text:
Davit crane
This material-handling davit crane is equipped with a Columbia HD650 AC electric wire rope hoist. The hoist has a maximum lifting capacity of 400 lb and comes with 115 ft of 5/32-in. wire rope with an average lifting speed of 25 ft per min. An upper switch and removable remote pendant control are included.
Allied Power Products
Circle 211
Flood lights
The Floodinator line of 400W and 1,000W HID high-pressure sodium and metal halide floodlights feature a full range of mounting options and accessories. The lights are available with steel trunnion or an integral slip fitter mount for mounting and aiming flexibility. The lights are available in a die-cast aluminum housing with a weather-resistant polyester powder or architectural bronze finish. Quad tap ballast comes standard for 120V, 208V, 240V, and 277V, and the ballast compartment is separated by an anodized aluminum die-formed wall.
RAB Lighting
Circle 203
Digital dimming system
Simplicity series digital dimming systems now feature scalability. Dimming panels can be added or removed from the original lighting layout in circuit increments of six to 12, and they contain 12 individually addressable outputs. Each circuit is rated at 20A and is capable of being dimmed or switched. Each dimming module is multi-rated to control incandescent, fluorescent, low-voltage, neon, cold-cathode, fan-speed, and non-dim sources. Panels are available in either 120V or 277V ratings, and they're UL- and cUL-Listed.
Hunt Dimming
Circle 201
Tubular pulse-start lamp
Designed specifically for horizontal operating conditions, the MS 33W/H75/T15/PS energy-efficient, compact tubular lamp is the latest addition to this company's Uni-Form pulse-start metal-halide line. When used in a full cut-off fixture, the lamp's horizontal operating position helps to reduce glare and excess light pollution. The system is rated for 28,000 initial lumens and 22,000 mean lumens, and has more than 20,000 hours of rated life.
Venture Lighting
Circle 202
Slip-joint pliers
Nutbuster slip-joint pliers now feature jaw capacities from 0 in. to ⅞ in. and a PermaLock fastener, which is a single-piece, hardened-steel rivet that won't loosen. The 7-in. pliers have a short jaw length and parrot-nose design that allows the user to access tight spaces. Right-angled teeth grip in all directions, and comfort grips reduce hand fatigue.
Circle 212
Vapor-tight lighting fixtures
The Vanguard series of vapor-tight lighting fixtures is suitable for use in wet locations. All models are fully gasketed to seal against moisture and exposure to the elements. The series is available in pendant-, ceiling-, and wall-mounted configurations, with a choice of incandescent, compact fluorescent, or HID lamping. Fixtures come with clear tempered-glass cylinders and are protected by die-cast guards.
Luraline Products
Circle 208
Accent luminaires
Designed for residential and commercial applications, Beauty Spots accent luminaires feature lead crystal elements and low-voltage xenon lamps. The luminaires' cylindrical and cubical profiles create a softer striation of light on the ceiling. They're available in round, square, and cylindrical shapes in chrome, clear, platinum, and white finishes. Shades are available in clear, frosted, amber, blue, red, and green with sizes ranging from ⅛ in. × 2 in. in diameter to 1⅜ in. × 1⅜ in. in diameter.
W.A.C. Lighting
Circle 200
LED lamps
Specified for AC or DC 12V operation, MR-16 512 and 521 series LED lamps are available in a 4.6-lumen red model, a 16.5-lumen green model, and a 3.5-lumen blue model. The lamps have an average life span of more than 100,000 hours, are maintenance-free, and contain no hazardous materials. The socket drop-in 2-pin lamps have a GX5.3 base and are 38 mm long with a front-lens diameter of 50 mm.
Para Light
Circle 207
Recessed downlight
The 6-in. P83-26ICAT recessed downlight is Energy Star-compliant and includes a 120V NPF electronic ballast. The light accepts a vertical 4-PIN 26W compact fluorescent lamp, is UL- and cUL-Listed for damp locations, and spans 24 in. T-bar spacing. It can be installed in ½ in. to 2½ in.-thick ceilings.
Progress Lighting
Circle 206
Mechanical stud anchor
With sizes ranging from ¼ in. to 1 in. in diameter, the Kwik Bolt 3 mechanical stud anchor is available in electrogalvanized carbon, hot dipped galvanized, SS 304, and SS 316 materials. The anchor is available as a standard thread-length bolt for high shear applications and as a long (full) thread length (up to 7 in. thread length) bolt for greater application flexibility. A dog print impact section, which helps prevent thread damage during installation, and a rounded end simplify insertion.
Circle 213
Electronic ballast
The Centium electronic ballast line now features a 4-lamp model for 54W T5/HO applications. A high-low switching option allows switching from four to two lamps, three to two lamps, or three to one lamp, while the ballast's semi-independent lamp operation ensures that the fixture will remain partially lit when a lamp burns out. A 90°C case temperature makes the ballast ideal for high temperature ambients. The ballast's programmed start lamp ignition provides extended lamp life in frequent switching applications and supports the frequent lamp on/off cycles associated with the use of occupancy sensors or motion detectors.
Advance Transformer
Circle 205
Firestop kit
The SpecSeal Ready Sleeve kit includes a 12-in. steel sleeve that's available in 1 in., 2 in., or 4 in. diameter, corresponding sized steel escutcheon plates that lock the device in place, and firestop putty to seal the ends of the sleeve to the required 1 in. depth. The sleeves don't require cutting and are sized for up to 10-in. thick barriers. Sleeve ends are rounded smooth to protect cable jacketing and eliminate the need for plastic bushings.
Specified Technologies
Circle 214
Emergency lighting fixture
Comprising three models, the HL series of completely self-contained, fully automatic emergency lighting units provide adjustable or fixed-lensed, glareless distribution of light when line voltage is interrupted. An internal solid-state transfer switch automatically connects the battery to the light's dual-lamp heads when utility power fails. The HL-80, HL-90, and HL-100 each have a low-profile, horizontal wall-mount housing, with large light units at either end. The HL-90 and HL-100 models have an angled housing with separate aimable lamp heads, and the HL-80 offers an integrated design with even larger fixed lamp heads contained within the housing. Upon restoration of normal power sources, the battery disconnects from the load and becomes fully recharged within 12 hours via an automatic temperature-compensating solid-state charger.
Circle 204
Momentary contact switch
TradeMaster decorator momentary contact switches feature a low-profile paddle and smooth paddle action. The user holds the switch in the "on" position, and it automatically shuts off when released. The single-pole switches have an external screw-pressure-plate back wiring configuration, which accepts 12- or 14-gauge solid stranded wire.
Pass & Seymour/Legrand
Circle 210


text:
As we look back over the 20 years of ministry that I've had in this church there have been some very basic things that have been the foundational truths on which we have built our church and our Christian life. And I just want to dig back into those a little bit, kind of wrap that up, Lord willing, tonight.
Now the key to understanding what we're talking about is that it's crucial for all Christians to understand that they must grow in Christ. And in order to grow we have to go back to the basics. What are the basic things that produce spiritual growth, which all of us desire? Non-growth is impossibility, slow growth, I suppose, is a possibility, but we want to grow fast, we want to grow strong, we want to grow to be like the Lord Jesus Christ. And I do believe that there are times in Christian experience when you can go into sort of a no growth mode. I don't think it can be permanent unless the Lord takes you out of this world in the midst of your sinfulness. But, for the most part, we control the speed of our growth by whether we recognize the principles of growth or not. We said that the master key to all our spiritual growth is to live to the glory of God, to focus our whole life on glorifying God. That's not an easy thing to do, particularly in our society. And I dare say that if we were honest and looked into our own hearts we would all say, "We struggle greatly to live totally to the glory of God." And we get all wrapped up in living for the fulfillment of self, for the expectation of others, for success, for whatever. But we are to live to the glory of God.
Now having said that we discussed what that means. What does it mean to live to the glory of God so we can grow to become more like Christ? And we decided in answering that question to simply go to the Word of God and identify in the Word of God what it says about glorifying God. How do we do that? If we understand how we do that then we'll understand how we grow.
First of all we noted that the first way in which you glorify God is by confessing Jesus as Lord. Philippians chapter 2 verses 9-11 says, "That we are to confess Jesus as Lord to the glory of God the Father." It glorifies God when you confess Jesus is Lord. That's salvation and that's where spiritual growth begins. The second thing we noted was that we glorify God when we aim our life at that purpose. And we reminded ourselves of 1 Corinthians 10:31, "Whatever you do, whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all to the glory of God." In other words aim your life at the purpose of glorifying God. That means preferring his kingdom above all else. That means being content to do His will at any cost. That means suffering when He is dishonored. And that means being content to be outdone by others as long as he gets the glory. Aiming your life at the glory of God.
Thirdly we said, "We glorify God by the confession of sin." We dug back into the Old Testament, looked at Joshua chapter 7 verse 19, where it says, "Confess your sin and give glory to God." God is glorified when we acknowledge our sin, when we recognize it, when we face it, when we accept the responsibility for it and when we agree with God that he has a right to chasten us. Fourthly we said that God is glorified when we trust him. In Romans 4 it says, "Abraham was strong in faith, giving glory to God." And we talked about how we glorify God by believing Him. And, of course, He is trustworthy and ought to be believed and He is glorified when we do believe His word. And then we said we glorify God by bearing fruit. John 15:8 says, "Herein is my Father glorified that you bear much fruit." And then sixthly we said, "We glorify God by praising Him." Psalm 50:23 says, "Whoso offers praise glorifies Me." Now there's a half a dozen principles by which we glorify God through which we grow to be more like Christ. Now let me see if I can give you briefly another half dozen tonight that will not labor because those were major ones and these are major also but we want to draw them together in a little briefer fashion if we can.
Number 7...if you're keeping a list...we glorify God through prayer. It's fitting that we talk about that tonight because this wraps up our monthly emphasis of prayer. Please turn in your Bible to John chapter 14, John chapter 14. And looking at verse 13...remember the context...Jesus has been telling his disciples that he is going to leave them and they are very very grieved by that that's why he starts the chapter by saying, "Stop letting your heart be troubled," because their hearts were troubled. They were troubled because of what they heard Jesus say. "I'm going away and where I'm going you can't come." He said that at the end of chapter 13. He said in verse 36, "Where I go you can't follow Me now but you'll follow later." And so they were greatly grieved by that. And Peter even asked, "Why can't I follow you now? I'll lay down my life for you." And Jesus said, "No you won't lay down your life for me you will deny me three times before the cock crows." And then in 14 he says, "Stop letting your heart be troubled." They were troubled at the prospect of losing Christ. To their troubled hearts he brings a tremendous promise in verse 13. You see they had learned to depend on Him for everything. When they needed food He created it. When they needed tax money He caught a fish and took it out the fish's mouth. When they needed information He gave it. When they needed direction He provided it. When they needed comfort He offered it. They had come to depend on Him for everything. They had walked away from their families, they had walked away from their careers and they were committed totally and solely to following Christ and having Him provide their resources. And now He has announced to them that He's leaving and that is really leaving them in the proverbial lurch. They have put all their eggs in one basket and now they're being told that the basket is leaving. Now in order to encourage their hearts notice what he says in verse 13, "And whatever you ask in My name that will I do." And here's the reason, "That the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask Me anything in My name, I will do it." Now this is a tremendous promise. It's a promise about resources. It's a promise about provision. And Jesus is saying, "Because I'm gone doesn't mean you'll be destitute." Because I'm gone doesn't mean you won't have what you need. "Because," he says, "whatever you ask in My name I will do." And he says it twice, once in verse 13 and immediately repeats it in verse 14. Whatever you ask in My name. What does it mean to ask in Jesus name? What does that mean? Does that mean to prayer whatever you want and the end tack on, In Jesus name Amen? And if you do that you get it. Is that a gimmick?
I can remember as a little kid thinking that people who didn't say that at the end of their prayer probably didn't get their prayer answered. And I would hear people pray and they would just say Amen without saying In Jesus name and I would think, "Oh they'll never get that prayer answered. They didn't say, In Jesus name Amen." It became sort of a hook. And when you said that God was hooked and had to deliver. But that's not what is intended to be mentioned here at all. What does it mean to pray in My name? Simply stated the Name of Christ is the embodiment of all that He is and all that He does and all that He wants. In the Old Testament God said, "My name is I am that I am." Do you remember that in Exodus? "My name is I am that I am." My name is who I am and who I am is reflected in what I do and what I think and what I plan and what I desire. God says that My name is consistent with all that I am. "And when we pray," Jesus says, "we are to prayer consistent with all that Christ is." And when you pray and ask something that is consistent with the Person, work and purpose and will of Christ he will do it. That's the intention. That's what it means to say. In My name means according to My merit. It means in union with my Person. In union with My purpose. In union with My plan. That's what it means. It is praying in concert with Christ. Praying in harmony with Christ. It is the same thing, I believe, that is mentioned by Paul twice when he says, "Pray in the spirit." That's not ecstatic speech. That's not flipping out and speaking in tongue. Praying in the spirit is praying consistently with the mind of the spirit. Praying consistently with the will of the spirit, just like praying in the name of Christ is praying consistently with the will of Christ. Anything I ask that is consistent with the Person, purpose, plan of Christ he'll do. Prayer is the arena in which God supplies His children's needs. And whatever I ask consistent with His will he'll do it.
Now that's so important to say because there's so much heresy floating around today about this matter of prayer. And all of this positive confession that you hear propagated by people on television. The Kenneth Hagan, Kenneth Copeland, Fred Price-kind of theology that says, "You can demand anything out of God and he's got to deliver." Very dangerous, very dangerous and not true. God is not cornered by any believer. He's not forced to deliver because we've recited some formula. We are not so important in God's economy that whatever we want He has to give us. That would make us sovereign and Him subject. But if it's consistent with the name of Christ, that is, His Person, His purpose, His plan, then He'll give it to us. But notice the reason. This is so very important. Does it say, "In order that you might be satisfied?" No. Verse 13 says, "In order that...it's a purpose clause...the Father may be...what?...glorified in the Son." The point is this, Beloved, when you pray God answers to put His glory on display. Did you get that? And so our prayers should be, "Father glorify yourself." And that's how Jesus taught us to pray. Our Father who Art in heaven hallowed be thy Name. Thy kingdom...what?... come...Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Put yourself on display, that's how to pray. Prayer provides opportunity for God to display His power, for God to put Himself on exhibit for us to see. There was a gentleman in our church a number of years ago by the name of Frank. He was a very gracious man. He and his family moved to the East Coast. I remember them very well and from time to time receive correspondence from them even to this day. One day I was walking over by the gym and he stopped me in the patio. We were having our services at the time in the gym. It was our worship center then. And he said to me, he said, "John...I had not met him except casually before... he said, "Is there anything that you have in your life for which I can pray?" And I said, "Well thank you for asking." I said, "Sure." He said, "Just a minute I want to write it down." He took out a spiral notebook, flipped it open to a page that was about half full, he wrote down the date in the left hand column and then proceeded to write down everything I told him that I wanted him to pray about. He wrote it all down, I gave him three or four things, and drew a little line in his notebook and thanked me. A few weeks later he accosted me again in the parking lot and he said, "By the way, John," he said, "you remember those things I've been praying for? I've been praying for you every day about that." He said, "Could you tell me how all of those things have worked out?" And he opened up his notebook to the page on which he had the requests I gave him and I told him such and such...such and such and he wrote it all in and then he dated it all. And he thanked me and asked me to give him a few more and he wrote them in. And just about every time I met him this little dialogue and byplay went on.
I had one occasion to visit his home. And when I was in his home...he became somewhat of a curiosity to me, admittedly, because he was so deeply into this writing down everything. And when I was visiting in his home on one occasion he took me to his bookshelf and he pointed out that he had 12 spiral notebooks already filled and the one that I was contributing to was number 13. And they were all full of requests and answers. He had a tremendous faith in God. And you see the benefit of all of that was simply in his life God had put Himself on display. And if you said to him, "Frank do you think God answers pray?" What do you think he'd say? "Yeah, what do you want? I've got a few cancers in book 5, page 8. I've got heart disease over here in book 7, page 23. I got a healed family over here in book 2. What would you like to see?" And I began to realize in my mind that the calculated benefit of prayer is not to get what I want but to have a greater trust in the God who answers prayer because I've seen God on display. And this dear man had a chronicle of the acts of God in the life of Frank and friends to which he could refer and give God glory.
It isn't so important that you and I pray in order to get what we want. In fact, to be honest with you, I don't want what I want; I want what God wants. Don't you? But it is wonderful for me to be engaged in a prayer life that allows God to put Himself on display so that I grow to trust Him and love Him and adore Him and praise Him and glorify Him. And I see prayer, not primarily as getting what I want, but learning to line up with what God wants. That's praying in the spirit, praying in accord with His will, and you glorify God when you do that. You want to glorify God? Then ask in the Sons name and He'll do it that the Father may be glorified in the Son. He puts Himself on display. You ever go to a flock group or fellowship group or a Bible study or something and somebody stands up and says, "Well you know Sally so and so was saved." And some people sort of sit there scratching their ear and staring around the room and, you know, nothing happens and other people go, "Oh, praise the Lord. Oh." You know? Do you know what the difference is? The happy ones were involved in what? Praying for Sally. It isn't that the salvation of that soul is dependent upon your prayer, as if God isn't gonna save anybody unless you get in the act, but it is that if you were involved in the prayer then you're involved in the power and you're involved in the glorifying of God. So if you want to have a full, rich and exciting life get plugged into praying according to the will of Christ, see God put Himself on display and learn how to give Him glory for what He does.
Let me give you another one. We glorify God by unity, by unity. Look at Romans chapter 15. There's so much to be said on each of these but I want to try to keep moving. I don't know how well I'll do at getting through them. We glorify God by unity. Romans 15...Romans 15. As Paul, writing in this practical section of the great doctrinal epistle, finally winds down and begins to focus on the congregation at Rome to whom he writes, "He comes to this matter of unity...coming off of the stronger brother/weaker brother discussion in chapter 14 and the first part of 15. We come down to verse 5. This is what Paul writes, "Now may the God who gives perseverance and encouragement grant you to be of the same mind with one anther according to Christ Jesus, that with one accord you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Wherefore, accept one another, just as Christ also accepted us to the glory of God." It glorifies God when we accept each other, doesn't it? It glorifies God when we have the same mind toward one another. That's unit, that's unity.
Philippians 2 says, in very simple terms, "That we are to consider others better than ourselves." It says, "Make my joy complete by being of the same mind, maintaining the same love, united in spirit, intent on one purpose," one purpose. "Doing nothing from sulkiness or empty conceit, with humility of mind let each regard one another as more important than himself." Being of the same mind, the same love, united in spirit, intent on one purpose. God is glorified in our unity. What does it mean to have the same love? Love everybody the same? You say, "But everybody's not as lovable." That's right. So we have to love them with the supernatural love that God provides, a self-sacrificing love. And it's born out of humility. The thing that kills unity is pride. The thing that creates pride, of course, is sinful desire. But the anecdote to pride is obviously humility. If we want unity it's born out of humility. That's basic. We'll never know unity in the church until we know love and we'll never know true love until we know humility. And humility says, "I care about you more than I care about me." That's the simple definition of humility. Humility says, "I'd sacrifice anything I have for you. I'd sacrifice anything I'd like to do for what you'd like to do. I'd give up anything that I possess if it met your need." And it's out of that humility that looks on others as better than one's self that love comes and it's out of love that unity comes. And it's out of unity that God is glorified. And you can know how the heart of God is grieved over the disunity of the church, tragic. And disunity and discord and disharmony in the church is basically a result of pride, of people demanding, instead of people sacrificing, of people being proud rather than people being humble. But note, please, he says, "Accept one another just as Christ also accepted us to the glory of God." God would be so glorified if His church was one. Didn't Jesus say, "By this shall all men know you're My disciples if you have...what?...love for one another," John 13:34 and 35. If we had self-sacrificing love for each other the world would take note of us. Unity in the church, crucial. I don't think we sacrifice doctrine for this but I think, again, it's born out of humility. It's born out of humility. Humility produces love, love produces unity. Number 9 in our little list. There's so much more to say on the last one. Number 9 is obedience. We glorify God by obedience to His word. In 1 Peter chapter 4, among many Scriptures that treat the matter of obedience, it says in verse 14, "If you are reviled for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you. By no means let any of you suffer as a murderer, or a thief, or evildoer, or as a troublesome meddler; but if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not feel ashamed, but in that name let him glorify God." And the idea here is you obey God whatever the consequence, whatever. If anyone suffers as a fourth class condition, it's very possible that you might, but no matter what the consequences you obey, even if you're reviled, even if you suffer you maintain purity. Don't suffer as a murderer or thief, evildoer, troublesome meddler. If you're gonna suffer, suffer for your character as a Christian. In that you glorify God, whatever the cost, whatever the cost.
This is illustrated magnificently in John 21 in a very familiar illustration. Turn to it, if you will. In John 21 we find, again, the Lord encountering Peter. And I don't want to go into all of it because you're familiar with it, I'm quite certain. Jesus is risen from the dead and He told his disciples to go to Galilee and wait for Him there. He told them to go into a mountain and stay there. They stayed in the mountain for a brief time and then decided they didn't want to wait any longer. They grew impatient and they disobeyed the Lord. They came down the mountain and they went fishing. "And there were there...in verse 2...Simon Peter, Thomas, Nathanael, sons of Zebedee; James and John and two others; Phillip and Andrew, no doubt...and they all went fishing. In fact, Simon Peter says, "I'm going fishing," I'm going fishing. It's as if he was gonna return to his old trade. There's finality in that aorist verb there. It's as if he's saying, "I'm going back to what I used to do. I can't cut it in the ministry." He had a rather consistent track record of failure. And they were followers and he was the leader and like a bunch of rubber ducks they all walked down the mountain and got I the boat and they couldn't catch anything. And you remember how that Jesus came and said, "Have you caught anything?" And they said, "No." He said, "Try to right side of the boat,"...verse 6, "and they did and there were so many fish in their net that they could hardly haul it in." "And then Peter dove in, went to the shore, met with Christ, they had breakfast together. . .verse 12. . .Jesus invited them to breakfast and none of the disciples ventured to question Him, "Who are you?" because they all knew it was the Lord. And Jesus came and took the bread and gave them, and the fish likewise." He served them breakfast. "This was the third time he was manifest to them after being raised from the dead. After they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter. . .and then you know the dialogue. . . Simon, son of John, do you love Me more than these? "These What?" "These nets, fish, boats, these accoutrements of fishing?" A possibility. Could be that he meant these other disciples. We saw it a little earlier tonight, "If all forsake, I'll never forsake. You can trust me. I love you more than all the rest," is implied. And he's saying here, "Do you really love me more than the rest?" And the implication is if you love me you would have obeyed me. If you loved me you would have stayed in the mountain where I told you to stay and you wouldn't go back to the fishing. So Peter knows he can't affirm that he loves the Lord in the same way the Lord asks. The Lord says, "Do you love me?" and uses the strongest word for volitional love of choice and obedience. And Peter says, "Yes Lord, you know that I love You," and uses a completely different word that means I have a great affection for You. "Lord I can't claim the highest love but I like you a lot." And the reason he wouldn't claim the highest love was because of his disobedience. It would have been hypocritical. And the Lord went through that dialogue with him again. "Simon do you really love me?" Agapaho. And he says, "I like you a lot." And the third time the Lord says, "Do you really like me a lot?" And uses Peter's word and even questions the legitimacy of that claim. And Peter was grieved in his heart. He said, "You know all things. You know I like you a lot." And Jesus in all three of those affirmed his call to the ministry, "Tend my land, shepherd my sheep, tend my sheep."
And after that sort of re-dedication of Peter we come to verse 18, follow it. "Truly, truly I say to you, when you were younger, you used to gird yourself." Peter you've been pretty well in control of your life. "You got up, put your own clothes on, put on your belt and walked wherever you wished." You've had a lot of latitude, a lot of freedom and a lot of liberty. "But when you grow old, Peter, you will stretch out your hands." Some have seen in that a reference to crucifixion because that very same phrase is used in extra biblical literature to describe a crucifixion. And we know Peter was crucified upside down. "But you will stretch out your hands and someone else will bind you or gird you and bring you where you do not wish to go." You're gonna lose your freedom in the future
Verse 19; now follow it. "Now this He said, signifying by what kind of death he would...what?...glorify God." By what kind of death he would glorify God. Glorifying God means obeying no matter what the cost. It means obeying even if it means death. It means obeying even if it means suffering. That is the principle, obedience at any price. That brings glory to God.
It says in 1 John 2:5, "Whoever keeps His word, in him the love of God has truly been perfected." You love God perfectly when you obey Him perfectly, no matter what the cost. Obedience glorifies God. Somehow you need to get this into your own heart. You need to get this into your own soul. You need to get this into your own mind because this, I believe, is the greatest insulation against compromise. If you realize that God is glorified by obedience, no matter what the cost, and if you're living for the glory of God, that eliminates compromise. Because you want to glorify God, and this is how you do it. People often say to me, "You know you have such strong convictions and you don't compromise." That's not a commendation for me, that's simply that I understand the principle that simply says, "I want to live my life to the glory of God. And if I chose to live my life to the glory of God that means I obey His word no matter what it cost." Recently you've been aware of this situation with Grove City that went to the courts and the courts decided that any institution receiving any federal money would have to have an open hiring policy and allow women and homosexuals and minorities and all of that to be hired. And some have questioned does that affect the church? Does that affect the college, say, the Master's College, the Master's Seminary? I would just encourage you by saying it does not. At the college in 1985 we filed a special government provision exemption from any of that because the first amendment still guarantees our religious freedom. So some people have been making an issue out of a non-issue. Somebody even asked me, "What are you gonna do when they make Grace Church hire homosexuals?" Well that hasn't happened yet but when it does happen I won't do that. We won't hire homosexuals. "Well what will happen?" Well, if need be, we'll go to jail because the desire of our hearts is to glorify God. And if you desire to glorify God then you obey His word and you obey His word with joy in your heart and there's no room for compromise. I don't have any reason to believe that this particular case, which the president vetoed and then the congress overrode in the senate, as any such impact on the church but it may be a harbinger of things to come in the future. And if such things do come in the future I think it's gonna get very, very interesting in Christianity. We're gonna find out who wants to live an uncompromising life and who doesn't, which would be very good for the church, very good. So we glorify God in obedience, in obedience. You know a gentleman said to me the other day, he said, "You know I'm out of the ministry because of a divorce in my life." And he said, "I really want to get back into the ministry." And I said to him in so many words, "Why don't you forget the ministry and just live to the glory of God where you are?" That's all God ever wanted anyway. And I said, "You've got a real problem if you try to come back into the ministry with that situation because you haven't given evidence...as 1 Timothy 3 says...of managing your own household well. And some might question whether you're a one-woman man, since you've divorced your wife and married another woman. And some would question whether or not you could stand up in front and be the model of spiritual virtue." But I said, "Those things aside, all God wants out of you now is that you live for His glory. Be obedient and let Him use you in whatever why He would choose."
Number 10. We glorify God by proclaiming His word, by proclaiming His word. It's not really very mystical is it? Very practical. Listen to 2 Thessalonians 3:1, "Finally brethren pray for us that the word of the Lord may spread rapidly and be glorified." The Apostle Paul had the sense that when the word of God was proclaimed God was glorified. God's name was exalted. God's Person was lifted up. I love that. Listen to Galatians 1. Paul writes in verse 22, "And I was still unknown by sight to the churches of Judea, which were in Christ." In other words they didn't know Paul after his conversion. "But only, that they kept hearing, "He who once persecuted us is now preaching the faith which he once tried to destroy." Paul is now preaching, "And they were glorifying God because of me." They were glorifying God because a sinner had repented and was preaching the Word. The proclamation of the Word glorifies God. Presenting the Word of God gives him glory. Why? Because it reveals Him and it releases His power, for the Word goes forth with great power. When you proclaim God's Word you are giving Him glory. Beloved, that's the thrill. That's the thrill for me. That's the fun of the ministry, just to know that when I stand in this place to teach the Word of God that give Him glory. Why? Because it reveals the majesty and the beauty and the magnificence of His Person. He is glorified in His self- disclosure, in His self-revelation. And when you have the privilege of bringing others to submit to the Word of God, that gives God glory. What a tremendously beautiful thing. By simply proclaiming the Word of God you put Him on display, you put Him on display. And more and more as I live and minister I'm convinced that the issue is not to argue about the Scripture but to proclaim it. The issue is just to let God's Word do its work. It is, after all, alive and powerful, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the dividing of center of soul and spirit, joints and morrow, as a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. Do some of you remember about a month ago we had a baptismal service? I can't remember whether it was the one at the Shepherd's Conference or the one immediately before that. A gentleman came in to be baptized who announced to all of us that all his lifelong he had been an atheist. Do you remember that? And he talked about how he had all these intellectual arguments against Christianity and in a moment of time God literally blasted his atheism into bits. And it had nothing to do with some logical presentation or some clever apologetics; it was just the spirit of God shattering his atheism. And it basically was born out of the fact that he was overwhelmed by his own sin and lostness. It's so wonderful to be able to proclaim the powerful Word of God. It gives God glory, it reveals who He is, it puts Him on display. That's a great privilege. Two more.
Number 11. We glorify God by moral purity, by moral purity. 1 Corinthians chapter 6...1 Corinthians chapter 6. Let's look at this, verses 12 and following. Paul writes, "All things are lawful for me...that is all things that are not unlawful, all things that are not stated as unlawful or sinful...but not all are profitable. All things are lawful for me, but I will not be mastered by any." And then he goes into this discussion, "Food is for the stomach and the stomach is for food." That was kind of a proverbial expression. "Meat for the belly and the belly for meat, the old author ______________. It's kind of a pagan statement. "Food is made for the stomach, the stomach was made for food." But it was really a veiled statement and it was intending to say things on a sexual plane, much like the famous playboy philosophy. "The body's for sex and sex is for the body." "It's just biological," that's what they were saying. "This is just biological". I was reading in a magazine in the airplane the other day a recent sex investigators. . .Master's and Johnson, who have done this new test, which reveals sexual habits related to AIDS, they said the average non-married person that they interviewed; the average male had 9.8 partners a year, the average female, something like 11.3. This is just recreation. This is just biological. There's nothing sacred attached to it; it's just meat for the belly and the belly for meat, that's all. And that's the expression that Paul picks up out of his culture. And then says, "And God will do away with both of them." The body is not for immorality, it's for the Lord and the Lord is for the body. Your body should be dedicated to the Lord. It is not for immorality. It is not as simple as saying, "Well it's just biological." It's not.
In verse 15 he says, "Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ?" Wow! "Shall I then take away the members of Christ and make them members of a harlot?" May it never be; mayginata, in the Greek. The strongest negative possible. No, no, no, no. If my body belongs to Christ and I joined by body to a harlot I join Christ to that harlot, unthinkable. May it never be, may it never be. "Or do you not know...verse 16...that the one who joins himself to a harlot is one body with her? For he says...God does back in Genesis...the two will become one flesh." When you join with a harlot that's not biological that's the binding of two people together, far more than biological. "But the one who joins himself to the Lord is one spirit with Him." You join to the Lord you're one with Him. You join yourself to somebody other than your wife then you're one with that person. Or other than your husband you're one with that person. You have confounded your union with Christ. You have dragged Christ into that immoral situation. And so in verse 18 he says, "Flee immorality." Run from it. "Every other sin that a man commits is outside the body, but the immoral man sins against his own body."
There's something deep and intrinsic in sexual sin that reaches way down inside people and commits sin at a very deep level. And I'm not sure I'll ever understand all that's intended by that statement in verse 18. But I do understand verses 19 and 20, "Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own?" Here it is folks. "You have been bought with a price: therefore...do what?...glorify God in your body." How do you glorify God? By moral purity, by moral purity. Immorality brings dishonor to God. It is an abomination to God.
Now let me get very practical. I believe it's an abomination to God on all fronts. Doing it is an abomination to God. Thinking about doing it is an abomination to God. Reading about others who do it is an abomination to God. Watching someone in a film do it is an abomination to God. It's all an abomination. I, for one, do not understand how people who know this can sin sexually, except for the fact that they allow themselves to be tempted and chose not the way of escape. I cannot understand how people can possibly go to PG or R or whatever other kind of rated movies and watch the kind of trash that is an abomination to God and call it entertainment. I cannot understand how people can do that and say, "Well the rest of it was good. I don't notice that part." I don't buy that for 10 seconds or 1 second. It's an abomination to God. And you're gonna live to His glory or you're not. You're gonna glorify God in your body or you're not.
There're some principles to help you with this in 1 Thessalonians 4. 1 Thessalonians 4 says in verse 3, "This is the will of God, your sanctification." And then he gives several principles, 1: "Abstain from sexual immorality." Abstain from sexual immorality. Boy, I mean, if you give that message to our society today they'd think you just arrived from some time warp because that's a way of life. That's the number one recreation now. But the Bible says, "Abstain from sexual immorality." Stay away from it. Secondly it says, "Possess your vessel in sanctification and honor." I take it the vessel here means your body and possess means to control. Get your body under control. Five says, "Not in lustful passion." Evil desire like the pagans who do not know God. Don't act like the pagans. Don't be controlled by lust. Don't be controlled by passion. Don't be controlled by desire. That's for people who don't know God. Verse 6, "That no man transgress and defraud his brother in the matter." In other words, don't abuse and use people. Let me tell you how the sexual games are played. You do what your desire tells you to do and you use people. You transgress against them, you defraud them, you steal from them. If you want to have sexual purity then, #1 abstain from sexual immorality, #2 control your body, #3 don't let yourself all into worldly patterns of lustful passion and don't think and act like people who don't know God and don't use other people to your own ends; transgressing and defrauding others in this matter. And if all of that doesn't keep you from doing it remember this, "That the Lord is the avenger in all these things." People always ask me, "Do you think AIDS is the judgment of God?" Of course it's a judgment of God. It's a judgment of God built into human life; that if you violate God's divine standard there are consequence. And I think for the first time, at least in my life, people are running in a state of panic about their sexual sin because they're beginning to see the consequence. The consequence of AIDS pales in light of the consequence of an eternal hell for those who live consistently a lifestyle like this. And if you don't like this teaching don't come to me. Verse 8 says, "You're not rejecting man but the God who gives His Holy Spirit to you." And there he has believers in mind. So moral purity glorifies God.
And one last thought. We glorify God by bringing others to Christ. By bringing others to Christ. In 2 Corinthians there is a beautiful verse. The 15th verse of the 4th chapter says this, Paul writes, "For all things are for your sakes...in other words everything I do I do to reach you...in order that the grace...that is saving grace...which is spreading to more and more people may cause the giving of thanks to abound to the glory of God." Isn't that incredible? 2 Corinthians 4:15...you ought to mark that one down, you ought to circle it, put a mark in the margin. This is it. Paul says, "All that we do is for you, in order that the grace which is spreading to more and more people...saving grace...may cause the giving of thanks to abound to the glory of God."
You glorify God when you proclaim Him and others are saved. Salvation glorifies God. Why? Because what Paul is saying is it adds one more voice to the hallelujah chorus. Do you see it? More and more people are giving thanks and that abounds to the glory of God. Every time you lead someone to Christ that's somebody else to give thanks. Whenever I have occasion to have the privilege of leading someone to Christ I realize that there's a whole person added to the hallelujah chorus who can then live a life of glory to God. And I've reproduced myself, in a sense, by the power of the spirit, not by my own strength. That's tremendous. Every time you look at someone praising God and glorifying God and thanking the Lord and rejoicing in Him, and you know that that pleases God, you can be thankful that they came to know Him.
Beloved, God is glorified when you lead someone to the knowledge of Him. In fact, you can double that capacity to glorify God. Now it's not just you it's you and someone else. In a very real sense we should be evangelizing for the reason. When is the last time you share Christ with someone? When is the last time you talked to someone about the gospel, opened up your heart to them? Do you think really...in your mind do you ever think this? Here is a person who is living in rebellion against God, who is refusing to glorify God, that's not right. How marvelous it would be if they would give glory to God, if they would become an agent by which God could be glorified? He is so worthy. That, perhaps, is a fresh impetus for us to share the Lord Jesus Christ.
In Acts...just a couple of verses to underscore this...chapter 11 verse 18. Do you remember that the apostles had come back? Peter had gathered with those in Jerusalem and Peter tells about conversions, conversions of Gentiles. And in verse 17 he says, "If God therefore gave to them the same gift as he gave to us, also after believing in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I that I could stand in God's way?" He says to these Jewish leaders of the church, "I couldn't stop God from saving Gentiles. Who was I to try to stop Him from doing it?" The implication is that the Jews probably would have liked if Gentiles hadn't been saved, at least, that was the assumption. But God had moved on their hearts. "And when they heard this and they knew it was God, they quieted down...look at this...and glorified God." Not only does a person who is saved glorify God but the people who have found out a person was saved glorifies God. So bringing others to the Savior brings glory to God. From the person saved and the people who are in on it.
Romans 15:8, "For I say that Christ has become a servant to the circumcision on behalf of the truth of God to confirm the promises given to the fathers...listen...and for the Gentiles, in order to glorify God for His mercy." Christ has come to save Jews and Gentiles so they could glorify God for His mercy. That's the all-consuming goal of life; to glorify God, glorify God. Simply spoken, that's why we live, to aim our life at glorifying God. To glorify Him by confession of sin, to glorify Him by trusting Him, to glorify Him by fruitfulness, to glorify Him by praise, to glorify Him by prayer, by unity, by obedience; no matter what the cost, to glorify Him by proclaiming His Word, to glorify Him by moral purity, and to glorify Him by bringing others to salvation. That's why we live. That's why we live.
In Ephesians 3 and verse 21 there's a benediction. "To Him be the glory in the church." How can God receive glory in His church? How can there be glory for Him in His church? We've seen how, when His church lives to His glory. He wants glory in the church, that's us. He wants to be glorified through us.
Beloved, as we live to the glory of God we grow spiritually and we grow to the fullness of the stature of Christ. I trust that's your goal. Now these basis that I've given you, you need to follow up on, make yourself a little list, constantly be calling yourself accountable to that list of things. I can't tell you, dear friends, I need to be reminded about this all the time because these things slip, so often, even in my mind. And there refreshed to me often by the spirit of God.
Let's pray together. Father, we thank you tonight for just this simple coming together of Your people, around Your Word, to sing Your praises, who enjoy You. We pray that a little look at the basics tonight might help us reshape the foundation of our life. Help us to come to grips with these simple, yet, profound things that bring You glory and bring us joy and purpose. Help us to glorify You. Help us to know that we can't do it on our own. Help us to remember the truth of 2 Corinthians 3:18, "That as we gaze at your glory we are changed into Your image by the Holy Spirit who moves us from one level of glory to the next." Help us to focus on Your glory and let the spirit of God move us from one level of glory to the next, as we are better able to glorify you each passing day. Work in every heart to accomplish Your holy purpose. In Christ's name. Amen.
This article is also available and sold as a booklet.
This sermon series includes the following messages:
Please contact the publisher to obtain copies of this resource.Publisher Information

subset: commoncrawl


text:
A common energy-waster called "phantom power" may be to blame for rising energy bills. Also named "vampire power" for sucking energy out of walls, phantom power results from leaving ordinary household appliances and other electronics plugged in the wall.
Devices with phantom power can include cell phone and laptop chargers, televisions, coffee makers, stoves and power tools.
Usually, any charging cord that features a small box near the end of the line, known as a transformer, draws energy and keeps the appliance warm and ready even if the device is turned off.
Over the years, loads of phantom power have increased significantly, according to Debbie Mytels, associate director of the Green@Home programs for Acterra. Acterra offers the High Energy Homes Project, which helps homeowners identify energy "leaks" through an online analysis home audit. An observation they made through numerous home audits is that plug loads are what cause high utility bills -- not the actual size of the home.
Mytels suggested the way to start reducing high utility bills is to first determine if certain devices have phantom power. The way to do this is by checking for any type of light or digital clock on appliances; if there is one, then sure enough, the device has phantom power.
Once phantom power is detected, Mytels said it would be beneficial to use a Kill-A-Watt Meter. This connects to an appliance or device and assesses the amount of energy being used. Because the Kill-A-Watt Meter is usually used just once, Darshana Greenfield, a volunteer for Acterra in its Green@Home program, suggests sharing it with neighbors -- or borrowing one from the library.
Kill-A-Watt Meters can be purchased at hardware or appliance stores such as Lowe's and Home Depot. Prices range from $20 to $40.
For some people unplugging devices to save energy can be a dilemma. If they tend to utilize a digital clock or want to record something on their television from their DVR, constantly unplugging appliances is an issue. An answer to this is purchase a Smart Power Strip or a basic plug strip, according to Mytels.
A Smart Power Strip features three different outlets -- one for something that needs to be plugged in at all times including a DVR, another as a control spot for items that turn on when the TV turns on, for example, and finally a personally controlled one for devices such as speakers or video-game consoles. The Smart Power Strip sells for around $30.
A basic plug strip (at around $5-6) is an alternate option for energy efficiency. Unlike the Smart Strip, a basic cable strip is personally controlled and does not feature an outlet for standby mode. Greenfield prefers a basic plug strip because "a Smart Power Strip uses more power compared to a plug strip." With a basic strip you can still turn it off and on.
"For folks who don't use their computers constantly, a plug strip for a computer/printer is also a great idea," Greenfield added.
Greenfield also noted that when devices are left plugged in they emit a certain magnetic field that stimulates the brain, which can be troublesome when trying to fall asleep, especially if a cell phone is left plugged in on a night stand.
When asked if unplugging devices to save energy outweighs the benefits of a clock or DVR for example, Mytels said, "It is an individual choice. People need to be cautious, especially with devices that offer no additional value when plugged in."
Age of a home plays another role in increasing energy bills. According to Mytels, older homes tend to not have up-to-date insulation and energy grids. Newer homes have to meet fuel efficiency and building standards from Title 24 within the California Code of Regulations. Some of these regulations include requirements for green design, energy efficiency and electrical and mechanical systems of the building.
Luxury appliances, usually found in larger homes, do not meet these regulation requirements because they are very expensive to maintain due to their lack of energy efficiency. An example of this type of appliance is a heated towel rack, which promises a warm towel after a shower or bath every time. Unlike common appliances, luxury products such as the heated towel rack are not EnergyStar-rated and use an extensive amount of energy -- about $500 worth a year, according to Mytels.
Research from the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory shows that a single device using phantom power will not significantly increase energy bills. If an appliance on standby mode continuously consumes 1 watt of energy for one year the cost would equal about $1. Annually, digital clocks or radios consume an average of $2 worth of phantom power; laptops, $4; power tools, up to $8; computer speakers, $4; DVD players, $7; and game consoles, $23.
Because households usually tend to use multiple devices that acquire phantom power, such as the examples previously listed, the amount of energy consumed can substantially add up.
According to the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, proper energy-saving measures can decrease phantom-power use by 30 percent.
To help improve home-energy efficiency, the Palo Alto Utilities Department offers the Smart Energy Rebate Program. If an energy-sufficient or EnergyStar-approved product is purchased, federal tax credit will become available -- another way to start becoming energy efficient.


text:
|User Name
|User Name
GERF Bulletin of Biosciences is an official publication of the Green Earth Research Foundation for free global readership to all articles immediately upon publication. GERF Bulletin of Biosciences is a peer-reviewed international journal devoted to publishing original research articles, review articles, and short communications in the fields of Biological, Chemical, Life, Natural and Clinical sciences. It also publishes case reports in the above fields. The journal through its publishing attempts to increase understanding of life at the cellular and molecular levels and aims to encourage interdisciplinary publications.
Publication/ Processing Charges: Free
Online First articles are published online before they appear in a regular issue of the journal. Online First articles are peer reviewed, approved by author and accepted for publication, allowing readers the most rapid access to accepted papers. The article remains on the Online First page until it is either replaced by the final proof version or when the final version of the paper is published in an regular online issue. We aim to post each article within 4-6 weeks of acceptance.


text:
Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano said Monday that the San Diego border with Mexico is secure but not impregnable.
"I believe the border is secure," Napolitano said following an aerial tour of the international line and a meeting with Mayor Bob Filner and law enforcement officials. "I believe the border is a safe border."
Others noted that illegal crossings remain more of a problem in some areas than others.
Napolitano cited a sharp decline in apprehensions for attempted illegal crossings and increases in the capture of contraband currency, illicit drugs and human traffickers as evidence that measures used in San Diego are working.
The secretary added that there is no way to declare the border free from illegal crossings.
"That would be unrealistic," she said during a news conference at the U.S. Coast Guard Station on Harbor Drive. "No one using common sense will say you can eliminate all crime, all illegal immigration."
Napolitano's visit came one week after a President Barack Obama and a bipartisan group of senators offered an outline of an immigration package that would create a path to citizenship.
She said the time has come to address the nation's roughly 11 million unauthorized immigrants, including roughly 2.5 million in California. As part of that, her department will continue to press Congress for additional money to enhance security, including hiring more agents and employing more electronic and aerial surveillance measures, she said.
"But we need immigration reform to go along with this," she said. "It's imperative that we look at the immigration system as a whole and the overhaul of immigration laws cannot wait any longer. Our immigration system has been broken for far too long and it's time to fix it."
The Senate outline calls for a commission led by border state governors to help determine when it is secure. On Sunday, Senate Democrats said the ultimate decision on that precursor to initiating a pathway to citizenship would be left with the Homeland Security chief.
Peter Nunez, a former U.S. attorney in San Diego and advocate for greater border enforcement, said that as apprehensions and illegal crossing went down here, they increased in Arizona.
"It depends on how you define it," he said of Napolitano's assessment of border security. "Even if we say the border is hermetically sealed here, what's going on along the rest of it.?"
Filner praised the former Arizona governor for her understanding of border issues. "She is one federal officials who gets it when most do not," he said. "
Filner is pressing Washington officials to speed up lane construction at the ports of entry.
"The wait times are the critical thing we have to solve as a region and she understands that," he said.
Napolitano said she's aware of the wait-time issue. "Know that, got that," she said.
Since she worked on immigration issues starting in the early 1990s, Napolitano said there's been a sea change in border security through the hiring of additional agents and technological measures.
"What we have seen between now and 20 years is like the difference between a rocket ship and a horse and buggy," she said, citing
Illegal crossing attempts nationally numbered nearly 365,000 between Oct. 1, 2011, and Sept. 30, 2012, a roughly 50 percent decrease since 2008, according to Homeland Security statistics. In 1995, the department said the San Diego border sector recorded nearly 500,000 apprehensions, a number that fell to slightly more than 52,000 in the last fiscal year.
Napolitano said the use of aerial drones, opposed from Rep. Juan Vargas, D-San Diego and whose district spans the border from the Pacific to the Arizona state line, is proper.
"Drones have been effective and continue to be so," she said. "We have to leave it to the professionals and in that toolbox of assets we should have drones."


text:
Add a touch of nature to any room in your home with my handcrafted fern vase. I handcrafted this vessel using stoneware clay and fern fronds from my garden.
Display it on a living room coffee table filled with potpourri, or use it as a candle holder to create a cozy atmosphere. This fern vessel would look wonderful on a bedside table.
To create these vessels, I press each fern frond into stoneware clay slabs, then intricately cut and assemble into a vase or bowl shape. Hand glazing with various colors and application processes produce an visually pleasing flow of color on the inside. The outside of the vessel was glazed in green with dark brown veins.
My fern vessels make a wonderful Holiday gift for a nature lover, fern lover or fine art lover! This piece of artwork would also make an unforgettable anniversary or milestone birthday gift.
This particular fern vessel measures 5" in height at it's highest point, and 5.5" across. (Fern Vessel #221)
Each piece of fern art I create is unique and no two are ever alike. My customers love them so much that I really have to work hard to keep them in stock!
My fern vessels are kiln-fired to cone 5. They are a decorative piece of art only, and are not intended to be used to serve or hold food.
Please follow me on social media.
All of my pottery pieces make wonderful gifts for birthdays, weddings, anniversaries and holiday gift giving.
Enjoy your shopping experience, and please tell your friends!
I accept credit card payments through Etsy and Paypal. I also accept Etsy Gift Cards. Georgia residents will be charged sales tax.
All of my pottery items ship to locations within the USA.
Normal shipping is done via USPS, but in some cases I will use Fed-Ex for my larger more fragile items. Please note that shipping costs include actual postage paid plus the cost of the packing materials used to ship your order safely. I want your purchase to travel safely from my door to yours, so I use plenty of packing material and great care when packaging your item for shipment.
If you are purchasing a gift, and want it shipped directly to the recipient, please let me know in the "note to seller" section when you order. I'm happy to send the item direct to them and will include a note from you if you wish.
I'll ship your order the next business day, because who likes to wait, right?
Please convo me with any questions relating to the shipment of your order.
For International Orders:
I do not offer refunds on lost or damaged items on internationally shipped items.
SHIPPING DELAYS – USPS Priority Mail and First Class International are non-guaranteed delivery methods offered by USPS. Please visit USPS.com to understand guaranteed delivery options. I cannot accept responsibility for any transport delays outside our shop's control.
International shipping times can range anywhere from 6 days to 6 weeks depending on the country and customs. I am not responsible for customs taxes or fees. Customs rules and fees are different in every country, check with your country's customs laws if you have questions about this.
Just contact me within: 7 days of delivery
Ship items back to me within: 14 days of delivery
But please contact me if you have any problems with your order.
Because of the nature of these items, unless they arrive damaged or defective, I can't accept returns for:
EXCHANGES: I'm happy to let you exchange your purchase if you contact me within 10 days of receipt. The buyer is responsible for returning the item to me, in it's original condition, and is responsible for the cost of the return shipping of the item, as well as the shipping cost of the replacement item.
REFUNDS: Refunds are only given if the item arrives damaged. If an item should arrive damaged, please convo me right away so I can file an insurance claim. Do not throw away any packing material or the box it came in as Fed-Ex, UPS or the Post Office may need to see it in regard to the claim. Once the claim is filed, I will refund your money including the shipping cost.
CUSTOM ORDERS: I do not provide any refunds or exchanges on custom orders unless the item arrives damaged or broken.


text:
Mortgage Pre-licensing Education courses found for Vermont
NMLS requires that new state-licensed MLOs are required to complete 20 hours of NMLS-approved education. This education must include 3 hours of Federal Law, 3 hours of Ethics, 2 hours of non-traditional mortgage lending, plus 12 hours of undefined education (referred to as electives) + 2 hours of VT law.
Looking for Vermont Mortgage Pre-Licensing Education Courses?
Please note: Beginning January 18, 2018, visit our partner to enroll in your NMLS-approved Vermont Mortgage Pre-licensing Courses!
Course Name


text:
WASHINGTON, Feb. 26 (UPI) -- Of the 46 million U.S. adults who got income-based government assistance in 2011, 30 percent were physically or mentally challenged, the U.S. Census says.
The report, "Disability Characteristics of Income-Based Government Assistance Recipients in the United States," found states west of the Appalachian Mountains had higher rates of disability among recipients of income-based assistance. In comparison, states in the Southwest and along the Eastern Seaboard had lower rates.
West Virginia, Kentucky and Arkansas were three of the top five states for disability prevalence in the total population, as well as in the total population receiving government assistance. In West Virginia, 26.8 percent of people with disabilities reported having ambulatory difficulty, defined as severe difficulties walking or climbing stairs, the report said.
People with a disability include those having vision, hearing, cognitive, ambulatory, self-care or independent living difficulties. Among recipients of public assistance, 18 percent had difficulty walking or climbing stairs, 15 percent had trouble leaving home to go shopping or visit the doctor without assistance and 14 percent encountered trouble with memory, concentration or making decisions.


text: CamScanner CamScanner turns your phone into a portable scanner. Archive all your paper documents, receipts, notes, whiteboard discussions anywhere and anytime. Camscanner's... Freemium $ $ $ Android iPhone Android Tablet Windows Phone iPad Support for Batch Mode Client side encryption Scan documents Document structure management ... Sync with Dropbox Sync with Google Drive No registration required PDF OCR Export to PDF Scan to PDF Annotate screenshots Add a feature 65 Like


text:
Random Thoughts and Ramblings
Random Thoughts and Ramblings
Obnoxious John
A recent posting by my blogmate (a word I just invented) Frank told of a story where the punchline was scoreboard. He was explaining how young men were trying to allocate levels of importance and status to their respective teams. We know despite Grantland Rice and how we play the game, the ultimate arbiter is the scoreboard. In a way, that is what Minnesota Viking coach Bud Grant meant when he once said 'statistics are for losers.' Bud didn't realize later his Vikings would have terrible Superbowl statistics and despite any best efforts, be thought of as losers. So naturally I'm pleased to report the scoreboard says 4-1 in favor of the Mariners at the end of the ball game today. They take two of three from the Angels and continue to show flashes of what they could be.
Dustin Ackley, the Mariner wunderkind of 2011 has spent most of this season trying to figure out how to hit at the major league level. The league's pitchers, seeing Ackley in the last half of last season now have a book on him, have adjusted the way they pitch and Dustin is struggling to contribute offensively. His challenge is to adjust to their adjustments and force the pitchers to adjust again.
Jesus Montero is looking like he can play at major league level. When the M's swapped fire-balling Michael Pineda to the Yanks this off season, I recalled the many trades over baseball history where the Yankees often snookered the other team. But this one, along with the Ken Phelps for Jay Buhner deal in 1988 show that once a generation, we pull the proverbial wool over the eyes of the mighty New Yorkers.
Finally, a word about the Olympics. I didn't watch very much of the event, neither the opening or closing ceremonies or hardly any of the contests. Can't say why, maybe it's my schedule which often finds me in front of the tube only later in the evening, or my lack of interest in which country has the most (or least) medals.
The whole idea of the Olympics, I thought, was to give the best athletes a chance to compete against other best athletes. Why does it matter what country they come from? I thought to myself why do we keep track of the medal total? Then it came to me. Scoreboard.
Now get out there and take one for the team!


text:
When: PASSED (Friday, November 22, 2013 from 6:30 – 9:00pm)
Where: Nassau Presbyterian Church at 61 Nassau Street, Princeton, NJ
Princeton's independent monthly minyan, Zamru, will be hosting Kabbalat Shabbat & Ma'ariv services and dinner on Friday. Zamru is a progressive, independent, egalitarian Jewish community celebrating Shabbat through vibrant, musical prayer.
Services begin at 6:30pm at the Nassau Presbyterian Church, and dinner follows. Please bring a generously-sized, labeled (with ingredients) vegetarian dish with serving utensils to the potluck. You must RSVP to firstname.lastname@example.com by Wednesday, November 20!
We look forward to seeing you there!


text:
CA Sen. Dianne Feinstein continues to tell everyone she can that she is TICKED that she wasn't informed sooner about that the FBI was investigating now ex-CIA director David Petraeus' alleged affair with his biographer Paula Broadwell.
Hell hath no fury like a ticked DiFi. She just told MSNBC's Andrea Mitchell that President Obama should have "absolutely" been told earlier about what was up.
And she wants to see a troop report on a Petraeus' trip to Benghazi that seems to have disappeared. And she's prepared to subpoena it if necessary.
"I believe that Director Petraeus made a trip to [Libya] shortly before this became public," Feinstein said. "I believe that there is a trip report. We have to asked to see the trip report. One person tells me has read it. And then we try to get it, and they tell me it hasn't been done. That's unacceptable. We are entitled to this trip report, and if we have to go to the floor of the Senate on a subpoena, we will do just that."
Feinstein said she doesn't think there is a link between the affair and what occurred in Benghazi. But she's not sure, because there is still a lot to learn about this. "The skin of the onion is getting peeled off. We don't know what we may find."
Here's the full DiFi on MSNBC:
Visit NBCNews.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy


text:
EU News
|Printable version
|E-mail this to a friend
Commission adopts 2012 Work Programme for European Renewal
The European Commission has yesterday adopted a Work Programme for the coming year, "Delivering European renewal". The Programme sets out how the Commission will build on the ambitious set of proposals to respond to the economic crisis already on the table with further measures next year. It translates the political priorities identified by President Barroso in the State of the Union address1 into concrete actions for the next year.
The Programme underlines that significant attention will have to be given next year to taking forward proposals already adopted or in the pipeline for the coming weeks. These include measures on the economy, the Single Market, and the wide range of proposals now coming forward on spending programmes to drive reform and renewal. New proposals will build on this programme to reinforce the drive to job-creating growth.
President Barroso said, "In my State of the Union Address I called for a European renewal. The top priority is to adopt and swiftly implement the ambitious package of proposals to restore confidence in the European economy. The Commission work programme goes even further and concentrates on measures that will support all possibilities to counter the current difficult economic prospects".
The main priorities over the next 12 months include:
Building a Europe of stability and responsibility
The completion of the financial sector reform in 2012 is one of the main aims of the programme, with a focus on investor protection. The Commission will also take steps to protect public revenues in areas like tax havens and VAT fraud.
Building a Union of growth and solidarity
As the Single Market approaches its 20th birthday, it remains the most important vehicle for growth and job creation. Next year will see a particular emphasis on making the digital single market work better, giving consumers and operators confidence in online transactions. A comprehensive Consumer Agenda will further set out more steps to help consumers to use the Single Market to best effect.
Other measures will focus on encouraging a jobs-rich recovery, and continuing to shape the sustainable economy vital for the long term. This will include measures on pensions, on vehicle emissions, and on water supplies.
Giving the EU an effective voice in the wider world
The EU's economic recovery and its political reach depend on a united EU as the best platform to protect and promote our interests and values. As well as promoting a wide range of trade agreements, the EU will continue to offer support for the peaceful and prosperous development in the Southern Mediterranean.
In all these areas, the Work Programmes underlines the need for the EU to be united, and to work together to ensure that proposals and ideas are translated into laws and practical implementation on the ground.
The President's State of the Union address end of September 2011 launched a debate on the priorities of the Union for the year to come. The Commission Work Programme takes account of these exchanges and suggests concrete actions for 2012 and beyond.
The Commission Work Programme is accompanied by three annexes:
a list of 129 initiatives2 which the Commission intends to deliver in 2012, and other possible initiatives which it will consider until the end of the mandate (annex 1).
a list of simplification and administrative burden reduction initiatives (annex II) and a list of proposed withdrawals of pending initiatives (annex III).
The Commission will now work closely with the European Parliament and the Council, as well as stakeholders, including national Parliaments to ensure a broad ownership of the political priorities as well as on individual initiatives.
The Commission Work Programme 2012 can be found at:
Contacts :
Pia Ahrenkilde Hansen (+32 2 295 30 70)
Mark Gray (+32 2 298 86 44)
Roadmaps for the individual initiatives foreseen for 2012 can be found at: http://ec.europa.eu/governance/impact/planned_ia/roadmaps_2012_en.htm


text:
Darko Tresnjak Named New Artistic Director of Hartford Stage
Frank Rizzo
May 09, 2011
Darko Tresnjak, a theater director known for his work with Shakespeare, world classics and the rediscovery of neglected plays, is expected to be named the new artistic director of Hartford Stage when the board votes Monday morning. He will succeed Michael Wilson who ends his 13-year tenure in June.
The 45-year-old Tresnjak (pronounced TRESHZ-nick) will be the fifth artistic director in the theater's 48-year history. Tresnjak's five-year contract begins July 1. His salary is still being negotiated.
Tresnjak was artistic director of Old Globe Theatre's Shakespeare Festival in San Diego for five years ending in 2009. Productions there included "Coriolanus," "Hamlet," "All's Well That Ends Well," as well as Clare Booth Luce's "The Women" and Edmond Rostand's "Cyrano de Bergerac." Most recently he directed New York's Theatre for a New Audience's tour of "The Merchant of Venice" starring Oscar-winner F. Murray Abraham ("Amadeus").
Tresnjak is currently directing and set designing "Titus Andronicus" at the Stratford (Canada) Shakespeare Festival with John Vickery and Roberta Maxwell and is in Manhattan casting the musical revival of "City of Angels" which will play East Haddam's the Goodspeed Opera House in the fall.
"This is a huge honor and a great responsibility," says Tresnjak from New York. "I am deeply humble."
Tresnjak says that though he has an extensive resume with classics, he is committed to new work as well.
"If I turn my back on new plays in Hartford I would be shooting myself in the foot, with the board, with the press, probably with audiences," says Tresnjak.
"For the coming season, I want to be a loving host [for the artists and productions that have already been selected] and learn as much as I can about Hartford and the community and what opportunities there are."
Hartford Stage leaders praised the quality of Tresnjak's work and extent of his connections throughout the country of the past two decades.
"With Darko, we have someone who is an artist, someone with a lot of integrity and someone who will be really committed to Hartford," says Paul L. Bourdeau, Hartford Stage's board president.
Jill Adams, vice president of the board, headed the search committee with the assistance of theater consultants AlbertHall & Associates. "This appointment is a reaffirmation of the theater's longstanding mission to provide a fresh view of the classics and a commitment to new works," she says. "We were seeking a walk-on-water person that will engage and inspire the community, the staff and the donors while creating wonderful art."
Tresnjak was born in Zemum, Yugoslavia (now Serbia) before emigrating to the U.S. when he was 10. Tresnjak received his BA in English literature at Swarthmore College in 1988 and his MFA in theater studies at Columbia University in 1996
Tresnjak's work had been widely produced in the state. For Goodspeed Musicals he also staged "Amour," "A Little Night Music" and last summer's "Carousel!"." For New Haven's Long Wharf Theatre, he directed Tom Stoppard's "Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead." For the Westport Country Playhouse, he staged "Princess Turandot" and "Hay Fever." He also directed many works in the past 10 years at the Williamstown Theatre Festival in the Massachusetts Berkshires.
He was also director-in-residence at Boston's Huntington Theatre Company from 2002 to 2004. He has also directed for the Los Angeles Opera, Opera Theater of St. Louis and the Sarasota Opera, among other companies.
Among his honors are the Alan Schneider Award for directing excellence, a Theatre Communications Group national theater residency award and the Boris Sagal Directing Fellowship.
Tresnjak will be involved in selecting the final play of Hartford Stage's six-play 2011-12 season. Five other works have already been announced, including one that includes a play he will direct, "Bell Book and Candle," a '50s play in which he received praise in 2007 when he has already first staged at the Old Globe to critical acclaim.. He also directed another '50s rarely-revived comedy there to critical acclaim, "The Pleasure of His Company."
He is married to Josh Pearson, an associate costume designer. They are expected to live within walking distance to the downtown Hartford theater.
About 80 theater artists were either contacted or expressed interest in the job. The search committee narrowed the choice to 14, including candidates from Ireland and Canada. ,
The list was further culled to six and then finally four: Tresnjak; Eric Rosen, artistic director of Kansas City Repertory Theatre; director Scott Schwarz; and Wendy Goldberg, artistic director of the National Playwrights Conference at the Eugene O'Neill Theater Center in Waterford.
Includes option to search related Hartford sites.
Advanced Search
Search Tips


text:
Chloe, me, Ming and Paige at King's Park
Happy 2009! Just a short post to say 'Hi!' and Thank you for all your lovely emails - I am very well, just really busy having a Great, Great time enjoying my family these holidays! I have a Huge, no, GIANT post coming up with so many photos to share you won't believe! I've had a really busy but extremely fulfilling time over the last six months and I'm going to tell you all about it in my upcoming post. And of course, not to mention a Gorgeous little recipe for a SEXY cupcake! So Stay Tuned!
Before I go though, I want to wish all of you a Blessed 2009 from my Family to yours - I hope 2009 will be the year that things that truly matter will happen for you, that you will find Love, families will be reunited, relationships will be cherished and most of all, that you will find God, because, when you do, everything else will fall into place!
One last thing, before I really zip off.. I have the pleasure of presenting to you, a new member of the Rodé-Chong family! Drum roll please!
Introducing.. 'Puppy'! our Budgie. For the longest time, the Girls and Ming have been bugging me for a Puppy, but Mom knows Best, our circumstances and habits hardly allows for it - so, we got a Bird instead and named him 'Puppy'! Not a bad idea, don't you think?
See you all real soon!
Carol xoxo
Friday, January 23, 2009
Hey There Everyone!
18 comments:
- breadpitt said...
hi, carol....gald u are back ;-) happy chinise new year to u and ur family ya.awaiting those sexy pic
- January 26, 2009 at 9:45 AM
- Annette said...
Gongxi facai Carol. Your little ladies are looking more grown up and gorgeous by the day! May the new year be filled with love, peace and prosperity for your whole family.
- January 31, 2009 at 1:50 AM
- PangTama said...
Hi Carol,
Finally you back to the blogging world :). Cant wait for your next posting!!
- February 2, 2009 at 12:19 PM
- Big Boys Oven said...
Gong Xi Fatt Cai!!!! Wow six months a very long time, really excited now longing for your next post. Breadpitt had been asking about you all this while, so do I. Great to know you are well and back! See u soon!
- February 2, 2009 at 2:37 PM
- Jen said...
Hello Carol,
Happy Chinese New Year!
Good to hear that you're back blogging. Can't wait to read/see all your yummy and interesting cookings!
Jenny (from Perth)
- February 5, 2009 at 5:11 PM
- Cândida said...
i am just in love w your blog!
- March 8, 2009 at 2:42 AM
- MICHAEL RUMENDE said...
Carol... looking forward for your next post =)
- March 23, 2009 at 10:09 PM
- Anonymous said...
This site specializes in the education of consumers interested in quick auto loan
- April 14, 2009 at 8:21 AM
- SIG said...
How cute. My hubby had a budgie once like this. So happy to see you back.
- April 16, 2009 at 3:38 PM
- Ming the Merciless said...
Carol, so glad to see a new post.
Hope all is well.
xoxo, C
- July 21, 2009 at 10:16 AM
- Jules said...
oooooh! He's so cute!! He looks edible :D
- July 27, 2009 at 9:16 PM
- Rafe New York said...
I think Puppy is adorable!
- August 10, 2009 at 10:55 PM
- Christian Lebe said...
Carol, the mother of all cakes..
What's going on with this blog? :-)
- October 17, 2009 at 5:02 PM
- Lianne said...
Hi! Just came across your blog from Rasa Malaysia. What a coincidence! Just got a budgie last night! Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you :-)
- December 19, 2009 at 4:54 PM
- Anonymous said...
Your blog keeps getting better and better! Your older articles are not as good as newer ones you have a lot more creativity and originality now keep it up!
- January 4, 2010 at 3:48 PM
- J.C. said...
Dear Carol, your photographs posted on this blog are so beautiful! May I ask what camera are you using? Are you a professional photographer?
- February 8, 2010 at 5:26 PM
- Anonymous said...
Hello!! My name is SIMAUMA. I write blog about the food.Please look.And I am glad if I link to your blog. (URL)http://food-collection-simauma.blogspot.com/
- May 11, 2010 at 6:36 AM
- The Foodologist said...
Just wanted to say you have a lovely blog here with very impressivephotography. I very much look forward to seeing and reading more!!
- June 16, 2010 at 6:21 AM


text:
Already have an account?
Millions of ways to be remarkable. Join today.
We will never post without your permission
Privacy Policy / Terms of Use
Already have an account?
We will never post without your permission
Cuddle a Cat or Kitten.
We are looking for kitty friendly folks who might be willing to share a spare bedroom, bathroom, laundry room, office, etc. with a kitty / kittens in need of a safe place to prepare for adoption. Every foster family helps us to make a tremendous difference in the number of cats we save each year. There is no cost to you but a commitment of time and attention. Fostering is flexible enough for most lifestyles. We will match the kitties to each foster home's needs and wants. By offering your time, energy and home to a cat in need, you prepare the animal for adoption into a permanent home as well as help prevent overcrowding in our shelter which is at records levels in Maricopa County.
What Does Fostering Entail? Have a dedicated space to place foster cat(s) away from your household pets for at least 14 days (required quarantine). Refresh food and water daily Clean Litter Box Give antibiotics, if necessary (most often for a kitty cold) If you have a cat, this might seem incredibly familiar. The only difference is that we provide the food, litter and cover the medical expenses. Am I eligible to foster?? Primary caregiver must be at least 18 years of age. Everyone in the home be in agreement about fostering Have a spare room or space to dedicate to the cat or kittens while at your home Reside preferably in the East Valley (homes beyond are considered). Be willing to heap love and attention on this kitties Own your home or have a rental that permits animals of this nature Reliable transportation, insurance and valid driver's license (Although we often do the transporting, should their be an emergency, being able to drive to a vet is a must) Property Insurance (homeowners or rental) If you are interested in fostering, you will need to complete a foster application. Fostering also requires a home visit / interview to determine a proper fit and criteria. We recognize that becoming a foster family is a commitment. We work with each family to determine how often and how many kitties they wish to help at one time. We coordinate to ensure that animals are cared for and / or relocated when a foster is out of town or needs a temporary break from fostering (having company in, surgery, etc.). The average time a cat or litter of kittens is with a foster family is between two - six weeks. The time line is based on whether the animal has been vaccinated, altered, is healthy (not having a kitty cold), socially ready for adoption and availability at our adoption center. This is a great opportunity for empty nesters, retired couples or someone who isn't sure they are ready to adopt but would like to help in the meantime. Please consider getting involved. We cannot help cats when we don't have foster families available. It is that simple.
We'll work with your schedule.
From Your HomeTempe, AZ 85281


text:
Kenzo Takada, a Japanese designer with a dash of eccentricity, arrived in Paris in the 70s. Inspired by the East and West, he invented colorful, energy-packed and anti-conformist fashion.
Since 1988, with the creation of Kenzo Parfums, Kenzo has regaled us with stories told through scent.
Poetry with a twist, redesigned nature, smiling sensuality and real emotions inspire each new fragrance.
Surprising and provoking smiles… With the energy, boldness and joy of Kenzo, the world is beautiful!
- 1
- 1
The debut fragrance, Flower by Kenzo gained success through its powdery, floral scent with a simple and charming bottle. The Kenzo fragrance range will tease your senses and linger on your skin throughout the day. So wear to boost your daytime blues, or spritz for an evening glow.


text:
Package: montecarlo-data (20061220+dfsg3-3)
Links for montecarlo-data
Debian Resources:
Download Source Package mclibs:
- [mclibs_20061220+dfsg3-3.dsc]
- [mclibs_20061220+dfsg3.orig.tar.gz]
- [mclibs_20061220+dfsg3-3.debian.tar.gz]
External Resources:
- Homepage [wwwasd.web.cern.ch]
Similar packages:
[Physics] data for CERNLIB Monte Carlo libraries
CERNLIB is a suite of data analysis tools and libraries created for use in physics experiments, but also with applications to other fields such as the biological sciences.
This package provides data files for three Monte Carlo frameworks: COJETS, Eurodec, and ISAJET. Although these data files are not strictly required (programs based on these frameworks may use locally supplied data instead), most people using one of these Monte Carlo generators will probably want to install this package.
The paths to the data files typically must be supplied to programs that are written to use these frameworks, either in the source code or interactively at runtime. This package places the data files cojets.dat, eurodec.dat and isajet.dat into the directory /usr/share/montecarlo-data.
Other Packages Related to montecarlo-data
- dep: cernlib-base (>= 2006.dfsg.2-7)
- CERNLIB data analysis suite - common files
- dep: montecarlo-base (= 20061220+dfsg3-3)
- [Physics] Common files for CERNLIB Monte Carlo libraries
Download montecarlo-data
|Package Size
|Installed Size
|25.4 kB
|368.0 kB
|[list of files]


text:
Name: Carey
Gender: Male
Age: 33
Location: Kansas
My fiancée is 27 and in the past 3 to 4 years her libido has become virtually extinct I have tried everything and she just blames her birth control what do I do
You've been engaged to a woman for more than 4 years? Oh wait, maybe you're trying to tell me that you proposed to this woman in spite of knowing she has an extinct libido? Either way, darling, that's messed up, huh? Are you hoping this is "dry spell" is gonna somehow magically resolve itself once you're married? I wouldn't hold my breath for that, if I were you.
It's true of course, birth control pills can seriously impact on a woman's desire for sex. Your fiancée is probably one of these women. Maybe she ought to consult her physician about another type of pill that may have a less severe impact on her libido. Many women find that triphasic birth control pills (which deliver differing amounts of hormones every week) interfere much less with their sex drive than monophasic pills (which deliver the same amount of hormones each dose).
She could also decide to discontinue the pill altogether, and choose another form of contraception, such as a condom or diaphragm. Just realize that once off the pill, her sex drive may only return very slowly.
You see how this predicament is a double bind for your fiancée. If she is more lax with her contraceptive efforts, just to please you and your sex drive; then she opens herself up for an unplanned pregnancy. And that's not good for her, or you. Is there anything YOU can do to free her up from shouldering the full burden of contraception? Have you've considered a vasectomy? Probably not, huh? What man ever imagines he ought assume the responsibility for controlling reproduction?
I wholeheartedly support the notion that married people deserve a rich and fulfilling sex life, unless there's mutual agreement not to bother. But that can't happen if one of the partners is inequitably burdened by one thing or another. Perhaps, it's time you and the little misses to have a frank talk about equally sharing the responsibility for contraception. And if this little talk is successful, maybe, just maybe, you might get laid again.
Good luck
Name: Tom
Age: 18
Location: New York
Okay so I'm not sexually active yet so I'm not in a rush to solve this but I just had a question for you. Is it possible to have too much foreskin? I mean even when fully erect the skin still overhangs by like 1 quarter inch or so (never measured so not exact). So a few times i've tried to do it by hand and yet still it doesn't fully go back and gets to a point that it starts to hurt and I can't continue. So do I probably hatto get cut some day or something? Also what if I decided not to get cut would this cause problems, just asking because if I didn't have to go in and get cut I'd prefer that but you gotta do what you gotta do. Well thanks for the help.
Too much foreskin? Never heard of such a thing!
That being said, it does sound like you have been blessed with an abundance of drapes. What's also obvious is that you've yet to learn how to manage a foreskin…particularly a wild and unruly foreskin, like yours.
Phimosis, or tight foreskin, can be a real pain. But stretching, not circumcision, is the cure for all but the most severe cases. I'd be willing to guess that you've never been taught to stretch your foreskin to make it more elastic, right? Alrighty then, let's start with a few stretching exercises.
Exercise 1 — While you're dick is soft; retract your foreskin as far back as you can. Work two fingers in under your hood till you can touch the head of your dick. Now attempt to roll your hood forward and over your fingers. It's like docking another cock, only you're using your fingers. This exercise depends on you having your fingers inside your foreskin for it to be effective. In time you'll be able to add three fingers, instead of just two. This will stretch your foreskin to the point you'll be able to easily retract it over your erect dick head.
Exercise 2 — Grab each side of the foreskin opening and gently pull each side apart. Stretch the opening till it's stretched with a tension you can tolerate, but not actually painful. Hold for a count of 10 and release. Repeat for 5 sets of 10 pulls per day, more if you can handle it. Here's a tip, these stretches are best done after soaking in a warm bath or a long hot shower.
Exercise 3 — This is a variation on exercise 1. Insert a smooth cylindrical object into your foreskin opening, like the cork from a wine bottle. This object needs to be just large enough to stretch the skin without pain. Once inserted, leave it there for as long as you can during the day, or for over night. As your foreskin stretches you want to swap one object for another with a larger diameter. If a wine cork is too big to start with, consider a smaller smooth wooden or plastic dowel. You can find these sorts of things at the Home-O Depot, don't 'cha know. You might need to use a bit of surgical tape to keep these stretchers in place.
These exercises may sound a bit invasive or uncomfortable, and perhaps they will be at first. But they're nothing compared to getting cut as an adult. In a short period of time you will achieve the success you are looking for. Remember, properly caring for your foreskin will insure that you'll be able to keep this amazing piece of your anatomy. So that when it's time for you to become sexually active it will work flawlessly and exponentially increase your pleasure.
Good luck
Name: tony
Gender: Male
Age: 40
Location: houston
I've loved several women and even married and divorced one. Over the last few years, I notice having similar feelings for men around me…longing, sweaty palms, difficulty thinking and wanting to be with them alone. Is this love? Am I bisexual? Am I a sick man better of dead? I have not crossed the line and I still having great sex with women. But there's now a guy that I think about when I'm with her! Am I gay? Bisexual? Sick in the head?
My first reaction is that what you present is not particularly uncommon. Many people, just like you, inexplicably find themselves behaving in a completely unexpected sexual manner. I'd love to know what triggered you to veer off your comfortable and predictable sexual path?
There's never a scarcity of sexual fascists out there, people who believe that sexual tastes and preferences are carved in stone, or there's only one "right" way to be sexual. They'll persecute anyone who doesn't conform to their strict immutable notions of sexuality and eroticism. Despite the proliferation of these hetero-fascists, homo-fascists and what have you; they are all very wrong about the indomitable human spirit.
For the most part, humans are not sexual automatons. Given a more permissive and sex-positive culture then our own, we'd all be more fluid in our eroticism and sexual expression. Are you one of the lucky few who has discovered the joy of this fluidity? Doesn't quite sound like it to me, at least not yet. I think you're still in the "scared shitless" stage.
For a guy who has yet to "cross the line" and actually act on your fantasy, you sure are preoccupied with your identity. Are you afraid that someone will take away your breeder card if you actually touch a dude in a sexual way? Does having same-sex feelings…sweaty palms and all…make you a gay? Doubt it! Being gay entails a lot more than a sense of longing for something you're not supposed to have. Are you bisexual? I can't say for sure, but you're certainly not exclusively straight either. I suppose you have to come to grips with the self-identify thing when you have a bit more information about your burgeoning homoeroticism. What I know for sure is that you are not sick.
Who knows, your homoeroticism might very well be situational. It might not extend any farther than the guy you think about when you're fucking chicks. I know all of this is can be pretty disconcerting and it can really mess with your head. But at least you know you are still alive sexually. So many people are sleepwalking through their erotic lives.
Will you act on your inclinations? Will you test the waters, so to speak? What harm could it do? Might just open up a whole new sexual world for you. On the other hand, if you do nothing, or try and repress these natural feelings, you'll always know in your heart of hearts that you have the desire, if not the capacity, to express yourself sexually with a much wider range of humans than what you are currently used to. And something tells me that if you choose the path of self-denial, it will eat away at you until you satisfy your curiosity.
Good luck