliable ways of solving the problem, which can be as simple as Googling the character and copying and pasting.\nTo form muscle memory and habits, you need practice, practice, practice. The way to do this is to write a lot of copy using characters that aren’t simple letters and numbers. Don’t do that often? Then put some time into your professional development and carry out exercises like these.\nPrint out, or just set up in a separate window, easy text that uses accents, like Wikipedia’s lists of foreign-language terms used in English (e.g., from French, from German). Sit down and retype a few dozen of the entries.\nLook up any common concept or noun (water, sky, calcium, life, baby) at Wikipedia, pick a translation in the target language of your choice, and retype a few paragraphs.\nTake some well-edited copy from a print publication (e.g., a popular U.S. consumer magazine like Vanity Fair or GQ) and retype a few paragraphs. (For advanced learners, try duplicating the New Yorker’s idiosyncratic style.)\nAt all times use correct quotation marks and em and en dashes even if not in the original (a skill to develop in itself). These exercises will begin the process of instilling the muscle memory of typing the right characters.\nIf you aren’t a ten-finger touch-typist, do the same exercises. Even if you hunt and peck, you have your own muscle memory to develop.\nThree ways to enter a character\nExcluding speech recognition and other edge cases, you have three options for entering any character.\n- Type it on a hardware or onscreen keyboard. May include modifier keys like Shift, Option, Command, or Ctrl. May involve dead keys that do nothing until you type the next key (e.g., Option-n N to produce Ñ).\nLook it up and paste it. This is by far the best option for the first time a document needs a truly rare character. But even in an age where we Google everything, this just never occurs to working hacks. Google the character you’re looking for and copy and paste it into your copy. (Now you see why you need to know what characters are called.) You then have the character at the ready for further copying and pasting. (Use Paste Special to paste as unformatted text in Microsoft Word or equivalent.)\nUse a character picker. InDesign, Microsoft Word, Mac OS X, and countless other software “boasts” graphical character maps you can use to “easily” insert “special” characters. In practice they are phenomenally difficult and cumbersome to use and require near-expert knowledge just to figure out which category to look in. Use as a last resort.\nAnd here’s how you absolutely are not going to enter a character:\nOn Windows, look up a number for a character and type it while holding down Alt, or type that number and then press Alt-X. Online guides tell you this is the only way to enter “special” characters. They’re wrong and they’re missing the point. It’s not that the numerical method is the only method, it’s the worst method. (Could you enter a full sentence of French text that way?)\nUse “smart quotes.” Decades on, so-called smart quotes simply cannot handle English usage. It is smart quotes that cause the typical opening-single-quote errors mentioned before (rock ‘n’ roll, ‘90s). Even typographers make this mistake:\nSystems cannot handle consecutive quotation marks (as in quotes within quotes). Smart quotes cannot disentangle typical British usage, which presents many structural ambiguities (opening single quote or apostrophe? closing single quote or apostrophe?). Advanced hacks, who are rare, can overcome the failings of smart quotes. Everyone else falls prey to them, and the victims are readers.\nThis is not a time for “platform equivalency”\nTypically but not universally, print publications are all-Mac shops. Online publications, and freelancers and independent bloggers, very often use Macs.\nThese people have nothing to worry about. It is dead simple to write, save, and transmit clean copy on Macs. Important keystrokes on Mac have not changed since the introduction of the Macintosh in 1984 and it is readily possible for a ten-finger typist to touch-type them.\nThe problem here is Windows. You need to have a lot of Unicode knowledge even to debate the issue, but just take my word for it on two counts here, and accept that I am not saying this just because I am a Macintosh supremacist.\n- At the system level, Windows has phenomenal Unicode support (noticeably better than Mac OS).\n- At the user level, since the day Windows was introduced it has been punishingly difficult (bordering on impossible) to type anything that isn’t printed on the keycaps of a U.S. keyboard.\nOne explanation for why you see so many incorrect characters online is simple: The writers are on Windows, and even if they know the right character, they pretty much can’t figure out how to.\nSo: This is not a time for platform equivalency. Use of Microsoft Windows prevents people from producing clean copy in the real world. Hence they over-rely on smart quotes, but that just means the system beats you up twice – once in your inability to type a character, once more when the computer guesses wrong.\nSolution for Windows users\nThere is a reasonable fix for professional writers using Windows: Turn on the U.S. International keyboard layout. Do that and all of a sudden you have the equivalent of a Mac keyboard layout and nearly everything just works. (More details.)\nCommon errors you need to fix\nWhen somebody hands you copy, you need to do all the following to ensure it is clean:\nChange all tab characters to space characters. Don’t just delete them, because they could be separating other characters or words and you don’t want to destroy that separation. Replace one tab character (^t in MS Word, \\t in BBEdit) with one space.\nRemove all soft-hyphen characters, especially word-initial soft hyphens used as a command not to hyphenate that word. These exported characters simply aren’t handled well by browsers. Soft hyphens exported by software like InDesign or newspaper composition systems like Harris or Atex will use the wrong character.\nSoft hyphen displayed as ¬:\nSoft hyphens erratically replaced by space or hyphen:\nTo make this work, export a test document known to have soft hyphens. Open that document in your text editor. Find the soft-hyphen character and save it in a document you can find later. Replace that character with nothing. Do the same with all your files from now on.\nAny number of fake soft-hyphen characters are possible; you have to test your own system first to know which one it uses. Ideally your system would just stop outputting soft hyphens, but let’s be realistic.\nIf for some reason you want to add soft hyphens later, do so at that later stage. I strongly discourage this practice because it is the rendering engine (whatever sets the type in the final stage before a reader sees it) that should insert soft hyphens. Manually-inserted soft hyphens should be reserved for intentional fine control, not as a task you apply to every line of text.\nCheck every non-breaking space to ensure it really has to be there. Systems include\nfor a variety of spurious reasons, and your copy can be littered with them without your knowing. In particular, Mac users must check that inadvertent typing of Option-spacebar or Command-spacebar did not introduce one non-breaking-space character for each such keypress.\nRemove linebreaks inside paragraphs.\nConvert quotation marks and dashes (never a strictly automated process).\nExporting from Word and PDF\nYou will receive countless MS Word files and PDFs. These are a leading cause of borked Unicode, especially when block quotations from these sources are plunked inside correctly-encoded text.\nWhat goes wrong?\nEarly MS Word versions – still very much in use in large corporate environments – didn’t use Unicode by default and mis-encode characters. MS Word is engineered to avoid displaying the wrong character, but it remains the wrong character internally and stays wrong when you paste or drag it somewhere else.\nPDFs can include nearly any imaginable form of digital object, including visible characters interspersed with invisible characters and sentences with no space characters between words. (In that case a PDF merely displays a break between words even if it doesn’t actually exist.) What you see is not necessarily what you get in PDF.\nThe following workflow avoids most mis-encodings from Word and PDF.\nDo not copy and paste from either of these sources. Don’t drag and drop, either.\nYou must export as plain text (UTF-8) in Word and then open the resulting file in your editor.\nYou also must export as Text (Plain) in Acrobat. Oddly, the Text (Accessible) setting produces worse results. Even this won’t work all the time because PDFs can include text that is hard to export. Open the resulting file in your editor.\nWhether you like it or not, you have no real choice but to use Adobe Acrobat for this function, not any other PDF viewer.\nCommon errors on specific platforms\nWordPress double-prime error. When typing inside the textarea on a WordPress blog with smart quotes turned on, any sequence that ends in a numeral followed by a neutral quotation mark becomes a numeral followed by a double-prime character, ″. This may also happen even if a period or comma sits between the numeral and the end quote. (I long ago reported this bug.)\nSolution: Type real quotation marks, or at least always check for the double-prime character and change it.\nThe Awl/Gawker quote/emdash combo. Leading blogs like the Awl and Gawker use a nonsensical combination of neutral quotation marks but also em dashes. This practices makes believe that em dashes are easy characters while quotation marks are difficult. Do not follow this pattern.\nNewspapers. Online versions of print newspapers, including the New York Times, export what are surely internally correct quotation marks as neutral. Do not follow this pattern.\nI believe every publication, including every individual blogger, should specifically invite corrections of typos and copy errors. A lot of sites do that already, but I think it should be universal. And the invitation to submit corrections should specifically mention that readers can report characters that don’t show up properly. In other words, you or your publication should have a stated policy inviting people to report character-encoding errors in the same way they’d report any other copy error.\nThere’s so much to learn about Unicode that you could spend the next year doing so. You probably won’t. But if you do want to learn a little more, start with the resources listed in the Links section.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "MVP is an architectural pattern, a derivation of the Model–View–Controller. It's represented by three distinct components: Model, View and the Presenter.\nIt was engineered to facilitate automated unit testing and improve the separation of concerns in presentation logic.\nIn examples you'll find a simple project built with MVP pattern in mind.\n- Model is an interface responsible for the domain data (to be displayed or otherwise acted upon in the GUI)\n- View is responsible for the presentation layer (GUI)\n- Presenter is the \"middle-man\" between Model and View. It reacts to the user’s actions performed on the View, retrieves data from the Model, and formats it for display in the View\n|Communicates with DB layer||Renders data||Performs queries to the Model|\n|Raising appropriate events||Receives events||Formats data from Model|\n|Very basic validation logic||Sends formatted data to the View|\n|Complex validation logic|\nDifferences between MVC and MVP:\n- View in MVC is tightly coupled with the Controller, the View part of the MVP consists of both UIViews and UIViewController\n- MVP View is as dumb as possible and contains almost no logic (like in MVVM), MVC View has some business logic and can query the Model\n- MVP View handles user gestures and delegates interaction to the Presenter, in MVC the Controller handles gestures and commands Model\n- MVP pattern highly supports Unit Testing, MVC has limited support\n- MVC Controller has lots of UIKit dependencies, MVP Presenter has none\n- MVP makes UIViewController a part of the View component it's dumb, passive and...less massive ;]\n- Most of the business logic is incapsulated due to the dumb Views, this gives an excellent testability. Mock objects can be introduced to test the domain part.\n- Separated entities are easier to keep in head, responsibilities are clearly divided.\n- You will write more code.\n- Barrier for unexperienced developers or for those who don't yet work with the pattern.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "The daylight-saving time has been in use for some time now across different countries in the world although not all. The daylight-saving time can be defined as the concept of changing the clock backward and forward. One important thing to know about the daylight saving time concept is that it was introduced during the world war one. The primary reason why they daylight saving time concept was introduced is because of the impact on the use of power because it was believed it a lot of the consumption rate. For the countries that are the daylight saving time or the DST adjust their clocks one hour forward when it is the start of the springtime and adjust it backward with one hour it is the autumn season which means that the time is standardized.\nThere are many such also of conducted studies to improve the efficiency of the time adjustment that is done for those that use DST. The findings by the scientists and the other researchers across the world to protect overtime the DST as lost the meaning. The reason why it has been proven that it has lost the meaning is because the negative effects supersede the positive impacts. Due to this, there are many people that have petitioned for the stop of the daylight saving time. The daylight savings petition is because of the following reasons.\nOvertime people develop a sleeping pattern according to the schedule. The daylight savings time as the negative impact on the sleep because for countries that use it by shifting one hour backward, deprive people of their sleep. The impact of the deprived sleep varies with different people as they are affected negatively. One unique character with the human body is that it notices any changes in the pattern especially in sleeping pattern and to some people, they will suffer headaches as the body tried to adjust to the short-term changes on time. The increased cardiovascular conditions risks is another reason why these petitions to end the daylight -saving time.\nIt has been proven by many researchers that when people are adapting to changes in the sleeping patterns, they become less productive during the work days. Findings have proven that during the DST, many businesses experience was that how was by the employees as the entertain themselves using the Internet and the computers at the workplace. The concentration levels of the employees are lowering it is the DST season resulting in many workplace injuries. Due to the concentration levels also, many people across the countries that use DST, end up in fatal road accidents. The petition, therefore, is to rally for the end of DST.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "Grim statistics on COPD cases in women\nFor generations of women born after World War II, making their mark toward equality in society and in the workplace often meant adopting a habit many men had embraced: smoking cigarettes. But experts say the consequence of that habit is now taking its toll on women of a certain age.\nChronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is responsible for more deaths in women than breast cancer and diabetes combined, according to the COPD Foundation. In 2010, COPD surpassed strokes to become the third-leading cause of death in America. More women are diagnosed with, and die from, COPD than men, a stark change from only 10 years ago; and more than 90 percent of deaths from COPD occur in adults 65 and older.\nThe No. 1 cause of COPD is smoking cigarettes, followed by industrial pollutants and other biohazards. But it's not just heavy lifetime smokers who are at risk. The COPD Foundation says if you have smoked even 100 cigarettes in your lifetime, you are at increased risk. Add in years of secondhand smoke from a time when lighting up was common in bars, restaurants and businesses, and the risk is heightened further. The National Institutes of Health notes that 1 in 6 people diagnosed with COPD have never smoked.\n\"Women's lungs are generally smaller than men's,\" says Jane Martin, a respiratory therapist and associate director of education at the COPD Foundation. \"Smoking and hazards damage the lungs equally, therefore the women have more proportionate lung damage than a man does.\" What makes the disease even more insidious is that many women compensate for the shortness of breath by cutting back on physical activity, making their overall health worse.\nSymptoms of COPD include shortness of breath and chest tightness. Another sign is if you get a cold that lingers longer than a week. There is no cure, but treatments and inhaled medications can relieve some symptoms.\nAbout 15 million American adults have been diagnosed with COPD, but another 12 million are believed to have the disease and don't know it. Martin says women tend to ignore the warning signs. \"She might think, 'Oh, I'm just out of shape, I'm getting older, I'm just tired.' \" Making the problem worse is that some primary-care physicians do not suspect COPD when a woman complains of shortness of breath. Martin says the doctor will often diagnose the woman with bronchitis or asthma. \"They're not thinking of women and COPD,\" Martin says.\nFor more, go to copdfoundation.org or the National Institutes of Health page at bit.ly/NIH-COPD.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "Louis Emmanuel Chavignier (1922–1972) was an internationally renowned French sculptor. After a brief stay at the École nationale des beaux-arts de Paris, he went to work at the Louvre, where he restored objects from Egyptian and Chaldean antiquity. During the 1950s, he began to create his own artworks, influenced by his work as a restorer.\nHe executed a number of works of public art and integrations of art with architecture in France, notably at Vitry-sur-Seine and Blanc-Mesnil. Also on public display is his Le vaisseau lunaire, produced for Expo 67, on the shore of Lac des Nations in Sherbrooke.\n- 27 Artworks\n- Lac-aux-Castors Pavilion\n- Chalet du Mont-Royal\nOn an oval concrete slab at the top of a wooded rise in Mount Royal Park, a small pavilion formed of five limestone monoliths supporting a ring is presented as a lovers’ trysting place. In the surrounding area are fragments of rock that seem displaced, like temple ruins. The artwork forms a place of encounter in which the rocks, which can be used as tables and chairs, offer a convenient spot for conversation.\nThere are many quotations of ancient architecture in the artwork. Menhirs, dolmens, cromlechs, and tombs are nostalgically evoked with these rocks, marking the lasting gesture of humans who conquer death only through their artistic creativity. “I don’t want to seduce, I want to disturb,” the artist summarized on the effect of strangeness produced by these unusual evocations. 1\nOn the other hand, the title suggests something magical in the composition, a sort of merry-go-round transporting viewers into another world where the everyday rules don’t apply. With its circularity and verticality, Le carrousel sauvage explicitly fits with the “carrousel” series that Chavignier executed between 1962 and 1969.\n1. Pierre Cabanne, “Louis Chavignier parmi nous,” Coloquio, no. 80 (1989): 4 (our translation).", "label": "No"}
{"text": "The e-ROSA project seeks to build a shared vision of a future sustainable e-infrastructure for research and education in agriculture in order to promote Open Science in this field and as such contribute to addressing related societal challenges. In order to achieve this goal, e-ROSA’s first objective is to bring together the relevant scientific communities and stakeholders and engage them in the process of coelaboration of an ambitious, practical roadmap that provides the basis for the design and implementation of such an e-infrastructure in the years to come.\nThis website highlights the results of a bibliometric analysis conducted at a global scale in order to identify key scientists and associated research performing organisations (e.g. public research institutes, universities, Research & Development departments of private companies) that work in the field of agricultural data sources and services. If you have any comment or feedback on the bibliometric study, please use the online form.\nYou can access and play with the graphs:\n- Evolution of the number of publications between 2005 and 2015\n- Map of most publishing countries between 2005 and 2015\n- Network of country collaborations\n- Network of institutional collaborations (+10 publications)\n- Network of keywords relating to data - Link\nAccurate prediction of daily milk production is a crucial aspect of the dairy industry. During the past decades, although many models using various data analytic techniques have been proposed in literature to address the milk prediction problem, these models have yet to be widely applied in daily operations. Dairy producers need to predict milk yield at individual cow and group level. Given the increasing amount of milk production information collected every year, difficulty also arises from analyzing big data. To address challenges in dairy supply chains and help dairy producers, especially small-scale producers, make use of data analytics in milk supply decision-making, a targeted effort to develop a feasible and cost-effective tool, Milk Yield Prediction and Analysis Tool (PAT), is launched. This tool allows dairy producers to use various prediction models to discover insight into milk production and forecast future milk yield at both the individual cow and the group level. This paper provides a detailed discussion on the design of this tool and demonstrates how big data analytics can be applied in a cost-effective manner.\nInappropriate format for Document type, expected simple value but got array, please use list format", "label": "No"}
{"text": "XXfich-iz (the English word \"fitch\" is the same as \"vetch\"):\n(1) qetsach (Isa 28:25,27; the Revised Version, margin has \"black cummin\" (Nigella sativa)). This is the \"nutmeg flower,\" an annual herb (Natural Order, Ranunculaceae), the black seeds of which are sprinkled over some kinds of bread in Palestin. They were used as a condiment by the ancient Greeks and Romans. These seeds have a warm aromatic flavor and are carminative in their properties, assisting digestion. They, like all such plants which readily yield their seed, are still beaten out with rods. The contrast between the stouter staff for the \"fitches\" and the lighter rod for the cummin is all the more noticeable when the great similarity of the two seeds is noticed.\n(2) kuccemim (pl.) (Ezek 4:9) the Revised Version (British and American) \"spelt\" (which see).\nE. W. G. Masterman", "label": "No"}
{"text": "Papers / Humboldt-Universität Berlin, Center for Applied Statistics and Economics (CASE) 2004,20\nThe first example involves the real data given in Table 1 which are the results of an interlaboratory test. The boxplots are shown in Fig. 1 where the dotted line denotes the mean of the observations and the solid line the median. We note that only the results of the Laboratories 1 and 3 lie below the mean whereas all the remaining laboratories return larger values. In the case of the median, 7 of the readings coincide with the median, 24 readings are smaller and 24 are larger. A glance at Fig. 1 suggests that in the absence of further information the Laboratories 1 and 3 should be treated as outliers. This is the course which we recommend although the issues involved require careful thought. For the moment we note simply that the median is a robust statistic whereas the mean is not.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "Black Pepper is pungent and hot in nature. Pepper has a warming effect and is suitable in cases of abdominal pain of cold and deficiency types. Pepper is also beneficial for nausea and vomiting due to cold invading the stomach. Pepper is beneficial for acidic stomach. If added to some fish recipes, pepper will help the body digest the fish and help to absorb the nutrition.\nPepper is good for appetite. Pepper warms the stomach and so is good for gastric cold or intestinal cramps caused by overeating cold damp foods such as some salads or raw fish. Pepper clears dampness from the digestive system. Szechuan Pepper is an even stronger solution for clearing damp from the digestive system and is also good for stiffness of joints and for poor circulation.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "9 Innocent Habits That Might Be Ruining Your Immune System\nYour habits could leave you vulnerable to disease. Here are the ones to avoid.\nYou don’t get enough sleep\nWhile you’re asleep, your body ramps up the part of your immune system that learns the best ways to attack new bacteria, viruses, and other triggers. If you aren’t getting enough sleep, though, your body doesn’t have the chance to fight diseases as effectively, according to a study in European physiology journal Pflugers Archiv. Just six days of restricted sleep could prevent your body from using a vaccination effectively, and other studies have shown lack of sleep makes it harder to kick a cold. Aim for seven or eight hours a night to keep your immune system at its prime. Here, sleep doctors debunk sleep myths you still believe.\nYou sit all day\nLack of exercise could make you sicker longer. Upper respiratory tract infections lasted 42 percent longer in volunteers who worked out once a week or less than in those who did aerobic exercises five or more times a week, according to a study in the British Journal of Sports Medicine. The sedentary participants also had more severe symptoms. Squeeze in moderate exercise every day, like taking a quick walk during your lunch hour. Here’s more on how to recover from a day of sitting.\nYou feel lonely\nLoneliness puts your body into fight or flight mode, according to research in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. The five-year study found that when people felt lonely, the hormone norepinephrine was higher. During crises, norepinephrine boosts production of the white blood cells that fight wounds. But in the process, it shuts down the virus-fighting part of your immune system, leaving you vulnerable to disease. If you’re feeling down, don’t wallow alone on the couch—ask a friend out for coffee or call a loved one for some support. Don’t miss these little ways to reconnect when you’re lonely.\nYou’re ALWAYS stressed\nThe pressure to hit a single deadline on time won’t cause major damage, but if you let your job stress you out even after office hours, you could be setting yourself up for sickness. Stress from a specific event has mixed results for your immune system—it puts your body’s defenses up before infections or wounds, but could also cause inflammation—while chronic stress could wreak havoc on immunity. For instance, people going through long-term stressful experiences are at higher risk of developing a cold than those without an ongoing stressor, according to a study in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Read these tips to de-stress your workday.\nYou eat the wrong fats\nSaturated fats kick your immune system into overdrive, causing inflammation. On the other hand, unsaturated omega-3 fatty acids are anti-inflammatory and help control some of the proteins that help your body recognize pathogens, according to a study in Nutrition Journal. Swap out a meal of saturated fat-heavy beef for salmon or tuna, which are rich in omega-3s, or cook with canola oil instead of butter. Check out these clear signs you need more healthy fats.\nYou take antibiotics at the first sign of a sore throat\nAntibiotics disrupt the dialogue between your immune system and the bacteria—good and bad—in your body. Mice studies have shown that antibiotics can reduce certain disease-fighting white blood cells and the molecules that signal immune-boosting proteins to kick into gear, according to a report in The American Journal of Human Genetics. Your body might kick a disease faster while you’re taking the medication, but once your prescription is over, your immune system will be even more vulnerable. When possible, you might want to let your body fight a disease by itself before you ask your doctor for medication. Always ask your doctor these key questions before taking antibiotics.\nYour partner’s immune system is lousy\nIf your partner doesn’t have a great immune system, you could end up suffering too. A study in Nature Immunology found parents who lived together had 50 percent less variation between each other’s immune systems than with a similar person in the larger population. The authors conclude that people who live together have the same environment and adopt similar habits.\nYou drink—a lot\nAlcohol suppresses the immune system. Chronic drinking makes your white blood cells less effective at attacking harmful bacteria and makes your body less able to produce the cells that identify and kill bacteria and viruses. Even a full day after being drunk, your body will be weaker in its fight against infections, according to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. Here are other health boosts that can happen if you stop drinking alcohol.\nA healthy weight won’t just make you feel fit, but also will protect you from disease. Obesity is a type of malnutrition in excess, and it can alter the number of white blood cells in your body. Belly fat and the fat around your organs affect your immune system more than total body fat does, according to a report in the Proceedings of the Nutrition Society.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "Definitions for errorˈɛr ər\nThis page provides all possible meanings and translations of the word error\nRandom House Webster's College Dictionary\na deviation from accuracy or correctness; mistake.\nthe holding of mistaken opinions.\nthe condition of believing what is not true:\nI was in error about the date.\na moral offense.\na baseball misplay allowing a batter to reach base or a runner to advance.\nthe difference between the observed or approximately determined value and the true value of a quantity in mathematics or statistics.\nCategory: Math, Statistics\nLaw. a mistake in a matter of fact or law in a case tried in a court of record.\na postage stamp distinguished by an imperfection, as in design.\n* Syn: See mistake.\nOrigin of error:\n1250–1300; ME errour < L error <err(āre) to wander, err\nmistake, error, fault(noun)\na wrong action attributable to bad judgment or ignorance or inattention\n\"he made a bad mistake\"; \"she was quick to point out my errors\"; \"I could understand his English in spite of his grammatical faults\"\nerror, erroneous belief(noun)\na misconception resulting from incorrect information\n(baseball) a failure of a defensive player to make an out when normal play would have sufficed\ndeparture from what is ethically acceptable\nerror, computer error(noun)\n(computer science) the occurrence of an incorrect result produced by a computer\npart of a statement that is not correct\n\"the book was full of errors\"\nKernerman English Learner's Dictionary\na mistake that results in problems\na mathematical/computer error; Someone in finance made an error.\nan unwise decision\nindicates a person made a mistake, not a machine\na crash due to human error\nThe letter was sent to you in error.\nThe state, quality, or condition of being wrong.\nA mistake; an accidental wrong action or a false statement not made deliberately.\nA failure to complete a task, usually involving a premature termination.\nThe difference between a measured or calculated value and a true one.\nA play which is scored as having been made incorrectly.\nOne or more mistakes in a trial that could be grounds for review of the judgement.\nTo function improperly due to an error, especially accompanied by error message.\nTo show or contain an error or fault.\nThe block transmission errored near the start and could not be received.\nOrigin: From errour, from error, infinitive of erro. Cognate with , . More at err.\na wandering; a roving or irregular course\na wandering or deviation from the right course or standard; irregularity; mistake; inaccuracy; something made wrong or left wrong; as, an error in writing or in printing; a clerical error\na departing or deviation from the truth; falsity; false notion; wrong opinion; mistake; misapprehension\na moral offense; violation of duty; a sin or transgression; iniquity; fault\nthe difference between the approximate result and the true result; -- used particularly in the rule of double position\nthe difference between an observed value and the true value of a quantity\nthe difference between the observed value of a quantity and that which is taken or computed to be the true value; -- sometimes called residual error\na mistake in the proceedings of a court of record in matters of law or of fact\na fault of a player of the side in the field which results in failure to put out a player on the other side, or gives him an unearned base\nThe word error entails different meanings and usages relative to how it is conceptually applied. The concrete meaning of the Latin word \"error\" is \"wandering\" or \"straying\". Unlike an illusion, an error or a mistake can sometimes be dispelled through knowledge. For example, a person who uses too much of an ingredient in a recipe and has a failed product can learn the right amount to use and avoid repeating the mistake. However, some errors can occur even when individuals have the required knowledge to perform a task correctly. Examples include forgetting to collect change after buying chocolate from a vending machine, forgetting the original document after making photocopies, and forgetting to turn the gas off after cooking a meal. Some errors occur when an individual is distracted by something else.\nTranslations for error\nKernerman English Multilingual Dictionary\nnoun a mistake\nHis written work is full of errors.\nGet even more translations for error »\nFind a translation for the error definition in other languages:\nSelect another language:", "label": "No"}
{"text": "Water Consumption & Caffeine\nThe water you take in each day is more important than any other nutrient in your diet. Without it, you can quickly compromise your survival -- losing just 10 percent of your body’s water content can lead to muscle spasms, delirium, heat stroke and collapse. The amount of water you should consume each day depends to some extent on factors such as your activity level and the temperature of your environment. Dietary factors such as caffeine intake also affects how much water you need.\nWhat Exactly is Caffeine?\nCaffeine is essentially a drug that is common in coffee, tea, soda, energy drinks and chocolate. It stimulates your central nervous system and affects your brain by causing your adrenal glands to secrete adrenaline and by increasing the release of dopamine, a neurotransmitter that also responds to heroin and amphetamines. Caffeine can be mildly addictive, particularly if you consume it regularly. It can make you feel more alert for a brief period of time, but you might also experience side effects including insomnia, anxiety, restlessness, headache and an increased heart rate. In addition, caffeine can act as a diuretic.\nEffects of Short-Term Use\nThe diuretic effect of caffeine increases your urine output. The more you drink in a short amount of time, the more water you could lose, especially if you are not used to caffeine. If you are exercising or are in a hot environment where you are already losing extra water due to perspiration, taking caffeine could magnify the potential for dehydration. For approximately every 100 milligrams of caffeine you consume – for instance, the approximate amount in one cup of coffee or two cups of black tea – you should drink an additional cup of water to compensate for the drug’s diuretic effect.\nEffects of Long-Term Use\nUsing caffeine regularly over an extended period of time can lead to a tolerance of its diuretic nature. In other words, your body can adjust to long-term use of caffeine and might no longer lose large amounts of your body’s water through urination. However, this effect can be temporary and is reversed after you refrain from caffeine ingestion for days or weeks. Therefore, you may need to increase your water consumption as you begin to use caffeine again.\nYour personal physiology can determine how caffeine affects your fluid balance. Drinking an extra cup of water for each cup of coffee is a convenient rule of thumb, but actual signs of dehydration may be a better way of determining your fluid balance. Thirst, weakness, fatigue, reddened skin and dry mouth are all indicators that you need to consume more water, regardless of how much caffeine you ingest. On the other hand, feeling fine without developing symptoms of dehydration may mean that your caffeinated beverages contribute to your fluid balance rather than detract from it.\nA writer since 1985, Jan Annigan is published in \"Plant Physiology,\" \"Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences,\" \"Journal of Biological Chemistry\" and on various websites. She holds a sports medicine and human performance certificate from the University of Washington, as well as a Bachelor of Science in animal sciences from Purdue University.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "“What is the information we need from modeling? We need to know where, and we need to know when [effects occur].”—Nick Ogden\n“How do you take all the disparate data from different sources, scales, and times and space and come up with something that people can use to make decisions?”—Gregory Glass\nMany organizations are modeling the effects of climate change on local, regional, and global scales. Most models focus on a particular sector, such as agriculture, energy, or the economy. Fewer models exist for the human health sector. What does it take to model the health risks posed by climate change? Workshop speakers outlined the basic mechanics of and key considerations for developing useful models. Discussions focused on recent model developments for evaluating the health effects of climate-induced spread of vectorborne disease and other health risks of changes in water and air quality and temperature. Discussions also explored overcoming hurdles to improve modeling capabilities.\nThe models needed to understand climate change and its effects on human health are complex. How can the climate-change community—scientists, model developers, policymakers, and other stakeholders—get a handle on the complexity? Ben Zaitchik, of Johns Hopkins University, outlined three factors that correspond to how the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change frames the issue: the physical environment, ecology (“natural processes”), and institutions. Those three factors mediate the relationships between changing climate conditions and human health outcomes. They also interact with one another. For example, climate change may result in increased rainfall (a component of the physical environment), and increased rainfall may support conditions for an increase in the population of a disease vector (ecology) in a country that lacks adequate institutionalized programs for vector control (institutions). Increased rainfall, increased number of disease vectors, and inadequate vector control all have effects on human health systems, such as medical practice and disaster response. Throughout the process of modeling, “we must think about humans,” Zaitchik emphasized. Humans “modify our physical environment and are deeply involved in ecologic processes and institutions,” he said. It takes many scientific disciplines and tools in addition to climate science to understand the interactions among the three factors and associated health outcomes, including hydrology, geography, ecology, agriculture, sociology,\neconomics, biomedical science, and clinical medicine. When it comes to developing models, data to feed the models, and potential model applications, “we need developments in all those fields . . . to help us to understand climate,” Zaitchik said.\nWhat information is needed from models of climate-change effects? “We need to know where, and we need to know when” effects of climate change will occur, said Nick Ogden, a senior research scientist in the Public Health Agency of Canada. Ogden described four basic steps in developing and applying models of health risks due to climate change. First, we gather “our knowledge of current potential influences of climate and weather” on particular disease risks. Second, a model is used to “integrate the knowledge into abundance or presence and absence of diseases.” Third, we use model outputs to “obtain a quantitative relationship between the climate and the . . . disease risk.” Fourth, “we use this simple quantitative relationship or perhaps some more complex model to produce estimates of future risk.” Ogden noted that models can be made to predict where an effect may occur, forecast effects in the near term, or project effects in the long term (Box 3-1). Model predictions, forecasts, and projections are used to help to decide and design “what we’re going to do” about health risks posed by climate change and to “produce adaptation tools”, Ogden explained.\nZaitchik noted that “in the climate-science world there is now a lot of talk about climate services,” information that helps the health community to make decisions. The current framework for model development is top-down, beginning with climate and ending with health outcomes. Somehow, data on climate, physical environment, ecology, institutions, and human dynamics coalesce to “tell the health-system people what they’re supposed to be doing.” Zaitchik said that “a grand challenge” is to determine how decision-making needs of the health-system practitioners ought to drive model development from the bottom up. “We have this global framework for climate services that is fantastic,” Zaitchik said, and the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and many others are working on this problem. And yet, he asked, “how do we actually transform communities to think in this way and rebuild our tools to make [climate services] work?”\nHow modeling is approached depends heavily on the needs of the user, noted Sari Kovats, of the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. The priorities of local, state, regional, national, and federal governments are different, she stressed. Hence, Kovats, George Luber, of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and other workshop speakers emphasized that a critical component of any model is its scale. The methods and assumptions used in modeling depend on the scale, Kovats said. The scale determines what data are available to users of model outputs.\nThe temporal scales range from hours to multiple decades, Luber explained. On the spatial scale, there can be a city or international range. The policy planning horizons range from annual budgets to infrastructure meant to be in place for multiple decades. Anthony Janetos, director of Boston University’s Frederick S. Pardee Center for the Study of the Longer-Range Future, said that there is generally a tradeoff between a model’s spatial resolution and the period of time that it simulates. High-resolution climate models cannot be used for long-term simulations. Long-term simulations inevitably have lower spatial resolution than many climate-change scientists desire, he said.\nHow model outputs are interpreted also depends on their scale, Mary Hayden, of the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR), pointed out. National and regional\nDefinitions: Predictions, Forecasts, and Projections\nNick Ogden provided definitions that his research group uses to frame different types of climate-change model outputs:\nPredictions tell where an effect is occurring\nForecasts tell where and when an effect is likely to occur in the next week or month. As models move toward smaller temporal and spatial scales, they incorporate larger numbers of elements and involve a greater degree of complexity.\nProjections estimate where and when an effect is likely to occur in the next decade, decades, or century.\nassessments are great, but they can mask communities that are living in marginal conditions. If the goal is to mitigate hazards and develop adaptation strategies, models need to be adjusted for “local ecology” information. “Local-level assessment ensures a more targeted intervention, response, and adaptation,” Hayden explained.\nIn general, efforts to integrate climate-change models so that they can show the combined effects of different sectors are in their infancy. “We know that food and water interact, health interacts with many factors, and heat, urbanization, and air pollution all interact,” Kovats explained. Several types of modeling are used to study those interactions: one-way modeling, one-way modeling that includes adaptation and institutional responses, and two-way modeling (Box 3-2).\nThere are many challenges in model integration. For example, food security is important, but many facets of how the US food system works are not captured by the way that we have interconnected our agriculture, climate, and economic models, said Molly Brown, of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. Brown came to that conclusion as a result of putting together a report on food security for the US Global Change Research Program’s recent National Climate Assessment.\nOf the efforts toward intersectoral model integration, the furthest along are associated with combining modeling studies in different sectors, such as agriculture and hydrology, to explore interactions between sectors. The integrated-modeling community has been doing a lot of experiments with one-way modeling of effects, mostly physical and biologic effects, Janetos said. Studies on the effects of climate change rarely extend beyond physical and biologic effects to human health or economic consequences.\nScientists studying health effects of climate change are endeavoring to generate data that link environmental changes to health outcomes and then to incorporate the data into models of health risks posed by climate change. Three subjects that many scientists are focusing on are 1) disease vectors, 2) water quality, and 3) heat and air quality. The World Health Organization recently completed a quantitative risk assessment of climate change with respect to selected causes of death, the first assessment of its kind (Box 3-3).\nThree Types of Integrated Models\nAnthony Janetos defined three types of integrated modeling studies that endeavor to represent all world regions and sectors—such as agriculture, hydrology, and economics—to explore their interactions. Such studies do not always include health effects.\nOne-way models include climate variables as additional drivers of both disease and nondisease pathways of health outcomes. These are classical climate-impact/risk studies and include many of the models discussed in the workshop.\nOne-way models that include adaptation and institutional response assume that the health systems and institutions of 20, 30, or 50 years from now will not be the same as today’s. These models come closer to identifying actual health outcomes than simply assessing risk.\nTwo-way models include feedback from health outcomes and adaptation on the economy and on later consequences for both mitigation and future demographics. They offer the potential for “a complete integration of climate effects on health”. The value of two-way modeling is its ability to provide a better understanding of how the health effects themselves interact with future demographics.\nDisease Vectors and Health\nOgden described models that are used to understand the effects of climate change on vectorborne diseases. “Historically, climate has had a relatively small role in the variation in the geographic occurrence of vectors” because such human activities as habitat alteration, vector-eradication programs, and adaptation (such as the use of bed nets) were considered more important drivers, Ogden explained. However, he hypothesized that climate change will be especially important in developing countries because of their relative inability to control the spread of vectorborne diseases. Most modeling efforts related to climate change and vectorborne disease focus on estimating future occurrence or abundance of disease vectors; this requires knowledge about various factors involved in vectorborne-disease cycles, including vector biology, reservoir host dynamics, host infection and transmission dynamics, and land-use dynamics, Ogden said. The advantage of models developed thus far is that they are built on “unequivocal” data—“true observed field or laboratory relationships between climate and some important attributes of the vectors or the pathogens”.\nSimple mathematical models can be used for such science policy activities as country-level risk assessments or benefit–cost assessments. Simple models incorporate only one or two factors that have a known relationship between climate and a disease vector. Ogden and colleagues are using simple climatic indicators to project the distribution of the Asian tiger mosquito (Aedes albopictus) in Canada. The Asian tiger mosquito is a potential vector of chikungunya, an infectious disease typically found in the Caribbean. The number of infected travelers returning to Canada from the Caribbean is increasing because of the chikungunya epidemic in the Caribbean. Ogden compared two simple mathematical models that produced different outcomes. The model based on overwintering and annual mean temperature produced a map showing that the mosquito would not spread into Canada. The model based on temperatures in January and the summer and on annual rainfall produced a map showing that the mosquito could spread into Canada. “Much of the variation comes from the use of different indicators; this is one of the problems with simple models,” Ogden said.\nComplex simulation models are used when a decision-maker needs to account for many variables and detailed information. The more complex models can be used to address such\nWorld Health Organization Quantitative Risk Assessment of Climate Change with Respect to Selected Causes of Death, 2030s and 2050s\nIn fall 2014, the World Health Organization (WHO) published a report on the first quantitative assessment of the health effects of climate change on a global scale. The report was prepared by a multidisciplinary, multinational team. Workshop speaker Sari Kovats was one of the report’s four editors. Kovats gave workshop participants a brief overview of the report objectives, approach, and model end points.\nObjectives: The risk assessment was conducted in response to a WHO health-assembly mandate to update what is known about global health risks posed by climate change. No assessment of health effects of climate change had been conducted in over a decade.\nApproach: The assessment looked at a “future world with and without climate change”. The integrated modeling was conducted with one carbon dioxide emission scenario (A1b emissions trajectory), one world population projection out to the year 2100, and three economic-growth scenarios: high growth, base-case (middle) growth, and low growth. Model assumptions included some adaptation in response to climate change. Kovats explained that for all health categories except mortality due to coastal flooding, the models assumed general improvement in population health due to improvements in economic development. For flooding, the models assumed increased population vulnerability due to rapid urban development in coastal areas.\nModel End Points: The risk assessment included annual projections of mortality from all causes and from six specific causes: heat (in people over 65 years old), coastal flooding, diarrheal disease, malaria, dengue, and undernutrition. Of particular interest was the distribution of mortality in different regions. The models were “all fitted with the best available observational global data”,,” Kovats said, although in the cases of heat and diarrhea outputs from statistical models based on locational data were included.\nKovats shared conclusions drawn both from the risk assessment and from the process of conducting it. An important message of the 2014 WHO risk assessment is that “even if you assume a lot of adaptation and high economic growth, the effects are still adverse,” she said. In addition, “the effects are regionally focused”; for example, projected malaria-caused mortality is concentrated in eastern African countries. However, limitations need to be addressed. “We know that climate change will have more complex effects on health and on determinants of health” than the assessment includes, and “the uncertainties are large.” Identifying uncertainties is useful because it helps us to “point to where research is needed”, but Kovats cautioned that “we need to develop better methods to communicate and describe them.”\nprogrammatic activities as risk mapping to determine targets for disease surveillance or intervention strategies, identifying populations at risk, and predicting evolution of new pathogenic variants, Ogden said. He emphasized that complex simulation models are the only option for making dynamic projections of a vector’s spread under different conditions. Ogden and his colleagues used a complex simulation model to assess Lyme disease emergence in Canada. The model was used to map projected distributions of blacklegged tick (Ixodes scapularis), the vector of Lyme disease, in 2020, 2050, and 2080. The risk map shows a “high risk” of spreading into most of eastern Canada. Ogden’s group validated its findings with a prospective study. “Unfortunately, it’s gone from a modeling exercise to a public-health issue,” he said. He added that “systematic surveillance . . . in time and space” is needed to develop useful simulation models for other disease vectors.\nOgden noted that a weakness in modeling efforts is in the translation of projections of vector presence into cases of disease. “The ultimate goal is to correlate human risk with vector population densities and climatic variables so that we can project how climate change will affect disease risk,” said Charles Benjamin Beard (Ben Beard), of CDC. To do that, “we need much more information on the distribution and abundance of vector populations, such as the\nblacklegged tick,” he said. We also need local disease occurrence and information on the effects of temperature and precipitation on local vector populations. Beard emphasized the need “to continue to push the models to finer resolution” because public-health assessment and response are conducted at the local level.\nWater Quality and Health\nJuli Trtanj, of NOAA, discussed current efforts to develop models of climate-change effects on waterborne diseases and water-related illnesses. Waterborne diseases and water-related illnesses can arise through many pathways—exposures to bacteria or viruses in drinking water, to algal blooms in recreational water, to chemical contaminants in groundwater, and so on (Figure 3-1). The pathways are complex: the water cycle is combined with infrastructure, land use, and other biologic and physical factors. Trtanj explained that the reasons that the climate-change community is not farther along in developing coupled models is that neither the basic science underlying the water–health outcome pathways nor coupling of the factors involved is well understood. Trtanj indicated that although models of climate effects on sources of water contamination or on human exposure to water contamination are not yet advanced, such models are important stepping stones toward modeling health outcomes.\nFigure 3-1 Waterborne-Disease Pathways, Freshwater–Marine Continuum\nJulie Trtanj used this illustration to show the many factors in the pathway that links climate change to waterborne diseases and water-related illnesses. Such climate drivers as increasing ocean temperatures, ocean currents, and sea-level interact with exposure to contaminants from urban and rural environments or wildlife. Humans may be exposed to pathogens or other contaminants through drinking water and recreational or occupational water uses. Source: Juli Trtanj, workshop presentation, slide 3. Based on image originally created by Hans Paerl of the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill for the US EPA.\nTrtanj discussed a few case studies that used modeling on a regional scale to demonstrate “where we are” with modeling. One study looked at how projected increases in storms that result in sewage overflows may affect drinking water in the Great Lakes. “We already know that we are expecting an increased incidence of precipitation events because of climate change, and 67% of waterborne-disease outbreaks are preceded by precipitation events,” Trtanj said. In the Great Lakes, she explained, intense rainfall taxes the wastewater-treatment infrastructure. Researchers developed a model that projected future increases in rainfall. The result was that future rainfall would exceed the amounts planned for by wastewater managers. The rainfall output of the regional precipitation model was then used as an input for an “infrastructure model” of “how much water is going to be coming through the pipes.” The bottom line is that the model predicted that sewage overflows will increase by 20%, Trtanj said.\nTrtanj and Jan Semenza, of the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, also described models for investigating climate-change effects on water temperature in relation to the potential for outbreaks of Vibrio species, bacteria that occur naturally in coastal waters. Vibrio can cause gastrointestinal-tract illnesses and wound infections and are responsible for 95% of seafood-related deaths in the United States. “If your doctor is not prepared for wound infection in the emergency room, you might well lose your limb,” Trtanj emphasized. Although there are not many cases of vibrio infection, there is a shift in the range of the bacteria in coastal waters, she said. Semenza was involved in an effort to predict the likelihood of vibrio infection in the Baltic Sea. V. vulnifucus starts to bloom when sea temperatures exceed 15°C and salinity is low. The research team used geospatial tools to monitor surface temperature and salinity to predict the likelihood of the occurrence of vibrio infection. They developed the Vibrio Risk Model. Semenza also investigated the relationship between West Nile fever (WNF), which is driven by the presence of infected birds, and climate’s influence on water temperatures in southeastern Europe. After analyzing the factors involved in a major outbreak in 2010, he and colleagues put together a multivariate model that included water temperature, the presence or absence of wetlands, and the presence of the virus in the previous year. The model successfully predicted the incidence of WNF in 2014.\nTrtanj summarized the status of models of climate-change effects on waterborne diseases and water-related illnesses as mostly qualitative but quantitative when data are available; mostly regional, subregional, or local but not global; and mostly statistical although more dynamic, mechanistic models are needed. It will be important to incorporate “risk windows” for waterborne diseases into the models; it is necessary to factor in the habitat suitability and period that would be associated with changes in risk, said Erin Lipp, of the University of Georgia College of Public Health. Current models are able to link climate-induced changes to environmental exposures but have not linked them to health outcomes, and they do not include social variables, Trtanj said. She stressed that “gaps abound” and added that “we have to have the fortitude as agencies and scientists to figure out what we need to do, and do it,” even with the knowledge that advances will be neither inexpensive nor fast.\nHeat, Air Quality, and Health\nIt is “critically important” to understand how environmental stressors, such as air quality, affect human health today if we are to understand what happens to the relationship in a changing climate, stressed Michelle Bell, of Yale University. Research has demonstrated that human exposure to tropospheric ozone causes “increased risk of hospital admissions,\npremature mortality, increases in such respiratory symptoms as coughing and wheezing, reduced lung function, and other conditions.” More than 100 million people in the United States live in areas that exceed the US EPA’s health-based ozone standard, she said. Climate change may affect tropospheric ozone through multiple pathways, including changing precipitation patterns, changing wind speed and direction, and increased temperature. “Higher temperature means higher ozone,” Bell said. She explained that higher average temperatures increase the speed of chemical reactions for ozone formation and increase emissions of natural ozone precursors.\nBell described a study that her group published that used global climate, air quality, and meteorologic modeling to investigate how climate change could affect summer ozone concentrations in 50 eastern US cities. The goal was to “isolate the effect of climate on health”, so they modeled ozone emissions if we experienced the projected climate of 2050 today. For this study, estimates of what ozone emission magnitudes, technology, or population would be like in 2050 were not needed. “All the cities showed either a negligible difference or an increase in ozone,” she said. In particular, she said, the models showed increases of 12% or more in cities in the upper Midwest, including Ohio, Michigan, Indiana, and Illinois. Uncertainty of regional effects was somewhat high; the overall models projected that the number of days with unhealthy ozone concentrations would increase.\nBell told the audience about an exercise that used different models and climate scenarios to investigate how heat waves linked to climate change might affect mortality in Chicago in 2081–2100. The models accounted for changes in population. All the models and scenarios showed an increase in mortality. “The biggest uncertainty was associated with the choice of climate-change model,” Bell said.\nHayden pointed out that NCAR has developed a risk map of heat-related mortality at the census-block level for the city of Houston. The map is based on outputs of a hierarchic model in which spatially varied coefficients are based on death counts, numerical-model weather simulations, and census and parcel data, Hayden said. The risk maps produced from the model outputs help researchers to understand differential vulnerability. “We have learned that an increase in heat-stress nights will increase mortality and that extreme heat disproportionately affects the elderly, those who are socially isolated, those of low income, blacks, and people who use public transportation.”\nThe model also is able to look at each census block and determine what demographic factors contribute to risk at that level. A publicly available map enables users to find the nearest cooling centers, such as the closest community centers, pools, or Walmart store. The map shows how far away cooling centers are and the centers’ hours of operation. And it gives users access to CDC’s tips for cooling oneself immediately, Hayden said. “We think that these maps are an important step toward including drivers of vulnerability on multiple scales. They connect people with where they are, and they increase the ability of communities and stakeholders to develop a program to mitigate risk,” she said.\nThe climate-assessment literature tends to be extremely cautious about projecting health outcomes. Most studies are couched in terms of risk in part because whether adaptation is included is highly variable in the underlying literature, Janetos said.\nIt is difficult to link changes in climate with public-health outcomes because of the large variance in data and the low signal-to-noise ratio, Semenza said. Another challenge is dealing with multifactorial disease patterns that involve complex interactions with different drivers and teasing out the contributions of the different drivers. A third difficulty involves attributing individual climate events to health outcomes, he said. “Any climate-related effect on health is mediated by other physical and environmental factors. There is no such thing as a direct climate effect,” Zaitchik emphasized; for example, the built environment plays an important role. There is extreme heterogeneity in rural and urban environments with regard to exposure to heat and air quality, Luber said. “Even within an urban environment, there is great variability in a census block; even the side of the street can affect exposures,” he said.\nFurther complicating the challenge is the need to factor in what the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change calls “natural mediators”, such as the ecologic and biologic processes associated with the pathogens that cause infectious disease and with allergens, Luber said.\nBrown, who was involved in the US Global Change Research Program’s recent National Climate Assessment, pointed out that many agricultural models do not include pests and disease and therefore could be optimistic in their projections of agricultural output in 2050 and 2100. “Such secondary effects may be enormous, especially in light of the acceleration of organism changes that we are trying to prevent with genetic engineering.”\nNo surveillance system attempts to link effects of climatic events to real outcomes, Semenza said. Many health effects are institutionally mediated, Luber added, pointing out as an example that climate change does not directly cause famine.\nPublic-health leaders often lack knowledge about climate change or shy away from the issue because it is not seen as a winnable battle, observed Richard Jackson, of the University of California, Los Angeles.\nSystems modelers do not necessarily have the same objectives as stakeholders, said Gary Geernaert, of the US Department of Energy. Even among the world’s top modelers of the health risks posed by climate change, it is not always clear what questions the models are being produced to answer, said Kristie Ebi, an independent consultant with ClimAdapt, LLC.\nThat all adds up to a massively interdisciplinary problem, Zaitchik said. It is easier to model exposures and risks than health outcomes, he commented.\nFurthermore, many data have been collected on the possible health effects of climate change, but not many have been collected in a desirable way, Ogden said.\nAn important issue related to collecting data is privacy concerns, said John Balbus, the senior adviser for public health in the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences. “Are there ways to aggregate to ameliorate that issue?” he asked.\nGeorges Benjamin, of the American Public Health Association, raised the potential value of insurance claims data. Peter Berry, of Health Canada, pointed out that his agency has been trying to improve its links with the urban-planning community.\nModels addressing climate change and health can leverage many existing data, said Anne Grambsch, of EPA. They include data on disasters, such as air pollution, and health data and research data focused on temperature sensitivity. Many models control for weather, she pointed out.\nDatabases contain many types of data, but it is important to understand the implications of how they were collected, Beard said. We need not only to put data into a model but work with people who understand the data. For example, in the United States, cases of disease are recorded by county of residence, not by where people might have been exposed to disease agents. Thus, if a case of a disease is related to travel, that is not captured, he said.\nThe availability of new satellite data and of expanded data services and low-cost sensors is improving our ability to model the physical environment, Zaitchik said. NASA’s Global Precipitation Measurement Mission, on a satellite launched in February 2014, is “game-changing”, he said. It provides more data on global precipitation than its predecessors gathered and at a much higher resolution, less than 10 km, with multiple passes each day. A satellite scheduled to launch in January 2015 will collect unprecedented information on soil moisture throughout the world with better resolution and the ability to “see through” vegetation to collect information that cannot be collected now. And NASA’s Giovanni data services are making satellite data more accessible than they were previously, he added.\nNow that researchers have access to more than 35 years of satellite data, they can capture decadal-scale variability related to local environmental characteristics in a way that can reveal something about climate change, Zaitchik pointed out. The open-data policy that most institutions have adopted gives scientists better information to use in analyzing how the climate is changing.\nThe increased availability of sensors facilitates collection of local data, which in turn can add greater spatial resolution to models, Zaitchik continued Many of the sensors are small and inexpensive enough to be placed almost anywhere. The ability of cell phones both to act as sensors and to share data via crowd-sourcing allows interested citizens to get involved in data collection. Technologies for assimilating all the data collected by the satellites and sensors are also improving, he said.\nScientists’ increasing use of geographic information systems and information from remote sensing allows modelers to incorporate potentially useful data from such sources as weather stations, habitat maps, and digital elevation models, Ogden said.\nNew datasets on human mobility are also helping climate modelers. Those data, often captured by mobile phones, enable models to factor in “the human side of the ecology” in addition to the environmental ecology, Zaitchik said. An emerging field is coupled analysis that combines information about human population dynamics with such information as parasite population dynamics. Zaitchik said that he is working on a coupled analysis of how human and mosquito dynamics in the Amazon can affect malaria rates.\nIt is clear that diverse approaches are needed to model the health risks posed by climate change, Ebi summarized. Models can help to provide insight into exposure–response relationships, including how the relationships may change. They can also serve as early-warning systems, she said. And some can help to identify prices and benefit–cost relationships in association with climate variability and long-term change. “We do not know what the future will look like, so models have different sets of assumptions. As we move forward, we will need various models with various assumptions to address the questions that policy-makers will ask us,” she said.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "Researchers from the Institute for Ophthalmology at the University College of London report on a significant advancement in stem cell therapy that can potentially lead to new treatments for blindness. Adult stem cells were manipulated into rod cells and then injected into blind animal models, partially restoring the vision of the animals.\nThe treatment breakthrough has the potential to lead to the development of clinical treatments for a wide range of visual impairments. However the researchers expressed some concern regarding their use of donated stem cells due to the possibility of an immune reaction.\nThe research is an example of the potential for stem cell regenerative medical therapies to treat and cure seemingly intractable and incurable conditions. We believe the best stem cells to use in these emerging regenerative therapies will be you own. To learn more about stem cells, and how families can bank their own valuable stem cells by recovering very powerful dental pulp stem cells during routine dental procedures such as wisdom teeth extractions or the during the loss of baby teeth, visit www.StemSave.comor call 877-783-6728 (877-StemSave) today.\nTo view the full article, click here.\nThe Future of Regenerative Medicine is Now™", "label": "No"}
{"text": "Poisoning, primarily by drugs, kills more people than car accidents, making it the nation’s biggest injury-related cause of death, said a report by the Trust for America’s Health and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.\nNationwide, 13.3 people per 100,000 died from poisoning between 2007 and 2009, compared with 12.4 from motor-vehicle accidents during the same period, the report found. In Maine, the poisoning death rate was 14.8, compared with 12.1 fatalities per 100,000 for motor-vehicle accidents. More than 90 percent of unintentional poisoning deaths in 2007 were caused by drugs and medicine, the report said. Each year, injuries create $406 billion in lifetime costs for medical care and lost productivity, according to the report.\nResearchers identified a new set of injury threats, including concussions in school sports, bullying, auto accidents while texting, falls by aging baby boomers and a “dramatic, fast rise in prescription drug abuse.” Sales of prescription painkillers and related deaths have tripled since 1999, according to the report.\n“Motor-vehicle accidents are more dramatic and get more coverage, but poisoning happens every day,” said Jeff Levi, who heads the Washington-based trust. “As we’ve seen poisoning from prescription drugs reach epidemic levels, it’s time to raise it on the radar screen.”\nFrom Washington to Maine, states have passed or are considering laws designed to better regulate prescription drugs. Deaths from prescribed pain relievers have exceeded the number caused by cocaine and heroin combined, the report said. Forty- eight states have implemented, or have pending, programs meant to track prescriptions to keep buyers from visiting multiple doctors to get the same drug.\nLast month, New Mexico, which has the highest poisoning death rate and injury-related fatality rate in the United States, made available online to providers its database tracking prescriptions. It’s also expanding a program created for heroin users to help pharmaceutical-drug addicts, Michael Landen, deputy state epidemiologist, said in a telephone interview.\n“We have an epidemic of prescription-drug overdoses in this country, and in New Mexico and we need to reverse it,” Landen said. “As a society, we need to reduce sales of prescription drugs while at the same time ensuring patients in pain are getting treatment. It’s a tough balance, and we have to get that right.”\nStriking that balance led to a political battle in Kentucky, which the report said has the seventh-highest poisoning death rate. Gov. Steve Beshear backed a bill this year that would have given him the authority to put the state’s prescription-monitoring program under the attorney general’s control so investigators would have access. The Kentucky Medical Association said doing so would violate patient privacy and push them away.\nThe bill passed in April without the provision. It requires doctors to take full medical histories before prescribing narcotic painkillers, among other regulatory enhancements.\n“To have good pain control is essential, and anything that would hamper access to any medication would be a problem,” said Sharon Brigner, deputy vice president for state advocacy for the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America, a Washington-based trade group. “These are not illicit drugs. These are drugs prescribed to patients for legitimate reasons.”", "label": "No"}
{"text": "What is an animal supposed to do when a six-lane highway stands between them and their next meal?\nThat’s a problem that PennEnvironment, along with other state groups in the Environment America network, is working to solve. In Pennsylvania, we’ve been building support for the construction of wildlife corridors to link together fragmented habitats — a major source of stress for wildlife that interrupts migration routes, puts animals in harm’s way, and threatens biodiversity.\nWith a big assist from Green Corps, we have mobilized people to add 1,200 signatures to our petition, place 200 calls with state legislators, and add 60 new members to our coalition. (Like PennEnvironment, Green Corps is part of The Public Interest Network.) A state House committee has passed a resolution on the issue, but there’s more work to be done to help wildlife travel safely from one habitat to the next.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "On \"On the Meeting of Garcia Lorca and Hart Crane\"\n. . . Levine has staked out a position on the interplay of history and the poet's own historical consciousness, insisting on a kind of dialogue with the people and events that compose the past and continue to shape the present. No solipsist, Levine is looking for an understanding of self that transcends the self, one that takes into account both the individual's place in history and history's place within the individual. In this way, Levine's thinking resembles Hans-Georg Gadamer's conception of the individual's relationship to history and its texts. Like Levine, Gadamer regards this process as a dialogue between the past and the present. In his Truth and Method, Gadamer makes this encounter an even more intimate affair, describing it as a \"conversation,\" ideally one in which a person comes to \"experience the 'Thou' truly as 'Thou,' i.e., not to overlook his claim and listen to what he has to say to us.\" It was Gadamer, after all, who once called history itself \"the conversation that we are.\" Still, while Gadamer concerns himself mostly with how one reads and interprets a text, Levine demonstrates how this process applies as well to the creation of an artistic text, to the making of a poem.\nMoreover, Levine apprehends one aspect of this conversation that Gadamer complacently overlooks: that often the dialogue excludes the disempowered, the poor and the marginalized, those who have by some intentional or unintentional means been silenced by the exercise of power. Recorded history is rarely written by or about those individuals disenfranchised from the realms of political or economic power. Levine's poetry, compelled by moral and aesthetic urgency, therefore directly engages those individuals in poetic conversation. What most interests me are those poems in which the speaker addresses an historical \"you\" in a kind of dialogic act. Sometimes that \"you\" says nothing in the conversation, other times a dialogue ensues, and occasionally the reader is the \"you\" the poem addresses. These poems provide a forum for Levine both to intermingle the private and the cultural and to interact with historyoffering, in the process, an aesthetic means for him to personalize the historical and historicize the personal.\n. . . \"On the Meeting of Garcia Lorca and Hart Crane,\" a new poem which recently appeared in The New Yorker, exemplifies the tendencies discussed thus far. The poem concerns the speaker's cousin, Arthur Lieberman, a former \"language student at Columbia\" who, on his death bed, told the speaker of his having brought together Lorca and Crane in Brooklyn in 1929. Not only does Leiberman facilitate such historical dialogue, he also, because he \"knows both Spanish and English,\" acts as its interpreter. He would therefore seem to be the perfect embodiment of Gadamer's \"effective-history.\"\nSurprisingly, not a word of the conversation between the \"poetic geniuses\" appears in the poem. Neither Arthur nor the speaker is \"frivolous\" enough to try to recapture it or to \"pretend\" it bore \"wisdom.\" Neither is foolish enough to attempt to \"invent a dialogue of such eloquence / that even the ants in your own / house won't forget it.\" No doubt theirs was a conversation like all others, fraught with misunderstanding and peril and surprise. No doubt theirs was no better or worse than the conversations each of these poems has pursued. What does come to Lieberman as a result of this encounter is a \"double vision\" which fuses his historical horizon with theirs, shocking him with a premonition of the poets' untimely deaths: Crane's suicide from a ship at sea in 1932 and Lorca's at the hands of a firing squad during the Spanish Civil War (returning us to the wellspring of Levine's work). The speaker asks his reader:\n[quotes ll. 28-41]\nLevine acknowledges this perilous aspect of imagination, the way that we humans, by imagining the lives of others, may come face to face with the \"horror\" as well as the beauty of our own existence. This \"double vision\" issues from an assiduous attention to the intersection of our lives with that of the Other, and it orders our sense of place and value in a world divided along historical, social, and racial lines. Through their conversations with history, these poems seek to enlarge both the poet's and the reader's individual horizons, to extend what we can see from our \"particular vantage point,\" as Gadamer puts it. These poems ask readers to chance a \"vision\" of ineffable loveliness and equal ugliness, a vision of what it is to be human. If we take Levine's word that \"nothing is past,\" then we readers follow this vision towards a future always in dialogue with the past and the evanescent moment of our present.\nfrom \"Why 'Nothing is Past': Philip Levine's 'Conversation' with History.\" Boulevard 9: 1-2 (Spring 1994). Copyright © 1994 by Opopjaz, Inc.\nReturn to Philip Levine", "label": "No"}
{"text": "Eli Whitney and the History of the Cotton Gin\nIn the United States, cotton is more than just a fiber used for clothing, coffee filters, towels, and other things. It has, in fact, played an important part in shaping the course of history. Cotton may have had less of an effect, however, if not for the invention of the cotton gin. The cotton gin was a machine that was used to easily and quickly separate cotton from its seeds. Although there is some debate as to who was actually the first to invent the cotton gin, it is Eli Whitney who is most often credited for its invention. In addition, Whitney holds the first patent for the first cotton gin for short-staple cotton in the U.S. At the time that Whitney developed his cotton gin, he could have no concept of the lasting and immense impact that his creation would have. To understand the impact of cotton in the U.S., it is helpful to understand the cotton gin Whitney created.\nWho Was Eli Whitney?\nSome have dubbed him the \"father of American technology,\" but Eli Whitney has gone down in history for one very specific creation: the cotton gin. Whitney was born in 1765 on December 8 in Westboro, Massachusetts. The inventor had an affinity for creating things even as a youth. During the Revolutionary War, for example, Whitney created a device for making nails, and he would later make hat pins for women's hats. He received his college education at Yale, where he studied from 1789 to 1792. It was after his graduation that he accepted employment at the estate of a widow named Catherine Greene. At Greene's estate, Whitney would create the cotton gin. His invention did not make him a wealthy man, however, as the simplicity of his patented design made it easy to pirate, or duplicate. The inventor would later go on to make muskets with interchangeable parts. He died in 1825.\nHistory of the Cotton Gin\nGreene's plantation was a cotton plantation in the South. During his time with Greene, Whitney discovered how slow the process of separating cotton fibers from the sticky seeds was. He also learned that because of this slow pace, cotton was not as profitable for Southern plantations as it should be, particularly for smaller upland plantations, which grew a type of cotton known as short-staple cotton. In efforts to resolve this problem, Whitney came up with the idea of a cotton gin. The gin that Whitney created used pulling hooks or teeth, a screen, and a brush to separate cotton fiber from the seed. The device was operated by the turning of a crank. When the crank was turned, the hooks or teeth would catch the cotton fibers and would pull them through a fine screen or small slots. The seeds were too large for the mesh or slots, so only the cotton would be pulled through. The brushes then removed the cotton from the teeth before the fibers exited the machine. The machine was much swifter than slaves in removing cotton and could do more per day than the plantation's multiple slaves could accomplish manually. The inventor patented his device in 1794.\nThe Cotton Gin and Slavery\nPrior to the invention of the cotton gin, slavery in the United States was headed for its demise. Crops that were dependent on the labor of slaves, such as tobacco and indigo, were decreasing in profitability. This decrease in profitability also included cotton. After the creation and successful implementation of the cotton gin, the demand for cotton began to increase, requiring more land for cotton crops and more slaves to labor over the growing and harvesting of it. As a result, instead of slavery coming to an end, it became stronger than ever in the United States, particularly in the South. In fact, the number of slave states increased, and eventually, one out of every three people in the South were slaves. The need for more land to support the increasing demand also led to the ousting of Native Americans from their lands. Ultimately, the cotton gin and its impact on the course of slavery would lead to the Civil War.\nWhy the Cotton Gin is Important for Today's Manufacturing\nThe cotton gin was an important starting point to the Industrial Revolution. Although Whitney's simple cotton gin is a thing of the past, it made today's manufacturing of cotton possible. In fact, modern cotton gins are still an important part of the cotton industry. In the U.S., as much as 43 million tons of cotton is produced annually in states such as Texas, Georgia, Mississippi, and even California. Modern ginning of cotton not only separates the cotton fibers from seeds but also dries and cleans the fibers, removing foreign materials and sticks, and also bales the cotton.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "Does Population Health Hold Answers for Precision Medicine?\nWe live in a time of unprecedented good health in the western world – researchers, healthcare professionals, clinicians are all working together to help decrease illness, prevent disease, increase life span and improve quality of life. In the US, for example, the average lifespan for a man in 1950 was 65 years of age.1 By 2007, that number jumped to 75 years of age, and it is expected to continue increasing, which means a growing and aging population for many developed countries around the world.1\nby Alex Forrest-Hay, Vice President, Population Health\nPopulation health, or epidemiology, explores the health of large groups of people over time to better understand the underlying nature of wellness and disease. Armed with genetic information and biological samples, as well as a variety of other health information, researchers are creating powerful databases to help explain why some people – and even geographic populations – develop certain diseases and others do not. How much of a role does genetics play compared to a person’s environment? Or, how does living in a congested city with pollution compare to a rural community?\nResearchers around the world are gathering genomic and metabolic data from millions of participants to assess the internal and external factors that impact health. This information will help identify important diseases where prevention, diagnosis and treatment are most effective and early detection has the potential to change the outcome.\nMetabolon is contributing to these efforts through its Precision Metabolomics™ technology. Unlike genomics, which assesses the risk of developing a disease, metabolomics provides a snapshot of health that gives researchers and clinicians a better understanding of health and the influences of genes, microbiome, diet, lifestyle and drug treatments. Metabolomics also improves understanding of gene function.\nBecause metabolic data is dynamic and changes with an individual, that information can be used to tailor health care and lifestyle. It is important to remember that clinicians have used metabolites for decades in patient care. To name a few, glucose, creatinine and cholesterol are routinely tested for the diagnosis and management of diabetes, kidney disease and cardiovascular disease. On a certain level, all diseases are metabolic, and there will be a physical manifestation of the disease reflected in our metabolomes. The information gained from metabolomic research provides a foundation to help speed the journey from population health to precision medicine.\nI am proud to lead a team that is committed to collecting and providing valuable, integrative knowledge toward understanding gene function and metabolic health. Our Population Health team works with leading government, academic and commercial researchers around the world to establish Metabolon as the preferred provider of metabolomics data for these studies.\nBased on our engagement with these groups, there is no doubt that metabolomics is a necessity if these large-scale, multi-omic precision medicine initiatives are going to reshape how medicine is practiced in the 21st century. In addition, the intelligence gained from population health studies could enable Metabolon to develop next-generation clinical tests that will improve patient care and empower an individual to better understand, take control, improve their health and even prevent diseases. We aim to put Precision Metabolomics at the forefront of the precision medicine revolution to improve the outcomes and economics of healthcare.\nTo learn more about the benefits of adding metabolomics to your large population studies, please contact us.\n1. CDC. Table 22. Life expectancy at birth, at 65 years of age, and at 75 years of age, by race and sex: United States, selected years 1900–2007 (2010). Available at https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/hus/2010/022.pdf. Accessed 10.3.17.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "AFCA’s Mission: Education Through Arts\n- Educating in a different dimension through art helps many people to learn easily and quickly. Similarly, they are able to overcome many problems relating to loss of focus, low self-esteem, confidence, and team building. AFCA uses education through art techniques that work with almost anyone at any age and seeks to improve languages, accents, soft skills, phonetics, mathematics, science, geography, chemistry, biology, self-confidence, and self-esteem.\nGoals of Education Through Art Program:\nTo create an artistic context with which to explore cultural, ethical, and social issues.\nTo promote the academic, social, and emotional growth of students\n- To use art as a means to enhance communication, team building, and confidence.\n- To develop a strong sense of purpose and direction in every student\n- To improve the academic achievement of all students through participatory hands-on activities\n- To provide opportunities for self-expression and self-discovery\n- To discover hidden talents and skills in children and teens, by giving them the necessary tools to become professional artists in the future\n- To provide teachers with a diverse array of instructional tools\n- To help people to explore new languages, accents, and ideas through art.\nAFCA in the community:\nAFCA offers education through art to a wide range of public, including underprivileged children and students of public schools with the aim of expanding its mission to everyone in society, especially people who don’t have an equal chance in accessing all society categories. AFCA believes that art has to be shared with everyone in order to build a new creative environment in the society today.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "About the Holiday\nBlack History Month celebrates the achievements and contributions of African Americans in United States History. Originally a week-long observance initiated by writer and educator Dr. Carter G. Woodson in1926 and occurring during the second week in February to commemorate the birthdays of Frederick Douglass and Abraham Lincoln, Black History Month was officially established in 1976 by then president Gerald Ford. The holiday is now celebrated across the country with special events in schools, churches, and community centers.\nThe theme for 2021 is “Black Family: Representation, Identity and Diversity.” It explores the African diaspora and the spread of Black families across the United States through multiple perspectives. For more information about Black History Month, visit the ASALH website and africanamericanhistorymonth.gov.\nOpening the Road: Victor Hugo Green and His Green Book\nWritten by Keila V. Dawson | Illustrated by Alleanna Harris\nWhen Black travelers drove the highways of the United States in the 1920s and 30s and tried to stop at restaurants or motels, they “were told: No food… No vacancy… No bathroom… for Black people.” Instead, Black American motorists had to pack their own food, sleep in their car, and bring their own toilet. “Victor Hugo Green was tired of hearing no…. When he and his wife Alma traveled from New York to Virginia to visit family, they risked getting turned away, yelled at, even hurt.”\nAt the time, Jim Crow laws in the same segregated Black and White Americans throughout society. Because Blacks had nowhere to stay, they often drove through the night. If Black motorists had an accident, there were no ambulances or hospitals that would help them. In northern and western “sunset towns,” Blacks were alerted to leave town before darkness fell by a siren or a White man waving them out.\nOne day Victor discovered a Jewish newspaper that published a guide about places that welcomed Jewish people and sold kosher food. “In the 1930s Jewish Americans couldn’t go everywhere they wanted to either.” Reading this guide, Victor had an idea to write a book of his own for New York. As he walked his route as a mail carrier, he began to ask Black friends and neighbors where they ate, shopped, and played safely. He worked on his book at night after work and finished his ten-page guide, The Negro Motorist Green Book in 1936; he updated it in 1937.\nVictor began selling his book at Black churches and social clubs. Readers asked Victor to include more states in his book, so he wrote to other mail carriers all over the country asking for information. Mail carriers responded overwhelmingly. Over the next two years, Victor and Alma worked to expand the Green Book. With the Green Book in hand, “Black travelers knew where to go and who to trust.” As the popularity of the Green Book rose, Victor collected information from readers and agents Victor hired to add to revisions of his book.\nIn 1940 the United States government named the Green Book an “‘official Negro travel guide.’” Then Esso gas stations of the Standard Oil Company began selling the book. The Green Book became a best seller. The Green Book spurred new businesses as Black women opened their homes as bed and breakfasts for travelers; it also informed readers about Black accomplishments, history, colleges that accepted Black students, and more.\nWith two million copies sold, the Green Book “made it possible for Black families to enjoy vacations.” Through the 1950s and 1960s as the fight against segregation and the civil rights movement took hold, the Green Book continued to keep Blacks safe. Victor dreamed of the day when, as he said, “‘we as a race will have equal opportunities and privileges in the United States.’” That day came when, in 1964, segregation was ended by law and the Green Book became less necessary. The Green Book ceased publication after the 1966-67 issue, just as Victor had hoped.\nAn illustrated timeline takes children along a winding highway from 1892, when Victor Hugo Green was born, to 1967 when the Green Book ceased publication, quotations by Victor Green, and a selected bibliography follow the text.\nKeila V. Dawson’s compelling book about Victor Hugo Green’s guide for Black travelers is a powerful tool for teaching children about the history of racial inequality and segregation as well as an expanded understanding of their effects on the lives of Black Americans. While children may be familiar with separate facilities for Blacks and Whites, separate seating on transportation, and school inequality, many will be shocked by travel conditions, the idea that hospitals would not help Blacks, and sunset towns where Blacks were ordered out as the sun went down. While Dawson’s unstinting text will move readers, her storytelling also reveals the resilience of the human spirit and how one man rose above the dangers and prejudice of the time to make traveling and living in America safer for Blacks. The fact that the fight for racial equality continues today makes Dawson’s book an important resource for children to learn not only the exclusion Blacks once legally faced but to make them think about incidents of discrimination that still exist and how they might help bring about a more equitable society.\nAlleanna Harris faithfully depicts the times with realistic illustrations that show children how sparsely populated the highway system was, making it even more difficult for Blacks to find welcoming businesses and services. Her image of a Black man driving past a sign that reads “Whites only after dark” as a White man leans against it pointing the way out of town should affect every reader. Children are able to follow Victor Hugo Green and Alma as Victor conceives the idea of the Green Book, and they gather information, and sell the book. They’ll also see the types of businesses mentioned in the Green Book, from gas stations to general stores to movie theaters and private homes where rooms were available for travelers. Interspersed with images of Victor and his work Harris includes illustrations of other familiar ways Blacks were discriminated against.\nAn important resource for teachers, parents, and other adults engaged in teaching children about American history, the history of civil rights, and the experience of Blacks in America, Opening the Road: Victor Hugo Green and His Green Book is highly recommended for home, school, and public libraries.\nAges 4 – 8\nBeaming Books, 2021 | ISBN 978-1506467917\nYou can find an Opening the Road Educators Guide to download on the Beaming Books website.\nDiscover more about Keila V. Dawson and her books on her website.\nTo learn more about Alleanna Harris, her books, and her art, visit her website.\nYou can find Opening the Road: Victor Hugo Green and His Green Book at these booksellers\nAmazon | Barnes & Noble | Books-a-Million\nTo support your local independent bookstore, order from\nPicture Book Review", "label": "No"}
{"text": "Pet hay fever and how to help relieve it\nCan dogs and cats get hay fever?\nBoth dogs and cats can experience hay fever just like humans when the flowers start to blossom and grass needs mowing.\nSome breeds are more susceptible to hay fever than others, so it’s important to observe your pet for symptoms at this time of year. Hay fever symptoms can be really uncomfortable for a pet and may require medical treatment.\nWhat causes hay fever in pets?\nMuch like us humans, spring weather can trigger hay fever in dogs and cats. During the spring, growing plants release grasses, pollens and seed spores into the air. Wind can circulate these irritating particles, causing your pet’s skin to itch. Even worse, your pet might enjoy rolling in the grass, which can increase irritation.\nWhat are the symptoms of cat or dog hay fever?\nUnlike humans, pet allergies tend to show up more on their skin than their eyes and sinuses. Consequently, you might see a rash, sores or flakey skin that your pet can’t stop scratching, rubbing or nibbling. This may be more noticeable around your pet’s face, arm pits, ears, belly, paws or at the base of their tail.\nUnfortunately for some pets, hay fever irritation can be so severe that they rub off their fur around the itchy spot. Other symptoms your pet may experience are weeping eyes, runny nose, sniffling, wheezing or even painful ear infections. Notably, some pets may not get any rash on their skin. As such, it’s important to look out for extreme scratching behaviours even if their skin seems fine.\nSome pets may be more sensitive to hay fever, with reports that some breeds are more sensitive than others. These include Cocker Spaniels, German Shepherds and Golden Retrievers.\nHow to relieve a pet with spring allergies?\nIf your pet has any hay fever symptoms, the vet should always be your first stop. They will check if hay fever is the definite cause and that there isn’t anything else going on, such as a yeast infection, virus or parasite. If the site of the itch is very bad, the vet may suggest your pet wear a cone to help their skin heal.\nFrom here, the vet may recommend some medications for your pet to get through the springtime. For example, your vet may suggest pet antihistamines daily or soothing creams to relieve the itch. Alternatively, they may suggest bathing, trimming or brushing your pet every day to remove allergens from their coat. Lastly, your vet may recommend avoiding walks through fresh-cut grass when there is a high pollen count in the air.\nIt's a good idea to tell your dog walker if your pet has hay fever, so they can choose a less-itchy path when they take your dog for a stroll. Click below if you need to find an experienced dog walker in your neighbourhood.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "Spark your child’s love for science and music with this one-of-a-kind kit! His or her mind will be blown when they see how easy it is to power lights, speakers and a piano. Everything is included in the Circuitry Keyboard kit to conduct 39 different experiments — each more exciting than the next!\nElectronics and music in one\nCombine sound and science with the circuitry keyboard! Featuring 46 separate circuits, this electronic keyboard lets you experiment with music, sounds, LED light, resistors, switches and more! Play and modify the mini keyboard while learning about the science of circuitry.\nIncluded booklet walks you through experiments\nWorried you don’t have enough electrical know-how to work out these experiments? No problem! The included booklet has easy-to-follow steps to walk you through each one. Simply use the included wires to connect the noted circuits, then flip the switch “on” to see what got powered!\nConduct 39 different experiments\nEducational kit to get kids interested in electrical engineering\nPower the piano, LED lights, speaker, and more!\nExperiment with music, LEDs, touch panels, resistors and electronic circuitry\nRequires 2 AA batteries (not included)\nRed, blue, green and white wires for connecting circuits\nGive your kid a reason to be excited for bedtime with the Discovery Kids Projection Alarm Clock. The clock will project any of the 4 space themed images for 30 minutes or for 8 hours while plugged in (Plug Not Included). This alarm clock uses dual projection lenses to beam an image onto a wall or ceiling up to 10 feet away! The images can be as large as 4 feet to really immerse your child in outer space and give their imagination a backdrop to play in. The display on the front of the clock will display the full date and time to help the child know exactly what day it is so they can keep up with their chores, homework, and everything else! The time can also be projected prominently onto the wall or ceiling for easier viewing.\nBring the universe to your child's bedroom with the Discovery Kids 2-in-1 4x LED Starlight Lantern! Now your little camper can enjoy the night sky inside their tent or read a book under the blankets with the Starlight Lantern! Your child's bedroom can become an intergalactic space station with this premium domed star projector!\nThis drawing easel features a see-through drawing surface for fun, translucent artwork! It can also be used as a tracing board for transferring art from paper to neon marker!\nPress the action light button to enjoy up to 36 different light-up colors and effects! Comes with 4 fluorescent markers and features a built-in kickstand and integrated marker storage bay!\nDestination discovery: take reality to another level with our fun and educational toys! You can explore the universe and fly through space, roam the desert with animals, run from dinosaurs and much more!\nPlay and learn: at the intersection of inspiration, curiosity, and stem-based edutainment, our toys help spark your child's imagination and creativity while promoting the development of essential skills.\nLight up drawing board with kickstand, 4 fluorescent markers\nBeautiful gemstones are polished, smoothed and shaped by their existence in nature and being tumbled through rivers-a process that usually takes thousands of years! Now you can mimic that same natural event with the Discovery #MINDBLOWN Rock Tumbler Kit. The tumbling motion, gritty sand and water are the only things Mother Nature uses to polish natural quartz and other stones. This kit takes those things and adds electrical power so speed up that natural process. Just add the stones, rocks, and the gritty sand to the tumbler and let it do all the work for you. Within days you will have smooth and polished gemstones that you can use for making accessories. Children ages 10 and up will enjoy being a scientist with this kit! This set from Discovery #MINDBLOWN uses natural science and geology concepts to bring you a fun and educational toy!\nKit includes: tumbler, rocks, grit, accessories & power cord.\nAll gemstones are natural & unique\nTurn beautiful polished gems into jewelry & accessories\nIncludes plug & adaptor\nAt the intersection of inspiration, curiosity, & STEM-based edutainment, our toys help spark the imagination & promote the development of science, technology, engineering & math skills.\nDesigning beautiful works of art has never been easier with the Discovery Kids Shake Studio! Simply use the provided glue sticks to line up where you want the sprinkles to go, add your choice of 5 sprinkle colors to the shaker, close the case and shake into place!\nEASY TO DO: Simply trace the artwork with the included glue sticks, pour in your favorite color sprinkles and then shake, shake, shake!\nMESS AND WASTE FREE: The unused sprinkles funnel back into the bottles easily for waste-free, mess-free fun!\nEVERYTHING YOU NEED: The Shake Studio provides everything you need to create beautiful works of art including the sprinkle shaker, 5 sprinkle bottles, 6 glue sticks, and 12 dessert drawings.\nPLAY & LEARN: At the intersection of inspiration, curiosity, & STEM-based edutainment, our toys help spark the imagination & promote the development of science, technology, engineering & math skills.\nExplore the marvels of our universe in the comfort of your living room, bedroom or classroom with the Discovery #MINDBLOWN 2-In-1 Reversible Planetarium Space Projector! The projector is double sided and features two different modes: stationary and moving! The moving side features two layered translucent domes that rotate slowly, projecting moving stars onto any surface for a truly immersive intergalactic experience! The space projector is the perfect educational toy for any kid curious about science, NASA, space ships, galaxies, solar systems and more! Get out of this world edutainment with the Discovery Kids Planetarium Space Projector! For best viewing results, use the projector in a dark room.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "Water Supply & Water Quality Challenges\nUnprecedented Drought Conditions\nThree consecutive years (2012, 2013 and 2014) of the lowest rainfall and snowpack totals in California have put the state in the worst drought conditions since weather data have been measured. State reservoirs are near record lows and dropping, local groundwater basins and ecosystems are stressed, vast tracks of farmland lie fallow and wildfire risk is extremely high.\nIn 2014, nearly 60% of California is in “exceptional drought,” the most severe on the U.S. Drought Monitor’s five-point scale. About 82% of the state is in “extreme drought,” while 96% is now in “severe drought.”\nIn January 2014, Governor Edmund Brown declared a drought emergency and called on Californians to reduce their water consumption by 20 percent.\nIn April 2014, Governor Brown issued an executive order to strengthen the state’s ability to manage water and habitat effectively in drought conditions and called again on all Californians to redouble their efforts to conserve water.\nIn response to the ongoing severe drought, the State Water Resources Control Board approved emergency water conservation regulations in July 2014 for all Californians. The regulations are intended to reduce outdoor urban water use.\nHidden underground, groundwater typically accounts for about 35 percent of the water used by California’s farms and cities. In some regions, like the San Gorgonio Pass, communities rely almost entirely on groundwater for their drinking water. Imported water provides supplemental supply to the region. In dry years, groundwater becomes even more important, as pumping increases to make up for the lack of rain. The challenge is to maintain hydrologic balance during times of drought to minimize depletion of aquifers.\nThe Beaumont Basin, located in the San Gorgonio Pass and overlies the cities of Beaumont, Cherry Valley, Calimesa and parts of Banning, is an adjudicated basin that is operated under the provisions of a court judgement. This judgement determines the “safe yield” of the basin, i.e., how much water can be extracted from the ground by water providers in a given year.\nIn September 2014, Governor Brown signed into law the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act of 2014, historic legislation designed to strengthen local control and management of groundwater basins throughout California. The legislation lays out a process and timeline and provides tools, authorities and deadlines to take necessary action to achieve the goals set forth in the legislation.\nState Water Project Challenges\nBuilt more than 50 years ago, the State Water Project was a marvel for its time. Today, critical infrastructure investments must be made to ensure a continued reliable water supply. The heart of the State Water Project, the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, is no longer a suitable pathway for the state’s water supplies. Struggling fish populations, environmental issues and ongoing regulatory hurdles make the Delta incompatible with a reliable water delivery system.\nThe Bay Delta Conservation Plan (BDCP) is the path towards a secure water supply for California and a healthy Delta ecosystem. This comprehensive effort is an innovative, science-based solution to California’s water supply challenges and the Delta’s environmental struggles. Just as our predecessors advanced crucial infrastructure projects to prepare California for the last 50 years, our members are working with state and federal agencies, environmental organizations and other water agencies to secure water supplies for the decades to come.\nThe Bay Delta Conservation Plan seeks to identify an alternate way of routing freshwater supplies from the Sacramento River to the state and federal water facilities—the pumps that send water to water agencies throughout California. Rather than using Delta as the primary conduit for water supplies, the Bay Delta Conservation Plan is analyzing options to move water through a tunnel underneath the Delta, or a canal around the Delta.\nThe Bay Delta Conservation Plan also incorporates extensive habitat restoration actions. By removing the state’s water operations from the delicate ecosystem, and taking steps to restore habitat, the Bay Delta Conservation Plan will create a healthy, sustainable Delta environment and protect water supplies from earthquakes and other natural disasters.\nState and federal water contractors are currently funding the plan’s development, and have committed to funding the construction of a new canal or tunnel.\nFor more information on the Bay Delta Conservation Plan, go to http://baydeltaconservationplan.com/Home.aspx\nCalifornia enjoys some of the highest water quality in the world. Local water agencies are responsible for meeting many stringent federal and state water quality regulations to ensure the water they deliver is clean and safe.\nThe Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) is the main federal law that ensures the quality of Americans’ drinking water. Under this law, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) sets standards for drinking water quality and oversees the states, localities, and water suppliers who implement those standards.\nSDWA was originally passed by Congress in 1974 to protect public health by regulating the nation’s public drinking water supply. The law was amended in 1986 and 1996 and requires many actions to protect drinking water and its sources: rivers, lakes, reservoirs, springs, and ground water wells.\nIn California, the drinking water program is administered by the Division of Drinking Water (DDW) of the California State Water Resources Control Board.\nClick here to view presentation on Chromium 6 given by Art Vela, Acting Public Works Director, City of Banning at the August 2015 Alliance Meeting\nWater Quality in the San Gorgonio Pass Region\nGroundwater The region is fortunate that the overall quality of the drinking water supply is quite high. There is no known historical industrial or mining activity in the region that has generated harmful plumes of pollutants.\nHowever, rising levels of salinity are of particular concern. The main cause of this condition is the release of treated waste water, which contains certain salts, to the environment. The Santa Ana Regional Water Quality Control Board has set a maximum benefit goal for salinity of 330 parts per million in the region that includes the Beaumont Basin. The current salinity concentration in the Beaumont Basin is approximately 280 parts per million. A Basin Plan requires local entities to begin planning desalter facilities when the salinity increases to 330 parts per million.\nAnother constituent in the local water supply that is being closely monitored is nitrate, a naturally occurring form of nitrogen found in soil. Common sources of nitrate include fertilizers, manure, animal feedlots, municipal wastewater and septic systems. Nitrates form when microorganisms break down fertilizers, decaying plants, or other organic residues. High levels of nitrate found in drinking water supplies can cause “blue baby syndrome” or methemoglobinemia.\nThere have been some isolated incidents of increased levels of nitrate at some wells in the region for short periods of time, particularly after significant storm events. Water providers do not serve drinking water that exceeds standards set by the Division of Drinking Water (DDW) of the California State Water Resources Control Board California Department of Public Health. Various treatment methods used to deal with problem constituents in water include dilution (blending of water supplies to meet the standards) or wellhead treatment facilities to remove the contaminant.\nEffective July 1, 2014, Hexavalent Chromium (Chromium 6) was added to the list of regulated contaminants in California drinking water sources. As a result of this action by the California Department of Public Health, the Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL) for Chromium 6 was established at 10 parts per billion. In order to determine compliance with the new regulation, public water systems were mandated to conduct an initial round of monitoring of all active and stand-by sources. Samples from several wells in the region have tested over the MCL. Retail agencies are evaluating options to either bring the sources into compliance.\nSources of Chromium 6 in drinking water originate from discharges from steel and chrome plating or from erosion of natural deposits. The federal and state approved technologies for removing total chromium from drinking water include coagulation/filtration, anion exchange, reverse osmosis, and lime softening.\nBecause of research completed over the past decade by multiple water agencies and the state of California, three chromium-6 technologies have emerged as leading candidates with respect to feasibility and cost. Those are weak base anion exchange (WBA), strong base anion exchange (SBA), and reduction with ferrous iron/coagulation/filtration (RCF).\nQuality of Imported Water (State Water Project)\nWater from the California Aqueduct is delivered to our region at the Devil Canyon hydroelectric facility in San Bernardino where is further conveyed through the East Branch Extension facilities to various delivery points. Water quality testing is routinely performed at the Devil Canyon location. Six constituents found in this water supply include: total dissolved solids, chloride, nitrate, sodium, sulfate and turbidity. Salinity is higher in dry years and lower in wet years.\nA new class of chemical constituents, referred to as “emerging contaminants,” are being detected in drinking water supplies at relatively small levels. They are primarily pharmaceuticals and personal care products that are excreted through human or animal bodies or are flushed and end up in sewage or septic flows. The Santa Ana Regional Water Quality Control Board requires dischargers (sewage treatment facility operators) monitor for these constituents on an annual basis. There is no evidence that these constituents are harmful to humans in their current concentrations in the environment, and there have been no creation of water quality standards for these constituents. Water agencies in the Santa Ana River Watershed region are developing a data base to monitor the number and concentrations of these emerging contaminants.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "Exercise is good for memory and the brain. University of Geneva researchers found that even one short bout of moderate or intense exercise improves memory and acquisition of new motor skills.\nIn a well-designed study, 15 healthy volunteers exercised intensely for 15 minutes, moderately for 30 minutes, or rested, and were given various tests both before and after exercising. They found that exercise had beneficial effects on the hippocampus of the brain, and that physical exercise improves some types of memory. The hippocampus plays a critical role in learning and memory.\nIntense physical exercise improves memory functions by increasing neural plasticity in the hippocampus. [Note: increasing plasticity of the brain is good.] The findings of this study match earlier animal research, in that \"a single session of physical exercise has been shown to boost anandamide (AEA), an endocannabinoid known to promote hippocampal plasticity\".\nThe researchers felt that this study provided additional evidence that physical exercise could possibly prevent cognitive decline as people age. Typically some cognitive decline, along with a reduction in brain volume, occurs in the aging brain, so slowing down or preventing cognitive decline is desirable. Bottom line: Get out and move, move, move for brain health! By the way, all physical activity is better than no activity.\nFrom Medical Xpress: Sport and memory go hand in hand\nIf sport is good for the body, it also seems to be good for the brain. By evaluating memory performance following a sport session, neuroscientists from the University of Geneva (UNIGE) demonstrate that an intensive physical exercise session as short as 15 minutes on a bicycle improves memory, including the acquisition of new motor skills. ...continue reading \"Some Intense Exercise Is Beneficial For The Brain\"", "label": "No"}
{"text": "A financer is someone who provides money for a particular undertaking. A financier is a person or organization whose business is providing, investing, or lending money. In other words, a financier makes a habit of financing, while a financer might do it only once or occasionally.\nSome dictionaries don’t list financer—and your spell check might disapprove of it—but this is a mistake. As long as finance is a verb, and as long as some people who finance things aren’t financiers, there will always be financers.\nHe was a gunrunner and a financer of such poaching attempts. [The Times of India]\nBillionaire financier George Soros is warning the United States risks something similar to the eurozone debt crisis. [AP (article now offline)]\nMobley … is the sole financer of the proposed Summit Medical Compassion Center. [Providence Journal]\nThe announcement comes a day after the World Bank (WB), the main financier of the Nairobi Urban Toll Road Project, announced it was pulling out. [The Standard]", "label": "No"}
{"text": "Palm Warblers (Dendroica palmarum) have two races — “Western” Palm Warbler (Dendroica palmarum palmarum) and “Eastern” or “Yellow” Palm Warbler (Dendroica palmarum hypochrysea). The western race is found in Michigan, and reports that the eastern race (which breeds from Quebec to northern New England) is “at best casual” in the state and gives one documented record, a bird banded in Kalamazoo in 1990. The Rouge River Bird Observatory banded an eastern Palm Warbler on 1 Nov 2003 (which also represents a late date for Palm Warbler at this site).\nThis bird was a hatching-year (or juvenile) bird, based on the incomplete ossification of the skull. It had no chestnut on the crown, and a fairly short wing, suggesting that it might be a young female.\nEastern Palm Warblers are very yellow in all plumages, while western birds are duller. The supercilium (eyebrow) is yellow, while in western birds the face is much browner, and the supercilium is buff-colored. The entire breast and belly are yellow in eastern birds, with no contrast between the belly and the undertail coverts. Western Palm Warblers have buff bellies (which can be washed with yellow in fresh plumage) which always contrast with the brighter yellow undertail coverts.\nYou can read further details about this bird in the paper below:\nCraves, J. A. 2003. “Yellow” Palm Warbler (Dendroica palmarum hypochrysea) banded in Wayne Co. (pdf) Michigan Birds and Natural History 10:99-100.\nMore “Yellow” Palm Warblers\nSince this record, four more “Yellow” Palm Warblers have been recorded in Dearborn.\nTwo were sight records. One was along the channelized portion of the Rouge River on 5 Apr 2006, seen by Cathy Carroll; this is the earliest recorded spring arrival date for Palm Warbler in the city. The second was seen on a regular spring bird survey on campus, 29 Apr 2009, by Julie Craves.\nTwo more “Yellow” Palm Warblers have also been banded. The bird on the right was banded on 6 May 2008. Note the bright yellow supercilium and the chestnut coloration of the breast streaks, and once again the uniform yellow coloration of the underparts. The shorter wing measurement of this bird could mean it was a female, although the crown patch was quite extensive which is more typical of a male. Thus, to be conservative, we left the bird sex as unknown.\nOn 9 October 2010, another “Yellow” Palm Warbler was banded (below). This was a hatching-year bird, as determined by the incomplete skull ossification. It had many chestnut-colored feathers in the crown over a broad area, although they were concealed, and a long wing measurement. This indicates the bird was a male. It was as bright or brighter than the 2003 bird, with some of the chest steaks also having a chestnut coloration.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "It’s your first night for your online course. You meet with your online students through video conferencing (We use Zoom.us) so that your distant students will have a feeling of belonging to a group instead of just talking with each other through discussion forums. This is when you have to take attendance, review the syllabus and preview the class so that your students will know what to expect, right?\nWrong. Involved learning is a social process and if you want your students to feel “part of the class”, it is more important for you to help them connect with you and the class members in the first class session. This is especially important in an online class where faltering technology and unfamiliarity can get in the way of students feeling part of group.\nThere are plenty of ice breakers that teachers do in face-to-face classrooms, but they don’t usually translate to online interaction well. I teach an online course entitled Using Digital and Social Media in Education for undergrads and graduate students at the University of Northern Iowa. I was looking around for a way to create an easy-to-use interactive ice breaker and I happened upon an idea for the age old game, 2 Truths and a Lie.\nTwo Truths and a Lie is a great party game where you make three statements about yourself. Two of the statements are true and one is a lie. This activity allows people to share about themselves at a comfortable level of disclosure. The only problem is that if we just make the statements orally, the interaction with the class can get lost. The trick is to create an interactive tool. I did this using an Open Google Spreadsheet. This was a document where students could type their statements simultaneously and then post judgments about their opinions about each of their colleagues’ disclosures.\n- Begin by creating a Google Spreadsheet like the one in Figure 1. (You can actually make a copy of my spreadsheet, tinyurl.com/2truthz1lie\n- Set the “Share” settings so that “Anyone with the Link” “Can edit” the file. This will allow your students to add their Truths and Lies and add their voted in the appropriate columns. Your students won’t need to sign-in to do this.\n- Add your name in the “0” row and then add your students’ names in the appropriate rows.\n- Add your 2 Truths and a Lie in your section. This is a great way to share something about yourself while demonstrating the process.\nRunning Truths and Lies\n- Share the link to your spreadsheet with your students.\n- Show them their names and the number next to each of their names.\n- Point out that there are numbered columns in the table and that each of their columns align with the numbers next to their names.\n- Have them read each of your statements and cast their votes about whether they are Truths or Lies.\n- Once they have casted their votes, you can tell the story about each of your statements.\n- As you tell each story, add a T or L in the Answer column. The column has been set so that letters into this column will be red.\n- Now it is time for your students to share about themselves. Each of the students will add their statements (2 truths and a lie).\n- Once they have added their statements, they just need to cast their votes.\n- The best part comes now when your students explain their statements like you did with your proclamations. You might want to break it up so that half of your students share now and the others do it towards the end of your session.\nCaution: I found that students who were connecting through their ipads had problems completing the table. This seemed to be fixed by downloading the Sheets App from the Apple Store.\nGive this a try. I would love to get your feedback and hear about how it worked in your class.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "The Jewish bedtime prayer ‘Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the Universe, Who brings sleep to my eyes’ is a beautiful way to give thanks before going to sleep. This prayer recognizes God as the source of all blessings in life, including the gift of peaceful sleep.\nIf you’re short on time, here’s the essence of this article: This Jewish prayer gives thanks to God for the blessing of sleep. It’s recited daily by observant Jews and reminds them that all good things come from God.\nIn this comprehensive guide, we will explore the meaning behind the words of this prayer, its significance in Jewish tradition, the ritual of reciting it before bed, and how it can enrich your spiritual life.\nThe Literal Meaning of the Prayer’s Words\nBlessed Are You, Lord Our God, King of the Universe\nThe first line of the bedtime prayer, “Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the Universe,” is a statement praising and acknowledging God. It recognizes God’s sovereignty over all of creation. The prayer opens by blessing God and affirming faith in Him before making any requests.\nThis line aligns with similar phrases found throughout Jewish liturgy, reminding the person praying that God is eternal, all-powerful, and deserving of honor.\nThe word “blessed” here literally means praiseworthy. To say that God is “blessed” is to offer Him respect, adoration, and exaltation. The titles “Lord,” “God,” and “King” further establish God’s supreme authority.\nHe is Lord over all realms, the ultimate God above any false idols, and the King who reigns over the whole Universe. Praying this establishes the right mindset of humility before making petitions to the Almighty God who governs all things.\nWho Brings Sleep to My Eyes\nThis line recognizes God’s role as the giver of the gift of sleep. The phrasing “Who brings sleep to my eyes” attributes the help in falling asleep solely to God’s action of bestowing sleep. This affirms God’s attentiveness in caring for even the smallest details of human lives, like ensuring proper rest.\nIt is an acknowledgement that sleep is not something humans can attain purely by their own doing, but is ultimately granted by God.\nThe specificity of sleep coming to the “eyes” has theological significance. In the Bible, closing one’s eyes is associated with death and eternal rest (Psalm 13:3). So this prayer uses “eyes” to tie physical sleep with the spiritual peace found in God.\nOverall, reciting this phrase is a reminder of gratitude and dependence on God’s daily grace as one prepares for bed.\nThe Prayer’s Roots in Jewish Tradition\nPart of a Bedtime Ritual\nThe Jewish bedtime prayer, known as the Shema Yisrael, has been part of the bedtime ritual for Jews for over 2,000 years. Reciting the Shema before sleep connects Jews to their faith and reminds them of God’s oneness and protection through the night (https://reformjudaism.org/practice/prayers-blessings/shema-bedtime-ritual).\nThe ritual typically begins by blessing one’s children before bed. Parents place their hands on their children’s heads and recite blessings asking God to help keep them safe through the night. After the parental blessing, children recite the first paragraph of the Shema, which affirms belief in one God, followed by wishing their parents goodnight.\nReciting the Shema not only grounds Jews in their monotheistic faith but also connects each generation to the ones before through a shared nightly ritual. Just as their parents and grandparents recited the prayer at bedtime, Jews continue the tradition with their own children.\nConnections to Scripture and Talmud\nThe Shema prayer originates from a biblical verse in Deuteronomy 6:4 which states, “Hear, O Israel: The Lord is our God, the Lord is one.” This powerful, succinct statement of Jewish monotheism later became the opening line of the Shema.\nIn the Talmud, Rabbi Joshua ben Levi instructs people to recite the Shema twice a day, evening and morning. He refers to Deuteronomy 11:19 which commands Jews to teach the Shema to their children and discuss it “when you lie down and when you get up.” This formed the basis for making the Shema part of the bedtime ritual.\nToday, in addition to the verses from Deuteronomy, the full Shema contains passages from Numbers and Exodus. By reciting the Shema last thing before going to sleep, Jews link back to the origins of their faith in the Torah and honor the age-old rabbinic instruction to make it part of their nightly routine.\nSpiritual Significance for the Person Reciting It\nExpression of Gratitude\nThe bedtime prayer provides an opportunity for the individual to express gratitude for the blessings received throughout the day. Reciting the prayer reminds us that all good things come from God, which fosters humility and appreciation.\nPausing to reflect on the day’s gifts—both big and small—cultivates an attitude of thankfulness. This practice can bring peace and contentment before sleep.\nRecognition of God’s Providence\nThe prayer text affirms God’s providence in watching over us while we sleep. Reciting these words is a way of entrusting oneself to the protective care of God overnight. There is comfort in knowing that God never slumbers nor sleeps, but continually watches over His people (Psalm 121:4).\nTurning our minds to divine protection can alleviate anxiety and fear, providing assurance that we can rest secure.\nPetition for Protection Overnight\nA key theme of the prayer is requesting God’s protection during the night. By praying these words aloud, the person is actively seeking refuge under the Almighty’s wings until morning (Psalm 63:7). This petition reminds us of our dependence on God’s defense against all dangers, whether seen or unseen.\nPraying for angelic guardians to watch over us as we sleep invites heavenly hosts into our dwellings to guard us.\nOpportunity for Contemplation Before Sleep\nReciting the bedtime prayer institutes a sacred time of reflection and mindfulness before retiring for the night. The familiar words prompt deep spiritual thoughts about God’s nearness, care, and faithfulness.\nThis meditation quiets the mind, body, and soul, tuning out anxious distractions and focusing wholly on the presence of God. Stilling oneself to commune with the Almighty fosters peace as we transition into sleep.\nEnriching Your Life by Regularly Reciting this Prayer\nCultivating a Grateful Heart\nReciting the Jewish bedtime prayer, known as the “Modeh Ani” or “I give thanks”, first thing in the morning helps cultivate a grateful heart (Chabad). By thanking God for restoring your soul each morning, you start the day with an attitude of gratitude.\nThis act of appreciating the gift of a new day promotes positivity, resilience, and overall wellbeing according to research (Harvard Health).\nStrengthening Your Awareness of God’s Presence\nThe bedtime prayer serves as a reminder of God’s constant presence in one’s life. Reciting it regularly makes you more conscious of God being by your side night and day. This strengthened spiritual connection brings comfort, peace, and support in coping with life’s challenges.\nStudies show that people of faith who feel God’s presence tend to experience less anxiety, depression, and loneliness (NCBI).\nSetting a Peaceful Tone for Restful Sleep\nSaying the Jewish bedtime prayer establishes a calming ritual that eases the transition into sleep. The soothing words thanking God for protection dispel worries and quiet the mind before bed. This nightly practice signals the body to relax, making it easier to fall asleep.\nGetting good, uninterrupted sleep is vital for processing emotions, consolidating memories, creativity, concentration, productivity, and overall wellness (Sleep Foundation).\nPassing Tradition to Children\nTeaching children to regularly recite the bedtime prayer passes on this meaningful tradition across generations. It instills Jewish identity and faith at a young age. Beyond the religious significance, it is an opportunity to foster gratitude, self-reflection, and resilience in children.\nResearch shows that practicing gratitude, prayer, and mindfulness bolsters kids’ overall wellbeing and happiness while reducing behavior issues (NCBI).\nThe Jewish bedtime prayer blessing God for bringing sleep offers much wisdom and comfort despite its brevity. Reciting its meaningful words of thanks each night can enrich your spiritual life by focusing your mind on the providence of God before a period of unconscious rest.\nThis beloved ritual has connected generations of Jews in a shared experience of gratitude. Even if you’re not Jewish or religious, pausing to consciously appreciate the blessing of sleep as you get into bed can be a peaceful, meditative practice.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "These remotely sensed, geographically referenced elevation measurements of lidar-derived first-surface (FS) topography were produced collaboratively by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), Florida Integrated Science Center (FISC), St. Petersburg, FL, and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), Wallops Flight Facility, VA.\nThis project provides highly detailed and accurate datasets of a portion of the Louisiana coastline beach face within UTM Zone 16, from Grand Isle to the Chandeleur Islands, acquired September 7 and 9, 2001. The datasets are made available for use as a management tool to research scientists and natural-resource managers. An innovative scanning lidar instrument originally developed by NASA, and known as the Airborne Topographic Mapper (ATM), was used during data acquisition. The ATM system is a scanning lidar system that measures high-resolution topography of the land surface and incorporates a green-wavelength laser operating at pulse rates of 2 to 10 kilohertz. Measurements from the laser-ranging device are coupled with data acquired from inertial navigation system (INS) attitude sensors and differentially corrected global positioning system (GPS) receivers to measure topography of the surface at accuracies of +/-15 centimeters. The nominal ATM platform is a Twin Otter or P-3 Orion aircraft, but the instrument may be deployed on a range of light aircraft.\nElevation measurements were collected over the survey area using the ATM system, and the resulting data were then processed using the Airborne Lidar Processing System (ALPS), a custom-built processing system developed in a NASA-USGS collaboration. ALPS supports the exploration and processing of lidar data in an interactive or batch mode. Modules for presurvey flight-line definition, flight-path plotting, lidar raster and waveform investigation, and digital camera image playback have been developed. Processing algorithms have been developed to extract the range to the first and last significant return within each waveform. ALPS is used routinely to create maps that represent submerged or first-surface topography.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "MacGreevy, Thomas (1950–1963) By Schreibman, Susan\nThomas MacGreevy was a poet, art and literary critic, and Director of the National Gallery of Ireland (1950-63). MacGreevy was born in 1893, during the closing decades of the British Empire, in Tarbert, County Kerry, one of the most westerly points of both the Empire and Europe. His childhood, pleasant and uneventful, provided him with the dual pillars of faith and nationalism that underpinned the vast majority of his writings. These pillars found their expression in writing in the early 1920s, after he returned to live in Ireland after working as a Civil Servant in London from 1912, and serving as a Second Lieutenant in the Royal Field Artillery in the British Expeditionary Force in 1917–18.\nMacGreevy is an extremely autobiographic poet. The poems in the single book of poetry to appear in his lifetime, Poems, (Heinemann, 1934) were ordered chronologically (as opposed to thematically or when they were written). War: the Great War, the Anglo-Irish War, and the Irish Civil War, are reoccurring themes. While much of MacGreevy’s poetry was about Ireland, exile provided the necessary geographic and psychic distance to write about it. MacGreevy, attuned to the new in both the written and visual arts, wrote what the Irish poet and critic Anthony Cronin described as ‘the most perfectly modulated free verse written in the period in English, Ireland, or America’.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "History is a mirror that reflects the future. Look away from the glass, and you quickly forget the image you just glimpsed. Study the likeness; you’ll be a wiser person.\nHistory is a great tutor to a humble and teachable person. It seems that rulers and legislators seldom learn from the past because people in power think of themselves as making history; leaving a legacy. There is little that a single individual can do about that. But a person can learn from his own history and minimize the effects of repeating past mistakes or generational bad habits.\nBECOME A STUDENT OF YOUR FAMILY’S HISTORY\nLearn from your own family history. Don’t use your parents’ bad habits as an excuse to perpetuate the same misdeeds in your own life. It’s no secret that abusive parents raise abusive children. Alcoholic fathers condemn their sons to chemical dependency. Likewise, deadbeat dads put sons on a course of absenteeism. Manipulative moms grow daughters that are control freaks. The only parenting lessons we get are the ones learned at home. You, no doubt, have good memories of fun family times, but what leaves more of an impression on our psyches are events that leave scars. How can we break the destructive patterns that make holidays and family reunions hell?\nIf you’ve ever worked in retail, it’s your job to separate the stuff that sell from the pieces that collect dust and the bobbles with too much lead in the paint. What do you have to work with? List your assets. Take account of your detriments. You need to know what is moving you forward and what’s holding you back. Write some things down about yourself. Be honest. And then figure out what needs to change. Are you repeating your history? Or worse, are you repeating someone else’s?\nDON’T DO THE SAME OLD THING\n“Momma did it that way and her momma before her did, too.” That might work for cooking a Thanksgiving turkey, but that’s no way to live a life. It’s good to pass healthy traditions down through the generations along with secret recipes. But don’t pass down the skeletons in the closet. Open up that closet and give it a good spring cleaning. Let in some light and fresh air, and make it a positive and useful place to store up and showcase good habits.\nIf you haven’t talked to your mother in fifteen years and you have a teenaged daughter, you may not know it, but you are teaching her to not communicate with you in the decade to come. She’s learning how to relate to her mother from you, mom. Teach your kids to forgive without conditions by forgiving unconditionally. Not only will you set someone free who may have wronged you, you are setting yourself free as a bonus. Teach your brood how valuable and liberating forgiveness can be.\nDON’T GET EVEN, GET BETTER\nYou can plot vengeance, plan retaliation, and prove how right you are. Or you can take the same energy and learn how to pass your offenders by. Don’t spend another day wasting mental energy on the people who’ve wronged you. Leave them in a cloud of dust. Glance at them from time to time in the rear-view mirror, but keep your eyes on the road ahead of you. That’s the fastest way to get to your destination.\nTAKE TIME TO LOOK AT YOUR REFLECTION\nIf you neglect your reflection long enough, you yourself won’t be much to look at. You need the mirror to take care of yourself properly. Understanding a little bit about history will help you have a more productive and fruitful future. Leave a healthy legacy and a good example to follow. Make your history worth repeating by future generations.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "by Andrea Laine\nSoil covers one-third of the earth’s surface and, worldwide, it plays a role in agriculture, architecture and construction, art and rituals, medicine, water filtration, climate change and much more. Did you know that the source of phosphorus in the Amazon rainforest is soils in the Saharan Desert blown across the Atlantic Ocean? As a critical natural resource soils deserve much more respect than they typically get!\nI am not a soil scientist. But if I were, I’d be proud. That is how fascinatingly interesting I found the subject of soil during a recent visit to Dig It! The Secrets of Soil, an engaging exhibition on display through August 16, 2015 at the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences in Raleigh.\nDeveloped in conjunction with the Soil Science Society of America (including several North Carolina soil scientists) and the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History, this exhibition is diverse, highly interactive and informative for all ages.\nAs gardeners we understand that soils are living (teeming with insects and microbes); soils are varied (more or less pH, more or less organic matter, more or less space between particles for example); soils change (sometimes whether we want them to or not); and soils link land, air and water.\nDig It! explains those points and explores the profound ways soils support our lives well beyond their role in agriculture. One exhibit focused on common products in a home that rely on soils such as ceramic tile flooring, house paint and fabrics. Another demonstrated the impact construction projects have on soils. Others let visitors peer into deep cross-sections of soil to see what it looks like well underground. One massive display included a soil sample cross-section for each of the 50 states. There is also a section about the arts and science of pottery in North Carolina.\nThe North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences is located at 11 West Jones Street in Raleigh. It is open Monday – Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. (last entry at 4 p.m.) and Sunday, noon to 5 p.m. (last entry at 4 p.m.) Admission to the museum is free and there are free and low-cost parking options nearby. http://naturalsciences.org/\nIf you can’t make it to the exhibit, you can watch some creatively educational videos about soils by following this link: http://forces.si.edu/soils/", "label": "No"}
{"text": "The City of San Francisco celebrated the 75 anniversary of the Golden Gate Bridge on Memorial Day weekend.\nRadio station KFOG 104.5/97.7 has a professional released a video of the spectacular fireworks display. Nothing compares to seeing fireworks in real life, but this is still pretty cool. The beginning, especially, which starts with fountains of sparks falling from the bridge into the water. I suggest watching in fullscreen with the HD enabled.\nThe Golden gate Bridge was officially opened for traffic on May 27, 1937. Named the Golden gate after the original name of the Strait on which it was constructed: \"Chrysopylae\", or Golden Gate. We believe the term was first coined by John C. Fremont of the U.S. Army in 1846. His reasoning is that it reminded him of a harbor in Instanbul named \"Chrysoceras\", or Golden Horn.\nConstruction of the bridge started on January 5, 1933, taking nearly four years and four months until completion. It was built by 10 different prime and subcontractors. They have long since gone out of business, so no record exists as to how many people actually worked on the bridge.\nWe do know that a total of eleven men died during its construction. After four years of construction the total death count was only one. At the time, this was a record low for such a huge project. On February 17, 1937, ten more men lost their lives when a section of scaffolding carrying twelve men fell through the safety net.\nDuring the construction process, the safety net, which was suspended under the floor of the bridge and spanned from end to end, saved a total of 19 men. Those men became known as the \"Halfway-to-Hell Club\" amongst those in the know.\nThe bridge cost $35 million to build in 1937. Latest estimates taken in 2003 say the price would be around $1.2 billion if completed at that time.\nIt is currently the ninth largest suspension bridge, holding the title of world's longest for 27 years before being overtaken by the Verrazano Narrows Bridge in New York in 1964.\nThe Mighty Task is Done\nJoseph B. Strauss, Chief Engineer, Golden Gate Bridge\nWritten upon completion of the building of the Bridge in May 1937\nAt last the mighty task is done;\nResplendent in the western sun\nThe Bridge looms mountain high;\nIts titan piers grip ocean floor,\nIts great steel arms link shore with shore,\nIts towers pierce the sky.\nOn its broad decks in rightful pride,\nThe world in swift parade shall ride,\nThroughout all time to be;\nBeneath, fleet ships from every port,\nVast landlocked bay, historic fort,\nAnd dwarfing all--the sea.\nTo north, the Redwood Empire's gates;\n'To south, a happy playground waits,\nin Rapturous appeal;\nHere nature, free since time began,\nYields to the restless moods of man,\nAccepts his bonds of steel.\nLaunched midst a thousand hopes and fears,\nDamned by a thousand hostile sneers,\nYet ne'er its course was stayed,\nBut ask of those who met the foe\nWho stood alone when faith was low,\nAsk them the price they paid.\nAsk of the steel, each strut and wire,\nAsk of the searching, purging fire,\nThat marked their natal hour;\nAsk of the mind, the hand, the heart,\nAsk of each single, stalwart part,\nWhat gave it force and power.\nAn Honored cause and nobly fought\nAnd that which they so bravely wrought,\nNow glorifies their deed,\nNo selfish urge shall stain its life,\nNor envy, greed, intrigue, nor strife,\nNor false, ignoble creed.\nHigh overhead its lights shall gleam,\nFar, far below life's restless stream,\nUnceasingly shall flow;\nFor this was spun its lithe fine form,\nTo fear not war, nor time, nor storm,\nFor Fate had meant it so.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "For 4,000 years, the Greenlandic sled dog has been the true hero of the Artic today, with global warming melting his world away, his fate is uncertain.\ntakes a poignant look at the fate of the Greenlandic sled dog. In Greenland, where the melting ice sheet is irrevocably disrupting the hunters' 4,000-year old traditional way of life, the stark reality of global warming is an immediate and direct threat to their everyday survival. The Greenland dog, essential to Inuit settlement and survival, now faces extinction as hunters are forced to adapt to the vanishing world around them. The sled dog population has shrunk from about 30,000 in 2009 to about 12,000 in 2019. In approximately 150 stunning images, and through hunters' personal stories, retold by the author, this book bears witnessto the animals' magnificence and the deep, integral role they play in the hunters' lives. The photographs included in this book were taken in Greenland between 1986 and 2020.\nFor over forty years, Icelandic photographer Ragnar Axelsson\n, also known as RAX (b. 1958), has been photographing the people, animals, and landscape of the most remote regions of the Arctic, including Iceland, Siberia, and Greenland. In stark black-and-white images, he captures the elemental, human experience of nature at the edge of the liveable world, making visible the extraordinary relationships between the people of the Arctic and their extreme environment - relationships now being altered in profound and complex ways by the unprecedented changes in climate. A photojournalist at Morgunbladid since 1976, Ragnar has also worked on freelance assignment in Latvia, Lithuania, Mozambique, South Africa, China, and Ukraine. His photographs have been featured in LIFE, Newsweek, Stern, GEO, National Geographic, Time, and Polka, and have been exhibited widely. Ragnar Axelsson has published seven books in various international editions. Awards for his work include numerous Icelandic Photojournalist Awards; the Icelandic Literary Prize for non-fiction; The Leica Oskar Barnack Award (Honorable Mention); The Grand Prize, Photo de Mer, Vannes; and Iceland's highest honor, the Order of the Falcon, Knight's Cross. Arctic Heroes was on the Shortlist for the Leica Oskar Barnack Award 2020.\nReykjavik Museum of Photography, Reykjavik, Iceland Spring 2021\nKunstfoyer der Versicherungskammer Kulturstiftung Munich, Germany, Spring 2022\nRagnar Axelsson's Website\nRagnar Axelsson on Instagram\nAll About Ragnar Axelsson\nRagnar Axelsson talks about Photography and Climate Change Awareness\nFrom the Prefaceby Ragnar Axelsson:\nTime and again, I visited small villages all over Greenland to collect stories of dogs and hunters. Sometimes I'd be lucky toget one story, other times none at all. I can safely say that it was just as difficult to squeeze stories out of these hunters as it was to photograph them out on the freezing cold of the sea ice. But bit by bit, they opened up enough to share them with me and these hunters and dogs grew in my estimation with each story. Their respect for their ancestors, nature and the sled dog was evident in every tale. These were a proud people who were happy to tell me about the friendships forged between hunters and sled dogs, creatures who in times of trouble fought for their lives and those of their masters in some of the most difficult situations imaginable - dogs with a sixth sense that made them stand out from all the rest. The bond that grew between these creatures and their masters was truly unique. Some of their stories are retold in this book. I want to take you across the sea ice on a dog sledding trip withme to give you a glimpse into the world of these Arctic heroes who have survived in conditions that are both alien and mesmerising to us, a world that is fraught with peril and comprises some of the most breathtaking nature to be found on earth - but we'll get home safe and sound. There is something inexplicable about the Arctic that speaks to you, a force that draws you to it like a magnet. I feel I have to tell this story of the heroes of the Arctic for the world to see.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "by Stephen Caesar\nOne of the best-known evolutionary images is the “tree of life,” which shows the human family tree growing from primitive, ape-like ancestors to full-fledged humans. At the base of its “trunk” is a small primate whose evolutionary descendants form large, separate “branches.” Each major branch then breaks into smaller branches, and so on, up to modern man. It has been one of the most effective tools in tricking people into believing in human evolution, and it is being scrapped.\nThe journal Science News featured an article on the slow death of this icon, subtitled “The science of body development may make kindling out of evolutionary trees.” It began by stating: “Over the past 25 years, paleoanthropologists have nurtured one evolutionary tree after another, hoping to reap ever sturdier portrayals of humanity’s descent” (Bower 2000:346). It then reported: “Recently, investigators have become fond of assigning new fossil finds to unique rather than established species, so evolutionary trees have gotten downright bushy” (ibid.).\nThis development stems from a discipline known as “cladistics,” in which scientists create an evolutionary tree of life based on bone and tooth measurements from hundreds of fossils, which are then fed into a computer program. The article went on to state that “a growing number of investigators, including some formerly ardent evolutionary-tree nurturers now suspect that the branching cladistic creations suffer from conceptual root rot. The whole enterprise rests on shaky biological and misleading statistical assumptions, they say” (ibid.).\nOne example is Tim White of UCLA Berkeley, co-discoverer of “Lucy.” Originally, he “spawned his share of evolutionary trees. Over the past decade, though, advances in developmental biology have led him to abstain from that practice” (ibid.). His change of mind came from the discovery that, although the shape and arrangement of any organism’s bones are determined by genes as it develops from fetus to adult, the bones can respond flexibly to influences in their natural surroundings. As a result, assessments of what constitutes a species, based on bones alone, are inaccurate. Dr. White concluded: “You can’t [break up] skeletal anatomy, put all of the traits into a [statistical computer] program, and generate something that makes biological sense. A lot of people who have published cladistic trees are going to be in trouble” (ibid.).\nBernard Wood of George Washington University and Mark Collard of University College, London, agree. They note that skull and tooth measurements from humans, chimps, gorillas, and orangutans have given rise to several trees of life that have been contradicted by genetic trees of life. Moreover, the bone and tooth measurements used to create these unreliable modern trees are often the same measurements used to create trees of life for alleged evolutionary ancestors, because evolutionists assume that what applies in the present applied equally in the past. Science News commented:\n“Ongoing research in developmental biology raises ominous warning signs about such assumptions. It indicates that many features of bones and teeth arise as by-products of other traits during an individual’s skeletal development. Wood, who until recently was an avid and influential evolutionary tree builder, now doubts the accuracy of cladistics as currently practiced” (ibid. 347).\nLike-minded anthropologists include C. Owen Lovejoy of Kent State, who stated: “Anthropologists arbitrarily choose anatomical traits for cladistic analysis. We need to find out how these traits develop and which ones truly have an evolutionary signal” (ibid.). Another is Timothy Bromage of City University of New York, who said: “We can’t solve debates over Neanderthals or any other human ancestors using anatomical characteristics that are subjectively defined and don’t have a clear relationship to evolutionary history” (ibid.).\nYet another icon of evolution crumbles.\nBower, B. 2000. “Out on a Limb.” Science News 158, no. 22.\n<![if !supportEmptyParas]> <![endif]>\nStephen Caesar holds his master’s degree in anthropology/archaeology from Harvard. He is the author of the e-book The Bible Encounters Modern Science, available at www.1stbooks.com.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "Research suggests a new model of chronic disease Genes play an integral function in determining whether someone encounters multiple chronic illnesses, based on new analysis by King’s. Chronic pain, depression and cardiovascular disease are 3 of the most typical factors behind disability, and are growing to be more frequent. Folks are significantly more likely to suffer from several persistent disease also, resulting in higher disability. While age, gender, sociable conditions and way of life are recognized to increase susceptibility to multiple factors behind impairment, the exact reason some people have problems with several chronic illnesses among others don’t is unfamiliar.But she cautioned that because that is an observational research, it isn’t possible to prove that tension causes autoimmune illnesses, only that both are linked. In the scholarly study, Dr Song’s team viewed patients in Sweden identified as having stress disorders such as for example PTSD, acute stress reaction, adjustment disorder and other stress reactions from 1981 to 2013. The research workers likened they with siblings and folks in the overall people not really experiencing a tension disorder.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "The thermodynamic temperature scale comes straight from the Carnot Theorem. The Carnot Theorem states that any reversible engine working between two reservoirs has the same efficiency.\nThis means that ratio of the heat absorbed by the engine at the reservoir at higher temperature to the heat given by the engine at the reservoir at lower temperature is independent of the working material. Note that we have no way of measuring this temperature as yet. We know that such a quantity exists from the zeroth law of thermodynamics. We can even speak of higher and lower temperature from the direction of energy flow. However, as yet, there is no quantitative definition of the temperature. It is here that Carnot theorem is significant\nWe may define the thermodynamic temperature of a reservoir to be the ratio of the heat absorbed/given out by the engine at that reservoir to the heat absorbed/given out by the engine at a reference reservoir which we say is at unit temperature.\nIt may be shown that the thermodynamic temperature scale coincides with the ideal gas temperature scale.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "Perennials, such as peonies, return year after year to stun and mesmerize. It’s possible that the plants will outlive you; some have been known to persist for at least a century. Have you ever wondered what it takes to keep these plants alive for so long?\nAll plants need a specific amount of exposure to sunshine every day in order to flourish. Peonies are no exception. In this article, I’ll cover how much sunlight they need to thrive for many years. Keep on reading to learn more!\nWhat Is Full Sun?\nA location that receives 6 or more hours of direct sunlight is considered to be a full-sun location. If you live in a recently developed area or rural space with few tall trees, you are likely to receive full sun. If your front porch faces south and there is nothing blocking the sun from mid-morning to early evening, that would also be considered full sun.\nHow Many Hours of Sun Does a Peony Need?\nPeonies like strong light and direct sunlight. If you want to have healthy peonies in your yard, you need to have a spot that receives8 hours of sun every day. Plant your peonies away from tall plants or trees that would throw shade and impede the direct sunlight that peonies need. Make sure there are no other plants that could compete for the sunlight close by.\nIf you can provide 8 hours of direct sunlight every day, then growing healthy, blooming peonies won’t be a challenge for you, especially if you live in a temperate region with moderate summer temperatures.\nIf you are concerned about the sun burning your flowers, don’t be. It is much easier to protect a peony from sunburn than to get one that doesn’t receive enough sunshine to bloom.\nCan It Grow in Indirect Light?\nPeonies can grow in indirect light, but they won’t blossom quite as soon or plentiful. If your peony plants are cultivated in an area that receives only indirect sunlight, their flowers are likely to be less vibrant in color and smaller overall. Peonies that aren’t given enough direct sunlight may grow in peculiar directions because they are trying to find the light source that they need to thrive.\nCan It Grow in Shade?\nPeonies won’t wither away completely if grown in locations with full shade. But you will see just by looking at the flowers that they are not happy. They will not be lush and full and will likely appear lanky and not develop any blossoms. Overall, the plants will be weaker if grown in the shade.\nA weak peony without sufficient access to direct sunlight is at a far greater risk of disease. In less-than-ideal growing conditions, the usually resilient flower will be unable to withstand illness and garden pests.\nCan Peonies Get Too Much Sun?\nPeonies, like any other flower, may be damaged by an excessive amount of sun exposure. Overall, peonies are much more tolerant of excessive sunshine than other plants. But they may still get scorched by the sun. You can easily identify sun-scorch by the browning of the margins of the flower petals or the foliage.\nIf you see any evidence of sun-scorch, use an umbrella to shield your peonies from the sun during the hottest hours of the day.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "Cars are produced up of quite a few distinct factors. There can be as lots of as 3000 pieces even in the smallest of motor vehicles. These pieces are created to get the job done in harmony with each individual other. Comprehending the particular person pieces of an auto is a really complicated make any difference. Cars are comprised of 4 significant sections which are: the motor, frame get the job done, inside, brakes and wheels.\nThese sections are more divided into hundreds of thousands of other pieces, large and smaller. As the car marketplace grows, there is also a escalating demand for each individual of these pieces.\nCritical pieces of an auto:\nA single of the most crucial pieces of an auto is the fuel tank. The fuel tank merchants and provides fuel to the motor, and this is desired to make the car run. There are quite a few distinct measurements in fuel tanks, depending on the make and size of the vehicle. In normal the fuel tank must consist of the subsequent:\none. Storage: Each and every fuel tank is created to maintain a particular amount of money of gasoline. You must be informed of the amount of money of gasoline your car retains. Any kind of gasoline leakage must be averted as it can be hazardous.\n2. Gauge: This device measures and suggests the amount of money of fuel which remains in the fuel tank.\nthree. Venting: The fuel tank must not be pressurized. If far too significantly force is applied to the fuel tank, the valves must be placed at correct positions to keep away from vapors.\nBrakes are also a really crucial part of a vehicle when it arrives to protection and being equipped to keep away from incidents. Steel of a really substantial high quality is used to make brakes, in get to enhance the effectiveness of the rollers used to use the brakes. An crucial part of the brake procedure is the pedal assembly. These occur in distinct measurements and models to fit with the brakes of your vehicle.\nOther Pieces of an Car\nWheels occur in lots of distinct models. Typically, there are two categories of wheels. These two categories are machine castings and stamped metallic sheet. There are some wheels that are a mix of both equally. Wheels produced of solid alloys are far more high-priced. Nonetheless, they are significantly stronger in comparison to metallic wheels.\nLast but not least, there is the frame of the vehicle. There are two varieties of frames that are obtainable for automobiles, the common frame and the integral frame. The common frame is ordinarily a one particular-piece frame or it can be a mix of two one particular-piece frames.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "1. Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze.\nThrow the tissue in the trash after you use it.\n2. Wash your hands often with soap and water, especially after you\ncough or sneeze. Alcohol-based hand cleaners are also effective.\n3. Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth. Germs spread this way.\n4. Try to avoid close contact with sick people.\n5. If you are sick with flu-like illness, CDC recommends that you stay\nhome for at least 24 hours after your fever is gone except to get\nmedical care or for other necessities. (Your fever should be gone\nwithout the use of a fever-reducing medicine) Keep away from\nothers as much as possible to keep from making others sick.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "As a dietitian I hear a lot of opinions about various nutrients, and recently I have become concerned about the number of disparaging (and completely unfounded) stories about carbohydrates. Carbohydrates are perhaps the most important fuel in our diets, particularly an athlete’s, so I'm going to teach why I call them carbomymates.\nWhat are carbohydrates?\nCarbohydrates (from now on they are carbomymates) are a long chain of sugars, all joined together. If carbomymates are the brick house, then the sugars are the bricks. Carbomymates are found in ‘starchy’ foods such as potato, rice, pasta and bread. When we eat these foods the carbomymates are broken down to individual sugars in our stomach and intestines. The sugars are then absorbed into our blood stream where they are taken to either our muscles, our brain, and, if there are leftovers, they are taken to our liver where a small amount can be stored and the remainder is converted to fat.\nWhat do they do?\nCarbomymates are one of the four ‘macronutrients’ (fat, protein, and alcohol being the other three) which the body can use to produce energy. Carbomymates’ role in the body is as a fuel; they are the primary fuel used by our muscles at rest and during exercise, and the only fuel used by the brain – quite a useful mate to have around.\nSo why should I consider carbohydrates as my mates? What is so important about them? There are a few key characteristics which make them extremely valuable for those who plan on travelling long distances using human power.\nTo start with, as I stated above, they are a key fuel when exercising. When we run a 100m about 97% of our energy is produced from carbomymates, and though this decreases to about 50% (give or take a few % for individual differences) for a marathon and other endurance events, they are obviously still an invaluable energy source of energy.\nSecondly, they have limited storage capacity – you can exhaust your carbomymate stores in about 90 minutes, and when this happens, you hit the wall. If you have experienced this yourself you will know that this isn’t an ideal situation.\nThirdly, carbomymates can be burnt to produce energy without the presence of oxygen. Although this method is less efficient, it means that carbs are capable of providing the body with fuel almost immediately, as well as over a long period of time, and at a much higher rate than what fat is capable of.\nFinally, you can’t burn fat without first burning carbomymates. I can still remember my sports physiology lecturer saying ‘fat burns in the flame of carbohydrate’. Without getting all sciencey, this basically highlights the point that if you run out of carbs when you are exercising, you won’t be exercising for much longer.\nRight, they’re important, but what does this mean for me?\nMany things. Just like your mates, you should keep them round. Have them at breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Take them on training runs with you, remember, when exercising, you will burn through your stores in about 90 minutes.\nYou can’t choose your family, but you can choose your mates. So choose wisely. Some carbomymates may have a bad influence on you. Experiment with different carbo gels and see which ones you like the most, same with sports drinks.\nSome mates are better in some situations than others. Grainy, fibrous carbs like brown bread and weetbix release their friendship and nutritional support over a few hours, whereas ‘wham bam thank you mam’ is more the style of sugary carbs such as energy gels.\nThey’re a fickle friend aren’t they?\nYes, you need them more than they need you, and your relationship with carbohydrates is unique to you. The amount you need before, during, and after training, how often you need them, in what form you take them, and the optimal time to take them will be different for each person, and also has a big affect on your ability to train hard, recover fast, and improve your fitness. Getting your relationship right with carbohydrates on the day of your event is also crucial to achieving your goals and can often be the difference between a personal best and not finishing at all.\nIf you need carbohydrate relationship advice, be it for carbohydrate loading, training and race day carbohydrate and hydration, or recovery then get your persoanlised plan from Trailblazer Nutrition today. If you would like expert advice on how carbomymates can get along better with your other friends water, protein, electrolytes, sports drinks, and sports gels to help you achieve your event goals, then click here.\nLoyal friend of the carbohydrate", "label": "No"}
{"text": "In a disturbing study, it was revealed that subjects who took calcium supplements appeared to be twice as likely to suffer hearts attacks as those who took no supplements. This has been reported by all the usual media outlets, and this site always leans toward favoring calcium from natural food sources rather than from pills. Still, for a more balanced look at this issue, we need go no farther than the National Health Service in the UK. Their website provides a very balanced picture of the story. For example…\nThese headlines are based on the findings of a large German study that looked at the association between calcium intake and incidents of heart attack, strokes and deaths from cardiovascular disease over a period of 11 years.\nCalcium supplements are often given to elderly people and women who have gone through the menopause, in an effort to keep their bones healthy.\nResearchers found no link between the amount of calcium in people’s diet and their risk of stroke or cardiovascular deaths. However, people using calcium supplements as their only form of supplement had more than twice the risk of heart attack compared with people who didn’t take any vitamin supplements.\nNote first that they said there is no link between the amount of calcium in ones diet and heart attacks. This is about supplements, not calcium rich foods. Also, this seems confined to comparing those who take calcium and no other supplements with those who take no supplements at all. It could be supplement usage that’s the issue here. More…\nThe researchers believed that people who take supplements may be generally less healthy than those who don’t (assuming they take supplements for a health reason) so they tried to adjust for other risk factors such as smoking habits and exercise levels. However, it is unlikely they adjusted for all the influencing factors and so we still cannot be certain that calcium supplements increase heart attacks.\nPrevious research based on stronger study designs has also supported a link between calcium supplements and heart disease. If you are considering taking calcium supplements, you need to base your decision on your own circumstances, balancing the benefits with the potential risks.\nDo not be alarmed by the media headlines. If you have been prescribed calcium supplements do not stop taking your medication. Speak to your doctor if you have particular concerns.\nAgain, good advice. But the waters are muddy. On to the conclusion of the NHS:\nThis large prospective cohort study following more than 23,000 German adults over 11 years showed that those regularly taking only calcium supplements were at a higher risk of heart attack compared with those not taking supplements.\nThis study has many strengths, including its large size and its prospective nature over a relatively long period of 11 years.\nHowever, while this study does highlight an association, it doesn’t prove that calcium supplementation causes more heart attacks. There are potentially other factors, some measured in the study and some not, which could influence the link between calcium supplementation and incidence of heart attack.\nFor example, compared with non-users, the study reported that those taking calcium supplements only were more likely to:\n- be older\n- be less well-educated\n- have smoked for longer\nThese are all factors that could contribute to poorer heart health. However, the people taking calcium supplements only were also more likely to be:\n- physically active\n- a healthy weight\nThese are all factors that promote good heart health. This contradiction highlights that there can be many fundamental differences between people who use calcium supplements and those who don’t. Not all of these differences will have been taken into account in the statistical analyses of the results and so some uncertainty remains as to how strong the association is.\nHowever, there have been several randomised controlled trials of calcium supplements and their effect on heart disease, which have shown similar results to the current study. Taken together, these studies strengthen the link between calcium supplements and heart disease. But supplements are often taken for good reasons and so it is important for health professionals to help to determine whether the potential risks of taking calcium supplements outweigh the benefits for each individual.\nIf you have been prescribed calcium supplements, don’t be alarmed by the headlines. Don’t stop taking your medication, but speak to your doctor if you have particular concerns.\nOr just take the advice of Linda Russel, a nutritionist quoted in USA today:\n“Walk into any drugstore and these calcium supplements just jump off the shelves at you. But by taking foods high in calcium four times a day, you should get all that you need.”", "label": "No"}
{"text": "What is the function and relationship of the outgroup to the ingroup?\nThe outgroup serves as a comparison point for the ingroup, and allows the phylogeny of the ingroup to be rooted. The polarity (or direction) of character change cannot be determined unless there is a rooted tree. Therefore, choosing an outgroup is crucial for understanding the evolution and progression of traits.\nWhat is an outgroup and what is its significance in a phylogenetic tree?\nOutgroup – An outgroup is used for phylogenetic analyses in order to determine where the root of a tree should be located (and sometimes which character states are ancestral on the tree). An outgroup is a lineage which is not within the clade but closely End. to it.\nIs the ingroup an outgroup sister?\nThe ingroup is a group of taxa being investigated to determine evolutionary relationships. They can be closely End. or sister taxa. An outgroup, on the other hand, is a reference group outside of the group of interest. The outgroup is not closely End. to the ingroup.\nWhat is ingroup and outgroup in psychology?\nIngroups refer to groups to which an individual belongs. Outgroups refer to groups to which an individual does not belong, which can lead to ingroup bias. There are almost unlimited numbers of groups that a person can belong to, depending on how they categorize the social world.\nWhat is outgroup bias in psychology?\nOutgroup bias is similar to ingroup bias but it has powerful effects on individuals, societies and everyday life. Ougroup bias simply refers to the tendency to have negative opinions about people who aren’t part of your own group. Any group you are associated with at any given time can be considered a group.\nWho gave the concept of ingroup and outgroup?\nHenri Tajfel, along with his colleagues, popularized the term during their work on social identity theory. A method known as the minimal group paradigm was used to identify the significance of categorizing ingroups and outgroups.\nWhat are the essential characteristics of group and team?\nDifferences Between Groups and Teams\n|Groups are generally much more informal; roles do not need to be assigned and norms of behavior do not need to develop.||Team members’ individual roles and duties are specified and their ways of working together are defined.|\nWhat is the most important element of an effective team?\n1. Communication is an essential part of teamwork. It involves constantly updating everyone and not assuming that everyone knows the same thing. Communication is also about listening.\nWhat is the most important factor in building a successful team?\nSuccessful projects are dependent on the collaboration of all members. Collaboration, commitment, cooperation, and good communication are key elements to success. Collaboration itself involves factors like follow-through and timeliness. Important aspects of conflict management and change management include:\nWhat factors affect team performance?\nLeaders can determine whether their team is capable of achieving high team performance. You can do this by looking at and evaluating seven factors that contribute to team success: communication, groupthink and homogeny.\nWhat are the common team problems?\n10 common problems project teams face\n- Lack of trust. Lack of trust is a major factor in teamwork. It starts with people getting to know each other.\n- Conflict and tension.\n- Not sharing information.\n- Low engagement.\n- Lack of transparency.\n- No long-term thinking.\n- Badly perceived, not delivering.\n- Poor change management.\nWhat are 3 issues in your team that need to improve?\nHere are six common team challenges. We offer some solutions and suggestions to help you overcome them ;\n- Take the pain out of meetings.\n- Delegate effectively.\n- Handle personality clashes.\n- Deal with poor performance.\n- Develop strong collaboration.\n- Build trust.\nWhat is the most commonly cited problem with teamwork?\nDisengagement. Everyone at work faces disengagement. When there is a lack in direction and vision, teams tend to become disengaged. It is common for team members to lose sight of their roles in the larger picture, which can lead to a lack of motivation.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "When work stops because of an industrial dispute, often it is not only the workers themselves who are affected. Their families also feel the impact of lost household income. In long strikes in isolated mining towns such as Ōhura and Glen Murray, where the mines were the main employer, the whole community felt the effect of lost wages and hostility between employers and workers.\nDuring a strike, members of the public may miss out on some goods or services. But if the public agrees with the workers in a dispute, they may accept the disruption and offer the workers financial and other forms of support.\nDinner from the black pan\nOne issue which led to industrial disputes on New Zealand ships was the food provided to the crews. Their evening meal, served at 8 p.m., was traditionally known as the ‘black pan’ meal because in the days of steamships it was cooked over the coals in the ship’s boiler on a stoker’s shovel.\nCook Strait ferry strikes\nIn the 1970s and early 1980s crews of the Cook Strait ferries went on strike. Especially before the days of cheap air travel, the ferries were vital to the flow of freight and passengers between the North and South islands. Sailings were mainly disrupted by bad weather or mechanical problems, but industrial disputes caused the most resentment from stranded passengers. During several long ferry disputes between 1971 and 1983, the government launched ‘Operation Pluto’. Passengers and cars stranded by the strikes were flown between Wellington and Woodbourne airbase at Blenheim by commercial airline and air force planes.\nStrikes in the 2000s\nAlthough industrial disputes were much less common in the early 2000s, they could still sometimes affect large numbers of people.\n2006 supermarket workers’ dispute\nIn August 2006 more than 500 supermarket distribution workers in Auckland, Palmerston North and Christchurch went on strike for a nationwide pay agreement. They were then locked out by their employer. Soon stocks of some items began to disappear from the supermarket shelves. However, the locked-out workers received many donations of cash and gifts of food. They returned to work after four weeks when the employer promised to sign a national pay agreement.\n2008 junior doctors’ strike\nIn June 2008 more than 2,000 house surgeons and registrars at public hospitals around New Zealand went on strike for 48 hours, after their pay negotiations broke down. Thousands of patients in hospitals around the country were affected, and hospitals asked people to avoid using emergency departments unless absolutely necessary. Four months after the strike, employers agreed to an increased pay deal with the union representing junior doctors.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "Science has drawn a strong connection between periodontal disease and other serious, chronic health conditions, including diabetes, heart disease, pregnancy complications and respiratory disease.\nSymptoms of periodontal disease include chronic inflammation of the gums, infection below the gum line and the presence of disease-causing bacteria in the mouth. Dr. Fowzia Hakym reminds patients in Houston, Tx that fighting periodontal disease through a commitment to oral hygiene not only reduces your chances of contracting gum disease and bone loss, but also of developing other serious illnesses.\nStudies show that diabetes makes people more susceptible to periodontal disease, which can raise blood-sugar levels. This makes controlling the amount of glucose in the blood difficult, and increases the risk of serious diabetic complications. Meanwhile, diabetes causes blood vessels to thicken, making it harder for the mouth to get rid of excess sugar. With too much sugar, the mouth becomes a breeding ground for gum disease-causing oral bacteria.\nThe link between periodontitis and heart disease is theorized to be caused by strains of oral bacteria attaching themselves to coronary arteries when they enter the bloodstream. This in turn leads to the formation of blood clots and the narrowing of coronary arteries, which can contribute to heart attacks. A second theory is that plaque builds up as periodontal disease causes inflammation of the gums, leading to swollen arteries and the exacerbation of pre-existing heart conditions. The American Academy of Periodontology suggests that periodontal bacteria can cause a reaction in patients’ bodies that increases the risk of the development of heart disease.\nThe natural hormone fluctuations that occur during puberty, pregnancy and menopause have been shown to increase the risk of periodontal disease development in women. Periodontal disease has been shown to elevate pregnant women’s risk of preeclampsia and underweight, premature delivery. Periodontitis increases production of a labor-inducing chemical called prostaglandin. Too much prostaglandin may lead to premature labor, increasing the chances of babies being born underweight. Another natural substance that can be elevated by periodontal disease is C-reactive protein, which is linked to heart disease but can also amplify the inflammatory response of the body when too much is present, increasing the risk of preeclampsia and underweight babies.\nGum disease-causing oral bacteria are believed to produce or worsen illnesses such as emphysema, pneumonia and COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease). Normal breathing can draw oral bacteria into the lower respiratory system, where the bacteria can colonize and cause bacterial infections. Studies have connected COPD’s symptomatic repeat infections with periodontitis.\nIn addition to the risks posed by bacteria, gum tissue inflammation can cause severe inflammation in the lining of the lungs, which aggravates pneumonia. People who have inhibited immune systems caused by chronic or persistent respiratory issues are vulnerable to bacterial infections when colonies beneath the gum line go unchallenged by the immune system.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "Click the following link to bring up a new window with an automated collection of images related to the term: Subsecretary Images\nLexicographical Neighbors of Subsecretary\nLiterary usage of Subsecretary\nBelow you will find example usage of this term as found in modern and/or classical literature:\n1. The First National Congress of Merchants: Organized Under the Auspices of by Mexico, Secretaría de Industria y Comercio (1917)\n\"... Address delivered by Kng. Leon Salinas, Assistant subsecretary of the Department of Industry and Commerce, at the solemn closing of the Congress. ...\"\n2. Joint Resolution Inviting the Republic of Cuba to Become a State of the by Francis Griffith Newlands (1895)\n\"... subsec- retary of the treasury, Joaquin Castello, of Santiago de Cuba; subsecretary of the interior, Carlos Dubois, of Baracoa; subsecretary of foreign ...\"\n3. Educational Reform and Administrative Development: The Cases of Colombia and by E. Mark Hanson (1986)\n\"The secretary and the subsecretary of education in a given state usually ... In contrast to the secretary of education, the subsecretary has usually ...\"\n4. Compilation of Reports of Committee ... 1789-1901 by United States, Senate, Congress, Committee on Foreign Relations (1901)\n\"subsecretary of war: Mario Menocal, 18; Francisco Diaz Silveira, 1; blank, 1. ... subsecretary of the interior, Carlos Dubois; subsecretary of foreign ...\"\n5. Annual report of the Surgeon General of the Public Health Service of the by United States Public Health Service (1904)\n\"V. The subsecretary of public works, Anoi.mo ALEMAN. For the subsecretary of government, H. GONZALES GUII. ...\"\n6. Annual Report by United States Civil Service Commission (1905)\n\"... and the railroad service—which are classified as follows: Central administration: subsecretary of state $5000 Four inspectors-general 2, 400-$3, ...\"\n7. Working North from Patagonia: Being the Narrative of a Journey, Earned on by Harry Alverson Franck (1921)\n\"To get as far as the subsecretary's subsecretary is often a strenuous day's work. It makes no difference how important your errand may be. ...\"\n8. The Alsop Claim: The Counter Case of the United States of America for and in by United States (1910)\n\"The subsecretary, César de la Lastra.\"—The Office of the Minister of Foreign ... The subsecretary.—César de Lastra.—\"Legation of the United States of ...\"", "label": "No"}
{"text": "Indicators of Bioactivity and Floral Origin of New Zealand Honeys\nThe existences of indicator compounds in honeys from various floral origins were examined. The extractable organic substances of five New Zealand honeys: beech honeydew honey, kamahi, ohutukawa, rata and tawari were determined by GC-MS of methylated extracts. This survey confirmed the results of a previous investigation and established ranges for marker compounds. Due to difficulties in obtaining sufficient certified unifloral honeys, previous studies on these honey types were exploratory only and not published. Statistical analysis of the extractable organic substances showed that each honey contains a unique fingerprint of compounds. Agglomerative clustering successfully separated all honeys into the correct floral group with the exception of two\nsamples. Well separated clusters were produced in the score plot of the first and second Linear Discriminants. 4-Hydroxyphenylacetic acid, salicylic acid, indole-3-acetic acid and an unknown compound (identified by characteristic ions in the mass spectra) were identified as being the most important discriminants, all of which were present in a single floral source.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "Performance measurement involves routine monitoring and reporting of programs' progress. Other names for routine reporting of progress are \"performance monitoring\" and \"performance management.\" This is the ongoing monitoring and reporting of program accomplishments, particularly progress toward pre-established goals and a baseline measure. Performance monitoring uses information on measurable outputs (and sometimes short-term outcomes) obtained from routine data collection activities to address the question — \"Did you achieve what you said you would achieve?\" Routine data collection requires careful definition of the measures and data collection and analysis methods for accuracy and credibility. Explanations of why a target was or was not met, attributing the achievement to program activities, and determining program impact, require use of other types of evaluation.\nPerformance monitoring and reporting includes — Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) Quarterly Performance Status Reports as applicable, Annual Accountability Report, the Departmental Performance Tracking System (Joule), and OMB's Program Assessment Rating Tool (PART).\nJoule is a tool developed by the U.S.Department of Energy to routinely track measurable results against a planned results timeline — quarterly milestones, annual technical targets, etc. — or accomplishment of defined procedural steps or milestones. The time-scale of these metrics might persist over several years, determining whether a mid-term goal has been achieved. The focus is on answering the question — \"Did you achieve what you said you would achieve?\"\nJoule scores provide on-going assessment of programs' status in achieving their stated quarterly milestones and annual performance targets, where green denotes a milestone or target is MET and red indicates milestone/target is UNMET\n|2004||2005 (2nd Qtr.)|\n|EERE Programs||7 green, 5 yellow, 2 red||12 green, 2 yellow, 1 red|\n|Program A||4 green|\n|3 green, 1 red||9 green|\n|Program B||2 red||2 green|\n|Program C||2 green|\n|Program D||3 green|\n|Program E||4 green, 1 yellow||5 green|\n|Program F||11 green, 1 yellow||8 green, 1 red|\n|Program G||3 green, 2 red||4 green, 1 red|\n|Program H||2 green|\nOMB Program Assessment Rating Tool (PART)\nIn 2003, OMB took the program evaluation process a step further by creating the Program Assessment Rating Tool (PART). As stated in the PART Guidance, \"PART is a systematic method of assessing the performance of program activities across the federal government. The PART is a diagnostic tool; the main objective of the PART review is to improve program performance.\" (The PART worksheet results contribute to OMB's comparative management and performance assessments across the federal government.) The ultimate goal of PART is to help senior decision-makers decide whether a program should be continued, modified to improve performance, or terminated.\nPART is divided into four sections: program purpose and design, strategic planning, program management, and program results/accountability. Each of these sections has a series of questions to assess whether a program has sound management practices and is producing results. Program management submits answers to these questions to OMB. General program evaluation studies provide evidence to support a program's PART submission.\nThere are two questions in the FY2006 PART that have direct relevance to evaluation. Question 2.6 \"Are independent evaluations of sufficient scope and quality conducted on a regular basis or as needed to support program implementation and evaluate the effectiveness and relevance to the programs, interest, or need?\" Question 4.5 \"Do independent evaluations of sufficient scope and quality indicate that the program is effective and achieving results?\" Several additional questions are indirectly relevant to evaluation. To the extent that objective and independent peer review and general program evaluation studies are completed, they can help to increase OMB's PART rating for a program, in addition to providing a program with ongoing feedback regarding improvements in program design and implementation.\nFurther information about PART can be found at the OMB website — Expectmore.com\nDownloads of performance measurement reports are available at EERE Evaluation Plans and Reports.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "The Modern Distribution of Chironomid Sub-fossils (Insecta: Diptera) in the Sierra Nevada, California: Potential for Paleoclimatic Reconstructions\nJournal of Paleolimnology\nURL with Digital Object Identifier\nSurface lake sediment was recovered from 57 lakes along an elevation gradient in the central, eastern Sierra Nevada of California. The surface sediment was analysed for subfossil chironomid remains in order to assess the modern distribution of chironomids in the region. The lakes sampled for the calibration dataset were between 2.0 and 40.0 m in depth, spanned an altitudinal gradient of 1360 m and a surface water temperature gradient of approximately 14 °C. Redundancy analysis (RDA) identified that five of the measured environmental variables – surface water temperature, elevation, depth, strontium, particulate organic carbon – accounted for a statistically significant amount of the variance in chironomid community composition. Quantitative transfer functions, based on weighted-averaging (WA), partial least squares (PLS) and weighted-averaging partial least squares (WA-PLS), were developed to estimate surface water temperature from the chironomid assemblages. The best model was a WA model with classical deshrinking, which had a relatively high coefficient of determination (r2 = 0.73), low root mean square error of prediction (RMSEP = 1.2 °C) and a low maximum bias (0.90 °C). The results from this study suggest that robust quantitative estimates of past surface water temperature can be derived from the application of these models to fossil chironomid assemblages preserved in late-Quaternary lake sediment in this region.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "Description - Music Therapy by Betsey King Brunk\nMusic therapy is the use of music to address non-musical goals. More and more parents and professionals are finding that music can break down barriers for children with autism in areas such as cognition, communication, and socialization. While music therapists are experienced professionals who create unique interventions, many of the principles of music therapy can be implemented by other therapists, teachers, and parents - even by people who do not consider themselves musical! This book explains how to use the many elements of music to foster communication, and teaches you how to adapt music to meet a child's needs. Visual aids and already-written songs will get you started!\nBuy Music Therapy by Betsey King Brunk from Australia's Online Independent Bookstore, Boomerang Books.\n(279mm x 216mm x mm)\nFuture Horizons Incorporated\nPublisher: Future Horizons Incorporated\nCountry of Publication:\nBook Reviews - Music Therapy by Betsey King Brunk\nAuthor Biography - Betsey King Brunk\nBetsey King, MMT, MT-BC is a board-certified music therapist who began her practice more than twenty years ago. She has an undergraduate degree in violin performance from the University of Cincinnati College Conservatory of Music and a masters degree in Music Therapy from Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas. She spent eight years as the music therapist at Baylor University Medical Center in Dallas, and eight years working with children with special needs in both special education and in private practice. In 2000, she moved into university teaching and has trained music therapy students at Southern Methodist University and the University of Kansas. In 2006, she joined the faculty of Nazareth College in Rochester, New York. Betsey speaks and leads workshops throughout the United States, and is the co-owner and co-author for Prelude Music Therapy Products.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "The United States has the second-highest child poverty rate among the world’s richest 35 nations, and the cost in economic and educational outcomes is half a trillion dollars a year, according to a new report by the Educational Testing Service.\nThe report, called “Poverty and Education, Finding the Way Forward,” says that 22 percent of the nation’s children live in relative poverty, with only Romania having a higher rate in the group of 35 nations. (Next are Latvia, Bulgaria, Spain, Greece, Italy, Lithuania, Japan and Portugal, it says; the country with the lowest child poverty rate is Iceland, and the second lowest is Finland.) The report notes, though, that the official U.S. poverty rate is incomplete, and that other data show that 48 percent of the population had incomes in 2011 that are considered inadequate or not livable. (Relative poverty rates refer to people with incomes below 50 percent of the poverty threshold.)\nIt is estimated that the economic and educational effects amount to some $500 billion a year, the report says. Compared with children whose families had incomes of at least twice the poverty line during their early childhood, poor children:\n*completed two fewer years of school\n*earned less than half as much money\n*worked 451 fewer hours per year\n*received $826 per year more in food stamps\n*were nearly three times as likely to have poor health\nFurthermore, poor males were twice as likely to get arrested and poor females were five times more likely to have a child out of wedlock.\nThere are big differences in educational outcomes as well, the report said:\nEducation has been envisioned as the great equalizer, able to mitigate the effects of poverty on children by equipping them with the knowledge and skills they need to lead successful and productive lives. Unfortunately, this promise has been more myth than reality. Despite some periods of progress, the achievement gap between white and black students remains substantial (Barton & Coley, 2010). Yet today, income has surpassed race/ethnicity as the great divider. Income-related achievement gaps have continued to grow as the gap between the richest and poorest American families has surged. As researcher Sean Reardon of Stanford University explained recently in The New York Times: ‘We have moved from a society in the 1950s and 1960s, in which race was more consequential than family income, to one today in which family income appears more determinative of educational success than race’ (Tavernise, 2012, para 4)\nReardon’s recent research found that ‘the gap in standardized test scores between affluent and low-income students had grown by about 40 percent since the 1960s and is now double the testing gap between blacks and whites’ (Tavernise, 2012, para 4). It is also the case that if we look across states or major metropolitan areas, those areas within the United States that have greater income gaps between high- and low-income families also tend to have greater achievement gaps between high- and low-income children.\nThe report also discusses modern education reform and its effects on the educational outcomes for poor children. It says that reform that fails to address the issue of poverty has so far failed to do much to improve student achievement among poor children:\nEducation policies and reform efforts have shifted over the past several decades. Emphasis has shifted away from providing more equitable and adequate funding for schools and targeted services for disadvantaged students and toward policies directed at developing and implementing common core standards, improving teacher quality through the design and implementation of quantitative evaluation metrics, widespread use of test-based accountability systems, and providing wider-ranging choice among traditional district schools, charter schools, and through private school vouchers.\nYet, there exists little evidence that these reform strategies can substantially reduce the influence of poverty on educational opportunity, especially when they fail to address concurrently children’s readiness for school and the availability of equitable and adequate funding for high-poverty schools and districts. As explained by Helen Ladd in her 2011 presidential address to the Association for Public Policy Analysis and Management:\n“Because these policy initiatives do not directly address the educational challenges experienced by disadvantaged students, they have contributed little — and are not likely to contribute much in the future — to raising overall student achievement or to reducing achievement and educational attainment gaps between advantaged and disadvantaged students. Moreover, such policies have the potential to do serious harm. Addressing the educational challenges faced by children from disadvantaged families will require a broader and bolder approach to education policy than the recent efforts to reform schools. (Ladd, 2012, p. 203)”\nSome strategies are offered here to better match programs and services to the needs of children and to ameliorate the strong links between child poverty and later outcomes. We focus on seven areas that are generally within the purview of education policymakers:\n*Increasing awareness of the incidence of poverty and its consequences\n*Equitably and adequately funding our schools. (“There is a need for better coordinator of federal and state education programs targeted at poverty.’)\n*Broadening access to high-quality preschool\n*Reducing segregation and isolation\n*Adopting effective school practices\n*Recognizing the importance of a high-quality teacher workforce\n*Improving the measurement of poverty\nThe report was written by Richard J. Coley, executive director of the Center for Research on Human Capital and Education at the Educational Testing Service and Rutgers University Graduate School of Education Professor Bruce Baker. The ETS is a nonprofit organization that develops, administers and scores more than 50 million standardized tests annually in more than 180 countries.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "Friction stir weld (FSW) inspections in aerospace manufacturing are challenging for ultrasound technicians not necessarily because they require specialized computations or complex techniques but because scanning with conventional probe setups can be so time consuming.\nFSW is used for aluminum lap-joint and butt welds on many of the industry’s biggest aluminum alloy structures, from rocket boosters and fuel tanks on launch vehicles to fuselage panels and wings on airplanes. The process uses a machine to firmly clamp two workpieces together and press a rotating spindle into the joint line. It moves quickly along the seam, creating friction and heat that cause the adjacent metals to become plastic. They flow from the front of the tool to the trailing edge where the grains mix together and recrystallize to produce a strong, highly efficient bond.\nProperly calibrated, an FSW machine can quickly produce long runs of welds that use no filler and produce little waste, a big advantage for weight-conscious aerospace manufacturers.\nA friction stir weld has three distinct zones: an outer heat affected zone (HAZ) where the metal’s properties are affected but no deformation occurs; an inner thermo-mechanically affected zone (TMAZ) where grains are deformed but not mixed; and a stir zone or “nugget” comprised of very fine equiaxed grains.\nBecause the joining process involves relatively low peak temperatures and the materials are in a solid state throughout, friction stir welds aren’t susceptible to the type of porosity, cracking, distortion, and other discontinuities that can occur after metals are melted and then solidify.\nIndeed, most FSW flaws are related to setup issues with the machine and materials. Improper spindle rotation speeds, rates of travel, lack of penetration or forging pressure, and gaps along the seam from a poor fit-up or clamping action can generate excessive or insufficient heat and an improper bond.\nFSW flaws fall into two categories: volumetric voids like “wormholes” and cavities, and joint-line flaws like “kissing bonds,” where two butted materials fail to coalesce completely, and “hooking,” an uplift of surface oxides on the advancing side or retreating side of a lap weld.\nA probe optimized for FSW is capable of generating ±45°SW scans inside the material as well as 0°LW with a single probe orientation.\nThe most effective inspection method for FSW flaws is phased array ultrasound done shortly after the weld is complete while the component is readily accessible.\nIn most cases, phased array UT is more practical to deploy compared to penetrant testing or radiography, which require more time to prepare for an inspection.\nA portable phased array UT instrument with dual (2D) matrix array probe assemblies give NDT technicians the ability to build efficient scan plans, conduct lateral scans and create three-dimensional representations of the weld, and detect mis-oriented and transverse flaws.\nHowever, covering the entirety of the weld with phased array UT requires multiple beam angles. Technicians have several different options to accomplish this.\nFor a butt-joint weld, the recommended technique for transverse flaws involves linear electronic scanning with two different refracted angle orientations: a +45° shear wave and a symmetrical -45° shear wave (+20° and -20° incident wave angles in immersion).\nIn the case of a lap-joint weld, the same two beam angles (+45°SW and -45°SW) are used in conjunction with a 0° longitudinal wave, which is the ideal angle for detecting joint-line flaws.\nPerforming the inspection with a standard single 64-element probe requires multiple setups and scanning sequences. A lap-joint inspection would involve separate sequences at +45°SW, 0°LW, -45°SW, with the technician stopping in between scans to realign and recalibrate the probe. A butt joint would require two separate scans at +45°SW and -45°SW.\nInterrupting the test to manipulate the probe orientation every time another refracted angle is required is tedious but necessary due to the limited steering capability of a probe that’s not designed for FSW inspections.\nFigure 1: On a test piece with artificial flaws, the top image shows a 0°LW scan only of the weld center line. The bottom image shows a merged view of all data groups—0°LW and ±45°SW—and demonstrates more accurate length sizing and reduced noise level.\nA time-saving alternative is to have multiple probes and multiple phased array UT instruments set up and ready to go for each sequence. This approach certainly can work but it adds cost to the inspection process.\nAnother option is to use a 1D linear array probe with 128 elements that can simultaneously generate 0°LW and 45°SW beams for flaws parallel to the weld center line without probe inclination, and 45°SW for detection of transverse flaws when inclined in the secondary plane. Such a probe can obtain full volumetric coverage of the weld zone in a single scanning sequence and allow better detection of skewed flaws and accurate sizing compared to other solutions.\nIn an effort to demonstrate the efficiency of such a probe, UT engineers generated a side-by-side comparison of scan results obtained by using a 10 MHz, 64-element probe and the optimized probe on an aluminum test plate with notches.\nAt a frequency of 7.5 MHz, the optimized solution demonstrates more accurate length sizing and a reduced noise level, an improved lateral beam spread, and a greater tolerance to the rough surface conditions of a stir weld. Another consideration is the reduced presence of undesirable artifacts in the signal.\nThe same specimen was also subjected to a 0°LW scan. In figure 1, the bottom image shows a merged view of all data groups—0°LW and +/-45°SW—and demonstrates more accurate length sizing and reduced noise level.\nBecause all required refracted angles are generated with a single probe positioned at a normal incidence with respect to the inspected specimen surface, this alone simplifies the probe installation and alignment method since all that’s now required is to install it in the 0° scanner head.\nFigure 2: A dedicated FSW inspection technique with inclined probe provides excellent detection capability on transverse flaws.\nOnce the probe orientation is set, the 10 MHz, 64-element probe with one single UT channel configuration has an acquisition rate of approximatively 60 Hz, meaning an inspection speed of 60 mm per second with a 1 mm displacement increment per second.\nFor a complete setup, including three channels at +/-45°SW and 0°LW at maximum linear resolution, the optimized system can reach a speed of 30 mm per second. However, the optimized solution has three channels instead of one, which is the equivalent to three passes with the other probe. The linear resolution is greater, meaning more data is acquired. If the resolution is modified to match the 0.5 mm of the 64-element probe, it’s the equivalent to doubling the probe’s speed. Moreover, the optimized system streamlines the inspection time compared to the standard probe because the setup is simpler.\nIf even faster inspection speeds are required, two optimized probes can be used on two units in parallel to reach up to 50 mm per second at maximum resolution, or three pairs can be used for up to 100 mm per second. As with any multi-instrument or multi-probe solution, the tradeoff is additional cost and complexity.\nAerospace is an industry where productivity and cost control are a constant focus, especially given the pressures on manufacturers today. Total inspection time is critical to an efficient assembly process overall. A reliable phased array UT inspection solution for friction stir welds should incorporate rapid setup, quick calibration, and faster inspection speeds. Q", "label": "No"}
{"text": "The First Colored Senator and Representatives, Currier & Ives lithography, 1872\nLeft to right: Senator Hiram Revels (MS), Representatives Benjamin Turner (AL), Robert DeLarge (SC), Josiah Walls (FL), Jefferson Long (GA), Joseph Rainey (SC), and Robert Elliott (SC).\nPrints and Photographs Division, Library of Congress\nThe Second American Revolution\n“All men are created equal,” proclaimed the Declaration of Independence. Nearly a century later, the Fifteenth Amendment redeemed that promise. The right to vote, it stated, could not be denied “on account of race, color, or previous condition of servitude.”\nEducated African-Americans provided leadership for freed slaves. In 1870, Representative Joseph Rainey of South Carolina became the first black member to serve in the House. During Reconstruction, 14 African-Americans held House seats. Eight had been born into slavery, six born free.\nWhen federal troops left the South in 1877, Reconstruction ended. So did the era of opportunity. African-Americans gradually disappeared from the House. As Southern states passed “Jim Crow” laws enforcing segregation in the 1890s, African-Americans were barred from the polls and from political office.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "Brain & Behaviour\nYou'll be introduced to the link between brain and behavior.\nYou'll use this quiz to prepare for your School Nursing exam SHU NU588.\nPhysical Therapist Practice I: Cultural Competency\nRise of the Robots\nTest your knowledge of fictional robots\nAbout Muslim Patients\nIslamic teachings and patients. Select the correct answer.\nThe Memory Candy Crush Game\nBranches of U.S. Government\nTest your knowledge about the 3 branches of U.S. Government.\nTest your knowledge of the Executive Branch of the U.S. government.\nClassroom Rules: What Should You Do?\nThis game will test classroom rules and behaviour.\nUnit 02 Biological Perspective Overview - Rapid Fire\nUnderstanding biological perspectives and foundations in psychology.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "English ivy, or Hedera helix, is among the most popular ivies grown in the United States. The plant is used extensively and excels in outdoor landscaping. For indoor enthusiasts, it performs as an attractive focal point in any well-lit room. This European native is a climber by nature, and trailing vines will reach and twine appealingly around anything they can touch.\nPlace your English ivy in the brightest room in your home. The plant will thrive with either indirect sun exposure or fluorescent lighting. If natural light is available, a spot near a bright window is a perfect location. A few hours of direct morning or late afternoon sun daily are appreciated by this light-loving plant. The temperature should be between 50 and 70 degrees F.\nWater English ivy enough to evenly moisten the soil surface. Allow it to dry out slightly before watering again. Lift a stem to see if it feels relatively lightweight. Feel the texture of some of the leaves. If they feel light and a little limp, the plant is about to wilt. This indicates that it needs water. Salts present in ordinary tap water are highly detrimental to these plants, so use a distilled product whenever possible. It’s best if the water is tepid or at room temperature.\nFeed a complete 20-20-20 or 20-10-20 houseplant fertilizer once monthly throughout the growing season. Follow the packaging instructions carefully. The best time to fertilize your English ivy is after new growth is present. Don’t over-feed this plant; too much fertilizer can result in a buildup of toxic levels of salt in the soil.\nScatter some gravel or pebbles in the ivy’s drip tray and cover them halfway with water. Set the pot on the pebbles and make sure that it doesn’t come into contact with the water. This will provide crucial humidity for the plant. Mist your English ivy plant once weekly during the growing season to provide additional humidity. Misting also goes a long way toward keeping spider mites at bay.\nMove your English ivy to a partially shaded spot outside whenever summer weather permits. It will appreciate exposure to the great outdoors.\nThings You Will Need\n- Distilled water\n- Gravel or pebbles\n- Complete 20-20-20 or 20-10-20 houseplant fertilizer\n- Trim Ivy As a House Plant\n- Take Care of a Creeping Jew Plant\n- Care for Aglaonema Plants\n- Take Care of an Indoor Elephant Ear Plant\n- Care for a Calathea Medallion\n- Care for Dracaena Plants\n- The Best Way to Grow a Pothos Ivy Plant\n- Care for a TI Plant\n- Indoor Plants That Need Little Light\n- Care of an Alocasia Polly Plant\n- Care of Mikado Plants\n- Use Plants to Increase Indoor Humidity", "label": "No"}
{"text": "This article has multiple issues. Please help improve it or discuss these issues on the talk page. (Learn how and when to remove these template messages)(Learn how and when to remove this template message)\nThe Democratic National Convention (DNC) is a series of presidential nominating conventions held every four years since 1832 by the United States Democratic Party. They have been administered by the Democratic National Committee since the 1852 national convention. The primary goal of the Democratic National Convention is to nominate and confirm a candidate for president and vice president, adopt a comprehensive party platform and unify the party. Pledged delegates from all fifty U.S. states and from American dependencies and territories such as Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands, and superdelegates which are unpledged delegates representing the Democratic establishment, attend the convention and cast their votes to choose the Party's presidential candidate. Like the Republican National Convention, the Democratic National Convention marks the formal end of the primary election period and the start of the general election season.\nThe party's presidential nominee is chosen in a series of individual state caucuses and primary elections. Superdelegates, delegates whose votes are not bound to the outcome of a state's caucus or primary, may also influence the nomination. To secure the nomination for the Democratic party in 2016, a candidate must secure 2,383 delegates. This number includes both pledged delegates and superdelegates.\nPrior to 1936, nomination for president was required, not merely by a majority, but by two-thirds of the total number of delegates. Unless there was a popular incumbent, something that only happened three times between the Civil War and World War II, getting that many votes on the first ballot was implausible. The choice was an often contentious debate that riled the passions of party leaders. Delegates were forced to vote for a nominee repeatedly until someone could capture a minimum number of delegates needed. In 1912, 1920 and most notoriously in 1924, the voting went on for dozens and dozens of ballots.\nBackroom deals by party bosses were normal and often resulted in compromise nominees that became known as dark horse candidates. Dark horse candidates were people who never imagined they would run for president until the last moments of the convention. Dark horse candidates were chosen in order to break deadlocks between more popular and powerful prospective nominees that blocked each other from gaining enough delegates to be nominated. One of the most famous dark horse candidates nominated at a Democratic National Convention was James K. Polk, who was chosen to become the candidate for president only after being added to the eighth and ninth delegate ballot.\nThe rules were changed to a simple majority in 1936. Since then only one multi-ballot convention (1952's) has taken place.\nBefore about 1970, the party's choice of the vice-presidential nominee was usually not known until the last evening of the convention. This was because the presidential nominee had little to do with the process and in many cases was not known at the start of the convention. In 1944 and 1956, the nominee let the convention choose the running mate without a recommendation, leading to multiballot voting, and other times, successful attempts to sabotage the nominee by scattering delegate votes for someone else besides his choice, as in 1972 and 1980, led to disruptions.\nIn order to prevent such things from happening in the future, the presumptive nominee has, since 1984, announced his choice before the convention even opened, and (s)he has been ratified by voice vote.\nBy 1824, the congressional nominating caucus had fallen into disrepute and collapsed as a method of nominating presidential and vice presidential candidates. A national convention idea had been brought up but nothing occurred until the next decade. State conventions and state legislatures emerged as the nomination apparatus until they were supplanted by the national convention method of nominating candidates. President Andrew Jackson's \"Kitchen Cabinet\" privately carried out the plan for the first Democratic National Convention; the public call for the first national convention emanated from Jackson's supporters in New Hampshire in 1831.\nThe first national convention of the Democratic Party began in Baltimore on May 21, 1832. In that year the 2/3 rule was created, requiring a 2/3 vote to nominate a candidate, in order to show the party's unanimous support of Martin Van Buren for vice president. Although this rule was waived in the 1836 and 1840 conventions, in 1844 it was revived by opponents of former President Van Buren, who had the support of a majority, but not two-thirds, of the delegates, in order to prevent him from receiving the nomination. The rule then remained in place for almost the next hundred years, and often led to Democratic National Conventions which dragged on endlessly, most famously at the 1860 convention, when the convention adjourned in Charleston without making a choice and reconvening in separate groups a short time later, and the 1924 convention, when \"Wets\" and \"Drys\" deadlocked between preferred candidates Alfred E. Smith and William G. McAdoo for 103 ballots before finally agreeing on John W. Davis as a compromise candidate. At the 1912 convention, Champ Clark was the first person to receive a majority of the votes who did not go on to achieve a two-thirds vote and the nomination. The 2/3 rule was finally abolished in 1936, when the unanimity in favor of the renomination of President Franklin D. Roosevelt allowed it finally to be put to rest. In the years that followed only one convention (the 1952 Convention) actually went beyond a single ballot, although this may be more attributable to changes in the nominating process itself than to the rules change.\nDuring the time the rule was in force, it virtually assured that no candidate not supported by the South could be nominated. The elimination of the two-thirds rule made it possible for liberal Northern Democrats to gain greater influence in party affairs, leading to the disenfranchisement of Southern Democrats, and defection of many of the latter to the Republican Party, especially during the Civil Rights struggles of the 1960s. Strom Thurmond was one such Democrat who joined the Republican party.\nWilliam Jennings Bryan delivered his \"Cross of Gold\" speech at the 1896 convention. The most historically notable—and tumultuous—convention of recent memory was the 1968 Democratic National Convention in Chicago, Illinois, which was fraught with highly emotional battles between conventioneers and Vietnam War protesters and a notable outburst by Chicago mayor Richard J. Daley. Other confrontations between various groups, such as the Yippies and members of the Students for a Democratic Society, and the Chicago police in city parks, streets and hotels marred this convention. Following the 1968 convention, in which many reformers had been disappointed in the way that Vice President Hubert Humphrey, despite not having competed in a single primary, easily won the nomination over Senators Eugene McCarthy and George McGovern (who announced after the assassination of another candidate, Senator Robert F. Kennedy), a commission headed by Senator McGovern reformed the Democratic Party's nominating process to increase the power of primaries in choosing delegates in order to increase the democracy of the process. Not entirely coincidentally, McGovern himself won the nomination in 1972. The 1972 convention was significant in that the new rules put into place as a result of the McGovern commission also opened the door for quotas mandating that certain percentages of delegates be women or members of minority groups, and subjects that were previously deemed not fit for political debate, such as abortion and lesbian and gay rights, now occupied the forefront of political discussion. That convention itself was one of the most bizarre in American history, with sessions beginning in the early evening and lasting until sunrise the next morning, and outside political activists gaining influence at the expense of elected officials and core Democratic constituencies such as organized labor (thus resulting in a convention far to the left of the rank-and-file of the Democratic Party).\nThe nature of Democratic (and Republican) conventions has changed considerably since 1972. Every 4 years, the nominees are essentially selected earlier and earlier in the year, so the conventions now officially ratify the nominees instead of choose them. (Even the close race of 2008, which was not decided until early June, did not change the modern function of the convention). The 1980 convention was the last convention for the Democrats that had even a sliver of doubt[by whom?] about who the nominee would be. (Ted Kennedy forced a failing vote to free delegates from their commitment to vote for Jimmy Carter). The 1976 convention was the last where the vice-presidential nominee was announced during the convention, after the presidential nominee was chosen. (Carter choosing Walter Mondale.) After the \"ugly\" conventions of 1968 and 1972, the parties realized it was in their interests to show a unified party to the nation during the convention, and to try to eliminate any dissent. And as the conventions became less interesting, and television ratings have generally declined (as they have on average for all television shows), the networks have cut back their coverage significantly, which in turn has forced the parties to manage what is televised even more closely.\nThe 1984 convention at the Moscone Center in San Francisco remains the last Democratic Convention to be held in a convention center complex; all others since then have been held at sports stadiums or arenas.\n|Wikimedia Commons has media related to Democratic National Convention.|\nNone of the audio/visual content is hosted on this site. All media is embedded from other sites such as GoogleVideo, Wikipedia, YouTube etc. Therefore, this site has no control over the copyright issues of the streaming media.\nAll issues concerning copyright violations should be aimed at the sites hosting the material. This site does not host any of the streaming media and the owner has not uploaded any of the material to the video hosting servers. Anyone can find the same content on Google Video or YouTube by themselves.\nThe owner of this site cannot know which documentaries are in public domain, which has been uploaded to e.g. YouTube by the owner and which has been uploaded without permission. The copyright owner must contact the source if he wants his material off the Internet completely.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "As a country, Egypt begins its history in 3150 BC with the establishment of the first kingdom ruled by Menes. For three thousand years, Egypt flourished and became a great center of culture that even the Greeks themselves admired. This is also the same period of time where Egyptians started building their pyramids. This culminated in their greatest achievement so far, the Great Pyramid\nat Giza. All of these man made wonders that made Egypt what it was is largely due to the annual flooding of the Nile River. One of the names of Ancient Egypt was Kemet, meaning \"black land\". The black land was the river deposits that the Nile left behind every time it receded.\nJust like the Greeks, the Egyptians had their own pantheon of gods starting with Isis and Osiris, Ra, Anubis and Hathor. A proof of this fact is present in the many temples, obelisks, tombs and pyramids that dot the Egyptian landscape. It would be probably safe to label Egypt as one big museum of ancient history and artifacts. That's why its no surprise that millions of people travel to Egypt to be able to gaze at the monuments to man's greatness.\nEgypt is an African country situated in North Africa\n. This country is bordered by countries such as Libya, Sudan, Gaza Strip and Israel. It is 38 th largest country of the world and is regarded as the cultural and political nation of Middle East\n. The Suez Canal connects the Mediterranean Sea and Indian Ocean via Red Sea .\nEgypt is known to the world for its ancient civilization and legendary monuments such as Giza pyramid complex and Great Sphinx both found in Cairo\n. There are countless interesting places and attractions so it is not possible to complete a tour within a week.\nThe other things you can enjoy in Egypt is scuba diving in Sharm el Sheikh\nin the Red sea. Red Sea is densely populated with different fishes such as grouper, singray, parrotfish, angelfish, butterfly fish and turtles.\nDon't forget to listen to the Egyptian music which is the fusion of African and Western countries. The traditional instruments are flutes and harps. It is important to play folk music of Egypt in weddings, engagements and festivals.\nThe currency of Egypt is Egyptian Pound (EGP). Travelers are advised to bring cheques in US dollars or Pounds to avoid additional exchange rates. Credit cards are accepted in many reputed Egypt hotels\nand restaurants. You can review Hotels in Egypt\nThe best time to visit Egypt in the winter season which is from December to February when temperature is about 20 to 25 degree Celsius. The highest temperature in the summer season is about 38 degree Celsius. The summer season is from June to August.\nCairo is the capital of Egypt and it is only city where traveling is easy due to the metro system. You can easily go to the Pyramids of Giza by taking a microbus from al-Haram. In other cities, you can travel by taxis and bus. Following are some important attractions of Egypt that are recommended to visit.\nThe famous Suez Canal is located next to the Red Coast in Sinai. There are many beach resorts in this area that cater to the tourists from the elite down to the lowly backpacker. Pay to swim with dolphins at Nuweiba. Divers would most likely want to visit the Sharm el_Sheikh which is reputed to be the best dive resort in town.\nAswan is a rather laid back town that borders Egypt and Nubia. Dinner will be a great experience since floating restaurants are all the rage here in Aswan . Further out, there are two islands that tourists may want to visit. The first island is home to an active archeological dig where a huge fortress and several temples are being excavated.\nAlexandria was the Egyptian city conquered by Alexander the Great of Greece. During its golden age, Alexandria was said to be the cultural capital of Europe . Its affluence from ancient times extends even up to the now. Unlike Cairo , Alexandria is has a lesser chaotic atmosphere. Bibliotheka Alexandria is the center for scholarly research. The Graeco-Roman Museum displays artifacts dating from 300 BC. Diving and swimming are common pass times in Alexandria . The beaches can get crowded during summer though.\nLuxor 's ancient name was Thebes , the once great capital of ancient Egypt . It is now a large town dependent on tourism for most of its income. The town is peppered with souvenir shops, hotels and restaurants. Within the boundaries of Luxor is the Karnak Temple complex which covers approximately 100 acres. The temple complex contains hundreds of statues, pillars, obelisks and sphinxes. The best temple in Karnak is the Precinct of Amun. It served as the primary place of worship.\nEgypt has 6 oases that are worth visiting. All of them can be reached by public transportation and have accommodations for those wishing to spend a couple of days in relative isolation. The Kharga oasis is more developed than most. It has a museum and a Berber community within its boundaries. For desert safaris on camels and hot springs , the best oasis to go to would be Dhakla. Siwa is also a Berber community but they are more traditional in manner and language.\nTour Egypt In Comfort and Safety Through Packaged Tour", "label": "No"}
{"text": "MFL (Modern foreign Languages)\nWhy we teach MFL?\nA high-quality languages education should foster pupils’ curiosity and deepen their understanding of the world. (National Curriculum)\nLearning a foreign language is a liberation from insularity and provides an opening to other cultures.\nThe study of Modern Foreign Languages prepares pupils to participate in a rapidly changing world in which work and other activities can take place in languages other than English. Pupils use Modern Foreign Languages to communicate information responsibly and creatively. They learn how to use Modern Foreign Languages to enable access to ideas and experiences from a wide range of people, communities and cultures.\nIn addition, understanding a modern foreign language increases children’s understanding of their own language. The process of learning a foreign language reinforces fluency and understanding of grammar, syntax, sentence structure and verbal precision. Increased capability in the use of Modern Foreign Languages can also promote initiative and independent learning and encourages diversity within society.\nThrough our teaching of Modern Foreign Languages we aim to:\n- Ensure every child has the opportunity throughout Key Stage 2 to study a foreign language and develop their interest in the culture of other nations\n- Ensure pupils’ learning is enriched in a broad curriculum to which Modern Foreign Languages contribute\n- Ensure pupils have access to high quality teaching and learning opportunities, making use of supportive schemes of work\n- Provide language teaching using Listening, Speaking, Reading, Writing and Cultural Understanding.\nWhat we teach in MFL?\nAt St Peter’s, we teach French lessons in Key Stage 2. We also aim to introduce pupils to other Modern Foreign Languages in EYFS, Key Stages 1 and 2 by using greetings for registration and singing songs.\nWe currently use the ‘Language Angels’ scheme of work to support high-quality languages education. The ‘three pillars of language learning’ – phonics, grammar and vocabulary, are included in all lessons and units of work.\nThe French units of work build on children’s knowledge and understanding each year. The lessons are also cross curricular, and support some class topics.\nOur pupils say:\n“We have fun.”\n“Learning strange words and how to say them can be hard but we have fun playing games and singing songs.”\n“Learning with the music video, watching animations, moving around the room, playing games helps us to remember the vocabulary.”\nWant to find out more…\nLanguage Angels Home Learning\nFree language learning app", "label": "No"}
{"text": "Cardio-metabolic risk can occur at normal BMIs\nBy Martha Kerr\nCHICAGO (Reuters Health) - Patients with a normal body mass index (BMI) can still have a high body fat content, which increases the risk of cardiovascular disease, a Mayo Clinic team announced here during the American College of Cardiology's 57th Annual Scientific Session.\nInvestigator Dr. Francisco Lopez-Jimenez presented the Rochester, Minnesota group's findings on so-called \"normal weight obesity\" from a study of 2,127 subjects with a BMI in the normal range. BMI is the ratio of weight to height, which classifies people within a range from underweight to morbidly obese.\nThe study participants' body composition was measured and a full assessment was made of body size variables and cardiovascular risk factors. Normal weight obesity was defined as a body fat content higher than 20 percent for men and 30 percent for women.\n\"Normal weight obesity appears to be highly prevalent,\" Lopez-Jimenez noted, \"constituting more than half of the patients with a normal weight as defined by the BMI.\" Of the total 2,127 subjects in the study, 1,321 had normal weight obesity, while 806 had a normal body fat content.\nThe investigators also found that 13.6 percent of the normal weight obese individuals met the criteria for metabolic syndrome compared with 5.3 percent of those who had a normal weight without a high body fat content.\nThe metabolic syndrome is a cluster of risk factors for cardiovascular disease, including high blood sugar, high levels of the \"bad\" LDL cholesterol and triglyceride levels, low levels of the \"good\" HDL cholesterol, high blood pressure and excess belly fat.\nSpecifically, significantly more of the normal weight obese had a high waist circumference, elevated triglyceride levels, elevated fasting blood sugar levels or a diagnosis of diabetes, and other metabolic markers associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease.\n\"Instead of tracking weight and BMI only, public health measures to prevent heart disease might benefit more from measuring the belly or by assessing percentage of body fat as more reliable risk factors of heart disease,\" Lopez-Jimenez concludes.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "From The Art and Popular Culture Encyclopedia\nAlthough fine vellus hair is present in the area in childhood, the term pubic hair is generally restricted to the heavier, longer hair that develops with puberty as an effect of rising levels of androgens. Pubic hair is therefore part of the androgenic hair.\nPubic hair in art\nIn ancient Egyptian art, female pubic hair is straightforwardly indicated in the form of painted black triangles.\nIn classical European art, it was very rarely depicted, and male pubic hair was often, but not always, omitted. Sometimes it was portrayed in stylized form.\nThe same was true in much Indian art, and in other Eastern portrayals of the nude.\nIn Japanese drawings pubic hair is often---such as in hentai---omitted, since for a long time the display of pubic hair was not legal. The interpretation of the law has since changed.\nIn 16th century southern Europe artists felt able to show male nudity with stylized pubic hair, as in Michelangelo's David and Da Vinci's Vitruvian Man. Nevertheless, Michelangelo’s male nudes on the Sistine chapel ceiling display no pubic hair.\nFemale bodies remained hairless below the head.\nIn renaissance northern Europe, pubic hair was more likely to be portrayed than in the South, more usually male, but occasionally female. The first instance of female pubic hair in art is Eve in the Ghent Altarpiece (1432) by the van Eycks, followed by Hans Baldung Grien's Girl and Death (1517) and a little later, in the 1530s, the water nymphs of Lucas Cranach the Elder.\nBy the 17th century, suggestions of female pubic hair appear in erotic engravings, such as those by Agostino Carracci. By the late 18th century female pubic hair is openly portrayed in Japanese shunga (erotica), especially in the ukiyo-e tradition. Hokusai's picture The Dream of the Fisherman's Wife, depicting a woman having an erotic fantasy, is a well-known example. Despite this Fine art paintings and sculpture created before the 20th century in the Western tradition usually depicted women without pubic hair or a visible vulva.\nDenis Diderot writes a little piece of text on pubic hair in art. In the passage \"quelques questions que je me suis faites sur la sculpture\" (1765), Diderot asks five rhetorical questions on sculpture. The second of these questions is \"Pourquoi la sculpture, tant ancienne que moderne, a dépouillé les femmes de ce voile que la pudeur de la nature et l'âge de puberté jettent sur les parties sexuelles, et l'a laissé aux hommes?\"\n\"Why has sculpture, both ancient and modern, depilated women of the veil of modesty which nature and the age of puberty have thrown on the sexual parts, and left it there for men?\"\nThe answer, says Diderot, as translated in the essay \"Diderot, Hogarth, and the Aesthetics of Depilation\" by Johannes Endres, is that:\n- \"the charm of this serpentine line, of this long, sweet and light sinuosity that starts off from the extremity of one of the groin-folds and that moves alternately downwards and upwards until it has reached the extremity of the groin-fold; it wishes to tell you that the path of this infinitely agreeable line would have its course cut through an interposed hair-tuft; that this isolated tuft is connected to nothing and serves as a blemish for the woman, while for the man this sort of natural clothing, casting a heavy enough shadow around the nipples, actually becomes lighter on the flanks and sides of the stomach but is still there, although sparsely, moving without interruption to encounter itself more dense, more raised, more full around the natural parts; it wishes to show you that depilated, these natural parts of the man will look like a small intestine, an unpleasantly formed worm.\"\n- le charme de ce serpentement , de cette longue, douce et légère sinuosité qui part de l'extrémité d'une des aines , et qui s'en va s'abaissant et se relevant alternativement , jusqu'à ce qu'elle ait atteint l'extrémité de l'autre aine; il vous dira que le chemin de cette ligne infiniment agréable serait rompu dans son cours par une touffe interposée; que cette touffe isolée ne se lie à rien , et fait tache dans la femme ; au lieu que , dans l'homme , cette espèce de vêtement naturel , d'ombre assez épaisse aux mamelles , va s'éclaircissant , à la vérité , sur les flancs et sur les cotés du ventre ; mais y subsiste , quoique rare, et va , sans s'interrompre , se rechercher elle-même plus serrée , plus élevée , plus fournie autour des parties naturelles. Il vous montrera ces parties naturelles de l'homme, dépouillées, comme un intestin grêle, un ver d'une forme déplaisante.\nIt has been argued that John Ruskin, the famous author, artist, and art critic, was apparently accustomed only to the hairless nudes portrayed unrealistically in art, never having seen a naked woman before his wedding night. He was allegedly so shocked by his discovery of his wife Effie's pubic hair that he rejected her, and the marriage was later legally annulled. See John Ruskin's marriage to Effie Gray\nFrancisco Goya's The Nude Maja has been considered as probably the first European painting since the Northern Renaissance to show woman's pubic hair. The painting lost Goya his position as court painter.\nSome people experience sexually attraction to or sexual arousal from seeing or touching pubic hair, or from seeing or touching a clean crotch. Some regard this as pubic hair fetishism. A preference for hairless crotch in oneself or in another is known as acomoclitism.\nAmong the upper class in 19th century Victorian Britain, pubic hair from one's lover was frequently collected as a souvenir. The curls were, for instance, worn like cockades in men's hats as potency talismans, or exchanged among lovers as tokens of affection. The museum of St. Andrews University in Scotland has in its collection a snuff box full of pubic hair of one of King George IV's mistresses, possibly Elizabeth Conyngham, which the notoriously licentious monarch donated to the Fife sex club, The Beggar's Benison.\nIn Western societies, exposure of a woman's body hair below her neck has traditionally and continues to be widely disapproved of culturally. It may be regarded as immodest and sometimes obscene. Many people consider exposure of pubic hair to be embarrassing. With the reduction in the size of swimsuits, especially since the coming into fashion and growth in popularity of the bikini since the 1940s, the practice of bikini waxing has also come into vogue. However, some people also remove pubic hair that is not exposed, for aesthetic, personal hygiene, cultural, religious, fashion or other reasons.\nIn more recent times, models and actors who appeared nude on stage, film or photography used to shield their frontal genital area by the angle of their body or leg in relation to the camera, or in some other way; but now it is more common for female adult entertainers who appear nude, such as strippers and pornographic actresses, to remove their pubic hair. The presentation is regarded as more erotic and aesthetic, while others consider the style as unnatural. Some people remove pubic hairs for erotic and sexual reasons or because they or their sex partner enjoy the feel of a clean crotch.\n- User:Jahsonic/Notes on pubic hair in Western art\n- Diderot, Hogarth, and the Aesthetics of Depilation\n- User:Jahsonic/Diderot on pubic hair in sculpture\n- Brazilian waxing\n- Frontal nudity", "label": "No"}
{"text": "Tuareg is a term used to identify numerous diverse groups of people who share a common language and a common history. Tuareg camel caravans played the primary role in trans-Saharan trade until the mid-20th century when European trains and trucks took over. Goods that once were brought north to the edge of the Sahara are now taken to the coast by train and then shipped to Europe and beyond.\nTuareg history begins in northern Africa where their presence was recorded by Herodotus. Many groups have slowly moved southward over the last 2,000 years in response to pressures from the north and the promise of a more prosperous land in the south. Today, many Tuareg live in sedentary communities in the cities bordering the Sahara that once were the great centers of trade for western Africa. Although most Tuareg now practice some degree of Islam, they are not considered Arabic.\nTuareg, Berbers of the Sahara, numbering close to 2 million. They have preserved their ancient alphabet, which is related to that used by ancient Libyans. The Tuareg?s traditionally maintained a feudal system consisting of a small number of noble families, a large majority of vassals, and a lower class of black non-Tuareg serfs, who performed the agricultural tasks.\nThe upper classes, organized in tribes, convoyed caravans and, until subdued by France, were feared as raiders. The fiercely independent Tuareg resented European hegemony in Africa, and they long resisted conquest. Tuareg men go veiled, while the women are unveiled. Women enjoy respect and freedom, and descent and inheritance are through the female line.\nIn Tuareg culture, it is the men who wear the veil. The veil is a symbol of having attained adulthood but it also has the practical application of keeping wind blow sand out of the eyes, nose and mouth. Only with close family will a Tuareg man take off his veil; otherwise he wears it all the time (at mealtimes he lifts the veil from his mouth to eat).\nThe indigo used to dye the veil is pounded into the cloth with stones so as not to waste precious water. This pounding creates a slightly metallic sheen in the cloth. Invariably the dye rubs off onto the skin of the wearer, which is the source of the legends of the Blue Men of the Sahara. The Tuareg do not wash the veils and wear them until they completely fall apart.\nThough nominally Muslim, the people still retain many pre-Islamic rites and customs. The traditional way of life for the Tuaregs (e.g., raiding neighboring tribes and exacting taxes from trans-Sahara travelers) is changing. Since the 1970s droughts and famines have forced many Tuaregs from their desert homes into urban areas, and in the 1990s political tensions caused further relocation. Groups of Tuaregs have fought for autonomy from Niger and Mali, but cease-fires were signed in both nations in the mid-1990s.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "Who Invented the concept of cycling?\nDid you know that cycling was the first ever human driven vehicle known to mankind after the traditional horse carriage? Amazing isn’t it.\nIn 1817, Karl Von Drais, a German baron, invented a horseless carriage that would help him get around faster. His machine, known as the “swiftwalker,” hit the road in 1817.\nThe first ever designed Bicycle had two wheels and no pedal. It had a wooden frame and a seat for the rider. The vehicle needed to be propelled by pushing your feet against the ground. This pedal less feet propelled machine came to known as “Draisine” after the inventor “Karl Von Drais”, the first design of the modern day Bicycle. The two-wheeled, pedal-less device was propelled by pushing your feet against the ground. The machine became known as the “Draisine,” and led to the creation of the modern-day bicycle.\nWhat is the history of Cycling?\nDid you know that the Bicycle was the first means of transport after the horse carriage?\nAs they say need is the mother of all inventions. Cycling was developed in the early 18th century.\nAfter the traditional Horse carriage which included taming a horse and having a dedicated horseman, to cut cost and dependency on others the Draisine was developed.\nDraisine was a vehicle which had a wooden frame with two wheels at one in front the other at the back. It had a seat for the rider to rest his torso on. This vehicle needed to be propelled by pushing the feet against the ground.\nIt was much more comfortable than walking and faster too.\nThe term bicycle was coined in France in the 1860s, and the descriptive title “Penny Farthing“, used to describe an “Ordinary Bicycle“, is a 19th-century term.\nGian Giacomo Caprotti, have you ever heard about him. Apparently he was this naughty little lad who belonged to humble backgrounds. Apparently he used to be a pupil of Leonardo Da Vinci, he was fondly called Salai. Back in the early 1500 AD,Salai claimed to have sketched the Draisine . Leter in 1998 it was proved to be a purposeful fraud by Hans-Erhad Lessing.\nHowever the italians still believe that the bicycle sketch was indeed a genuinely designed by Salai.\nQuick facts about Cycling:\nDid you know the longest tandem bicycle seated 35 people. It was more than 20 meters long.\n⦁ The longest “tandem” bicycle seated 35 people, it was more than 20 meters long\n⦁ You can fit about 15 bicycles in the same space that one car occupies\n⦁ It is 20 times cheaper to maintain a bicycle than a car\n⦁ If the number of cyclists was tripled, the rate of motorist-bicyclist accidents would be cut in half\n⦁ The world manufactures about 100 million bikes each year\n⦁ Bicycle delivery services have become a significant industry over the last 30 years\n⦁ The word “bicycle” was not coined until the 1860s\n⦁ The Tour de France was established in 1903.\n⦁ China boasts more than a half billion bicycles\n⦁ In America, people use their bikes for one out of every hundred trips\n⦁ The fastest bicyclist is American rider, John Howard\n⦁ There are twice as many bicycles in the world than cars\nBest of all you don’t need a drivers license, or money for fuel and even better keeps your health in great shape, and its all for free.\nOften in heavy pursuit of honing their craft, cyclists sometimes need an extra push to remember to have fun. Cycling is one of the most fun and exhilarating sports around. It’s important to not lose sight of the things that make cycling great.\nEvolution of Cycle\nThe pneumatic tire and the chain drive, followed by the development of gears, revolutionized bicycling in the later 1800s. In the last fifteen years, there has been a revolution of sorts in the development and use of new materials for building frames. It wasn’t that long ago that frames were made out of cast iron or even wood. Today bicycles are made out of exotic materials such as titanium, aluminum, and carbon fiber. Bicycle frames in the 1990s are lighter and stronger than ever before.\nBack in the day it was an Elites pride today its a sportsman’s pride. Its ironical isn’t it, back in the days it was the rich and elite who owned cycles and as of today its the rich own flashy cars and the poor ride cycles.\nCycling is a very sort after sport as of today. One of the most easiest and non time consuming sport.\nPeople today have cut down on their cars to cycle to work to cut the cost of fuel and workout time at the same time.\nSo in short back in the days when cars were not around people either, walked or cycled to their desired destinations and sometimes even swam across the rives to reach their destinations. Today we do it for recreational purpose.\nAmazing isn’t it?\nPicture courtesy Ironman Triathlon.\nA racing bicycle frame with parts of the frameset indicated.\nAge of the Velocipedes\nWhile it might seem simple and obvious now, getting the rider’s feet completely off the ground was a major step (excuse the pun) forward in the development of the bicycle. The rider used pedal-cranks attached to the hub of a wheel to propel himself. There is a dispute as to who invented the machine that became known as the “velocipede,” but there is no question as to its impact.\nThe velocipedes of the mid 1800s consisted of two wooden tires, a front fork, handlebars for steering, a saddle on wooden frame, and pedals on the axle of the front wheel. The velocipede also received a nickname, the “boneshaker.” With the rider now completely mounted on the bicycle, he felt all of the bumps–the early velocipedes were not equipped for absorbing vibrations. It wasn’t until the development of the pneumatic tire that this problem was effectively addressed. At around the same time the pneumatic tire was developed (1888), lighter materials began to be used for frames, improving the ride dramatically.\nMaterials for Frames\nBy the time the modern “safety” bicycle was developed in the late 1800s most frames were made with steel tubing instead of wood or cast iron. While the steel bicycles were quite strong they were also very heavy. It was not uncommon for a bicycle of that era to weigh in at over 80 pounds (36.28 kg.).\nA classic “cruiser” safety bike built in 1957. The frame is made of steel and the bike weighs nearly 50 pounds (22.68 kg).\nSteel frames are still used today, but the tubing has thinner walls and weighs considerably less. Modern frame makers such as Paolo Salvagione use a variety of materials for highly specialized bikes. Paolo uses steel, aluminum, titanium, and even carbon-fiber. Which material he uses depends on the type of bike, the rider’s preference, and the cost. We asked Paolo to tell us about the unique qualities of each material.\nWho is the founder of cycling?\nThe first bicycles were made from wood, with steel “tires”. The frame shapes were also rather wild and typically curved. Manufacturers moved towards a diamond-shaped body, made from steel tubing as it was much stronger and lighter. The boneshaker 1866.\nEven though it’s a relatively recent invention, bicycle is the culminated product of many centuries of innovation.\nBy Christopher McFadden\nJan 21, 2021\nIt would be hard to imagine a world without bicycles. They are everywhere, and chances are that most or all of you reading this can or have ridden one at some point in your life.\nThe history of this apparently simple mode of transport is a long and interesting one but the modern bicycle, as we know it, is actually a fairly new invention.\nIn this article, we’ll take a quick trip through time and stop off at some of the most important innovations (and hoaxes) throughout its development.\nSo adjust your seat and get ready to pedal. You are in for one fun ride!\nWho invented the bicycle?\nAs you are about the find out, the answer to this question really depends on your definition of a bicycle. Do you mean a means of transport with just two wheels? Or do you mean what is commonly referred to as a bicycle today with pedals, and chains, and pneumatic tires?\nTop Articles READ MORE READ MORE Two Blasts Just Shook Kabul Airport From Suicide Bombers\nIf the former, the original inventor could be considered Giacomo Caprotti. Caprotti was a student of Leonardo da Vinci and is widely considered the first inventor of an early bicycle. If the latter, then the first “true” bicycle is probably the Rover Safety bicycle.\nInvented by Harry John Lawson (and later refined by John Kemp Starley), the Rover had all the main features of modern bicycles. In fact, it was the template for most modern bikes.\nWhat are some of the main milestones in bicycle history?\nAnd so, without further ado, here are some of the major milestones in the history of the development of the bicycle. This list is far from exhaustive and is in no particular order.\n- A bicycle is nothing without the wheels\nYear: 3500 BC to 1700s\nThere’s nothing that is more important to a bicycle than the wheel. Or, more precisely, a wheel and an axle. Just when this simple yet powerful combination was invented is hotly debated, but historians generally agree it originated in Mesopotamia sometime around 3500 BC. The oldest surviving example, which was found in Ur, in modern-day Iraq, dates to approximately 3100 BC.\nThe earliest free-spinning wheels were used as potters wheels. It took another 300 years or so for someone to figure out how to attach them to chariots. The uses for the wheel and axle combination would remain relatively unchanged for millennia until the Industrial Revolution making human-powered wheeled devices more practical.\n- The first bike might have been Chinese\nYear: 500 BC\nInventor/Developer: Lu Ban\nReconstruction of Lu Ban’s “bicycle”. Source: herschelian\nBack in 2010, a Chinese historian produced a recreation of what he believes might have been developed 2500 years ago by a Chinese inventor Lu Ban. This is supposed to have been a large wooden device with complicated gears and pedals to make it move and was, technically speaking, a tricycle.\nHis findings are yet to be verified and accepted by his peers but this is certainly an interesting device.\n- Early bikes also needed good roads\nYear: Prehistory to the Roman Empire and beyond\nInventor/Developer: Unknown/John Macadam\nSource: FHWA/Wikimedia Commons\nWheeled transportation is nothing without a fairly level and smooth surface to run on. Resistance to motion varies widely depending on the surface on which it travels, with rough surfaces much harder to move along than smooth ones.\nThe Romans were some of the first peoples to develop a largescale network of “paved” roads. John McAdam would further improve road technology many centuries later – literally paving the way for the viability of bicycle technology shortly after.\n- Leonardo da Vinci’s pupil might have invented the bike\nInventor/Developer: Giacomo Caprotti\nSource: Wikimedia Commons\nFor some time now there has been a debate around whether Giacomo Caprotti (a student of Leonardo da Vinci) might have made a sketch of a bicycle-like device back in 1534. The authenticity of this evidence has been called into question by many prominent historians, but others attest to its validity.\n- The Celerifere was an early proto-bike\nInventor/Developer: Comte Mede de Sivrac\nSource: Legendre/Wikimedia Commons\nAlthough not strictly speaking a bicycle, the Celerifere could be considered an early precursor. It was supposedly developed by Comte Mede de Sivrac in 1790 in France – but its existence may also have been a hoax.\nMost bicycle historians tend to err on the side of caution and believe it never actually existed. The general consensus seems to be that it was made up during the 19th Century by a French bicycle historian Louis Baudry de Saunier.\nIt was said to have lacked any steering, and had no pedals, but did ostensibly resemble the technology that would later become known as the bicycle.\nRELATED: THE HISTORY AND EVOLUTION OF THE WHEEL\nThe Celerifere, according to stories, had four wheels (though some have suggested just two) and a seat and was powered by the rider, using their feet to walk or run to push off, and then glide for a short distance.\n- Mt. Tambora lays waste to horses and livestock\nIn 1815 Mount Tambora erupted in modern-day Indonesia. This turned out to be one of the largest volcanic eruptions in Earth’s history.\nThis cataclysmic event pumped so much ejecta into the Earth’s atmosphere that global temperatures fell, leading to crop failures, famine, and the starvation of horses and livestock around the northern hemisphere the following year.\nAt this time there were very few alternatives to animal-power for transportation and so a new, less famine-sensitive transport method was urgently needed – the gauntlet has been thrown down.\n- The Laufmaschine (Draisienne) comes to the rescue, sort of\nInventor/Developer: Baron Karl von Drais\nSource: Wilhelm Siegrist/Wikipedia Commons\nThe Laufmaschine (Draisienne in French), aka the “Running Machine” or “Hobby Horse”, was invented by Baron Karl Von Drais – a German inventor. Although it might be unrecognizable today as a bicycle next to modern examples, it did consist of a frame with two wheels.\nThe “Running Machine” was propelled by the operator, who was effectively walking whilst seated. This allowed for a sort of ‘gliding’ walking or running experience.\nThe front wheel assembly also had a handlebar that was hinged to allow for a small amount of steering. Several manufacturers in France and England made their own versions during its brief popularity in the summer of 1819.\nOwing to the design of the device its utility was restricted to paved areas rather than rough roads.\n- The first mechanically propelled bikes might have been Scottish\nInventor/Developer: Kirkpatrick MacMillan/Thomas McCall\nSource: Lesseps/Wikimedia Commons\nThere is some evidence, though weak, that a Scottish Blacksmith, Kirkpatrick MacMillan, might have developed the first mechanically propelled two-wheeled vehicle. Claims made by his nephew were put forward at the time about a rear-wheel-drive system powered by mid-mounted treadles connected by rods to a rear crank (similar to locomotives).\nWhether MacMillan’s creation was true or not, the first documented producer of rod-driven two-wheelers, called treadle bicycles, was one Thomas McCall in 1869.\n- The Velocipede/Boneshaker is born\nInventor/Developer: Pierre and Ernest Michaux/Michaux Company\nSource: Länsmuseet Gävleborg/Flickr\nThe Velocipede was a two-wheeled bicycle that came with pedals and cranks on its front wheel. It consisted of a combination of a wooden frame with metal tires that made for a very uncomfortable ride over cobbled streets.\nIt was invented in France sometime in the 1860s and was first manufactured by the Michaux Company between 1867 and 1869. The Velocipede would fall out of favor relatively quickly.\nBecause of its design, the device quickly earned the nickname of “Boneshaker” – a good description of what it was like to ride.\n- The high-wheeler bicycle (“Penny Farthing”) takes things to a new height\nInventor/Developer: Eugène Meyer\nSource: Junkyardsparkle/Wikimedia Commons\nInspired by the success of the “Boneshaker”, Eugène Meyer decided to improve on the design. This led to the creation of the high-wheeler bicycle that incorporated one large front wheel and one smaller, wire-spoked rear wheel.\nThe high wheel allowed the rider to travel farther with a single rotation of the pedals.\nThis was the first model to be officially known as a bicycle and was very popular between the 1870s and 1880s. Its metal frame and rubber tires provided a more comfortable ride than the boneshaker.\nIn Britain, it became known as the “Penny Farthing” after its resemblance to the British penny and farthing coins, one much larger than the other, so that the side view resembled a penny leading a farthing.\n- The Rover Safety bicycle: the World’s first modern bicycle\nInventor/Developer: Harry John Lawson/John Kemp\nCirca 1886 variant of the Rover Safety bicycle. Source: Karen Roe/Flickr\nIn 1876, Englishman Harry John Lawson invented the revolutionary Safety bicycle. This bike featured a strong metal chain driven by two pedals, along with two equally-sized wheels, and a frame very similar to that of the modern bicycle.\nThe true bicycle was born.\nThe smaller wheels meant the bicycle was closer to the ground than the Penny Farthing, making it easier to get on and off, and making stopping easier. Because the rear wheel was powered by the pedals, unlike the front wheel on the Penny Farthing, the rider’s legs were kept safely away from the front wheel. Hence the name, “Safety Bicycle”.\nLawson’s model failed to catch on because of its relatively higher price tag compared to its contemporaries. Later, another Englishman, John Kemp Starley, developed the first commercially-successful version, the Rover.\nEarly marketing for these bicycles focussed on their relative “safety” when compared to their predecessors – and to great success. The bike also featured direct steering, another safety feature that proved to be very popular.\n- Pneumatic tires become a game-changer\nInventor/Developer: John Boyd Dunlop\nSource: Geni/Wikimedia Commons\nIn 1888, Irish inventor, John Boyd Dunlop, came up with the clever idea of filling rubber tires with air to provide a smoother ride than existing solid-rubber tires.\nLike many important inventions, Dunlop’s was born from a problem very close to his heart. His son had been prescribed a dose of cycling to help with his heavy cold by a doctor.\nDunlop noticed that his son’s ride was very uncomfortable, and decided to make it a little easier. He fitted his bike with tires made of canvas bonded with liquid rubber – and quickly patented the invention.\nHis invention soon caught on and was given a boost by the famous cyclist, Willie Hume, who became the first to adopt Dunlop’s tires for racing events. The rest is history.\n- The 20th Century saw an explosion in bike designs\nYear: 1890s – Today\nThe 20th Century saw an explosion in bicycle designs, though all were, at their heart, simple variations on the Safety bicycle. Minor additions were made to the bicycle design, from gearing to suspension, and there were also improvements to tire designs, like the addition of different styles of treads.\nDuring the 1970s, the so-called “Bicycle Boom” occurred in America, as the general public became aware of the value of exercise and energy-efficient transportation.\nBicycles also became lighter and stronger, as well as more aerodynamic in design. Notable design innovations included the recumbent bicycle, BMX, and mountain bikes, with the latter being one of the first to free bicycles from the need for smooth paved surfaces.\n- The future of bikes\nYear: Today onwards\nSource: Michael Kwan/Flickr\nOver the last few years, there has been a growing trend towards the specialization of bike designs. This has led to the growth in so-called hybrid/city/cross bikes designs that combine elements of road racing and mountain bikes.\nHybrid bicycles and commuter bicycles can range from fast and light racing-type bicycles with flat bars and other minimal concessions to casual use, to wider-tired bikes designed primarily for comfort, load-carrying, and increased versatility over a range of different road surfaces.\nElectric bikes have also become more popular of late – a trend that is unlikely to slow down in the future.\nAnd that, as they say, is all folks. Have we missed any other critical events in the history of the bicycle? If so, feel free to mention them in the comments.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "Author: Elaine Kirn-Rubin\nSuitable for: 3-8, Students, Instructors and Tutors. Secondary Students, Young Adults, Adults, independent learners, and Home School students. For English improvement, ESL, EFL, Literacy, WIOA, Career and College, and Corrections Institutions. New Readers; Beginning through Intermediate Language Learners\nWhat They Are: Beginning Homophone Decks 1-6 contain 54 pairs of matching homophones (words with the same pronunciation but different spellings and meanings) that are very common in everyday speech and writing. Examples are ate/eight, be/bee, are/\"R\", r, hear/here, there's/theirs, one/won, too/two, and the like. These are listed in the accompanying Book, and there are ten reproducible quizzes testing mastery of the items.\nWhy You Need Them: Although basic learners and very new readers may not have enough vocabulary to be confused by homophones, high-beginning language students and developing readers will soon encounter them. In fact, homophones may be fun to \"study\" because they're a \"curiosity.\" Paying attention to them early in the learning process will provide a natural introduction to some of the vagaries of English spelling and vocabulary.\nAVAILABLE AS A (COLORFUL) GO GREEN DOWNLOAD - SAVE 50%; OR\nALREADY PRINTED (B & W), PERFORATED, EASY TO SEPARATE AND USE, AT FULL-PRICE + SHIPPING\nWhat They Do:\n- tells why homophones exist in English, giving charts of the spellings that produce them\n- explains how the cards work, suggesting other ways to use them efficiently and effectively.\n- gives other ways to teach and/or learn these interesting vocabulary pairs\n- offers reproducible Mastery Checks of two kinds, a fill-in and a matching test--with Answer Keys.\n- includes Reference Lists of all relevant items for all three levels of materials\n1 PAGE TOC and 6 PAGE Intro and Samples", "label": "No"}
{"text": "Many young kids have trouble sitting still and staying focused. But as students get more homework, they need to be able to stick with a task and finish it.\nHere are some ways to help your child stay focused:\nGet the ya-yas out first\nMoving the body motivates the brain. Try having your child walk or bike to school, play outside after school, do chores around the house, or play on a sports team. Make sure your child has had a chance to run, walk, or jump around before sitting down to homework.\nTurn off screens and cell phones\nBefore your kid tackles homework or does anything that takes concentration, turn off the television. Or if others are watching it, make sure your child is far enough away that he can’t be distracted by it. Also, shut down or move him away from the computer, and if your child has a cell phone, make sure that’s off too.\nMake a to-do list\nHaving a lot of chores and homework assignments can be overwhelming for kids. Help your child focus on getting things done by making a list — together — of everything he needs to do for the day or week. Then let him cross off each task as he finishes it.\nTry to avoid conversations when your child is working. To cut out distracting talk altogether, you and your child can even come up with a few basic signals. For example, when you point to his work, that means he needs to go back to what he was doing. Or when you raise your hand, that means he should stop what he’s doing and get to work. For some kids, it helps to just lay a hand on their shoulder to bring them back into focus.\nDuring homework time, make sure your child takes a few breaks. After working for 10 or 20 minutes (depending on his age), have him get up and move around, get a drink, and then go back to work. But don’t let him get involved in something else during the break. Just make that time a relaxing few minutes.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "1839 French legislative election\nComposition of the Chamber of Deputies\nThe 1839 general election organized the fifth legislature of the July Monarchy. The election was held on 2 March and 6 July.\nOnly citizens paying taxes were eligible to vote. The left won the election with a majority of 240 seats over the right.\n|Opposition||André Dupin (Third Party)\nFrançois Arago (Republican)\n|Ministerials||Adolphe Thiers (Centre-left)\nFrançois Guizot (Centre-right)\nLouis-Philippe of France did not have a majority and dissolved the legislature on 16 June 1842.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "Oak Learners provides summer camps that incorporate STEAM (Science-Technology-Engineering-Arts-Math activities) for children between the ages of 4 through 12. Children the opportunity to learn while engaging in the outdoors, what a great combination!\nWhile engaged in outdoor play, Oak Learners provides children with risky play opportunities. Children need to engage in risky play as it enhances children’s development by developing independence and confidence within themselves. STEAM is delivered through the summer camp at Oak Learners to help children enhance their social skills along with confidence and their cognitive abilities.\nA parent had mentioned that “My son attended his first camp last week at Oak Learners. To say he loved it would be an understatement. They built a fun soap volcano, saw caterpillars and watched them eat and grow, and even managed a visit to a splash pad. They did many arts and crafts projects which are now displayed at home. Thank you to Oak Learners for a great week!” (Gillian R.).\nThe children spend a majority of the time outside while at the summer camps and go on field trips that take place within the community that will allow them to explore the world in which they live! Mental health is very much supported within the summer camps by allowing the children to participate in self-care activities that focus on mindfulness. This allows them to have the time to relax and focus on themselves!\n“At camp, kids try new things, build confidence, and become leaders”\nGet updates on new classes, hosted events, and more.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "When Westerners come to China, how can they adapt to the Chinese culture? Many people immediately think of the language issue. Although language is crucial to interpersonal relationships and communication, it alone is not sufficient in dealing with Chinese people. Language is only the starting point for understanding the Chinese culture. Even a foreigner who has lived and worked in China may still have difficulty figuring it out. Following is an attempt to help one better understand the Chinese culture and how to relate to Chinese people.\nTaiji: a conversation of hidden strength\nAny morning, before the city is awakened by the business and noise of the day, look at the parks throughout China. You cannot miss the crowds of people working out—among them the most visible are the Taiji (Taichi) lovers. These people slowly, yet constantly and gracefully, change the positions of their arms and legs as they concentrate and breathe deeply. Some of their slow movements seem useless and one might wonder what purpose they serve. Yet, those who understand Chinese martial arts know of the strength hidden in Taiji whose principles are “apparent softness overtakes toughness” and “gentle but firm.”\nTo some extent, Taiji reflects the Chinese culture and its way of solving problems. No matter what changes the rest of the society has gone through during hundreds of years of history, Taiji remains exactly the same. Year after year Chinese practice Taiji in the morning. Some principles drawn from Taiji have been gradually made known to society. These principles, that go beyond the physical aspect, tell us that “the use of quietness overcomes motion,” “apparent softness overtakes toughness,” “apparent looseness outside, actual tightness inside,” “avoid tough hands but attack weak spots,” “surprise and win,” and “withheld strength may go unnoticed.”\nLater, when people described these skills or ploys adapted by politicians, warlords, entrepreneurs or merchants to be the winners in their respective fields, they used the term Quanshu (clever stratagems for politics and business). Quanshu also has the meaning of hidden conflict as drawn from Taiji’s character of hidden strength. When two individuals are in an unannounced struggle, they are said to be “playing Taiji.” Chinese often rely on this nonverbal message to make themselves understood in the struggle to protect their interests. This way of dealing with others is not found in the West; nevertheless, it is at the core of Chinese culture. Not knowing about it may be costly to the Westerner.\nChina continues to be in a technological growth period; it now boasts millions of Internet subscribers. Fashionable young people may care nothing about Taiji but admire basketball players like Jordan and Johnson; however, Taiji culture is still prevalent. When a Chinese responds to you slowly, you need patience. Practicing Taiji requires “inner strength.” “Inner strength” refers to the resilience that can absorb a punch as well as hit back, but in a pleasant manner. A fast-acting person often finds himself having to change his mind; but one who restrains himself from making a quick response usually has well balanced ideas for decision-making. The individual using this type of thought process is referred to by the Chinese as a “master of calculation” and cunning. He will never strike up an argument with you nor clearly announce his intentions. He never forgets to smile—but his smile is a bit mysterious. He does not necessarily have evil purposes in mind and cannot simply be labeled as a “good” or “bad person”; however, for self-protection he feels that “beating around the bush” is his only option. You may find that this person is more likely to be middle-aged and fits into a Taiji lovers category. This mental practice of Taiji is a part of Chinese wisdom; it follows the Chinese wherever they go.\nEating and drinking: the passport to Chinese society\n“Have you eaten yet?” used to be the most common greeting in China. This greeting has now faded from use. Eating, however, still enjoys unshakable status in Chinese culture. No other people of the world are more serious about eating, more focused on eating or more capable of getting the best out of eating. Over 2000 years ago Confucius said: “Never settle on an imperfect meal.” China gave birth to world famous cuisines including Sichuan, Cantonese, Shandong, and others. China also has McDonalds, KFC and pizza. Wherever you go in China you will be impressed by the number of restaurant signs—even in poor backwoods areas. Likewise, Chinese restaurants are found in distant places.\nChinese love eating. Why? Eating in China is not just a simple personal activity; rather, it fits together the unrelated pieces of life. Eating is a cultural and social activity. Many events in life require a large get-together meal that is in accord with tradition, fosters the accomplishment of other activities and allows people to express their emotions. These events include Spring Festival celebrations, family or class reunions, weddings, funerals, admission to the Communist Party, promotions to leadership, asking for help, thanking others for help, opening a business, settling in a new home, farewells, conflict resolutions, celebrating successes—and the list goes on. Anything can be an excuse to go out for dinner.\nReports say that several hundred billion Chinese yuan are spent on banquets in China each year. Restaurants have become a performing stage for people eager to achieve their ends. They display intimate feelings, cope with bosses, negotiate prices and resolve conflicts. Obviously, food is not the real issue for either the host or the guest. Refusing to “perform” on this stage means that many things one may want to see happen will not be accomplished. Not understanding the significance of eating in Chinese culture means you will miss a valuable shortcut to getting complicated things done in China.\nEating is also a means for friends to express friendship and gratitude. If you would like to expand your network of relationships rapidly, invite your friends to the neighborhood eateries for simple meals. Over time you will acquire a long list of people interacting with you. If you do not take initiatives or accept invitations, you may be misunderstood and thought difficult to relate to as a person. Remember, the most appropriate occasion to exchange information, improve communication, resolve conflicts and affirm friendships is always at the dinner table.\nMian Zi (face): the treasure that never wears out\nNo one wants to be diu ren (embarrassed in front of people, a “lost person”); every individual has a sense of self-esteem. This human characteristic is extremely pronounced in Chinese culture; it has been observed to an extent that is beyond a Westerner’s imagination. For example, a Chinese may wrong you and be fully aware of his wrongdoing, but if you point this out to him or criticize him with another person present, he will desperately defend himself denying any offense. However, if the conversation takes place between just the two of you, he will readily accept your criticism. The facts you point out are the same, but his reaction is different due to the changed situation. The reason: mian zi. This comes out in other situations as well. For example, if you ask someone for help, few people will give you a negative answer; most will say: “Sure, no problem.” Is it really “no problem?” In actuality, there may be many problems, but the individual will not admit it. When you follow up on the issue, the individual will say, “Oh, this needs to be delayed a little bit. Please be patient, because…” Eventually, you will find that from the very beginning this person was unable to help you. Another common example is seen when friends go out for dinner together. When dinner is over, since they have not talked about who will pay for it, everyone will be fighting to pay the entire bill. Each one is afraid of being thought of as a tightwad.\nA story goes that many years ago in Shanghai a man lived in the slums. He would go out on the street only after putting on his one decent jacket, combing and slicking his hair back, shining his shoes and spreading pork lard on his lips to pretend to be a wealthy man who had just enjoyed a greasy meal. That’s what mian zi is. Today, similar incidents occur, only in more subtle ways. For example, unemployed people actually “work” for mian zi. They leave home as usual in the morning as if they were going to work, but they do not end up at their previous workplaces but stay with friends or go to parks or cinemas to kill time.\nWhen you invite friends over or to join you for an outing, you need to first examine each person’s special needs. How free is this person? Has he or she eaten yet? If expenses are involved, who will pay for them? You need to think these through and not ask your friends for information. Even if you do, you will only get polite answers that do not reflect what is truly on their mind. Chinese deem it a virtue not to bother others with questions. Between friends and acquaintances it is harder to ask for a favor precisely because of the relationship.\nZhong Yong: the moderate way\nZhong Yong, or “being moderate,” is the most essential principle for living in China and the primary principle that the Chinese subscribe to. What does it mean to “be moderate” in the Chinese context? Put simply, it means never going to extremes, never confirming things absolutely (always leave some margin or wiggle room), never pushing ahead to be first—yet avoiding being left behind. People may say they see things in black and white, but in reality they favor gray. Gray seems less risky and allows flexibility.\nFive thousand years of Chinese tradition defies anyone who tries to fully understand it. While one need not fully grasp the meaning of these traditions, these four seemingly simple principles discussed above should be taken seriously. It is wise to deal with the Chinese in the Chinese way. If you are not convinced, try it your way— and see what happens!", "label": "No"}
{"text": "Expanding access to electricity in the developing world with renewables is creating economic opportunities for women through assisting businesses, microfinance and longer workdays.\nBulletin of the Atomic Scientists today published a roundtable article about how energy access is improving the lives of women in developing nations. Kalpana Sharma, who is a freelance columnist for and former deputy editor of The Hindu, gave the talk on empowering women through renewable electricity sources.\nSolar power has begun to assist women in rural areas that are not on India's centralized power grid, Sharma said. Without power, many women are fearful of going out after sunset, drop out of school because they cannot study after dark, and spend hours every day gathering wood for fuel, Sharma noted.\nSelco, an Indian business that creates sustainable energy solutions for rural areas, is helping to make a difference in the lives of women by providing solar power equipment on installment plans. It targets groups of women who own businesses, and selects a \"leader\" from the group to rent out solar charged batteries to the rest. The business owners are available to afford the payments via extended business hours, Sharma said, adding that the model could be replicated across much of India.\nWomen in Rajasthan are becoming local experts on solar installations, maintenance, and lighting through an NGO called Barefoot College. They form a center of excellence for their communities, Sharma said. \"And by choosing to train women, Barefoot College has guaranteed that the expertise remains in the villages (men are more likely to go elsewhere to find work),\" she said.\nEmpowering women can accomplish a lot for economies, including promoting a higher standard of living and lower population growth. Bangladesh is a great example of where this type of initiative has made a difference. Its population growth was on par with Pakistan -- until it created economic opportunities for women. Bangladesh is now a part of the \"next eleven\" list of high potential economies.\n(image credit: Barefoot College)\nThis post was originally published on Smartplanet.com", "label": "No"}
{"text": "Hand, Foot & Mouth Disease\nWhat is hand, foot, and mouth disease?\nHand, foot, and mouth disease (HFMD) is a common viral infection in infants and children that is caused by enteroviruses (most often Coxsackievirus A16). Symptoms begin 3-7 days after exposure and usually begin with a fever, poor appetite, a general feeling of being sick, and a sore throat. One to 2 days later, persons usually develop painful sores in the mouth and a rash with blisters. The rash does not itch and is usually located on the palms of the hands and soles of the feet, but may also be on the buttocks.\n- How do you get hand, foot, and mouth disease?\nHand, foot, and mouth disease is spread by direct contact with nose and throat discharges (coughing, sneezing), saliva, fluid from blisters, and stool of infected persons. Persons are very contagious in the first week of illness, but virus can be shed in the stool for several weeks.\n- How serious is hand, foot, and mouth disease?\nMost persons experience a mild illness and recover without medical treatment in 7 to 10 days. The most common complication is dehydration because the mouth sores can make swallowing difficult and painful. In rare cases, a serious form of the virus may cause viral meningitis or encephalitis, which can be life-threatening.\n- Who is at risk for hand, foot, and mouth disease?\nHand, foot, and mouth disease (HFMD) occurs mainly in children under 10 years old, but may occur in adults as well. HFMD is most common in children in child care settings, where diaper changing and potty training are constant and little hands are often in and out of the mouth frequently. Everyone is at risk for infection, but not everyone who is infected gets ill. Children are more likely to experience illness because they may not have immunity from a previous infection. Infection results in immunity to the specific virus, but a second episode may occur resulting from a different type of enterovirus. HFMD is more common in the summer and early autumn months.\n- How can I prevent my child from being infected with hand, foot, and mouth disease?\nView tips on protecting your child from hand, foot, and mouth disease on this page: Preventing Hand, Foot, and Mouth Disease\n- What should I do if I think my child has hand, foot, and mouth disease?\nYour healthcare provider can usually diagnose hand, foot, and mouth disease upon visual examination. No specific treatment is available, but symptomatic treatment can be given to relieve fever, aches, pain from the mouth sores, and to maintain hydration.\n- Should my child attend daycare if he or she has hand, foot, and mouth disease?\nThere are no specific recommendations for excluding children with HFMD from child care settings, although children with a fever should stay home. Excluding children may not prevent additional cases because the virus can be excreted for weeks after the symptoms have disappeared. Some benefit may be gained, however, by excluding children who have blisters in their mouths and drool or who have weeping lesions on their hands. Your child care provider may recommend that your child stay home if the child is unable to participate in activities or if the provider is unable to care for the child without compromising the ability to care for other children.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "Stress in the womb takes Greater Toll On Male, Study Showsexposure in utero stress could hurt after birth after birth than women, researchers have found.A study shows that in female mice stressful situations are exposed early in pregnancy – placed in an unfamiliar environment, changing cages several times in one day, or smelling the scent of a predator – their male offspring are more susceptible to stress than women. sildenafil citrate\nThis increased sensitivity to stress and behavior , and the behavior can be displayed, the aspects of the development of brain disease in humans.Presented as adults these men with smaller testicles and lower testosterone levels, suggesting an influence of maternal stress on fetal development. Interestingly, these effects were also passed on to the next generation – from father to son.\nNotes:. Lopez is one teacher in medical at Harvard Medical School, study that was Brigham and Women’s Hospital Department of Medicine and to the Faculty of the MGH disparities in Solutions Center. Additional co-authors which study, which was supported by a grant from the Etna Foundation, be Marina Cervantes, Joseph Betancourt, and Alexander Green, of the MGH Mongan Institute Health Policy and inequalities Solutions Center at and Andrew Wilper, hotels in Boise VA Medical Center and of University of Washington School of Medicine.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "Infected wound or an inflammation in the surrounding area. Lymph nodes are aggregations of white blood cells that usually become swollen when there is an infection eg.\nYour Place To Buy And Sell All Things Handmade Human Anatomy Human Muscular System Muscular System | Read more (please allow pop-up for new tab)\nSwollen elbow crease lymph nodes.\nLymph nodes in elbow crease; To finish massage the lymph nodes in your armpits again. Sooo strangest body thing happened to me- yesterday randomly the lymph nodes in my elbow crease inner elbow what is it called anyway started swelling dramatically and I got a rash on both of them. You have lymph nodes here.\nThe lymph system is a network of lymph nodes lymph ducts lymph vessels and organs that produce and move a fluid called lymph from tissues to the bloodstream. Less often it is caused by a staphylococcal infection. One lump may be felt in the back of the affected elbow.\nAmong the things to consider for lymph nodes in the arms are. For example swelling in the lymph nodes of the neck is frequently linked to throat infections. Pain especially with movement of the elbow or pressure on the elbow.\nAnswer 1 of 1. The swelling or lump is caused by increased fluid within the bursa and is tender with movement or when touched. Using your palm pump directly into your elbow crease.\nAll the information content and live chat provided on the site is intended to be for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional or medical advice. These are outlined below together with a short explanation as to what each is but as always it is important that for any medical condition to seek the advice of a qualified medical professionalGanglion CystGanglion Cysts are commonly found on the inside of the elbow second only to the hands and wrists. Jill Goodrum 46 is warning others to watch out for signs themselves after she was wrongly diagnosed with tennis elbow after already contracting cancer in her lymph nodes.\nPlace your first 3 fingers in the center of your armpit. Then slide them slowly down your torso a few inches until they are just above the side of your breast. There are more than 600 small kidney bean-shaped lymph nodes in clusters throughout your body — under your neck in your armpits and groin and in the middle of your chest and belly.\nThe lymph nodes in this area are located toward the bottom of your armpit near the rib cage. Lymph nodes reside just where you describe. Once youve cleared the upper arm you can massage from your lower arm and your fingers up toward your armpit in slow continuous strokes encouraging the fluid into the armpit.\nLymphocytes or white. Swollen lymph nodes are more likely to be caused by infection than cancer. Swollen lymph nodes How they feel Soft rubbery movable and sometimes tender.\nThe edema in enlarged epitrochlear lymph nodes is also seen along with pain in the arm especially in elbow region. This condition is associated with skin diseases because the superficial lymphatic system is involved. Feel the lymph nodes in your armpits.\nA reaction to a prior infection try to recall if you used to have some problems with the skin wounds benign cysts some of these have a tendency to grow near the joints the exact reason isnt clear but some minor injuries along the tendons may form capsules and promote development of cysts then theres cancer. Epitrochlear nodes just above the elbow crease can signify Hodgkins disease. There a few possibilities as to what a lump in the elbow crease can mean.\nI DIDNT EVEN KNOW I HAD LYMPH NODES THERE The rash went away but they are still swollen. We get more concerned with lymph nodes if they persist and grow if one is way out of proportion to the others or if the patient is systemically ill eg. Lymph nodes may also become enlarged because of cancer but infection and inflammation have to be ruled out first since these are a lot more common conditions at your age.\nRedness red streaking warmth fever and swollen lymph nodes in the armpit caused by infection. Is odd to have bilateral elbow node s. You have lymph nodes in your armpits and neck especially under your jaw behind your ears and at the base of your.\nNodes that are firm non-tender and matted together increase the possibility of malignancy. Lymph nodes in elbow crease Lymph node near your elbow Download Here Free HealthCareMagic App to Ask a Doctor. Erythema warmth tenderness and fluctuance of a node suggest lymphadenitis of infective origin.\nLymphangitis most often results from an acute streptococcal infection of the skin. The lymph nodes get enlarged and swelling occurs along with severe pain in the upper limb area near elbow and shoulder. Fever chills night sweats weight loss.\nThese will swell when forearms or hands are irritated or inflamed.\nPin By Khin Saw On My Saves Lymphedema Playing Cards Cards | Read more (please allow pop-up for new tab)\nHow Does Chinese Medicine View Eczema Kanpobliss Acupressure Treatment Chinese Medicine Acupressure Therapy | Read more (please allow pop-up for new tab)\nThe Best Dark Spot Corrector For Face Hands Legs Body Also For Men Skin Proven Natu Best Dark Spot Corrector Dark Spot Corrector Lighten Hyperpigmentation | Read more (please allow pop-up for new tab)\nSo, Lymph nodes in elbow crease! Have a great day, lovelies!", "label": "No"}
{"text": "CNG PRODUCT OVERVIEW\nIMW INDUSTRIES LTD., CANADA\nOct 16 - 22, 2006\nCNG PRIMER AND PRODUCT OVERVIEW:\na. What is CNG? CNG is compressed natural gas. CNG systems take natural gas from distribution pipelines - at relatively low pressures - and compress it to pressures of 3600 psig or more to fuel vehicles or fill transportation trailers that carry the gas to off-pipeline users. The gas is typically used at lower pressures but compressing it allows it to be transported in much higher volumes, making the overall use more efficient.\nb. Why is it a better fuel? CNG as a combustible fuel is much lower in a number of harmful pollutants, particularly sulphur, lead, carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxide, and particulate matter. As well, its overall lifecycle impact (well-to-wheels) is much better for the environment than other refined fuel products such as gasoline and diesel. For these reasons, the implementation of CNG fueling for public transportation is a key component in the clean air strategies of many major cities around the world.\nc. Is it safe? Natural gas is neither corrosive nor toxic, its ignition temperature is high, it is lighter than air, and it has a narrow flammability range, making it an inherently safe fuel compared to others. Natural gas cannot contaminate soil or water. It always rises to the atmosphere when outdoors, unlike other fuels, which are heavier than air and can pool, either as a liquid or a vapor, on the ground. Natural gas contains a distinctive odorant (mercaptan), which allows it to be detected at 0.5% concentration in air, well below levels that can cause drowsiness due to inhalation and well below the weakest concentration that can burn. In practice, CNG use worldwide has resulted in only a handful of accidents and incidents which have resulted in damage or injury; most of which were the result of improper equipment use.\nd. What does CNG cost? Despite its other compelling advantages, often the greatest impetus for the use of CNG globally is its price relative to gas or diesel. While prices and availability vary from country to country, generally, CNG vehicle fuel - at the \"pump\" - represents a savings of 30 ~ 50% for the driver or fleet operator. In addition, there are other mechanical advantages for the vehicle engines, which may reduce overall maintenance costs. For the country developing CNG infrastructure, there may be other critical economic advantages such as a reduced reliance on foreign oil and/or a reduction of costly subsidies that may exist on liquid fuels. Worldwide, natural gas deposits are abundant and far better distributed than crude oil deposits, making them a viable resource for many countries.\ne. So, why doesn't everybody use it? One of the principal disadvantages of CNG fuel is the relatively high cost of fueling infrastructure development, i.e. CNG fueling stations. Most people take it for granted that gasoline and diesel are widely available; however, because CNG is still at an early stage of market development, its availability cannot be guaranteed in all countries or regions. This can slow down the adoption of CNG vehicles into fleet use, as operators do not want to be confined to limited fueling access. This is the \"chicken and egg\" conundrum that many potential industry participants struggle with - which comes first, the CNG station or the vehicles? - Yet in many developing countries, proponents have developed a \"build it and they shall come\" attitude, which has proven to be generally true. In some markets, natural gas is not a domestic resource (i.e. Japan); yet the importation of liquefied natural gas by ocean tanker still provides an overall economic benefit by the time it reaches the CNG vehicle operator.\nf. Why does infrastructure cost so much? At the present time, CNG systems are generally custom built to suit the specific site requirements, i.e. electrical supply, gas pressure, overall flow requirements. This factor, coupled with the high-pressure and safety aspects of CNG systems, makes them costly to manufacture. Unlike liquid fuel systems, which require only a storage tank and a pump, CNG systems require multi-stage compression, high-pressure cooling, high-pressure storage, dispensing, and metering of a flammable gaseous medium, which is much more difficult to manage. Despite the high capital cost for infrastructure development, CNG systems have an incredibly positive return on investment in most markets. In many cases, payback (of equipment) can be amortized over periods of less than two years, due to the high latent demand for CNG fuel by vehicle operators. Overall payback periods, of course, depend on the total station development costs (i.e. construction & land) and rate of usage.\nSELECTION OF A CNG COMPRESSOR:\nIn the CNG industry there are mainly two types of compressor technologies:\n*Lubricated Compressors - These machines have lubricating oil in the crankcase to provide lubrication to bearings and crank mechanisms. They also provide oil lubrication to packings, cylinders and valves either by injecting oil directly into these components or incorporate a design that purposely allows the oil from the crankcase to migrate into the packings, cylinders and valves from the crankcase.\n*Non-lubricated Compressors - These machines have lubricating oil in the crankcase but are engineered to keep the migration of oil into the packings, cylinders and valves to an absolute minimum. These machines do not use any direct injection of oil.\na. Oil Carry-Over Rate - Oil carryover (aerosols and vapors) in CNG has a significant negative influence on natural gas vehicle engines and the maintenance and operation of the CNG station itself. This oil originates largely from the oil lost to the gas stream in lubricated compressors. Non-lubricated equipment minimizes the migration of oil into the cylinders and piping system thereby keeping oil carry-over into the gas to an absolute minimum.\nThe oil carry-over of lubricated compressors can be as high as 100 ppm (m/m). The oil carry-over of CNG equipment should always be less than 5 ppm.\nb. Oil-Carry-Over And System Performance -\nThe deleterious effects of oil carry-over include the following:\n* Oil vapor and small aerosols accumulate in the vehicle fuel tank as liquid oil. Fuel storage capacity is diminished and the vehicle dead weight will increase incurring a fuel penalty paid for lugging around this dead weight.\n*Oil collects in ground storage equipment reducing the capacity and performance of the CNG station.\n*Oil aerosols accumulate on heat exchanger surfaces causing fouling. As the heat exchanger performance degrades, higher temperatures reduce compressor ring and packing life, reducing the gas storage capacity and reducing energy efficiency.\n*Oil carryover increases vehicle emissions in the form of un-burnt hydrocarbons.\n*The maintenance and replacement of oil separators and filters will affect the CNG station availability and reliability. It also increases maintenance cost with the increased cost of consumables and additional maintenance labor.\n*Inside a CNG vehicle, higher pressure gas, about 20Mpa, is reduced to 0.7Mpa by a regulator and then injected into the engine. There are many examples of oil soaking the regulator diaphragm, affecting its accuracy, or in some cases forcing a rupture of the regulator internals if oil clogs the regulator.\n*The most sensitive area to oil contamination is in the engine itself. The oxygen sensors of the engine system are extremely sensitive to any oil contamination and may cause engine shut down.\nc. Advantages of Non-Lubricated Compressors -\nNon-lubricated compressors offer distinct advantages over lubricated compressors in terms of system reliability, performance and maintenance. Some of the key advantages of the non lubricated feature are as follows:\n*Daily or frequent oil replenishment is not required\n*Less frequent draining of scrubbers and filters\n*Reduction in waste oil disposal cost\n*Heat exchanger surfaces remain clean since oil is not contaminating the cooling tubes\n*The compressor discharge is fitted with only one coalescing filter and does not require an oil separator\n*No oil lubricators required which means reduced equipment maintenance and service\n*Reduced oil carry over reducing maintenance requirements on down stream equipment\nEmissions of natural gas from compressors can be significant and are usually not considered in performance specifications of CNG equipment. Emissions of natural gas have the following negative effects.\n*Result in financial losses\n*Negatively impact air quality through smog formation\n*Reduce the energy efficiency of CNG stations\n*Natural gas losses to the atmosphere are a serious contributor to greenhouse heat entrapment with each molecule of methane trapping 21 times more heat than carbon dioxide\na. Sources of Gas Emissions -\nSome of the sources of gas emissions are the following:\n*Packing case vent losses\n*Leakage from pressurized crankcase seals\n*Blow-down vent losses (auto draining scrubbers/filters)\n*Maintenance blow-down losses\n*stop/start blow down after recovery tank capture\n*Gas actuated valves (if used)\n*Relief valve venting (intermittent)\n*Valve stem, piping and fittings leaks\n*Compressor external seal leakage (i.e. gaskets, o-rings, rotating shaft seals, oil filler cap seal)\nb. Features to Minimize Gas Emissions -\nIMW equipment limits the loss of gas to the environment in the following ways:\n*Since the IMW compressor is non-lubricated, the automatic draining of inter-stage scrubbers and oil traps is not required. Some lubricated compressors employ automatic drain systems to drain the traps. Each time the system is actuated a certain amount of natural gas is vented to the environment.\n*Recovery tanks are installed on all IMW compressor systems to recover a maximum amount of gas from the compressor during blow-down.\n*IMW does not use a pressurized crankcase. Pressurized crankcases are prone to shaft seal failures and may cause continuous gas leakage from compressor shaft seals.\n*Packing case vent losses are probably the most important source of natural gas emissions from a CNG stations assuming the station is well maintained. IMW equipment is designed to limit the loss of gas to extremely low levels in the range of 0.05% - 0.15% of total gas throughput.\nPakistan has demonstrated the value and merits of natural gas as a transportation fuel. To achieve maximum benefit from its CNG infrastructure, it is recommended that equipment be built and tested in accordance to best CNG practices and internationally accepted codes and standards.\nDavid S. Gamble - Director, Sales and Marketing\nIMW Industries Ltd.\n45831 Hocking Avenue\nChilliwack, British Columbia\nALLIED ENGINEERING & SERVICES LTD.\nIMW - Canada is the top CNG equipment manufacturer of the world and now being represented under Allied Engg's banner in PAKISTAN. This would be an added advantage to sell CAT G3306TA & CAT G3406NA Industrial Engines with each and every station as well, which will be coupled or driving force of IMW Compressor.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "Guinea’s gold is predominantly found in the Upper Niger basin in the Siguiri region, in the north-east of the country.\nThe country produces an annual average of 8-10 tons of gold. Its potential reserves are estimated at 700 tons.\nGold is becoming an important commodity in Guinea as international exploration funding to the country is increasing significantly – KPMG, Guinea Country Mining Guide\nSeveral companies operate industrially in Guinea to produce gold, including:\n- Guinea Gold Corporation (SAG, an AngloGold Ashanti subsidiary), which produces 350,000 ounces per annum;\n- Dinguiraye Mining Corporation (SMD), which produces 300,000 ounces per annum.\nIn addition, Wega Mining, a subsidiary of Avocet Mining, has held an operating licence since 2015. It is currently in late-stage funding for operations in Guinea.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "We all know the feeling of a pounding heart after exercising or when we're very scared or excited. But, what if it happens while you’re eating a meal or taking a nap? A racing heart can be caused by a wide range of conditions, some benign, some serious.\nBased on your age and sex, there are generally accepted ranges for \"normal\" resting heart rate. Use the tapping tool on this page and the range visualizer to get an idea of where you fall on the spectrum of \"normal\".\nIf you feel your symptoms are serious or are having a medical emergency, call a doctor immediately.\nHeart palpitations is the term doctors use to describe a strong and fast heart beat, giving pounding sensations in your chest. Unusual or erratic heart rhythms are also called arrhythmias.\nTachycardia is a rapid heart rate. It isn’t necessarily serious, and it can be treated, if necessary, depending on what is causing it.\nIt is the number of times your heart beats per minute when you have not been engaged in any activity for some time. It's the rate of you're heart when reading, sitting on the couch watching television, or eating a meal.\nResting heart rate contrasts with your heart rate during activity or exercise. It's important to not confuse the two measurements.\nNormally you'd have to count your heart beats for an entire minute, or for 30 seconds and multiply by 2, or 15 seconds and mupltiply by 4, etc. The heart rate counter on this page will do the calculations for you and give you your average heartbeat in just a few seconds.\nMeasure your heart rate after you've been inactive for a significant amount of time. 15-30 minutes should be sufficient.\nMany locations around the body where blood flow is palpable can serve as locations to check your pulse. Most commonly you can easily feel your pulse with your finger on the thumb side of your wrist. You can also put 2 fingers on the side of your neck, next to your windpipe.\nNot everyone's pulse is the same. Heart rate varies from person to person. Tracking your own heart rate can give you valuable information about your heart health, and even more importantly, changes in your heart health.\nWhat is deemed a healthy or unhealthy resting heart rate includes several factors, most notably, if you are male or female, and your age. The visualizer on this page will let you select your sex and age range to show you the spectrum of heart rate ranges for you.\nHere is a more complete of factors that can affect your heart rate:\nThe \"normal\" resting heart rate for adults is between 60 and 100 beats per minute (BPM).\nGenerally speaking, the lower your resting heart rate, the more efficiently your heart is working and is an indicator of your fitness.\nA long distance runner, for example, might have a resting heart rate around 40 beats per minute.\nA \"normal\" resting heart rate is not an indication of \"normal\" blood pressure. Your blood pressure needs to be measured separately and directly.\nThis site is intended to help the average person with a casual interest in their heart rate. It is not intended as a medical diagnosis tool. It is not a professional peer-reviewed medical product. It is not intended to replace medical doctors or consultations with certified professionals. If you are having medical concerns, a medical crisis, feel sick, are having any other medical issues, please consult a licensed professional.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "THE SHORT ANSWER IS, of course, the eucalyptus trees that cover the state from head to toe. The long answer is a history of colonization, of flora and fauna, of invasive species and attempts to resist them, of faulty research and fiscal ambitions, of public perception and eco-activist espionage.\nEuropeans first set foot for California in large numbers during the 1700s, but it wasn’t until the Gold Rush of 1849 that the population of invasive species really spiraled upwards. Prior to the Gold Rush, there were roughly 7,000 people of mixed-European descent living in the region. The 1860 census recorded 379,994 residents, with somewhere between 80 to 90 percent of those having arrived in the last decade, due to the Rush. Today, more than 38 million people live in the state.\nWhat does this have to do with eucalyptus? Well, when you look at the numbers of vegetative invasive species, their spread resembles the human statistics. According to Teisha Rowland, a biologist at the University of Colorado, there were 16 non-native species in California by the early-1800s, and the number jumped to more than 130 by 1860. Today, there are more than 1,000.\nThe unique, colorful tree quickly became popular in Europe. Credit: Pay No Mind/Flickr\nSpecimens of eucalyptus reached the Western world during the 1770s, from Australia. They were quickly quite popular. The groves growing along the Australian coast were discovered to be quality timber, especially because some variants among the species can reach more than 300 feet tall (that’s a lot of wood!). The first recorded eucalyptus planting in California was in 1853, in the Golden Gate Nursery.\nThe Gold Rush depleted much of California’s old groves (miners eventually need houses, too) and sent many businessmen in the state looking for replacements. They settled upon the eucalyptus, believing it would have a wide variety of uses — everything from basic timber to industrial oils. Newspapers commented that “there is a pretty chance to make a fortune in the growing of gum trees.” Commercial plantings of the blue gum eucalyptus began in the 1870s.\nWhat chiefly excited the entrepreneurs of the more than 100 companies that ended up planting eucalyptus was that the trees grew extremely quickly, and, once chopped down, would grow right back up without requiring a replanting — it seemed a wonder crop. A century or so later, these aspects of the eucalyptus would not seem so wondrous, but they convinced many at the time to plant the Australian tree. One notable example, Frank C. Havens, planted millions of eucalypts across 14 miles in Berkeley and Oakland.\nA photo of Frank C. Havens from Localwiki.\nPlanning to harvest the trees for lumber, perhaps for use in shipbuilding or housing, Havens quickly found out that it would all be useless. Young eucalyptus wood has very different qualities than old eucalyptus; the millions he planted could not be quickly turned into boats like the trees in Australia, which were frequently over a century old before being harvested.\nThe tragic part of his story is that he began planting in 1910, long after the first commercial ventures in the 1870s had disproven the tree as a quality source of lumber. The mills and nurseries he opened closed shop in 1914. He wasn’t the only one: The city of San Diego planted millions of the trees around the same time as Havens, and continued planting into the Roaring Twenties, planning to use the wood for railroad ties. The timber warped and broke, unusable. San Diego eventually recouped its investment by selling off the forested land as estates to Hollywood celebrities.\nCalifornian middle age — a eucalyptus in the Berkeley hills. Credit: John Andrew Rice\nThis marked the transition for the tree into its Californian middle age. Scientists during the 1800s hawked the tree as an antiseptic, deodorant, anti-spasmodic, expectorant and stimulant; also as a cure for insomnia, dysentery, tuberculosis, diphtheria, bladder infections, venereal disease and malaria. And even though it does have legitimate medicinal uses, by the end of the 1920s, Californians were coming to terms with its chief use: It looks good while it breaks wind.\n“In the reclamation of many arid plains of the central and southern parts of California the blue gum has worked almost like magic,” tobacco-heir and eucalyptus-proselytizer Abbot Kinney wrote in his book, “Eucalyptus.” “It modifies the winds, breaks the lines of view all so quickly that one can scarcely realize that a valley of clustered woods and lines of trees was but a year or two before a brown parched expanse of shadeless summer dust.”\nThis optimism for the tree continued even through the 1960s, as even the nature writer for the San Francisco Chronicle, Harold Gilliam, wrote to attest that “the Eucalyptus seems an indispensable element of this State’s landscapes, as indigenously Californian as the redwoods, the poppy fields, the long white coastal beaches, the gleaming granite of the High Sierra.”\nJared Farmer details the change in public perception in his book, “Trees in Paradise.” He posits that the deep freeze in the early-1970s first showed Californians how indestructible the trees truly were. Assumed dead, the eucalypts were set to be removed — until it was discovered that only the above ground elements of the tree had deceased. Thus the Californians learned that only repeated and regular treatments of pesticide to the roots could get rid of the eucalyptus. Cutting them down or burning them would not.\nOf course, their indestructibility was the reason they were planted in the first place, back in the 1870s. We can’t hold their selective memories against the Californians, however: something about this tree just sponsors being a step or two out of touch with reality, which may be why the National Park Service first decided to announce their intentions to destroy the trees in 1986 — on Arbor Day.\nSince then, several efforts to clear parts of the state of the invasive trees have gained momentum, before eventually derailing in the face of the enormity of the task (and its side-effects: the poison required would certainly affect other species). Some of the efforts have succeeded, but most have been curtailed. San Francisco’s Angel Island, for example, was cleared of all eucalypts — except for a 6-acre plot deemed “historic.” Given that, one wonders what exactly “history” means.\nPart of the problem in this debate is that there is confusion about the eucalyptus’ impact on the ecosystem.\nBecause the tree can be poisonous to local flora and fauna, are the eucalyptus choking out native, non-adapted species?\nDid all of the excessive leaf litter created by the trees fuel the 1991 Oakland Fire Storm?\nAre underground enviro-radicals importing destructive insects from Australia to wipe out the trees?\nEucalyptus leaf litter is particularly flammable. Credit: John Andrew Rice\nIn typical fashion, the answers for all of these questions are simultaneously yes, no and maybe — to all of them: Ecosystems are incredibly diverse, and California has many different types; the homes affected by the Oakland Fire Storm were cited by FEMA as the primary source of fuel, but eucalyptus litter is especially flammable; and who knows what sort of samizdat underground eco-activists might be distributing. One thing, however, is for sure: Something definitely smells.\nAnd it smells like Australia.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "Shares (Image credit: Pixabay) The first one is bias in the data. The Air Force's top intelligence officer warned of the dangers of using small or specific sets of data to train algorithms. A predictive model used for seeing is an individual would commit crimes again after being set free (and therefore used to extend or decrease the individualâs time in jail) shows racial bias⦠The topic of algorithmic bias is not new, and Iâll be providing some examples of several biases that are dated several years back. Most Popular. Executive Summary. (Airman 1st Class Luis A. Ruiz-Vazquez/U.S. I believe there are three root causes of bias in artificial intelligence systems. Artificial intelligence is hopelessly biased - and that's how it will stay. Over the past few years, society has started to wrestle with just how much human biases can make their way into artificial intelligence systemsâwith harmful results. Air Force) WASHINGTON â Artificial intelligence ⦠The re a son Iâm writing about this now is due to the rapid utilization of AI ⦠Tags Artificial intelligence Machine learning Bias Philosophy of artificial intelligence . Olga Russakovsky. Video. The issue is mired in complexity. By Joel Khalili 24 May 2020. Artificial intelligence tools and techniques are increasingly expanding and enriching decision support not only by coordinating diverse data sources delivery in a timely and efficient ⦠An algorithmic Jury: Using Artificial Intelligence to predict Recidivism rates.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "There are many different types of disasters, both natural and man made, which occur in various countries throughout the world. When these disasters occur, an array of management teams are mobilized to properly clean up and manage these disasters. FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency) has specific ways of dealing with different disasters.\nThe National Hurricane Program\nThe National Hurricane Program has been set up by a number of different federal management agencies, including FEMA, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association (NOAA), the National Weather Service and the United States Transportation Administration and the Army Corps of Engineers. These organizations work closely with one another during hurricane season, pinpointing where a hurricane will make land fall and what areas need to be evacuated. They also determine which roads should remain opened and be closed and where shelters need to be set up. This helps to mitigate the negative affects of a hurricane, because people are prepared for it.\nNuclear Power Plant Emergency\nAs nuclear power plants become more prevalent, so too, does the possibility of a nuclear power plant disaster. FEMA, as well as the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), have designed plans on how to deal with such a disaster. They have worked closely with local and state governments to develop emergency response plans. Each plan has two specific emergency planning zones, zone one covers the ten-mile radius around the location of the nuclear meltdown, whereas zone two covers a 50-mile radius around the location of the meltdown. This will help all the local, state and federal disaster management organizations safely screen people for radiation poisoning and treat those who have been exposed to radiation because of the disaster.\nMuch of FEMA's protection and disaster management during earthquakes is monitored and regulated by the National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program (NEHRP). Some other organizations in this multi-agency earthquake management program are the National Institute of Standards and Technology, the National Science Foundation and the U.S. Geological Survey. Because earthquakes are unpredictable, disaster management entails preparing for earthquakes to strike, knowing what fault lines are active, and locating specific buildings and neighborhoods that are more likely to suffer severe damage should an earthquake strike.\nThe RAND (Research and Development)Corporation has created the Center for Terrorism Risk Management Policy, which works closely with the office of Homeland Security to protect the country from disasters caused by a terrorist attacks. This organization assesses insurance, financial and liability risk in response to a variety of terrorist attacks. At the same time, the federal government has created an entire task force, through Homeland Security, to protect the nation's airports, borders and major cities from terrorist threats, attempts and attacks. If and when an attack occurs, these organizations, along with FEMA, will respond to control the disaster and tend to the injured, assess and investigate how the disaster occurred and determine what needs to be done to keep it from ever happening again.\n- Photo Credit car hotel disaster accident image by paul prescott from Fotolia.com\nAbout Disaster Management\nDisaster management, also known as emergency management, arose out of Cold War era Civil Defense initiatives. Since Sept. 11, 2001, businesses and...\nDisaster Management Theories\nIt seems that our world is steadily becoming more unstable and unpredictable, from terrorism, to climate change, to a possible economic collapse,...\nDefinition of Disaster Management\nDisaster managers must be confident in their function, training and capacity to ensure public safety. According to the Federal Emergency Management (FEMA),...\nHow to Treat Insect Bites on a Toddler\nYour toddler will likely experience a multitude of insect and bug bites before summer ends. Most insect bites pose no medical threat....\nWhat Are the Different Types of Natural Disasters?\nNatural disasters are events that we have no control over that can lead to environmental destruction, financial loss and/or loss of human...\nCauses & Effects of Disaster Management\nSome geographical areas are prone to certain types of national disasters. In others, large-scale accidents can occur without such natural precedent. In...\nTypes & Causes of Natural Disasters\nNatural disasters occur all around the world and range in impact. Some natural disasters barely do any damage, and others can kill...", "label": "No"}
{"text": "What is a Civil Protective Order?\nA civil Protective Order is a legal document that prohibits an individual who has victimized a spouse, intimate partner, or other member of the household by committing family violence in the past against them and who is likely to commit family violence again in the future against them from getting close to the victim and threatening, harming, and/or harassing the victim. An applicant applies for a Protective Order in Civil District Court, not Criminal Court, and it is valid for up to a two-year period. A civil Protective Order can be criminally enforced and the police can arrest an individual for violating the order. In addition, a civil Protective Order can be enforced via contempt of court and the violator can be monetarily fined.\nWhat can a Protective Order Do?\nA Protective Order may prohibit an abuser from the following:\n- Committing family violence;\n- Communicating with the victim in a threatening or harassing manner;\n- Communicating with the victim in any manner, including emails, text messages, and communication through third parties;\n- Coming within a specified distance of the victim’s residence;\n- Coming within a specified distance of feet of the victim’s place of employment;\n- Encumbering or disposing of mutually owned property;\n- If children are included in the protective order, coming within two hundred (200) feet of the child’s school and/or daycare;\n- Possessing a firearm or ammunition.\nNote, this is not an all-inclusive list but highlights some of the prohibitions that can be put in place via a civil Protective Order.\n***Please note, a Protective Order can only deter someone from committing future family violence and punish those who violate a protective order, but a protective order cannot prevent family violence from occuring.\nWho is eligible to apply for a Protective Order?\nAn individual is eligible to apply for a civil protective order if he or she has been a victim of family violence or dating violence committed by a family member or someone whom they have had a dating relationship with, and if their abuser is likely to be violent against them in the future. Both parties must be living in separate residences at the time of filing the Protective Order in District Court.\n“Dating Violence” and “Family Violence” are defined in the Family Code as:\n- An act intended to result in physical harm, bodily injury, assault, or sexual assault, or\n- A threat that places you in fear of eminent physical harm, bodily injury, assault or sexual assault\nNote: Acts done to protect and defend yourself from your abuser are not acts of family violence.\nA “family member”, for purposes of obtaining a Protective Order, is someone who:\n- The victim has had a relationship through marriage or blood (this includes past relationships), or\n- An individual that lives in the same home or that has lived in the same home with the victim, or\n- An individual whom the victim has had children with\nA “dating relationship”, for purposes of obtaining a Protective Order, is between individuals who have had a continuing intimate/romantic relationship\nCan children be included in a Civil Protective Order?\nDepending on the facts of the case and the severity of the abuse towards the applicant and the children, children may be included in a civil Protective Order. The Court may make orders with regard to child visitation whether or not the children are included in the Protective Order if the applicant and the respondent have minor children together.\nFor minor victims of domestic violence, an adult can file a Protective Order on behalf of the minor child.\nHow long does a Protective Order last?\nA civil Protective Order can be put in place for a period of up to two (2) years.\nWho can lift a Protective Order?\nOnce a Protective Order has been signed by a District Court Judge, only the District Court Judge can lift the constraints and prohibitions or modify the term of the Protective Order. Even if the victim voluntarily returns to the respondent and resumes a relationship, if there is a protective order in place, the respondent will be in violation of the terms of the Order.\nWhat is the difference between a Protective Order and a Magistrate’s Order for Emergency Protection or a No-Contact Order?\nA Protective Order is a civil remedy, ordered by a District Court Judge. A civil Protective Order is independent of any criminal charges that may or may not be pending with regard to the family violence. A Magistrate’s Order for Emergency Protection (MOEP) and a No-Contact Order are remedies utilized by the Criminal Courts to temporarily protect the victim. MOEPs generally have a length of sixty to ninety days only.\nWhat is the difference between a Protective Order and a Restraining Order?\nA Restraining Order, although a civil remedy, is primarily designed to maintain the status quo between litigating parties in divorce and custody cases and focuses on restraining disparaging and alarming behavior and restraining detrimental action towards property and assets. It can only be enforced through a civil contempt of court action; whereas, a civil Protective Order is issued as a result of a finding of family violence and is both criminally and civilly enforceable.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "Heart attack patients in the U.S. are far more likely to receive a blood transfusion than patients in other countries with the very same condition, but the outcome of their treatment is no better, according to Duke University Medical Center researchers.\nThe team examined almost 24,000 records of patients in 27 countries who suffered a certain type of heart attack, and found that non-U.S. patients were 80 percent less likely to get a transfusion when undergoing non-invasive treatments, 70 percent less likely to get blood when having an invasive procedure and 60 percent less likely to undergo transfusion as a result of coronary bypass surgery – a difficult and bloody procedure where transfusion rates might be expected to be similar.\n\"This is interesting because the data also show that patients do pretty much the same, whether they get a transfusion or not,\" says Dr. Sunil Rao, a cardiologist at Duke and the lead author of the study. \"We have to conclude that some of us are doing too many transfusions or others are doing too few.\" Rao says clinical guidelines aren't clear enough to help them figure out which approach is best.\nThe study, published in the January 1 issue of the American Journal of Cardiology, comes at a time when increasing evidence suggests transfusions may not only be unnecessary but may actually be harmful to some patients. In earlier studies, Duke scientists found that heart attack patients with hematocrit above 25 (hematocrit is a measure of the supply of oxygen-carrying red blood cells) were more likely to have a second heart attack and were four times more likely to die within a month if they got transfusions.\nRao says most American physicians are trained to prescribe a transfusion when a cardiac patient's hematocrit falls below 30.\n\"But that's not based on good science,\" says Rao. \"The first successful blood transfusion was done decades ago, and yet we still haven't conducted the randomized, prospective clinical trials we need to do in order to find out which cardiac patients should get transfusions, and when they should get them.\"\nRao says there's no doubt some transfusions are necessary. In extreme cases, for example, where patients undergo massive blood loss or become severely anemic, transfusion can save lives. But he feels physicians often rush to prescribe the procedure when it may not be needed. \"We believe the body can automatically respond to lower hematocrit levels by manufacturing more red blood cells. We need to allow time for that to happen.\"\nResearchers aren't sure why transfusions might hurt some patients. Recent research by Duke's Jonathan Stamler found that banked blood quickly loses nitric oxide, a chemical important in the transfer of oxygen from red blood cells to the tissues that need it.\n\"It's not surprising that outcomes are not better for heart attack patients who get transfusions,\" says Stamler. \"But they should be. The problem lies with the quality of banked blood. We need to correct that, and then do more studies.\"\n\"There is too much confusion and controversy over blood transfusions today,\" says Rao. \"It is amazing to me that in 2007, we don't know how to appropriately prescribe transfusion. Blood is a national resource donated by the public. We need to be accountable to the public and to our patients as well.\"\nThe study was funded by the Duke Clinical Research Institute.\nColleagues who contributed to the study include senior author Robert Harrington, director of DCRI; Christopher Granger, Kristin Newby and Jie-Lena Sun, also of DCRI; Robert Califf, director of the Duke Translational Medicine Institute, Karen Chiswell, North Carolina State University; Frans Van de Werf, Universitaire Ziekenhuizen Leuven; Harvey White, Auckland City Hospital; and Paul Armstrong, University of Alberta.\nCite This Page:", "label": "No"}
{"text": "Below are the basic steps on how to draw or create a circle in Adobe Illustrator.\n1. Open a New Document by clicking on “File” > “New“.\n2. Supply the necessary size and details for your new document. Click “Create“.\n3. After creating the new document and Artboard, click on the “Ellipse Tool” located in the side toolbar.\n4. A popup window will appear when you click on the artboard after selecting the “Ellipse Tool“. Supply the circle Width and Height. To make the circle proportional click on the constraint button in the middle right part of the window.\n5. Back in your document, click anywhere on your artboard. You will notice that a circle/ ellipse shape has been drawn automatically.\n6. You can resize your circle by opening the Transform Panel by pressing “Window” > “Transform“. Once the Transform Panel has been opened, change the value in the Width and Height field.\n7. To change the color of your shape or the stroke, select the circle that you want to change and go to the upper toolbox and find the color palette tool.\n8. Choose the color of the shape and stroke as well as the stroke design and thickness according to your preference.\n9. After changing the stroke and colour settings, you can now add as many ellipses as you like.\n10. Save your document.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "|My History Textbook... and the cat.... :/ This really|\nhas nothing to do with this post besides the history\ntextbook.... so there you go.\nThroughout History China and Japan have taken very different approaches to various cultural political and economic trends. Both China and Japan have strong cultural and religious roots. Religion was pertinent to their governing, fighting, and everyday living. Their cultural ancestors and traditions have always, and continue to be vital to their individual and national identities. But how China and Japan used and treated their culture versus a western one was drastically different.\nAs demonstrated in Primary Source Boxer Propaganda, the Boxer uprising exemplifies many of the Chinese people’s desire to have western influence out of China. The Boxers pushed Europeans, and their influences out, forcing the government to come alongside them. They killed European missionaries and Chinese Christian converts as well as anyone who continued to follow western practices or anyone who helped westerners and Christians escape persecution.\nIn stark contrast the Japanese were more open to missionaries and western schools of thought, thought they were not totally sold out on the principles at first. They sought to analyze the pros and cons of Western philosophy and really look at the modern evidence to decide what to follow and who to trust, before making rash decisions.\nFor the most part the Chinese government did not see the western world or their ways as a big threat. Rather they focused their energies on suppressing internal revolutions, which continued to rise up; the peasants sensed change was needed, they simply never knew whom exactly to blame or what would really change their circumstances. Usually both uprising and suppressions came back to the Chinese ideal of going back to the basics, to what worked in past Chinese societies; but one key point China did not realize, was the world was changing. What worked in the past, was simply not sufficient for the quickly modernizing world.\nWhile China refused contact with the western world, Japan studied their tactics. The Japanese sought to introduce a careful balance of Japanese culture and western tactics. Japan realized what China did not- to survive they must change their ways. One of the most important innovations the Japanese government instituted was the westernization of their military. This made them a military power to be reckoned with. While the Chinese were still trying to suppress the calls for change, the Japanese put the call for change into action.\nThis is not to say that none of the Chinese agreed with western principles. In fact merchants loved trading with western entities because of the silver and opium they could obtain, and the significant business that westerners maintained for their commodities. The Chinese government did it’s best to put a stop to this trading, but to no significant avail. There suppressions and regulations only raised more resentment in the Chinese people towards their government.\nUltimately Japan would institute important European economic, military, and ruling tactics, while keeping their cultural identity and heritage successfully. Contrarily, China would focus on suppressing it’s own people, not realizing the dangers of the western world if they did not revolutionize their ways until it was too late. China and Japan both loved their past culture and heritage but they used and treated this culture quite differently in relation to western influences.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "Explanatory Notes on Main Statistical Indicators\nSaving Deposits of Urban and Rural Residents refer to the total value of savings deposits of urban and rural households in banks and rural credit cooperatives at a given point of time, including the saving deposits of urban residents and the saving deposits of rural residents. The cash in hand by residents and the deposits of organizations such as enterprises, military units, government agencies, institutions, etc. are not included.\nEmployed Population in Urban (Town) Households refers to urban (town) residents engaged in certain work and receiving payment for their labor or income from their business operation, including those who work in state-owned or collective units and other various economic units; the owners and employees of urban private enterprises, reemployed retirees and other employed persons. This index indicates the employment condition of the urban residents, which is the key indicator for calculating employment rate and dependency ratio.\nTotal Income of Urban (Town) Households refers to the sum of wage and salary, net business income, income from properties, and income from transfers of members of the households under survey who live together during the period of survey, excluding income from selling of properties and income from borrowings.\nDisposable Income of Urban (Town) Households refers to the actual income at the disposal of members of the surveyed households which can be used for final consumption, other non-compulsory expenditure and savings. This equals to total income minus income tax, personal contribution to social security and sample household subsidy for keeping dairies. Following formula is used:\nDisposable income = total household income - individual income tax - personal contribution to social security\n–sample household subsidy for keeping dairies\nTotal expenditure of Urban (Town) Households refers to total actual expenditure of households apart from the loan expenditure, including consuming expenditure, property expenditure, transferred expenditure, social security expenditure and housing expenditure.\nConsumption Expenditure of Urban (Town) Households refers to total expenditure of the sample households for consumption in daily life, including expenditure on eight categories such as food, clothing, household appliances and services, health care and medical services, transport and communications, recreation, education and cultural services, housing, miscellaneous goods and services.\nExpenditure of Urban (Town) Households on Consumption of Services refers to expenditure of households on non-commodity services of various kinds provided by the society, including the payment service for other people. Service consumption is different from commodity consumption. Services are offered and consumed at the same time and place. This is a derivative indicator, which is derived from the percentage of the service consumption expenditure in other expenditures such as grain and products, food processing service, dining out, clothing processing service, household service, medical service, transporting vehicle service, transit, telecommunication service, education, cultural and entertainment service, tuition fees, housing rent, interior decoration, residential service and other services.\nUrban (Town) Households by Income Group All households in the sample are grouped, by per capita disposable income of the household, into groups of lowest income, low income, lower middle income, middle income, upper middle income, high income and highest income, each group consisting of 10%, 10%, 20%, 20%, 20%, 10% and 10% of all households respectively. The lowest 5% of households are also referred to as poor households.\nEngel Coefficient refers to the percentage of expenditure on food in the total consumption expenditure, using the following formula:\nEngel Coefficient = (expenditure on food / total consumption expenditure) x 100%\nFull/Semi Labor Force Full labor force refers to persons capable of work, aged 18-50 for males and 18-45 for females. Semi labor force refers to persons capable of work, aged 16-17 and 51-60 for males and 16-17 and 46-55 for females. Persons at their working ages but not capable of work are not to be included as labor force. Persons not at working ages but participating regularly in work are included in semi labor force. For staff and workers as resident population of the household, they are included as full or semi labor force of the household if they are in the labor force.\nTotal Income of Rural Households refers to the sum of income earned from various sources by the rural households and their members during the reference period, and is classified as income from wages and salaries, income from household operations, income from properties and income from transfers.\nCash Income of Rural Households refers to income received by rural households and their members in the form of cash during the reference period. It is classified, by source of income, into income from wages and salaries, cash income from household operations, income from properties and income from transfers.\nNet Income of Rural Households refers to the total income of rural households from all sources minus all corresponding expenses. The formula for calculation is as follows:\nNet income = total income –household operation expenses – taxes and fees paid – depreciation of fixed assets for production\n– subsidy for participating in household survey – gifts to rural relatives\nNet income is mainly used as input for reproduction and as consumption expenditure of the year, and also used for savings and non-compulsory expenses of various forms. “Per capita net income of farmers” is the level of net income averaged by population which reflects the average income level of rural households in a given area.\nTotal Expenditure of Rural Households refers to total expenses of rural households on production, consumption and redistribution, including expenditure on household operations, on purchase of productive fixed assets, depreciation of productive fixed assets, taxes and fees, expenses on household consumption, expenses on properties and expenses on transfers.\nExpenditure on Household Consumption of Rural Households refers to expenditure by rural households on their material and cultural life, including expenditure on food; clothing; housing; household appliances, articles and services; health and medical service; transportation and communications; articles and services on culture, education and recreation; and other goods and services.\nCash Expenditure of Rural Households refers to cash expenditure by rural households for production, consumption and redistribution during the reference period, including cash expenses on household operations, taxes and fees, purchase of productive fixed assets, household consumption, and expenses on properties and transfers.\nConsumer Price Index reflects the relative change in prices of consumer goods and services in a certain period of time, Formation of consumer price index aims to study the impact of consumer price changes on the actual living cost of urban and rural residents and to provide scientific basis for central government and relevant departments in drawing up consumer up consumer policy, price policy, wage policy and monetary policy and in accounting the nation economy. It is also a key index reflecting the fluctuation of inflation.\nRetail Price Index refers to the prices at which industrial, commercial, catering and other retail enterprises sell daily consumer goods and products for office use to urban and rural residents and institutions and social organizations. It reflects the general change in prices of retail commodities in a certain period of time. Formation of retail price index aims to keep abreast of price fluctuation of retail commodities and provide the reference basis for the central government in working out economic policies.\nProducer Price Indices for Farm Products reflect the trend and degree of changes in producers’ prices received by farmers when they sell farm products during a given period. These indices depict the change in the level and struture of producer prices for farm products of the country and meet the needs of agricultural statistics and national accounts statistics. The producer price index for a given product is calculated as the geometrical mean of individual indices for all surveyed units which sell such product, and the indices for a product category is obtained as the weighted mean of price indices for all products in the category. Method for calculating accumulative quarterly indices is the same as for calculating the individual quarterly indices.\nProducer Price Index formerly Industrial Product Price Index, is a statistic indicator reflecting the fluctuating tendency and extent of the price of manufactured goods. It is a relative ratio of the average price fluctuation of manufactured goods in different times and places. The price of manufactured goods includes the factory price of the manufactured goods at the first sale and the price of the raw materials, fuel and power purchased by the enterprises as intermediate input, which is an important basis for national economic accounting and economic administration.\nPrice Indices of Investment in Fixed Assets is a relative ratio reflecting the trend and degree of changes in prices of investment goods and charging projects in fixed assets of various engineering projects during a given period. This indicator is used to remove the factor of price change in the aggregates of investment at current prices.\nPrice Index of Residential Real\nEstate Sales is a relative\nratio reflecting the general trend and variation degrees of the sales price of\nthe residential real estate. This index of", "label": "No"}
{"text": "Typically some time around six months of age, your baby's first tooth will erupt. While you may not be able to predict the exact moment of this first tooth's grand appearance, there are a few (somewhat unpleasant) signs that a tooth is on its way. Teething is different for each baby, but most will experience some, if not all, of the following teething symptoms:\nSwollen gums. Almost every baby will experience swollen gums to one degree or another. As a new tooth begins to erupt, the surrounding area will become swollen and tender.\nDrooling. It's amazing how much drool can come out of such a tiny baby! Teething will most likely cause your little one to produce copious amounts of saliva - even months in advance of that first tooth.\nSkin rash. A rash on your baby's face or chin is nothing to worry about - it's usually caused by excessive drooling (above). Try to wipe off the drool as it occurs, but if your baby already has chapped skin, simply moisturize the area until it heals.\nPain. For some babies, teething is a very painful experience, while others seem to breeze right through it. Most babies do, however, experience some degree of pain - and express that pain through crying and irritability.\nIrritability. You guessed it - your baby's teething discomfort will probably make her feel crabby and irritable. For some babies, this passes quickly; for others, it can last up to weeks at a time.\nChewing. Babies learn pretty quickly that counter pressure relieves the discomfort of teething. When your baby starts teething, there's a good chance he'll grab whatever he can find - from teething rings to his own fingers - and start gnawing away.\nLow-grade fever. Swollen gums can sometimes lead to a low-grade fever, that is one which is less than 101° F. Treat it as you would any other low-grade fever, and call your pediatrician if it lasts more than three days or if it goes over 101° F.\nLoss of appetite. The suction generated by drinking from bottle or breast may be uncomfortable for teething babies, so they may be reluctant to eat. Even babies who have graduated to solids may start shunning their meals. Call your pediatrician if your child misses more than a couple feedings.\nSleep problems. If your little one is uncomfortable during the day, there's a good chance he will be during the night as well. Babies are known for waking up during the night when teething (even if they've been sleeping through the night for months).", "label": "No"}
{"text": "Chicago Crime, 1900 To 1910\nIn the first ten years of the twentieth century, the good and the bad of Europe poured into Chicago by the thousands, bringing with them their historic customs and hatreds, their feuds and vendettas and their characteristic methods of revenge and reprisal. In addition to German and Irish, of all American cities, Chicago had the largest number of Poles, Swedes, Norwegians, Danes, Bohemians, Dutch, Croatians, Slovakians, Lithuanians and Greeks.\nAs in previous boom eras, the underworld more than kept pace with other phases of municipal expansion. Powerful gambling syndicates, open brothels, the appearance of the Black Hand extortionists and the development of criminal gangs of young boys and men made Chicago a very dangerous place to live. While it was lauded for it’s financial institutions, parks and school systems, it was also noted for crime, political corruption and an inefficient and corrupt Police Department.\nIn one six month period of 1906, there was a burglary every three hours, a hold-up every six hours and a murder every day. Bands of thugs prowled the streets from dusk to dawn, robbing, beating and sometimes stripping their victims, tying them to a lamp post and cut shallow slits in their flesh with razors.\nWomen were afraid to leave their homes, even in broad daylight. Thugs would pursue them unafraid, drag them into alleys and rape them. A Board of Education member said (in part) in the Chicago Tribune, “Hunting women and hitting them on the head with a piece of pipe seems to be the favorite sport of Chicago men.”\nMayor Carter Harrison seriously suggested that if citizens left the shelter of their homes at night, that they “might carry revolvers strapped outside their clothing.”\nThe Chicago Tribune declared that “a reign of terror is upon the city…..No city in time of peace ever held so high a place in the category of crime-ridden, terrorized murder-breeding cities as held by Chicago.”\nFrom “Chicago, Gem of the Prairie by Herbert Asbury, published 1940", "label": "No"}
{"text": "EWG’s Dirty Dozen Guide to Food Additives: Generally Recognized as Safe – But is it?\nThe government classifies some additives as “Generally Recognized as Safe” or GRAS. They are presumed to be safe in food and are not required to undergo pre-market review and approval. This system makes sense for benign additives such as pepper and basil, but there are enormous loopholes that allow additives of questionable safety to be listed as GRAS. Manufacturers can decide whether these compounds are safe without any oversight by the Food and Drug Administration – and in some cases obtain GRAS status without telling the FDA at all.\nIt’s hard to believe that propyl paraben, an endocrine-disrupting chemical, is allowed in food, and even harder to believe that it’s “Generally Recognized as Safe.” Studies found that rats fed the FDA's maximum limit for propyl paraben in food had decreased sperm counts. At this dose researchers also noted small decreases in testosterone, which become significant with higher exposures (Oishi 2002).\nPropyl paraben acts as a weak synthetic estrogen (Routledge 1998; Kim 2011; Vo 2011). It can alter the expression of genes, including those in breast cancer cells (Terasaka 2006; Wróbel 2014). Propyl paraben has been reported to accelerate the growth of breast cancer cells (Okubo 2001). And a recent study by scientists at the Harvard School of Public Health linked propyl paraben to impaired fertility in women (Smith 2013).\nPropyl paraben is used as a preservative in foods such as tortillas, muffins and food dyes. People can be exposed to it either as a direct additive or as result of contamination during food processing and packaging. Tests done on samples collected from 2008 to 2012 found propyl paraben in more than half of them, including beverages, dairy products, meat and vegetables (Liao 2013). In a federal study, 91 percent of Americans tested had detectable levels of propyl paraben in their urine (Calafat 2010).\nWhat you should doCheck product labels for propyl paraben and avoid it. Tell food companies that hormone-disrupting chemicals should not be allowed in food. Use EWG’s Food Scores to find foods without propyl paraben.\nThe FDA considers the preservative butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA) to be a GRAS additive – even though the National Toxicology Program classifies it as “reasonably anticipated to be a human carcinogen,” the international cancer agency categorizes it as a possible human carcinogen, and it’s listed as a known carcinogen under California’s Proposition 65 (NTP 2011; IARC 1986; OEHHA 2014). These designations are based on consistent evidence that BHA causes tumors in animals, although there is debate about whether these findings are relevant to humans.\nThe European Union classifies BHA as an endocrine disruptor. At higher doses, it can lower testosterone and the thyroid hormone thyroxin and adversely affect sperm quality and the sex organs of rats (Jeong 2005). One study reported that female rats given lower doses had a decrease in uterine weight, which may result from effects on estrogen metabolism (Kang 2005; Zhu 1997). Other studies found developmental effects such as decreased growth and increased mortality in rats that had not been weaned, and behavioral effects after weaning (EFSA 2011a; Vorhees 1981a).\nWhat you should doLook for BHA on product labels and avoid it. Use EWG’s Food Scores to find foods without butylated hydroxyanisole.\nButylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) is a chemical cousin to BHA that is also listed as “generally recognized as safe.” It, too, is added to food as a preservative. The two compounds act synergistically and are often used together.\nBHT is not a listed carcinogen, but some data have shown that it does cause cancer in animals. Rats fed BHT have developed lung and liver tumors (EFSA 2012). BHT has also been shown to cause developmental effects and thyroid changes in animals, suggesting that it may be able to disrupt endocrine signaling (EFSA 2012). A neurobehavioral study of rats exposed to BHT throughout development described effects on motor skills and coordination before the animals were weaned (Vorhees 1981b).\nPropyl gallate is used as a preservative in products that contain edible fats, such as sausage and lard. It is classified as GRAS even though a National Toxicology Program study reported an association with tumors in male rats and rare brain tumors in two female rats (NTP 1982). These findings do not establish a causal link between propyl gallate and cancer, but they raise important questions about whether this chemical should be considered safe. A 2014 opinion by the European Food Safety Authority concluded that the available reproductive studies on propyl gallate are outdated and poorly described. In addition, there is incomplete data on whether propyl gallate is an endocrine disruptor; some evidence suggests it may have estrogenic activity (EFSA 2014; Amadasi 2009; ter Veld 2006).\nWhat you should doBe cautious. Check labels for propyl gallate and consider avoiding it. Use EWG’s Food Scores to find foods without propyl gallate.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "Did you know that nearly 15% of global greenhouse gas emissions* come from livestock? Or that cattle raised for beef, milk, and other products account for about 65% of livestock emissions?\nThese numbers point to an enormous problem, but also suggest that one small change–eating less meat, and in particular, less beef–could dramatically reduce greenhouse gas emissions, which cause rapid climate change that threatens people’s lives, livelihoods, and property, especially among the world’s most vulnerable.\nIn fact, research published this summer shows that, if everyone in the United States simply substituted beans instead of beef on our plates, we could meet 46-74% of the greenhouse reductions we pledged to achieve by 2020, and free up over 40% of our cropland! Thus, meaningful improvements in dietary sustainability don’t have to take the form of all-out vegetarianism or veganism.\nIn addition to swapping beans for beef, consider designating one or more “meatless” days every week, or limiting the amount of meat you consume on any given day. Start by building your list of hearty vegetarian recipes that can be part of your routine diet. That way, you’ll always have something at hand, and practicing good environmental stewardship will become second nature.\nThis is one change that each of us can make that has the potential to have a huge impact.\n* In terms of carbon dioxide equivalent. (Many gases, such as methane and nitrous oxide, are even more effective than carbon dioxide at trapping heat and causing a “greenhouse effect”. To account for these differences and enable comparisons of different activities’ greenhouse impacts, the amounts of greenhouse gases emitted are converted to units of carbon dioxide equivalence.)", "label": "No"}
{"text": "Thursday 21st January 2021\nHere are your activities for today – Thursday 21st January.\nPhonics: Log on to Phonics hero https://phonicshero.com/ and complete the next activity.\nYesterday we watched this video and reviewed the sound oo, ue, u_e\nWatch this once more to recap, focusing on the words spelt with the split digraph u_e. Can you add sound buttons to these words? flute, spruce, plume, rule, rude, brute. Write a sentence using these words – For example – June plays the flute.\nGPS: Adding y to words ending in e. See PDF for activity. Our spelling words this week are - every, everyone, everybody, blue, blew.\nGuided Reading: Log on to Purple Mash and read Chapter four of ‘Magic in the Moonlight’ Complete the 2do.\nMaths: Today we will continue to make equal groups. Watch this video which will take you though some examples and then complete the worksheet. You can write out your answers you do not need to print out your sheet. Remember to attempt the Flashback questions first. Watch this video.\nTopic: PHSE: WALT recognise that not everyone feels the same at the same time or about the same things - Read the PDF about the athlete Dick Fosbury, who pioneered the ‘Fosbury Flop’ style of high jumping. Research a famous sportsperson who inspires you. Write about why they became famous and any difficulties they had to overcome.\nTopic: Science: WALT Find out how the shapes of solid objects made from some materials can be changed by squashing, bending, twisting and stretching - Watch this lesson and complete the tasks - Use balls of clay or dough to explore how their shape can be changed by rolling, twisting, cutting and stretching. Take pictures and write about the changes that have happened. Describe how some objects and materials can be changed and how these changes can be desirable or undesirable.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "The government of Japan plans to provide drivers with disaster information straight to their cars by making use of Japan’s Quasi-Zenith Satellite System (QZSS). The proposed software aims to improve the country’s disaster preparedness such as in the case of similar events to the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami. The proposed system utilizes Michibiki satellites and has an advantage over other communication infrastructure due to its higher chance of surviving damages during disasters. The government has tested the software in November 2017 in the Wakayama and Kochi prefectures and it is expected to first be officially introduced in Tokyo during the 2018 fiscal year.\nDue to its vulnerable location, Japan has been severely and repeatedly affected by natural disasters over the years. For example, in 2011 the Tohoku earthquake that figured 9.1 on the Richter magnitude scale and the subsequent tsunami it triggered caused great human and material losses and extensive and severe structural damage to the country. One of the issues encountered by Japanese authorities during the disaster was the difficulty in swiftly providing crucial information to those people who were inside vehicles during the earthquake and tsunami.\nBy planning to install this new software, the Japanese government hopes to improve the country’s disaster preparedness for the future. The government plans to cooperate with private companies in order to install the software in the navigation systems of the cars.\nThe Michibiki satellites are part of QZSS which was initially built to complement the Global Positioning System (GPS) and to increase the availability of GPS in mountainous and urban regions in Japan. Compared to other communication infrastructure such as mobile phone networks, the satellites are advantageous in that they are less likely to be damaged or destroyed in disasters.\nIn addition to this, the Japanese government also considers introducing a safety confirmation system based on satellites. This service would allow people to confirm the safety of their family and friends once their names and information have been input at evacuation shelters. The system will first be introduced on a trial basis in five municipal governments during 2018 and it will subsequently be expanded to twenty regions by 2021.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "Read, Write, Breath and Love\nA Revolutionary Summer (ARS) is an intensive critical reading and writing program dedicated to shifting harmful narratives about Black women and girls through art, literature and self-inquiry.\nFor eight Sundays in the summer, up to 20 “daughters” gather to discuss and experience the creative works of consequential Black women artists. They do so under the guidance of authors, community activists and teachers. Workshops begin at noon and end at 4PM. Each session concludes with a yoga class. Light snacks and refreshments are provided (though full plant-based meals are on our wish list). Daughters are gifted personal libraries, iTunes gift cards, and a month's subscription to Netflix (for access to the music and films we study). They are encouraged to participate in the end-of-program presentation. In years past, they’ve published their original writing in ARS’s online literary journal, recited their work at a public reading, and performed Ntozake Shange’s for colored girls who have considered suicide/ when the rainbow is enuf. This year they will perform excerpts from the anthology I Dream a World: Portraits of Black Women Who Changed America.\nAuthentic Stories and the Space to Be\nA Revolutionary Summer’s mission is to present Black girls with authentic representations of themselves and to simultaneously convince them that they are more than those representations. That’s a tricky feat—to demonstrate both the power and limitations of story.\nIn June of 2017, the Center on Poverty and Inequality at Georgetown Law published the first study focused on the “adultification” of Black girls. The study, Girlhood Interrupted: The Erasure of Black Girls’ Childhood reveals data indicating significant bias toward Black girls. A snapshot of the findings appears on the report’s executive summary page and notes the following adult perceptions of Black girls:\nBlack girls need less nurturing.\nBlack girls need less protection.\nBlack girls need to be supported less.\nBlack girls are more independent.\nBlack girls know more about adult topics.\nBlack girls know more about sex.\nThe report goes on to link these perceptions to disproportionate rates of punitive action and disparate treatment in public systems like education and juvenile justice. These findings are devastating. ARS might feel hopeless were we charged with tackling these systems. We don’t feel hopeless, however, when charged with supporting Black girls with resources, tools, and mechanisms for navigating them. We certainly don't feel helpless knowing we can provide respite from their everyday battles.\nBlack women authors and artists do a tremendous job of telling the truth about Black existence, and because we know the power of story, we believe part of our duty is to ensure Black girls have ready access to authentic tales about themselves. This is why to date revolutionary daughters have read over 30 carefully selected books. But over time we’ve discovered that any story—constructive or injurious—requires defense. To believe you deserve novels and paintings and albums that reflect your experiences compels the fingers to gather into fists. Don’t get us wrong: there is no more noble fight. But it is equally as important to us that Black girls have a space to just be the baby bit of the universe that they are. They need the space to examine their small, capable hands holding a book; the space to curl their toes upward, toward the sun; the space to inhale and to exhale; the space to connect with all the world’s other trying beings—plants and animals and men and women with much different stories.\nSpaces that honor the difficult, complex nature of trying to both live within your story and beyond it can be hard to find. A Revolutionary Summer uses literature, art, yoga, mindfulness, deconstruction of thought and self-love strategies to create, hold and honor this space.\nARS is run by a small team of Black women who not only understand the power and limitations of story but have depended on art, literature, mindfulness and self-inquiry to unearth and destroy stories that do not serve them and to cultivate those that do.\nAndria Cole directs A Revolutionary Summer, but it would not exist without the support of coordinators Arnie Better, Shamoyia Gardiner, Nicole Karikari and Nichelle Calhoun. Bilphena Yahwon and Barbara Sherrod lead our teacher team.\nWhat a Summer Costs\nPer daughter, A Revolutionary Summer costs:\n$400 stipend (daughters are responsible for raising the additional $100)\n$135 books + media subscriptions\n$170 food + drinks\n$455 performance (costumes, venue, royalties, etc.)\n$75 team building retreat (this year, we're taking a trip to Virginia)\n$200 guest speakers and authors\n$140 workshop venue & learning supplies\n$180 across-the-seasons activities\nHelp Make ARS 2018 a Possibility\nA Revolutionary Summer exists because of the people. Each year we welcome and are sustained by hundreds of individual donations. We are honored by every single contribution—those that make us clutch our pearls and those that make us nod Amen. We are also emboldened by the support; it has pushed us to think bigger. In years past, for instance, we did not offer a stipend. Now we're just crazy enough to think we can give daughters a little green appreciation. We've also challenged ourselves to create an excellent end-of-program presentation—a meaningful, visually stunning demonstration of the beautiful ideas our daughters earn, replete with costumes, set and a passionate director.\nYou can help guarantee that A Revolutionary Summer 2018 provides rigorous reading and writing workshops, publishes a gorgeous literary journal issue, produces a top-notch play, and feeds our daughters good things to eat by making a contribution that matches your heart and budget.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "Why? When we work under so much control, we can’t develop our own stories. And happiness at work (whether in an orchestra or in an office) \"does not come from only (the leader's) own story. The joy comes from enabling other people’s stories to be heard at the same time.\"\nTalgam tells of another conductor who says, \"the worst damage I can do to my orchestra is give them clear instructions because that would prevent the ensemble, the listening to each other.”\nHow do leaders give clear instructions, but not so clear that they stifle their employees' development and commitment?\nBy ensuring the outcome he desires is clear, that his employees are trained and skilled enough to reach that outcome, and then by trusting and celebrating the way those employees choose to get there. At the very end of Talgam's talk, he presents a conductor who makes none of the typical conductor movements with his hands. He merely watches his orchestra play, his broad smile evidencing his pure enjoyment of their playing.\nTalgam tells us, \"do without doing.\"", "label": "No"}
{"text": "Accounts Payable definition - this is a listing of accounts in which money is owed to specific companies, vendors or individuals for products or services that have been purchased on credit. Accounts payables are usually an item that will be paid for in a relatively short period of time, less than one year.\nIf a company’s business is growing, it’s reasonable to expect its accounts payable, to grow in line with it's projected growth. But if accounts payable rise significantly more than a measure of its overall business activity, such as sales, it should be looked at.\nThere are various reasons for a disproportionate rise in accounts payable. Perhaps the company anticipates a supply shortage or a price increase for some component or raw material, and it has increased its inventory to protect itself. But this could also signal trouble.\nFailure to pay its debts on time may damage the company’s credit rating, which may mean it will be charged undesireable interest rates when it needs to borrow. In extreme cases, it can bring a company to the bankrupcy.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "About six out of every 10 children under the age of 5 in the U.S. attend some form of out-of-home care, says guest parenting expert Laura Jana, MD. For many families, the important issue of how their child’s caregivers handle potty training can make all the difference.\nPositive peer pressure from seeing friends who are already potty trained use the potty, combined with supportive caregivers, can sometimes provide the incentive for a reluctant child to potty train when he hasn’t mastered that ability with parental efforts alone.\nJana owns a child care center herself, and she explains that many centers have licensing requirements they must follow. These requirements often mandate that kids who are not potty trained must be in classrooms that have a changing table. That, and mandatory staff-to-student ratios, often provide the background reasoning for why many centers don’t let kids move up to the “preschool room” until they are potty trained.\nAsk your caregiver these questions:\n- How do you handle bathroom safety?\n- What are your hygiene practices?\n- How do you respond to a child who has a potty accident?\nOne mother recalls that her son, now almost 3 years old, had a tough time with a difficult teacher at his day care. Urinating in the toilet posed no problem by the time he was a little over 2 years old, but he was still having poop accidents until he was 29 months old. In order to encourage her son to potty train for bowel movements, they used no diapers or training pants. One teacher got angry with her son when he pooped his pants, leaving the boy so afraid of her that he would try to hold in his bowel movements whenever she was present.\nShe notes that her son’s center now has a “young 3s” class where they work on potty training with a substantial group of 3-year-olds who are not yet trained.\nWhat have been your experiences with potty training in day care situations? Has day care potty training been helpful to your child or not?", "label": "No"}
{"text": "This wiki has a total of 20,880 content pages. The vast majority are accounted for in the language categories listed in the chart above.\n- Lists of wikis in many languages\n- List of Wikisources, for Wikisources with their own separate subdomains (at Meta).\n- List of Wikipedias (at Meta).\n- Special language lists\n- Category:Multilingual contains a small collection of 52 texts where the same text appears in several languages on the same page, or where a single page lists parallel texts in many languages.\n- Category:Classical and historical languages for classical and historical languages whose texts appear at this wiki.\n- Category:Constructed languages for consciously contructed languages whose texts appear at this wiki.\n- Category:Languages with subdomains lists material at this wiki in languages already have extant subdomains. This material and these categories need to be moved to the subdomain in the appropriate language and removed from this wiki. The exception is material kept here because it is in the public domain in the United States but not in its home country.\n- As a rule, these languages do not have their own separate subdomains. In individual cases subdomains exist, but they have been frozen due to inactivity. In these cases activity has returned to a local main page here at this wiki.\n- Ideally the name of the category should the native name of the language (in native script), but in practice many language categories use something else, like the English name or the language code.\n- This language has its own subdomain now, but there are still many pages left here.\n- This language has a subdomain but it has been locked due to inactivity. Wikisource activity in this language has reverted to the main page here.\n- Texts in this category are public domain in the United States but not in their native country and so are hosted here rather than at the local subdomain.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "- What are the 6 leadership capabilities?\n- How can I be inclusive at work?\n- What are the 4 qualities of inclusive leader?\n- What is inclusive process?\n- What does it mean to be an inclusive leader?\n- How can a person be inclusive?\n- What do u mean by inclusive education?\n- What’s the opposite of inclusive?\n- What does it mean when someone is inclusive?\n- What is an example of inclusive?\n- What is inclusive planning?\n- What an inclusive classroom looks like?\n- What are inclusive values?\n- What is another word for inclusive?\n- How do I become an inclusive leader?\n- What is inclusive decision making?\n- Why is it important to be inclusive?\n- What is a disability?\nWhat are the 6 leadership capabilities?\nLeadership and CLF capabilitiesvision.self-leadership.motivating and inspiring.empowering others.collaborating and influencing.creativity and innovation..\nHow can I be inclusive at work?\nWe’ve compiled a few facts that employers, leaders, and managers can use:Emphasize the business case for diversity and inclusion. … Recognize bias. … Practice inclusive leadership. … Provide sponsorship programs. … Hold leaders accountable.\nWhat are the 4 qualities of inclusive leader?\n6 Characteristics of Inclusive LeadersCommitment. Cultivating a diverse, inclusive workforce takes time and energy, two of a leader’s most precious commodities. … Courage. Inclusive leaders demonstrate courage in two ways. … Cognizance of bias. … Curiosity. … Cultural intelligence. … Collaborative.\nWhat is inclusive process?\nDiverse views are engaged. The process is deliberative, yielding new understandings of problems and opportunities for action. The participants in the process take part in defining the problem, the process for decision-making, and the decision outcomes.\nWhat does it mean to be an inclusive leader?\nInclusive leaders are people-oriented, great listeners, able to tap into the talents and motivations of their teams. They are patient, understanding, soft-spoken, and genuinely interested in others. A preference for the familiar can keep this type of leader from initiating or embracing change.\nHow can a person be inclusive?\n7 Simple Ways to To Be More Inclusive in Work and LifeUse inclusive language. … Expose yourself to counterstereotyping imagery (as simple as a screensaver) … Consider your office furnishings. … Empower mentors for underrepresented groups. … Use social media to amplify new voices. … Find members of underrepresented groups that you admire. … Use your imagination: Counterprogram your brain.\nWhat do u mean by inclusive education?\nInclusive education means all children in the same classrooms, in the same schools.\nWhat’s the opposite of inclusive?\ninclusive. Antonyms: exclusive, excepted, renunciative, adversative. Synonyms: comprehensive, embracing, additive, implied.\nWhat does it mean when someone is inclusive?\nThe word inclusive means to include others or another. When inclusivity relates to people on an interpersonal level it means: Covering or including everyone. (This is non-discrimination or in its opposite discrimination.) Open to everyone : not limited to certain people.\nWhat is an example of inclusive?\nThe definition of inclusive is something that does not leave any part or group out. An example of inclusive is a school that has students of all races and backgrounds. “Inclusive.” YourDictionary.\nWhat is inclusive planning?\nInclusive planning is Veidekke’s version of “lean” construction. The direction can be described as a planning method that aids production flow by ensuring that tasks are done in the right order, that obstacles to flow are reduced and that everyone participates in the planning of their working day.\nWhat an inclusive classroom looks like?\nWhat Does an Inclusive Classroom Look Like? … Simply stated, inclusion is about ALL students belonging! Decisions are made on the basis of student needs and not on labels and places. The general education classroom at the student’s enrolled grade level is the reference point for student-specific planning.\nWhat are inclusive values?\n1. Appreciating diversity, equality and equity, cooperativeness, participation, community, and sustainability are examples of inclusive values that are fundamental for successful inclusive education.\nWhat is another word for inclusive?\nWhat is another word for inclusive?comprehensivefulloverallblanketglobalumbrellacompleteexhaustivesweepingbroad233 more rows\nHow do I become an inclusive leader?\n10 Ways to Be a More Inclusive LeaderCall attention to unconscious bias. … Provide a network of support. … Create spaces for open dialogue. … Be open to and ask for feedback as a leader. … Open up seats at the table. … Challenge the status quo to bring in new ideas. … Be transparent and create clear communication channels. … Understand that you don’t know everything.More items…•\nWhat is inclusive decision making?\nInclusive decision making is a simple idea — if you measure, manage and improve who is involved and how business decisions are made across your company, you can improve business performance. Inclusive decision making activates diversity to improve innovation, engagement, and results across the enterprise.\nWhy is it important to be inclusive?\nInclusive education (when practiced well) is very important because: All children are able to be part of their community and develop a sense of belonging and become better prepared for life in the community as children and adults. … It provides all children with opportunities to develop friendships with one another.\nWhat is a disability?\nA disability is any condition of the body or mind (impairment) that makes it more difficult for the person with the condition to do certain activities (activity limitation) and interact with the world around them (participation restrictions).", "label": "No"}
{"text": "The basalt floods draped over some great continental plateaux and considerable areas of the ocean floor, ocean islands far from plate boundaries and the volcanic provinces sitting at the ends of various oceanic island chains are with little doubt the product of plume-like masses rising from great depth in the mantle. What is not so well agreed is just what bit of a plume underwent partial melting to make the magma, the depth at which that took place and the prevailing temperature. There is some support for plumes that rise from a mantle transition zone about 700 km down, where there is an abrupt increase in temperature. Such plumes form a hot head when they impact the lithosphere, and that should be the source for magma. Plumes that rise from the core mantle boundary, should in theory have heads that are cooler than their tails, and which grow hugely by being stalled at the 700 km discontinuity. The two combined might form little plumes that rise from a big head at 700 km that spreads laterally. Nicholas Arndt gives a neat summary of these unseen ramifications in a recent issue of Nature (Arndt, N. 2000. Hot heads and cold tails. Nature, 407, 458-461).\nArndt was moved to make his comments by evidence from Namibian flood basalts from the 128-138 Ma old Paraná-Etendeka large igneous province (Thompson, R.N. and Gibson, S.A. 2000. Transient high temperatures in mantle plume heads inferred from magnesian olivines in Phanerozoic picrites. Nature, 407, 502-506). Thompson and Gibson found highly magnesian olivine crystals, among more normal ones, in basaltic dykes that cut the Etendeka basalts. The more Mg-rich an olivine is the more primitive (the more like the composition of the mantle) the magma from which it crystallized. They calculate that these anomalous olivines equilibrated with a magma with 24% MgO (compared with the <10% of most basalts) – probably a komatiite. But they are in much more evolved basalts, so they suggest that a primitive magma at the hot head of a plume that hit the lithosphere itself underwent fractional crystallization to produce plain basalt. They draw from that the conclusion that the plume head was 300-400°C hotter than the surrounding mantle – as expected in the first plume model above. Arndt is sceptical, partly because there are so many unknowns about the source region and partly because there are many other possible explanations. He suggests more similar work and other kinds of geochemical research on large igneous provinces in general. To that might be added looking for some of the possible mechanical consequences of hot or cool plume heads.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "On the Learning Tools website, your options include 10-question ASVAB General Science practice tests. These ask you to use terms in context, define terms, and complete basic math problems. You may also be asked to categorize items and answer questions related to general scientific facts. The ASVAB Math Practice Tests are exercises that challenge your ability to correctly answer word problems based on sales and profit, speed, time, area, and other relational concepts.\nIt's important to understand the difference between the ASVAB Standard Scores, and the ASVAB AFQT score. Test takers will receive a separate score for each of the nine sections on the ASVAB. These scores are known as Standard Scores. A Standard Score is used to determine how the test taker compares to the \"average\" 18-23 year old American on that part of the ASVAB. Not long ago, a large number of people in this age group were given the tests, and these results are the benchmark for Standard Scores. Around half the people in this age group will score a 50 or higher, and about 16% will score a 60 or higher. In other words, the scoring is based on a standard bell curve distribution. Standard Scores are very important when it comes to determining which military job a person will be assigned to.\nThe Word Knowledge section of the test gauges your ability to recognize the meaning of words both individually and when used in a sentence. A question may be phrased as, “‘Antagonize’ most nearly means: embarrass, struggle, provoke, or worship.” Because there are so many words in the English language, you may find it difficult to study the specific words on the test. However, striving to improve your language and vocabulary usage with a practice test like this one can help you not only in preparing for the ASVAB test but also in your career and personal life. The CAT-ASVAB test has 16 questions in 8 minutes, while the paper-and-pencil version has 35 questions in 11 minutes.\nOnce you have learned about yourself, you are ready to begin exploring different career options. Chances for a rewarding career are improved if you select a career field that matches your interests, values, skills, and abilities. While learning about various careers, you should be constantly asking yourself, “How well does this career match my current interests, values, and abilities?” and “Will this career lead to a lifestyle I want?”\nMany high schools give students the opportunity to take the ASVAB as part of career exploration. If you chose not to take one in high school, then you will have to schedule a time to take it. You can contact the Armed Forces Recruiting Officer in your area and you can schedule an appointment with a local recruiter from the branch of the military you wish to join.\nOnce you've received your free test results, we'll provide a custom list of video lessons that focuses on the concepts you need to study most. You'll learn from expert instructors who have crafted engaging video lessons, and you can test your knowledge with lesson quizzes. The ASVAB courses cover only material that you'll encounter on the ASVAB, so you'll know that you're focusing on the topics that will have the biggest impact on your score. Topical chapter exams will further help you solidify your understanding of important terms, concepts and formulas from the course. And you'll always stay on track with our custom study schedule, which keeps you on track with reminders of what and when to study.\nThe Student ASVAB is the most flexible of the exams. It is typically provided to high school students to help them assess their skills, job prospects, potential military positions, or college majors. The ASVAB for students is essentially the same as the MET ASVAB exam, only students are not necessarily testing for positions within the military. The students’ school counselors examine their scores and help them decide on what to do after graduating from high school. This test is still an important component of a student’s education because it can help them identify their strengths and weaknesses and help set them on the right track for their future career goals.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "Simply begin typing or use the editing tools above to add to this article.\nOnce you are finished and click submit, your modifications will be sent to our editors for review.\nrole of Chiang Kai-shek\nAfter these excursions into public life, Chiang lapsed into obscurity. For two years (1916–17) he lived in Shanghai, where he apparently belonged to the Green Gang (Qing Bang), a secret society involved in financial manipulations. In 1918 he reentered public life by joining Sun Yat-sen, the leader of the Nationalist Party, or Kuomintang. Thus began the close association with Sun on which...\nWhat made you want to look up Green Gang?", "label": "No"}
{"text": "Electrical engineers work in a wide variety of fields from\nnanoscale computer circuits to megawatt-scale power stations. They get involved\nwith biomedical and rehabilitation engineering, signal processing, control systems\nand robotics, dielectrics and high voltage work, gravity materials science, motor\ndrives and power quality. Career options include circuit designer, communication\nengineer, power engineer, system engineer and signal processing.\nComputer engineers work on all aspects of computer\nhardware, software and the interface between the two. Computer engineers run\ntoday’s technological society, including our telecommunication systems, power\ngrids, and even banking systems and businesses. Computer engineering\ncareer options include computer hardware design, interactive graphical user\ninterface design, software tool development, multimedia and networked\nsystems, enterprise technology and micro- and nanoelectronics.\nMechanical engineers make an impact on almost\nevery aspect of modern society due to their vital role in the design, manufacturing\nand production of prostheses, engines, machineries, as well as vehicles that\nnavigate underwater, on the ground and into space. Areas of specialization include\nbiomechanics, machine design, robotics, manufacturing, welding processes, fluids\nand thermal sciences, metallic and nonmetallic materials properties, acoustics\nand laser processing, internal combustion engines, computer-aided design and\nmanufacturing. Specific fields of study can range from biomechanics and assistive\ntechnologies for the disabled to automation and robotics systems, engine and\npropulsion systems, and the design of ships, submarines and bullet trains.\nAeronautical Engineering encompasses all areas\nrelated to aircraft and aviation. Aircraft design, low- and high-speed aerodynamics,\nlight-weight structures, stability and control of aerospace vehicles, and propulsion\nsystem design are but a few examples. Career options include propulsion systems\ndesign and testing, high-speed aerodynamics, airframe design, wind tunnel testing,\nflight testing of new vehicles, as well as design of cabin comfort systems, high-\nspeed trains, unmanned spacecrafts, space stations, and underwater vehicles.\nRelated areas include wind energy systems and ground vehicle drag reduction.\nIf you’re interested in engineering, but you don’t know what\nfield attracts you most, Engineering Studies will make a great place to start.You can\nenroll in engineering, begin with a common core curriculum, sample activities in all\nengineering majors, and wait to declare a major until your second year at Clarkson.\nEvery sphere of human activity is growing more complicated and interdependent. Local issues are becoming global. Technology\nis everyone’s concern. And the answers to tomorrow’s complex issues require cooperation among many people — today.\nThe Coulter School of Engineering prepares graduates to work in this complex, interconnected global village. We give all\nstudents a solid foundation in science, engineering, humanities and management.\nChemical and Biomolecular Engineering:\nChemical and biomolecular engineers deal with many problems that arise in a\ntechnical society. They make, or perfect, useful products like gasoline, nylon, paper, penicillin, peanut butter, silicon wafers,\ncatalytic crackers and beer. Chemical and biomolecular engineers work on tasks such as product development, process design,\nmanagement, quality control, pollution control, marketing and technical sales. They are devising new ways for living organisms\nto perform molecular transformations, and discovering innovative methods for delivering medicines. Chemical engineers have\nhistorically had the highest starting salaries of all the major engineering professions.\nCivil engineers are at the forefront of such activities as designing and constructing bridges, buildings, water\nand wastewater treatment facilities, harbors, airports and other public works. The infrastructure necessary to keep cities operating\non all levels is designed by civil engineers. They also perform cutting-edge research in areas such as mitigating earthquake\ndamage in large structures and using artificial intelligence to improve the operation of transportation systems.\nEnvironmental engineers are stewards of the environment. They\ndesign processes to mitigate pollution and also to prevent it entirely. They have taken a leadership\nrole in eliminating the hazardous and solid wastes of society, responsibly developing surface and\ngroundwater resources for beneficial use, managing environmental quality and minimizing the effects\nof pollutants. Environmental engineers design for a sustainable future in air quality, water quality,\nglobal climate, and human health and safety. Students can also take advantage of the resources\navailable through the University’s interdisciplinary research institute and centers: Institute for a\nSustainable Environment (ISE), the Center for Air Resources Engineering and Science (CARES),\nthe Center for Sustainable Energy Systems (CSES) and the Great Rivers Center (GRC)\nBrandon Rivera ’13\nCivil Engineering major\nUndergraduate Research Experience:\nThe use of phase change materials in\nconcrete to reduce the heating and\ncooling costs of buildings. Funded by\nFaculty Research Mentor:\nProf. Narayanan Neithalath\nNASA Motivating Undergraduates in Science\n& Technology (MUST) Scholar\nVice president of the Society of Hispanic\nMagister of Sigma Chi Fraternity\nSummer internship at the NASA Langley\nBethann Parmelee ’12\nEnvironmental Engineering major\nUndergraduate Research Experience:\nTurning wastewater into biofuel to power\nwastewater management facilities.\nFaculty Research Mentors: Prof. Susan Powers\nand Prof. Michael Twiss\nMember of the varsity women’s cross-country team\nMember of the Golden Knotes a cappella group\nOne in five\nClarkson alumni is already a\nCEO, president, vice president,\noutside of the", "label": "No"}
{"text": "ARKANSAS, USA — Snow in Arkansas can be a nightmare or a playground, depending on who you ask! On the fun side, if you want to have a good snowball fight or to make a snowman, you need wet snow so it can pack and hold its shape. Dry snow is powdery and does not pack well. Every snowstorm is different, so how to meteorologists forecast whether a snow will be wet or dry?\nWATER IN SNOW\nSnow is just water in ice crystal form. The more water a snowflake has, the stickier it is and will more easily compact and form whatever shape you want to make. We can measure how much water there is inside a snowflake by melting it. But we can't measure every snowflake that falls in a snowstorm, so we use snow ratios to figure out how wet or dry a snow is.\nThis map shows the average snow ratios across the USA, or how many inches of snow you get with one inch of snow. Wet snow usually has a ratio of 10 or less, while dry snow usually has a ratio of 11 or more.\nIn Northwest Arkansas, the average snow ratio is 9, which means you get 9 inches of snow from 1 inch of water.\nIn the River Valley, the average snow ratio is 8, which means you get 8 inches of snow from 1 inch of water. The state of Arkansas is entirely below the 10 ratio threshold so our snows on average are wet and good snowball making snows! The south usually gets the wettest snows while the far north and great lakes tend to get dry snows. The midwest tends to get something in between. But these are averages. Sometimes our snows can be even wetter and stickier than that, and sometimes they can be really dry. Here's how we forecast the difference.\nFORECASTING THE DIFFERENCE\nColder temperatures bring drier snow and warmer temperatures bring wetter snow. The temperature is determined by the direction our storm systems track. When we get storms from the south, snows are warmer and wet because they are using heat from the gulf of mexico. Storms coming in from the west are somewhere in between. The snow usually sticks but it may take some extra packing for a good snowball . Storms coming in from the northwest are usually very dry because they are coming from the cold, dry plains and canada. These are powdery, dusty snows.\nOnce we know where a snowstorm will form and track, we generally have a good idea on how wet or dry a snow may be. Ratios then help us figure out how much snow will fall for us to enjoy, or hate!\n-5NEWS Weather Team\nMORE FROM ARCTIC ARKANSAS\n5NEWS official winter weather outlook 2021-2022", "label": "No"}
{"text": "Did you know that 93% of communication is nonverbal?* A large percentage of that nonverbal communication comes through facial and tone of voice cues. What is surprising, however, is just how different the level of ability is in interpreting these nonverbal cues are when comparing adults and adolescents. Further, it probably explains a significant amount of the misunderstanding that can and does happen between adolescents and their parents.\nAt this point, it’s probably clear that I am a fan of Dr. Jeremy Clark and Jerusha Clark’s book, “Your Teenager is Not Crazy: Understanding Your Teen’s Brain Can Make You a Better Parent”. I blogged a review about it here, and then a follow up post on some of the neurobiology research they were exploring here. In their chapter entitled, “Why are you looking at me like that?,” they explore this topic of nonverbal cues and what the latest research is showing us about it.\nCiting research from Dr. Deborah Yurgelun-Todd, they pointed out that while adults have a 90-100% success rate in interpreting the emotions and tone behind facial expressions and other nonverbal cues, adolescents only decipher them correctly about 50% of the time (Kindle location 1389). Essentially, what the research shows is that adults interpret these cues by using the part of their brain where decision making and executive functions happen (the prefrontal cortex), while adolescents use the region of the brain where emotions are the dominating factor (the limbic system).\nWhere this is helpful for parents is in thinking through how we communicate with our adolescents. We cannot just assume they recognize the emotions or intent behind our words; 93% of communication is nonverbal, and teens misinterpret those cues half the time, which means they genuinely misunderstand us potentially almost half the time. We can’t change that; it’s biology. Their brains do not finish developing until around age 25. Instead, the Clarks recommend naming our emotions calmly. Let them know when you’re confused, worried, upset, etc., don’t just assume they know what you’re feeling when other adults would understand.\nAll that to say, if you’re a parent of kids of any age, or someone that works with young people. Get the book. It’s fascinating!\n*All percentages and information in this post are drawn from the Clark’s book.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "1. Civil Law is all of the law that does not deal with crimes. Civil law concerns contracts and disputes between parties. When a party believes a civil law has been violated, he or she can file a civil lawsuit to recover damages (money) or obtain injunctive relief (stop whatever it is that is violating the law).\n2. Civil law also refers to the system of law that prevails in continental Europe derived from Roman law. The basic source of law in civil law is organized codes rather than judicial decisions, as seen in the traditional common law. Louisiana stands out as the state whose law is mostly influenced by civil law.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "Video: ROV Explores Chimney Life\nA team of scientists on board the research vessel Falkor have just finished surveying the largely unexplored Mariana Back-Arc in the western Pacific Ocean for life at depths greater than 13,000 feet (4,000 meters). The team studied the area with the new remotely operated vehicle (ROV) SuBastian.\nThey found spectacular chimneys made of sulfide minerals, some up to 30 meters (100 feet) tall. The chimneys were belching smoky vent fluid at temperatures up to 365°C (690°F) and were covered with vent animals including “hairy snails,” shrimp, crabs, mussels, limpets, squat lobsters, anemones and worms.\nThe newly discovered vent sites have an ecosystem that is characteristic of the Mariana Back-Arc, with some animal species found nowhere else on Earth. The similarity between vents occurs despite the fact that each vent site is relatively small and isolated, being separated from the others by up to 100 miles. This suggests that the Back-Arc vent sites are relatively long-lived and that each site has biological “connectivity” with the others despite the long distances.\nThe study also confirmed that the Back-Arc ecosystems are distinct and different from the nearby Volcanic Arc hydrothermal ecosystems, supporting the idea that geological and chemical environment play a key role in determining animal community composition at hydrothermal vents.\nDr David Butterfield of the University of Washington and Dr William Chadwick of NOAA-PMEL and Oregon State University led the group to the Back-Arc; returning for the second phase of a two-part exploration of the region. In 2015, the team of scientists located new hydrothermal vents in the Back-Arc region, including evidence of recent lava flows.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "Most folks know nothing about curriculum. Four states that originally adopted Common Core have now dumped it: Arizona, Indiana, Oklahoma, and South Carolina. What do they have in common? It’s more tribal silliness.\nSee if you can spot the “socialist agenda” in these Common Core literacy standards:\nKey Ideas and Details:\nCite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.\nDetermine a theme or central idea of a text and analyze in detail its development over the course of the text, including how it emerges and is shaped and refined by specific details; provide an objective summary of the text.\nAnalyze how complex characters (e.g., those with multiple or conflicting motivations) develop over the course of a text, interact with other characters, and advance the plot or develop the theme.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "Once upon a time the rules for installing infant car seats were informal and left up to individual families, but now the rules are much more stringent. In 2002 the government mandated the LATCH restraint system, (Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children) which is a standardized system to ensure their safety when riding. The term is thrown around a lot in discussions of which car seat is the best, but few stop to explain in detail exactly what a LATCH in a car seat is or why it’s so important.\nLATCH simplifies the correct installation of car seats without using seat belts at all. Vehicles equipped with this system have two or more sets of small bars, or anchors, at the bottom of the back seat where the cushions meet. Child safety seats with the system have attachments designed to fasten to these anchors. Most of the forward-facing infant car seats on the market have a top strap, or tether, as well, which attaches to another anchor in the car. These attachments and straps make up the LATCH system.\nUsing LATCH makes the process of putting in the car seat easier and less intimidating. With the older models of seats, when trying to install an infant car seat most parents got confused about which straps went where, how to tighten the seat belts and whether to put the car seat on the left or right side. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, three out of four car seats are installed incorrectly. Most car seats, and almost all vehicles made after Sept. 1, 2002, are equipped with the LATCH system to help parents get the seats strapped in right.\nOne of the reasons consumers are warned about using older model car seats is that they aren’t equipped with the LATCH system, so they don’t meet safety standards in place for child restraint systems. With older models of car seats without LATCH, or older cars lacking the system, the car seat can still be installed using the seat belt. But the drawback is that once you finally get the child safety seat correctly installed and you manage to pull the seat belt tight enough, taking it out means having to fight with the seat belt to re-install it.\nSome brands using the newer system include Evenflo, the 1st years, Graco, Chicco KeyFit, Peg Perego 30 and Baby Trend. Although LATCH has greatly simplified installing car seats, parents still bewildered have another place to turn to for help. Hospital Child Passenger Safety Technicians are a knowledgeable source. Local fire and police departments also have trained personnel who can demonstrate how to install the seat.\n|Valerie Baldowski is passionate about writing about everything from childrens safety and juvenile products to gardening tools. She is the mother of a high energy 8 year old child so she is accustomed to researching childrens products and services… See more about Valerie|\nFeatured Baby Car Seat Articles\nThere are oodles of car seats on the market but not all of them are user-friendly. Some are pretty expensive, but that doesn’t necessarily mean they’re easy to install quickly when you’re in a hurry to travel with your baby… [more]\nTraveling and taking vacations can be fun, but parents with infants and young kids in tow usually have some extra baggage in the form of car seats. They can be rented, but bringing your own removes the guesswork… [more]\nWhen traveling with babies or young children, finding a car rental agency willing to make the extra effort to find an infant car seat can be a hassle. No doubt parents have a long list of questions. How easy is it to find a reliable rental agency, and how safe are the car seats they have… [more]\nParents shopping for child safety seats at Toys “R” Us and Babies “R” Us are probably just now noticing another brand of seat on the shelves.Baby Trend, Inc. has launched its new trendz FastBack 3-in-1 car seat nationwide…[more]\nChildren learn about the world around them and develop mentally and physically through play. Researchers have found that unstructured play not only keeps kids occupied and entertained, but it’s key to a children’s natural development. It’s so important, in fact, that in 1989 the United Nations High Commission for Human Rights… [more]\nRelated Top 10 Lists\nParents looking for a safe infant car seat have the daunting task of wading through dozens of brands and models to find the one seat right for their child. We compared the seats on the market and chose which ones are the best ones based on safety and workmanship…. [more]\nPicking out the right booster seat involves making multiple decisions based on what you’re looking for in a child restraint system. We reviewed a number of boosters and selected our favorites based on what parents and caregivers value the most…. [more]\nThere are oodles of infant cribs out on the market and the sheer number of brands and styles can boggle the mind. Many of them are fairly homogenous with similar or identical features, but close scrutiny reveals a few key differences which make some brands a better bargain than others…. [more]\nParents faced with picking just one stroller out of the hundreds of brands and styles on the marketplace have a daunting task. Whether it’s a lightweight, umbrella, standard, jogging or double stroller, the factors to consider include price range, features and options, and if there’s a recall history. See the stroller comparison… [more]\nAs a parent there are many reasons why a jogging stroller would be a necessary addition to your life. You want to stay fit, but don’t have anyone to watch your baby for an hour every day. Taking your baby on a jog might be a good change… [more]\nAs we surveyed the wide selection of baby monitors available on the market, we kept the following important qualities in mind: Wide range, Secure, interference-free channels, Clear reception Low battery/out of range indicators… [more]", "label": "No"}
{"text": "August 2016 – Messing about with our rivers\nThe sun shone throughout August as we continued with our work to re-survey rivers and drainage channels for the River Stour Internal Drainage Board. Repeating a survey we originally done six years ago shows the changes in land use and how this impacts on our waterways.\nThe loss of many grazing meadows is particularly a cause for concern as grazing allows a rich diversity of plant life to flourish and creates a tangled fringe of vegetation which provides a microclimate for insects.\nWe have found that some of the meadows which were originally grazed by cattle have now become unused. Development companies have bought up land on the edge of towns and villages and leave these fields ungrazed while they attempt to get planning permission.\nWith the cessation of grazing, plants such as tubular water dropwort have become outcompeted by more rigorous species such as common reed and banks become dominated by thistles. In other fields a change from grazing to arable has resulted in more fertiliser use, which has caused nitrate levels to rise in ditches leading to an acceleration in weed growth.\nThroughout the coming months we hope to work with landowners to look at ways of reducing run off and improving rivers for wildlife.\nThis month we have also been working with Rhino Plant, the River Stour Internal Drainage Board’s contractor as they begin the annual weed cutting of channels. Where access for machines is too difficult the rivers are cut by hand with scythes. The guys involved in this work have to have plenty of strength and stamina to undertake the physical demands of cutting and hauling the weed onto the banks.\nOur work involves advising on Biosecurity to avoid the spread of crayfish plague which can be transferred from introduced signal crayfish to our native white clawed crayfish with devastating affect. We encourage contractors to check clean and dry their equipment and spray with a iodine solution to prevent disease spread.\nWe also look at ways of using the weedcut to create meanders and improve the flow of rivers, creating diversity in the channel which allows aquatic insects to thrive and fish to spawn.\nRestoring the health and vitality of our rivers will prevent flooding and provide clean water as well as allowing people in towns to enjoy a therapeutic slice of the natural world.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "For decades the US government has funded research into “clean coal” technology. Billions of dollars have been spent with the only visible result being employment for a small army of government coal researchers and academics. Now scientists at Ohio State University have announced that, after 15 years of effort, they have produced a breakthrough—a new technology capable of turning coal green and carbon dioxide emission free. This was widely reported in the news media and passed practically without critical comment. Is it true? Is coal no longer the dirty, devil spawned fuel of evil industrialists everywhere?\nScientists believe that carbon released from the ocean floor played a key role in past episodes of climate change. Around 55 million years ago, the break-up of the northeast Atlantic continents was associated with the injection of large amounts of molten magma into seafloor sediments. Formation of the North Atlantic basalts heated the carbon-rich sediments, triggering the release of large quantities of methane and carbon dioxide into the ocean and atmosphere. It has been suggested that this release of previously sequestered carbon was responsible for a 100,000 year period of rapid temperature rise known as the Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum or PETM. Three letters published in Nature Geoscience suggest that carbon trapped beneath the seabed continues to influence carbon dynamics, at least in the deep ocean.\nWorld wide emission of CO2 from fossil fuel burning decreased by 1.3% in 2009 owing to the global financial and economic crisis says a report in Nature Geoscience. Estimated CO2 emissions from deforestation and other land-use changes (LUCs) have also declined compared with the 1990s. The decrease in greenhouse gas emissions was blamed on the contraction of GDP owing to the global financial crisis that began in 2008. Not so fast, say warmist scientists. They claim that CO2 will rise by 4.8% in 2010, proving that what should be treated as good news is not welcome in climate change circles.\nIn the November 12, 2010, issue of Science a number of news focus articles decry the results of the 2010 US elections and the possible impact those results may have on the fight against global warming. Staff reporters for the AAAS flagship journal are all atwitter about the evil Republicans coming back into power, and they are not alone. Reportedly, many researchers fear the worst after the Republican victory at the polls produced a 25-plus-seat majority in the House of Representatives and reduced the Democrats' hold on the Senate. The $20 billion for scientific research that was part of the $787 billion stimulus package may have been the high water mark for government funding during the Obama administration.\nOne of the arguments used by critics of nuclear power is that there is not enough uranium to power a nuclear world for an extended time. The energy hungry world would just be trading looming oil shortages for uranium shortages, they claim. As with most anti-nuclear scare-mongering these charges are totally bogus. MIT has just released a major report on the nuclear fuel cycle that finds uranium supplies will not limit the expansion of nuclear power in the US or around the world for the foreseeable future. It suggests that nuclear power, even using today’s reactor technology with the wasteful once-through fuel cycle, can play a significant part in satisfying the world's future energy needs.\nFor those who believe in anthropogenic global warming, carbon dioxide is public enemy number one. They warn that CO2 must be avoided at all costs or Earth will heat up uncontrollably causing all sorts of ecological havoc. One proposal for avoiding global warming is the sequestration of CO2 by trapping it at combustion sites or extracting it directly from the air. Supposedly, such sequestration could help avoid a large rise in atmospheric CO2 from the use of fossil fuels, avoiding the hellish fate that surely awaits mankind otherwise. Referred to as carbon capture and storage (CCS), the coal industry has seized on sequestration as a way to get greens off their backs and stay in business. However, it is not clear how effective different types of sequestration and associated leakage are in the long term, or what their consequences might be. A recent paper takes a critical look at the sequestration option.\nOne of the more attractive forms of green renewable energy is geothermal—harnessing the natural heat of Earth's interior to provide warmth and electricity. Unfortunately, geothermal is really only viable in limited areas around the globe, due to crust thickness and strata type. One of those fortunate places is the American Southwest, the eastern part of California and the states of Nevada, Arizona, New Mexico and Colorado. The sixteen geothermal plants already present in California's the Imperial Valley are among the first signs of what California hopes will become a renewable-energy boom. But without water these plants cannot generate any power, and their water comes from far away—from the already stressed Colorado river.\nWith the oil disaster in the Gulf of Mexico emboldening all the denizens of the eco-underground, some voices are once again calling for increased production of biofuels—ethanol and biodiesel—and accelerated research into clean coal. Ignoring the fact that biofuels take as much energy to produce as they provide and that they are only competitive with heavy government subsidies, biofuel boosters are again trying to sell their snake-oil to the public. But the single most damning aspect of biofuel production is the exorbitant amount of water it takes to cook-up a gallon of the stuff. Now it appears that the other great energy scam, clean coal, will also increase water usage—by a whopping 80%. With the world facing a real water crisis in the near future, the last thing any government should be doing is wasting their citizens' money on are “green” energy scams that are really just subsidies for coal companies and big agribusiness conglomerates.\nIn the face of ever mounting evidence that CO2 is incapable of causing the level of global devastation prophesied by climate change catastrophists a new villain is being sought. The leading candidate is nitrous oxide (N2O), better known as laughing gas. A report in Science claims that N2O emissions are currently the single most important cause of ozone depletion and are expected to remain so throughout the 21st century. The IPCC rates N2O as 310 times as potent a greenhouse gas as CO2 on a 100 year time scale. Is this a greenhouse gas bait and switch, or are the global warming alarmists trying to up the ante?\nThe search for ways to reduce carbon emissions has led to government grant money for schemes ranging from promising to wacky. Recognizing that there is no currently viable replacement for fossil fuels, with the possible exception of nuclear power, the US and other countries with large coal deposits are desperately looking for ways to continue burning coal without incurring the wrath of nature or the IPCC. Clear evidence of the seriousness of this effort is evident in this week's special edition of Science, dedicated to carbon capture and sequestration (CCS) technology.\nEven though the new US President gives occasional lip service to nuclear energy, recent actions by his administration force us to ask, “is the Obama administration trying to kill nuclear energy?” The first indication that Obama's support for nuclear power was less than whole hearted came during the stimulus debate, when a push to include tens of billions of dollars in insurance for new nuclear reactors failed. Then, the Obama administration came out this month against storing nuclear waste at Yucca Mountain, Nevada.\nNorthern Ireland's environment minister, Sammy Wilson, announced Monday he has banned British government TV ads on climate change and denounced their energy-saving message as “insidious propaganda.” Wilson said the Act on CO2 ads were “giving people the impression that by turning off the standby light on their TV, they could save the world from melting glaciers and being submerged in 40 feet of water.”\nListening to the verbal posturing by some eco-activists and like minded politicians might give one the impression that, with the recent sharp drop in world oil prices, all pressure to accelerate domestic oil production has abated. Nothing could be farther from the truth. Once again the counter argument is made by the most unlikely of sources, the OEDC IEA—an organization that, along with the UN IPCC, helped serve as ground zero for the global warming hysteria outbreak of recent times.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "Toddlers learn how to be a good friend by watching and imitating others. They’ll find an assortment of positive examples in these books, shows, and more.\nBy the Kids’ Media Experts at SmartFeed\nWhen you’re ready for your preschooler to unwind with a show, movie, book, or app, why not share some positive media that can help them foster better face-to-face relationships with their peers? The following friendship-themed choices show youngsters how friends interact, centering on themes like sharing, teamwork, inclusion, and generosity. Whether the best friend in these stories is a duck, a pirate, a dump truck, or a ballerina, these worthwhile role models will be a big hit with your kids.\nBooks That Teach Toddlers About Friendship\nLittle Blue Truck\nThis fun story will appeal to most toddlers, starting with the first pages filled with truck sounds and animal noises. The title character is kind and generous so he has plenty of friends to help when he gets in a bit of a mess. Everyone needs friends … even a little blue truck.\nThe Sandwich Swap\nA fight over “whose sandwich is better” comes between two best friends. This story is about much more than a sandwich, of course. It addresses differences, tolerance, and the importance of friends.\nFrog and Toad Are Friends\nFrog and Toad are the best of friends. They have different temperaments and opinions, but they always respect each other and are excellent role models for how friends should treat each other.\nLittle Elliot, Big City\nBeautifully illustrated, this book tells the story of Elliot, a lonely elephant in the big city. Finding a friend and doing things together makes everything right in Elliot’s world.\nApps That Teach Toddlers About Friendship\nSago Mini Friends\nVirtual playdates are a fun activity in this app. Numerous activities and a variety of different friends make for lots of choices. Fine motor skills get a workout during game play.\nDora’s Enchanted Forest Adventures\nThis interactive book tells a sweet story of kindness and friendship. There are some Spanish words to learn, and a sticker page at the end adds some interactive fun.\nMovies That Teach Toddlers About Friendship\nAngelina Ballerina: Dreams Do Come True\nAngelina Ballerina has big dreams. When she has a chance to realize one of them, she has to decide — with the help of her family and friends — what to do. Enhanced by music and positive characters, this movie is sure to charm.\nJake and the Never Land Pirates: Jake Saves Bucky\nThis feature-length movie (based on the popular TV show) is a great adventure for preschoolers. Jake and his crew work together and problem-solve to save a dear friend. Kids are engaged when Jake speaks directly to viewers and involves them in the quest.\nLost and Found\nIn this gentle and colorful film, a young boy finds a penguin on his doorstep. In their journey together back to the penguin’s home, they find a way to communicate and become true friends.\nRuby’s Studio: The Friendship Show\nUsing music, animation, and a friendly cast, this show is truly effective at discussing the ups and downs of friendship for young children. From starting a conversation … to finding common interests … to coping with a mean friend, all topics are thoughtfully covered. Parents can also tune in to gather ideas for further discussion.\nTV Shows That Teach Toddlers About Friendship\nSarah & Duck\nThis sweet animated series follows Sarah and Duck as they explore their neighborhood with curiosity and enthusiasm. The duo is always learning new things, with counting and picture identification as other positive aspects of this series.\nThe Stinky & Dirty Show\nBased on the book series by Jim and Kate McMullan, Stinky and Dirty are best friends who use creativity and teamwork to solve problems.\nSimple science concepts are explored in this fun animated series. Animal friends make up the cast, and they work together to learn and share with each other.\nThere’s a reason this show is currently in its 19th season. Arthur and his friends and family experience true-to-life scenarios and work through social and emotional issues in thoughtful ways. A true classic that all ages will enjoy.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "Very-large-scale integration (VLSI) is the process of creating an integrated circuit (IC) by combining thousands of transistors into a single chip. In other words, an IC has many transistors on one chip, while VLSI has very many transistors on one chip. A modern VLSI chip is a complex beast with billions of transistors, millions of logic gates deployed for computation and control.\nEngineers manage to design these complicated chips by making use of computer aided design (CAD) tools that take an abstract description of the chip, and refines it step-wise to a final design. Designing a VLSI chip involves steps like logic synthesis, timing analysis, floor planning, placement and routing, verification, and testing.\nGet trained through an ISO certified institute. Our course completion certificate and material are globally recognized. Skill based certification provided which will add value in resume\nAll our trainer are Certified in their Products. B2E certified Industry experienced faculty. They ensure students are benefited with in depth practical training.\nLIVEWIRE is in association with 250+ corporates, who grab candidates from our centres when they match their job requirement. We offer all these opening to the students. They will be able to directly apply for the openings through our Student Portal.\nCorporate Style Training\nQuality training from Experts\nLearn the required skill\nWhat Will I Learn?\nIntroduction to VLSI Design Flow\nIntroduction to Linux platform and commands used\nOverview on designing of Digital circuit\nSwitch, Structural, Data Flow, Gate level and Behavioral Modeling.\nTest Bench Creation\nDesign Compilation ,Elaboration, & Simulation\nTerminal and GUI mode simulation\nALU Design and Verification\nCombinational UDP and Sequential UDP\nFunctions and task\nTypes of process : fork-join\nIntroduction to the pin configuration and architecture of FPGA\nHarish Mysore, director, India operations, Global IEEE Institute for Engineers Private Limited, informs, “In the VLSI chip design and verification alone, 20,000 to 30,000 engineers are currently employed with over 200,000 engineers working in the broader semiconductor industry, including embedded systems development and board-level hardware design.”\nStudents can apply for some of the following jobs:\nDesign Verification Engineer\nSystem Level Verification Engineer\nASIC Verification Engineer\nVLSI Verification Engineer\nDesign Verification Engineer\nFunctional Verification Application Engineer\nThese job openings are available usually at companies manufacturing semiconductors, electronic products and IT hardware.\nAccording to Vivek Madhukar, COO, TimesJobs.com, VLSI professionals are always in high demand in the fast-changing chip designing industry.\nAVERAGE VLSI JOB SALARY PER ANNUM BY EXPERIENCE - INDIA\n20 years or more\nWhat's Our Students Says\n\"I was previously working in ORCAD software and I wanted to upgrade my carrier in that field and finally my search got ended up in livewire Trivandrum. The course contents are more practically oriented and I am very much satisfied with the course . The trainer was really very helpful.\"\n\"First of all I am thanking livewire for helping me to reach my dream. I am a fresher computer engineer, but when I was searching jobs they all were asking for any extra programming language skill and when I reached livewire they suggested me the Java course , and that made the turning point in my carrier. I would recommend to my friends too.\"\n\"Trainers are so good. Correct place to acquire knowledge.I was very impressed with how the technical knowledge was translated into usability in the field.Wonderful training sessions and workshops. The teachers are very friendly and they have a good infrastructure. I learnt automation course from here they provide hands-on hardware training and good job assistance.\"\nLIVEWIRE promote niche training in IT, Electronics & Electricals creating experts for emerging technology industries and specialist technology jobs. A part of CADD Centre, which is Asia's largest CAD/CAM/CAE training institute, LIVEWIRE is present in 100 locations across India and 6 Countries.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "Turbulence-Taming Turret: LM Prototype Expands Laser Performance at Jet Speeds\n- Nearly 60 Flight Tests Completed\nBecause enemy aircraft and missiles can come from anywhere, a laser weapon system on a military aircraft will need to be able to fire in any direction. However, the laws of physics say that a laser only can engage targets in front of an aircraft that is travelling close to the speed of sound – unless atmospheric turbulence can be counteracted. That’s exactly what Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT) has done in developing a prototype laser turret for the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) and the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL), paving the way for laser weapon systems on tactical aircraft.\nThe Aero-adaptive Aero-optic Beam Control (ABC) turret is the first turret ever to demonstrate a 360-degree field of regard for laser weapon systems on an aircraft flying near the speed of sound. Its performance has been verified in nearly 60 flight tests conducted in 2014 and 2015 using a business jet as a low-cost flying test bed. As the aircraft travelled at jet cruise speeds, a low-power laser beam was fired through the turret’s optical window to measure and verify successful performance in all directions.\nGlobal and China Multiple Rocket Launchers Sales Market Report to 2020\nThe design uses the latest aerodynamic and flow-control technology to minimize the impacts of turbulence on a laser beam. An optical compensation system, which uses deformable mirrors, then is used to ensure that the beam can get through the atmosphere to the target. Left unchecked, turbulence would scatter the light particles that make up a laser beam, much like fog diffuses a flashlight beam.\n“This advanced turret design will enable tactical aircraft to have the same laser weapon system advantages as ground vehicles and ships,” said Doug Graham, vice president of missile systems and advanced programs, Strategic and Missile Defense Systems, Lockheed Martin Space Systems. “This is an example of how Lockheed Martin is using a variety of innovative technologies to transform laser devices into integrated weapon systems.”\nDARPA and AFRL will use the results of the flight tests in determining future requirements for laser weapon systems on high-speed aircraft and expanding their effectiveness.\nLockheed Martin is positioning laser weapon systems for success on the battlefield because of their advantages of speed, flexibility, precision and low cost per engagement. The corporation’s advances include the development and demonstration of precision pointing and control, line-of-sight stabilization and adaptive optics and high-power fiber lasers.\nSource : Lockheed Martin Corporation (NYSE: LMT) - view original press release\nSep 28 - 30, 2016 - Washington, United States", "label": "No"}
{"text": "1. SORTINGWith a handful of M&Ms, students were told to sort them. Since it's so close to Valentine's Day, I like to use one of my heart sorting mats, like the one below. You can print it out and laminate it for all kinds of math activities.\nCCSS.MATH.CONTENT.K.MD.B.3 - Classify objects and count the number of objects in each category\n2. MORE & LESSAfter they sorted the M&Ms, I asked them which group had the most, which group had the fewest, and if there were any equal groups. Since each child had a different amount, it was fun for the kids to talk to each other about their different answers.\nCCSS.MATH.CONTENT.K.CC.C.6 - Compare Numbers\n3. ADDITIONWe read The M&M's Addition Book, by Barbara Barbieri McGrath, to introduce some new Math vocabulary, such as addend, sum, and equation.\nI don't read the whole book to the students; I don't think it's necessary, and it's a little high-level for Kindergarten. I usually just read about a quarter of the book. This sets up the idea that we are going to use M&Ms for adding. When I do this lesson, I read the book while the students are on the rug, and THEN they do the first two activities. After that, we do addition, using two regular six-sided dice. I told the children to only use two different colors of M&Ms to keep it simple. They would roll the dice, and take the number represented on one die from one color, and the other die from another color, and add them together. This gave them lots of exercise in reading the numbers on the dice, counting out the candies, and then doing the addition. They barely notice that their lessons are being reinforced! You can use dice with numerals or dice with pips, depending on the needs of your students.\nCCSS.MATH.CONTENT.K.OA.A.1 - Understand addition, and understand subtraction", "label": "No"}
{"text": "“To the eternal consecrated house\nAnd to Agileia Prima who was also known as Auguria.\nWife beyond eternity; most chaste and modest and frugal who loved\nHer husband and his house and all his possessions innocently.\nQuintus Oppius Secundus, her husband, made this for the deserving one and for himself.\nAt the time I was begotten, nature granted me twice ten\nyears, upon the fulfillment of which, on the seventh day thereafter,\nfreed of the laws [that bind one to life] I was given over to unending rest.\nThis life was given to me, [so]\nOppius, do not fear Lethe, for it is foolish to lose joy of life while fearing death at all time.\nFor death is the nature, not the punishment of mankind; whoever happens to be born, therefore also faces to die.\nMaster Oppius, husband, do not lament me because I have preceded you\nI await your arrival in the eternal marriage bed.\nBe well, my survivors, and all other men and women, be well.”\nText on Left side:\n“Hail Auguria, a sweet and innocent soul.”\nText on Right side:\n“Innocent Auguria, [may] your soul [rest] among the good.”\nThis inscription is inscribed on a “tabula ansata,” literally a tablet with handles. The stone was set up by Quintus Oppius Secundus for his wife, Agileia Prima, who was also called Auguria (line 2). The text is an interesting example of how elaborate funerary inscriptions could be. Most of the text is written in meter (for example, lines 10 and 11 are complete hexameters while Line 15 presents as a iambic senarius). Moreover, the voice changes in line 7. The first six lines are written in the traditional formulae that can also be seen in other inscription on this wall (who is buried here, and who dedicated the tomb). In line 7, however, Agileia herself takes over. She first informs the reader that she died shortly after her 20th birthday, and then addresses her husband, advising him to not spend the rest of his life mourning her. He is to enjoy his life and she will await his arrival in the afterlife.”Lethe” in line 10 refers to one of the five rivers of Hades. According to Greek mythology, the shades of the dead drank from it in order to forget their earthly lives.\nAgileia quotes two ancient works here, the Distichs of Cato in line 10, and two works by Seneca in lines 12 and 13. The Distichs of Cato form a collection of short wisdoms that was used in the Middle Ages to teach Latin and as a moral compass. Even though the sayings are attributed to Cato the Elder (234-149 BCE), who was known for his wisdom, the identity of the author is unknown. The Distichs were probably collected and published in the 3rd or 4th century CE. Nevertheless, is possible that the Distichs also included older sentiments that could date back to the first or second century CE.\nThe Seneca quotations here are taken from the De Remediis Fortuitorum and Epistle 99.8. The authorship of the former is debated, but, as Robert Newman has pointed out, our inscription can be used as evidence that the work was indeed written by Seneca. It is highly unlikely that two different authors on the same subject would be quoted in such close proximity. The De Remediis Fortuitorum is a dialogue about chance events that cannot be avoided. Many of the instances deal with death in general, and sudden death in particular. Hence, a reference in a funerary context is appropriate.\nUnfortunately, the quoted text does not help much with dating the inscription. As mentioned above, the date of the Distichs is unknown. Seneca lived from ca. 4 BCE to 65 CE which provides us with an earliest date, but not a definite latest date. The stone itself has been dated both to the second and fourth century CE. According to Newman, Mrs. Joyce Gordon, a well-regarded epigraphist, dates it to the age of Hadrian (117-138), while the US Epigraphy Project dates it to the fourth.\nE. Gebhardt-Jaekel, Mors omnibus instat – der Tod steht allen bevor : Die Vorstellungen von Tod, Jenseits und Vergänglichkeit in lateinischen paganen Grabinschriften des Westens, Diss. University of Frankfurt/Main, 2007.\nH. Geist, Römische Grabinschriften, Munich: E. Heimeran, 1969, 169; 201,202.\nR.J. Newman, “Rediscovering the De Remediis Fortuitorum,” American Journal of Philology 109 (1988), 92-107, 97-98.\nC. Hosius, “Inschriftliches zu Seneca und Lucan,” RhM 47 (1892), 462-465.\nH.L. Wilson, “Latin Inscriptions at the Johns Hopkins University VI,” American Journal of Philology32 (1911), 166-187, 167-169.\nThe inscription is described in the US Epigraphy Project hosted by Brown University.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "Maintaining oral hygiene is crucial for good health and wellbeing. Oral health represents overall health. Tongue scraping is one of the important healthy practices that most of us ignore. It is equally important as brushing teeth. While many of you may aware about tongue scraping, it is essential to consider the element you use to scrap the tongue.\nTongue scraping is one of the ancient Ayurvedic practices, an oral care solution to improve oral ecology. It is a simple process to remove the buildup of toxins on the surface of the tongue.\nOral care remains incomplete without caring for the tongue. It is often ignored. The tongue is one of the diagnostic organs in Ayurveda and ancient medical practices. Tongue scraping is way more beneficial than getting a cleaner tongue and improving oral health.\nLet’s see the importance of tongue scraping and why should you copper to scrape your tongue.\nImportance of tongue scraping\nMany times, the surface of the tongue builds soft plaque, which affects the taste buds. It inhibits the flavor profile and you cannot enjoy the taste of the food. (Tastes are very important part of natural healing. Every taste carries its own benefit). Malfunction of taste buds due to plaque lead to false cravings. Besides, it also builds plaque on your teeth. Eventually, it disturbs the overall oral health.\nTongue connects not only with your taste sense but also digestion. The buildup of plaque in tongue imparts your digestion and builds the ama (toxins) on your tongue. Tongue scrape helps removal of plaque. It is the base defense against bad odor, gum disease etc.\nThe tongue is mostly a neglected organ in the body. Regular and so-called healthy practices like brushing twice a day, flossing etc are not sufficient to prevent and remove the buildup of plaque. Tongue scraping helps to revitalize your tongue and improve oral health.\nTongue scraping is essential because it is connected to internal organs. Every part of the tongue is linked with vital organs of the body. Tongue scraping not only protects oral health but also internal organs.\n- The front part of the tongue is related to upper GI tract, lungs, and heart;\n- The middle part of the tongue is connected with liver, spleen, and stomach;\n- The back part of the tongue relates to the large intestine and kidneys;\n- The tip of the tongue is the location of thyroid and vertical line in the middle of the tongue represents the spine.\nWhy should you use copper tongue cleaner?\nCopper tongue scraper is the best friend to take care of your oral health. Copper is one of the elements with numerous health properties. It is rich in anti-microbial properties. Copper has been for ages regulating the microorganisms like fungi, viruses and bacterium.\nWhen you don’t remove the plaque, it will be reabsorbed into the digestive system which causes imbalances in the body.\nCopper tongue cleaner is a one-stop solution to improve your oral hygiene with ease and efficacy. This tongue cleaner is made of pure copper and unalloyed metals which make it the safest product to use. Copper carries antibacterial and anti-plaque properties, which keep the oral diseases at bay. It also refines and improves your taste buds. This tongue cleaner provides optimal benefits over the mouthwashes and toothbrushes that come with inbuilt cleaners.\n- Harness the dual benefit of fresh breath combined with benefits of copper\n- Get rid of bad breath in minutes\n- Refines the taste buds and improves your oral hygiene\n- Copper is non-gagging cleaner made of unalloyed elements with great flexibility\n- Safe, simple, easy to use and clinically recommended\nJust glide the tongue a couple of three times with this cleaner and get rid of those unpleasant coats in no time. Banish the chemical mouthwashes and get the fresher, healthier and cleaner mouth.\nHow to scrape your tongue\n- Before scraping your tongue, take a minute to examine your tongue daily. Note for the color and texture of the tongue. If you notice daily, you can see the accumulation of plaque and monitor the texture of the tongue. Eventually, it also helps in monitoring your health.\n- Scrape your tongue from back to front. Gently glide the copper tongue scraper from back to front to remove plaque.\n- Once you find the scraper collects residue, rinse the scraper and repeat again for minimum 5 times to maximum 10 times.\n- Rinse your mouth and wash the copper tongue scraper with warm water.\nTongue Scrape Vs Tongue Brush\nWhat is the difference between tongue scraping and brushing?\nBrushing the tongue will loosen the plaque buildup. It just moves around the plaques and loosens it. It won’t help in\ncomplete removal of plaque. Neither it helps in relishing the taste buds nor does it improve the related internal organs. It fails to meet the ultimate oral ecology.\nOn the other hand, tongue scraping is an ancient method of maintaining good oral health and more to it. Healthy, plaque-free tongue is a sign of good internal health and immunity. In addition to all these, tongue not only connected with internal organs, but also has the reflex points. It massages the GI tract and cleanses the system.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "Texas Ranger (Leucophyllum frutescens) is native to Texas but grows well in the Central Valley. / Submitted\nThe Matilja poppy (Romneya coulteri) is a truly spectacular shrub; when in bloom it will stop people in their tracks. / Submitted\nAre you looking for something new in shrubs besides the boxwoods, phontinia and euryops so prevalent in our neighborhoods? Certainly these shrubs have a place in the landscape, but for variety there are other lesser-known shrubs that provide a different look and are also drought-tolerant, a real plus here in the Central Valley.\nBush anemone (Carpenteria californica) is a lovely California native from the Sierra foothills in Fresno County. In bloom, its spectacular white flowers with yellow centers and its glossy green leaves give the impression of being tropical rather than native in origin. Bush anemone grows from 3 to 8 feet-high and 6 to 8 feet-wide. It bears many scented blossoms from May to July and remains evergreen all year. “Elizabeth,” a compact and rounded shrub, is the most widely available cultivar for home gardeners.\nIn the Valley, bush anemone grows best in part sun to shade in well-drained soil with little or no fertilization. Once established, it is drought-tolerant and needs only moderate water, which is best provided by drip irrigation to avoid fungal problems. Aphids are sometimes a problem that can be solved by an occasional hosing off until natural enemies such as ladybugs and lacewings take over. This shrub, native to our part of the Valley, can be a carefree addition to our gardens.\nThe Matilja poppy (Romneya coulteri) is a truly spectacular shrub; when in bloom it will stop people in their tracks. A 6 to 8 foot plant, it bears many white blossoms with bright yellow centers up to 8 inches across from spring to early summer. It sports the largest flowers of any California native plant. With five or six flat, crepe-like petals and large centers, the blooms have given the shrub the nickname “fried egg plant!”\nThis shrub, native to Southern California, prefers full sun to a little shade, requires little to moderate water, and tolerates many soils, except heavy clay. A robust plant, Matilja poppy needs a lot of growing room and can be invasive if side shoots are not removed. Withholding summer water will help to keep growth in check and the shrub can be cut back in late fall.\nTwo varieties are available. “White Cloud” is very vigorous and sports profuse, very large blossoms. “Butterfly” is a many-branched shrub with smaller flowers that are slightly rounded. Propagation is difficult from seed, but shoots from an established bush provide an easy way to get more plants. With room, Matilja poppies can make a beautiful informal border.\nTexas Ranger (Leucophyllum frutescens) is native to Texas but grows well in the Central Valley. An evergreen shrub with soft gray-green foliage and pink to purple bell-shaped 1-inch flowers, Texas Ranger grows 5 to 8 feet tall. While the blossoms are not as showy as some other shrubs, they appear in waves, often after a light irrigation, throughout the summer and fall. I really enjoy seeing the blooms light up the garden in the heat of August!\nA member of the figwort family, Texas Ranger likes well-drained soil in full or part sun. This shrub is not picky about soil pH, but it does not like fertilizer or a lot of compost, and needs only low to moderate irrigation. It is hardy to the low teens. Its cultural requirements fit our Valley conditions well. Texas Ranger can be shaped into an airy hedge. Fall is the best season to plant drought-tolerant shrubs and perennials, so if you are looking for more variety in your landscape, try one of these robust shrubs.\nThis column appears Thursdays. To contact the Tulare/Kings Master Gardener Program, call 684-3325 or email email@example.com.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "Oracle Tips by Burleson Consulting\nhave discussed several times, a table is a structure that holds rows\n(or records) of data. A table is composed of columns, each column\nhas a data type and each column can hold some amount of data of that\nin EnterpriseDB are stored as files in the file system. A single\ntable is a single file.\nTABLESPACES and SCHEMAs\nspoke of tablespaces and schemas in Chapter 2, The EnterpriseDB\nPlatform. A tablespace is a pointer to a directory and a schema is\na grouping of database objects. A tablespace or schema in\nEnterpriseDB is conceptually similar to the same in Oracle but is\nimplemented quite a bit differently. I will show an example using\ntablespaces and schemas below but if you don't quite understand that\nuse, don't worry about it at this point. If you ever do need the\nfunctionality they provide, the use will become obvious.\nDefault column expression allows you to force a value in a table if\nthe value is not provided in an insert statement.\nmay set a column as NULL or NOT NULL. A NOT NULL column will not\nallow the column to have no value. Many times, a DEFAULT is used\nwith a NOT NULL to ensure a value. A NULL means that the column can\nbe empty. NULL is the default.\nUNIQUE keyword identifies a unique constraint. A unique constraint\nforces the column (or a combination of columns) to be unique for all\nrecords in the table.\nUnique constraint may be declared at the table level or at the\ncolumn level. At the column level, the unique constraint may\nreference only that single column. At the table level, a unique\nconstraint may reference multiple columns.\nPrimary Key constraint is much like a unique constraint. The\ndifferences are that a PRIMARY KEY (a single column or combination\nof columns) must be NOT NULL and Unique. You may define only a\nsingle Primary Key for any particular table.\nPrimary Key constraint creates a Unique Index on the column(s) you\nCheck constraint allows you to validate data without writing code.\nIf you want to ensure that a column can only contain a certain\nselection of data, a check constraint is the best way to do it. A\ncheck constraint must evaluate to a boolean value, i.e. 1 = 1 or 1 =\n2. The first would evaluate to TRUE (1 equals 1) and the second\nwould evaluate to false (1 equals 2). 1 + 1 would not be a valid\ncheck constraint because it does not evaluate to TRUE or FALSE.\nconstraint keyword allows you to name a constraint. You may use\nCONSTRAINT with a Unique, Primary Key, NULL|NOT NULL, or Check\nconstraint to name it. If you do not provide a name, the database\nwill generate a name for you.\nreference is a foreign key constraint. You would use a reference to\nrelate a child table to its parent table. In our example earlier,\nthe EMP table is a child of DEPT. There is a reference between\nand DEPT.deptno. A table level foreign key reference on EMP would\nlook like: FOREIGN KEY (deptno)\nREFERENCES dept (deptno).\nis an excerpt from the book \"EnterpriseDB:\nThe Definitive Reference\" by Rampant TechPress.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "Karnataka is a state in south western region of India. It was formed on 1 November 1956, with the passage of the States Reorganisation Act. Originally known as the State of Mysore, it was renamed Karnataka in 1973. The capital and largest city is Bangalore (Bengaluru). Karnataka is bordered by the Arabian Sea and the Laccadive Sea to the west, Goa to the north west, Maharashtra to the north, Telangana to the North east, Andhra Pradesh to the east, Tamil Nadu to the south east, and Kerala to the south west. The state covers an area of 191,976 square kilometres (74,122 sq mi), or 5.83 per cent of the total geographical area of India. It is the seventh largest Indian state by area. With 61,130,704 inhabitants at the 2011 census, Karnataka is the eighth largest state by population, comprising 30 districts. Kannada is the most widely spoken and official language of the state.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "“The frightful mortality of the concentration camps was the second reason given for laying down arms. “Secondly, that the placing of our families in the concentration camps has brought an unheard of condition of suffering and sickness, so that in a comparatively short time about 20 000 of our beloved have died there, and that the horrid probability has arisen that by continuing the war our whole nation may die out in this way.”\nObviously, the potential extermination of their entire nation could not be viewed with equanimity by the Boer leaders. Writing in the London Times, 13.12.1903, Lord Courtney commented: “When they heard of the horrors which had been heaped upon those closest and dearest to them – deserted in the field, robbed of provisions, clothing and covering – then their resolution gave way and they accepted peace.”\nThe Anglo/Boer War was the Afrikaners’ Holocaust, resulting in the deaths of perhaps 20% of the total Afrikaner population of the Transvaal and Orange Free State – most of them women and children. It ruined their farms and their country. The Afrikaners have never forgotten the martyrdom of their people. The whole land was filled with sorrow and misery: but the spirit of the people was undaunted. The Afrikaners were filled with an inexorable determination to survive.\nThis was a conflict on which no Britisher could look back with pride. But it did have one overwhelming effect. It created the Afrikaner nation. The moral victory was theirs. The Boer War may have been the Afrikaners’ greatest tragedy. It was also their finest hour.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "scroll to top\nStuck on your essay?\nGet ideas from this essay and see how your work stacks up\nWord Count: 1,977\nOne of the most highly known African authors today is the Nigerian born Chinua Achebe Chinua Achebes main focus in his writings was to tell about the African experience but in a completely different way previous authors wrote The works of Achebe painted a picture of how life changed for Africans due to the impact of European culture on African society and described the struggles of his people to free themselves from European influences Many critics saw Chinua Achebe as a visionary while others saw him as a voice for the Nigerian culture giving him the reputation as the father of the African novel in English When England sent colonizers and missionaries to Africa it had great affect on African tribal life and on Chinua Achebe Achebe became slightly interested in British culture and began reading English writings only to be disgusted with the message British authors were trying to get across Achebe learned that English authors saw Africans as inhumane savages that needed to be saved Carroll 68 Angry with the English writings Achebe decided to answer back by writing his first novel Things Fall Apart in 1958 to counteract the distortions of English literature about Africa In Things Fall Apart Achebe tells the story of an Ibo village of the late 1800s and one of its great men a warrior named Okonkwo Okonkwo is a champion wrestler a wealthy farmer a husband to three wives a title holder among his people and a member of the select egwugwu whose members impersonate ancestral spirits at tribal rituals However life changes dramatically for the Ibo society and Okonkwo with the arrival of British colonizers and missionaries also known as the white man The order of the Ibo society is disrupted with the appearance of the white man in Africa and with the introduction of white religion Carroll 77-78 Okonkwo who is looked upon highly by his people is unable to adapt to the changes that\n@Kibin is a lifesaver for my essay right now!!\n- Sandra Slivka, student @ UC Berkeley\nWow, this is the best essay help I've ever received!\n- Camvu Pham, student @ U of M\nIf I'd known about @Kibin in college, I would have gotten much more sleep\n- Jen Soust, alumni @ UCLA", "label": "No"}
{"text": "One of the myths about grief— perhaps the most pervasive myth—is that grief only follows a death. A reality that is rarely talked about, except among researchers and clinicians, is that grief can begin long before death arrives. It can start as soon as we become aware that death is a likelihood. Once death is on the horizon, even as a possibility, it is natural that we begin to grieve.\nThe goal of this booklet is to offer you a jumping-off point by outlining the concepts that we, the authors, feel are the most important for you to know as you navigate the complex and overwhelming world of caregiving and anticipatory grief.\nTopics covered in, Anticipatory Grief, include…\nGeneral truths about grief\nUnderstanding anticipatory grief\nGrieving during a loved one’s illness\nCoping during a loved one’s illness\nCoping after a death\nHave questions about this resource? Email [email protected]", "label": "No"}
{"text": "Nowadays it’s hard to imagine a life without websites as we now know them today. The web is such a ubiquitous part of our everyday lives that we almost forget the hard work that went into creating it. It’s a fabulous, open platform for people to get together, collaborate and share ideas. The birth of the web and how it has developed since its inception is an interesting tale – so sit back and check out our first instalment of a Brief History of the Web…\nThe Techie Bit\nBefore we begin, we need to establish the difference between the terms “The Internet” and “The World Wide Web.” The Internet is the interconnected network of networks, servers and PCs over which many different types of files can be shared in a number of different ways. The World Wide Web (generally shortened to “the web”) is just one of these different ways, and comprises what we generally call “websites.”\nThere are a number of different ways of sharing information over the Internet. Consider things like email, peer-to-peer file sharing and VOIP telephony; so websites aren’t the only data that moves around on the Internet.\nThe “www.” that you see at the start of some website addresses (known as “URLs” – Uniform Resource Locators) stands for “World Wide Web,” but that doesn’t mean that URLs without a “www.” are not part of the Web. The key part of a website’s URL is the “http://” which refers to the manner in which all websites are accessed and transmitted, utilising the “Hypertext Transfer Protocol.”\nNow we’ve established the place of websites within the greater concept that is the Internet, let’s get on with the history lesson.\nOnce Upon a Time…\nWe have had the interconnected network that is “the Internet” for far longer than we’ve had websites. The concept of computers connecting to other computers at different physical locations via networks came to life in the 60s, chiefly for military and research purposes. However, these networks were still self-contained and totally separate from each other. The networks and the ways in which people used them grew and developed throughout the 70s and 80s, and as a result, we saw a shift towards these networks clustering and interconnecting together to become a worldwide network that became the early Internet.\nEnter Mr (now Sir) Tim Berners-Lee; a British computer scientist and the son of two early computer scientists. He graduated with a first class degree in physics from Oxford in 1976, and after a couple of specialist IT based jobs, he worked as an independent contractor at CERN in Switzerland (the place that’s now home to the Large Hadron Collider). During his 6 month stint at the esteemed research site, he had the opportunity to work on a prototype system called ENQUIRE which laid some of the groundwork for what would later become the web. Once his contract was over, he returned to the UK to work at an IT company based in Dorset.\nBerners-Lee returned to CERN in the mid-80s, and was presented with a very unique problem. Scientists and researchers from all around the world needed a way to pool ideas and resources, but there was no set, uniform way in which to share and present their data over the Internet. He set to work, and in 1989 he put together a proposal titled “Information Management: A Proposal,” which married the concepts of linked hypertext and the pre-existing Internet. Though the proposal was met with an underwhelming response, Tim was permitted to start work on it in late 1990.\nThe Web is Born\nBy the end of 1990, Berners-Lee had put together the basic components required for what we now know as the world wide web. HTML (which is indicated by “.html” at the end of webpage URLs on some websites), URL technology and HTTP were all ready to be rolled out. Tim also constructed the first web browser and editor so people could view and edit web content. Shortly after, the first webpage was unleashed on to the open Internet (which has since been lovingly restored by CERN); and in 1991, those outside of CERN with the resources to do so were welcomed to follow suit.\nAs this new online platform took off, Berners-Lee decided with CERN to keep the code and methods involved in using the World Wide Web absolutely free for people to use, without royalties, forever. He said:\n“Had the technology been proprietary, and in my total control, it would probably not have taken off. You can’t propose that something be a universal space and at the same time keep control of it.”\nThis decision was formalised in 1993, and the code was available to whoever wanted it. The web absolutely exploded: In January 1993, there were 50 web servers (computers that store website data) worldwide, but by October there were over 500. Those who had a presence on the web before ‘93 were chiefly scientific or academic institutions, but now the web was starting to be used for things with a wider interest such as the arts, maps, music and even jokes and comics.\nJoin us next time when we’ll be discussing the uprising of the web and how it started to be used for business. But what comes up must come down – we’ll touch upon the dot com boom and bust. Be sure to not miss it.Check out Part 1 of this concise history of the web as we know it today. Click To Tweet\nI’m curious if anyone reading this remembers the pre-website days of the Internet; do you? What was it like? If it’s before your time, what was your first interaction with the web? What was the first memorable website you frequented regularly, whether for business or pleasure? Let’s compare notes down in the comments…", "label": "No"}
{"text": "Global Volcanism Program | Image GVP-02087\nLava fountains on 21 November 1996 reached 1.6 km above a fissure on the northern flank of Miharayama at Izu-Oshima. The horizontal line in the foreground is an advancing lava flow produced by molten ejecta from the fountains. The 1986 eruption began on 15 November with lava fountaining and lava flows lasting four days.\nPhoto by Katsuyuki Abe, 1986 (courtesy of the Volcanological Society of Japan).\nThis image is made available under the Creative Commons BY-NC 4.0 license terms.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "In this excel tutorial, we are going to see how to add dropdown list in Excel 2016 and 2013. Excel users can add drop down using the option available as part of Data Validation settings.\nAdding dropdown in Microsoft Excel\nStep 1: Click Data in Office Ribbon and navigate to Data Tools section.\nStep 2: Click the arrow pointing downwards below Data Validation and select Data Validation from the dropdown list.\nStep 3: Click the Settings tab under Data Validation window and select List for the Allow dropdown list.\nStep 4: Now enter the Data that needs to be displayed in the Source column i.e 2013, 2012, 2010, 2009, 2008,2007,2006. You can also provide a cell range with the defined set of values.\nAfter entering the required data, click OK button to confirm and save the changes. Now selecting the cell and then clicking dropdown arrow should display the dropdown list.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "Psychiatric Disorders: Targeting the Microbiome\nStudent Scholarship Honorable Mention\nAlexandra Francis, ND, MS, CNS\nMarie Winters, ND, FABNO\nAll disease begins in the gut. ~ (Hippocrates)\n“When in doubt, treat the gut” is an excellent naturopathic rule of thumb that naturopathic doctors have relied on for decades. We have always understood that symptoms and chronic diseases often improve when we focus on treating the gut, but only recently there has been exploration into why this is so. We’ve been told that we have more microorganisms in our gut (meaning our whole digestive system, but primarily the small and large intestines) than we have cells comprising our bodies. “The human gut microbiota consists of a complex community exceeding 100 trillion microorganisms whose collective genome – the microbiome – encodes 100 times more genes than the human genome. It is now widely considered that the gut microbiota should be considered an ‘exteriorized’ organ placed within the body, which provides important physiological functions and is indispensable for human life.”1 These microorganisms are responsible for metabolizing dietary nutrients, xenobiotics, and drugs, as well as maintaining the integrity of the gut mucosal barrier, immunomodulation, and protection against pathogens.2\nOur knowledge of the functions and roles the gut microbiome plays in our health and physiology has been expanding. The gut microbiome is a relatively new exploration in the field of medicine, and recent research has shed light on promising new clinical applications of focusing treatment efforts on the gut microbiome. Some of the conditions shown to benefit from optimizing the gut microbiome include several digestive disorders, such as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), as well as systemic conditions such as diabetes mellitus, obesity, and cardiovascular disease.\nAbout half of US adults will experience a mood or mental disorder consistent with the diagnostic criteria in the DSM-IV at some point during their lives.3 The onset of these disorders is usually during childhood or adolescence, which suggests that treatment methods should be directed to the younger population and emphasize prevention.3 Use of conventional drug therapies for psychiatric disorders has been on the rise over the last few decades. Given the increasing rates of mood disorders and drug dependence trends, conventional drug therapy appears to have had relatively low efficacy in psychiatric patients, especially those with depression.4,5 Possibly in response to this, there has been increasing research into the composition of the gut microbiome in individuals with mood disorders. Many people with psychiatric illnesses have been found to have an altered gut microbiome composition and compromised integrity of the gut lining, and these patterns are theorized to be affecting the functioning of the nervous system.6\nEver since the 1950s, the only therapy widely used to treat mood disorders are pharmaceutical agents that target the monoamine neurotransmitters in the central nervous system (CNS) – serotonin, norepinephrine, and dopamine.7 Recent research has established a strong connection between physiological health and mental health, including the extensive therapeutic potential of manipulating the gut microbiome in individuals with mood disorders.\nThe way that the gut communicates with the brain is likely the underlying factor in this relationship. Extensive research has been conducted on mice that has included manipulating their gut microbiota and observing their consequent behavioral changes (eg, increased or decreased depression and anxiety).8 Findings from this research strongly support the theory that these behavioral/mood changes result from aberrant neurochemical transmission from the gut microbiome.8 When mice are treated with oral neomycin (antibiotic), bacitracin (antibiotic), and primaricin (antifungal), their anxiety is reduced.9 It has also been demonstrated that germ-free mice (mice devoid of gut microorganisms) have higher concentrations of the serotonin precursor, tryptophan, compared to control mice.8 This could be due to the elimination of pathogenic or inflammation-inducing bacterial and/or fungal species in the gut. When in excess, some of these pathogenic enteric microbes can trigger inflammatory processes in the CNS. Acutely depressed patients have been shown to have higher gut levels of Bacteroidetes, Actinobacteria, and Proteobacteria, as well as lower levels of Firmicutes, compared to patients with milder depression.7 Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) have been shown to have less gut microbial diversity and lower levels of Prevotella, Coprococcus, and Veillonellaceae compared to controls.9 Spore-forming anaerobic bacteria and microaerophilic bacteria have also been found in gastric and duodenal samples from children with ASD, whereas control children showed no presence of these microbes.9\nProbiotics & Prebiotics\nThe main immunomodulatory actions of probiotics and prebiotics include modulating the immune responses from the gut mucosa, enhancing the integrity of the epithelial barrier in the gut, and priming adaptive responses via antigen-presenting cells.10\nImmunomodulation is primarily carried out through regulation of T-cell maturation, which is highly implicated in inflammation and autoimmune disease.10 The 2 dominant genera of gut bacteria that are considered beneficial probiotics are Lactobacilli and Bifidobacteria.11 Research has demonstrated that Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium species modulate the production and secretion of various cytokines by acting on monocytes, macrophages, epithelial cells, peripheral blood mononuclear cells, and dendritic cells.10 The eradication of “bad” species of gut bacteria and the addition of beneficial probiotic species may provide novel avenues for treatment of mood disorders.“ Live bacteria that have a positive mental health benefit have been defined as psychobiotics.”7\nDisorders characterized by a deviation from normal gut bacteria include small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO), dysbiosis, IBS, and more. It should come as no surprise that there is a high prevalence of psychiatric illness among patients with IBS, including panic disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, social phobia, posttraumatic stress disorder, and major depression.12 Probiotics can competitively inhibit disease- and inflammation-causing pathogenic bacteria by blocking attachment sites on epithelial cells. Lactobacillus plantarum and Lactobacillus rhamnosus upregulate the production of intestinal mucins, which greatly reduces the adherence of Escherichia coli O157:H7 and its damaging effects.13 It has been demonstrated in humans that administering a combination of the probiotics Lactobacillus helveticus and Bifidobacterium longum has an anxiolytic effect and reduces serum cortisol.14 Lactobacillus reuteri is another highly effective probiotic that modulates immune system functioning, reduces stress-induced increases in corticosterone, and reduces anxiety by altering the mRNA expression of GABAA and GABAB receptors in the CNS.14 Bifidobacterium infantis has been found to have antidepressant effects, via suppression of stimulation-induced elevations in proinflammatory cytokines as well as increasing tryptophan levels.14\nThe Gut-Brain Connection\nThere have been rapidly coalescing clusters of evidence related to the gut-brain connection, with special focus on potential etiologies of anxiety, depression, behavior, and other mental or emotional disorders. “…[I]llnesses such as major depressive disorder are disproportionately prevalent in patients with gastrointestinal illnesses such as inflammatory bowel disease, which pathologically has been strongly linked to microbiome function.”15\nIntestinal hyperpermeability is a very important pathophysiologic mechanism implicated in dysbiosis and mood disorders. The hyperpermeability is characterized by weakened tight junctions between the enterocytes of mainly the small intestine. This creates “gaps” in the epithelial lining of the small intestine that allow for translocation of partially digested food products and bacterial toxins into the bloodstream, often triggering a low-grade immune response through the interaction of T-cells and compromised epithelium. It has been shown that intestinal hyperpermeability often coexists with altered gut microbiome composition and activity.1\nImmune system hypersensitivity should also be explored as a possible contributing factor in the gut-brain connection. While the immune system is not usually occupied with reacting to non-harmful antigens, it can start to overreact to a normally harmless antigen; this is referred to as an immune hypersensitivity reaction. There are several types of hypersensitivity reactions, and they all promote inflammation that may affect mood and behavior. It has been found that germ-free mice have an increased stress response, higher cortisol levels, and lower levels of cortical and hippocampal brain-derived neurotropic factor (BDNF) compared to control mice; furthermore, these effects are no longer present when the mice are recolonized with Bifidobacteria species.14 Lactobacillus strains have also been shown to trigger increased levels of 2 key anti-inflammatory/suppressive cytokines – transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-ß) and interleukin-10 (IL-10) via interaction with dendritic cells.10 This produces a tolerogenic state such that immune cells do not hyper-react to non-harmful antigens (ie, they tolerate them), thereby keeping inflammation low.10 TGF-ß has major regulatory activity, induces peripheral antigenic/immune tolerance, and suppresses cells of the innate immune system.16 Because of its broad anti-inflammatory effects, TGF-ß has been considered a possible therapeutic for inflammatory diseases, autoimmune disease, cancer, and Alzheimer’s disease; it might also be considered in the treatment of severe mood disorders.16\nNutritional Impacts on the Gut\nThe first time nutrition is thought to impact the gut microbiome is shortly after birth. Early life (the weeks and months following birth) serves as a critical window of opportunity for the development of the core microbiome from diet.10 Human breast milk has profound beneficial effects on the gut microbiome and is considered the optimal source of nutrition for newborns. Breast milk contains several components that are essential for a maturing immune system, including colostrum, immunoglobulins, lysozyme, lactoferrin, Lactobacillus acidophilus and L gasseri, Bifidobacterium bifidium and B breve, and human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs).10\nSome of the general dietary changes that have occurred in the United States over the past 3 decades include higher caloric intake, higher proportion of calories derived from refined grains/carbohydrates, and increased intake of corn-derived sweeteners (ie, corn syrup).17 These poor dietary patterns are likely a major culprit in the development of psychiatric disorders, mood disorders, and developmental disorders. A significant amount of evidence exists that shows how dietary interventions (especially gluten-free and casein-free diets) that help optimize the gut microbiome and reduce levels of inflammation also effectively improve behavioral and digestive symptoms in autistic children.18 Foods shown to foster gut bacterial imbalances include sugar, eggs, soy, gluten, and dairy.19 These foods trigger some of the most common food sensitivities in individuals with intestinal hyperpermeability (“leaky gut”). Food sensitivities can be the root cause of many common inflammatory manifestations, including mood disorders.\nShort-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), such as butyrate, acetate, and propionate, have been shown to positively impact the gut microbiota and exert modulatory effects on the immune system.17 Increased fiber intake can enhance SCFA status, since SCFAs are products of anaerobic microbial fermentation of non-digestible macronutrients (mostly plant polysaccharides and resistant starches).17 SCFAs promote colonic water resabsorption and decrease fecal pH, which both beneficially affect bacterial growth in the colon.9 Levels of SCFAs (butyrate, acetate, propionate), along with levels of different phylogenic microbial strains, can be measured via a comprehensive stool analysis.\nAnxiety disorders, depressive disorders, and autism spectrum disorders have been rapidly increasing in prevalence over the past few decades, especially in the United States. Causes of this increase are still largely unknown, but etiologic factors are beginning to be considered at a deeper level. This fact highlights the need for more effective intervention strategies, which can be accomplished through research studies and clinical trials. Most studies of the gut microbiome to date have been conducted on mice, which only minimally translate to human health.\nToday, there is a clear need for alternative treatment strategies for several common psychiatric conditions including anxiety and depressive disorders. Pharmaceutical therapy has demonstrated limited efficacy in the general population of psychiatric patients. Many patients with psychiatric illness are prescribed indicated medications and become reliant on them for a significant portion of their lives, despite their often-minimal efficacy and the fact that they are often intended to be used only for a short period of time. As an alternative to pharmaceutical therapy, treatment designed to reduce CNS inflammation and optimize the gut microbiome may be a novel and highly effective form of therapy. Many of the psychiatric and developmental disorders that are increasingly affecting young children are postulated to result from nutrition and diet during infancy and childhood – factors that significantly affect the composition of the gut microbiome.\nStrong but complex connections exist between the gut microbiome, the immune system, CNS activity, mood, and behavior. Research is just beginning to reveal how these systems interact with each other. Although clinical applications are not yet well supported, it is likely that the growing interest in the gut microbiome will propel further investigation into more specific medical treatments that optimize the microbiome. Probiotics are already a useful clinical tool in the treatment of a wide variety of health problems, including psychiatric disorders. Diet therapy, functional foods, nutritional supplements, antimicrobial agents, and probiotic therapy are all avenues of treatment that have been shown to be highly effective in healing the gut, including balancing enteric bacteria, improving the integrity of the epithelial lining, and modulating the activity of gastrointestinal immunity. We now know that all of these factors are central to the functioning of the CNS and the pathophysiology of psychiatric disorders.\nNutritional therapy is one of the most powerful tools for altering the gut microbiome. It has been shown that even short-term dietary changes significantly affect (positively or negatively) the populations of microorganisms in the GI tract. In general, a high fiber, plant-based diet, in conjunction with fermented foods containing probiotics, is highly recommended for increasing the concentrations of beneficial gut microbes. The current average American diet is pro-inflammatory by promoting overgrowth of pathogenic microorganisms, both bacterial and fungal. Enhancing patients’ dietary patterns can serve to balance their gut microbiome, decrease inflammation, optimize nutrient absorption and utilization, and modulate their immune system. All of these effects should significantly decrease their symptoms of anxiety and depression, and help to stabilize their mood.\n- Leclercq S, Matamoros S, Cani PD, et al. Intestinal permeability, gut-bacterial dysbiosis, and behavioral markers of alcohol-dependence severity. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2014;111(42):E4485-E4493.\n- Jandhyala SM, Talukdar R, Subramanyam C, et al. Role of the normal gut microbiota. World J Gastroenterol. 2015;21(29):8787-8803.\n- Kessler RC, Berglund P, Demler O, et al. Lifetime prevalence and age-of-onset distributions of DSM-IV disorders in the national comorbidity survey replication. Arch Gen Psychiatry. 2005;62(6):593-602.\n- Whitaker R. Anatomy of an Epidemic: Psychiatric Drugs and the Astonishing Rise of Mental Illness in America. Ethical Hum Psychol Psychiatry. 2005;7(1):23-35. Available at: http://freedom-center.org/pdf/anatomy_of_epidemic_whitaker_psych_drugs.pdf. Accessed December 5, 2017.\n- Vietta L, Bambling M, Alford H. The gastrointestinal tract microbiome, probiotics, and mood. Inflammopharmacology. 2014;22(6):333-339.\n- Forsythe P, Sudo N, Dinan T, et al. Mood and gut feelings. Brain Behav Immun. 2010;24(1):9-16.\n- Dinan TG, Cryan JF. Mood and microbiome: towards clinical translation. Genome Med. 2016;8(1):36.\n- Clarke G, Grenham S, Scully P, et al. The microbiome-gut-brain axis during early life regulates the hippocampal serotonergic system in a sex-dependent manner. Mol Psychiatry. 2013;18(6):666-673.\n- Zhang YJ, Li S, Gan RY, et al. Impacts of gut bacteria on human health and diseases. Int J Mol Sci. 2015;16(4):7493-7519.\n- Hardy H, Harris J, Lyon E, et al. Probiotics, prebiotics and immunomodulation of gut mucosal defences: homeostasis and immunopathology. Nutrients. 2013;5(6):1869-1912.\n- Tuohy KM, Probert HM, Smejkal CW, et al. Using probiotics and prebiotics to improve gut health. Drug Discov Today. 2003;8(15):692-700.\n- Lydiard RB. Irritable bowel syndrome, anxiety, and depression: what are the links? J Clin Psychiatry. 2001;62 Suppl 8:38-45.\n- Sherman PM, Johnson-Henry KC, Yeung HP, et al. Probiotics reduce enterhemorrhagic eschericia coli 157:H7- and enteropathogenic e. coli O127:H6-induced changes in polarized T84 epithelial cell monolayers by reducing bacterial adhesion and cytoskeletal rearrangements. Infect Immun. 2005;73(8):5183-5188.\n- Cryan JF, O’Mahony SM. The microbiome-gut-brain axis: from bowel to behavior. Neurogastroenterol Motil. 2011;23(3):187-192.\n- Flowers SA, Ellingrod VL. The Microbiome in Mental Health: Potential Contribution of Gut Microbiota in Disease and Pharmacotherapy Management. Pharmacotherapy. 2015;35(10):910-916.\n- Sanjabi S, Zenewicz LA, Kamanaka M, Flavell RA. Anti-inflammatory and pro-inflammatory roles of TGF-beta, IL-10, and IL-22 in immunity and autoimmunity. Curr Opin Pharmacol. 2009;9(4):447-453.\n- Kau AL, Ahern PP, Griffin NW, et al. Human nutrition, the gut microbiome and the immune system. Nature. 2011;474(7351):327-336.\n- Reichelt KL, Knivsberg AM. The possibility and probability of a gut-to-brain connection in autism. Ann Clin Psychiatry. 2009;21(4):205-211.\n- Kellman R. The Microbiome Diet: The Scientifically Proven Way to Restore Your Gut Health and Achieve Permanent Weight Loss. Boston, MA: Da Capo Lifelong Books; 2014.\nAlexandra Francis, ND, MS, CNS, was a 4th-year naturopathic medical student at the University of Bridgeport College of Naturopathic Medicine when she wrote this article; she graduated in May 2018. She is also pursuing a master’s degree in Human Nutrition at the University of Bridgeport Nutrition Institute. Alexandra has given several lectures on subjects including naturopathic medicine, nutrition, therapeutic diets, lifestyle, and wellness. Alexandra plans to start consulting on nutrition, diet, and lifestyle, to complement her clients’ medical treatment in Long Island, NY.\nMarie Winters, ND, FABNO, received her ND degree from Bastyr University in 2006. Dr Winters is the former director of the Naturopathic Medicine Department at Cancer Treatment Centers of America in Philadelphia. She is also a Fellow of the American Board of Naturopathic Oncology, sits on the Board of Medical Examiners for the American Board of Naturopathic Oncology, and is currently President of the PA Association of Naturopathic Physicians. She is an adjunct professor at Bridgeport University’s College of Naturopathic Medicine and maintains a private practice in Philadelphia. Dr Winters has spoken at several medical conferences across the country.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "It’s amazing what an extra letter can do to a word. Take today’s Which Word Wednesday entries, lose and loose. The extra O changes the word from something lost to something that’s not tight.\nThat extra letter can be tricky. It causes us to loose what is lost or lose something that’s tight. Oh boy. Let’s look at the definitions from The Oxford American Dictionary:\nadjective :: not firmly or tightly fixed in place; detached or able to be detached\nverb :: let go\nlose :: verb\nbe deprived of or cease to have or retain\nThat’s nice and all, those cute little definitions. But the trouble is keeping the right word matched to its proper definition and pronunciation. We need answers! We need words that aren’t confusing! We need help!\nI’ve heard your cries. And here are some memory hooks that are sure to rock the grammar world:\nLoose is pronounced like goose. As in, when your goose is loose, you need to catch it (before you lose it for good).\nLose is pronounced like ooze. As in, when you lose your ooze, you are probably glad.\nSee? That’s not so bad, is it! We can’t let one extra letter intimidate us. It just takes some creativity.\nWhat’s my WWW verdict? You can lose a loose goose but you can’t goose a loose lose, because that doesn’t make any sense.\nWhat’s your verdict? Do extra letters cause you to get the language sweats? Do loose and lose trip you up? Have you ever chased a loose goose? Do share in the comments.\nCheck out previous Which Word Wednesday verdicts here.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "What better to do on the 100th day than challenge your students to practice measurement! This one is sure to get them thinking! This includes a sheet of challenges in cm and the same challenges in inches.\nIf you like this- check out some of my other products!\nStates of Matter Bundle: Teach, Observe & Review- Experiments, Cut & Paste\nCut and Paste Science- A great way to review, re-teach and assess!\nTransparent, Translucent, Opaque Light Experiment, Definitions w/ Cut & Paste\nLandforms Cut and Paste Definitions, flash cards- 20 words, 4 lesson options\nFood Chain, Food Web, Energy Pyramid Cut and Paste\nPotential and Kinetic Energy Matching Cut and Paste\nForms of Energy Matching Cut and Paste- Definitions and Examples\nEnergy Changes Transfer Introduction, Definition, Examples & Cut & Paste", "label": "No"}
{"text": "Wild 2 reveals its hot origins\nInner-solar system material found in comet Wild 2 samples challenges scientists' view of comet formation.\nMarch 15, 2006\nComet Wild 2 dust samples, returned to Earth in January as part of NASA's Stardust mission, yielded a surprising finding: materials formed near the Sun or other stars somehow found their way into Wild 2 at the solar system's cold fringes. This suggests solar material ejected from the Sun early in its history traveled to the outer solar system.\nCrystals of olivine a mineral compound made mostly of magnesium and iron found in Wild 2 samples have astronomers stumped. Olivine is thought to form from glass and heat from nearby stars, not in the outer solar system, where comets form. While scientists don't know the process by which olivine came to reside within Wild 2, astronomer Donald Brownlee of the University of Washington and principal investigator for NASA's Stardust mission, says, \"It's certain such materials never formed inside this icy, cold body.\"\nThe debate surrounding comet formation grows. \"It seems that comets are not composed entirely of volatile-rich materials, but rather are a mixture of materials formed at all temperature ranges, at places very near the early Sun and at places very remote from it,\" says Michael Zolensky, Stardust curator and coinvestigator at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston.\nScientists may have to rethink how comets form, what they're made of, and how those materials got there. The comet's long-standing dirty-snowball image may be replaced by the geologically active comet that contains, among other things, materials formed near the Sun.\nBrownlee and colleagues presented their findings this week at the annual Lunar and Planetary Science Conference held in League City, Texas.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "Listed in: Geology, as GEOL-41\nPeter D. Crowley (Section 01)\nOnly the surface of the earth is accessible for direct study but, as a two-dimensional surface, it represents a very incomplete picture of the geologic character of the earth. The most fundamental realms of the earth-the core and mantle-cannot themselves be observed. Even the uppermost part of the crust, where the lithosphere and hydrosphere interact to determine the quality of the environment in which we live, is hidden. Indirect signals, observed at the surface, can give us a more comprehensive understanding of earth structure-from environmental problems that lie just below the surface to the dynamics of the core/mantle boundary. We can “see” these subsurface realms using seismology, gravity, magnetism and heat flow observations. This course will bring findings from geophysics to bear on developing a picture of the earth in three dimensions. Three hours of class and three hours of laboratory each week. Requisite: Geology 11 or 12. Spring semester. Professor Crowley.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "Ping command is one of the most widely used utilities that used in networking. Ping command is a simple tool is used to troubleshoot networking issue such as test network connectivity. We can test connected to a local area network or even it is connected to internet and also we can check test network interface card working correctly or not also used DNS issues test DNS name resolution issues.\nLet’s ping IP address of a host. This host could be any network device such as computer, server, router or local area network or over the internet. Here we are going to ping server in our local area network open command prompt type ping along with IP address of the server then press enter. Ping utility will send four data packets to the IP address of the server. Our computer will wait for response then the server will send the data packets back as a reply.\nThis reply is called echo reply request. This reply informs you what’s happening server with we ping. We received a reply that is a good sign that is network connectivity between the computer and server is good that server is local area network or over the internet. The four packets were sent and four packets received.\nIf we ping the same server this time we didn’t get reply that means server didn’t reply back there is no network connectivity between our computer and server. This could be severed for different reason.\nThat means server is powered down or also server is running but its firewall is blocking or ping request for this reason turn off the firewall.\nWhat happen when you trying to ping a host and not all data packets are reply back to you?\nPing a host our computer sends a four data packets but sometimes you may receive only 1, 2 or 3 packets back instead of four packets. This is called packet lost.\nThis packet loss can be done for several reasons.\nNetwork congestion due to lot of traffic data packets will get dropped\nFaulty hardware’s – such as bad cables, bad wires, bad network card, bad network connections or bad modem\nIn other types we want to ping remote server on the internet if we got a message destination host unreachable.\nThat means the router destination cannot be found. That mean router doesn’t have any information how to route data to destination or also remote server down or disconnected on network or our computer is not connected to network.\nLet’s see ping command in typical scenario suppose there is no interconnect connection because they access because they can access any web page within their computer which is very common issue. First thing is to check using ping utility to see the connection of internet or not. Even before checking the modem or router or any cable connection check ping test.\nOpen command prompt ping website as yahoo.com. Notice in this method ping the domain name yahoo.com not an IP address because by doing this way testing name, resolution issue related to DNS issues. We are hot having yahoo IP address by ping yahoo.com ping is successful we know it is connected to internet. We got successful reply from yahoo.com.\nAll of our hardware, cable, network card, router, all are working correctly including our internet service provider. The reason for bringing web pages related to software issue not hardware. The problem is mostly in the internet browser or a firewall issue. By using ping test it saves the time by checking the hardware’s.\nSuppose the ping is not successful even before started to check hardware we can used ping command by other test. Such as testing the network interface card is working correctly. This is called loop back test.\nThe loop back test is sending out signals back to your computer testing purpose. Open command prompt type ping space loop back IP address 127.0.0.1 type ping local host. The ping is successful the network card is working properly. The loop back test is failed the problem with your network interface card.\nPING command also can be to test DNS name resolution issues. DNS resolves domain names to IP addresses. Suppose while checking ping yahoo.com please check the name and try again. This could be a DNS issue. Our computer could not resolve the domain name to an IP address. Next try to ping the IP address instead you know already. Most of us don’t know IP address we can type DNS IP address as 188.8.131.52.if the ping was successful it confirms DNS issue in computer can ping IP address but can’t ping domain name.\nTo solve this problem let’s try with some other methods. Flush DNS type IP configuration/flush DNS in command prompt or check DNS settings network card configuration.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "The following essay will examine the most important facts about noun that every student should know. Let us first of all give a definition of this part of speech. A noun is a part of speech that is used to name a person, thing, place or idea. It is suggested that whatever exists in this world can be named, and the purpose of a noun is to give that name. There are two types of nouns, namely proper nouns and common nouns. Let us identify the difference between these nouns.\nAccording to the experts in English grammar, a proper noun is used to name specific place, person or thing. For instance, such words as Queen Elizabeth, Great Britain, Japanese and other similar notions belong to the category of proper nouns. Such words are practically always capitalized. The subcategory of a proper noun is a noun of address, which means addressing a person’s name. If to characterize common nouns, it should be mentioned that they are used to identify everything else, and are usually not capitalized.\nIt should further be noted that several related words may perform the role of a unified noun-like group within one sentence. This is known as a noun clause that contains a verb and a subject and can perform any role that a noun usually performs. This rule is vividly illustrated in the following example:\nThere is also a notion of a noun phrase that generally represents a noun added with modifiers. This is also a group of words having similar meaning and performing the role of a noun. For example:\nStudents often misunderstand the role of various types of nouns. In this regard, it should be noted that there is one more type of a noun, which is known as compound noun. This kind of nouns is often hard to remember for international students. Still, they represent an important part of English grammar and every student should know how to form such nouns. Let us give several examples for you to understand what a compound noun means:\nIn the following section, we will discuss various categories of nouns, which will further clarify the role of this part of speech and its types. Nouns are generally classified as count nouns, mass nouns (also known as non-count nouns) and collective nouns. Count nouns are the ones that can be counted, like two countries, a dozen girls, etc. Mass nouns are the ones that cannot be counted, like water, blood or fire. As for collective nouns, they are the ones that have a singular form, but can represent two or more persons or things. For example, team, committee, class, etc. It should be further noted that some English words can belong to either count or non-count categories of nouns. Everything depends on what role they perform in the sentence. Here are some examples:\nThe issue of whether such nouns can be counted generally determines whether these words can be added with articles or not. For example, you cannot write “He is faced with the troubles”. In this case, the article should be omitted.\nThere is also a category of abstract nouns, which generally mean that a word is non-tangible. Such words as justice, happiness, coldness and others belong to this category. Many international students who do not speak English as a native language find it hard to understand whether this or that abstract noun needs to be added with an article. In this case, everything depends on the context. For example, it is not correct to write “America gained the independence on the 4th of July”. A definite article here should be omitted. Every student should thoroughly research the topic of plural and singular forms of nouns in order to understand when countable and non-countable nouns should be used. It will also help to clarify when the determiners or articles should be added and when not.\nFurthermore, another fact about noun that every student should remember is related to various forms of nouns. In this regard, it should be emphasized that nouns can take the form of the subjective, objective and possessive cases. In the last section of our essay, we will examine what this means. First of all, the notion “case” stands for the function of a noun in the sentence. In order to understand what role a noun plays in the sentence, you need to answer the question of whether it is an object, a subject or a word that shows possession. For example:\nThe forms of the subject and the object in the sentence are identical, while nouns in the possessive case have a different form. There is a simple rule of possessive case formation. You need to add an apostrophe and then add the letter “s”. However, if it is a plural form of a noun, the “s” letter goes first and is then followed by the apostrophe. Keep in mind that it is not always easy to form the plural noun. Therefore, you need to research additional information on this matter.\nIf you want to find out whether this or that noun is countable or not, there is a simple exercise of naming this part of speech. This exercise will help you to answer any of the questions that might arise while researching the topic of nouns. The groups of count and non-count nouns might be rather confusing to students, especially if English is your second language. We suggest you to do a lot of exercises and pay much attention to the use of determiners, articles and quantifiers with different types of nouns. This will help you to understand how and in what forms nouns should be used in the text you are writing or the speech you are going to present.\nTry our service for FREE!Click here", "label": "No"}
{"text": "Comparison between Chopin and Gilman using The Storm and The Yellow Wallpaper.\nBy Lee A. Zito\nGilman's perception of her \"reality\" and Chopin's Calixta in \"The Storm,\" are women who just might have been suffering the same feeling's of depression and routine. The only difference might be how they dealt with this depression. Gilman suffered from depression after the birth of her child, using this depression to write \"The Yellow Wall-Paper.\" Chopin seemed to be just bored in general with same old routines. Both were women who felt suppressed by the male gender. They successfully overcame this suppression through their writing.\n\"The Storm\" and \"The Yel…\n- Comparison between Chopin and Gilman using The Storm and The Yellow Wallpaper.\n- Comparison between Henry David Thoreau and Herman Melville. They Focused their writings on how man was affected by nature. They translated their philosophies though both the portrayal of their protago\n- Comparison Between The Metamorphosis, by Kafka, and metamorphosis, by Salvatore Dali\nE-pasta adrese, uz kuru nosūtīt darba saiti:\nSaite uz darbu:", "label": "No"}
{"text": "While many people are comfortable with the traditional fairy tales that exist, some wonder what would happen if the rules were changed up. Twists were taken just when the story got good, took a turn for the worst, or a new element of surprise was thrown in. For those people interested in telling their own stories and boosting their creativity, there is a wonderful card game in the world called Once Upon A Time. Once Upon A Time is an ever-changing storytelling card game made for 2-6 players. Originally produced in 1993 by Atlas Games, the game has since undergone a few rule re-writes and a few editions. Today, we are looking at the third edition, published in 2012 with new art and a simplified rule sheet.\nOut of the Box\nThe game’s contents are very simple and straightforward. A small rule sheet, and 3 types of story cards are contained in the box. The first card type is a Story card. The second is an Interrupt Story card, and the final is an Ending card. Both the Story and Interrupt Story cards are divided into categories by the symbols located on the upper left corners of the cards. The five elements are Character, Thing, Place, Aspect, and Event. The Ending cards are each individual player’s goal, as they try to steer the story being told to conclusively lead to their Ending card. The artwork on these cards is done by Omar Rayyan and is beautifully detailed to fit any fairy tale.\nPlaying The Game\nThe game begins with dealing cards to the players. Shuffle the Interrupt Story and Story cards together to make one large deck, and then shuffle the Ending cards together in a separate pile. Each player takes one Ending card and keeps it secret. Then, each player is dealt Story cards equal to 11 minus the number of players, so the minimum number of cards would be 5 in a 6 player game. To determine who goes first, draw a card from the Story deck and determine which player most looks like or resembles the card’s subject, and that player goes first.\nThe first player will begin the story with “Once upon a time…” and begin a story based on the cards in their hand. When you mention an element on a card in your hand, the story-teller will place that card on the table. This will continue as long as the player can keep the story going, or until someone plays a successful interrupt.\nFor example, Nathan begins the game : “Once upon a time, there lived an old woman who lived in a cottage. This cottage was nestled deep in the woods along a river-” At this point, he has likely placed a Woman card and a Cottage card on the table, keeping his story going. At this point, Lauren calls out an Interrupt! She drops a card that reads River. Because this element was mentioned, it is a successful interrupt, and Nathan’s turn ends, and he draws a Story card. She continues the story : “This river, however has run dry, because it has been cursed. This curse was placed on this river years ago when she read out of an old book-” She has placed a Cursed card and an Old card. However, Allie sees a chance and she interrupts the story. Because the Old card shares an element with a card in her hand that says Interrupt!, she may now take over the story. She continues “This book wasn’t old, it was enchanted to look as such…”, playing the Enchanted interrupt card, and continues the tale.\nPlayers may also choose to pass the story if they have become stuck due to the cards in their hands. When a player passes the story, they may discard a story card. If a player attempts an interrupt and is deemed unsuccessful by other players, she discards that card and draws two Story cards. If at any time a player plays all the cards out of her hand and plays her ending card, but the players decide it does not make sense or follow with the story, that player must discard their ending and draw a new one.\nThe story-teller must always be on their feet, however, because other players have opportunities to force that player to pass the turn by challenging the teller. If the story-teller gets stuck (a 5-10 second pause with no continuation or cards played), contradicts previous events in the story, rambles aimlessly, takes the game to a level of silliness that doesn’t even make sense in a fairy tale, or lists unimportant elements just to play cards from her hand. All players must agree on the outcome of a challenge to force that player’s turn to end.\nIf at anytime two players interrupt at the same time, the first one to put the card on the table is the new story-teller. Now, while an unsuccessful interrupt will cause that player to discard a card and draw two, there is no penalty for the 2nd place interrupting player in this case. It is important to know that Ending cards cannot be interrupted. The first player to play all the Story cards from their hand and conclusively lead up to their Ending card is the winner!\nAs with any game, the rulebook encourages players to be lenient in regards to younger players and to not use interrupts as an aggressive thing, or use challenges as a tactical way to win. The game is meant to move at a fast pace, but is adaptable for any gaming group, regardless of age or experience.\nI had been looking at this game for a long time before I picked it up, and I am so glad that I did. Our games took turns from serious story-telling to silly connections, and depending on your gaming group can be a great combination of both. I look forward to playing this game with my son once he is old enough to participate, but will have great fun with it in the meantime. Once Upon A Time is a great game for children and adults alike, and will bring you hours of entertainment. Some may feel that even $19.99 is high considering that the box only contains cards and a rulebook, but I strongly feel that the endless playtime that you will get from this box makes it worth every penny. I believe that the creativity this game brings to the table is great for any gamer, regardless of experience level.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "I use standardized test scores from roughly forty-five million students to describe the temporal structure of educational opportunity in more than eleven thousand school districts in the United States. Variation among school districts is considerable in both average third-grade scores and test score growth rates. The two measures are uncorrelated, indicating that the characteristics of communities that provide high levels of early childhood educational opportunity are not the same as those that provide high opportunities for growth from third to eighth grade. This suggests that the role of schools in shaping educational opportunity varies across school districts. Variation among districts in the two temporal opportunity dimensions implies that strategies to improve educational opportunity may need to target different age groups in different places.\nAre public schools in the United States engines of mobility or agents of inequality? Can schools in low-income communities provide a pathway out of poverty, or are the constraints of poverty too great for schools to overcome? Such questions are at the heart of debates about the role of education in social mobility in the United States. Despite decades of research, however, we still lack clear answers.\nIn this article, I provide new evidence to inform these debates. It suggests that the lack of a clear answer to the question is explained in part by the substantial variation in the role of schooling in shaping educational opportunity across places. Early childhood conditions are more important in some places, educational opportunities during the elementary and middle school years more important in others.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "Suicide & Crisis Hotline\nNeed Help? We Care!\nA live counselor is available 24-hours a day.\nSuicide is a preventable death.\nEvery year thousands of people from every walk of life find themselves without hope and without a way to stop the pain. If their cry for help isn’t heard or recognized, these brothers, sisters, mothers, fathers, seniors, adults, adolescents and youth, from all walks of life, of every color, creed, income level, gender, nationality and social status will be lost to us. No number of deaths by suicide can ever be considered an “acceptable level”.\n- Santa Clara 2007 with Statewide and Notes\n- Santa Clara County Statistics 2006 - 2008\n- National and State Data on Suicide\nEach year more than 30,000 people take their own lives.\nSUICIDE is the 11th leading cause of death in the United States as per 2007 official statistics.\nHomicide is the 15th leading cause of death - more people kill themselves than are killed by others.\nFederal, State and County Statistical analysis of data on suicide deaths are generally delayed by two to three years depending on the source. Therefore, for calendar year 2010, 2007 is the most recent data available.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "\"McNary-Haugen Veto Message, May 23, 1928\"\nBy: Calvin Coolidge\nDate: May 23, 1928\nSource: Coolidge, Calvin. \"McNary-Haugen Veto Message, May 23, 1928.\" Congressional Record, 70th Congress, First session, 1928, vol. 69, 9524–9526. Reprinted in Romero, Francine Sanders, ed. Presidents from Theodore Roosevelt through Coolidge: Debating the Issues in Pro and Con Primary Documents. Westport, Conn.: Greenwood Press, 2000, 221–223.\nAbout the Author: Born in Vermont to a farming family, Calvin Coolidge (1872–1933) nonetheless spent most of his life in politics. A conservative Republican, he rose through the ranks from city councilor to Massachusetts governor in the span of two decades. Coolidge gained national recognition during his intervention in a Boston police strike in 1919. The following year he was nominated by his party to run as vice president on Warren Harding's ticket. When Harding died in 1923, Coolidge became the nation's thirtieth president. Easily reelected in 1924, Coolidge presided over an era of economic prosperity assisted by pro-business policies.\n\"Reflections on Farm Relief,\nBy: Rexford G. Tugwell\nSource: Tugwell, Rexford G. \"Reflections on Farm Relief, December 1928.\" Political Science Quarterly 43, 1929, 481–97. Reprinted in Romero, Francine Sanders, ed. Presidents from Theodore Roosevelt through Coolidge: Debating the Issues in Pro and Con Primary Documents. Westport, Conn.: Greenwood Press, 2000, 224–225.\nAbout the Author: Rexford Guy Tugwell (1891–1979) was born in upstate New York. After receiving his doctorate from the Wharton School of Finance and Commerce, he taught economics at several institutions, serving on the faculty of Columbia University during the 1920s. President Franklin D. Roosevelt pulled Tugwell into his \"Brain Trust\" in 1933. An advocate of national economic planning, he worked on relief measures in the Agriculture Department and the Resettlement Administration until his resignation in 1937. Tugwell served in a variety of other governmental and corporate roles until 1946, when he returned full time to teaching, research, and writing.\nThe 1920s were a prosperous times for many Americans, but the farming community did not share in the nation's abundance. American farmers had enjoyed a golden age of agriculture in the years before and during World War I (1914–1918), when prices were high and markets ample. But by the 1920s, they faced the problem of chronic overproduction. Farmers had consistently relied on European markets to soak up surplus production, but after the war, new competitors in Europe, Africa, and Asia cut deeply into American foreign trade. American domestic consumption also declined during these years as immigration restrictions and tendencies toward smaller families slowed population increase. These trends were compounded by higher agricultural productivity due to the increased use of tractors and the consolidation of smaller farms—;which further enlarged the nation's agricultural surplus.\nAs a result, farm prices dropped precipitously during the economic depression of 1920–1921, and farm relief became an increasingly significant political issue over the course of the decade. Even though urban dwellers outnumbered rural folk by 1920, farmers carried more political heft than their numbers would indicate. Farmers were a key constituent of the dominant Republican party, and they drew on a longstanding tradition of American agrarianism. Their pleas for assistance were difficult to ignore, and by 1924 Secretary of Commerce Herbert Hoover organized an agricultural conference to establish farm policy for the Coolidge administration. A longtime proponent of associative governance, Hoover supported loans to farming cooperatives and encouraged agricultural diversification. But this thinking ignored the fact that voluntary farming programs had typically been dismal failures, incapable of overcoming economic individualism.\nGeorge N. Peek, an official at Moline Plow Company, made his living selling agricultural implements to farmers. Since Peek could not sell to farmers without cash, he took it on himself to devise a plan that would offer them a decent return on their labor. Peek envisioned a system in which farm prices would be pegged to prewar levels, and then kept in \"parity\" by adjusting farm prices to the general price index. In order to support these inflated prices, Peek proposed that a government corporation purchase surplus produce and sell it at lower world prices in foreign markets. The loss could then be charged to farmers in the form of an equalizing fee, but farmers would still receive higher returns than if they had sold all of their produce at world prices.\nPeek won converts in Secretary of Agriculture Henry A. Wallace and in Congress, where Oregon Senator Charles McNary and Iowa Representative Gilbert Haugen introduced a bill that followed Peek's plan. Peek was evangelical in his campaign for the bill, and he soon rallied American farmers to his cause. Drawing on a general sense of agrarian discontent with a government that appeared to be in the service of industrialists, agriculturalists were ripe to support any plan that might improve their relative economic position. Progressive economists such as Rexford Tugwell also endorsed the plan, which offered an escape from chronic agricultural depression.\nDespite the growth of a farming bloc in support of McNary-Haugenism, its proponents had great difficulty securing its passage. Businessmen decried it as inimical to the American spirit of free enterprise, and laborers worried about the effect on their grocery bills. When cotton prices plummeted in 1925, bringing Southern cotton growers into the McNary-Haugen fold, internal divisions within the agricultural community led to further disagreements, this time about the details of the price support program and its administration.\nUnder these conditions, the bill failed in 1924, and again, in a modified version, in 1925. New bills were introduced in 1927 and 1928, but they were vetoed by President Calvin Coolidge in increasingly caustic language that reflected the growing conservatism of the time.\nThe broad array of opposition (which Coolidge helped cultivate) made the veto politically palatable. Moreover, Coolidge had deep reservations about the logic of the system. He agreed with economists who argued that inflated prices would likely prompt farmers to rotate marginal acreage into production and further increase surpluses. He believed that agricultural diversity would make the program an administrative impossibility. And he thought that artificially high farm prices would increase the cost of living while subsidizing foreign consumers who could purchase produce below cost.\nThe Hoover administration eventually passed the Agricultural Marketing Act in 1929. It provided government money to support prices and encourage farming cooperatives, but carried no provision for exporting surpluses overseas. When the Great Depression drove farm prices down even further, this program lost hundreds of millions of dollars. Not until economist Rexford Tugwell and Secretary Wallace drafted the Agricultural Adjustment Act of 1933, which paid farmers to reduce their acreage, did farm policy begin to directly address the problem of overproduction.\nPrimary Source: \"McNary-Haugen Veto Message, May 23, 1928\" [excerpt]\nSYNOPSIS: In this excerpt, President Calvin Coolidge explains why the McNary-Haugen measure fails to address the problem of overproduction and serves only to increase government bureaucracy.\nThe recurring problem of surpluses in farm products has long been a subject of deep concern to the entire nation, and any economically sound, workable solution of it would command not only the approval but the profound gratitude of our people. The present measure, however, falls far short of that most desirable objective; indeed, although it purports to provide farm relief by lessening the cares of our greatest industry, it not only fails to accomplish that purpose but actually heaps even higher its burdens of political control, of distribution costs, and of foreign competition.\nIt embodies a formidable array of perils for agriculture which are all the more menacing because of their being obscured in a maze of ponderously futile bureaucratic paraphernalia.…\nA detailed analysis of all of the objections to the measure would involve a document of truly formidable proportions. However, its major weaknesses and perils may be summarized under six headings:\n1. Price fixing. This measure is as cruelly deceptive in its disguise as governmental price-fixing legislation and involves quite as unmistakably the impossible scheme of attempted governmental control of buying and selling of agricultural products through political agencies as any of the other so-called surplus control bills. In fact, in certain respects, it is much broader and more flagrant in its scope.\nThese provisions would disappoint the farmer by naïvely implying that the law of supply and demand can thus be legislatively distorted in his favor. Economic history is filled with the evidences of the ghastly futility of such attempts. Fiat prices match the folly of fiat money.…\n2. The equalization fee, which is the kernel of this legislation, is a sales tax upon the entire community. It is in no sense a mere contribution to be made by the producers themselves, as has been represented by supporters of the measure. It can be assessed upon the commodities in transit to the consumer and its burdens can often unmistakably be passed on to him.\nIncidentally, this taxation or fee would not be for purposes of revenue in the accepted sense but would simply yield a subsidy for the special benefit of particular groups of processors and exporters. It would be a consumption or sales tax on the vital necessities of life, regulated not by the ability of the people to pay but only by the requirements and export losses of various trading intermediaries. It would be difficult indeed to conceive of a more flagrant case of the employment of all of the coercive powers of the government for the profit of a small number of specially privileged groups.…\n3. Widespread bureaucracy. A bureaucratic tyranny of unprecedented proportions would be let down upon the backs of the farm industry and its distributors throughout the nation in connection with the enforcement of this measure. Thousands of contracts involving scores of different grades, quantities, and varieties of products would have to be signed by the board with the 4,400 millers, the 1,200 meat-packing plants, the 3,000 or more cotton and woolen mills, and the 2,700 canners. If this bill had been in operation in 1925, it would have involved collections upon an aggregate of over 16 billion units of wheat, corn, and cotton.\n4. Encouragement to profiteering and wasteful distribution by middlemen. As was pointed out in the veto last year, it seems almost incredible that the farmers of this country are being offered this scheme of legislative relief in which the only persons who are guaranteed to benefit are the exporters, packers, millers, canners, spinners, and other processors. Their profits are definitely assured. They have, in other words, no particular incentive toward careful operation, since each of them holding a contract, no matter how unscrupulous, wasteful, or inefficient his operations may have been, would be fully reimbursed for all of his losses.\n5. Stimulation of overproduction. The bill runs counter to an economic law as well settled as thelaw of gravitation. Increased prices decrease consumption; they also increase production. These two conditions are the very ones that spell disaster to the whole program.…\n6. Aid to our foreign agricultural competitors. This measure continues, as did its predecessor, to give substantial aid to the foreign competitors of American agriculture and industry. It continues the amazing proposal to supply foreign workers with cheaper food than those of the United States, and this at the expense of the American farm industry, thereby encouraging both the foreign peasant, whose produce is not burdened with the costs of any equalization fees, and also affording through reduced food prices the means of cutting the wage rates paid by foreign manufacturers.…\nThis is indeed an extraordinary process of economic reasoning, if such it could be called. Certainly it is a flagrant case of direct, insidious attack upon our whole agricultural and industrial strength.\nBy the inevitable stimulation of production the bill can only mean an increase of exportable surplus to be dumped in the world market. This in turn will bring about a constantly decreasing world price, which will soon reach so low a figure that a wholesale curtailment of production in this country with its attendant demoralization and heavy losses would be certain. Where is the advantage of dragging our farmers into such folly?\nFurthermore, as the board undertakes to dump the steadily mounting surplus into foreign countries at the low-cost figures, it will come into direct conflict with the dumping and similar trade laws of many foreign lands which are interested in the maintenance of their own agricultural industries. We might, therefore, expect immediately a series of drastic, retaliatory discriminations on the part of these consumer countries. This will drive our surplus into narrower market channels and force even further price reductions, with consequent increases in the burdens of the equalization tax.\nPrimary Source: \"Reflections on Farm Relief, December 1928\" [excerpt]\nSYNOPSIS: In this excerpt from an article in the Political Science Quarterly, economist Rexford Guy Tugwell reviews the problems of American farming and praises the McNary-Haugen bill as a fine piece of social legislation.\nEight years of gradually liquidating depression have incalculably injured the nation's agricultural plant. Fertility has been depleted, equipment has run down, man-power has deteriorated. Not only farmers themselves, but all thoughtful social observers are seriously concerned that some ingenuity and some public action should be enlisted and at once. At best farming suffers needless handicaps. Back to 1913 is not good enough. For, strictly speaking, what happened between 1920 and 1928 is nothing new in our history. Indeed a more or less organized agrarian revolt is nothing new. If we were to look backward we should see that each of those phenomena we call the business cycle and which, in Europe, they call the economic rhythm, has had similar consequences for rural folks.…\n… The disadvantage of farmers is measured roughly by the fact that they lose more in depression than they gain in prosperity, and that this continues to be true, with a periodical exploitation of those engaged in this activity for the benefit of those engaged in other pursuits.\nThe McNary-Haugen idea was that this price disparity, recurrently so disastrous, might be traced to the economic rule that small surpluses have disproportionate effects on prices and that this situation might be relieved by the segregation of this small percentage which has such great consequences. It might then be disposed of safely in either of two ways: storage or export. Coöperative storage, assisted by government financing, might enable farmers to wait for favorable markets. At least marketing could be spread throughout the year. Dumping abroad, with proper management of import duties, could be done at any price, provided the elimination of the surplus was complete; for then domestic prices could be kept at a level which would yield a profit on the whole of any crop. This device, it was argued, would at least admit farmers to the American protective system on an equality with other industries.\nAll this was objected to by Mr. Coolidge as unconstitutional and as administratively impossible. There is doubt as to constitutionality, but it is only doubt; and that decision belongs to the courts. As to the complexity of administration, this is a charge which might be brought against almost any governmental device. Simplicity is desirable, but lack of it ought not to prevent the adoption of a desirable policy. Besides, the scheme, if complex, was necessarily so. It may be better to do something difficult than to do nothing at all. His real objection was a stubborn determination to do nothing. New England minds revolt against any economic proposal which is more socially oriented than Vermont shopkeeping. But the veto stood.\nThe scheme seemed workable enough, and administratively possible, provided only that foreign governments made no retaliatory moves to protect their own farmers, and that the surpluses in question did not grow so big, with profit insurance, as to prove unwieldy. But obviously it applied mostly to exportable (or easily stored) products; and, quite as obviously it depended upon a huge coöperative organization among farmers of which only the barest beginnings were to be discerned.\nMr. Coolidge inherited the puzzle of farmers penalized for productivity. But puzzles do not worry him. Besides he held it certain that prosperity would recur in his time to justify inaction. The obstinate persistence of the farm leaders in pointing out the remarkable duration of the depression and the certainty of its recurrence has annoyed him, but not unbearably. His last McNary-Haugen veto lacked something of aplomb; it was even sharp. But it may be doubted whether it satisfied everyone that the economics of New England shop-keeping is adequate to the solution of the difficulty.\n… Indeed the more I study the Bill of 1928 the deeper my admiration becomes. As a piece of social legislation it surpasses anything an American Congress ever framed. The remaining troublesome consideration is its dependence on a non-existent coöperative structure. Perhaps, however, ways around this difficulty may be found.\nFerrell, Robert H. The Presidency of Calvin Coolidge. Lawrence, Kans.: University of Kansas Press, 1998.\nFite, Gilbert C. George N. Peek and the Fight for Farm Parity. Norman, Okla.: University of Oklahoma Press, 1954.\nKirschner, Don S. City and Country: Rural Responses to Urbanization in the 1920s. Westport, Conn.: Greenwood Press, 1970.\nSaloutos, Theodore, and John D. Hicks. Agricultural Discontent in the Middle West: 1900–1939. Madison: University of Wisconsin Press, 1951.\nSternsher, Bernard. Rexford Tugwell and the New Deal. New Brunswick, N.J.: Rutgers University Press, 1964.\nHoffman, Elizabeth, and Gary D. Libecap. \"Institutional Choice and the Development of U.S. Agricultural Policies in the 1920s.\" Journal of Economic History 51, June 1991, 397–411.\n\"Calvin Coolidge Papers. McNary-Haugen Bill, 1923–28.\" In Prosperity and Thrift: The Coolidge Era and the Consumer Economy, 1921–1929. American Memory digital primary source collection, Library of Congress. Available online at http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/coolhtml/coolhome.html; website home page: http://memory.loc.gov (accessed May 12, 2003).", "label": "No"}
{"text": "First and foremost, know it’s not your fault. People often want to blame themselves or believe they did something to cause the problem. Bullying tends to say more about the person doing the bullying than it does the victim. Sometimes people fight but if someone is being repeatedly mean to you and encouraging others to be mean to you then they are the bully and you don’t deserve that treatment.\nTalk to a trusted adult about the situation. It doesn’t have to be one of your parents but find someone you trust whether it’s a parent, grandparent, teacher or coach. Find someone to confide in. Don’t try to go it alone.\nDo not respond or retaliateas often times a reaction is what the bully is looking for. Like we said before bullying is often not about you but about the bully looking to gain power over you. Never empower a bully. Do your best to remove yourself from the situation whether it’s at school, in the community or online.\nTell the individual to stopif removing yourself from the situation is not possible. You need to feel confident in doing this and then you need to make yourself very clear that you will not allow the bully to treat you the way they are.\nIf the person will not stop, save all evidence of the harassment. Do not delete the communications. Keep your electronic copies and print out hard copies in case things have to be escalated. Should the person continue the harassment you can contact their Internet Service Provider and file a complaint.\nBlock the harasserafter you have made copies of the communication. There is no reason to continue to engage with the bully or pay attention to them. Use the tools found in your social media tools to eliminate the communication. You can also report the person on most platforms and should even though it may not end the harassment. Blocking them will limit your exposure and temptation to engage with the bullies.\nProtect your accounts and don’t share passwords. You should never share that information with anyone even friends. Sometimes things change, and those people could then use that information to impersonate you online or in texts. Also password protect your phone to protect yourself and your accounts.\nIf you ever get any sort of threat of physical harm you should talk to a parent or guardian and call the local police. You can also report the threats to school authorities as well.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "With the globalization of the world economy, there has been a concomitant rise in the number of companies that operate globally. Though international business as a concept has been around since the time of the East India Company and continued into the early decades of the 20th century, there was a lull in the international expansion of companies because of the Two World Wars. After that, there was a hesitant move towards internationalizing the operations of multinational companies.\nWhat really provided a fillip to the global expansion of companies was the Chicago School of Economic Thought propelled by the legendary economist, Milton Friedman, which championed neoliberal globalization. This ideology, which started in the early 1970s gradually, became a major force to reckon with in the 1980s and became the norm in the 1990s. The result of all this was the frenzied expansion of global companies across the world.\nThus, international businesses grew in scope and size to the point where at the moment; the global economy is dominated by multinationals from all countries in the world. What was primarily a phenomenon of western corporations has now expanded to include companies from the East (from countries like India and China). This module examines the phenomenon of international businesses from different aspects like the characteristics of international business, their effect on the local, target economies, and the ways and means with which they would have to operate and succeed in the global competition for ideas and profits.\nAbove all, international businesses have to ensure that they blend the global outlook and the local adaptation resulting in a Glocal phenomenon wherein they would have to think global and act local. Further, international businesses need to ensure that they do not fall afoul of local laws and at the same time repatriate profits back to their home countries. Apart from this, the questions of employability and employment conditions that dictate the operations of global businesses have to be taken into consideration as well.\nConsidering the fact that many third world countries are liberalizing and opening up their economies, there can be no better time than now for international businesses. This is balanced by the countervailing force of the ongoing economic crisis that has dealt a severe blow to the global economy. The third force that determines international businesses are that not only is the third world countries eager to welcome foreign investment, they seek to emulate the international businesses and become like them. Hence, these aspects would be discussed in detail in the subsequent articles.\nFinally, international businesses have to ensure that they have a set of operating procedures and norms that are sensitive to the local culture and customs and at the same time, they stick to their brand that has been developed for global markets. This is the challenge that we discussed earlier as Glocal orientation.\nIn conclusion, international businesses are facing the best of times and the worst of times at the same time and hence, the savvy and astute among them would succeed in this Shift Age.\nManagement Study Guide (MSG) is an educational portal launched with the vision of providing students and corporate workforces worldwide with access to rich, easy to understand, frequently updated instruction on many management related topics.\nMSG team comprises experienced faculty and professionals who develop the content for the portal. We collectively refer to our team as - MSG Experts. To Know more, click on About Us.\nA Smarter Way to Study....short presentations, real results", "label": "No"}
{"text": "So what are the issues with first-past-the-post?\nCanada is a great country to live in. Our political system has served us well. But as our country changes with more diversity and more political parties the system put in place in 1867 is showing serious problems with fairness.\nWinning an election without popular support.\nFPTP works great when there are only two political parties. The candidate with the most votes will always have the support of more than 50% of the voters. This was the case in Canada from 1872 to 1921.\nSince then there have always been at least three parties in Canada and usually many more. With three evenly split parties an election can be won with just 34% of the popular vote. That means 66% of the voters did not prefer the winner! Something close to this happens regularly in Canada.\nStrategic Voting as a demoralizer.\nStrategic voting is when you vote for someone not because you prefer them but because you're afraid that someone whom you like even less will win the election.\nThis gives the voter a mental conflict: You want to vote, but you don't like who you will vote for, so why bother voting at all?\nForcing citizens to vote for someone they don't like is even a common tactic in totalitarian systems. It is used as a means to demoralize and control the citizens, detect dissent, and discredit democracy.\nElection results don't match the popular vote.\nIn our most recent 2015 election the Liberal party won 54.4% of the seats, an absolute majority in the House of Commons, but only received 39.5% of the vote. And that 39.5% includes strategic voters who would have voted differently if they had a better voting system.\nIn the reverse problem, the Green party elected just 0.3% of the MPs but had 3.5% of the vote, gaining much less power than implied by their voting strength.\nHaving a better balance of voting results and political power will make our electoral system fairer.\nWe don't even know what the popular vote is.\nBecause of strategic voting some parties get more votes than they otherwise would, and some get less. The end result is that we don't really know how Canadians wanted to vote, we only know how they actually voted. This makes it impossible to use the vote totals in a Canadian election to determine the real popular vote.\nPower gets excessively concentrated.\nWith FPTP, the governing party often has more MPs in the Commons than is warranted by their popular vote. This often results in a majority government that is able to pass any desired legislation even though much less than 50% of the citizens voted for the governing party.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "Gelatin is slowly getting popular among health enthusiasts as it was only used for making products that taste good such as fruit gelatin, gelatin ice cream, etc. Gelatin is an animal derivative extracted from leftover body parts such as skin, bones, hooves, etc. Many individuals do not know about the real source of gelatin as they think it as a vegan product. Although there is a vegan alternative to gelatin i.e. Agar-Agar, it is quite specific and expensive when compared to animal-based gelatin. However, the demand for Agar-Agar is also increasing due to awareness about its health benefits among vegan consumers. Talking about the chemical aspect of gelatin and its benefits, the most common types of gelatin are collagen peptides or hydrolyzed gelatin. Gelatin usually contains 86 percent of protein which is quite high. The rest 14 percent of gelatin contains moisture and minerals.\nGelatin is the main ingredient in many confectioneries and pharmaceutical drugs. Both the food industry and the pharmaceutical industry are its biggest end-user industries. Apart from these two industries, the other end-user industries of gelatin include cosmetics industry, personal care products industry, and chemical industry. Apart from the different types of edible jellys and drugs, gelatin is used in manufacturing shampoos, thickeners, gelling agents and make-up products. The gelatin market report suggests that the industry is expected to show a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 4-5 percent till 2020. The food industry being the biggest end-user of gelatin holds approximately 66 percent market share whereas pharmaceutical industry holds approximately 34 percent market share.\nGlobal Gelatin Market Analysis:\nThe global gelatin market is quite huge and it is also fragmented and spread across various global regions. Being one of the biggest consumers of gelatin, the U.S. imports large volumes of gelatin which is used as a primary or secondary ingredient in industries such as food & beverages, pharmaceuticals, paper, and more. Being a net importer of gelatin, the U.S. fulfils its capacity additions from regions such as Brazil, France, and China. However, the pharmaceutical industry is increasing its consumption of gelatin and therefore, the demand for medical-grade gelatin is rising.\nDue to such trends, the gelatin market is likely to grow at a CAGR of 2-3 percent in the coming years. The growth will increase the production of gelatin on a global level. The net production of gelatin is expected to reach 420 KT by 2020. The gelatin market is an ideal example where supply and demand go hand-in-hand. The global manufacturers of gelatin comprise of Gelita AG, Rousselot, Weishardt, Nitta Gelatin, PB Gelatins, Sterling Biotech, and Narmada Gelatins. All these players are also working towards increasing their capacities for a better output. In addition, these companies also own approximately 65-70 percent market share which provides leverage to the organizations. The same is the case with global pharmaceutical companies as they buy gelatin in large quantities that also does not leave much room for negotiation.\nGlobal Gelatin Market Opportunities:\nGelatin is a food product that is going to be in high demand in the near future. This is a great opportunity for aspiring entrepreneurs willing to start a business in this industry. The choice of the business model depends entirely on the entrepreneurs as they can either opt for a supply/outsourcing model or they can choose to manufacture gelatin. Gelatin can be supplied as a raw material to the small and medium-scale organizations that usually have medium-level demand on a regular basis. This is an ideal scenario for first-time entrepreneurs as they can take their time and understand the market, and then try to cater to the needs of the organizations gradually.\nOn the other hand, gelatin manufacturing can be started from a small setup that may be home-based or as basement startups and entrepreneurs can choose to manufacture flavored gelatin or fruit jello. Both business models have their dynamics and like any other business, it takes time to understand those. Entrepreneurs must consider aspects such as global market outlook, capacity outlook, supply-demand outlook, and industry best practices.\nAnother gelatin business model is vegan gelatin which is an innovative idea where the gelatin does not involve any animal product. This is a significant change in the global gelatin market which will drive the growth further and increase the customer base. Artificial gelatin derived from microbes through fermentation is another innovation pursued by specific organizations. However, this process is quite complicated as it requires a laboratory-like controlled environment.\nBeing a highly fragmented market, the global gelatin market is dominated by a few key players. However, new startups and organizations are entering the market and this is causing a positive disruption where new business ideas and manufacturing methods are taking place. This may not be considered an ideal scenario for the global market but continuous innovations and new ideas will certainly evolve the market for good", "label": "No"}
{"text": "Exploring Our Connections To Jewish Life - Lesson Plan for Family/Congregational Education\nThis lesson plan is part of a larger guide entitled “Wrestling with God and Jewish Tradition.”\n- Helène Aylon’s “Self-Portrait” from “The Digital Liberation of G-d.”\n- Helène Aylon’s Artist's Statement\n- Helène Aylon’s Biography\nHelène Aylon’s self-portrait, artist's statement, and biography can also be viewed in their original context in JWA's online exhibit “Jewish Women and the Feminist Revolution.”\nNotes to Teacher/Facilitator\nIn this session, participants will consider when and where we feel most connected to Judaism. With which environments, traditions, and texts do we connect? Are there environments, traditions, or texts that we feel less comfortable with? We will look at Helène Aylon’s artwork and discuss what it reflects about her feelings of connection with or estrangement from Judaism. Using Aylon’s technique of tracing over traditional text, we’ll create our own pieces of art to convey our unique experiences of connection with Jewish text and tradition, and share these within family/congregational groups.\n- Helène Aylon’s “Self Portrait” image. You may want to project it onto a screen. If you do not have two projectors/screens, you may want to make printed copies for each participant to look at or for participants to share.\n- White art paper (preferably 12x18 construction or drawing paper)\n- Enlarged copies of blessings and phrases in Hebrew and English that you think your group might have strong connections with, such as:\n- Shehechiyanu (a blessing giving thanks for reaching a long-awaited, joyous occasion)\n- Birkat Hakohanim (the priestly blessing performed by Kohanim\n- candle lighting blessings\n- Havdalah blessings\n- Shema (the Jewish prayer about the oneness of God)\n- the first line of the Amidah (a prayer said during all of the Jewish worship services)\n- blessings for those who are called to the Torah to have an aliyah\n- the Hashkivenu paragraph from the evening (Maariv) service\n- the Mourner’s Kaddish\n- Nishmat Kol-Chai from the morning (Shacharit) service\n- You can also find most of these prayers in the hard-copy of a siddur (prayer book). Additionally, the Open Siddur Project has many variations and translations of these prayers (and others), while Sefaria has online text of the Torah and other texts in the Jewish canon.\n- Assorted art materials including markers, crayons, glue, colored paper, tissue paper, scissors, etc.\n- black pencils or pens\nTell the Story of Jacob\nBegin by telling the story of Jacob to all the participants, gathered in a comfortable space:\nOnce there was a man named Ya’akov. Ya’akov means “heel.” Who would name a child “heel?!” His parents named him Ya’akov because he was a twin, and he came out of the womb holding onto the heel of his brother, Esav. Ya’akov and Esav did not get along. They fought as kids, and as adults they were separated for many years. During those years, Ya’akov worked hard. He worked on his relationship with God. He worked on his relationship with people. He worked for his father-in-law, Lavan. He got married to Leah and Rachel and their two maidservants, Bilhah and Zilphah (it was ok to do that back in those days). He had twelve sons and a daughter.\nAfter many years of working for Lavan, he wanted to journey back to his homeland. But he knew he would have to cross through the land where his brother, Esav, lived. He was scared. The night before he encountered his brother, he sent his family ahead of him and he was alone. That night he wrestled with a man until the break of day. As the dawn broke, the man asked Ya’akov what his name was. Ya’akov told him, and the man said, “Your name will no longer be Ya’akov, but Yisrael. Yisrael means ‘to wrestle with God’ for you have wrestled with God and with men.” The man was actually an angel, who blessed Yisrael. Yisrael called the name of the place “Peni’el” which means “I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved.” The next day, Yisrael met Esav, and they made peace with each other.\nDiscuss the Story\nAsk the following questions and take answers from both youth and adults:\n- Why do you think God’s angel gave Ya’akov a new name?\n- We have many ancestors, including three patriarchs and four matriarchs. Why are Jews called “Bnai Yisrael,” the Children of Yisrael, specifically?\n- What does it mean to wrestle with God? Do you think a lot of people wrestle with God in one way or another?\nConclude the discussion by explaining:\n- Ya’akov had a strong relationship with God, but also struggled with his responsibility as a human being in relationship to God. He began a long tradition of Jews being able to question and to struggle.\n- Sometimes we struggle with our responsibilities as people in relationships, to ourselves, our family members, our communities, to Judaism, to our world, and to God.\n- Other times we feel just right, comfortable with being Jewish, being ourselves, being in our families and communities and in our world.\n- Today we’ll look at an artist who expresses her feelings of comfort and struggle, and then we’ll consider our own times of feeling most comfortable in Judaism, and finally we’ll use some of the artist’s techniques to create our own personal art projects on these themes.\nSplit the group into adults and youth, and facilitate the two groups separately.\nIntroduce Helène Aylon’s “Self-Portrait” from “The Digital Liberation of G-d.” Show the image on a large screen (or pass around handouts) so that everyone can see.\nAsk the group what they see in the image, what feelings it elicits, and how they think this image speaks to Aylon’s sense of being comfortable with or not comfortable with Jewish tradition—or both. They might notice, for example, the expression on Aylon’s face, the Hebrew words flowing over her, the traditional religious dress and hair-covering, the title of the piece, as evidence of her stance as insider or outsider.\nNow give the group the information on the artwork from Aylon’s statement and biography. You can view print-friendly versions of her statement and bio as well as visit them in their original context within JWA's online exhibit “Jewish Women and the Feminist Revolution.”\n- Then ask: Does this information change your sense of Aylon’s relationship to Judaism?\nOther questions for discussion can include:\n- How is Aylon expressing the struggle she feels?\n- Is she withdrawing from, confronting, or advocating for change within Judaism?\n- Is this artwork a respectful way of expressing the tension she feels about Jewish tradition?\n- What is the effect of projecting the Biblical text onto herself?\nNext split the adults into small groups. Facilitate the discussions by asking each question out loud in appropriate 1-2 minute intervals and asking groups to share with each other:\n- When do you feel most connected to Judaism? (Maybe it’s when you light candles with your family; when you’re in Israel; anytime you’re with your extended family; when you’re doing volunteer work; it’s when you take your morning walk, etc.)\n- What are the elements that make you feel most connected in this environment?\n- Who/what did you feel connected to when you’re in this space or time: yourself? your family/friends? everyone in the world? God? Jewish history and ritual?\n- How did you express that feeling of connection? Keep it to yourself? Tell your friends/family? Decide to keep more traditions or go back to that place more often?\n- Have there been times when you have struggled with your Judaism or felt less comfortable being Jewish?\n- If so, where were you at these times? Who were you with?\n- Who/what did you feel alienated from: yourself? your community? your family? God? the long tradition of Jewish history and ritual?\n- How did you express that sense of struggle?\nWhen the groups are done sharing, ask them to think about how they might portray their relationship with Judaism in a piece of art, as they walk back to the big-group space.\nShow Helène Aylon’s “Self-Portrait” from “The Digital Liberation of G-d”on a large screen (or pass around handouts) so that everyone can see.Ask students:\n- What do you see in this image?\n- Do you think she feels inside or outside of Jewish tradition, or both? Why? (Notice her expression, the Hebrew words pouring over her, her traditional religious dress and hair-covering…)\n- Do you think Aylon is struggling with something about her Judaism? What is it?\n- Does this information change your ideas about Aylon’s relationship with Judaism?\n- What did Aylon have to know and understand in order to create this artwork? (Hebrew, Torah, how it feels to be an Orthodox Jewish woman, art, feminism, etc.)\nNext split the youth into groups of two or three. Facilitate the small group discussions by asking each question out loud in appropriate 1-2 minute intervals and ask groups to share with each other:\n- When do you feel most connected to Judaism? (Maybe it’s when you light candles with your family; when you’re in Israel or at camp; when you come to synagogue or when you’re outside on a hike, looking at all the beautiful scenery, etc.)\n- What are the things that make you feel most connected in this environment?\n- Who/what did you feel connected to when you’re in this space or time: yourself? your family/friends? everyone in the world? God? the long history of Jewish history and ritual?\n- Are there times that you feel less connected to Judaism? What or when are those times?\nWhen the groups are done sharing, ask them to think about how they might portray these ideas in a piece of art, as they walk back to the big-group space.\nWith everyone back together, ask participants to sit with their families (or in inter-generational groups of congregants) around tables with the art materials and copies of Jewish texts (examples are listed above). Ask them to keep their recent discussions in mind:\n- When or where do they feel most connected Judaism?\n- Do they sometimes struggle with elements of Judaism?\n- What element of Jewish tradition or community would they like, someday, to feel more comfortable with?\nDemonstrate/Explain the Process for the Art Project\n- Draw on the paper either a self-portrait (an image of your face) or a scene that reminds you of the time/place you feel most connected to Judaism.\n- Add other elements to the picture that symbolize that connectedness with Judaism. For example, you could add a havdalah candle to remind you of doing havdalah at camp or bricks that look like the Kotel in Israel or a Torah to represent your sanctuary at synagogue.\n- Think about how you will represent, if you want to, something you struggle with in Judaism. You might use images, symbols, or text to show these.\n- Choose a piece of text that you want to include in your self-portrait, either as a symbol of your connection to or struggle with Judaism. Think about your relationship to the text and how you can portray it in your artwork. To add text, use the copies of blessings and other texts, and either cut them out to add to your picture or copy them onto your artwork.\nWhen participants have finished their artwork, ask families to share with each other what they have created. You may also choose to display the work in your classroom, school, or synagogue and encourage others to come and visit.\nHow to cite this page\nJewish Women's Archive. \"Exploring Our Connections To Jewish Life - Lesson Plan for Family/Congregational Education.\" (Viewed on July 28, 2017) <https://jwa.org/teach/golearn/jan06/family>.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "It was from Boston that the separatist congregation from Scrooby, some of whom were destined to become the Pilgrim Fathers, attempted to escape to Holland in 1607. They had embarked on a ship but were betrayed by the captain. A monument at Scotia Creek on the Haven commemorates the event. The men, including Richard Clifton, William Brewster and John Robinson were arrested, stripped of their possessions and imprisoned. They spent several weeks incarcerated in cells below the Guildhall, which now houses the Guildhall Museum in South Street. The cells where the future Pilgrims Originally can still be seen. Despite this setback, they managed to reach Holland the following year.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "Unfortunately Alzheimer still makes its way into many lives and understanding its manifestations can really help us and the suffering people as well.\nOld age is the most significant risk factor when it comes to Alzheimer disease. Some other factors include: the family history, especially if the disease appeared in 1st grade relatives such as mother, father, brothers and it appeared at several family members. Another factor is the presence of the E-4 gene especially in the white race or Asian people; another factor is the Down syndrome. This latter-mentioned syndrome is a genetic disease which determines the mental retardation. Another disease that may bring about Alzheimer is diabetes and the high glucose level.\nThere have been also some other theories regarding this disease, such as: smoking, cephalic lesions especially if they are sever; also, high levels of homocysteine in the blood very much favor Alzheimer. However, they do not know for sure the cause of the disease, but there are probably several causes for Alzheimer.\nThe first manifestation of Alzheimer is most often the loss of memory. Because of that, many elderly people start getting worried when they begin forgetting things. Nonetheless, it is a common thing for people aged 60-70 to have short term memory loss episodes, and only some of them may develop Alzheimer disease later on. In case of memory loss at this age, it is preferable to go to a specialist doctor.\nHere are some examples of normal memory loss: forgetting some bits of the experienced life episodes; forgetting the place where the car was parked; forgetting the events of far away past; forgetting the name of a person, but which comes to mind later on; forgetting where one has put his/her things, like car keys for instance. So these may happen, and are not to worry us.\nHere are some examples of Alzheimer caused memory loss: forgetting an entire episode of one’s experience; forgetting how to read the watch and how to drive a car; forgetting recent activities, such as leaving the cooker on; forgetting somebody completely. Alzheimer often comes with changes in behavior, thinking and personality. In the incipient stages of the disease, the person can act normally when being in society. It is the family members and the friends that first notice the disease symptoms. Thus, signs of dementia such as difficulties to think and concentrate, to remember certain things, persons or daily problems that need solving, should urge that person to go and see a specialist doctor. Symptoms may vary as the disease is progressing.\nAn Alzheimer disease association has identified ten warning signs. These include: memory loss, such as forgetting things recently learned, forgetting names or phone numbers. The second one is having difficulties in doing daily chords like cooking or even eating. There are also language difficulties such as forgetting certain unusual words. Also, another sign is the special-temporal disorientation or forgetting one’s own address. There can also be things like dressing improperly for the weather outside.\nThe Alzheimer struck patient can also have problems with abstract thinking, like the impossibility to interpret numbers. There can be some other warning signs like placing certain objects in unusual spots, like the toaster in the fridge, or the watch in the sugar bowl, and so on. There can also be changes in mood, from calm to crying and then to anger without any apparent reason. There can also be changes in personality, like confusion, fear of depending on someone else, suspicion, and others. There can also be a lack of initiative manifested through continuous sleepiness, watching TV all day long and refusal to do daily chords.\nThere are also some symptoms that can be present but not always, like firmly sustaining untrue beliefs, like the idea that somebody is stealing from another person; hallucinations; lack of interest in the surrounding activities or separation from friends and family; repeated activities without any clear purpose, such as opening and closing a bag, packing and unpacking clothes, repeating the same questions; verbal or physical aggression; the impossibility to control certain impulses, which leads to improper behavior. Alzheimer usually does not affect the fine motor capacity, for instance the ability to button or unbutton a shirt or using tools, neither does it affect the tactile sense.\nAlzheimer can be prevented to a certain extent but this prevention has to start early, that is in the late twenties or early thirties when a healthy lifestyle should be adopted. Eating, moving and thinking healthy, using imagination and memory in a creative manner is a great way of improving our lives as well as preventing Alzheimer.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "USS CROAKER (SS-246, later SSK-246)\nClass: Gato Submarine\nLength: 311 feet, 7 inches\nBuilt as part of the effort to assemble a major submarine force just prior to and after the U.S. entry into World War II, USS Croaker was sent into the Pacific to wage a war of attrition against Japan's merchant marine and Navy. Croaker made six war patrols and attacked and sank a cruiser, four tankers, two freighters, an ammunition ship, two escort craft, and a minesweeper. Credited with eleven sinkings, with a total of 40,000 tons, Croaker's war career typifies the tremendous success of the submarine war against Japan.\nAt the end of the war Croaker returned to Groton, Connecticut, and participated in various submarine operations until stricken from the Navy Register in 1971. Displayed for years in Groton, Croaker was moved to Buffalo in 1988. Restored and open for tours, Croaker is part of the historic fleet at the Naval & Military Park, which includes the guided missile cruiser Little Rock and the destroyer The Sullivans.\n1952 U.S. Navy Photograph\nReturn to the HNSA Home Page.", "label": "No"}
{"text": "Financial decisions and planning can be a stressful topic for couples. A person can have deep feelings attached to money decisions. So the topic can feel very personal. The Prepare/Enrich material for couples doing premarital or marital education has a section on finances and focuses on financial goal setting. Separate worksheets are provided for the couple to complete and then share and discuss their goals. This can be informative but may not help a couple understand their different approaches or what may seem like opposing attitudes toward money. Evans and Kelsey in their book Strengths Based Marriage (2016) note research on “The Four Money Languages.”\nDrivers — Drivers express love through the use of money in their lives. This can create an over dependence on money.\nAnalytics — Analytics use money to avoid problems. They are likely to be good financial planners. There can be a danger of becoming more focused on money than others.\nAmiables — Amiables use their money to focus on relationships and people. They can lack discipline.\nExpressives — Expressives use money to gain acceptance and admiration. This may be done to hide pain or insecurity.\nA section on managing finances in the book Empowering Couples by Olson and Olson (2000) describe “Four Orientations Toward Money.”\nMoney as Status — view money as power\nMoney as Security — focuses on saving money\nMoney as Enjoyment — satisfaction is gained through spending\nMoney as Control — money is a way of keeping control over one’s life and independence from others\nUnderstanding how money is viewed and what it means to your spouse can make a big difference in working together to plan the ways money is spent and saved in a household. Learning the personal story behind how your spouse views money can be revealing and help a couple to better work together. It is important to value and show respect to each person’s view of money and look for ways to live these values out in the relationship in some form. Money is a resource God has provided and learning to be a good steward of that resource can be a significant challenge.", "label": "No"}