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Antique Windows
Assorted Flower Treatments
Cottage Gardens
Flower Press
Garden Scenes
ID Pictures
Inspirational Words
Mountain Scenes
Blossoms of the Rockies, Inc.
81 Elkhorn Ct.
Bailey, CO 80421
What we do !
3D virtual booth tour
Here at Blossoms we make very decorative and unique art pieces all made with real pressed flowers and leaves. We spend many hours in the greenhouse, garden and high country collecting the blossoms and leaves that are pressed so that we can use them to paint the vivid landscapes and floral arrangements. The natural brilliance in these blossoms are do to the fact that our gardens are located at 9000 ft. in the Colorado mountains, warm days and cool nights make for some spectacular rich color .
All the flowers are pressed in an acid free environment, mounted on acid free papers and foam board with acid free glues and adhesives to ensure that no foreign chemicals will destroy mother natures delicate pedals. Many of the backgrounds are made of handmade paper or of fine lace to add uniqueness to the floral arrangement.
When a particular piece is being created, we start much like an oil painter does. Working from the background to the foreground we paint using real flowers. After a design is complete it is passed through an archival mounting system that applies a quality print guard to the surface of the picture to protect it from UV light and humidity. No glass is required.
The final step happens in our frame studio where we have access to hundreds of choices of frames. From contemporary, modern to antique and one of a kind, old window frames to oval frames we pick the frames that best accents the picture that we have created.
With a world of different people and different tastes we create many different pictures to go into many different homes so that all can enjoy mother natures beauty. If you don't find the picture you like on this site or you have a picture in mind that that you would like please contact us.
Broken Bow, OK
Blossoms of the Rockies, Inc.
81 Elkhorn Ct.
Bailey, CO 80421


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M-a întrebat cineva drag dacă este corect să ne rugăm Duhului Sfânt, formula biblică fiind: ,,Ne rugăm Tatălui, în Numele Fiului, prin Duhul Sfânt".
Când mi s-a mai pus altă dată această întrebare, am răspuns:
,,Te poți ruga oricărei persoane din Sfânta Trinitate! Cei trei una sunt! Să nu-ți închipui că poți vreodată să te rogi Fiului fără să te rogi și Duhului sau că te poți ruga Tatălui fără să afle și Fiul. Nu lăsa fantezia ta să-și facă idoli și nu visa la o scenă în care tu te rogi, iar de la celălalt capăt al firului ridică receptorul Duhul Sfânt, dar el zice repede: ,,Vai, nu este pentru mine, este pentru Tine, Doamne". Dumnezeu este Unul singur, chiar dacă într-o întreită ființă".
M-am bucurat să găsesc confirmarea părerilor mele într-un studiu al lui John MacArthur, renumitul învățător de Biblie din America. Încep printr-un citat și apoi vă las bucuria să parcurgeți tot studiul în care John vorbește candid și practic despre dialogurile noastre cu Dumnezeu.
Știam că lui Ezechiel i s-a poruncit să vorbească Duhului în celebra viziune a văii oaselor:
,,El mi-a zis: "Proroceşte şi vorbeşte duhului! Proroceşte, fiul omului, şi zi duhului: 'Aşa vorbeşte Domnul, Dumnezeu: «Duhule, vino din cele patru vânturi, suflă peste morţii aceştia, ca să învieze!»' " (Ezechiel 37:9 ) și mai știam și că există un foarte intersant verset în Efeseni 6:18:
,,Faceţi în toată vremea, prin Duhul, tot felul de rugăciuni şi cereri. Vegheaţi la aceasta cu toată stăruinţa şi rugăciune pentru toţi sfinţii" (n.a. – nu la toți sfinții!).
M-am bucurat însă să găsesc această foarte frumoasă prezentare a lui John.
Incidentally, you can pray to anybody in the Trinity you want. Pray to God. People say, "Oh but you have to pray in the name of the Lord Jesus." Well we'll talk about what that means. You can pray to God. You can pray to Christ. You can talk to the Holy Spirit. And just talk to anybody in the Trinity, or you can say, "I want all of You to listen here, I have something to say to all of You." So you can call them all in there.
Vreau să vă spun cu această ocazie că vă puteți ruga oricărei persoane vreți din Trinitate. Rugați-vă lui Dumnezeu. Oamenii spun: ,,Vai, dar noi trebuie să ne rugăm în numele Domnului Isus!" Vom discuta și despre aceasta azi. Tu roagă-te lui Dumnezeu. Roagă-te Domnului Isus. Stai de vorbă cu Duhul Sfânt. Pur și simplu, roagă-te oricărei persoane din Trinitate. Poți chiar să spui: ,,Vă rog pe toți trei să mă ascultați. Am ceva de spus și vreau să mă ascultați împreună cu toată atenția." Poți să ceri ca toți trei să te asculte."
We're going to talk about how to pray right now.
One of the very basic things about the Christian life is praying. You know, we said that reading the Bible is like eating. Well praying is like breathing. One of the other things that it's really helpful to do if you happen to be alive is breathe. It has very redeeming value.
You exist when you come into the world in an atmosphere. And one of the things that the atmosphere does is put pressure on your lungs. And from the very beginning you breathe. And the reason you breathe is because of the air pressure that is exerted against your lungs, it forces your lungs to take air in. That's why it's much more difficult to hold your breath than it is to breathe. You hold your breath for about a minute and you turn purple and your heart starts pounding and you get sweaty because you're resisting the normal pressure against your lung.
Well, prayer is like that. When you're born into the family of God, when you're born again, when you become a child of God and you enter into God's world, there is a sphere in which you live. The atmosphere of God's presence and grace exerts pressure on your life. And the normal thing is to breathe, and we just say that's prayer responding to God's pressure and presence in your life.
I. Prayer is as normal to the Christian as breathing is to the human.
You live in an atmosphere and you respond to that atmosphere of the presence of God by receiving that presence of God and by taking it in and putting it back out again in response to Him.
Prayer really is important. We talk a lot about prayer and we throw the word around, but prayer is a tremendous power. Somebody once said, "Prayer is the slender nerve that moves the muscles of omnipotence." And prayer activates the power of God. That's putting the same thing in a simple term. Prayer activates the power of God. God moves in response to the prayers of His people. And not only that, but prayer lines you up properly with God. When we're told to pray, we are told to pray in the Spirit.
Now what it means to pray in the Spirit is to pray consistently with the Spirit of God. So prayer not only moves God to act but prayer is to align us with the will and purpose of God.
When we pray in the will of God or in accord with God's will we are lining up with His purposes. And so prayer has a definite effect of lining us up with God's purposes, as well as causing God to act. Prayer really does change things. I know when I was a little kid we had a deal in our dining room that said, "Prayer changes things." It really does. Prayer is effective.
There was a guy who was doing some sculpture one time and he was down pounding on the bottom of this thing on the ground. And a preacher came in and said, "I wish I could deal such changing blows on the hearts of men." And the sculptor looked at him and said, "Maybe you could if you worked like me, on your knees." And there's a lot of truth to that because prayer can do what all of your teaching can't do.
If my experience has taught me anything, and I say this with a very genuine feeling, that what I say you probably won't really understand totally. But from my standpoint in the ministry, I know the difference in my ministry when there is prayer and when there is not. It is very evident to me. Both the prayers of people, even people I don't know, and my own faithfulness in prayer makes a very distinguishable difference in my ministry. And I am very aware of it. Prayer is very effective.
II. We would say that prayer simply is talking to God.
You know, and one of the things that happens when a baby comes into a family is that the first thing you want the baby to do is what? The first thing that you want out of new life is communication. You want some response. And that's the same as a Christian. The thing that happens when you become a Christian is immediately you're thrown into an environment with God where you have a tremendous desire to communicate with God, to respond and say the things that are on your heart.
Now, that's all prayer is. Prayer is not buying a little book and saying, "Now I lay me down to sleep," bleep, bleep and all that. That isn't prayer. Prayer is communing with God. It's just conversation like you talk to anybody. It isn't a whole lot of thees and thous and holy mogus and all kinds of fancy words. It's not a vocabulary contest to see who can say the most theological words without taking a breath. It isn't that at all.
And prayer is not vain repetition. It's not, "Please, oh do this, oh I beg You, I beg You, I beg You. You know, please do this, please." You don't need to beg like that. The Pharisees had endless repetition. Prayer isn't that either. It's not saying 48 Hail Marys in a row, the same thing over and over again. God isn't deaf, and He heard you the first time. There isn't any need; there isn't any need for endless repetition. That's Matthew chapter 6. Prayer is not endless repetition.
Prayer is not begging, begging, "Oh please, Oh please, Oh please do this and if You only do this and not only this…" It's not that kind of thing, although there is petition and there is earnestness in it. Prayer is simply conversation. And sometimes in your life you may say, "God, it's sure a nice day and I hope You're enjoying it like I am, and I just want to thank You for it." That's a significant a prayer as if you stood up in a pulpit and said a bunch of theology because all you're doing is communing with God.
When we read the Bible, God talks to us. When we pray, we talk to Him. And you've got to have both sides or you don't have conversation. Nobody likes a one-sided conversation. Now all Christians pray. We all talk to God sometimes. We don't all pray right; we don't all pray the way we ought to. A lot of Christians pray wrong. In the first place, we spend a lot of time asking for stuff we don't need. Did you ever know that? "Lord, give me this, give me that, give me that," and the Lord knows if He gave it to us it would only mess us up, so He doesn't.
And other things we do, we ask for things we already have. Did you ever ask the Lord for peace? The Bible says you have the peace that passes understanding already. You ever ask the Lord for grace? The Bible says His grace is already sufficient. You ever ask Him for love? He says the love of God is shed abroad in your heart. What more do you want? You see, we ask the Lord for a lot of stuff we already have. That's why James says we ought to ask for wisdom. Then if we have wisdom that will be the sense not to ask Him for what we've already got.
So prayer is simply communing with God. But there are some rights and some wrongs and some things about prayer that we need to understand basically. Prayer is simply talking to God. It isn't to be sophisticated. It isn't to be formal or informal. It's just anything. Paul says in Ephesians 6:18, "Praying always with all kinds of prayer." Any kind of prayer. You could be crying out, "Oh God," you know, in a terrible time of stress. Or you could be saying, "Lord, this is a terrific day. I'm really happy. I just want You to know I'm checking in." You know, that's prayer. Any kind of communion with God at any point, at any level, on any subject. Communion with God is prayer.
Now, you don't have to close your eyes. Of course, I grew up in a church that was rather provincial and whenever you prayed, you know, you sort of did this little routine. You closed your eyes and bow your head and all that kind of stuff. And it's important to teach kids to do that so they don't look around a room and make little noises and fool around, sneak, you know, their dinner, and stuff. So you get them to, you know, do this, just so nobody starts before you, see. Or else we hold hands, you know, just to get them to concentrate.
I remember when I used to go out with this bunch of guys and we used to go on the road. And we'd would go to preach and sing, and we had a quartet and a lot of funny deals we did. So we'd go out, and every time we would go out we would have a prayer meeting, you know. And the first time I went out we went out and everybody prayed with their eyes open, especially the guy who was driving, you know.
It was his turn to pray and he just…I mean, we were glad for that, we were, you know. We didn't want to just have him close his eyes and commit everything to the Lord. He couldn't drive well with his eyes open. But anyway, he'd drive along. And, you know, the first time it happened I thought, "I wonder if the Lord hears. I mean, he doesn't have his eyes closed." And then every time you see somebody pray on television they've always got their eyes wide open.
And it really doesn't matter, you know. The Bible says you can pray with your eyes lifted up to heaven. It says you can pray with your hands lifted up. It says you can pray kneeling, you can pray bowing, you can lie down and pray. You can stand up, you can pray while you're walking, sitting. You know, it doesn't matter. I know some people who have their devotions in the bathroom, you know, and that's fine. It doesn't matter really.
Praying is just conversing with God. And the particular physical position, the particular mode, what you do with your eyeballs, it isn't the issue. That's not the issue at all. The idea is communing with God.
Now, let me just talk about prayer very briefly from a standpoint of a couple of points you have in your outline.
The necessity, the conditions, the content and the hindrances. We're going to run by them quick.
A. First of all, the necessity for prayer.
a. It is necessary, number one, because it is commanded. And anything that is commanded of the Christian becomes necessary. Jesus said in Luke 18:1, "I want everybody everywhere to pray and not to faint." You know what most people do when they have a problem? Faint. Jesus said, "Don't faint, – " do what? " – pray." I want you to pray, not faint.
You know, Peter had a problem. He was always falling asleep in prayer meeting, and Jesus, said to him, "You know, if you stayed awake and prayed you wouldn't be in the mess you're in. Watch and pray unless you enter into – " what? " – temptation." You see, Peter didn't pray so he didn't have himself girded really for the temptation. If you pray more than you'd sleep, you be better off. You know, some of us go to bed at night and we say, "Dear Lord…" and we're gone, you know. We wake up the next day and we bomb out all day. Well you know what we did? We went to sleep instead of praying. Watch and pray lest you enter into temptation.
Prayer undergirds us. It's necessary to pray. It's necessary because it's commanded. It's necessary. And you can add this in a little point, sub-point there; it's necessary because it keeps sin away. It prepares us. Incidentally, you can pray to anybody in the trinity you want. Pray to God. People say, "Oh but you have to pray in the name of the Lord Jesus." Well we'll talk about what that means. You can pray to God. You can pray to Christ. You can talk to the Holy Spirit. And just talk to anybody in the trinity, or you can say, "I want all of You to listen here, I have something to say to all of You." So you can call them all in there.
Now it is commanded that we not only pray but it is commanded that we pray a lot. In fact, it says, "Praying always," in Ephesians 6:18. And in 1 Thessalonians 5 it says, "Pray without – " what? " – "ceasing." Now, you know, I used to wonder, pray without ceasing, how do you do that? Because as a child all I could see was your eyes closed and your hands…you could go around the world like this, and you'd be like the bruised and bleeding Pharisees, you know. They were a group of Pharisees of the time of Jesus who thought it was a sin to look at a woman, so whenever a woman appeared they immediately closed their eyes and they kept running into walls. And that's how they got their name, see.
But we don't want you to be bruised and bleeding Christians going around praying and running into everything. So that isn't the idea of praying always, or praying without ceasing. It simply means that you are in an attitude of God consciousness at all times. It is commanded that you…you see everything in relation to God. Let me give you an illustration of how that works. You're going through life and you're just minding your own business. You see something good.
You see a clear day, you see a lovely little child or you hear a friend, they call you on the phone and you think about the love of that friend. Or maybe you look at the person you love and you just say, "Isn't that great," so what do you do? What's your first reaction? Thank You, Lord, for that. You're seeing things in relation to God, you see. You don't just say, "Isn't that a nice thing." You say, "God, You made that and You made it that way and I thank You for that." You see everything in relation to God and you converse with Him about it.
You see something bad, you don't say, "There's something bad, it's too bad bad things are around. You say, "No, God, there's something that's bad. I want You to make it good, Father. Can You do something about the situation?" So you see a bad thing in relation to God. Or maybe you see a problem and you say, "Lord, here's a problem. Deliver us from the problem, solve the problem, gain glory from the problem." You see, in other words, everything it is, good, bad, indifferent; whatever it is, you see it in the light of God. It becomes something for which you can talk to God. That's praying without ceasing.
It isn't just mumbling all through the day some little words or praying some special prayer. It's just relating everything that goes on in your life through the day to the presence of God, He's there. You can all think of a best friend you have. Maybe it's your husband or wife or boyfriend or girlfriend, or whatever. But think of the best friend. And imagine your best friend was with you today, all day by your side. You had the whole day with your best friend, or the person you love most. And that person never left your side this entire day. And you talked to that person today just as many times as you talked to Christ today. How much conversation did you have with them?
Did you pray at all today? How would your friend feel if he spent the whole day with you and you never said a word, and he was there the whole time? Well it would be a little ridiculous, wouldn't it? It would probably be the start of the end of your friendship. You would at least acknowledge that they were there, and you would begin to see things in the light of the presence of your friend.
You'd say, "Hey isn't that terrific? Did you see that? Isn't that too bad. You know, we ought to do something about that." You're relating everything to the presence of your friend. That's how it is in prayer. All you're doing is relating everything to the presence of God and that's a God-conscious attitude and that's praying without ceasing.
All right, so the necessity of prayer is predicated, first of all, on the fact that it's commanded.
b. Secondly, it brings glory to God. You know, when you pray God gets glorified because then He can answer, and when He answers then you praise Him. John 14:13 says that we're to pray and He will answer for His own glory. "Whatever you will ask in My name I'll do it that the Father may be glorified." God says "I answer prayer to get the glory."
I'll give you an illustration. Last Sunday night we talked about that deal with Venezuela, remember that? We wanted to get some money for the radio stations there. Well, Sunday afternoon I said to Luis Palau, I said, "How much money do you need to run the whole Caracas, Venezuela radio, the whole thing?" He figured out $2,600.00 for television, $2,400.00 for radio. He says, "$5,000.00." So this is Sunday afternoon. So I said, "Well, we'll take a love offering tonight. We'll just ask the Lord to give us $5,000.00."
Well, you know, that isn't an arbitrary thing, that's a very exact thing. We've never taken an offering yet in the history of this church at all, a love offering, that ever amounted to $5,000.00. Never. So I just prayed to the Lord. I said, "Lord, we would just like to have a $5,000.00 offering." Well, you've got about 17 or 18 hundred people here. How do they all know how much to give to make $5,000.00? If you figured that on paper it wouldn't come out that right. So we just committed it to the Lord, "Lord, You want $5,000.00, bring it in."
So what happens? Sunday night we take the offering, count the offering on Monday morning it's $4,400.00. Wednesday night I'm saying it's only $4,400.00. And a guy walks up to me and says, "By the way, there's $600.00 more came in from that offering." Five thousand dollars. Well, no way we could organize that.
So we prayed, so God answered, so who got the glory? God did. That's why to pray. God may have done the same thing. He may have brought the $5,000.00 in, but we wouldn't have been able to glorify Him unless we had requested that thing and then let Him do that thing. You see? So prayer is a way in which God can display His power and gain glory. And that's very important.
c. All right, thirdly, we are to pray because prayer blesses us. And what did we say the word "blessing" means? It makes you happy. When you pray you get happy. Praying people are happy people. You know why? They're talking to God and it's great to talk to God. And then God answers what we ask and that makes us happy.
d. Fourth, "D." Prayer is important because it works. And I'm like you; I want to do what works, right? I'm not going to waste my time doing something that doesn't have any effect. Prayer works. James 5:16 says, "The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man does – " what? " – avails much." It works. Effectual fervent prayer from a righteous heart works. It actually activates God. It makes a difference. You pray for $5,000.00, God gives $5,000.00. It works. Sometimes He answers no. But He answers yes enough for us to know that prayer works.
First John 5:15 says, "And we know that if we know that He hear us, whatever we ask, we know we have the petitions we desired of Him." "If God hears," John says, "then we know He answers." Prayer really works. It really does have an effect. How does it work? That's a good question. First, under that, sometimes it works immediately. Have you ever noticed that? Sometimes you can't hardly believe how fast it works. You ask for something like we did on Sunday afternoon, Sunday night you've got it. Sometimes prayer works immediately.
Isaiah 65:24 says…great statement, "And it shall come to pass that before they call I will answer. And while they are yet speaking, I will hear." God's already sending the answer before we've even gotten the prayer off. It works immediately, sometimes. Secondly, sometimes it's delayed. Sometimes we may pray for something and we have to wait because God knows a lot more than we know and He knows it's better to come later than to come now.
Luke 18:7, "And shall not God avenge His own elect who cry day and night unto Him, though He bear long with them?" In other words, sometimes it's painful and you have to go through a lot of things. And sometimes God's chosen people have had to suffer and suffer and suffer and suffer, and it seems like it goes on and on and on. But God will answer, even though it takes him a long time to get his answer. And that's because He has a purpose. So sometimes it's immediate, sometimes it's delayed, sometimes it's different than we asked for.
Sometimes, he gives us even more than we ask for. I'll never forget this guy named Pappy Reveal. He was really a character. His legs were paraplegic and so he couldn't stand up. But he had a wheelchair and he had tremendously strong arms for an 85-year-old man. And he would come and he would preach by holding on to the pulpit. He'd hang on the pulpit and his legs would dangle behind the pulpit.
He'd just hang on there and lean over there. And he could really pray. I mean, the guy had the gift of faith and he could pray and it was incredible. He was telling a story one time. He says…he would talk at the top of his voice. He was the head of some big mission in the Midwest, and he was, "And I needed a station wagon." He was going on and on about this station wagon. And he says, "I got down on my knees and I said, 'God, You know I need a station wagon.' "
And he was telling God a blue one, you know, with the thing, and this, you know. And he was going through this whole prayer on the station wagon. And so he said, "You know what happened? Within one week we got three new station wagons. Hallelujah," you know, and he'd holler real loud, "Amen, amen, amen." He would say "amen" about five times whenever he got happy.
Well, here was a case where God gave him more than he asked for. You know, God knew he needed more than he thought he needed, I guess. That's biblical. Jeremiah 33:3…don't always count on that so that when it comes you're surprised. Jeremiah 33:3 says, "And call on Me and I will answer thee and show thee great and mighty things which thou knowest not," even beyond what you know. "Great and mighty things which thou knowest not." It's kind of like Ephesians 3:20, "Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all we can ask." He can do more than we can ask.
I can think about my own ministry coming to Grace Church and praying in the early years, "Lord, I want You to use me here and I want You to bless this church." And I never even dreamed what would happen here. I had absolutely not the slightest inclination of what was going on. And nobody is more surprised than me at what God has chosen to do. Far beyond what I ever could ask or think.
B. All right, the conditions of prayer.
Now when you're going to pray, how you going to pray?
a. Asking in Christ's name. And this needs to be explained cause more people get this over-simplified. They think that at the end of every prayer you say "in Jesus' name, Amen," and that guarantees it. Praying in Christ's name. Oh, and then you get some Presbyterian who prays and says, "Amen." You say, "Oh, he didn't say in Jesus' name, amen. That'll never get beyond the ceiling." I heard a guy say one time, "That's like sending a letter to God without a stamp."
I mean, you've got to have this little formula zapped on the end, you know, or it doesn't get there. Now, that's really ridiculous. You read the prayers in the Scripture you're going to find very few of them that end in Jesus' name, amen. That is not what it means in John 14:13 when it says, "If you ask anything in My name." What the word "name" means is all that Jesus is. So praying in His name is asking consistently with who He is. That's all.
It is saying, "This I ask as if Christ was asking it." Another way, the idea of name means all that He is. The name of Christ is all that He is, the totality of His person. "In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk." What did that mean? Did that mean that the little name had a trick thing to it? A formula? No, it meant because of who He is. Because of His power and His person, walk. So the name means all that He is. So when I ask in Jesus' name I'm asking consistent with who He is.
Illustration. "Father, this I ask because I know this is what Jesus would want." You got it? Try that at the next prayer. "Lord, all the stuff I've been asking for, I'm asking because I know…" That's hard to say, "this is what Jesus would want." That's how to pray in His name. Now that will clean up a lot of the junk, right? Right there, you get rid of a lot of stuff.
Like the little kid who said, "Lord, bless mommy and bless daddy," and then at the top of his voice he says, "And God I'd like a new bicycle." His dad says, "Well, God isn't deaf." He says, "I know, but grandma's in the next room and she's hard of hearing." Yeah, well who you praying to? A little selfish there. Like James says, "You ask amiss to consume it on your own lusts, and that's why you don't get it, you receive not."
So, asking in Christ's name is saying this is what I ask because this is what I believe Jesus would want. Can you pray about the one you love and say, "I pray for their salvation because this is what I believe Jesus would want?" Sure. Can you pray for your own spiritual welfare because you know this is what Jesus would want? Sure. There are some things that you know He wants and you know He would pray for. That's what it means to ask in His name, not "Dear Lord, I want a new Datsun 240Z because this is what Jesus would want."
b. All right, secondly, we not only ask in Christ's name, we ask in faith. We ask believing. God wants you to believe Him, and then when He does respond you'll give Him praise. Matthew 21:22, "And all things whatever you ask in prayer believing you will receive." The first condition, ask consistent with Christ. The second condition, ask believing. Do you really believe God does answer prayer in your heart? That's a condition. And what he means by that is, "Well, God, if You're really up there, do a trick and then I'll believe in You." No, no, God is not doing tricks to make people believe, He is responding to the prayers of those who do. Believing.
In fact, it says, "If you had the faith of a grain of a mustard seed you could – " do what? " – move a mountain." And I remember the story of the little old lady who said she had a mountain in her backyard, she wanted to get rid of this hump so she could put a garden. And so she got down on her knees and prayed, "O Lord, I know that You can remove a mountain and I believe," and she got up in the morning and the mountain was still there. "Ha," she says, "I knew it."
Well, that's not exactly asking in faith. She knew all along God wouldn't do that. There's another scripture that comes to mind. Let's see, where is it? James…James 5:15, "The prayer of faith shall save the sick and the Lord shall raise him up." And there again you have implied in the idea of praying the idea of faith, asking, believing.
c. Thirdly, asking in God's will, consistently with God's will. You always have to say, "Father, this I ask in Your will." First John 5:14, "This is the confidence that we have in Him, if we ask anything according to His – " what? " – will, He hears and does it." So in Christ's name, asking in faith and in God's will. If we say, "God, do this whether You like it or not," He's not going to do that.
God is not up there whimsically responding to everything we ask for whether He wants to do it or not. Prayer, as I said, is lining us up with God's will. Another thing, prayer must come from a pure heart, pure heart. James 5:16, "The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man." If there's garbage in your life, the channel of prayer is really closed off.
And then the last thing is we're to ask with earnestness. God really wants what is called by the old English word "importunity." Remember the guy in Luke 11 who wanted to get the bread? And so he goes and he starts banging on the door and the guy's asleep. And he says, "Get out of here." And the guy keeps banging and banging and banging and the guy says, "Get out."
Bang, bang, bang. The guy finally comes down, and he says, "I want some bread." And the Lord says, "You see, he got the bread for his much knocking, so shall you for your much asking." In other words, this is seeking. This is being so intense and so desirous that you continue to seek the Lord, not endless repetition, but earnestness.
C. All right, thirdly, the content of prayer.
We're moving pretty quick, but we want to wrap it up. The content of prayer. What is prayer to be about?
a. Well, first of all, the kind of prayer. We mentioned that earlier, Ephesians 6:18, all kinds, any old kind. Standing up, sitting down, crying out, whispering, praying in a closet, praying in public. Supplication, which is asking for things; interceding, which is praying for somebody else's needs; thanksgiving, which is thanking God for what he's done, praise, which is just extolling His virtues. Any kind, all kinds.
b. Now what is to be the subject of your prayers? Who do you pray about? Two things, yourself and others. That's it. Pray for yourself and pray for others. And those scriptures there you can look for yourselves, we don't need to go into those. But it would be an interesting study for you sometime to trace in the Bible who you're told to pray for. Did you ever do that? You can find a whole long list of about 15 different specific groups that you're told to pray for.
You're supposed to pray to the Lord, He'll send for laborers into His harvest; you're supposed to pray for new missionaries and teachers and preachers. Did you ever pray for that? You're told to pray for that. Do you ever pray for your President? You're told to pray for those in authority over you.
Do you ever pray for the governor? The policeman? Do you ever pray for your local police? Yeah, you should pray for your local police. Pray for the governor. There's a lot of people you're supposed to be praying for and they're all there in many places in the New Testament.
D. All right, then lastly there's some hindrances to prayer.
And generally speaking the hindrance is Psalm 66:18. "If I regard iniquity in my heart – " what? " – the Lord will not hear me."
The hindrance to prayer is sin. Psalm 66:18, the hindrance to prayer is sin. Now that sin can take many, many, many forms.
a. Number one there, selfishness. If you ask selfishly to consume it on your own lusts, your prayers are hindered.
b. Then I list some other ones, unconcern. Unconcern there from Proverbs 21
d. You know that interesting one is the fourth one. If you're not getting along with your wife, your prayer won't be answered. Did you know that? That's kind of a heavy, isn't it? People wonder why things aren't going well in their home. Well, they ought to maybe get right with the wife before they get right with the Lord.
e. When you doubt things, James says, you're wavering, your prayers are hindered.
All of those things hinder prayer. All right, there is a general look, a general outline on the subject of prayer in a very basic way.
Thank You, our Father, tonight for bringing us together. Thank You for these who are here, many of them new Christians, eager and desirous of knowing the basics. And we thank You for what You're going to do in their lives because they have been faithful to acknowledge this need and to submit themselves to some instruction and some sharing in this area. We pray that You'll use them. We give You the praise and glory for all that has been done tonight and will be done in their lives in Christ's name. Amen.
Categories: Studiu biblic, Teologice

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The very multi-faceted Ashley Avis proves through her talents that abstract art isn't as simple as black & white. Inspired by what she calls "a gigantic abstract" that hung in her parents' living room as a child, the Venice-based artist, writer and filmmaker delved completely into her passion for abstract expression two years ago and she hasn't looked up from her canvas since.
Referring to her art as a "beautiful release," Avis admits she took to painting when she'd grow restless working on writing projects. Whether delving into a script or working on a novel, she would search for a distraction to get her to what she calls "this meditative state." She kept returning back to that painting from her childhood. Two years ago, her commitment to pursue this creative outlet strengthened and transpired into a profession as an artist. "Like wine or emotional growth, something deepened," she reflects.
As the founder of the LA-based production company Alchemy Pictures, Avis says that the two creative processes help to complement each other in a most idyllic way. "I joke that I live two different lives, like a see-saw. I paint when I'm not writing, I write when I'm not painting."
A fan of the starkness of black and white, the artist thrills in discovering a new way to influence paint. Working on both cotton duck canvas and wood, she is now beginning to experiment with aluminum. She works with a combination of acrylic, oil, ink, and textures that include shards of glass and sand. "I remember breaking a mirror and having pieces of it stuck to my body when a neighbor came over once," she jokes of her use of organic objects. While she keeps a notebook that she jots down notes on colors and textures she seeks to create through her work, Avis admits that anything can change once she starts the painting process. "The lines, the use of color, the seeming randomness that somehow shape into this brilliant, deliberate whole," she says in awe of what first drew her to abstract art.
Avis was selected to present her work at the first ever Art.Life Exhibition March 30-April 22 at the historic LA Mart. The Exhibition, produced by EWI Collection founder and creator Amy Demirchian, featured 50 of LA's most talented artists across many mediums. With portions of the proceeds going to Los Angeles Arts Alliance, an organization that promotes art among youth and artists in LA, the event ties in closely with Avis' own commitment to fostering the artistic talents of children. The artist herself sponsors a seven-year-old artist, painting together with her several times a month. "To teach her and see her grow is absolutely, incomparably, incredible," she says.
When asked where she draws inspiration for her own work, it's clear Avis is both a writer and painter, as her list reads like an illustrated poem. "Music. Classical. James Brown. Anything nautical. Articles about exploding comets. Love. Loss of love. The sky, at twilight. Love, again. Rum."


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Specifications subject to change without notice. Honda's fuel economy estimates are based on EPA exhaust emission measurement test procedures and are intended for comparison purposes only. Your actual mileage will vary depending on how you ride, how you maintain your vehicle, weather, road conditions, tire pressure, installation of accessories, cargo, rider and passenger weight, and other factors. Suggested Retail Price (SRP) excludes destination charge. Visit powersports.honda.com to view applicable destination charge amount.
It's Not Just A Motorcycle; It's The Grom.
Getting around can suck the life out of you, or it can be the best part of your day. But one way or another, we all gotta get someplace. Why not make it fun? And the best way to do that, naturally, is on a Honda Grom.
One blast on this pocket-sized two-wheeled amusement ride and you'll be hooked. And once you have that smile permanently attached to your face, you'll start to notice just what a great motorcycle the Grom is. Its 125cc engine—built with typical Honda quality and reliability—means that your riding is just about hassle-free. First-timers will love the light weight and approachable size, but even experienced motorcyclists can't resist the Grom's maneuverability and total fun factor.
And the Grom makes a ton of sense when it comes to dollars and cents as well: You can run it on pocket change, and you can park it just about anywhere too.
So why not hook up with a Honda Grom today? Be the master of your own transpo-destiny, and have an absolute blast doing it.
If It Looks Like Fun, That's Because It Is: For 2019, the Grom gets four great new colors, so this hot little bike looks cooler than ever.
Honda Reliability And Performance: What makes the Grom so much fun? It all starts with a great motor. The Grom's single-cylinder design is light, narrow, and revs fast. Fuel injection helps performance, electric starting makes it a snap to get going, and plenty of maintenance-reducing features mean more time to ride.
A Small Bike With Big Features: Exhibit A: the four-speed transmission. You get all the control and performance of a standard motorcycle gearbox, and the fun of shifting and deciding when to shift. Exhibit B: Hydraulic disc brakes front and rear (plus available ABS) give you excellent stopping power.
Low And Fun: With its low 30.0-inch seat height, light weight, low center of gravity and narrow profile, the Grom inspires confidence, and is a blast whether flicking around corners or cruising around town.


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Synagogue Columns Art Print
Synagogue Columns by Thomas R Fletcher - 6.875" x 10.000"
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Excavated synagogue in ancient Capernaum, Israel
About Thomas R Fletcher
Thomas R. Fletcher was born and raised in West Virginia. In 1982, he launched his career as a freelance photographer, and has been traveling the world since. Thomas has been taking photos as long as he can remember. The first was of the tree-shaded, moss-covered banks of a spring, deep in the mountains, where his grandmother drew her water. He was less than 18 months old. He made a mental snap-shot of that green, peaceful location that he carries with him to this day. That mossy, green place of solitude brought a special feeling of peacefulness to his spirit,a feeling he often seeks to repeat in seeking new images. It was not until he was nineteen years old that Thomas realized he could permanently...
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Henry Howard "Cotton" Abell, 94, first started taking pictures when he was 10 years old. He won a kite-flying contest and the first prize was a box camera. He continued taking pictures until a few years ago due to macular degeneration. Cotton took most of the photos featured in Cotton's Corner, but his first cousin, Bill Abell, also took some. Bill gave Cotton his slides when he moved to Louisville in the 1950s. Some of the photos in Cotton's collection were also taken by Huley Browne. Browne's widow, Violet, gave Cotton his slides after he passed away.
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| April 20, 2012, 7:00 am
El Mexicano Restaurant is a small spot in Hatch, N.M.
It's not a huge menu, but there are some choice items that are a departure from the Mexican restaurants found in Denver.
For starters, they have gorditas, the corn flour (masa) pockets that in this incarnation, are sliced open pita-pocket fashion and packed with shredded, crisped beef, then topped with the requisite cheese, lettuce-and-tomatoes, and savory salsa.
But the thing I really loved about this little place with a friendly staff were the agua frescas, the popular fruit ades you see at outdoor stands — and in restaurants — in Mexico, which sits just 60 miles south of Hatch.


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Rebecca Soni
Hosszu Does It Again! Wins Olympic Gold In 100m Backstroke
Hungarian Trojan star will also go for gold Tuesday in 200m IM final.
USC Concludes Its Most Successful Olympics Ever
Trojans win 25 medals, including 12 golds, at 2012 London Games.
Soni Golden Again, Mellouli Gets Bronze
Breaststroke queen wins again in 400m medley relay; Mellouli third in 1500m free.
Mellouli To Seek Second Gold In Olympic 1500m final
Soni to swim in 400m medley relay Saturday as well.
Gold Again For Soni In 200m Breast
Trojan great also smashes her day-old world record en route to her repeat Olympic title.
Gold Again For Rebecca Soni In 200m Breaststroke
Gold Again For Rebecca Soni In 200m Breaststroke
Rebecca Soni Wins Silver
Rebecca Soni wins Silver in women's 100-meter breaststroke
An Olympic and World Championships gold medalist and a six-time NCAA champion, USC graduate Rebecca Soni is in her third year as a volunteer assistant swimming coach at USC.
The top breaststroker in the world, Soni swept the 100m and 200m breast at the 2011 World Championships and won another gold in the 400m medley relay (with an American record) as well as a bronze in the 50m breast.
She won three gold medals (50m, 100m and 200m breast) at the 2010 Short Course World Championships (she also won a silver in the 400m medley relay) as well as titles in the 100m and 200m breast (lc) at the 2010 Pan Pacific Championships. Soni, who also won those events at the 2010 U.S. Nationals, was named USA Swimming's Female Athlete of the Year for 2010 for the second year in a row.
Soni was an 11-time All-American as a Trojan between 2006-09 and became the first woman to win the NCAA title in the 200y breast four consecutive years. She also won the NCAA 100y breast crowns in 2008 and 2009 and won a combined six Pac-10 titles.
Soni became an international swimming star at the 2008 Olympics when she won the gold medal in the 200-meter breast in a then-world record time (2:20.22). Her gold came just days after winning a silver medal in the 100m breast (1:06.73) and was soon followed by a silver on the U.S. 4x100m medley relay.
She solidified her standing as one of the top breaststrokers ever when she followed up her Olympic success with a gold medal in the 100m breast at the 2009 World Championships and a silver in the 50m breast. She also won breaststroke titles in the 100m and 200m at the U.S. World Championships Trials and at the U.S. Spring Nationals. Soni, who won her fifth and sixth NCAA and Pac-10 titles in 2009, was voted the 2009 U.S. Female Swimmer of the Year. She was also a 2009 Sullivan Award finalist.
One of USC's top student-athletes, Soni graduated from USC in 2009 with a degree in communications. She also earned Pac-10 All-Academic honorable mention honors for the second year in a row.
Soni is the American record holder in the 100m breast and the 400m medley relay and is the former world record holder in the 50m, 100m and 200m breast. She also holds the American, NCAA and Pac-10 records in the 200y breast, NCAA and Pac-10 records in the 100y breast and USC records in the 100 (yards, lcm) and 200 breast (yards, lcm, scm) as well as the 200y and 400y medley relays.
In 2008, in addition to her Olympic success, Soni won the 200m breast title at the U.S. Olympic Trials and won both the 100y and 200y breaststroke at the 2008 NCAA Championships, the first time she had swept both NCAA races. Her title in the 100y was USC's first in the event. USC's first swimmer to win two NCAA titles in the same season since Kaitlin Sandeno in 2004, Soni also earned All-American honors as part of USC's 400y medley relay. She did all of this less than two years after undergoing surgery to correct a rapid heartbeat condition. Like she did at the NCAAs, Soni won both the 100y and 200y breast at the 2008 Pac-10s.
Soni underwent minor heart surgery in the summer prior to the 2006-07 season which limited her training, but she still put together a strong sophomore campaign. She successfully defended her NCAA Championships crown in the 200y breast and reached the final of the 100y breast for the second year in a row. At the 2007 Pac-10s, Soni was second in the 200y breast (the only time she did not win a postseason 200y breast) and fourth in the 100y breast. At the U.S. vs. Australia Duel in the Pool in April, Soni was second in the breast and third in the 100m breast. At the 2007 U.S. Summer Nationals, Soni won national titles in the 100m and 200m breast, the second and third of her career. At the Japan International, the final major international meet of the 2007 season, Soni posted a pair of seconds in the 100m and 200m breast.
Soni put together the top season for a Trojan breaststroker in a decade as a 2006 freshman, winning an NCAA title in the 200y breast and capturing Pac-10 crowns in the 100y and 200y breast. She was a three-time All-American at the NCAA Championships, winning the 200y breast, taking second in the 100y breast and helping USC to second in the 400y medley relay in a school record 3:33.97. Soni was unbeaten in the 200y breast on the season. In addition to posting USC's fastest breaststroke times, she also posted USC's top times in the 200y IM and 400y IM. Despite having minor heart surgery during the summer, Soni still raced at the 2006 U.S. Summer Nationals, where she was 10th in both the 100m and 200m breast.
Soni was the 2005 U.S. national champion in the 200m breast after her final year competing at West Windsor-Plainsboro North in Plainsboro, N.J. The New Jersey state record holder in the 100y and 200y breast, Soni was ranked among the top 25 in the world in the 100m and 200m breaststroke throughout the 2005 season. She won a pair of silver medals at the 2005 U.S. World University Games, taking second in both the 100m and 200m breast and seventh in the 50m breast. She made the WUG team after placing third in third in the 200y breast and fourth in the 100y breast at the 2005 U.S. World Championships Trials. She was a 2004 Olympic Trials semifinalist in the 200m breaststroke and was second in the event at the 2004 U.S. Summer Nationals. She was also a two-time finalist at the 2003 Summer Nationals.


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Institutional Development
The Division of Institutional Development is responsible for the following services and departments: Accreditation, Fundraising & Alumni, Grants & Resource Development, Outcomes & Assessment, and Research & Planning.
The Division also publishes the "In the Loop" newsletter.
Research & Planning promotes continuous quality improvement through Annual Program Review, long-range planning processes, integrated planning, and evaluation including supporting Outcomes Assessment and providing data and research that inform decision-making.
Grants and Resource Development services encompass all phases of proposal development, grant implementation, and award management. We notify faculty and staff about grant opportunities and assist in the planning of projects and programs. Our office also submits Board Resolutions and Information Only Items (FIO's) directly related to contract and grant funded activities.


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Eleven football players named All-CC; Palladino top rookieEleven members of the Muhlenberg football team received All-Centennial Conference honors, combining for 13 spots on the all-star team
Wednesday, November 20, 2013 02:25 PM
Since the CC expanded to 10 teams in 2010, the 13 spots are the most earned by the Mules, and the five first-team selections tie for the most.
Junior defensive end Greg DeLade, junior linebacker Ian Gimbar, junior wide receiver Cody Geyer, junior tight end Michael Long and sophomore offensive tackle Bryan Auvil were named to the first team. Geyer also received second-team honors as a kick returner.
Freshman cornerback John Feaster and junior linebacker Jeremey Thomas were voted to the second team, and junior guard Tommy DeVito, junior nose tackle Kevin Cellary, junior safety Tyler Cerbo and junior kicker/punter Connor Winter earned honorable mention.
Freshman quarterback Nick Palladino was named rookie of the year. The first Mule to earn the honor (which was given for the first time last year), Palladino (left) set a school record for freshmen with 1,826 passing yards, just 21 shy of the CC mark. He has thrown 12 touchdowns against only six interceptions while also rushing for 373 yards (second on the team) and six touchdowns. Since taking over the starting job, Palladino has a 7-1 record.
DeLade (above left) moved up to the first team after earning honorable mention last year. He is third in the CC with 15½ tackles for loss, including a team-leading 7½ sacks, among his 40 tackles. DeLade also has four pass breakups, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery.
Gimbar (above second from left) made the first team for the second year in a row. He is fifth on the Mules with 41 total tackles, including 8½ for loss and four sacks.
Geyer (above center) had a breakout season after losing most of his first two years to injury. He ranks second in the CC and 11th in Division III in all-purpose yards per game (178.4). Geyer leads the CC in receiving touchdowns (10) and is second in receiving yards (1,050), yards per catch (19.8) and punt return average (17.3). Geyer's 13 total touchdowns are tied for most in the league.
Long (above second from right) jumped to the first team after receiving honorable mention last year. He leads all CC tight ends with 45 receptions, averaging 11.2 yards per catch and scoring four touchdowns. Long set a CC record for tight ends by catching 11 passes in a win at Juniata.
Auvil (above right) is the only non-senior on the first-team offensive line and is the first Muhlenberg offensive lineman to make the All-CC first team as a sophomore since 2006. He started all 10 games for an offense that is averaging 414.0 yards and 35.8 points per game. Twice this season (against Juniata and Moravian), the Mules possessed the ball for more than 39 minutes and ran more than 90 plays.
Feaster (above left), the first Muhlenberg freshman to earn a spot on the All-CC team since 2006, leads the CC and is tied for eight in Division III with six interceptions. He also has recorded 40 tackles and four pass breakups.
Thomas (above right) is second on the Mules with 57 total tackles and is tied for fourth in the CC with 14 tackles for loss. The stat-sheet filler also has 5½ sacks, five pass breakups, an interception, two forced fumbles, a fumble recovery and a blocked punt to his credit.
DeVito (above left) has started all 10 games at right guard. Cellary (above second from left) solidified the middle of the line since taking over as a starter midway through the season, recording 29 tackles (5 for loss). Cerbo (above second from right) recorded 35 tackles to go along with a team-leading six pass breakups and two interceptions in his first season as a starter. Winter (right) missed only four kicsk during the regular season, going 9-of-12 on field goals and 43-of-44 on extra points, while also ranking fourth in the CC with a 38.5 yards-per-punt average.
Click here for the complete All-CC team.


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Ian Ziering is expecting his second child with wife Erin, People reports.
"I feel blessed, having a family is something that I've always wanted," Ziering 48, tells the magazine. "Having a second child is the realization of a dream come true."
Check out photos of Ian Ziering
Erin is due in May, and the sex of the baby is unknown. The couple, who married in May 2010, are already parents to 18-month-old Mia Loren.
Best known as Steve on Beverly Hills, 90210, Ziering also competed on Dancing with the Stars and most recently guest-starred on Happily Divorced.


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Some good news from former participant, and most recently, faculty member, Michael Koryta. Michael's most recent novel, ENVY THE NIGHT, has been nominated for the 2008 Los Angeles Times Book Prize for best mystery.
Envy the Night is one of five finalists, including:
Colin Harrison, THE FINDER
Simon Lewis, BAD TRAFFIC: AN INSPECTOR JIAN NOVEL
Nina Revoyr, THE AGE OF DREAMING
Tom Rob Smith, CHILD 44
Previous winners of the award include Michael Connelly, George Pelecanos, Robert Littell, and Val McDermid. This year's winner will be announced on April 24 at a private ceremony in the Los Angeles Times building.
Good luck, Michael!


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SNOW HILL – One of two defendants facing first-degree murder charges in the beating death of the Berlin teen in May had his case resolved this week when he pleaded guilty late Wednesday to a lesser reckless endangerment charge and was sentenced to five years in jail, all of which was all suspended but the 140 days he already served.
Fernando Angelo Musiani, 19, of Ocean City, who was charged with first-degree murder for his role in the death of Michael Harry Mitchell on May 29, pleaded guilty to reckless endangerment during an impromptu plea hearing on Wednesday and was sentenced to five years in jail with all but time served suspended. Musiani was reportedly released from jail Wednesday.
On May 29, a group of individuals including Musiani and his co-defendant, Dominic Richard Canale, 22, of Ocean City, whose own first-degree murder trial is set to get underway next week, were confronted by another group in the Decatur Farms community in Berlin. According to police reports, what began as a verbal altercation turned deadly when Musiani allegedly popped the trunk of his vehicle, allowing Canale to retrieve a baseball bat. Canale allegedly began swinging the bat wildly at the group, first striking Daniel Riley and then Mitchell, who was allegedly struck in the right temple area, knocking him to the ground unconscious and bleeding profusely from the head, according to police reports. He was later pronounced dead from his injuries at AGH. Musiani, Canale and a third suspect, who was later cleared in the case, fled the scene but were taken into custody a short time later.
New information about the events that led to the beating death of Mitchell emerged recently with the arraignment and initial appearance earlier this month of another man, Michael Patrick Ryan, 31, of Berlin, who reportedly hosted the party where the confrontation first began and allegedly punched Canale with a closed fist, touching off the altercation. Ryan was arraigned on Oct. 15 on a second-degree assault charge for his alleged attack on Canale as well as making a false statement to a police officer and obstructing and hindering an investigation.
Immediately following the homicide, Ryan allegedly advised witnesses who attended the party to deny he was involved in the assault through face-to-face contacts and text messaging. He allegedly told witnesses to lie to police about his involvement because he could lose his job with the Berlin Fire Department if the truth was revealed. Incidentally, Mitchell was also active with the fire department.
Ryan was later interviewed by detectives and provided a false statement regarding his involvement, according to police reports. His denials and false statements allegedly delayed and hindered the probe for days as police tried to find the truth about the homicide, according to court documents.
Several of the same witnesses interviewed told police, in their opinion, Ryan instigated the fight that ultimately led to Mitchell's death that night. Other witness statements indicate Ryan's actions led to the escalation of the events that night. Ryan's trial date is set for Jan. 8.


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On Sunday, the Centre Daily Times published a column "recognizing those who have made marks on the world." Author Rhonda Chriss Lokeman thanks whistle-blowers, peacekeepers and human rights organizations. She also says:
"Thanks for the Bill of Rights. It keeps politics in its place, something best remembered during USA Patriot Act deliberations."
We are thankful for the flurry of editorials across the state and across the country calling for Congress to reform the PATRIOT Act and supporting the Senate Bill. We've seen editorials in Scranton's Times Tribune, the Centre Daily Times, and the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
We encourage you to write to your local papers. Support editorial boards that have taken a stand and encourage others to do the same. Here's a letter in response to an Allentown Morning Call editorial. And another from Clint Walker, a member of the Lehigh Valley Bill of Rights Defense Committee:
"Four years after hurried passage, the complex USA Patriot continues to alarm many Americans with its handful of police state provisions. When Congress reconvenes, a conference committee will try to reconcile the two houses' conflicting versions for renewing the Act. The November committee draft was so hostile to civil liberties that a bipartisan group of Senators vowed to use all parliamentary means to keep it from becoming law.
Opposition to the House's proposals to make the Act more invasive spans the entire political spectrum, including Americans for Tax Reform, American Conservative Union, American Bar Association, National Association of Manufacturers, US Chamber of Commerce, League of Women Voters, and ACLU. In addition, 392 local governments and seven state legislatures have passed resolutions against the original Act. The issues are not only privacy and due process; business interests and local governments do not want to bear the unfunded costs of responding to federal demands for information under the Act and the costs of litigating their objections to those demands.
With this rare pan-partisan opposition to the Act's invasiveness, it is politically defiant for the House to push to make the Act more invasive, remove sunsets entirely from 14 of the Act's original 16 provisions, and enact long seven year sunsets for the remaining two provisions. Until the Act is proved both effective and non-injurious, Congress should be required, through sunsets, to evaluate it in its entirety every four years."
Keep it up, folks, our voices are being heard!


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Dee Etta Harrold Great Grandmother
Birth 31 Aug 1875 in Nelsonville, Athens, Ohio, USA
Death 11 Mar 1948 in Nelsonville, Athens, Ohio, USA
Grandma Dee Memories by Ruth Morris Blimes
I have a letter written to Almyra by Arthur written on a typewriter with the help of his father. I also have a letter written by Al to Dee when she was very sick and he was working away at the time. He told her he would die if anything happened to her.
Alas, when he was working in Terre Haute, Ind. he ran off with another man's wife, so something must have happened to dampen his ardor. The husband caught them and had them thrown in jail. Dee went to see him and he promised he would always take care of her and the children if she would just get him out of jail. I don't know how much later it was, but he disappeared and she never heard from him again until about thirty years later when he tried to cut off her army pension by divorcing her. This tracked him to the Denver area and she went out there on the train and put a stop to that. Whether she saw him then or not, I don't know. But she always referred to him as that "devil Al" and tried to pay me a quarter a week if I would ditch Bill when we were dating since both he and Al were born in November.
She lived in the other side of the house on High Street and became a hermit in the winter time. She had a cat and once in a while we would hear it screeching and howling on the other side of the house. I thought she was mean to it because she had a temper (which she did), but we found out that Uncle Jim and Windy Davis were bringing her a bottle of booze, and when she had too many hot toddies, she would take it out on the poor cat. I don't pretend to judge her, but many people have a lot of adversities. She just didn't handle hers too well. Clarence Scott said the devil himself couldn't live with Dee Goodspeed, and I am inclined to agree with him.! Although she was a hermit from the first cold day of fall, she came out with the spring flowers. She was a walker. I remember that she used to take her basket of Watkins products (like lemon flavoring, vanilla, & misc. small articles to sell) and walk all over town.
She knew everyone in town since she had lived there all her life.! Her friends said she could give the most beautiful prayers you ever heard. I know she attended the Christian Church when she was younger, but I don't remember her going as I was growing up. It was said that she attended every church in town and I believe it. She took me down the hill from our house to a revival meeting when I growing up and it was a memorable experience. The Apostolic Church was a little wooden building. It had a long zinc tub in the front corner of the building for baptisms. After some preaching, a goodly number of people jumped up and began to speak in tongues. As they progressed they rolled on the floor and screamed while the rest of the congregation sang songs. The whole building shook and I was terrified the floor would buckle with us in there, so she took me home. On hot summer nights as I got older we kids would go down there and watch in the windows. I feel ashamed of it now, because they were mostly poor people who were trying to find comfort and peace in their religion. She had some friends named Scott who lived up near the Catholic Church that she visited regularly. She used to attend séances at their house. I don't know whether she was trying to communicate with her dead son, Edwin, or whether she was trying to get in touch with Al. Maybe a bit of both. Their son, Sheldon Scott, was the best friend of Edwin. They grew up together and shared many hair raising adventures.
She was a staunch Republican. She electioneered for a U.S. Congressman named Thomas Jenkins. He used to come and sit on our front porch swing and talk to her and one time, as I remember, he gave each of us a quarter. When our family took their first trip to Washington, we had our pictures taken with him on the Capitol steps. She used to have us come over before Christmas and go through the Sears catalog and tell her what we wanted from her for Christmas. As I recall we never received anything from her, but it was exciting to shop in the expectation of getting something that year. During the depression, no one got much for Christmas because no one had much money. She and Mom never got along while I was growing up. She never came over to our side of the house, and Mom never went over to her side. I don't know what happened. When I was married to Bill, Mom worked at the Library and she told me never to let Grandma Dee in while she wasn't there. One day Grandma Dee came over and wanted in and I told her I couldn't let her in. She went back to her house and got a broom and beat on the door and shouted to me to let her in. She obviously had been drinking and her face was red. It scared me and I called Bill at work and he came home and made her go away.
So you see a lot of my memories of her are not too charitable. But who knows, if I had lived her life, I might have kicked my cat too. She taught school up above Nelsonville. Walked every day. Mom remembers that she used to substitute for her when Grandma Dee was sick. She really didn't have an easy life. I think one reason she and Mom were estranged was that Dee thought that the house at 510 High St. was her house. It had been her home all her life, and now she was relegated to three rooms. After Henry died, Almyra moved up to her daughter, Hyla's, house on Poplar St. When Almyra died she willed her house on High Street to Aunt Hyla. Mom and Dad later bought the house from Aunt Hyla for the princely sum of $1200 at about $12 dollars a month. I think they finally paid it off when Dad got his WWI pension. These are some of my remembrances of my Grandma Dee. There were many times when she was very good to me, and there were times she wasn't. However, the good times outweigh the bad ones; I probably just don't remember them as well.


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Entrepreneur Today
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Entrepreneur Today
3 Stealthy Tax Hikes Payroll Managers And Employees Need To Take Note Of
By Rob Cooper, tax expert at Sage, and chairman of the Payroll Authors Group of South Africa
"Dammed if you do and dammed if you don't."
The adage summarises the difficult decisions government and the Finance Minister faced when balancing the country's books, rescuing state-owned enterprises, and reviving the growth of our economy. Given the economic pressure that most taxpayers are facing, government ideally needed to achieve all of that without direct increases to personal income tax in the most recent Budget Speech.
Personal income tax has comprised at least a third of South Africa's total tax revenue in recent tax years, despite growing unemployment. The 2019 Budget, presented in February, forecasts that personal income tax will account for nearly 39% of tax collected during the upcoming (2019/20) tax year. Given that we are in an election year and that the tax base is fragile, it's not surprising that the Finance Minister and the National Treasury avoided direct increases to the statutory tax tables used to calculate PAYE for employees in the budget.
Nonetheless, government has made inflation work in its favour to impose some tax increases by stealth. Here are three ways government is raising more revenue without direct tax increases:
1. Bracket creep
The statutory tax tables used by payrolls and employers have not been changed for 2019/20, nor have the brackets been adjusted for inflation. This effectively amounts to an indirect tax increase that will yield a revenue saving of approximately R12.8 billion for government's coffers.
It is not unusual for government to use 'bracket creep' to effectively raise more revenue. But unlike previous tax years, even low- and middle-income earners are not getting much relief. Rebates and the tax threshold are being increased by small amounts to allow some relief, but many people this year will feel the pain as inflationary salary increases push them into a higher tax bracket.
2. Medical aid credit not adjusted for inflation
As proposed in the 2018 Budget, the Finance Minister did not apply an inflationary increase to the Medical Tax Credit, which allowed him to raise an extra R1 billion in revenue for the year. Surprisingly, these funds will be allocated to general tax revenue rather than ring-fenced for healthcare. In previous tax years, revenue generated from below-inflation increases on medical scheme credits was used to fund National Health Insurance (NHI) pilot projects.
There is still no clarity on how the NHI is going to be funded except for a general statement that the funding model is a problem for the National Treasury to solve, and that the principles of cross-subsidisation will apply. One wonders if any real progress will be made soon, given the fiscal constraints government faces.
3. Business travel deduction left untouched
The Budget leaves the per-kilometre cost rates used to determine tax deductions for business travel untouched. By not increasing travel rates to account for inflation, government effectively increases income tax collection at the cost of the taxpayer. This will be a blow for people who need to claim from their employers for business travel in their personal vehicles. This change has slipped through largely unnoticed and the budget does not provide numbers for the expected increase in tax revenue.
Closing words
Amid political turmoil and uncertainty, the Finance Minister presented a balanced budget for 2019/20 that offers hope for the future along with some tough love. With government taking steps to accelerate economic growth and improve revenue collection, we should hopefully see a steady improvement in government finances, which will translate into less pressure on the taxpayer in future years.
Entrepreneur Today
SMEs: Staying On The Right Side Of The Taxman
Remaining SARS compliant can be a constant challenge for small- to medium-enterprises (SMEs), especially when they are trying to focus on growing their businesses and streamlining their operations.
EasyBiz Managing Director, Gary Epstein, says submitting taxes can be a seamless process that does not have to take up more time than is necessary. "If business owners understand what is required of them and they put a few processes into place to deal with their tax submissions properly, their lives will be so much easier."
What are the top three considerations for SMEs when submitting tax returns?
"Firstly," says Epstein, "SARS returns must be accurate and submitted in terms of the relevant Act. Secondly, returns should be submitted and paid on time to avoid unnecessary penalties and interest, and thirdly, business owners must follow up on queries issued by SARS. "Do not ignore these queries, act on them as soon as possible".
What are the major SARS submission deadlines for SMEs?
Epstein points out that small business owners need to adhere to various tax deadlines, each with their own particular dates for submission. "It is important that business owners diarise the dates (and set advance reminders for themselves) and/or enlist the services of an accountant or financial adviser to help them keep abreast of requirements."
Value-added tax (VAT)
VAT payments need to be submitted in the VAT period allocated to the business, according to various categories and ending on the last day of a calendar month. This may mean making payments once a month, once every two months, once every six months or annually, depending on the category.
Provisional taxes
Provisional tax should be submitted at the end of August (first provisional) and at the end of February (second provisional) – for February year-end companies.
Employee taxes
In addition to submitting an annual reconciliation (EMP501) for the period 1 March to end of February for Pay-As-You-Earn (PAYE), Skills Development Levy (SDL) and Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF), employee tax, in the form of an EMP201 return, needs to be submitted by the seventh of every month.
When can SMEs get extensions and is it worth it?
Epstein says SMEs can apply for various extensions, but these are subject to the Income Tax Act and Tax Administration Act.
"It is best for SMEs to consult their tax professionals to get advice regarding extensions for their businesses."
What is SARS not flexible about?
SARS is not flexible when it comes to late returns and late payments.
"I cannot stress enough how important it is for SME owners to ensure their tax returns are submitted on time. In this way, they will avoid the inconvenience and expense of additional fines and interest," notes Epstein.
What skills do SMEs need in their organisations to be able to submit to SARS efficiently?
Business owners often don't have the time or expertise to deal with tax submissions throughout the year. If the business cannot afford to employ a full-time accountant or financial services expert, it would do well to outsource its tax requirements to a registered tax practitioner.
"I would recommend that even if they are not submitting the tax returns themselves, business owners should have a broad understanding of the tax regulations and what is expected of them. There is a lot of helpful information on the various Acts and tax requirements on SARS' website," says Epstein.
How does the right software help SMEs remain SARS compliant?
SME's (and their accountants') jobs can be made easier by using reliable accounting software to calculate accurate VAT reports. These reports are only as accurate as the data entered into them, which means care needs to be taken when inputting data into the accounting programme. Epstein says a good accounting software package must be reliable, easy to use and functional.
"SMEs need to check that the software has thorough reporting capabilities and can interface with other software solutions. Of course, it is also important to find out whether the software is locally supported by the vendor or not."
Entrepreneur Today
4 Dangers Of Business Under-insurance
A common short-term insurance peril that many SMEs face when submitting a claim following an insured event is the risk of being underinsured.
Malesela Maupa, Head of Products and Insurer Relationships at FNB Insurance Brokers says, many small business owners mistakenly believe that by merely having a short-term insurance policy in place they are adequately protected against unforeseen events.
"This is technically correct provided that the business is covered for the full replacement value of the items insured. However, in circumstances where the sum insured does not cover the full replacement value or material loss of the item insured, the business is underinsured," explains Maupa, as he unpacks the dangers of business underinsurance:
1. Financial loss
The most common risk is financial loss on the part of the business. If the business is underinsured or the indemnity period understated, the short-term insurance policy will only pay out the sum insured for the stated indemnity period as stated in the schedule, with the business owner having to provide for the shortfall. This often leads to cash flow challenges, impacting profit margins or rendering it difficult for the business to recover following the financial loss.
2. Reputational damage
Should an underinsured business not have sufficient funds to replace a key business activity or critical component following a loss, this may impact its ability to fulfil its contractual obligations, leading to a loss of business or market share, and irreparable reputational damage in the worst-case scenario.
3. Legal action
A small business also faces the risk of customers or clients taking legal action against it, should it fail to deliver on goods and services following a loss or be unable to honour its financial commitments that they committed to prior to the loss.
4. Survival of the business
A catastrophic event such as fire, which could result in the loss of stock or company equipment and documentation, could threaten the survival of a small business that is not yet fully established, if the business assets are not adequately insured.
Working with an experienced short-term insurance broker or insurer is essential when taking up short-term insurance to ensure that business contents are covered for their full replacement value.
Furthermore, depending on the nature of the business or item insured, the policy should be reviewed on a regular basis to avoid underinsurance as the value of items often change overtime due to fluctuations in economic activity. Where it's necessary, evaluation certificates need to be kept up to date.
"Lastly, SMEs should ensure that the sum insured does not exceed the replacement value, which would lead to over insurance. Should a business submit a claim following a loss, the insurer would only pay out the replacement value, regardless of the higher sum insured," concludes Maupa.


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TOKYO (Reuters) - Asian shares outside of Japan rose on Wednesday, led by South Korean exporters as the yen firmed amid conflicting interpretations of G7 comments about the currency's recent weakness.
The MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan <.miapj0000pus> gained 0.9 percent.
Seoul shares <.ks11> outperformed with a 1.5 percent jump while Australian shares jumped 0.9 percent after record first-half earnings from the Commonwealth Bank of Australia boosted sentiment.
The Nikkei stock average <.n225> slumped 1.1 percent as the firming yen prompted investors to take profits on exporters. <.t/>
China, Taiwan and Hong Kong markets remain closed for the Lunar New Year holiday.
European markets will be mixed, with financial spreadbetters predicting London's FTSE 100 <.ftse>, Paris's CAC-40 <.fchi> and Frankfurt's DAX <.gdaxi> would open between a 0.1 percent fall and a 0.4 percent gain. U.S. stock futures were up 0.1 percent to suggest a somewhat firmer Wall Street open. <.l><.eu><.n/>
Investors continued to seek cues from currency markets before a meeting of the Group of 20 finance ministers and central bankers in Moscow on Friday and Saturday, with growing international tensions over exchange rates.
At the center of the debate is Japan, where Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's government has made it clear that it will push for aggressive policies to beat stubborn deflation through drastic monetary expansion. Anticipation of much bolder Bank of Japan monetary policy has sent the yen into a steady decline, helping boost Japanese stocks to 33-month highs.
"The Japanese stock market may have rallied too strongly on expectations alone. I don't believe the Japanese government is manipulating currency rates, but it is maybe time that an equilibrium point may be sought for the yen's level given that some other countries may see weaker currencies as beneficial to their economies," said Yuuki Sakurai, CEO at Fukoku Capital Management in Tokyo.
The yen's respite from heavy selling eased concerns for investors in South Korea.
"The main board's rebound was driven by a break in the yen's weakness, following signs that the won's strength has abated somewhat," said Lim Dong-rak, an analyst at Hanyang Securities in Seoul.
The yen rallied on Tuesday, reversing the previous day's late selloff against the dollar and euro, after an official with the Group of Seven said it is worried about excess moves in the Japanese currency.
G7 governors and ministers reaffirmed their commitment that fiscal and monetary policies would not be directed at devaluing currencies, a statement meant to reassure investors that Tokyo was not aiming to guide the yen lower with its aggressive expansion of monetary policy.
"All these comments are merely stating the obvious and are not to be taken in the context of whether they are endorsing a weaker yen or not," said Yuji Saito, director of foreign exchange at Credit Agricole in Tokyo.
"What is being said is that monetary policy should be used to achieve domestic objectives and Japan is undertaking reflationary policies, not manipulating currency rates, and the result of that is a weak yen. What is asked for from Japan is to explain its policy clearly at the G20," Saito said.
The dollar dropped 0.6 percent to 92.95 yen after marking its highest level since May 2010 of 94.465 on Monday. The euro tumbled 0.6 percent to 125.01 yen, moving further away from its highest since April 2010 of 127.71 yen touched last week.
The BOJ ends a two-day policy meeting on Thursday, with markets expecting no fresh easing steps this time. But expectations are running high that further unprecedented measures will be taken under a new BOJ regime due to start next month after the terms of current top officials end.
"So far, the yen has been weakening on expectations for a bold monetary policy, and from now, Japan has to implement actual policy to justify such expectations," said Naohiko Baba, Japan chief economist at Goldman Sachs.
The euro steadied around $1.3450, keeping overnight gains made after European Central Bank President Mario Draghi said talk of a currency war was overdone, and that Spain was on the right track toward economic recovery.
In his annual State of the Union address, U.S. President Barack Obama proposed on Tuesday to hike the minimum wage by more than 20 percent, invest $50 billion on crumbling roads and bridges and spend $15 billion on a construction jobs program in a bid to boost economic growth.
U.S. crude was up 0.1 percent to $97.60 a barrel and Brent was steady around $118.61.
Palladium extended gains to a 17-month high as supply concerns sparked speculative buying, while gold edged up on demand from jewellers.
(Additional reporting by Joyce Lee in Seoul; Editing by Eric Meijer & Kim Coghill)
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