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What's your favourite primer? Do you use any? There are so many primers out there and i only ever use my MAC fix+ spray, I've been using it for years but i thought i would try something new. Although, there's … Continue reading
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Bread – Controversies
March 27, 2009
Readings for Friday, March 27
from the Book of Common Prayer:
Jer. 23:1-8; Rom. 8:28-39; John 6:52-59
Psalms 95, 102, 107:1-32
There are controversies in the church among Christians. Have been, are, and in all likelihood will be until the Lord returns. Who knows, maybe when the Lord returns there will be controversies about whether He threw the right people into the fiery pit or whether the saints who are ruling with Him are really doing a good job.
In today's readings lie two great controversies. I'll let you guess what the first one is from this reading from Romans:
"And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose. For those God foreknew He also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of His Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those He predestined, He also called; those He called, He also justified; those He justified, He also glorified." Rom. 8:28-30.
If you haven't already guessed it, we call this controversy by various names, but for shorthand I will call it the fight over the doctrine of predestination (and the role, if any, of free will in salvation). Wonderful source of lengthy discourse and argument, spilling over into separation of the church into defined camps.
The second controversy arises from Jesus' own words. Again, I'll let you guess:
"Jesus said to them, 'I tell you the truth, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in you. Whoever eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. For My flesh is real food and My blood is real drink. Whoever eats My flesh and drinks My blood remains in Me, and I in him….'" John 6:53-56
One might have a little problem figuring out this controversy, because this passage can be tied to so many. The first was one of the first charges which were levied against Christians by the pagans, and that was that they were cannibals. Since no Christian has ever practiced cannibalism, it was quickly apparent that the plain meaning of this quotation is not the real meaning of this saying, but if you stretch your mind you can see that an allegorical reading of this quotation collides with a literal interpretation (thus tying to another controversy about how one is to read the Bible). A third controversy this can relate to is how we as Christians are to treat the bread and wine during the Sacrament of Communion – whether as the real Body and Blood of Jesus Christ (the real presence doctrine), a simple memorial to Christ's work on the cross, or something somewhere between. Another wonderful source of lengthy discourse and argument, spilling over into separation of the church into defined camps.
Now why go through this? I suspect your mind has already gone to my wording about the controversies, wondering how on earth I could have used one concept or word rather than another, and building your arguments against whatever position you may think I have. It is a wonderful exercise of reason and doctrinal purity, driving us to delightful distractions as we build intelligent arguments to show how right we are. I can and do do it. And so do you.
But there are two other readings today which bring home what we are really about. The first is from Jeremiah:
"'I [God] will place shepherds over them who will tend them, and they will no longer be afraid or terrified, nor will any be missing,' declares the LORD." Jer. 23:4
"…nor will any be missing…" Is this not the heart of God? Is the heart of God that we have correct doctrine, that we "win," the argument, or that none of His sheep will be missing? I know I work awfully hard to make sure I have correct doctrine, that I understand the Word of God, and that I am obedient to Him in many things. But do I share His heart for His missing sheep? What have I done today to seek out His missing sheep and to bring them into the fold, where they will "no longer be afraid or terrified." This questions causes all controversies to fade.
But there is more in today's readings. In the Psalms appointed for today, there is this:
"…For the LORD is a great God, the great King above all gods. In His hand are the depths of the earth, … The sea is His, for He made it, and His hands formed the dry land. Come, let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the LORD our Maker; for He is our God, and we are the people of His pasture, and the flock under His care." Psalm 95:3-7
And again:
"But you, O LORD, sit enthroned forever, your renown endures through all generations … Let this be written for a future generation, that a people not yet created may praise the LORD…In the beginning You laid the foundations of the earth, and the heavens are the work of Your hands. They will perish, but You will remain …But You remain the same, and your years will never end." Psalm 102: 12, 18, 25-26\
And again:
"Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good, His love endures forever … Let them exalt Him in the assembly of the people and praise Him in the council of the elders." Psalm 107: 1, 32
What is to be gathered from these readings in Psalms except that God is sovereign; He is King? What is to be gathered from these readings except that He is to be worshiped, bowed to and knelt before, exalted in all places?
Let's see, my job is worshipping the Creator and Savior, God and King, finding His lost sheep, and bringing them into sanctuary where they are safe. I suspect if I were really doing these things, my time to worry about the "right" position in these various controversies would be greatly diminished. Besides, if I were sovereign and knew the solution to all controversies, why would I need God and why would I need faith in Him? Hmm…seems like Satan asked my forefather and foremother that question a long time ago and no good came out it. Maybe I need to focus on my job.
Could I make a perhaps unwelcome suggestion — Maybe you do too.
Lord, help us to love your Word, incarnate in Jesus Christ and written in Scripture. Help us Lord to come to you and to bring others to you. Help us know that you are God and we are not. Help us Lord to recognize Your timing and to accept it. Assist us Lord through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit to be both willing and obedient servants. It is only through the merits of your Son Jesus Christ that we are empowered to even make this prayer. And so we thank you and praise you! Amen.
Bread – Timing
March 18, 2009
Readings for Wednesday, March 18
from the Book of Common Prayer:
Jer. 8:18-9:6; Rom. 5:12-21; John 8:12-20
Psalms 81, 82, 119:97-120
You have heard it said that timing is everything. I would appear from our readings today that this saying may have some grounding in Scripture.
We read today about three different kinds of timing. The first is the timing of our own destruction if we are not saved. The second is the timing of God in history. And the third is the timing of our ministry on earth.
First, Jeremiah speaks – "The harvest is past, the summer has ended, and we are not saved." Jer. 8:20. What a dreadful statement. I am reminded of the song "Summertime" – "summertime, and the living is easy…" It is easy in the summer. It is warm, crops are growing, there really is no fight against the elements (except for sunscreen), breezes are blowing, and life seems to slow down a little and get a little easier. Jeremiah reminds us that there will be a time of no more summers, no more easy living under the gaze of a merciful God providing for the common good, no more opportunity to obtain food. In that time, "we are not saved" unless we have taken advantage of the "summer" to become saved. The timing is now to be saved, while the opportunity exists, because there will come a time when summer is gone, the harvest has ended, and those people who are left over will not be saved.
Second, Paul speaks about the timing of God in history — "You see, at the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly." Rom. 5:6. You might fairly ask the question, "Well, what about those Old Testament characters, weren't they powerless too and yet Christ didn't die then but later?" That is a fair question from our perspective, but it assumes something about time and God. We recognize time as linear, having a past, present, and future. God is not bound by our limitations. We cannot judge God's actions in time according to our standards of time. We cannot subject God's judgment and timing to our standards. So, Paul is right. God did act at the "right time." He always acts at the right time, even though for us it may appear to be too late or too early.
The third type of timing presented into today's Scripture reading is the timing of our own ministries on earth, the timing of which is not in our hands. As reported in John, Jesus was speaking to the Pharisees and they challenged Him on the grounds that He was speaking only for Himself and therefore lacked sufficient witnesses to prove the truth of what He was saying. He said that He had two witnesses, Himself and His Father, but that the Pharisees couldn't see that because they did not know the Father, but only knew their own religious rules and procedures. As noted by John, "Yet no one seized Him, because His time had not yet come." John 8:20b. We understand this to mean His crucifixion and resurrection.
Jesus' ministry on earth aimed for the cross from the get-go. But that ministry would not begin and would not end until the time was right. It would begin with His seizure by His accusers, but this seizure would not take place and could not take place until the time for it had come.
So we now know a lot about timing and how it fits into our lives. If we are not saved, the time is now while summer is still here. If we are saved, then we know that God brought Jesus Christ into the world to save us, sinners, at exactly the right time, when we were powerless to save ourselves. Once we are saved, our opportunity for ministry will come about at the right time, at the point when God has ordained it, and it will end at the right time.
Have you put off accepting the gift of salvation? Act while you can. Are you feeling ungrateful? Think about the perfect timing of God in bringing Jesus into the world to save you, when you could not save yourself. Are you feeling restless, wanting to get on to the next project or ministry? Rest in the moment, knowing that God will call you when your time to serve Him has come.
Lord, help us to love your Word, incarnate in Jesus Christ and written in Scripture. Help us Lord to come to you and to bring others to you. Help us know that you are God and we are not. Help us Lord to recognize Your timing and to accept it. Assist us Lord through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit to be both willing and obedient servants. It is only through the merits of your Son Jesus Christ that we are empowered to even make this prayer. And so we thank you and praise you! Amen.
Bread – Deception
March 15, 2009
Readings for Monday, March 16
from the Book of Common Prayer:
Jer. 7:1-15; Rom. 4:1-12; John 7:14-36
Psalms 77, 79, 80
"Do not trust in deceptive words and say 'This is the temple of the LORD, the temple of the LORD, the temple of the LORD!…But look, you are trusting in deceptive words that are worthless." Jer. 7:4, 8
One time I was reading a book about evangelism and the author asked the question: "How do the lost know that they are lost?" A very good question, when you think about it. It is a good question because, in order for the lost to know that they are lost, they have to have a destination which they want to go to and they have to have some sense that there is a right way to get there. In Christian terms, our destination is eternity in the presence of God and we know the right way to get there, through faith in Jesus Christ. But even if you have a destination, unless someone tells you the right way to get there, unless someone gives you a map, then how do you know that there is a right way, much less know what that right way is? So the short answer to the question of "How do the lost know that they are lost?" is that they don't unless someone intervenes in their life and tells them. Jesus tells us to do just that to all those people who are lost and don't know it.
The word of God through Jeremiah quoted above implies a similar question. "How do the deceived know that they are deceived?" In other words, if one lives in a deception and knows no truth, then how does one know that he or she is deceived?"
I think there is an answer to this question, and it is implied in the quote above. One can figure out if one is being deceived by asking oneself "Who or what am I trusting?" Trusting for what? I would say the big things – why am I here, who am I, what in life is worthwhile and what is worthless, what is love really, what happens when I die?
So maybe the question is "Who or what am I trusting to answer the big questions I have?"
And the answer to that can be many things – we can put our trust in fortune, in good health, in science, in education, in brain power, in other people, in our spouse, in our priest (pastor, minister, brother), and in luck, to name a few. Jeremiah would say that if you trust any of those things, if you are not trusting God and Him only, then you are being deceived. Jeremiah asks the question, if you are trusting deception – deceptive words – when why are you going to church? Why are you saying "the temple, the temple, the temple," as if you can neutralize the deception you believe in by mere religious attendance or repetition?
What or who do I trust? If one can not say God and only God, then one is being at least partially deceived.
Why do we believe and trust in deceptive words? Maybe it is because we are being deceived. Or maybe it is because we like the benefits of deception (in C.S. Lewis' Narnia Chronicles, the "Turkish Delight"). Or maybe it is because we really don't trust God. Or maybe it is some combination of some or all of the above.
But there is a way to break the cycle of deception. Trust in God and Him only – and you will know the truth and it will set you free. John 8:32.
Are you being deceived? Then, to paraphrase what God told Jeremiah to tell Judah – stop it!
Lord, help us to love your Word, incarnate in Jesus Christ and written in Scripture. Help us Lord to come to you and to bring others to you. Help us know that you are God and we are not. Assist us Lord through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit to be both willing and obedient servants. It is only through the merits of your Son Jesus Christ that we are empowered to even make this prayer. And so we thank you and praise you! Amen.
Bread – Honesty
March 11, 2009
Readings for Wednesday, March 11
from the Book of Common Prayer:
Jer. 3:6-18; Rom. 1:28-2:11; John 5:1-18
Psalms 72, 119:73-96
From our reading today in Jeremiah, repeating what God told him: "I thought that after she [Israel] had done all this [evil], she would return to me but she did not…In spite of all this, her unfaithful sister Judah did not return to Me with all her heart, only in pretense…Faithless Israel is more righteous than unfaithful Judah." Jer. 3:7-11
Both the nations Israel and Judah (now divided) were doing the same kinds of evil – raising up other gods, following those other gods, ignoring the true God, disobedience to the true God, lack of faith, etc. However, the Lord notes that there responses were totally different. Israel responded by not repenting at all. Judah responded by repenting in pretense only, not in reality. God looks at the two and declares that Israel is the more righteous of the two.
Why? I would say that it is because Israel was brutally honest. It wanted no part of the Lord's gifts, His commandments, His revelation, or His exclusiveness. Since it wanted no part of God (except, of course, His common blessing so that they could continue to sin in peace and comfort), at least it was honest in saying so. We might analogize Israel in these circumstances to be like the secularists of today. They want no part of God, His ways, His commands, His love, or His discipline. But they will gladly wake up every day to the sun and revel in God's common grace. God would say at least they were honest, even though their destruction is sure and they lack wisdom.
On the other hand, Judah pretended to repent of its sins and return to the Lord. How funny is that? Like you are going to trick God into thinking that your heart has really changed? Like you can hide something, anything from God? Judah was being dishonest with God, and as a result God placed them a step below Israel on the righteousness scale.
We might analogize Judah in these circumstances to many, many self-labeled Christians today. They speak the right words. They perform the right acts. But their heart is far from God and whatever obedience they have to Him and His Word is no more than a cover-up for what they are really thinking and doing. There is a real danger that many people who are currently "turning to God" in their times of economic or personal trouble are merely acting in pretense and not reality.
Now in today's reading in Romans, Paul warns us about casting stones of judgment when we are doing the same things. And I admit that there are many times I lip sync Christianity, so I dare not judge. However, you know if your relationship with Christ is built upon honesty or dishonesty, so judge yourself.
Now God loved both Israel and Judah and at the end of the reading in Jeremiah today, God says that he will reunite both and restore the reunited Israel-Judah to its lands. Jer. 3:18 [parenthetically, this prophesy has been partially fulfilled in our lifetime in our sight] But God is clear in saying that He would rather have a relationship built upon honesty, even if built upon faithlessness [no faith], than one built upon dishonesty or unfaithfulness [alleged faithfulness bearing no fruit, reflected in no action or obedience].
Try to be honest with God. Today, make a promise to yourself and God that you will be brutally honest with Him every minute of every day. And watch what happens. I think you will be surprised (and blessed).
Lord, help us to love your Word, incarnate in Jesus Christ and written in Scripture. Help us Lord to come to you and to bring others to you. Help us know that you are God and we are not. Assist us Lord through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit to be both willing and obedient. It is only through the merits of your Son Jesus Christ that we are empowered to even make this prayer. And so we thank you and praise you! Amen.
Bread – Fear
March 6, 2009
Readings for Friday, March 6
from the Book of Common Prayer:
Deut. 10:12-22; Heb. 4:11-16; John 3:22-36
Psalms 40, 51, 54, 95
"And now, O Israel, what does the LORD your God ask of you but to fear the LORD your God …" Thus begins our reading in Deuteronomy today.
I have been in many Christian teachings and discussions where this word "fear" is discussed. Usually, the conclusion of such teachings and discussions is that the type of fear being talked about is now "fraidy cat" fear but "awesome presence" fear. In other words, what is often taught and concluded is that the type of fear being referred to is a highly reverent fear, an awe, which we might experience meeting the President of the United States, as opposed to the type of fear which immobilizes.
But the Hebrew word (Strong # 3372) being used actually has both connotations, both the "awesome" type of fear and the "fraidy cat" type of fear. As described in the Hebrew Notes to the Hebrew-Greek Key Word Study Bible (NASB)*, "There are two main types of fear described by (# 3372): (1) the emotional and intellectual anticipation of harm, what one feels may go wrong for him and (b) a very positive feeling of awe or reverence."
Often the second definition is emphasized to the exclusion or diminution of the first.
I suggest that this is a mistake. We should be afraid of God – very, very, very afraid of God. Perhaps if we were more afraid of God we would be more appreciative of what Jesus Christ did for us on the cross. Perhaps if we were more afraid of God, we would really come to understand and appreciate what the writer of Hebrews has to tell us in today's reading:
"Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has gone through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are — yet was without sin. Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need." Heb. 4:14-16
My Translation: God came to earth as man so that man could stand before God without being burned to a crisp. The way this happens is by true belief in Jesus Christ, the one who stands between us and God as the great high priest who intercedes for us and protect us from the wrath of God which we justly deserve, but which we do not get because Jesus already satisfied God's demand for justice for the sins of all those people, including me, who truly believe in Him.
Let's face it. If we were instantly transported into the throne room of God, to stand before Him without the intervention of Jesus Christ, we would be burned to a crisp for our sins. We'd be destroyed into nothingness or thrown into the pit of Hell, neither of which is a future I want to have.
So Moses instructs us first to fear God. Why? So that we will totally appreciate His mercy and His grace. So we will be so grateful for what God has done for us that we will be joyfully obedient to His commands and joyfully loving and serving Him with our entire heart and soul.
There is a reason that Proverbs says that "the fear of God is the beginning of wisdom." Prov. 9:10 I would go further. What Moses says is that the fear of God is the beginning of everything. Do you want to know how to love? Fear God. Do you want to know how to succeed? Fear God. Do you want eternal life? Fear God.
And then do what He says.
Lord, help us to love your Word, incarnate in Jesus Christ and written in Scripture. Help us Lord to come to you and to bring others to you. Help us know that you are God and we are not. Assist us Lord through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit to be both willing and obedient. It is only through the merits of your Son Jesus Christ that we are empowered to even make this prayer. And so we thank you and praise you! Amen.
*Quotation is from the Hebrew-Greek Key Word Study Bible (NA SB) (Ed: Zodhiates) (1990 AMG Publishers)
Bread – True Belief
March 4, 2009
Readings for Wednesday, March 4
from the Book of Common Prayer:
Deut. 9:13-21; Heb. 3:12-19; John 2:23-3:15
Psalms 49, 53, 119:49-72
In Deuteronomy today, we have Moses recounting his descent from the mountain with the two tablets of the law, only to come upon the golden calf. Moses tells the nation Israel that "You had turned aside quickly…" Deut. 9:16b This is probably an understatement. Moses had barely disappeared to speak to God on the mountain before Moses brother and chief assistant (chief priest) Aaron and most of Israel turned away to false gods. He might have well said "you turned aside instantly" and he would have been accurate. There was no staying power in the people.
In Hebrews today, we read why there was no staying power. The writer of Hebrews says "See to it, brothers, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin's deceitfulness….Who were they who heard and rebelled? Were they not all those Moses led out of Egypt?…And to whom did God swear that they would never enter His rest if not to those who disobeyed? So we see that they were not able to enter, because of their unbelief." Heb. 3:12-13, 16, 18-19. Here a significant connection is made. What is described as the act of disobedience (the "turning aside") in Deuteronomy is now described in Hebrews as the act of unbelief. Disobedience and turning aside arises from unbelief; unbelief causes disobedience and turning away to other gods.
Jesus speaks of the same thing in the Gospel of John today. The reading starts off with this statement that "many people saw the miraculous signs he was doing and believed in His name." John 2:23. But immediately following this, we see that Jesus did not rely upon the stated "believed in His name." We are told that "Jesus would not entrust himself to them, for He knew all men." John 2:24. The remainder of the reading today is Jesus' conversation with Nicodemus (in part), where He tells Nicodemus that no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is reborn, reminding Nicodemus that it is only the Spirit of God which gives birth to spirit. John 3:3-8.
So we are confronted in these readings with two types of belief. One belief is stated – "I follow Moses. I follow God. I believe in the name of Jesus Christ." That kind of belief results in turning away as soon as the opportunity presents itself. It is marked by disobedience, chasing after false Gods, and rebellion. It is the type of belief which is no more than the natural extension of the natural man. It is unholy because it does not have its origins in God, but in man. It is the kind of belief which Jesus would not rely upon, because He knows what is in man's heart. It is a counterfeit belief, unable to save, unable to transform, unable to cure, with no power and no strength. Yet, in many respects it is the kind of belief which the modern church encourages.
Then there is the second type of belief – one which is born of the Holy Spirit speaking to our spirit, one which is initiated by God, made holy by God, given power and strength by God, saving and transforming, marked by obedience and staying the course, standing the ground.
We don't like to talk about in "nice" Christian circles, but there is a litmus test for which kind of belief you have. It is the litmus test of obedience. It is the litmus test of staying the course and standing. Now it is not an absolute litmus test, for none except Jesus is perfect and none except Jesus is without sin. However, it is a tendency litmus test — in which direction are we moving? The Israelites moved as far away from God as fast as possible after church was over (Moses left).
After church is over, which direction are you moving in? The answer will say a whole lot about whether your belief is stated or real, whether it comes from man or from God.
And if you are concerned that your belief may just be of your doing, then let's pray with the boy's father who asked Jesus for a miracle – "I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief." Mark 9:24. And take the miracle when it comes.
Lord, help us to love your Word, incarnate in Jesus Christ and written in Scripture. Help us Lord to come to you and to bring others to you. Help us know that you are God and we are not. Assist us Lord through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit to be both willing and obedient. It is only through the merits of your Son Jesus Christ that we are empowered to even make this prayer. And so we thank you and praise you! Amen.
Bread — Résumés
March 2, 2009
Readings for Monday, March 2
from the Book of Common Prayer:
Deut. 8:11-20; Heb. 2:11-18; John 2:1-12
Psalms 41, 44, 52
We are talking about résumés, the things you fill out to tell prospective employers all the good things you've done, all the positions of responsibility and leadership you have had, and all the education you have had.
In today's economic climate, many people are filling out résumés and there are entire educational programs you can take and buy which will tell you how to write the "winning" résumé. Of course these have to be accurate (because people only want to hire "honest" people), but they also have to tell a story of increasing ability, responsibility, power, wisdom, wealth, and knowledge (because we only want to hire people who are "growing.") The résumé cannot say that you are Superman (because that position is taken by your future boss), but it certainly can say that you are Superman's first cousin. And, of course, the résumé must also reveal a darker side of your personality, like the obverse of a coin, so that your interviewer will know that you too are human. For example, if your résumé shows that you have achieved great things, it is OK to say that one of your problems might be that you "try too hard." Thus, you have pulled off the great human trick of showing that you can recognize your faults and be humble, but in a positive way, because who would not want to hire an employee who "works too hard?"
Perhaps this is partly why our Christianity is so weak. On Sunday, we consider what may be written on our tombstone. The rest of the time we consider what can be written in our résumé.
God through Moses in Deuteronomy warns us today about the pride creep represented by our résumés. God tells us to be very, very careful not "to forget the LORD your God, failing to observe His commands …" Deut. 8:11. Otherwise, when we have fine things we can put on our résumé, "You may say to yourself, 'My power and the strength of my hands have produced this wealth for me.'" Deut. 8:17. When you are tempted to think this way, Moses says clearly "But remember the LORD your God, for it is He who gives you the ability to produce wealth … If you ever forget the LORD your God and follow other gods and worship and bow down to them, I testify against you today that you will surely be destroyed." Deut. 8:18-19
Let me propose a question. When you write your résumé and are sitting there staring at it, ask yourself whose résumé is it. Is it yours? Does it reflect the things that you have done? Or is it God's working through you? In other words, does it reflect what God has done which you have been privileged to participate in?
There is nothing wrong with the résumé and there is nothing wrong with the accomplishments it reflects. There is everything wrong if you consider it yours.
Lord, help us to love your Word, incarnate in Jesus Christ and written in Scripture. Help us Lord to come to you and to bring others to you. Help us know that you are God and we are not. Assist us Lord through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit to be both willing and obedient. It is only through the merits of your Son Jesus Christ that we are empowered to even make this prayer. And so we thank you and praise you! Amen.


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This is a bold blogging experiment, or 'blogxperiment,' as it's known by most. Instead of smacking down a single entry and dictating your reading material to you, as if I were some Idi Amin of Ublogda, I'm giving you a choice between two possible blog entries. Two! Possible! Blo! Gentries! You can either read about #1) my habit of keeping useless receipts, in the style of an increasingly deranged Andy Rooney, or #2) my desire to imitate a manatee. You can't read both, though, so make up your mind now.
#1. It seems to me that it's getting harder and harder to do anything in life without someone handing you a receipt. Four dollars at Starbucks will get you a cup of coffee and a slip of paper telling you what you already know – that you just got ripped off. Why do you want that painful reminder riding around in your billfold, just so you can file it away later in the hope of a tax break?
I think my liver just stopped. No, wait, there it goes. Good for another day.
My Marguerite is dead, but if she were still around, she'd tell me stop bringing home those damn receipts. Andy, she'd say, Those receipts are trouble. And she'd be right. I'll never send them to my accountant. The mongrel races are trying to raise Cthulhu again, people, and I'll be damned if I'm going to sit here while the fatcats in Washington cower in their padded seats. Time to heatseal the uniform on and dive back down to R'lyeh Under the Sea, where the dark god waits in the stone mazes of his lair. Time to finish what I started so many decades ago.
Why are you staring at me? Am I doing it again?
#2. I was thinking – what if I told everyone that I was a manatee, and not, as I only appear to be, some half-Portuguese dude with a strong chin and a bad back? Because I have a hunch that when humankind finally annihilates itself, and the exhausted survivors are left gasping on the shoals of extinction, the manatees will rise from the waves and hunt us for sport. I'd like to be on the right side when that day comes. And even if my hunch is off, what harm could it do to insist that I was a manatee? What a novelty it would be to go out and spot a real live manatee out for dinner, talking with friends, or
trying to cash an out-of-province third party cheque at a gas station just living it up, manatee-style. Eating some algae, chillaxing in the warm waters of the Gulf, getting busy now and again. Until the propellers and the red algae come to harsh on my manatee mellow.
Man, I wish I had a little animated .gif of a dancing manatee right now. I'd put a line of them right across the screen. Or even better, a nifty bit of javascript that compelled a gaggle of the lumpy critters to follow your mouse pointer around the screen. Would that convince you of my sincerity? I've even written a national anthem for my adoptive species, to the tune of "O Canada":
O Man-a-tee
You damp and pond'rous beast
On hu-man flesh
You'll soon joyously feast
When the waters rise
You will claim our home
From New York to the Keys
And the lands we knew
That we called our own
Will swarm with man-a-tees!
You'll chop us down
Manatees with swords
It's payback time
For our new overlords
It's payback time
For our new o-ver-lords
Wait a minute. Why would be a manatee anthem be sung from the point of view of human beings? Because, like the ancient Greeks, the manatees honour their defeated enemies by commemorating them in their art. As a manatee, I understand these things.


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Unique Triplex Apartment
For Rent
Address: 1479 First Avenue
Cross Street: Northwest corner of 77th Street
Neighborhood: Upper East Side
Unit/Floor: Entire 3rd, 4th and Penthouse Floors
Size: Approximately 2,658 Square Feet
Rental Rate: $12,500.00 per month
Electric: Not Included
Air conditioning: Central
Pets Allowed: Yes
Top three floors (floors 3, 4 and 5) of a Lux townhouse at the corner of 77th and First Avenue.
The fifth floor is a 15' X 14' bedroom suite with full bathroom, walk-in closet, and spectacular 10 X 22 outdoor space with wood deck and wet bar. The Jacuzzi is inside, but has crystalline outdoor views.
The 4th floor has two full bedrooms (15' X 27' and 18' X 24') each with its own walk-in closet and bathroom with Jacuzzi tub.
The 3rd floor is a stainless steel chef's kitchen with professional Thermador stove, Sub-Zero refrigerator and Bosch dishwasher. The kitchen faces a full floor open great room perfect for entertaining or a large family room, and it has its own half-bath. Or, use this as your office and create a live/work paradise.
There is a brand new full-size washer and dryer on the 3rd floor. The public schools nearby are some of the best the city has to offer, and the new Second Avenue Subway is only a block away, making the area area as easy a commute as any place in the city.
Pets Allowed
Contact Michael Pinney email@example.com, 212.813.3573


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By now, most of us are breathing a well-deserved sigh of relief. November is around the corner; gardening chores are coming to a close. While the almost endless task of raking leaves may remain, toiling on our hands and knees is all but over.
Life is simpler, less cumbersome. We've cut back the hostas; yanked out the wilted basil, shoveled compost onto the vegetable beds while not forgetting to dig out and stash away the dahlia corms for next year. Best of all, we are no longer beholden to hunting endlessly for those mislaid pruners…
Still, bidding farewell to the former abundance and fanfare of our garden and New England's glorious surrounding landscape may invariably trigger a tinge of longing — call it nostalgia, for what has come and gone.
For us all, gardeners or not, the transition into late fall signifies the palpable reminder of change. Time. As transitions move in a rapid fast forward mode—particularly as I get older— it's hard not to can't escape the desire to rewind the clock. After all, just the other day, the garish garnets and ambers of sugar maples, sumacs and my favroites: sassafras, were upon us. Today, this explosion of color is vanishing. Who hasn't listened to the howling wind through the night, woken up the next morning, pulled back the curtains and not been greeted by an utterly transformed, more stark palette of slate grays, taupes and mahogany browns?
Recently I stumbled upon a Japanese concept perfectly suited for this time of year. Subtle, ambiguous (of course) and actually quite comforting, it is called wabi-sabi. Rooted in Zen Buddhism, it carries many implications, one of which involves both a melancholic and celebratory appreciation of the impermanent and the imperfect.
Infused in this Eastern worldview, wabi-sabi underlies much of the traditional, as well as contemporary Japanese esthetic. For me, this is particularly relevant when it comes to nature and the art of landscaping. After all, the Japanese garden offers a prism of nature.
In working the land, we are forever challenged to acknowledge, accept and hopefully even celebrate the ephemeral. We may also choose to be further reminded of it by introducing the element of water. Consider the small waterfall cascading down a few boulders or the stone fountain surrounded by grasses that quiver in a breeze.
For the reknowned architect, Tadao Ando (responsible for the new wing of the Clark museum and numerous projects around the world), wabi-sabi is a central and fundamental pillar to his vision and work. Lacking a term in most languages, wabisignifies the simple and humble and sabi that which gains beauty with age.
Such a world-view brings a much needed balance to our ubiquitous Western tendency to mourn the past and persist in attempting to arrest the effects of aging. Everything is right just the way it is.
ann barden wrote:
October 12, 2012 at 5:22 pm
This is beautiful, Honey, both the pictures and the articulation of what we experience at this time of year. I love the red maple outside our living-room, and it even more precious because I know how temporary this beauty is.
honeysharp wrote:
October 13, 2012 at 10:23 am
Thanks Ann. And just this morning we awoke to 28 degrees! David's out raking the tons of Black Walnut leaves that fell.Enjoy your maple!
Judy wrote:
October 15, 2012 at 10:24 am
Beautiful, Honey. So well done. Bravo.
Kitty wrote:
October 20, 2012 at 9:44 pm
Honey – The photos, your words are deeply inspiring and linger with me as I type. Thank you for taking the time to share your passion and keen sense of the circle of life.


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Dig A Little Deeper
Someone close to me recently shared a story about his son that I think is deep with a multitude of realizations and lessons we can all learn from.
The story starts with a young man, determined to earn his spot as a lifeguard. It is a prestigious position and competition is fierce. Hundreds of boys compete for the 13 or so positions and after rigorous testing over a three day period, a list is posted in the hollow halls of the neighboring school naming the top contenders.
Confident in his abilities and hopeful his performance ranked in the top 13, this young man entered the school to find his name on the list – missing. Crestfallen, disappointed, embarrassed, and confused as to why he wasn't recognized and rewarded in this particular is name was not on the list, he implored his dad to find out more, especially why he didn't make the lifeguard team. Like most parents, the dad felt his son should have been on the team, and was also heartbroken that his son had to learn the harsh realities of life so soon.
All the offices were closed, and frustrated that they couldn't get answers, they sadly turned around to go home when they met a woman coming out of the building. They asked her about why his name didn't appear, and in reply, she gave the standard answer that there simply wasn't the time or the capability to go back and check on every boy whose parents thought their child was the best and deserved a place on the roster. Apparently, though, as she looked into the sadness and confusion in the young man's eyes and felt the honest raw emotion in his heart, she had a change of heart and agreed to check his file and see what notes the coaches had made about his performance.
What she found surprised everyone as they all scrambled to comprehend the news. Not only was the young man supposed to be on the list, he was at the TOP of the list! Someone had made a mistake, at his expense, but fortunately someone, took the time to dig a little deeper, to verify the outcome.
The lessons here are many. Don't give up. Don't accept no for an answer. Dig a little deeper. Don't be afraid to question. The truth can hurt or heal. Believe in yourself.
xo, jan


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The Wildflower School
I am a self-taught floral designer. After moving to lovely Waiheke Island and having children I decided I wanted a career change from teaching...and Wildflower was born.
Over the last 15 years Wildflower has blossomed into a personalized floral design company specializing in weddings and events. Now I am combining my teaching and floristry skills by offering unique courses in creating "undone" flowers …from an intensive professional course in starting a floral design business, to short floral workshops.
The Undone Florist course is aimed at those who want to work in the world of botanical styling. There are 2 parts to the course- each part(and you may just take one) is for 3 weeks full time (or will sometimes be offered over 6 weeks part-time). Our "undone" philosophy is about revelling in the beauty of natural arrangements of blooms and gathered greenery. There is a balance of theory and practice- and an emphasis on creativity. We explore the links between floral design, the arts, fashion and interiors; look at the principles of design and caring for blooms; and we learn about the history of flowers as cultural messages and symbols in art. In the practical workshops students will learn all the skills necessary to running their own wedding flower design business: construction of hand-tied bouquets and table arrangements in many styles; how to wire buttonholes, corsages and flower crowns; how to weave wreathes and garlands; the business skills of planning, consultation, quotations, ordering, pricing, set-ups and pack-downs etc
Floral Workshops are also offered - from 3 hours to 3 days in duration- on creating hand-tied bouquets, floral crowns, arrangements, wreathes and garlands- or bespoke to your requirements.
Find the timetable for this year's programme on the "Floristry Course and Floral Workshops"page....
Where are we?
The Wildflower School is on Waiheke Island in Auckland, New Zealand. Courses and workshops are usually held in Wildflowers' little workroom, in our 1880's villa on Putiki Bay, or in Wharf Cottage- which is in the garden behind the villa....or we sometimes go to our friends at The Annex, Nourish Gardens or Goldie Estate.
If you prefer to stay on the island while you undertake a course or longer workshop, we have accommodation available in Wharf Cottage- which is character-filled and has lovely sea views and 2 bedrooms.
Email me on email@example.com for more information on the courses, an Undone florist Course Prospectus and application form, and more details on the accommodation option.
So look forward to seeing you on lovely Waiheke!


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Use the slider above to roam through our full-week mtb adventures. Head to the calendar page to see available open tours, or go to the contact page for a custom mtb holiday.
Transylvanian Alps
advanced 7 days tour
An epic adventure, crossing five mountains in a plethora of single trails, uphill and downhill. E test of endurance, a feast for the technical mountain biker. Available places on Open Tours: July 20-27, August 24-31. BOOK NOW!
Bucegi Circuit
advanced 7 days tour
A moderately intensive mtb joy ride, in and around the magnificent trails of the Bucegi Natural Park. Our most popular program. Available place on Open Tours: July 6-13, August 10-17. BOOK NOW!
Skills for thrills
medium 7 days tour
Hone your technical mountain biking abilities in real life trail situations, from flowy, easy going forest trails to gnarly roots and rock gardens.
Carpat MTB Enduro
expert 7 days tour
Descents galore with a fair share of climbs, plus assisted uplifts for extra gravitational buzz. Focus on natural trails, with roots, logs, rock gardens, the lot. Available places on Open Tours: July 13-20, August 17-24. BOOK NOW!


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{Editor's Note: Enter to win one of FIVE DuWop Flight Sticks. With light, hydrating coverage, these mini skin-enhancers are packed with antioxidants and a touch of caffeine to spruce up tired skin. Up, up and away!}
Non-stop flights are the holy grail of air travel. The faster the arrival, the fewer the airports and the greater the time at your destination, the better.
Recently, Kayak has come out with a new tool aspiring jetsetters will love: direct flight listings from most major airports worldwide. Search by airport and month to determine which airline is going where, organized in a list by distance/time.
- Find out what airlines fly non-stop where before you start your vacation flight search online.
- If you're strapped for time or hate flying, decide where you want to go based on direct flight routes.
- See how many airlines compete for each direct route. For example, out of Vancouver in January, 2012: 9 airlines will fly to Toronto, 7 to San Francisco, 5 to Honolulu and 1 to Kauai.
- Say you're about to leave for a 3-month sabbatical in South East Asia, but only have your flight there and back booked. It's helpful to know what direct flights exist from each major city you're visiting to maximize your time at each destination.
- If you want to geek-out, see mileage for shortest and longest flight out of your preferred airport.
- Think of the application to the Amazing Race teams...
PS - Have you heard of Kayak Fly Now? Say it's 5 o'clock somewhere and you decide on a very last-minute trip. Search your home airport and destination, and Kayak will show the next available flights. Even if it's a pipe dream to think we can just pick up and leave on a whim, it's nice to know there'a a travel tool to make that happen. Just in case...
[image by @tripstyler]


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Experiment 13 Update: Week 1
Week one of the #6penchallenge17 is in the books. How did it go?
Results In Pictures
Results in Words
- Favorite Match-up: Pelikan Italic Nib with Akkerman #28
- Most Utilized Match-up: Sailor Pro Gear Realo with Sailor Mystery Blue
- Least Utilized Match-up: Mont Blanc Flex with Sailor Kin-Mokusei
- Biggest Surprise: Sailor Mystery Blue Ink
- Pens I Missed the Most: Franklin Christoph Pocket 20 with Masuyama Needlepoint Nib
Overall, I really enjoyed having a more limited number of pen choices over the last week. I load them into the six slots in my Nock Brasstown, load the extra space with a few pencils and micro-gel pens- and I'm good to go for the day. No decisions needed. The mix of pens gave me just enough variety to accomplish any type of writing or doodling I needed or wanted to do for the week. And as for the first week of using the two new Sailor pens... couldn't be better. Not a single regret for including them both in the mix.
Finally, a preview for next week's ink picks...


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EU Imposes $22M in Fines to J&J, Novartis for Delaying Generic Fentanyl
Dec 10, 2013
European Union
The European Commission has imposed fines of $22M against Johnson & Johnson (J&J) and Novartis. In July 2005, their respective Dutch subsidiaries concluded an anticompetitive agreement to delay the market entry of a cheaper generic version of the pain killer fentanyl in the Netherlands, in breach of EU antitrust rules. Fentanyl is a pain-killer 100 times more potent than morphine.
Commission Vice-President Joaquín Almunia, in charge of competition policy, said: "J&J paid Novartis to delay the entry of a generic pain killer. The two companies shockingly deprived patients in the Netherlands, including people suffering from cancer, from access to a cheaper version of this medicine. Today's decision should make pharmaceutical companies think twice before engaging into such anticompetitive practices, which harm both patients and taxpayers."
J&J initially developed Fentanyl and has commercialized it in different formats since the 1960s. In 2005, J&J's protection on the Fentanyl depot patch had expired in the Netherlands and Novartis' Dutch subsidiary, Sandoz, was on the verge of launching its generic fentanyl depot patch. It had already produced the necessary packaging material.
However, in July 2005, instead of actually starting to sell the generic version, Sandoz concluded a so-called "co-promotion agreement" with Janssen-Cilag, J&J's Dutch subsidiary. The agreement provided strong incentives for Sandoz not to enter the market. Indeed, the agreed monthly payments exceeded the profits that Sandoz expected to obtain from selling its generic product, for as long as there was no generic entry. Consequently, Sandoz did not offer its product on the market. The agreement was stopped in December 2006 when a third party was about to launch a generic fentanyl patch.
The agreement therefore delayed the entry of a cheaper generic medicine for 17 months and kept prices for fentanyl in the Netherlands artificially high - to the detriment of patients and taxpayers who finance the Dutch health system.
Read the full press release


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(Written by Jessica Halcom, Corporate Recruiting Manager – Human Resources for Schneider National, Inc.)
Our cumulative life experiences create who we are, and who we will become. You've likely heard about Steve Jobs haven taken a calligraphy class almost "on a whim" after he'd dropped out of college. What he took away from that class would largely influence the design of Apple and Mac computers. At the outset, calligraphy doesn't appear to have a thing to do with computer science, but it ultimately became one of the largest differentiating factors in consumer preference between Apple and their competition.
I often have students tell me that they've purposely left work experience off of their resume because it "wasn't relevant" to the job to which they'd applied. You might not think you're headed for the Forbes List because of the summer job you took working on a line in a factory, but I'd argue that you may be wrong, and I'd like to pass along some advice:
Potential employers care about all of your work experience, not just the seemingly related. All job experience is valuable experience. Madonna worked at Dunkin Donuts in New York when she was still trying to launch her career, Bryan Cranston worked on a paper route, and Sara Blakely sold fax machines door-to-door. Admittedly, fried dough, newspapers and faxes have little to do with singing, acting and Spanx, however, proving a good work ethic, personal responsibility and showing up every day on time, and willing to learn, say a lot about you.
If you had a job that doesn't seem to match up with the skill set for the position you're applying to, prospective employers still want to hear about it. Consider this example; the Director of Operations is deciding whether or not to hire you based upon the three month internship you had last spring in a production department of another company, because that was the only job you listed on your resume, deeming it the only relevant experience you have. You excluded the three summers you spent painting houses, and the job you have as a shift leader during the school year at a local sub shop. By omitting work history, you weren't showcasing your work ethic, willingness to work long hours, ability to make quick decisions, experience working with customers in a fast paced environment, team work and leadership qualities, all of which are skills that would benefit most any organization, and would make you a more attractive candidate for the role.
It's important to account for your time, no matter what. A candidate who hasn't worked during their summer breaks may have an excellent work ethic, problem solving skills and be incredibly creative, but how would we know? If you haven't taken a job during the school year, or on summer breaks, tell us about what kept you busy. We want to know about your volunteer work, sports teams or organizations you were involved with, or study abroad experiences. You don't necessarily need to be earning a paycheck to be gaining some valuable skills. Another thing I'd urge you to consider is that when purposely omitting work history from a resume, leaving an unexplained gap in time can make it appear as though you have something to hide. The best rule of thumb is to always be honest.
For summer, part-time, internship and full-time positions check out the opportunities at www.uwgb.edu/careers today!


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Midtown: Sports
Wesley Frazier runs fastest 3,200 ever by North Carolina high school girl
Ravenscroft senior Wesley Frazier ran the fastest 3,200 meters ever by a North Carolina high school girl Friday night during a special race as part of N.C. State's Raleigh Relays.
Frazier won with a time of 9 minutes, 57.7 seconds to become the first North Carolina high school girl ever to run the distance in under 10 minutes. Frazier moved past Mary Shea of Cardinal Gibbons, who set the then-national high school record of 10 minutes flat in 1979.
Dennis Cullen, the track coach at Durham Academy, put Frazier's time in perspective by noting former winning times in the N.C. Independent Schools Athletic Association championships.
The NCISAA girls 3,200 title was won eight of 10 times between 2000 and 2009 with times 11:28 or slower. Frazier won with an 11:03.9 as a freshman, set the NCISAA record with a 10:30.91 as a sophomore and won last year with a 10:37.8.
The N.C. High School Athletic Association record in the girls 3,200 is 10:46.08 by Anna McBride of Davie County in 2011 and the national record recognized by Track & Field News is 9:48.59 by Kim Mortensen in 1996.
Durham Academy's Eliza Dekker was third in the Raleigh Relays race with a 10:38.67, breaking the school record by nine seconds.
Eleven North Carolina girls were under 11 minutes in the race, including Mary Grace Doggett of Cardinal Gibbons (10:43.24), Pegah Kamrani of East Chapel Hill (10:45.56), Sophie Ebihara of Gibbons (10:48.92) and Rebekah Greengrass of Panther Creek (10:50.23).
Cary High's Bakri Abushouk competed as an unattached runner in the college 5,000 and ran a time of 14:34.44, the second-fastest North Carolina high school time ever in the distance.
Broughton's William Roberson placed fourth with a time of 9:12.5. His Broughton teammates Asher Smith-Rose (9:19.7) and Allen Lawrence (9:27.95) finished 11th and 17th, respectively.
Nick Tyrey of Cardinal Gibbons (9:28.1) followed in the 18th spot, and Grant Rodgers of Heritage High finished 30th in 10:07.68.
Sanderson softball: Sanderson sophomores Nya McNeil and Ty Dixon were selected to the Falcon Invitational all-tournament team after the spring break softball tournament hosted by Green Hope last week.
The Spartans lost, 3-1, to Oxford Webb in the semifinals of the inaugural tournament on Thursday.
Green Hope beat Webb for the invitational championship.
Pitt County Classic: Sanderson's baseball team split its first two games of the Pitt County Classic Saturday.
The Spartans dropped their first outing in Greenville, an 8-6 loss to D.H. Conley, but then topped North Lenoir, 12-8.
Sanderson was scheduled to play Southern Wayne in the spring break tournament on Tuesday.
Heritage won its final game of the tournament, 6-4, over West Craven on Saturday after losing both games Friday, falling 9-2 to Havelock and 10-7 against Eastern Wayne.
Cougars play at UNC: Wake Forest-Rolesville's softball team is scheduled to face North Davidson, ranked No. 3 among 4A teams by the N.C. Softball Coaches Association, Thursday at UNC. The game is scheduled to begin at 6:30 p.m.
Despite dominating the Cap Eight with its ongoing 141-game win streak in conference play, the Cougars have struggled in the postseason. Head coach Doug Kinsman hopes nonconference games like this week's will help prepare his team for playoff competition.


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Chocolate Cupcakes
Chocolate Cherry Cupcake
Recipe Type: Cakes & Baking
Cuisine: British
Author: Caroline Artiss
Prep time: 15 mins
Cook time: 25 mins
Total time: 40 mins
Serves: 12
This is such an easy way to make yummy cupcakes. You just mix it all in a pan and away you go. Perfect for making as a special treat. This is one of my favourite recipes from Nigella Lawson, I just had to show you!
- Ingredients
- 50g self-raising Flour
- 125g Butter unsalted
- 150g caster sugar
- 100g dark Chocolate
- 300g cherry Jam
- 2 large Eggs lightly beaten
- Pinch of salt
- Icing
- 100g Dark chocolate
- 100ml ½ cup double Cream
- Equipment:
- Muffin tin and cases
- Pre heat oven to gas 4 / 180 c
- Heat the butter in a saucepan, when it has almost all melted turn the heat off and add the chocolate
- Stir until the chocolate has melted
- Add the jam, eggs, sugar and salt
- Beat with a spoon until all mixed together, then sift in the flour and fold together
- Spoon mixture into the muffin cases until they are about half full
- Pop straight into the oven for 20 -25 minutes
- To test if they are ready they should be springy when you touch them, they bounce back when you push the top
- Or you can poke a thin skewer into the cake and if it comes out clean, without any gooey mixture on then they are ready
- Leave them to cool on a wire rack then make the icing
- Icing:
- Break the dark chocolate into a saucepan; add the cream the heat gently
- Stirring all the time until it starts to go shiny and thick
- Take off the heat then spread the icing on top of your cakes and decorate away


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Why are Monday mornings such a challenge for some people? Perhaps because they come after a fun and/or productive weekend. Or maybe there's a big unfinished project at work. Or there are additional work demands above and beyond the call of duty.
I often recall early morning demands that came, not just on Mondays, but every day of the week during my time in military basic training. All of us were pushed to our mental and physical limits all day long. When night came, we could hardly wait to hit the sack.
As a student of the Bible, I'd been used to getting up fairly early to read a few pages to freshen my thinking with some inspiring ideas to keep me going through the day. But as hard as I tried, it seemed almost impossible to get up before the sergeant came in to snap us to our feet in preparation for another full day of training.
I thought to myself, There's got to be a better way!
Then it hit me. I could start my day, in a sense, at midnight. I could break the usual pattern and simply begin my Mondays, and every day, at midnight the night before. So before I went to sleep after a long and hard day, I'd start fresh. I'd sit on my bunk, read something from my Bible to give me some inspiration. If it was past lights-out time, I'd just read with a flashlight under my blanket for a little while. Immediately I felt comforted and uplifted by what I was reading, whether it was the Psalms or an account of Jesus preaching and healing. Then I'd go to sleep, thinking about those ideas and events.
Inevitably, I would wake up the next morning refreshed and well rested before the sergeant came into the barracks to get us all going. I felt the tangible benefits of Bible verses such as this one: "It is a good thing to give thanks unto the Lord, and to sing praises unto thy name, O most High: To shew forth thy lovingkindness in the morning, and thy faithfulness every night" (Ps. 92:1, 2).
That was years ago. I still have to face Monday mornings, as well as the other six, just like everyone else. But since then, it's been such a help to know that I can take those few minutes before lights out and gain a sense of God's "faithfulness every night," as well as get up early to pray and listen for direction and feel His "lovingkindness in the morning."
Not long ago I had occasion to rededicate myself to this activity. I was having some severe and unpleasant nightmares. They had nothing to do with my daily life. They were just random and illogical thoughts of fear and danger. Sometimes I'd get up in the middle of the night, read the Bible, pray for myself, and go back to bed. And sometimes I'd wake up in the morning, refreshed and feeling normal. But sometimes not.
Then I thought about my basic training days. I decided to be more diligent in praying for myself before I went to sleep until I had a conscious sense of God's goodness and of the harmony that is mine and each of ours as God's children. This was such a help, and it brought much more consistent results. I slept without any sense of dread or anxiety.
I've often thought of a statement by Mary Baker Eddy on this very subject, which has been such a practical help. She wrote, "[I]f you fall asleep, actually conscious of the truth of Christian Science, – namely, that man's harmony is no more to be invaded than the rhythm of the universe, – you cannot awake in fear or suffering of any sort" ("Retrospection and Introspection," p. 61).
Feeling that "faithfulness every night" before going to sleep brings with it a greater awareness of God's loving presence in the morning. Even on Monday mornings.
Dark and cheerless is the morn
Uncompanioned, Lord, by thee;
Joyless is the day's return,
Till thy mercy's beams I see;
Till they inward light impart,
Glad my eyes, and warm my heart.
(Charles Wesley,
"The Christian Science Hymnal," No. 35)


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We'll be your (not so) dirty little secret
What we do is rather specialist. Time and again we hear that it's tricky to find a reliable, experienced email developer - that's one of the reasons why a great deal of our work is done for partner agencies, as a dedicated external resource.
Our bread-and-butter is hand-coding emails to the highest standards from supplied PSDs, with top-notch QA processes and quick, flexible availability. Beyond that, we can provide creative services, consultancy, training, or even embed ourselves alongside your in-house team to deliver complex, long-term projects.
Naturally, the vast majority of the work we do for agencies is covered under NDA, and we are serious about our commitment to client confidentiality.


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Sunday, November 1, 2015
Food and Critters
15 comments:
The price of the crumbles almost gave me a heart attack! Wow. I still haven't been able to find the tofurky hot pockets. The vegan ranch is so worth it. I forget how much it was at Whole Foods, but if you like ranch, it's worth a splurge. I'm getting stingy with my bottle because I have less than half left, and I know it can't be an all the time dressing, and it's just sooooooo good. Molly's face is so sweet!ReplyDelete
I've never seen a baby iguana. It's little skin looks so soft!Replies
I want to buy the Ranch Dressing but I hardly ever have Salads these days. Not like when I could get one to go from Whole Foods and I am terrible at making my own Salad.Delete
Oy! Those prices! That's part of island life, I suppose. Good thing you have that awesome farmer's market and tropical fruit to make up for it!ReplyDelete
Hi Molly! Cute iguana
I'm totally going to Google scallions and thyme in Caribbean cooking and report back. ;)
P.S. You guessed correctly: when my Dad arrived last week, they went to Brio. Ha ha! My Mom is picking him up from the airport as we speak, so I'm not sure where else he went. Will report back on that.Replies
I just repeat to myself what you told me: think of all the money I'm saving on tolls.Delete
Wonder how Brio built itself into such a magnet for some diners. My mother was always getting frequent diner points and rewards there. I wasnt much of a fan. No EVOO for the bread.
Molly!!! So cute, and I love the color of that floor. The scallions and thyme are a mystery. I googled and found nothing.ReplyDeleteReplies
If you could find nothing on the Scallions and Thyme, then I certainly cant. I may try asking about it this weekend. The island accent makes it difficult for me to understand, but who knows, I might come away with an answer.Delete
Aww sweet Molly!! What an adorable picture of her beautiful little face. I still can't believe the price of groceries there!! How is the temperature looking there? Are we still in melting territory?ReplyDelete
I'm loving all of your critter pics!!Replies
Alas, I believe it is melting territory year round. Chocolate Halloween candy was being bought, but I cant imagine how it was kept solid.Delete
I recently tried the Follow Your Heart Bleu Cheese dressing and liked it--great with baked potatoes...it was $3,49 here (on sale at Whole Foods)...island life has a few bummers, but if it's any consolation, the same dressing is almost $6.00 at Safeway here...they seem to charge very high prices for anything specifically vegan.ReplyDelete
Molly is a doll face, totally adorable! I've missed pics of her.
All the critters are so sweet!
You should ask about the herbs combo. Think thyme is fairly common in Caribbean cuisine, I'd love to find out more...my guess is that it's two principle seasonings for the base of a traditional dish.Replies
Mmmmmm! Bleu Cheese Dressing on a Baked Potato! You do have a good time in the kitchen.Delete
I will ask about the Scallions and Thyme combo. I thoroughly distressed one poor farm woman trying to identify a vegetable a few weeks back. She finally just yelled, "It's a vegetable!" So it was a vegetable of some sort.
OMG!!!!! Nice finds! You should link up TODAY for last week's MidWeek Munchies OR wait and post on the new one TOMORROW! We would love for you to participate!!! I am LOVING those Bragg's and the Follow Your Heart 2 flavors on the right I will have to keep an eye out for!~!ReplyDeleteReplies
I cant get enough goodies together down here for a full munchies post. maybe one day...Delete
Yikes on those price tags!ReplyDelete
Honestly I wouldn't buy the salad dressing there anyhow-who knows how long its been on the shelf and the oil in the dressing can go "off" from age and even the heat of florescent lights. (Ask me why i know this.. )
Can you exchange the wrong tin for the vegan one? Molly's adorable face is killing me right now.
My best friend 's mother in law is here visiting from india and broke her hip....so last weekend i brought bagels and we all had brunch with her in the hospital. The surgery went very well but likely same situation for this coming weekend too...
Customer Service desks arent as speedy down here, it would not be worth it to try to exchange anything less than $10.Delete
Did you ever get the Pumpernickle Everything Bagels from the hip new place in Soho? I guess if you have to break a hip, your friend's MIL picked a good location. Best medical care in the world with a serving of real NYC bagels. She may never want to leave.
eToro is the best forex broker for rookie and established traders.ReplyDelete


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Historic Sites of Manitoba: Manitoba Pool Grain Elevator / Private Grain Elevator (St. Jean Baptiste, RM of Montcalm)
Link to:
A wooden grain elevator in the village of St. Jean Baptiste, on the CNR Emerson Subdivision in the Rural Municipality of Montcalm, was formerly operated by Manitoba Pool Elevators. At the time of a 2014 site visit, the building appeared to be in use for private grain storage.
Agents / Buyers
Photos & Maps
Manitoba Pool Fonds, S. J. McKee Archives, Brandon University.
This page was prepared by Gordon Goldsborough and Jean McManus.
Page revised: 4 September 2016
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Church Tech Weekly Episode 109: Jason Falls Asleep/
Managing big projects. Sometimes, the tech guy needs to step up and be the one who takes managing a big construction project. We give you some tips on surviving such a task.
Theme song:
But I Play One on TV (I'm Not a Fuzoid) by Norm Stockton from his Tea in the Typhoon album.
Download this Episode (below) or Subscribe in iTunes


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OPINION: The crippling effect of slow development
DHAKA (The Daily Star/ANN) - Land acquisition and development has emerged as a major stumbling block in establishing the Special Economic Zones.
Despite interest shown by foreign investors in country-specific Special Economic Zones (SEZs) and the Bangladesh Economic Zones Authority (BEZA) taking steps to acquire and allot land to that effect, it appears preparatory work on most of these zones is lagging far behind schedule. Of the zones, Mongla and Bheramara in Kushtia district are for Indian use exclusively, while Araihazar in Narayanganj and Anwara in Chittagong are for the Japanese and the Chinese, respectively.
It appears that the slow pace at which the authorities are moving on clinching soft loans for development and awarding contract for international developers has taken a laid-back approach given the problems associated with land acquisition. The Chinese SEZ has made progress as BEZA has handed over 778 acres of land to Chinese developer China Harbour Engineering Company Ltd. But even there, progress has been slow. According to media reports, land development has emerged as a major stumbling block as most of the SEZs are situated on difficult terrain such as char, low-lying or hilly areas. Preparing such land for industrial use is a challenging task and one that requires both expertise and acquiring filling materials that are not readily available.
When we take into account legal complexities involved in acquiring land, especially in a country where the bulk of land is agricultural, and couple that with our slow rate of getting any infrastructure project off the ground, it opens up the possibility of missing deadlines on project completion. The government has set a target to set up 100 SEZs by 2030. While the process started back in 2010, only about 6 to 7 percent progress has been made. There is no shortage of interest, as an estimated USD 17 billion have been received in commitments (with about USD 8 billion in FDI). The government has so far spent Tk 3.95 billion on land and infrastructure development, but what is now increasingly apparent is that we have not done enough to improve the capacity of state-run entities involved in the process to expedite work on SEZs.
Preparing the land to make it fit for industrial use requires filling up low-lying areas with sand or marine sediments that require dredging with pipes. While for hilly areas, contractors need to level the land. All this requires investments in manpower and equipment, but given the state of one contractor on the Mirsarai interrelated industrial city, only a third of the dredging to fill 880 acres of land has been completed in the last 18 months. What it all points to is a lack of planning on where the materials needed for the job are going to come from; how finance will be clinched; and whether the contracted parties are in a position to get requisite manpower and equipment in place to speed up the process.
Land shortage remains a crippling area since there is no zoning in the country that demarcates what land is to be used for what purpose. And in a densely populated country where land ownership is both fragmented and agricultural in nature, these are problems that will keep recurring. We certainly need to get our act together on a number of issues if these projects are to be kept on track.
First and foremost, we need to secure financing for off-site infrastructure that includes access and road links to connect zones. Utilities including gas, electricity, and water have to be established. There should be inland container terminal and customs facilities (bonded warehouse, etc.). Equally importantly, there must be specific deadlines for on-site infrastructure development: acquiring and developing land, power generation, demarcation of commercial and non-commercial areas.
While securing finance, the focus should be on getting soft loans with a repayment period of around 40 years and an annual interest rate of about 0.01 percent (as offered by the JICA's ODA finance). All these activities must go hand in hand. Caution should be exercised not to overstretch BEZA (a relatively new institution) with too many projects. Our efforts should be concentrated on the country-specific SEZs for now, since those are the ones that hold the promise of serious investments from FDI. We need to get a move on in all the areas highlighted above to avoid missing deadlines, which will have repercussions on our national credibility.
Syed Mansur Hashim is Assistant Editor, The Daily Star.


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Real Weddings: Mingjing and George / Lawrry's Prime Rib, Los Angeles CA
Real Weddings: Elaine and Wei / The Victorian, Santa Monica CA
Elaine and Wei were married at The Victorian, a classic (Victorian) venue here in Santa Monica. I enjoyed working with them and admired how they bounced ideas and opinions off of each other. As the groom, Wei was surprisingly enthusiastic too!
Here are some beautiful and romantic pictures by
of their wedding day:
Real Weddings: Denise and David / Shutters Hotel, Santa Monica CA
Denise and David were married at the beautiful hotel, Shutters on the Beach, in Santa Monica. A romantic winter wedding, their colors were deep red, white, and light green. Some amazing pictures by
. ( bad ones by our phone)
Denise carried a bridal bouquet of deep red and white flowers: white peonies, white "polo" roses, red "avanta" garden roses, white cymbidium orchids, and dark burgundy schwarzwalder mini calla lilies.
Her bridesmaids carried bouquets of light green cymbidium orchids and deep red "Black Magic" roses.
Boutonnieres was made with ivory cymbidium orchid accented with a hypericum berry, plus lily grass.
I love these floral ring bearer pillows! This one was made of green kermit poms and accented with freesia and a cymbidium orchid.
The ceremony was held on the pool deck at sunset with the Pacific Ocean in view.
Tall white arrangements of hydrangea and "casablanca" lilies were placed on pedestals framing the bride and groom.
A light green cymbidium orchid was placed at each place setting on the reception tables. We also made three tall separate, yet similar, designs for the centerpieces. For each centerpiece we used white orchids, hydrangea, and light green hypericum berries. We also accented the centerpieces with hanging crystals.
Here's design #1, a sphere of hydrangea, roses, and hypericum berry placed on a cylinder with immersed white dendrobium orchids. Long stems of white dendrobium orchids radiate out and downward with 10″ crystal strands attached to the stems.
Here's design #2 featuring curly willow branches, cymbidium orchids, and dendrobium orchids; a classic arrangement with stems in the water.
I really liked how this design turned out (#3). We placed a sphere of hydrangea and hypericum berry on top of a cylinder filled with immersed white dendrobium orchid stems. Curly willow branches radiated up and out from the top center of the floral sphere and were accented with long white Hawaiian dendrobium orchids. We finished the arrangement by hanging clear teardrop shaped crystals from the branches.
Beautiful sunset.


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High: Meeting one of our Fav Canadians, Space Commander Chris Hadfield at the Smithsonian's Air and Space Museum.
What's better than landing in DC & meeting the coolest Canuck ever?! cc @Cmdr_Hadfield @RonniSVPathways @airandspace pic.twitter.com/iwJtrOfzvf
— Bryan Heal (@bryanheal) April 25, 2015
Low: The Raptors playoff performance against the Wizards at the Verizon Centre.
Reason to come back: TO RUN! The national mall, the gargantuan monuments, the pristine cemetery in Arlington makes for an outstanding capitol to walk around in on a nice day. I can only imagine is can make for an even more impressive backdrop for a run or ride. Now that I am back in the swing of things at home in TO, I will most certainly be on the look out for a future marathon or half marathon to anchor a return to D.C. Marine Corps anyone?


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Fifty-nine students of Auchi Polytechnic in Edo State have renounced their membership of secret cults and vowed not to go back.
A breakdown of the figure shows that the Black Axe cult had 17; the Supreme Vikings and Aye Confratenity, 15 each; the Hood of the Scorpion, two, and the Warlord cult, one.
Speaking after the renunciation, Sir Ohimai Eboreme, the Rector of the polytechnic, said that the move by students was the first phase, stressing that that of the lecturers would be the second phase.
"Everything must be done publicly," he said, explaining that the polytechnic was criticised for organising what he described as boardroom renunciation for the lecturers last year.
Eboreime appealed to the entire polytechnic community to receive those involved with open arms and pledged to review the cases of all expelled and rusticated students who had publicly renounced their membership.
The rector, however, said that the review would be on merit and warned that anyone caught a second time would not be spared.
He said that the polytechnic authorities were monitoring the activities of all the concerned students as well as every other student of the institution.
The highlight of the ceremony was the confession of one Douglas, who claimed that he killed two persons during his days in the cult and the recovery of charms, weeds and assorted regalia from the cultists.


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Executive Committee
In the summer of 2014, Mayor De Blasio, Mayor Emanuel, and Mayor Garcetti, National Partnership for New Americans and the Center for Popular Democracy formed the Executive Committee of Cities for Citizenship in an effort to facilitate greater capacity for naturalization rates among their residents. The were joined by Citi Community Development as a founding corporate partner to encourage financial empowerment initiatives among Legal Permanent Residents to foster greater economic growth and vitality in their cities. The Executive Committee is the leadership of Cities for Citizenship and work closely with community organizations to create effective partnerships and meaningful collaborations to support naturalization in their cities and across the US for the nearly 8.5 million Legal Permanent Residents that are eligible to naturalize today.
Chicago pledges to help about one-third of its 560,000 immigrants become U.S. citizens through the Chicago New Americans initiative, in partnership with the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights and the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services. The city's Office of New Americans and Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights host informational workshops on naturalization at the City Colleges of Chicago. The Office of New Americans also implemented Citizenship Corners in Chicago's public libraries, where information on the naturalization process is available in the most common languages spoken in Chicago, in addition to free citizenship workshops, English Second Language classes, and multi-lingual financial education classes. Other objectives of the Office under this initiative include launching a targeted campaign to naturalize City employees and integrating informational materials on naturalization into the Welcoming Portal and Welcome Station – an online portal designed to connect immigrants with resources available to them and immigrant resource center – respectively. Furthermore, the city's Small Business Center provides services to immigrant business-owners and targets large immigrant employers for citizenship and financial coaching support. Staff from community organizations regularly visit schools with large concentrations of immigrant students and parents to create a one-stop shop offering information about the naturalization process, free immigration legal assistance, and financial coaching.
The City of Los Angeles continues to promote naturalization and offer assistance to the immigrants who want to become U.S. citizens among its 350,000 legal permanent residents and has successfully helped 2,654 residents since joining Cities for Citizenship. Mayor Eric Garcetti re-established a partnership with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) in 2013 to develop civic education workshops to promote citizenship in Los Angeles. The City also partnered with several community-based organizations – Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights of Los Angeles (CHIRLA), Asian Americans Advancing Justice (AAAJ), International Rescue Committee (IRC), National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials (NALEO), and Youth Policy Institute (YPI) – to offer educational materials on immigration integration and financial education in the Citizenship Corners located in all 73 public library branches throughout the city: CHIRLA, AAAJ, and IRC offer citizenship workshops and classes like basic ESL classes and Civics class to educate applicants on the civics exam; NALEO provides citizenship information sessions, free application assistance, and financial literacy workshops; and YPI collaborates with the NALEO to provide financial education to clients receiving Citizenship Application assistance. The Mayor's Office is also working with these organizations to increase access to micro-loans and savings for the city's immigrant community.
The Mayor's Office of Immigrant Affairs plans to expand its NYCitizenship Initiative, the city's first large-scale coordinated effort to address barriers to naturalization, funded by Citi Community Development. The initiative connects permanent legal residents to financial counseling and support, micro-loans, and legal assistance from qualified attorneys to complete the naturalization application; it provided support to over 7,000 participants in its first two years. The city will also develop the existing school-based program NYCitizenship in Schools and partner with the Human Resources Administration, a municipal agency that serves low-income New Yorkers, to significantly increase access to support to the immigrants seeking to become naturalized among the city's nearly 700,000 legal permanent residents.
The National Partnership for New Americans (NPNA) harnesses the collective power and resources of the country's 37 largest regional immigrant rights organizations in 35 states. Our aim is to achieve a vibrant, just and welcoming democracy for all. Immigrants are the soul of our organization, and immigrant communities inspire, implement and champion our work. Since 2012, our members have provided large-scale immigration services for Citizenship, Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) and have assisted over 68,000 LPR's with the naturalization process while advocating for federal, state and local policies rooted in our ongoing commitment to integrating newcomers into the fabric of our nation.
CPD works to create equity, opportunity and a dynamic democracy in partnership with high-impact base-building organizations, organizing alliances, and progressive unions. CPD strengthens our collective capacity to envision and win an innovative pro-worker, pro-immigrant, racial and economic justice agenda.
Within our immigrant rights work, we work closely with state-based partners and national allies to pursue cutting-edge pro-immigrant policies in cities and states across the country. CPD advances affirmative efforts to build inclusive communities by advancing policies such as municipal-ID programs, language access and state citizenship, and defensive measures to protect immigrant communities from the unjust and discriminatory enforcement of immigrant laws, such as detainer discretion laws and access to counsel programs.
Citi, the leading global bank, has approximately 200 million customer accounts and does business in more than 160 countries and jurisdictions. Citi provides consumers, corporations, governments and institutions with a broad range of financial products and services, including consumer banking and credit, corporate and investment banking, securities brokerage, transaction services, and wealth management.
Additional information may be found at www.citigroup.com | Twitter: @Citi | YouTube:www.youtube.com/citi | Blog: http://blog.citigroup.com | Facebook: www.facebook.com/citi | LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/citi.


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Applications are now open for Pitch101
Students, this post is for you! If you have a business idea and would like to get some feedback on it, sign up today. If accepted, you will receive 3 hours of professional pitch coaching, expert tips from judges and investors and a chance to win $500 cash (Total prize pool is $1000).
You will have just 60 seconds to impress the judges, so sign up today to start working on that pitch. Sign up below.
The deadline is February 17th to apply.
Want to register to come watch the event, sign up below.


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|Saeb Aliwaini
Head of Biology and Biotechnology Department, Faculty of Science, Islamic University of Gaza,Palestine
|Ph.D., 2014, Cell Biology, University of Cape Town (UCT). Thesis " Identification and characterization of novel palladacycle, AJ-5, to treat advanced melanoma and breast cancer".
|Research Interest
|Cell, Biology
All Published work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License
Copyright © 2019 All rights reserved. iMedPub LTD Last revised : September 20, 2019


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Activities: Maze Ganit
The programme for Mathematics for Grade 1 to 4 focuses on hands-on experience and learning math through real-life situations. Emphasis is given on the methods based on recent research in pedagogy of Mathematics. As of now, QUEST has designed 8 books in this series. The development of four more books is in process.
Maze Ganit series of books is also available in English, as 'My Math'.
Click Here to read more about Maze Ganit


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Go Back
Go To Articles Directory Home Page
To get the current article, - See Below (at the bottom of the page) -.
For top news titles, see below.
Web sites and videos listed in this page are frequently updated.
If you find that this page is useful (quality of web sites, images and videos, ...), you can add it to your favorites.
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Caring for our planet and the climate change
Global warming is a problem that needs serious attention and discussion. People all around the world are wondering if the climate change is a consequence of human activity or is the Earth just going through a cycle of evolution. Scientists have been studying global warming ever since 1960 when an Oceanographic Institution observed that the Arctic ice was starting to melt. In 1995, when global warming had already become one of the most controversial issues for environment agencies (EPA), almost 20,000 square km of ice had already melted in the Arctic pouring fresh, cold water into the oceans and leading to climate change.
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The Heart Wedding Planner has a cute, contemporary heart, bird and flower design that I think a lot of people will like, I certainly do. It is broke into 6 sections; getting started, guest & stationery, wardrobe, wedding day, gifts and contacts & notes.
At the start of each section the planner has a card pocket. This is perfect to store business cards, bits of information or to rip things out of magazines for ideas. It also has some plastic pockets which make storing little bits of paper very easy. There is also a pull out calendar which you can personalise yourself, perfect to help you plan all your dates.
The attention to detail is amazing, each page has the same design so it feels like a continuation and special. It doesn't feel like a normal planner, it's special just like your wedding day. The quality is also of a very high standard adding to the special feeling.
The planner gives hints on what to do and provides space for you to make your own notes. It has space and provides a budget list of things you might want to include.
I love this planner. It has defiantly helped us when planning our wedding. I love having a planner that keeps me on track and organised. I must admit that because we are only having a small wedding I haven't being able to use the planner to it's full potential. For example it provides space for 5 sets of bridesmaid information including dress measurements, phone numbers and address. I haven't had the chance to use all of these because I'm not having 5 bridesmaids.
Overall I love the planner. I would defiantly pay £19.99 for it and would recommend it to a friend.
Did you use a planner for your wedding?
Thanks for reading,
*Disclaimer - I was sent this planner for the purpose of this review but all views and opinions are my own*


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Deep Run native returns home Tuesday to acclaim
One of Lenoir County�s own has not only risen to the top of one of America�s favorite national organizations, he was honored with a prestigious award Tuesday.
Wayne Brock, chief Scout executive of the Boy Scouts of America since September, was honored as the Distinguished Citizen of the Year by the Caswell District of the East Carolina Council of the BSA at the Woodmen Community Center.
To some, Brock, who grew up in Deep Run, is a member of the Lenoir County family.
Ford Coley, Caswell District chairman, considers him as a �local son� who has come back home to be recognized for his �journey in life.�
�It�s a recognition of an individual who has been unselfish in pretty much everything he or she has done,� he said, �and in this particular case, of course, Wayne Brock has been totally committed to the Scouting organization.�
Kinston Mayor B.J. Murphy said he is excited Brock chose to come back to Kinston to give back to the community in which he grew up.
�The city is glowing today,� he said, �because we�ve got one of own sons here that has made it to the big stage.�
Brock, 64, has been involved in Scouting for 56 years, including more than 41 years employed by the Boy Scouts.
His father, a highway patrolman in Pamlico County, had seen enough of young people with the proverbial idle hands and who were frequently in trouble with the law to know he needed to keep his two sons busy and out of trouble.
�So one day when I turned 8,� Brock said, �he literally just took me across the street to Mrs. Woodard�s house � who was a den leader � to join the Cub Scouts. He didn�t ask me. He just took me across the street, which I�m very thankful that he did because that started me on this journey today.�
That journey continued when his family moved to Lenoir County when he was in the sixth grade and he joined the Boy Scouts under Scoutmaster Jack Everette. He worked on Camp Charles, owned by the East Carolina Council, and later earned the Distinguished Eagle Scout Award and the Arrow Distinguished Award.
Ray Franks, Scout executive of the East Carolina Council, said Brock taught him how to swim, and the two of them were members of the Council back in 1975 when it moved from Wilson to Kinston.
�We�re very proud of Wayne,� Franks said, �and the leadership he�s provided to the Boy Scouts of America, nationally.�
A graduate of South Lenoir High School, he earned a degree in music from East Carolina University. He began his career in Scouting through the urgings of his brother-in-law, a Boy Scout employee.
�I know what it did for me personally,� he said about Scouting. �� I taught school for a year, but then I decided to go to work for the Boy Scouts because I just knew the benefit that it had for young people.�
Those benefits start with a strong dose of leadership. Starting around age 12, boys are selected to head up patrols of six to eight younger boys. They are responsible for such tasks as planning menus, overseeing camp setup and making sure their patrol members carry out their duties, Brock said.
�You really learn leadership by doing it,� he said. �And Scouting�s a safe environment for you to fail. And that�s important, too. Sometimes you learn as much from your failures as you do your successes.�
It seems to have worked for Brock, who continues living the lessons he�s learned and later taught.
�I just always just try to do the best job I can do,� he said, �and, hopefully, if I did the best job I could do, people would recognize that and they would want your talents.�
That recognition has taken him up the ranks through many packs, troops, posts and now to the top. However, according to the national Boy Scout bylaws, the chief executive must retire at the age of 65. Brock is 64 now.
�So our board made a one-time waiver to that rule so that I could serve until age 67,� he said. �So that�ll be in 2015.�
Brock, now based in Irving, Texas, has made significant contributions through the years to the BSA. One was a program he developed in the classroom that increased the percentage of children joining the Scouts. He was also successful in fundraising efforts.
Those two areas, programming and finances, are vital considerations when selecting the Citizen of the Year candidate, John Leighton, Caswell District Friend of Scouting chairman, said.
�I think (Brock�s) extremely qualified � 41 years in Scouting,� Leighton said.
The Caswell District, which includes Lenoir and Greene counties, raised about $36,000 during Tuesday�s event, bringing the total funds raised to about $67,000 towards its $90,000 goal this year, he said.
Brock has been married to Kinston native Ernestine for 45 years. The two dated through high school and have a grown son who was a Boy Scout, like his father. Ernestine Brock said it�s an honor and �icing on the cake� for her husband to receive the Citizen of the Year award.
�I attribute Boy Scouts and his parents to the man he is today,� she said, �which is a wonderful father, wonderful husband and a fantastic leader.�
Margaret Fisher can be reached at 252-559-1082 or firstname.lastname@example.com. Follow her on Twitter @Kinston.com.


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Three weeks ago today I was in Devil's Lake, ND. with a group of people handing out literature for Grace Baptist Church. There's a YouTube video about it here, by Heather Smith. But something else happened on that day. On the way back from Devil's lake, I was driving in my vehicle with Mr. Smith and a couple of the Smith kids. As we neared Fargo, we got a text from the other vehicle, which Mrs. Smith, Nicole Buck, Heather and two of her siblings were in. They were going to stop for gas before going back to the church. It was at this point that God laid a plan of action in my mind, and I made the decision to talk to Mr Smith when we got to the church. And so when we arrived, I asked to speak with him outside the car, and so I did! Mr. and Mrs. Smith can fill you in on the wording, but I asked Mr. Smith if it was OK for me to work to grow my relationship with Heather beyond friendship, and he agreed! That Monday Heather and I began courting.
We've seen God confirm things and direct in our decisions in this time. Isn't God great? I want to put this post here on my blog, because this is the biggest thing happening in my life, and the most special to me as well. I love Heather and her sweet spirit and heart to serve the Lord. No doubt there will be more pictures and posts to come!